Page images
PDF
EPUB

fear,a that we may not make a god of our belly,b, that our hearts may never be overcharged with surfeiting or drunkenness, but that whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, we may do all to the glory of God.e 4. In returning thanks after our meat.

Now we have eaten and are full, we bless thee for the good land thou hast given us.g Thou preparest a table for us in the presence of our enemies, thou anoinest our head, and our cup runs over.h

Thou, Lord, art the portion of our inheritance, and of our cup, thou maintainest our lot so that we have rea son to say, the lines are fallen to us in pleasant places, and we have a goodly heritage.i

Especially we bless thee for the bread of life, which came down from heaven, which was given for the life of the world. Lord, evermore give us that bread, and wisdom to labour less for the meat which perisheth, and more for that which endures to everlasting life.k ·

The Lord give food to the hungry, and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared./

Let us be of those blessed ones, that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God,m and shall eat of the hidden

manna.n

5. When we are going on a journey.

Lord, keep us in the way that we should go,o and let no evil thing befal us ;p let us have a prosperous journey by the will of God,q and with thy favour, let us be compassed wherever we go as with a shield.r

Let us walk in our way safely, and let not our foot stumble, or dash against a stone.s

Direct our way in every thing,t and enable us to order all our affairs with discretion,v and the Lord send us good speed, and show kindness to us. w

And the Lord watch between us when we are absent, the one from the other.x

[merged small][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][merged small][subsumed][merged small]

16. When we return from a journey.

Blessed be the Lord God of Abraham, who hath not left us destitute of his mercy and his truth.a

All our bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, for thou keepest all our bones.b

It is God that girdeth us with strength, and maketh our way perfect.c

7. In the evening before the Lord's day.

Now give us to remember, that to-morrow is the Sabbath of the Lord,d and that it is a high day, holy of the Lord and honourable,e and give us grace so to sanctify. ourselves,g that to-morrow the Lord may do wonders among us ;h and to mind the work of our preparation, now the sabbath draws on.i

When thou sawest every thing that thou hadst made in six days,k behold all was very good, but in many things we have all offended. O that by repentance and. faith in Christ's blood, we may wash not only our feet, but also our hands, and our head, and our heart,m and so may compass thine altar, O Lord.n

Now give us to rest from all our own works,o and to leave all our worldly cares at the bottom of the hill. while we go up to the mount to worship God, and return again to them.p

We bless thee, Lord, who hath showed us light, and that the light we see is the Lord's,q that we see one more of the days of the Son of man,r a day to be spent in thy courts, which is better than a thousand else~ where.s

We thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that the things which were hid from the wise and prudent are revealed unto us babes, even so, Father, because it seemed good in thine eyes: that our eyes see, and our ears hear that which many prophets and kings desired to see, desired to hear, and might not ;t that light and immortality are brought to light by the gospel.o

[blocks in formation]

And now, O that we may be in the Spirit on the Lord's day !a that we may call the sabbath a delight,b and may honor the Son of man, who is the Lord also of the sabbath-day,c not doing our own ways, or finding our own pleasure, or speaking our own words.

9. At the entrance upon the public worship on the Lord's day, by the master of the assemblies.

Thou, O God, art greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about thee.d O give us grace to worship thee with reverence and godly fear, because thou our God art a consuming fire.e

This is that which thou hast said, that thou wilt be sanctified in them which come nigh unto thee; and be fore all the people thou wilt be glorified.g Thou art the Lord that sanctifiest us,h sanctify us by thy truth, that we may sanctify thee in our hearts, and make thee our fear and our dread.k

We come together to give glory to the great Jehovah, who in six days made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day, and therefore blessed a sabbath-day and hallowed it. And our help stands in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.m

O let us be new creatures,n thy workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, unto good works.o And let that God, who on the first day of the world commanded the light to shine out of darkness, on this first day of the week shine in our hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ.p

We come together to give glory to the Lord Jesus Christ, and to sanctify this sabbath, to his honor, who was the stone that the builders refused, but now is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing, it is marvellous in our eyes: this is the day which the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad

a Rev. 1. 10. d Psalm 89.7. Fzek. 20. 12. / Exod. 20. 11. o Eph. 2.10.

b Isa. 58. 13,
e Heb. 12. 28. 29.
i John 17. 17.
m Psalm 124. 8.
12 Cor. 4, 6, 7,

c Mark 2. 28,
g Lev. 10. 3.
kisa. 8. 13.
n 2 Cor. 5. 17.

in it a he is the first and the last, who was dead and is alive.b

O that we may this day experience the power of Christ's resurrection, and may be planted together in the likeness of it,c that as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in. newness of life,d and may sit with him in heavenly places ;e and by seeking the things that are above, may make it to appear that we are risen with him.g

We come together to give glory to the blessed Spirit of grace, and to celebrate the memorial of the giving of that promise of the Father,h in whom the apostles received power on the first day of the week, as on that day Christ rose.i

O that we may this day be filled with the Holy Ghost, and that the fruit of the Spirit in us may be in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth.k

We come together to testify our communion with the universal church, that though we are many, yet we are one; that we worship one and the same God the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him, in the name of one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him,/ under the conduct of the same Spirit, one and the self-same Spirit, who divideth to every man severally as he will,m walking by the same rule, looking for the same blessed hope, and the glorious appear ing of the great God and our Saviour.o

10. In our preparation for the Lord's supper.

Now we are invited to come eat of wisdom's bread, and drink of the wine that she has mingled,p give us to hunger and thirst after righteousness :q And being called to the marriage supper of the Lamb,r give us the wedding garment.s

Awake, O north wind, and come thou south, and blow upon our garden, that the spices thereof may flow

[blocks in formation]

forth; and then let our beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.a

Draw us, and we will run after thee; bring us into thy chambers, that there we may be glad and rejoice in thee, and may remember thy love more than wine. And when the king sits at his table, let our spikenard send forth the smell thereof.b

And the good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, tho' he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary: Hear our prayers, and heal the people.c

11. In the celebrating of the Lord's supper.

O let this cup of blessing which we bless, be the communion of the blood of Christ,d let this bread which we break, be the communion of the body of Christ, and enable us herein to show the Lord's death till he come.e

Now let us be joined to the Lord in an everlasting covenant;g so joined to the Lord, as to become one spirit with him.h Now let us be made partakers of Christ, by holding fast the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.ż

Let Christ's flesh be meat indeed to us, and his blood drink indeed; and give us so by faith to eat his flesh, and drink his blood, that he may dwell in us, and we in him, and we may live by him.k

Let the cross of Christ, which is to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness, be to us the wisdom of God, and the power of God./

Seal to us the remission of sins,m the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the promise of eternal life,n and enable us to take this cup of salvation, and to call on the name of the Lord.o

12. After the celebration of the Lord's supper.

And now, Lord, give us to hold fast that which we have received, that no man take our crown :p And keep it always in the imaginations of the thoughts of our hearts, and prepare our hearts unto thee.q

a Cant. 4. 16.
d 1 Cor. 10. 16.
h1 Cor. 6. 17.
1 Cor. 1, 23, 24.
Psalm 116, 13.

b 2 Kings 1. 4, 16.
e 1 Cor. 11, 26,
i Heb. 3. 14.
m Acts 2.38.

Rev. 3. 11,

c 2 Chron. 30. 18,19. g Jer. 10. 5.

k John 6, 55, 56, 57.

n 1 John 2. 25.
q 1 Chron. 29. 18.

« PreviousContinue »