Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

read every day in this devotional manner; it will afford subject both for meditation and prayer; and thus through the influences of divine grace, you will attain to that spiritual mindedness which is "life and peace" here; and which will fit you to join in the song of Moses and the Lamb for ever.

It has of late been observed, with much pleasure, that the important, but long neglected, duty of explaining scripture daily, for the benefit of children and servants, is now reviving, particularly among pious heads of families in the higher classes of society.

Ignorance is not entailed upon poverty; it is to be found in every family where the wisdom from above is not known or desired.

A select portion of scripture, meditated upon in the closet, and talked over with a simplicity and feeling adapted to the capaci ties of the young and the ignorant, has been attended with the most beneficial effects.

Happy the parents whose hearts have received the words of life, and who teach them diligently to their children, who talk of them while sitting in the house, or walking by the way; when they lie down, and when they

rise up.

Happy is the family, whether high or low, where the word of God dwells richly, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.

DEVOTIONAL SENTENCES,

To be used before kneeling down to Prayer in the Family, the Closet, or at Church.

Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Zion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed. O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.

Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts; he shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.

O God, thou art our God; early will we seek thee; our soul thirsteth for thee; our flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is-to see thy power and thy glory so as we have seen thee in the sanctuary! I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people.

O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker: for he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High-to shew forth thy loving-kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night.

Let us worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.

I love the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplication, because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.

I will lift up mine eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help.

Unto thee do we lift up our eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hands of their masters; so our eyes wait upon thee, the Lord our God, until thou have mercy upon us.

We will extol thee, O God, our King, and will bless thy name for ever and ever.

Every day will we praise thee, and bless thy name for ever and ever.

The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.

He will hear their cry and will save them. Bless the Lord, O our souls-and let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.

INTRODUCTORY PRAYER,

To be used at the beginning of our Devotions.

O thou ever blessed Majesty, who fillest heaven and earth with thy presence, and art always listening to the supplications of a world of creatures that hang upon thee: open we beseech thee, thine ears of mercy to thine unworthy creatures, who are prostrate at thy footstool. Our hearts would now open themselves to thy gracious influence; possess them, we beseech thee, with such a strong and vigorous love to thyself, as may lift us up above all earthly things, that we may approach with joyful hearts to thee our God, our exceeding joy. Gather in, we beseech thee, our wandering thoughts, and fix them upon thyself; raise our cold and earthly desires, and cause them to flame up to thee in the lively fervour of devotion: May we so ask, that we may receive; so seek, that we may find; so knock, that it may be opened unto us, through Jesus Christ our blessed Lord and Redeemer. Amen.

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »