Oldalképek
PDF
ePub
[ocr errors]

before the dreadful tribunal of God, to render an account of all our thoughts, words, and actions. And we should endeavour to escape the terrors of that awful trial, by frequently reviewing our hearts and lives, and confessing our sins to God, that we may obtain, by repentance, his mercy and fa vour, through the prevailing intercession of his Son Jesus Christ.

Q. In what manner should this examination be performed?

A. We should supplicate the grace of God to enlighten us in the knowledge of ourselves, to expose to us our own unworthiness and guilt. We should try ourselves by some of the leading principles and duties of religion-Whether we have frequent and serious thoughts of God-whether we view with lively gratitude and faith, the exalted plan of salvation through his Son Jesus Christ-whether we cherish firm and lively resolutions of obeying him-whether we constantly perform the duties of public and private worship, and serve God with diligence and devotion-whether we discharge faithfully the duties of that station in which we are placed, both in reference to the public and our own private families-whether we are active and zealous in doing all the good in our power to the bodies and souls of men-in short, whether the service of God be our supreme aim and highest enjoyment. We should also consider the several aggravations of our transgressions-whether they were committed against the light of our minds, with the free consent of our wills, and in despite of the checks of our own conscience-whether they have been often repeated, and are transient acts or settled habits. And we should carefully note the previous steps by which we have been led into sin, and the peculiar infirmity of our own character, that we may, for the future, be on our guard against temptation.

Q. Should we not engage in self-examination every evening?

A. We should every evening direct to our own consciences such inquiries as the following: How have we spent the day? What sins have we committed? What duties have we omitted? Have we regularly performed the duties of public and private devotion? Have we embraced every opportunity which offered of doing good? Has our intercourse with others been marked with candour and affability? Have we avoided the vices of evil-speaking and slander, the bane of society? Have we conducted our business with honesty

and fidelity? Have we improved usefully our leisure time? Have our relaxations and amusements been confined within the bounds of Christian moderation? What mercies have we received; and how thankful have we been for them? What temptations have we resisted? What progress have we gained in overcoming, through divine grace, our sinful passions? Have we this day cherished a constant sense of the presence and inspection of God, and lifted up our souls to him in de vout gratitude, as our Creator, Benefactor, Preserver, and Redeemer ?-Having thus reviewed the state of our minds and our conduct through the day, we should humbly supplicate the forgiveness of God for the sins which we have committed, and render him the glory and praise of all our good and virtuous actions. We should, through divine grace, resolve on better obedience for the future; and should make reparation to our neighbour for whatever injuries we have done him in his person, property, or character.

Q. What are the great advantages of frequent self-ex

amination?

A. The frequent examination of our hearts and lives makes us thoroughly acquainted with ourselves, a knowledge of the greatest importance. It prompts us to repentance, as the only remedy for the guilt which, by our sins, we have contracted. It disposes us to humility, from a lively sense of our frequent errors and miscarriages. It keeps us in a state of constant preparation for death, by making us careful to avoid all sin, and by exciting us to the practice of those holy graces and virtues which will prepare us for heaven.

In addition to the foregoing Festivals and Fasts, the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America has appointed the first Thursday in November (unless some other day be appointed by the civil authority) as a day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God, for the fruits of the earth, and all other blessings of his merciful providence. And the Church has prescribed a solemn form of service for the day, every way calculated to excite the sentiments of devout and holy gratitude, and to give expres

sion to them.

FOR FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS,

SUITED TO THE

FEASTS AND FASTS OF THE CHURCH.

The following Devotions may be used in families, in the way of responses, the persons present repeating audibly the parts printed in italics, while the master or mistress of the family, or some other person, repeats the other parts of the Devotion.

All these Prayers may also be used by individuals, by changing the plural to the singular number.

The following Introductory Devotions* may be used Morning and Evening immediately before the Family Prayers in the Prayer Book. But on Festivals and Fasts, instead of these Introductory Devotions, the Devotions appointed in this Book for those Festivals and Fasts may be used."

DAILY DEVOTIONS.

SUNDAY MORNING.

BEHOLD the angels assembled in their choirs, and the blessed saints ready with their hymns; behold the Church prepares her solemn offices, and summons all her children to bring in their praises.

Come, let us adore our God and Saviour.

The King of heaven himself invites us, and graciously calls us into his own presence; he bids us suspend our mean employments in the world, and enter his temple to hold saered communion with him.

Come, let us adore our God and Saviour.

To him we owe all the days of our lives-at least let us devote this one to his service; a service so sweet and easy in itself, and so infinitely rich in its eternal rewards.

Come, let us adore our God and Saviour.

Let us cheerfully ascend to the house of our Lord, the place he has chosen for our sakes to dwell in; let us reverently bow before his holy altar, where he comes to meet us and our prayers.

Come, let us adore our God and Saviour.

SUNDAY EVENING.

VISIT, we beseech thee, O Lord, this habitation, and drive far away all snares of the enemy; let thy holy an

* Selected and altered from Hickes' Book of Devotions.

gels dwell herein to preserve us in peace, and thy blessing upon us for ever.

be

O our God and Saviour, accept the worship which we have this day rendered to thee.

Forsake us not in the vanishing of our days, but still continue to us thy gracious and fatherly protection; be thou our light and defence through this vale of misery and shadow of death, to that holy hill, where thy honour and our rest dwelleth.

O our God and Saviour, accept the worship which we have this day rendered to thee.

Give us the peace, and comfort, and communion of thy Holy Spirit, that our eyes may see thy salvation, and that we may rejoice in the felicity of thy chosen.

O our God and Saviour, accept the worship which we have this day rendered to thee.

Heartily joining in the worship and service of thy temple and Church on earth, may we, at last, be prepared for joining in the exalted and blissful services of thy temple and Church, eternal in the heavens.

O our God and Saviour, accept the worship which we have this day rendered to thee.

[ocr errors]

MONDAY MORNING AND EVENING.

ET us, with reverence, appear before our God, and humble ourselves in the presence of his glory; let us bring forth our psalms of praise, and sing with joy to our great

Creator.

Come, let us adore our God who made us.

He made us, and not we ourselves, and he freely bestowed on us all the rest of his creatures; to engage our hearts to love his goodness, and to admire the riches of his infinite bounty.

Come, let us adore our God who made us.

Our bodies he framed of the dust of the earth, and gave us a soul after his own likeness; a soul which all created nature cannot fill, nor any thing below his own immensity. Come, let us adore our God who made us.

For himself he made us, and for his glorious kingdom; that we might dwell with him in perfect bliss, and sing his praises for ever.

Come, let us adore our God who made us.

« ElőzőTovább »