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to some other, and pronouncing the two first lines.

of it.

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Minister. In the view of Reading and Hearing God's Holy Word,-Let us Pray.

[All kneel.]

Minister.-O Thou who art the source of all intellectual, moral, and spiritual knowledge and understanding, we come unto thee for instruction. We adore thy name, O God, for graciously preparing for us a volume which might lead us unto all knowledge and truth concerning thy character, and might instruct us how to obtain thy present and eternal favour.

Congregation.-Glory be to thy name, O God, for instructing us how to obtain thy present and everlasting favour.

Minister. O Lord, we thank thee for this opportunity of publicly reading thy holy word together, for our instruction and edification. Give us grace, we pray thee, to attend to this part of our religious exercises with that attention and solemnity which the reading of thy holy word demands.

Congregation.-O Lord, may we solemnly and attentively read and hear thy word at this time to our edification.

Minister.-Most Blessed God, be pleased we beseech thee, to remember our dark minds, our hard hearts, and our untractable dispositions, and grant us the presence and the enlightening of thy Holy Spirit whilst we read, that so we may comprehend, and receive into our hearts, thy most holy instructions now to be brought before us from this sacred volume of divine inspiration.

Congregation.-O Lord, give us thy Spirit to enlighten us at this time from thy holy word.

Minister.-Most graciously hear us, O our God, in these our petitions for thy divine blessing to be upon us in reading together thy blessed book of heavenly

guidance, of consolation, and salvation: and this we beg for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour: amen.

Congregation.-Amen, and amen.

:

[The Minister standing the Congregation sitting.]

Minister. The First Portion of our Scripture Reading is in the Book of [Genesis] the [Eighth] Chapter.

[When the Minister has spoken these words, let all the Congregation open their Bibles at the place mentioned, and diligently attend whilst God's Holy Word is read in their hearing.]

Minister.-[At the close of the Chapter,]-Here endeth the First Portion of our Scripture Reading.

[After the same manner the Second and Third Portions are to be read, the Minister saying at the close of the last,-" Here conclude our Present Readings of the Word of God."]

[The Minister still standing; and the Congregation sitting.]

Minister. Let us now praise God for all his blessings to us in the Holy Scriptures.-The hymn following: or, the hymn No.- [pronouncing as before the two first lines.

1.

2.

3.

[All stand.]

O that the Lord would guide my ways,
To keep his statutes still!

O that my God would grant me grace
To know and do his will.

O send thy Spirit down to write
Thy law upon my heart!

Nor let my tongue indulge deceit,
Nor act the liar's part.

From vanity turn off my eyes:

Let no corrupt design,

Nor coveteous desires arise

Within this soul of mine.

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Minister.-Let us now attend to the Preaching and Hearing of God's Holy Word,-commencing by Prayer.

[All kneel.]

Minister. Father of mercies, we thank thee for thy kind condescension to our wants and our circumstances, and for all the means and ways of instruction which thou hast afforded to us, that we might grow in the knowledge of divine things, and be enlarged in the kingdom of God.

Congregation. We thank thee, O God, for all the means of instruction thou hast given us.

Minister. We bless thy name, O our God, for commanding us to meet together for public instruction, and we praise thee for all thy arrangements herein for our good. Be with us, O our heavenly Guide at the present time, and direct us in our ministrations and services. Grant unto thy Servant, O God, who is now to expound thy word, and to explain and enforce the doctrines and precepts of the Gospel of Christ, grant unto him, we beseech thee, a right understanding, a clear judgment, and a ready utterance; and may all

who have now assembled in this place receive much and solid instructions from his lips, that so the souls of thy people may be built up in Christ Jesus, and that some poor sinners may be brought into the fold of Christ.

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Congregation. Be with thy Servant, O God, that he may truly instruct us in thy name.

Minister.-Merciful Father, be pleased, we earnestly beseech thee, to grant unto all who have come here on the present occasion, a spirit of close attention to thy truths to be set before us; and O let them sink down into our understandings and our hearts, and produce in us abundant fruits of righteousness, to the glory of thy most holy name in us through Jesus Christ our Lord: amen.

Congregation.-Amen, and amen.

[The Congregation sit.]

[The Sermon is now delivered; and is succeeded by the following Prayer, which concludes the Service.]

Minister.-Let us Pray.

[All kneel.]

Minister-O God of mercy and salvation, most graciously look down upon us through Jesus Christ thy Beloved Son, who died for our sins, and who now pleadeth for us before thy throne; and grant, O God, that the truths of thy word and salvation which have now been delivered may make lasting and extensive impressions on our minds, and may result in such effects as shall be to thy glory in us, and to our glory in thee, in the day of Jesus Christ. O Lord, be gracious unto us all, and grant that we may obtain mercy of thee in that great and eventful day.

Congregation. O Lord, have mercy on us, and grant that these instructions may be to our glory in thee in the day of Christ.

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