FIRST MORNING OF THE NEW YEAR.

Jay.

O LORD, of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure; yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed; but thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end. We desire, O God, with the profoundest reverence to contemplate the eternity of thy nature. May our minds be filled with elevation and grandeur, at the thought of a Being with whom one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day; a Being, who, amidst all the revolutions of empire, and the lapse of ages, feels no variableness nor shadow of turning. How glorious, with immortality attached to them, are all thy attributes; and how secure are the hopes and happiness of all those who know thy name and put their trust in thee.

May we rejoice, that while men die, the Lord liveth; that while all creatures are found broken reeds and broken cisterns, he is the Rock of ages, and the Fountain of living waters. O that we may turn away our hearts from vanity; and among all the uncertainties of the present state, look after an interest in that everlasting covenant, which is ordered in all things and sure. May we seek after an union with thyself, as the strength of our heart, and our portion forever, for thou hast assured us that while the world passeth away, and the lusts thereof, he that doeth the will of God, abideth for ever.

We thank thee that thou hast revealed to us the way in which a fallen and perishing sinner can be eternally united to thyself; and that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. In his name we come; O, receive us graciously; justify us freely; renew us in the spirit of our minds; and bless us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

By the lapse of our days, and weeks, and years, which we are called upon so often to remark, may we be reminded how short our life is, and how soon we shall close our eyes on every prospect below the sun; and,O, suffer us not to neglect the claims of eternity, in the pur

suit of the trifles of time; but knowing how frail we are, may we be wise enough to choose that good part which shall not be taken away from us; and before we leave the present evil world, may we secure an inheritance in another and a better. May thoughts of death and eternity so impress our minds, as to put seriousness into our prayers, and vigour into our resolutions; may they loosen us from an undue attachment to things seen and temporal; so that we may weep as though we wept not; and rejoice as if we rejoiced not.

And remembering that the present life, so short, so uncertain-and so much of which is already vanished, is the only opportunity we shall ever have for usefulness, may we be concerned to redeem the time. May we be alive and awake at every call of charity and piety. May we feed the hungry, and clothe the naked; may we instruct the ignorant; reclaim the vicious; forgive the offending; diffuse the gospel; and consider one another to provoke one another unto love and good works, not forsaking the assembling ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as we see the day approaching.

As we have entered on a new period of life, may we faithfully examine ourselves, to see what has been amiss in our former temper or conduct; and in thy strength, may we resolve to correct it. And may we inquire for the future-with a full determination to reduce our knowledge to practice. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?

Prepare us for all the duties of the ensuing year. All the wisdom and strength necessary for the performance of them must come from thyself; may we, therefore, live a life of self-distrust, of divine dependence, and of prayer; may we ask and receive, that our joy may be full; may we live in the spirit, and walk in the spirit.

If we are indulged with prosperity, O, let not our prosperity destroy us, or injure us. If we are exercised with adversity, suffer us not to sink in the hour of trouble, or sin against God. May we know how to be abased, without despondence; and to abound without pride. If our relative comforts are continued to us,

may we love them without idolatry, and hold them at thy disposal; and if they are recalled from us, may we be enabled to say, the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; and blessed be the name of the Lord.

Fit us for all events. We know not what a day may bring forth; but we encourage ourselves in the Lord our God, and go forward. Thou hast been thus far our helper; thou hast promised to be with us in every condition; thou hast engaged to make all things work together for good; all thy ways are mercy and truth. May we, therefore, be careful for nothing, but in every thing, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, may we make known our requests unto God; and may the peace of God that passeth all understanding, keep our hearts and minds, through Christ Jesus.

Bless, O bless the young; may each of them, this day, hear thee, saying, my son give me thy heart; and, from this time, may they cry unto thee, as the guide of their youth. Regard those who have reached the years, wherein they say, we have no pleasure in them. If old in sin, may they be urged to embrace, before it be for ever too late, the things that belong to their peace; and if old in grace, uphold them with thy free Spirit, and help them to remember, that now is their salvation nearer than when they believed.

Bless all the dear connexions attached to us by nature, friendship or religion. Grace be to them; and peace be multiplied.

Let our country share thy protection and smiles Bless all our rulers and magistrates.

*We commend to thee, most merciful Father, the interests of thy church in the advancing year. Not knowing that it will be thy good pleasure to keep us in the land of the living, yet we pray that thou wilt regard with special favour thy holy church; and smile continually upon Zion. Give grace to thy ministers that they may preach thy gospel with simplicity, power, and success. Bless all Sunday schools. And may thy Spirit be given to enlighten all Sunday school teachers, and to sanctify all Sunday school scholars. May thy Holy Spirit descend upon the churches. Let pure and undefiled religion prevail in all the congregations of thy people. May sinners be converted in great num

bers to thyself; and may this year be distinguished by great and successful efforts to spread the gospel through this land, and through all the world. Smile, O gracious God, on all missionaries of the cross; and amid all their labours and sufferings, and privations, do thou sustain them. Let not thy people faint, and grow weary in this work; and during the advancing year, grant, we beseech thee, that the power of thy gospel may be felt in all lands, and soon may the whole family of man be brought under the saving power of divine truth.*

Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

FOR CHRISTMAS-DAY.

MORNING.

Cotterill.

ALMIGHTY GOD, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we humbly beseech thee to accept our hearty thanks for the manifold mercies which thou hast poured upon us.

We bless thee, especially, for sending thy well beloved Son, to take our nature upon him, and to be made in the likeness of sinful flesh.

We rejoice that unto us a Child is born; that unto us a Son is given. And we would join the multitude of the heavenly host, in ascribing glory to thee in the highest; peace on earth; good will toward men.

We praise thee for revealing to us the way in which mercy and truth have met together; in which righte ousness and peace have kissed each other. And we account it a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sin

ners.

Help us, O Lord, to employ this day in meditating on this great mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh, which thy holy angels desire to look into.

And as, when thou didst bring thy first-begotten into

the world, thou didst command all the heavenly host to worship him, so may we also give unto him the glory which is due unto his name.

O thou great and glorious Redeemer, who art Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, we praise thee; we bless thee; we worship thee; we glorify thee; we give thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord God, Lamb of God, the only begotten Son Jesus Christ, King of kings, and Lord of lords, Emmanuel, God with us. For thou only art holy; thou only art the Lord; thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father.

But chiefly, at this time, we adore thee for leaving the glory which thou hadst with the Father before the world began. We know thy grace, O Lord Jesus Christ, that though thou wast rich, yet for our sakes thou didst become poor, that we, through thy poverty, might be made rich. We beseech thee, by the mystery of thy holy incarnation and nativity, good Lord, deliver us. O Son of David, have mercy upon us. Thou, who didst come that we might have life, and might have it more abundantly, be gracious unto us.

Thou, who wast called Jesus, that thou mightest save thy people from their sins, save us, and help us, we humbly beseech thee, O Lord.

And give unto us grace, Almighty God, that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility.

As he came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and hath left us an example to do unto others as he hath done unto us, so may we learn to take his yoke upon us, and to learn of him, who was meek and lowly in heart, that we may find rest unto our souls. Grant, that we, being regenerate and made thy children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by thy Holy Spirit, and follow the blessed steps of his most holy life; ever remembering that he gave himself for us, to redeem us from all iniquity, and to purify us unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Vouchsafe, O Lord, thy special blessing to us this day.

T