Page images
PDF
EPUB

Blest Saviour! introduc'd by thee,
Have I my race begun,

And, crown'd with vict'ry, at thy feet
I'll lay mine honours down.

PRAYER

For Saturday Evening.

Now, O Lord, give us to remember that to-morrow is the Sabbath of the Lord our God. Now give us rest from all our own works, and may we leave all our worldly cares at the bottom of the hill, while we go up into the mount to worship God, and return again to the duties of life, which thou hast appointed us. O let us be prepared, according to the preparation of the sanctuary, with a serious, reverent, spiritual mind; hungering for the living bread, and thirsting for the living waters; looking to the light of thy countenance for joy and gladness.

Are any of us among the weary and heavy laden? May we find rest in the living pastures of thy sanctuary; may we hear the Saviour say, What is thy petition, and what is thy request? Is our burden a heart of unbelief? O let us hear the merciful Saviour say, as he did to Peter, Wherefore dost thou doubt? If sin is the burden of our souls, O let it be laid at the foot of the cross! O Lord pour upon us the spirit of prayer and suppli

cation. We thank thee that there is a throne of mercy, to which we are invited to come, that we may obtain mercy to pardon, and grace to help! Lord help us seriously to examine ourselves this night: may our sins be brought to remembrance, and may we not suffer them to slip out of our minds, till we have a good hope that they are forgiven for Christ's sake.

We are favoured once more, O Lord, with the prospect of the returning Sabbath; may it prove a day of rest, not only from our worldly calling, but also from worldly thoughts and earthly cares. O Lord, suffer not the Sabbath that is coming to be spent as too many of those which are past have been; help us to look forward with pleasure to those precious means of grace which thy Sabbath affords; we are utterly unworthy to tread thy courts or to join thy people in the blessed exercises of prayer and praise: feed our souls with the bread of life, clothe them with the garments of salvation !

We are now one week nearer to our end; put us in remembrance, O Lord, that days and weeks, as they pass by, bring us nearer to death and judgment; may each of us remember, that in the midst of life we are in death; that we know not

which Sabbath may be the last. We deserve not to hear another sermon; we deserve not to have our day of grace lengthened; but spare us, good Lord, that the ears that have been hitherto shut against the sound of the gospel, may hear and live; that the blind eyes that have been shut against gospel light may be opened; and the blind hearts made, by thy grace, to see and feel; let the lukewarm be quickened and be made more alive; and may all who are planted in thy house flourish in the courts of our God! May their faith and love and joy increase, and prepare them more for the joy and praise of heaven! Now unto him that is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God, our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, now Amen.

and for ever.

SECOND WEEK.

Meditation for the Lord's Day.

THE LAMB OF GOD.

"Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world." St. John i. 29.

The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world :-the Lamb signified by all the sacrifices of the law : -the Lamb accepted by the Father, in whom he is well pleased; in whom justice is satisfied, and mercy granted.

May our eyes look steadfastly on him, and fix upon him our faith, our hope, and our love, as the only way to the Father; as the only way in which our guilt can be washed away, our robes made white. Let us look at him, and wonder at his love to man; and love him because he first loved us. Let us go to him as the way, the truth, and the life-the true and living way to the Father.

Is our heart pressed down even to despondency under the guilt of sin, so that we cry, "How can such a sinner be pardoned My sin is greater than can be forgiven?" "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away

the sin of the world!" "The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin." Do we complain of the hardness of our hearts, and want of love to Christ? Behold him as offered up to God for us, and such a sight, if any, will melt our hard heart." They shall look on me whom they have pierced and shall mourn."

Do you at any time find your hearts fretting, disquieted, and impatient under every petty cross, and trial? see how patiently, meekly, and quietly, Christ, your sacrifice, came to the altar and bore your sins and your sorrows." For he was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." Whatever corruption burdens, this, in the believing application, will support. Whatever grace is deficient, this will revive it. Blessed Jesus, we thank thee for the kind memorials thou hast left us of thy love. May this love draw us to thy table. There we can see thee as a sacrifice, and by faith can eat of that flesh and drink of that blood, which are offered for the life of our souls. There may we hear thee say, "Be not faithless, but believing." Can we thus remember thee and our own guilt forget? Can we thus remember thee at thy table, and again and again forget thee? O what a feast of love might this be to a loving soul! Lord, give us to taste that

« PreviousContinue »