of this day nor let its voice prevail against me. Remember not my abuse of thy gifts: reckon not with me for the shortcomings of thy glory. But lay me down this night at peace with Thee and raise me up to-morrow in joy and strength for thy service. : : Day after day prepare my heart that I may put to account thy gifts of the day. So shall I inherit thy promise: and thy hand shall multiply its treasures. Thou shalt enlarge the bounds of my wisdom Thou shalt deepen the fountains of my love. : Thou shalt build up my hopes upon a rock : Thou shalt add loudness to my songs of joy. With innocency Thou shalt clothe me : with peace Thou shalt crown me. Then I will not fear what the day shall testify concerning me: then shall I stand unblameable in thy sight. The earnest of thy sentence shall be in my heart in my judge I shall behold my Redeemer. VI. THOUGHTS IN THE SECURITY OF THE THE day hath yielded his turn unto night: darkness hath overspread the face of the earth. Man lighteth his lamp : and stirreth up his fire to burn pleasantly. He sitteth in his chamber and rejoiceth in refreshment to his weariness: he thinketh on the outer darkness, and crieth, Aha! I am at ease, let the storm rage: I have light and warmth, let the darkness be such as can be felt. Shall I now forget Thee, O Lord, the giver of light shall I not tell forth to Thee in thanksgiving the mercies of the day? Shall I not awake the remembrance of all thy benefits shall I not acknowledge this earnest of the comfort and protection of the night? O Lord, what song wilt Thou require : whither amidst thy glory shall I turn to praise Thee? Shall I not look forward to thy bridal chamber: to the night of rejoicing of thy saints? When Thou shalt bring thy bride home at last and thy everlasting house shall entertain the Church which Thou hast loved? Then shall thy saints be gathered together: and the heavenly feast shall be set before them. And Abraham shall acknowledge children, who are not the fruit of his loins: and Moses shall see doers of the law, but not after his letter. They shall sit down in light which shall be as the light of the sun sevenfold: the glory of the Lord shall shine among them. Angels shall minister unto them: principalities and powers shall wait upon them. And they from heaven and they from earth shall have one mind: and the song of praise shall go forth unto Thee. Blessing, honour, glory, and power be unto Him that sitteth on the throne and to the Lamb for ever. : O how joyful shall be the song of thy praise how bright shall be the dwelling place of thy glory! But the door shall be shut they that are in outer darkness shall knock in vain. They would not hear in the day of their calling they shall not come in the acceptable time. Therefore they shall stand and cry in vain, "Lord, open to us: :” they shall have no answer but "I know you not." They shall wail, and there shall be none to pity they shall mourn, and there shall be none to comfort. N O Lord, give me an ear for thy messengers : grant me a heart ever ready to accept thy invitations. Keep me continually in thy presence : let thy courts be the dwellingplace of my spirit. There let me come with the daily offering of my heart and attend with the hearty ministry of my service. With thy word for my lamp : with thy truth for the girding of my loins. So when Thou shalt return unto thy house : and shalt come suddenly upon thy servants, May I be found waking for thy coming: and ready to attend on Thee for ever and ever. VII. A PRAYER FOR THE USE OF LIGHT. THE sun hath quitted his place on high : the firmament is brightening with the host of heaven. And I am lighting my lamp behold it is trimmed and well furnished with oil. : O may it guide me to thy work and direct me to thy word. Amid the darkness let my works be of the light amid the night let my heart be shining with the illumination of thy Spirit, O Lord. Blessed be Thou, who hast given me not only the light of thy sun but this light of my lamp which hath been lighted from his beams. And now it serveth his place when he is gone and keepeth the darkness away from mine eyes. O Sun of righteousness: O light and life of man! Thou hast quitted our world: thy glorious body is far from our eyes. But Thou hast not left us to darkness: Thou hast given us lights which have been lighted from Thee; The ministers of thy word: the stewards of thy mysteries. Maintain thy light in them: let it burn brightly unto thy people. Until Thou shalt return in thy glory and all light shall be swallowed up in its bright ness. O give thy servant the light of thy truth: that my conscience may render an exact account of this day. Have I trimmed the lamp of my faith: have I supplied it with the oil of good service? Hath its light been steady and clear : neither faint with mistrust nor wavering with doublemindedness? Have those around me walked by it in a straight course: have they seen thy road and rejoiced in it? |