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Prayer for the benefits of Christ's sufferings and death.

O ETERNAL Son of God, the brightness of Thy Father's glory, and the express image of His person, God blessed for ever, Who to save sinful men wast pleased to become man, and to be all Thy life long a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, persecuted, and rejected, and at last crucified as a malefactor, favourably with mercy behold Thy servant, whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy most precious blood.

Thou That hast taken away the sins of the world, Who hast abolished and overcome death, and destroyed him that had the power of it, have mercy upon me; and by Thy precious death and passion deliver me from this body of sin and death.

By the merit of Thy most bitter sufferings, by all the love Thou hast shewn to the children of men, I humbly beseech Thee, O Lord, look graciously upon me; and intercede for me with the Father, that for Thy sake He may be gracious unto me, and forgive me all my sins, and lift up the light of His counte

nance upon me.

And grant, O blessed Saviour, that I may always bear in my mind such a devout remembrance and feeling of Thy bitter passion, as may be a powerful protection of my soul against all the assaults of my spiritual adversaries; and may effectually engage me to crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts; and to run with patience the race Thou hast set before me, evermore looking unto Thee, the Captain of our salvation, Who wast made perfect through suffering; and Who for the joy that was set before Thee didst endure the cross, despising the shame, and art now set down on the right hand of the throne of glory.

And I beseech Thee, O blessed Jesus, let the sense of Thy wonderful love in thus dying for my sake inflame my soul with such an invincible love of Thee,

and with such an ardent zeal for Thy glory, that if ever Thy providence should make it my duty, I may be ready cheerfully to embrace even death itself, though armed with the utmost terrors, rather than forsake Thee. Inspire me with courage and resolution from above, that no difficulties or dangers may ever affright me from Thy service; and that no apprehension of them may ever transport me beyond. the bounds of christian decency and moderation. Lord, whither shall I go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.

O let the firm belief of the immortal joys and the glorious rewards Thou hast prepared for those that suffer for Thee, support me under all trials and temptations, that I may be a follower of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Make me careful so to do Thy holy will, that I may have comfort and joy, if need be, in suffering for it. Grant this, O blessed Lord, Who didst willingly lay down Thy life for me, and didst rise again from the dead, and now sittest at the right hand of the Father to intercede for all Thy faithful disciples. Amen.

Now unto Jesus Christ, Who is the faithful Witness, and the First-begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth; unto Him That loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen1.

And the Lord direct our hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ'.

1 Rev. i. 5, 6.

2 2 Thess. iii. 5.

SATURDAY NOON.

The practice of Christian holiness enforced from a consideration of the duty and of the reward of constancy, and perseverance in the faith and obedience of the Gospel.

No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God'.

If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed 2.

Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed'.

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end; that ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth o.

Some were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: and others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings; yea, moreover, of bonds and imprisonment".

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before

1 Luke ix. 62. 4 Heb. ii. 1.

2 John viii. 31.

5 Ibid. vi. 11, 12. 7 lbid. xi. 35, 36.

3 James i. 23-25. 6 Ibid. xi. 13.

us, looking unto Jesus, the Author and finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him That endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds 1.

And let us not be weary in well-doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not 2.

Being confident of this very thing, that He Which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ3.

Who will render to every man according to his deeds to them, who by patient continuance in welldoing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life *.

Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

But if any man draw back My soul shall have no pleasure in him.

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning: for it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them 7.

Wherefore, lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees.

Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God'.

Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us

1 Heb. xii. 1-3. 4 Rom. ii. 6, 7.

2 Gal. vi. 9.

5 Heb. x. 35, 36.

3 Phil. i. 6.
6 Ibid. ver. 38.

of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it 1.

Brethren, be followers together of me 2.

I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ +.

God be merciful to me a sinner.

Our Father, Which art in heaven &c.

A solemn dedication of ourselves to God; and prayer for grace and perseverance in the faith and obedience of the Gospel.

O ETERNAL Lord God, heavenly Father, Who desirest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he may turn from his wickedness and live, look down, I humbly beseech Thee, upon me Thy sinful creature, who am ashamed to lift up my face unto Thee, when I consider how miserably I have defaced Thine image in my soul; and how after all my endeavours my nature is still clogged with many unreasonable lusts and passions; how much vanity and impertinence there yet remains in my mind, how much perverseness in my will, how much spiritual and carnal iniquity in my affections and appetites. Lord, I have been long struggling with this body of sin and death; and yet upon all occasions I find myself still too prone to

O my God, have pity on me; and for Thine infinite

1 Heb. iv. 1.

2 Phil. iii. 17.

42 Pet. i. 10, 11.

3 Ibid. ver. 13, 14.

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