PRAYER ON SUNDAY, FOR ONE, WHO, BY ILL HEALTH, IS PREVENTED a Matt. x. 29, ALMIGHTY GOD! Creator and Governor of the Universe, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Author of Light and Life! Thou by whom every hair of our heads is numbered, and without whose knowledge and permission, not a sparrow falleth to the ground, in obedience to the commands of Thy dear Son, I, a sinful and helpless creature, have entered into my closet, and shut my door, and would pray to my Father in secret. O may I so ask, Ch, vi. 6. that I may receive; so seek, that I may find; so knock, that it may be opened unto me. b 30. C Ch. vii. 7. The flesh is weak, but the spirit is willing. Ch. xxvi. 41. Blessed encouragement. Lord! teach and help me to pray with fervour, humility, and faith, trusting alone in my Saviour for acceptance. O my Heavenly Father! this is the holy rest of f John xx. 1. * Isa. Iviii. 13. Thy Sabbath, one day in seven, blest and consecrated by Thee from the beginning of the world, and especially hallowed by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. This is the day in which the congregations of Thy people assemble themselves together in the courts of "Thy house, to pray unto Thee, and to praise Thee, yea, to humble 14; xxxiv. 27. themselves", and to rejoice before Thee'. g Psal. c. 4; cxxii. 1; CXXXV. 2. h 2 Chron. vii. i Lev. xxiii. 40. Deut. xvi. 11. k Isa. xxxii. 15. 20. O may Thy Holy Spirit descend from on high, upon all who shall gather themselves together in Matt. xviii. Thy Name', that they may be enabled to seek Thee acceptably, through Jesus Christ. May Thy faithful ministers come forth this day, in the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christm. May they rightly divide the word of truth"; may they be permitted m Rom. xv. 29. n 2 Tim. ii. 15. • Ch. iv. 2. Isa. 1. 4. P Ch. xxxv. 5. a Luke xvii. 5. Ch. vii. 40 $ о to speak a word in season to all who hear them; may the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf unstopped; may the faith of the believer be increased1; may the fallen be raised up', the wandering sinner brought back', the broken-hearted healed, the feeble strengthened, the tempted suc■ 1 Cor. x. 13. coured". May all that wait upon Thee renew their strength; may they mount up with wings as eagles, 50. Ch. xix. 10. t Ch. iv. 18. may they run, and not be weary, may they walk, Isa. xl. 29 and not faint". May Thy richest blessings be poured out upon Thy faithful people; and may many, and many, who hitherto have lived regardless of the things of Eternity, be brought this day to cry out in the earnestness of their souls, "What must I do to be saved?" Holy Father! God of patience and consolation"! w Acts xvi. 30. * John xvii. 11. y Rom. xv. 5. who art very pitiful and of tender mercy2; it has 2 James v. 11. pleased Thee, that I should be disabled from attending the sacred services of the Church; it has pleased Thee to separate me from the congregation of Thy people, and while they are with one heart, and one voice, lifting up their prayers and praises unto Thee, I am a solitary creature, kneeling before Thee. to me. a Lord! I pray Thee, that I may not be unmindful of the many and undeserved blessings still remaining Let me not forget Thy benefits, but ac- Psal. ciii. 2. knowledge them with an humble and thankful heart. Yet Thou knowest my trials are great, yea, often very heavy, and that my soul is often cast down within me. I remember the time when I went with the multitude, when I went with them to the House of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holiday. Sometimes my spirit Psal. xlii. 4 b -6. is overwhelmed within me: my heart within me is < Psal. cxliii. desolates; yet, O Lord, I will trust in Thee, and 4. d Isa. xii. 2. * Exod. xxxiv. 6. f Isa. xxvi. 4. not be afraid. Art Thou not the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth? Is there not in the Lord Jehovah everlasting strength? O suffer not my faith to fail; be Thou to me a very present 8 Psal. xlvi. 1. help in time of trouble; and since it is Thy will, that I should be deprived of the help and comfort of holy ordinances, and outward means of grace, may I be enabled to cling more closely and earnestly to Him, in whom it hath pleased Thee, that all fulness should dwell". O may I abide in Him, and bring forth fruit abundantly; may I grow in grace, and in the knowledge and love of our Lord Jesus Christ; may Thy holy Word be blest to my soul, by the teaching of the Spirit'; may I be enabled to believe in it, and understand it, and may I draw therefrom, light and strength, sanctification and comfort. May I humble myself under Thine afflicting hand", and both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord"; and may I, by my present trials, be made a partaker of Thy holi h Col. i. 19. John xv. 1 -8. * 2 Fet. iii. 18. John xiv. 26. m 1 Pet. v. 6. "Lam. iii. 26. • Heb. xii, 10. ness, and more and more meet for the kingdom of Heaven. O God, may I be enabled to love Thee supremely, to love Thee with all my heart, and soul, and strength, and mind, and may my heart also be P Luke x. 27. filled with a spirit of fervent charity towards all my fellow-creatures, so that, although now cut off 1 Pet. iv. 8. from Thy earthly temple, I may be permitted, after this life of trial is ended, to join the society of the blest in Thy heavenly temple', there to dwell for ever in the fulness of joy, and to praise and glorify Thee through all eternity. Hear, O Lord, these my earnest petitions, for the sake of my dear Redeemer. Amen. Rev. vii. 15. Psal. xvi. 11. |