O Thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, the most high over all the earth : thou art the only wise God. Thou art holy in all thy ways ; even the heavens are not clean in thy sight.
How shall we come before the Lord, or bow before the high God? Blessed be thy name, thou hast shown us what is good ; we behold the Lamb of God, who is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Here a foundation is laid for our hope, in connection with the highest glory of all thy perfections; and we rejoice to think that, while pleading for salvation by the blood of the cross, we ask thee not to deny thyself, or to trample on thy holy law : for here thy law is magnified and made honorable ; here all thy attributes are developed and harmonized: mercy and truth meet together, righteousness and peace kiss each other.
Here, weary and heavy-laden, may we come for relief and find rest unto our souls. May we take fresh views of this adorable sacrifice under a sense of our constant unworthiness and ill-desert; and in all our approaches to thee may we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith, of him.
May we not only rely upon his cross, but glory in it. Yea, may we joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. And may we be able individually to say, I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
We are thankful that as he atoned for our guilt, so he procured for us the grace of life. May we prove that he gave himself not only for our sins, but that he might deliver us from this present evil world; yea, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.*
And oh that in every future moment of our existence we may be constrained to live not to ourselves, but to him that died for us and rose again. As he so loved us, may we also love one another, and never deem any thing too great to do or to suffer while endeavoring to seek and to save that which is lost.
Smile upon our rulers and our country. Let all the churches of the faithful be edified and multiplied. Bless all the ministers of the everlasting gospel, and may they increasingly determine to know nothing save Jesus Christ and him crucified.
Increase the number of those who love his salvation; and as he gave himself a ransom for all, may it be testified in due time; that he may have the heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession, and reign King of kings, and Lord of lords.
Hear us, O Lord, in mercy, and save us forever, through Jesus Christ, our only hope.
Amen.
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Retrieved from: Prayer Book, for the Use of Families and Individuals, By Benjamin Kurtz D.D., LL.D
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O Thou King eternal, immortal, and invisible! We bless thee for the revelation which thou hast given us, and that in thy word we can view thee as the Father of mercies and the God of all grace. We praise thee for the displays of thy goodness in the productions of nature and the bounties of thy providence; but above all, for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. Herein thou hast commended thy love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
We find ourselves this morning at the foot of his cross, where angels are desiring to look into these things; and if they who need no repentance study the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow, how much more should we, to whom they are not only true, and wonderful, and sublime, but all-important and infinitely interesting! Help us, O Lord, to turn aside and see this great sight, and not suffer a dying Savior to address us in vain. Behold and see if ever there was sorrow like unto my sorrow.
Here may we see the value of our souls in the price paid for their deliverance. Here may we contemplate the evil of sin, and abhor it; here look upon him whom we have pierced, and mourn. Yet, remembering that he was not only slain by us, but for us, may we rejoice in our tears, and, by believing, enter into rest.
With humble and holy confidence may we be enabled to say, Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed.
May we never degrade his death, by fearing that it will not be available for guilt so great and aggravated as ours, even if we depend upon it, and plead it before God; but be fully persuaded that his blood cleanseth from all sin, and that by once offering up himself he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.
Yet, 0 God, never suffer us to sin that grace may abound. May we never crucify the Savior afresh, and put him to an open shame. May he never be wounded in the house of his professing friends. Rather may we live only and wholly for him who died for us, and adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.
May our old man be crucified with him, and the body of sin be destroyed, that henceforth we may not serve sin. As he suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps, may we learn of him submission, and meekness, and forgiveness of injuries: when reviled, may we revile not again; when suffering, may we threaten not, but commit ourselves to him that judgeth righteously.
As thou hast made his soul an offering for sin, may he see his seed, and prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord prosper in his hand. May he wee of the travail of his soul and be satisfied; and by his knowledge may he justify many, having borne their iniquities.
Yea, having been lifted up from the earth, may lie draw all men unto him. May all kings fall down before him, and all nations serve him; and in all the earth which he has purchased with his own blood, may there be one Lord, and his name one.
And when he who made himself of no reputation, but took upon him the form of a servant and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, shall come in his glory, with all the holy angels, may we be enabled to say, Even so, come Lord Jesus, and unite with those who will be eternally employed in saying—
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 to his Father, be glory and dominion forever and ever.
Amen.
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Retrieved from: Prayer Book, for the Use of Families and Individuals, By Benjamin Kurtz D.D., LL.D
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Twas On That Dark, That Doleful Night
by: Isaac Watts
'Twas on that dark, that doleful night
When powers of earth and hell arose
Against the Son of God's delight
And friends betrayed Him to His foes.Before the mournful scene began,
He took the bread and blessed and brake.
What love through all His actions ran!
What wondrous words of grace He spake!"This Is My body, broke for sin;
Receive and eat the living food";
Then took the cup and blessed the wine:
"'Tis the new covenant in My blood.""Do this," He said, "till time shall end,
In memory of your dying Friend.
Meet at My table and record
The love of your departed Lord."Jesus, Thy feast we celebrate;
We show Thy death, we sing Thy name,
Till Thou return and we shall eat
The marriage supper of the Lamb..
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