The Pharisees murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.-Luke xv. 2. THANK thee, O Jesus, for this instance of thy charity for sinners. I do indeed confess that I am one of that wretched number, and do beseech thee to receive me, though a very unworthy guest, that I may eat at thy table, and be partaker of thy favours. Jesus said, What will ye that I should do unto you? The blind men said, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.-Matt. xx. 32, 33. O Lord, thou knowest the desires of my heart, for it is thy grace that has wrought them in me, and besides thee there is none else that can help me. I pray thee, therefore, that thou wouldst have compassion on me, as thou hadst on these blind men; that From BISHOP WILSON. the eyes of my mind may be opened; that 1 may recover the light which sin has deprived me of; that I may see the great goodness of God, in sending thee to redeem us; that I may see the due reward of sin in thy sufferings and death; and that I may follow thy holy example all the days of my life. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to O Lord, who hast called me to repentance by thy word and by this ordinance, call me also by thy grace; but call me so powerfully, that I may not turn a deaf ear, and that I may not resist thy call. I am forced, indeed, to bring my sins along with me; but it is to crucify them with thee, and with a full purpose, through thy grace, never to return to those sins I have repented of. He that cateth of this bread shall live for ever. O Jesus, who hast made the life of our souls to depend upon this bread, grant that I may never render myself unworthy to receive so great a blessing, or deprive myself of it by my own negligence. Make it a principle of immortal life to me, by uniting me to thee and to thy body, that I may be made partaker of a divine nature. When he seeth the blood (of the paschal lamb) on the door, he will not suffer the destroyer to come in to smite you.-Exod. xii. 23. O Jesus, the true paschal Lamb, who by thy precious blood hast paid the debt due to the divine justice, and hast delivered us from the power of the destroyer; let me never want this token of my redemption, this saving mark of thy almighty protection against the power of the devil, who is continually seeking whom he may devour. Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.-1 Cor. xi. 28. That I am invited to thy table, is, not because I am worthy, but because thou, O God, art infinitely good and kind. Pity my infirmities, which are known to thee, and accept of my imperfect obedience to this command. I acknowledge my unworthiness; I place all my hopes in thy mercy and promises in Jesus Christ; I sincerely purpose to lead a Christian life, and to use all diligence to make my calling and election sure. With these purposes I go to thine altar, trusting in thy goodness for the pardon of my defects, and for an increase of all those graces that are necessary to make me more worthy to eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.-Matt. xvi. 24. O my Saviour, how long have I professed to follow thee, without following the blessed steps of thy most holy life, thy patience and humility, thy great disregard for the world, its pleasures, profits, honours, and ail its idols! O Lord, obtain for me the spirit of mortification and self-denial, that I may follow thee, as I hope to live with thee for ever. All ways are indifferent to one who has heaven in his eye,—as a traveller does not choose the pleasantest, but the shortest and safest way to his journey's end; and that is the way of the cross, which Jesus Christ made choice of, and sanctified it to all his followers. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy mind; and ou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.-Mark x. 17. O, that this love of God may be the commanding principle of my soul! May I always have this comfortable proof of his love abiding in me, that I study to please him, and to keep his commandments. may my love to my neighbour be such as he has commanded; that I may forgive, and give, and love, as becomes a disciple of Jesus Christ. Amen. And Not my will, but thine be done.-Luke xxii. 42. Thy will, O God, is the perfection of justice; let me never prescribe to thee what thou oughtest to give me. What thou willest, we may be sure is best for us; we cannot be sure of what we will for ourselves. Hearken not to the corrupt desires of my heart, but to the voice of thy own mercy. How many sins should we commit, if God did not vouchsafe to oppose our corrupt will! Blessed be his holy name, for not leaving me to my own choices. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. How can ye, being evil, speak good things?-Matt. xii. 34. O Holy Spirit of grace, enable me to overcome the shame of a degenerate age, which will hear nothing with delight, but what concerns this world. O, touch my heart with the true love of God, the excellencies of his laws, the pleasantness of his service, and the wonders of his providences. This I beg for Jesus Christ's sake. God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.-1 Pet. v. 5. I have all the reason in the world to be humble. Without God I am nothing. Without his help and grace I can do nothing that is good. Without his word I know nothing. Of myself, I deserve nothing but punishment. Of my own, I have nothing but faults, imperfections, and sins, an inclination to evil, an aversion to good, unruly senses, ungovernable passions, unreasonable affections. The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.-Matt. x. 24. He who keeps this saying in his heart will never complain of what he suffers, nor seek for any other way to save himself but by humiliation and the cross. O Lord, grant |