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النشر الإلكتروني

PRAYER.

O thou ever blessed and glorious God, we thank thee for the privilege of free and constant access to thy mercy-seat, through the merits of the divine Redeemer. We are under innumerable obligations to glorify thee in all things. We praise thee for all which thou hast done for us and in us, for all our present happiness, and all the promises and prospect of felicity in the world to come. Blessed be thy name, if we have in any way been enabled to serve thee, and by a holy walk and consistent conversation, to show forth thy most worthy praise, who has called us out of darkness into thy marvellous light. We would give glory to thee for all the grace thou hast given to us. Thou hast begun, we humbly hope, a good work in us.

Thou hast

manifested thy name to us, whom thou hast called out of the world, for which we thank thee. But with deep humiliation we acknowledge, that in our conduct and conversation we have not sufficiently aimed at thy glory, and that we have not borne that testimony to thy goodness and grace which we might have done, and ought to have done. In prosperity we have not been so humble, and in the fires we have not so glorified thee as thou dost require and expect of thy people. Forgive, we beseech thee, O Lord, these our short comings, and enable us to see more clearly, and to feel more

deeply our obligations to honour thee at all times and under all circumstances.

Blessed be thy name, that thou hast led thy servant before thee, to experience the power of religion upon his heart, previous to this time of dangerous affliction. Thou didst give him a knowledge of the truth in the season of health and strength. O grant that he may continue to feel and acknowledge thy faithfulness and love. Thou deservest his warmest gratitude and firmest confidence. May he by thy grace assisting him in his last moments, bear testimony to thy name. Open thou his lips, that his mouth may show forth thy praise, and may he tell to all around, as far as his strength allows him, what a dear Saviour he has found. May he cheerfully tell what thou hast done for his soul, in pardoning and sanctifying it, and what thou art now doing for him in supporting and comforting him. May he not be afraid to speak before others. May he recommend a Saviour, not only by what they see in him, but what they hear from him. May every word he utters be attended with a power to benefit others. May the Spirit bless all that is said, to the conviction of the careless, and the comfort of the believer, so that thy character may be honoured, and thy mercy magnified. With his dying lips, like many of thy servants of old, may he attest the truth of the gospel of Christ, and show that as he was not ashamed in his life to own the Saviour's name, he is not afraid in

death to speak his worth.

Give him that

clear evidence of personal interest in thy favour, such exalted views of the person and work of the Saviour, such animating prospects of glory as may fill him with pleasure, and constrain him to utter before others thy unchanging love and faithfulness. May his dying experience not only be registered in heaven, but engraven upon the hearts of all who may listen to him.

We beseech thee, on behalf of all his beloved relations, that they may follow his example in giving up themselves to the Lord, and to the church, by the will of God; making an honourable and creditable profession of the name of Christ, while they have opportunity. When placed in circumstances of death, may they excite no painful suspicion that their hearts are not right with God, that no fear may be entertained of the safety of their state; but, on the contrary, leave behind them a decisive testimony that they had fled for refuge to the hope set before them, and that the work of saving grace was indeed begun in their hearts.

Bring us all safely and honourably to the close of our earthly pilgrimage, and when we shall have glorified thee to the end, and in the end, may we be admitted into that world, where we shall speak forth the honours of the Redeemer without restraint, and sing his praises without end.

These mercies we humbly ask, in the

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THERE was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old; can he enter into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the

Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master in Israel and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto you, We speak that we do know, and testify that which we have seen, and ye receive not our witness, John iii. 1—11. There is none that understandeth; there is none that seeketh after God, and the way of peace have they not known, Rom. iii. 11, 17. Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart, Eph. iv. 18. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish a righteousness of their own, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God, Rom. x. 3. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them, 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned, 1 Cor. ii. 14. Because thou sayest, I am rich and

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