Directions for Prayer. power; and, as a good steward of thy gifts, enable me conscientiously to be concerned not only to give, but to bestow it in such a way as may be most to thy glory, the relief of real indigence, and the support of the helpless. Make me not only liberal, but glad to give, and ready to distribute, that the blessing of a cheerful giver may be through thy grace upon me. [And accept, O Lord! these small returns of humble acknowledgment, as offered in my dear Redeemer, in whose name alone is my hope, and in whose blood I desire my best offerings to be washed, and in whose righteousness I desire my best services to be arrayed, that they may come up with acceptance on thine altar, Ó God!] V. A PRAYER FOR HUMILITY. Give me, O Lord, the genuine humility which thou delightest in. Let an abiding sense of my vile self and sinful services be ever on my heart. When the deceiver would cause me to compare myself with myself or others, oh may my soul still turn to thy holy law, and be confounded before thee in the dust! And when the gifts thou hast bestowed on me would puff me up, let me remember not only that they are received, but what faith; and by the way it must be observed, that as it will require some pains to enquire out the truly necessitous, this is as much a part of the duty as the gift itself; many, for want of being at the pains of this, often encourage idleness, instead of relieving real objects of charity, and thus rob the needy of their portion. Directions for Prayer. an abuse hath been made of them, and how much cause I have for confusion, instead of glorying before thee. VI. A PRAYER FOR ZEAL. Awaken greater zeal for thy glory in my heart: how lukewarm and insensible to thy interest in the world have I been, and am I still! Lord, give me a deeper sense of thy majesty, and a more enlarged knowledge of the value of immortal souls, that I may rise up against the evil doers, grieving to see thee dishonoured, and deeply concerned to pluck those brands from the burning. [Lord, may I cheerfully suffer, count no cross grievous; and where duty calls, boldly rebuke vice, whatever danger be incurred. Arise, O Lord God, and vindicate thine own cause. Where are thy zeal and the soundings of thy bowels? Are they restrained? See our desolations, and come with great might, and succour us.] INTERCESSIONS, GENERAL AND PARTICULAR. And, Lord, hear my poor supplications for others, as well as for myself. Thou seest what desolations are wrought in the earth, how sin covers the face of the world, and gross darkness the people! Oh send out thy light and thy truth, that the ends of the earth may remember themselves, and be turned unto thee, O Lord! Especially visit our land with thy salvation; we have the form of godliness, and the profession of thy Gospel, but oh, how far removed from the practice and the power of it! Directions for Prayer. Return, O God of hosts, return; lift up the light of thy countenance upon us. [Remove not our candlestick away, as by our manifold iniquities we have most justly provoked thee to do, but remember thy mercy which hath been to a thousand generations, and hear the prayers of thy people who cry day and night before thee.] Raise up thy power, and come among us, and with great might succour us. Send out, we pray thee, labourers into thine harvest; the land mourneth, the people perish for lack of knowledge; give them pastors after thy own mind, who may exalt the cross of the Redeemer, and be successful preachers of his righteousness: bless the few who truly labour in the word and ministry; may thy grace make thy word in their mouths effectual for the conviction, conversion, and consolation of men's souls; particularly bless him who ministers to my soul, and may he see of the fruit of his labour in me, and multitudes be brought by his teaching to the knowledge of the salvation which is in Jesus Christ, Lord, make us more diligent, that our profiting may appear under the blessed means of grace which we enjoy. Bless all those who are especially near to me under any ties of relationship: may all my friends be thine; my benefactors find in thy favour an abundant return, and those of this house and family be the objects of thy peculiar regard.* And now, Lord, accept my humble praise for all the mercies I have tasted, from the first day The particular state of husband and wife, parent and child, master and servant, will afford opportunity for more particular enlargement. L Directions for Prayer. even until now; unworthy indeed, utterly unworthy of the least of them I confess myself to be. Blessed be thy name for the being I enjoy, and for all the blessings of time which accompany it; but above all, blessed be the name of my God for his redeeming love, for Jesus, the fountain of grace, and for the great and precious promises, given freely in him to me, a sinner. Blessed be thy name for the knowledge of him, whom to know is everlasting life; for all the means of growth in grace, and all the hopes of the glory purchased, taken possession of, and to be revealed by and in the Lord Jesus, my Saviour; whose righteousness is my title, whose blood is my plea, and who is to me all and in all. In his name and words I would, since he hath commanded it, sum up all my imperfect prayers, saying, Our Father, &c. You have here a long prayer, which may be easily shortened and adapted to your state, whatever it be remember only that your eye in all your prayers never lose sight of the Advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous, in and through whom alone any answer of peace can be given to your requests. All blessings in time and eternity are the purchase of his blood on the cross; they are given unto his power, as the peculiar Head of the mediatorial kingdom; and are to be obtained by that intercession, which he ever liveth to make for his people. As the foregoing prayer is intended as a help to the sincere in general, it may be useful to add something particular of the same kind respecting the Lord's Supper, which, with some meditations Directions for Prayer. on select passages of Scripture, may serve to enliven our souls before and at this ordinance. A PRAYER BEFORE THE LORD'S SUPPER. Dear Saviour of my soul, look upon the sinner thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood. I come, because thou hast bidden me, and my soul needeth the refreshment thou hast provided. Never do I draw near, but I bring with me fresh cause of humiliation, and carry new burdens to thee, my Lord, from which I need relief. Look upon me in thy wonted compassion, and pity and pardon all the faithlessness with which I stand chargeable before thee. Jesus, my hope is in thee. Ten thousand times have I forfeited all the mercies of my God; but thou hast been my advocate, thy blood hath spoken for me; still, Lord, let it speak, and be sprinkled on me; purge my heart from dead works to serve the living God. Bleeding Lamb of God, thy open wounds afford a safe retreat to my poor soul. I fly to thee to hide me. Let my iniquities be covered, let my backslidings be healed. My deep complaints come up before thee; this body of sin, when shall my soul be delivered from it! Lord, mine eyes are unto thee. I have found renewed attacks from my corrupt and vile affections; to the blessed fountain opened for sin and uncleanness I fly; oh wash this spotted soul, and heal the leprosy within! When now again I am drawing near to thee, draw near to my Particulars must be enlarged upon, according to your latest temptations and most besetting corruptions. |