AND God said, Let there be lights SING th' almighty pow'r of God, in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. -Gen. i. 14, 16, 17, 18. MOST That made the mountains rise: That spread the flowing seas abroad, And built the lofty skies. I sing the wisdom that ordain'd The moon shines full at his command, Lord, how thy wonders are display'd, If I survey the ground I tread, WATTS's Songs, i. OST gracious and merciful Lord God, in Jesus' name I draw near thy mercy-seat; in his name I adore thee in the greatness of thy power. "Thy right hand is glorious in power. The heavens declare the glory of the Lord, and the firmament showeth his handyworks. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun." Lord, I adore thee as my Creator, but, alas! I am a fallen creature. In Adam I have fallen; in Adam I have sinned; in common with the whole human race I have lost thy holy, lovely image. What I have lost by the first Adam mercifully restore by Christ, the second Adam. Enable me, with the heart, to pray; mercifully restore the lovely resemblance to Jesus, the second Adam. Receive my humble thanks for the mercies of the past day. Blot out my daily sins. Wash my guilty, filthy soul in the fountain of the Saviour's blood and righteousness. Give me refreshing, reviving sleep during the helpless hours of night. Gracious God, may my beloved parents, and all our family, form a part of that redeemed family on which the Sun of righteousness shines with his enlightening, quickening, and fructifying influences. May the eyes of our understanding be opened, to see the brightness of a spiritual day. May I, and all my beloved relatives, awake in peace on the morning of another day. Then may Jesus, the Sun of righteousness, rise upon us. Oh, hear, for Jesus' sake. Amen. Now OW the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.— Matt. i. 18, 20, 21. GOD BUT lo! he leaves those heav'nly forms; The Word descends and dwells in clay, That he may hold converse with worms, Mortals with joy beheld his face, Archangels leave their high abode WATTS, Bk. i. Hymn 2. OD of Providence and of grace, enable me to thank thee with sincerity of heart for the mercies of another night. Lord, I thank thee for thy goodness. "How great is thy goodness." Give me grace to live this day to the honour of thy great and glorious name. This day may thy Spirit teach me to show by my life that I love thee; that Christ is mine, and that I am his. Teach me to think with wonder, love, and praise on the birth of Jesus-on the marvellous birth of Jesus. With a heart overflowing with love, may I unite with all thy children in uttering the following inspired words:" Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government is upon his shoulders. He is called the Wonderful, the Counsellor, the mighty God, the Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace." Make me every day, with a loving, wondering heart, to remember the birth of Jesus. Oh fill me with love to Jesus, who was born in poverty for me; born in a stable for me; laid in a humble manger for me. Lord, I thank thee for the Child Jesus. Blessed Jesus, thou hast said, "Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven." May my dear parents, and all our family, possess the Spirit of adoption, and be the heirs of heaven. For my Saviour's sake, hear my imperfect prayer. Amen. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judæa in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.-Matt. ii. 1, 10, 11. THE King of Glory sends his Son To make his entrance on this earth; Simeon and Anna both conspire name. WATTS, Bk. ii. Hymn 136. DIVINE Saviour, thou art "Immanuel, God with us." Thou art the First-born of the Father, higher than the kings of the earth. Angels and archangels adore thee. While they are praising thee in heaven, teach me, by thy Holy Spirit, to adore thee on earth. May I, and all my beloved relatives and friends, sing to the honour of Christ in heaven, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." Thou knowest the Lord, fill my heart with love to thee, my God. enmity against thyself which cleaves to my heart; that enmity, and warm my heart with love divine. of love in my bosom; then I shall love thee, the Spirit, one God, with all my heart. Then I shall love thee for ever. As the wise men worshipped Jesus, may my beloved parents, and all our family, love, worship, and adore our God and Saviour, and for ever and ever crown him Lord of all. For all mercies, temporal and spiritual, received this day, accept my humble thanks. May thy kind providence watch over me, and over all I love, this night. Mercifully hear my imperfect supplications, and forgive all the sins and infirmities with which I have been chargeable this day, for Jesus' sake. To thee, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, let all glory be ascribed for ever and ever. Amen. BUT when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel; for they are dead which sought the young child's life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.-Matt. ii. 19-21. JOY to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King: Joy to the earth; the Saviour reigns! He rules the world with truth and grace, WATTS, Ps. 98, Part 2. EXALTED Saviour, thou art "The image of the invisible God, the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person. Thou art God over all blessed for ever.' Holy Spirit, breathe upon me the spirit of penitence. Create in me, and in all I love, the deep hatred of all that God hates. O create in me the real love of all things which are well-pleasing in the sight of the Lord my God. May I bear some resemblance to Jesus. May my heart resemble Christ's heart. May my words resemble Christ's words. May my actions resemble Christ's actions. May my life resemble his life. Teach me to love all who love Jesus. Teach me to love the company of those who keep company with Jesus. May I be like Jesus for ever. May I, and all I love, live with Jesus for ever. Most merciful Father, make Jesus precious to my soul. Ever may I look upon him as the Pearl of great price. Teach me daily to remember his wonderful birth, his wonderful life, his wonderful sufferings, and his wonderful death. In the estimation of my beloved parents, and of all our family, may Jesus be the chiefest among ten thousands, and the altogether lovely. Gracious and loving Father, I thank thee for spreading the wings of thy providence over me during the past night. Give me grace to glorify and serve thee this day. O preserve me from sin. O hear, answer, accept, and pardon, for Jesus' sake. Amen. IN those days came John the Bap tist, preaching in the wilderness of Judæa, And saying, Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.-Matt. iii. 1-4. THAT I could repent! A heart with grief opprest, For having grieved my God; The penitent desire; LORD my God, teach me by thy gracious Spirit to rejoice that I am permitted, at the close of another day, to draw near to thy throne of grace. I would now acknowledge thee in thy spotless holiness. Thou art so holy, that the very "heavens are not clean in thy sight, and thine angels thou chargest with folly. Thy commandment is pure. Thou art holy in all thy works." My God and my Father, I confess I am unholy. My heart, my thoughts, my desires, my affections, my actions, are all defiled by sin. Even my best works, sin has defiled them all. God of my salvation, give me repentance. At thy blessed feet, O Jesus, may I learn the lesson of repentance. Thou art exalted, O Jesus, to give repentance. O give me repentance. Thou art exalted to give the pardon of sin. O give to me, unworthy me, the blessing of forgiveness. Then, O then, I shall praise thee with joyful lips. Most merciful Father, bless my beloved parents and all the members of our family. Give us the inward witness of the Holy Spirit, that we have obtained redemption through the blood of Christ, even the forgiveness of sin, according to the riches of divine grace. Make us the monuments of thy mercy. Forgive the sins of the past day. Receive my thanks for the undeserved mercies of the day. Give me refreshing sleep and repose this night. Graciously hear my supplications, and forgive my sins, for Jesus' sake. Amen. |