In this blessed hope, I now resign myself to the guidance of thy good Spirit; and to thy name, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, be ascribed all might, majesty, and dominion, world without end. Amen.

PRAYER FOR THE MORNING OF A SACRAMENTAL SABBATH.

PSALM xliii. 3, 4. O send out thy light and thy truth; let them lead me, let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.

Then will I go to the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy.

FATHER of the spirits of all flesh, be merciful to me a sinner. Oh! send forth thy light and thy truth; let them lead me, let them bring me to thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy. Yea, I will praise thee, O God, my God.

Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me.

Hear my voice, according to thy loving-kindness, O Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Father of mercies, and God of all comfort.

Lord, thou hearest the desire of the humble:

thou wilt prepare their hearts.

How great, O Lord, how solemn is the duty to which I am this day called! It is an august service to commemorate the virtue and the good deeds, even of a mortal man; and, blessed be thy name, that, amidst all the sinfulness and weakness of our nature, there have occasionally appeared some whom it is our duty and our honour to remember with

veneration.

But, O heavenly Father, I am this day preparing, with thy people, to commemorate the perfect obedience and redeeming love of thine eternal and well-beloved Son,-of him who came from the heavenly kingdom, as the herald of peace and reconciliation to men,-of him whose life was one spotless sacrifice of obedience to thy will,-whose death was the propitiation for human guilt,—and whose perfect satisfaction was declared to have been well-pleasing in thy sight, by his resurrection from the dead and ascension to thy right hand. I am this day preparing to keep in remembrance the mortal griefs of him who is hereafter to appear on the

H

clouds of heaven, and to render unto every man ac

cording to his works.

What, O Lord, am I, that I should be permitted to join in this great service? I look back with sorrow and with deep abasement on the many sins that have stained my life,-how then shall my polluted hands presume to take the symbols of the body and blood of him who did no sin, but who was holy, harmless, and undefiled? or how, O Lord, shall I, who have so often erred, venture to take that great oath which binds me, in all coming time, to a zealous fulfilment of all thy commandments?

Yet, blessed be thy name, that thou hast given every encouragement to those who prepare themselves for this service in sincerity. For he, whose death I am this day to commemorate, came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance; and he is now exalted at thy right hand, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.

Trusting in this gracious encouragement, I will take the cup of salvation, and pay my vows before all thy people. I will go to thy holy hill, and to

thy tabernacles, O thou who art the health of my countenance, and my God.

But let me not, O God, let me not advance to this service with a rash or precipitate step, for thou requirest a contrite and humble spirit; and thou only, O Lord, canst give the preparation of the sanctuary.

O send forth thy light and thy truth: take away from me all vain, sinful, and presumptuous feelings; grant me all holy, humble, meek, and grateful, and charitable dispositions; and lead my mind to such thoughts as may prepare me for offering this day an acceptable sacrifice.

Enable me to look with fervent gratitude to that wonderful life, which was concluded by the death I am this day to commemorate; that life in which there was no sin and no weakness; which was spent in doing thy holy will; and which gave to all men a perfect example of those graces and virtues which are well-pleasing in thy sight.

Enable me to look with deep abasement of spirit, but yet with holy thankfulness, to that death, of the memorials of which I am this day to participate. May I see in it the fulfilment of all the sacrifices