"that i may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings."—phil. iii. 10.
almighty god, do thou draw near to me this night in thy great mercy. what am i, that infinite unworthiness and nothingness should be permitted to stand in the presence of infinite purity, majesty, and glory? lord, i dare not have ventured to bow at thy footstool in my own merits. i am poor and wretched, and miserable, and blind, and naked. enter not in {48} judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight no flesh living can be justified.
but, adored be thy name, i have an all-sufficient ground of confidence wherewith to approach thee. i bless thee, that by the doing and dying of jesus, thou hast opened up a way of reconciliation to the chief of sinners. oh, enable me to know more fully the adaptation of his person and work to all the necessities and exigencies of my character and circumstances. let me know him in his infinite godhead, as "mighty to save;" in his spotless humanity, as mighty to compassionate. let me know him in all his offices, as my prophet, my priest, my king; my kinsman-redeemer within the veil, my refuge in trouble, my guide in perplexity, my support in death, my portion through eternity. i rejoice, blessed jesus, at the hidden springs of life resident in thee! thou art suited to all the varied wants and circumstances, and trials of thy people—for every moment of need, for every diversity of situation. i can mourn no real blank, if i have thy presence and blessing.
o thou, better than the best of earthly {49} friends, who, though enthroned amid the hosannas of angels, hast still thy human sympathy unaltered and unchanged, draw near to me this night, and breathe upon me, and say, "peace be unto thee." let me know the melting energy of thy love, and the attractive power of thy cross. may i keep the unwavering eye of faith steadily directed to thy all-glorious sacrifice. be thou the habitual object of my contemplation, the source of holiest joy, the animating principle of obedience. may all creature love be subordinated to thine. may my temper, my walk, my conversation, be regulated in accordance with thy blessed will and holy example. may this be the lofty aim and ambition of life, to act so as to please jesus.
bless my dear friends, may they too be led to count all but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of christ jesus their lord, whom to know is life eternal. pity the careless; reclaim the backsliding; comfort the sorrowful; sustain the dying. may the lord arise and have mercy on zion; may he show that the time to favor her, yea, the set time, is come!
ere i lay my head on my nightly pillow, i would lay anew my guilt on the head of the divine surety; may i fall asleep under the blessed sense of sin forgiven, and look forward to that blessed day when earth's night-shadows shall have vanished forever, and when i shall be enabled more fully "to know the love of christ which passeth knowledge." and all i ask or hope for is for his sake. amen.
"let my prayer be set forth before thee as
incense: and the lifting up of my hands
as the evening sacrifice."
