gifts, those who exercise the holy ministry, and those who are preparing for it; and send forth always faithful labourers into thy harvest. Grant success to the pious designs and holy efforts of all thy servants, who seek thy glory and the edification of thy church. Purify thy sanctuary, and rekindle the zeal of pastors and people; that thy holy name may be more and more glorified among us. We offer also unto thee our prayers for all rulers and magistrates. Give them a knowledge of thyself, and inspire them with true zeal for thy glory and the good of thy church. We pray for thy blessing on the President of these United States, and on all in authority over us. Guide them in the discharge of their respective duties, and grant that they may have constantly in view the advancement of the public good. O GOD! continue to watch over our country, and to bless us. Withdraw not thy grace from the people of these States. Turn away from us thy judgments, and be favourable unto us, for the sake of thy holy name. We implore thy grace for all who are in tribulation. We commend, especially, to thy mercy all those who are under the cross, and who suffer persecution for righteousness' sake. Comfort and deliver them; raise up those who are fallen; and strengthen all, that they may glorify thee in life and in death. Pity and relieve all who are troubled in mind, body, or estate. Grant them repentance and resignation, and grace to make a right use of their afflictions. FINALLY, we beseech thee, O Lord! to hear the prayers, and accept the praises, which have this day been offered up unto thee; and give us, we pray thee, a due sense of all thy mercies, that we may show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives; by giving up ourselves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen. BENEDICTIONS. HE Lord bless you and keep you. THE face make his face to shine unto you. The Lord lift T upon you, The Lord upon you, and be gracious up his countenance upon Amen. Numbers, vi., 24, HE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen. II. Cor., xiii., 14. MY Y brethren! the end of all things is at hand. Be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. I. Peter, iv., 7. The Lord be with you. Almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, bless and protect you. Amen. PART THIRD. SECTION FIRST. Prayers for Stated Occasions. TO BE USED AS PART OF THE MORNING SERVICE. For the Day of the Nativity. ALMIGHTY God! merciful Father! it is our duty to bless thee, and to give thee thanks at all times, but more especially on this day, when we commemorate the blessed nativity of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. Thou hadst promised to our first parents in Paradise, to send thy Son into the world. Thou hadst ordained his coming to be announced by the prophets; and thou didst cause him to be born in the fulness of time. Thine eternal Son, who, from the beginning, was with thee, vouchsafed to take upon him our nature, and to become man; so that he is very God and very man, our Immanuel, God with us. He who was in the form of God, took upon him the form of a servant. He partook, as children do, of our nature, even of our flesh and blood. He was made like unto his brethren in all things, yet without sin, to the end that he might be a merciful high priest, to make reconciliation for our sins. How great is this mystery of godliness! God manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory! O GOD! we believe and confess, to the praise of thy mercy, that it is through the coming of thy Son into the world that we do not perish eternally. May our prayers and thanksgivings, on this solemn occasion, be acceptable unto thee! Favourably look upon thy people, who offer unto thee their supplications. Preserve thy church, which this day commemorates the Advent of the Redeemer, and celebrates thy praises. O GOD! heavenly Father! who didst send the angel Gabriel to announce the birth of thy Son, Jesus Christ, and didst cause him to be born of the holy Virgin, through the power of the Holy Spirit; sanctify us by the same Spirit, that Christ may be formed in us, that he may live in us and dwell in us by faith, that we may live only in him, and for him. O LORD! who didst cause a miraculous splendour to shine around the shepherds, on the night in which thy Son came into the world, illumine our minds, we beseech thee, with thy celestial light. So assist us by thy grace, O heavenly Father! that we may live henceforth, even unto the end, as becometh those who believe that thy Son came to save them; and may await with joy and in peace, the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ; to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be rendered honour and glory, for ever and ever. Amen. For the two Sundays during the Holy Days of the Nativity. GOD! Creator of the world, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we lift up our hearts unto thee, we adore thy Majesty, we offer the humble sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, more especially at this time, when so many of thy servants commemorate the nativity of their Redeemer. Through thy great love towards mankind, thou didst send thine only Son into the world. Thou didst ordain that he should be born on earth; that there he should be subject to the infirmities of our nature; and that he should offer up, on the cross, for the salvation of men, the same body with which he had come into the world. O LORD! we acknowledge, with joy and thanks |