"he giveth grace unto the humble."—james iv. 6.
o god, thou art great and greatly to be feared. thy greatness is unsearchable. thou art seated on a throne that is high and lifted up; myriads of blessed spirits cease not day nor night to celebrate thy praise in their ever-triumphant hymn, "holy, holy, holy, is the lord god of hosts."
but i rejoice to think that though heaven is thy dwelling-place thou deignest to dwell in {73} the humble and contrite heart; no sacrifice dost thou so love as that of the broken spirit; no incense so prized by thee as the incense of a grateful, believing soul, which, oppressed with its own unworthiness and sin, reposes with unwavering trust in the work and righteousness of the great surety.
lord, on this ever-living, ever-loving saviour i desire wholly to lean. as helpless, hopeless, friendless, portionless, i cast myself on him who is helper of the helpless and friend of the friendless. there is nothing but thy sacrifice and intercession, o thou lamb of god, between me and everlasting destruction. o wash every crimson and scarlet stain away in thy precious blood. let me lie low at the foot of thy cross. give me a lowly estimate of myself, and a lofty view of thy all-glorious work and finished righteousness. i have no other hope of mercy, and, blessed be thy name, i need no other.
while i take thee as my saviour, may i be enabled to follow thee also as my pattern; conscious of the supreme enthronement of thy love in my heart, may i feel superior to all the fluctuations and changes of a changing world. may {74} i live as the chartered heir of a better inheritance; while in the world, may i seek not to be of it. may i diffuse around me the noiseless influence of a heavenly life, subordinating all i do to thy glory. lord, enable me to be useful in the sphere in which thou hast placed me, to work while it is called to-day, remembering that there is no work nor device nor labor in the grave whither i am going.
bless all in sorrow. sanctify their trials. keep us ever from the guilty atheism of looking to second causes. may we ever rejoice in the elevating assurance that "the lord god omnipotent reigneth," and that thou orderest all things wisely and well. may the holy spirit the comforter pour his own balm into every bleeding heart.
have mercy on a world lying in wickedness. hasten that glorious period when creation, now groaning and travailing in sin, shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption and be translated into the glorious liberty of the children of god. let thy word everywhere have free course and be glorified. may jesus, faithfully {75} "lifted up" by the attractive power of his cross, draw all men unto him.
let thy best benediction rest on my friends. the lord watch between them and me when we are absent one from another. may we experience thy guardian care this night; and if spared to awake in the morning, may it be to spend a new day in thy service, through jesus christ, our blessed lord and saviour. amen.
"let my prayer be set forth before thee as
incense: and the lifting up of my hands
as the evening sacrifice."
