PRAYER. PREVENT, we beseech Thee, O Lord, all our doings with Thy most gracious inspirations, and further them with Thy continual help, that every prayer and work of ours may begin always from Thee, and by Thee be happily ended, and more especially the service we are now entering upon; through Christ our Lord. AMEN. Come, let us adore our glorified Jesus. The King of Heaven Himself invites us, and graciously calls us into His own presence; He bids us suspend our mean employments in the world to receive the honour of treating with Him. Come, let us adore our glorified Jesus. To Him we owe all the days of our lives; at least let us pay this one to His service; a service so sweet and easy in itself, and so infinitely rich in its eternal rewards. Come, let us adore our glorified Jesus. Let us cheerfully ascend to the house of our Lord, the place He has chosen for our sakes to dwell in; let us reverently bow before His holy presence, for Himself comes to meet us and our prayers. HYMN. LORD, who shall dwell above with Thee, There on Thy holy hill? Who shall those glorious prospects see Those happy souls who prize that life Above the bravest here; Whose greatest hopes, whose eag'rest strife Is once to settle there: They use this world, but value that; That they supremely love; They travel through this present state, But place their home above. Lord, who are they that thus choose Thee, But those Thou first did choose? To whom Thou gav'st Thy grace most free, Thy grace not to refuse. We of ourselves can nothing do, But all on Thee depend; Oh make us still our work attend, Glory to Thee, O bounteous Lord! Who sav'st us by Thy death. Glory, O blessed Spirit, to Thee, Who fill'st our hearts with love; Glory to all the mystic Three, Who reign one God above. BEHOLD, HYMN. we come, dear Lord, to Thee, And bow before Thy throne: We come to offer on our knee Our vows to Thee alone. Whate'er we have, whate'er we are, Thou dost us here in mercy spare And wilt hereafter save. But oh, can all our store afford Thus we confess Thy riches, Lord, And thus our poverty. 'Tis not our tongue or knee can pay Far more we should than we can say, |