Sunday Evening — Week 2

When we consider the heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which Thou hast ordained, Lord, what is man that Thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that thou visitest him. In thy sight the heavens are not clean; and Thou chargest thine angels with folly—With what truth therefore may we, and with what humiliation ought we to exclaim, Behold we are vile!

And yet, we believe—help thou our unbelief—that Thou waitest to be gracious unto us, and art exalted to have mercy upon us. And Christ also has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us unto God. Through his obedience unto death, even the death of the cross, it is honorable in Thee to save all that come unto Thee by Him; and Thou art faithful and just, as well as gracious and merciful, in forgiving us our sins, and in cleansing us from all unrighteousness.

We bless thy holy name, for a foundation on which the guilty, the depraved, and the helpless, can build a hope that maketh not ashamed; for a refuge from the curse of a broken law; for a fountain opened for sin and uncleanness; and for a fulness from which we can receive, and grace for grace. We want to appropriate and realize all the representations given of the Savior in thy word; and to find him to be in our own experience, what thy people have found him to be in all ages of the world. May our persons and our services be accepted in the beloved. May we be justified freely by thy grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. May we be saved by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. We are weary and heavy-laden—give us rest. We are depraved in all our powers—work in us to will and to do of thy good pleasure. We are ignorant—fill us with the knowledge of thy will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that we may approve things that are excellent, and be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.

Many eyes are upon us—lead us in a plain path because of our enemies. Many watch for our halting—but may we put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, and constrain them by our good works, which they behold, to glorify God in the day of visitation.

Some did run well, but are hindered; they began in the spirit, but are now walking in the flesh. We tremble for them, and we tremble for ourselves; we pray for them, and we pray for ourselves. Recover and restore them, and keep us by thy power through faith unto salvation. May we never draw back; never turn aside to the right hand or to the left; never stand still; never look back; never seem to come short through unbelief, but be always abounding in the work of the Lord—and so much the more as we see the day approaching.

Though we are ignorant of the future, and know not what a day may bring forth, keep us from being of a doubtful mind. May we be careful for nothing. May we go on our way rejoicing, persuaded that all thy dispensations are designed and adapted to prove that Thou carest for us.

We can even now see much of thy wisdom, righteousness and kindness, in events that once perplexed and alarmed us; and what we know not now we shall know hereafter. Soon the mystery of providence will be completed and explained. Soon shall we have passed these dark and mournful regions; and then our sun shall no more go down, nor our moon withdraw herself; for God shall be our everlasting light, and the days of our mourning shall be ended.

And till we arrive at heaven our home, may we gratefully avail ourselves of all the advantages afforded us in our journey. We bless Thee for wilderness privileges; for the manna; the streams of the smitten rock; the fiery cloudy pillar; the tabernacle, and the ark. We bless Thee for the sabbath, the sanctuary, and the ministry of the word. We bless Thee for the opportunities we have this day enjoyed in waiting upon Thee. Many who love thy salvation have passed the sacred hours in solitude. Many have had no means of grace to invite their attendance. And many who have been assembled together have not heard the gospel of the grace of God in truth. O let not our privileges increase our guilt, and aggravate our condemnation, so that it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for us. Let not the truths we have been hearing visit us only as weekly guests; but may they be residents in our hearts. May the word of Christ dwell in us richly in all wisdom. And though the exercises in which we have been engaged are transient, may the effects produced by them be deep and durable; may the sabbath pervade the week, and the spirit of devotion actuate us in the absence of its forms; whether we eat, or drink, or whatever we do, may we do all to the glory of God.

Bless, O bless, the rising generation, the sources of future families and communities. When the clouds of the valley shall be sweet about us, may they be found a seed to serve Thee. Many of them have had the advantage of religious education; they have seen pious examples; they early kneeled at the domestic altar; from infancy they knew the holy scriptures, and have often been alarmed often melted under the word preached; and frequently have they been ready to subscribe with their own hand, and surname themselves by the name of Israel. O let not these promising appearances and beginnings be destroyed. O let not the wild beast out of the wood carry off the lambs of the flock, but may the shepherd of Israel gather them with his arm and carry them in his bosom.

Regard all thy professing churches. Bless them with soundness of doctrine, purity and liberality of discipline, and sanctity and amiableness of character in their members: and the Lord add to his people, how many soever they be, an hundred fold. Yea, let a little one become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation; and all the families of the earth be blessed in Him—who is all our salvation and all our desire—to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.