ANOTHER FAMILY PRAYER FOR SABBATH MORNING OR EVENING. PSALM lxxxix. 15. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, 0 Lord, in the light of thy countenance. GREAT art thou, O Lord, and greatly to be feared; thou art worthy to be had in reverence by all them that approach thee; for thou didst exist before the mountains were created, or the waters had been gathered into their present channels; before the sun began to enlighten the day, or the moon and stars to beautify the night; before the generations of men began to people the earth; or any of the creatures that exist around us had tasted of that life which they now enjoy. Thou also shalt continue to exist, when all present things shall have passed away: for with thee there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning ;thy goodness, and wisdom, and power, shall be exerted throughout eternity in giving life and intelligence to innumerable beings; and the plans of thy providence shall receive a more perfect accomplishment, in higher worlds, than that which is given to them amidst the irregularities and imperfections of this earthly scene. From everlasting to everlasting thou art God. But to us, O Lord, thou hast manifested thyself in a manner adapted to our weaknesses and our wants. Thou hast revealed, in the many beautiful arrangements of creation, thy wisdom, and goodness, and power; all thy works show forth thy glory, and speak of thy love; their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. Thou hast also condescended to converse more familiarly with man. For though thou hidest thyself from his view amidst light ineffable, which no man can look upon and live, the still small voice of thy word has been breathed into his ear; and many prophets and righteous men have spoken unto us in thy name. At last, O Lord, thou hast sent unto us even thine own Son from heaven, not in the nature of angels, but of the seed of Abraham; and to him thou hast given commandment to speak unto men all things that concern forgiveness and eternal life. How beautiful also, O our God, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of them that bring glad tidings,-that publish peace, that cry unto the inhabitants of the earth, Behold your God! We, O Lord, have been peculiarly favoured, in having been born in a land where the message of mercy has been long published. Our infancy was taught to know and reverence thy name; we have all been consecrated to thy service. We are every week permitted to assemble in thy house of prayer; and, as on this day, we are also permitted, with those whom thou hast given us, to offer up united thanksgivings and supplications to him who is the Father of all the families of the earth. Bless the Lord, O our souls, and forget not all his benefits,-who forgiveth all our iniquities,who healeth all our diseases,-who redeemeth our lives from destruction,-who crowneth us with lov ing-kindnesses and with tender mercies. Every day, O Lord, will we bless thee, and will call upon thy name; for it is in thee that we live, and move, and have our being;-and it is to thy gracious guidance alone that we can look for direction amidst the many dangers and snares of life. Grant us, O our God, a true and living faith in Jesus Christ, thy Son. May it be our delight to meditate on thy wonderful love, in having sent him to be the Saviour of our race. May we be grateful for the testimony which he has given us, that thou art merciful and ready to pardon; and may it be our most anxious endeavour, that each of us may be interested in the blessings of that salvation which he has wrought out for men. Alas! O Lord, how great need have we of thy forgiving mercy. Every day and every hour we are breaking thy commandments; when we look back upon life, we perceive that we have in no instance improved either our powers, or our opportunities as we ought to have done, and that if thou wert strict to enter into judgment, we could not answer thee for one of a thousand of our transgressions. O look in mercy on us, for the sake of Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord; for his sake, blot out all our transgressions, receive us graciously, and love us freely,-and grant us that peace which can only belong to those who are reconciled to thee. Thou hast also given thy Holy Spirit to breathe as a renovating energy over the wilderness of life. By his influences, may our souls be awakened into new strength and higher beauty; may the love of sin be destroyed, and the love of virtue quickened within us; and may we now be enabled to enter on that course of goodness and of well-doing which shall be continued to those who are faithful unto death, throughout eternal ages. And blessed, O Lord, be thy name, for this great prospect which thou hast set before us. It is but a short period which has been appointed to man upon the earth; and we who now bow before thee, in this hour of fellowship and of prayer, must soon mingle our dust with that of all who have gone before us. But blessed be thy name, that there is a spirit in man which cannot die ;—and that, when our period of probation upon the earth has been completed, this mortal shall put on immor |