Imatges de pàgina
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2. SUNDAY MORNING.

ALMIGHTY God! who wouldest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his sin and live, have mercy upon us for the sake of Thy well-beloved Son, and grant us true repentance. Cleanse us, we beseech Thee, from secret faults, and save us from presumptuous sins. Deliver us from all self-delusion and hypocrisy, that we may not in any way cling to or defend the transgressions we disavow with our lips. Let us not wilfully repeat offences which day by day we disclaim, but endeavour stedfastly to perfect holiness in the fear of Thee. Fill us with a living and effective faith in the atonement made for each of us by Jesus Christ, and in His continual intercession for our iniquity. Let our prayers ever be through His name, earnest, hopeful, and sincere; and incline us to watch thereunto with all perseverance. "Scatter the darkness of our ignorance, that we may see Thy light, and worship Thee as God. Make tender our spirits within us, that in lively devotion and singleness of heart we strive to work out our own salvation with reverence and awe; with trembling and joy; with distrust of ourselves, and mighty confidence in Thee." Teach us to estimate aright the advantages of

our birth in this favoured land, the blessing of Christian worship and Christian society. Strengthen and instruct us in the observance of all those duties and ordinances which, amid the deceitful pleasures and absorbing cares of life, Thou hast enjoined for our continual protection and support. Let our daily conduct be such as to shew us truly thankful for the means of instruction, and habitually diligent to improve them, according to Thy will. And since Thou hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning, grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of Thy word we may embrace and evermore hold fast the blessed hope of salvation, which Thou givest us in Thy Son. Even as He rose again from the grave as on this day, so let us be made in Him new creatures, and be adopted as the children of grace, and henceforward evermore live unto Him in the communion of saints. And we would humbly implore Thy blessing upon every Bishop, Priest, and Curate, and all estates of men in thy Church, that each member of the same, in his vocation and ministry, may truly serve Thee, through Jesus Christ, in whom and through whom unto Thee Lord God Almighty be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

2. SUNDAY EVENING.

O LORD God Almighty, for the sake of our Redeemer have mercy upon us miserable offenders, and throughout our continuance in this world let Thy Holy Spirit work in each of us obedience to Thy will, and dependence on Thy power. In Thee, O Lord, in the multitude of Thy mercies, establish Thou our hope; that, freed from all idolatry, we may ever turn to Thee in single-mindedness and deep humility. Let not the consciousness of our many offences day by day become a snare for our souls; but oblige us the rather to lowly faith in Him who has suffered for our iniquity, and broken the power of Satan. Thou alone art strong to save; O Lord, in none other have we any help. Overrule the secret misgivings of our unbelief, and with great might succour us. Amid all our wilfulness and neglect of Thee, root and establish Thy kingdom in our hearts, for the honour of Thine only Son. Let not iniquity have dominion over us. Order our steps in Thy word, and set a watch before our mouths. Incline us to keep Thy commandments, and to avoid the fellowship of those who do evil in Thy sight, and have not in their hearts the fear of Thee. Suffer us not to lavish away the season of mercy,

procured for us here by such a costly sacrifice, on pursuits of unreal importance, or in unprofitable studies. Enable us to put our whole trust in Thee, that we may not lean unto our own understandings, or seek after the wisdom of the flesh. In the deaths of our fellow-creatures, as they fall around us continually, teach us to feel how frail and uncertain is our own condition, and so to number our days that we may indeed apply our hearts unto wisdom. Let us ever be mindful that Thy kingdom may come upon us suddenly; that we know not the day nor the hour when each and all of us here assembled in the flesh before Thee, shall hear the certain summons to the grave; and that after the grave, wherein is no place for change and repentance, cometh the judgment. Prepare us against the terrors of the last day, that we may then be found in the train of our Redeemer, and heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation. Unto Him that is able to establish us according to His Gospel, and the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret but is now made known for the obedience of faith; unto God only wise be glory for ever, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

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2. MONDAY EVENING.

ALMIGHTY God, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid, have mercy upon us, for the sake of Him who left the heaHis dwelling-place, and came on earth in the flesh to save sinners; have mercy upon us, O Lord, and fill us effectively with the fear of Thee, that we may begin to be wise work in us, that with lowly, penitent, and obedient hearts, we confess our manifold sins and wickedness, not dissembling them before Thee, or seeking to excuse them to ourselves, to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same through Thine infinite goodness and mercy. Grant us that living and active faith which is the free gift of Thy Holy Spirit in Christ, that we may serve Thee with a tender conscience, shrinking from all appearance of evil, and in our lives as well as with our lips offer up our continual thanks, through Him who took us out of darkness and the shadow of death, that He might make us the children of light, and exalt us to everlasting glory. Subdue within us each evil passion, and strengthen us against every dangerous indulgence. Deliver us from all hypocrisy, pride, and blindness of heart; from contempt of

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