night preserve me also through the coming day, And set before my eyes thy day continually : and lift them up unto thy judgment-seat. For it is at hand, it is at hand, the great day of thy appearing the night of this world is far spent. Keep me on the watch, O Lord: that I may not be blind to the signs of thy coming. For even as the light tippeth the mountains: and the heavens are bright with the earnest of the coming sun, As the birds of the morning send forth their voices which are harbingers of all the sounds of the day, : Even so the approach of thy glory manifesteth itself unto thy servants : and the sounds of thy coming have a prelude in their ears. They see in the signs of the times, the earnest of the sign of the Son of man in heaven: they hear in their sound, the herald of the clang of thy trumpet. O Christ, the King of glory: keep me in uprightness through this day. Strengthen me in the maintenance of thy faith enable me with might through thy Spirit. : Give me the wisdom that seeketh salvation : and the patience that awaiteth thy day. : Therefore, in that great day when Thou shalt come to reckon with thy servants, The day appointed from the beginning: the evening of the morning of the world which Thou then madest, The day of thy glorious appearing : the day of thy terrible majesty, The day of refreshment to thy saints: the day of weeping and gnashing of teeth to thine enemies. I shall not be ashamed of the deeds of this day I shall be able to stand unblameable in : Waked thy sight. In the preores lood of the Lawat, clothed in - Role of His Sotects Righteousne V RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DAY, BLESS the Lord, O my soul: speak good of his name, my heart and my lips. For his hand hath sustained me through the night his care hath brought me safe to the beginning of another day. He hath kept sickness away from my body : and sorrow far from my soul. Tidings of evil have not affrighted me : neither hath the spoiler entered my gates. My body is full of health: my substance is safe. O Lord, help me to choose the better part among the things of this day and life and Thee before death and hell. To discern amid the prizes of the world, the prize of the world to come and to study to keep safe thy treasures only; The treasures of the word of thy mouth : the treasures of the revelation of thy will; The treasures of the light of the knowledge of thy glory: the treasures of the grace of thy Holy Spirit; The treasures of hope of the life eternal : the treasures of the promise of everlasting peace; The treasures of forgiveness in thy dear Son : the treasures of mercy in his precious blood. The treasures of a station in thy Church : the treasures of ability towards thy service; These are the treasures of thy kingdom, O Lord and their store endureth for ever. : Who shall measure the length or the breadth of their heap: who shall reckon the height and depth of their pile. I am lost in the thoughts of their preciousness: O make me a faithful steward of them. Grant me this day to watch fearfully over their safe keeping: to deal forth faithfully from their store; As knowing from whom they come and remembering unto whom I must account. So help me to lay up my treasure in heaven : and to find it at the last day. O God! the kings of the earth gather treasure together and trust in the multitude of a host to defend them. : But death spoileth them at last and giveth them unto others. But who shall rob the sons of thy kingdom: who shall ascend into heaven to spoil them? O Lord, be Thou my defender trust is in Thee. my sure' VI. VICTORY OVER THE DAY'S TEMPTATION. THE watches of the night are past: O my soul, thou hast slept enough. The day is come, the day of thy trial: the trumpet hath sounded for the battle. Now call on the Lord to help thee : and with his shield and buckler to cover thee. For the host is come up against thee he hath sworn madly against thee. Sharp are his weapons and mighty : thou canst not count him for number. There is the world: with all his principalities and powers. : There is the flesh with all his multitude of lusts. There is the devil: with all his fallen angels. They do not tarry on the way: even now they are close upon thee. Lord, help me or I fall: arise for the defence of thy servant. Set my feet fast that I be not moved: put Satan to flight before my resistance. That I may be worthy to be counted amidst thine host and to join in the song of thy victory, : When the last enemy shall be subdued: and death and hell shall be cast into the lake of fire. O therefore, Thou that didst sustain thy servant Stephen: and he made a good confession; Thou that didst strengthen thy servant Paul to a good fight : and he laid hold of the crown of rig' teousness; Thou that hast enabled so many Confessors to endure and so many Martyrs to overcome; : And hast now called me in my turn unto the fight and arrayed me at my post; Help me, Thou Lord of victory : defend me, Thou Captain of salvation. VII. THE CHRISTIAN'S THOUGHTS WHILE DRESSING. I have been laid out in the death of sleep : silence and the darkness covered me. The narrowness of my room was as the grave my clothing was as a shroud around : me. |