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THOU, Lord, gavest thy people judgment, and true laws, good statutes and commandments: and madest known unto them thy holy Sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant.

Thus saith the Lord, Unto them that keep my Sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;

Even unto them will I give, in mine house and within my walls, a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.

The same sun arises on this day, and enlightens it; yet because that Sun of Righteousness arose upon it, and gave a new life unto the world in it, and drew the strength of God's moral precept unto it, therefore justly do we sing, with the Psalmist, This is the day which the Lord hath made. - Bishop Hall.

Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear.

God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.

For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, the sheep of his hand.

To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

THOU who in the beginning didst cause the

light to shine out of darkness, pour into our hearts, with this morning sunlight, the radiance of that revelation which maketh all things new. Thy mercies are new every morning; may our faith and hope and charity be renewed to-day. Make us new

creatures in Christ. This is life eternal, to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. May we learn this day so to know him, and the power of his resurrection, that we shall rise from the bonds of the flesh and the deadness of custom into the life and liberty of the children of God.

God of peace, enable us to return unto our rest this day by waiting on thee without distraction, in the hearty and harmonious devotion of all our faculties and affections to thy service, which is perfect freedom. Guard us from seeking our Sabbath in indolence, which is not our rest. Quicken us to arise and depart out of the very thought of so worshipping thee acceptably, and in the active life of self-discipline, piety, and mercy to honor and use this day in a manner worthy of the Son of man, and grateful to the Father of men.

May we walk in the light of that life and immortality which thy Gospel has opened to the world. May we live above the world, raised by faith to that mountain of the Lord's house, where memory and hope meet and witness to the soul of possessions and pleasures that know no change of time.

May the Sun of Righteousness rise higher and higher over the world, and stretch his healing wings more and more around the hearts and homes and nations of men. Soon may all the families and all the tribes of the earth make one great

family in the kingdom of thy Son. May our beloved land soon become his inheritance, and our people that holy and happy people whose God is the Lord. May thy kingdom come on earth, and hasten thou the day when every house shall be a house of God, and every day a Sabbath, and all the thoughts of every heart shall give glory to Him who sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever.

Amen.

II.

SUNDAY MORNING.

Blest day of God! most calm, most bright,
The first and best of days;

The laborer's rest, the saint's delight,

The day of prayer and praise.

CODMAN'S COLL.

Prayer, meditation, reading, hearing, preaching, singing, good conference, are the businesses of this day, which I dare not bestow on any work or pleasure, but heavenly. — Bishop Hall.

When ye hear the Word of God, surrender yourselves wholly to it, as if for eternity, with a full purpose of will to retain it in your mind, and to order your life according to it. Tauler.

Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.

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