exciting us to unwearied diligence, zeal, and love, and patient continuance in well doing that so our hope in thee may grow and increase; and that so we may joyfully expect the hour which shall translate us to thy blissful presence. To thy care, O heavenly Father, we commit ourselves, and all that we are and have, this night; beseeching thee to defend and keep us, both in soul and body, from all the evils and dangers to which the weakness of our frame, and the greatness of our sins expose us. May we be refreshed by comfortable rest; and rise again to serve thee better, according to thy will, in all the duties of the following day. Shouldest thou be pleased to give us another day of trial, may we be enabled to add repentance and amendment to our lives and may every day bring us nearer to those everlasting joys and glories which thou hast prepared for those that love thee. We ask all in the name of our dear Redeemer, to whom with thyself O Father, and the Holy Spirit, be ascribed everlasting praise. Amen. MEDITATION For Wednesday Morning. THE PRODIGAL SON. "And Jesus said, a certain man had two sons : And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy son. Such were we! and such is our heavenly Father! Thus is the sinner enriched by his bounty, and ungrateful for his love! and such he remains till a Father's rod brings him to himself; till divine grace effects his heart with penitential sorrow and filial love: then, and not till then, he says, "I will arise and go to my Father." But Oh! let us behold with wonder and gratitude, the gracious reception he meets with from injured goodness, from Divine love! The father sees him afar off: runs to meet and embrace him; interrupts his complaints and confessions, his sorrows and his fears, saying, "Bring forth the best robe and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat and be merry.' Thus does our heavenly Father welcome = the humble penitent! Thus does he open the arms of his love to embrace him, and the treasures of his bounty to enrich him. He arrays him with the robe of a Saviour's righteousness; dresses him in the ornaments of sanctifying grace; honours him with the tokens of adopting love, and invests him with the immunities of his children: and all this he does with unutterable delight! He rejoices over him with singing; and this is the joyful language of the song, "This my son was dead, and is alive again: he was lost, and is found!" HYMN For Wednesday Morning. Heavenly Father!—to this name, Yes! from far, thy love can see Love can lay its anger by, While we seek the meanest place, Strangers now no more to roam, PRAYER For Wednesday Morning. Our Father which art in heaven, we would love thee as the author of our being, as the Father of spirits; but thou art still dearer to us as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom thou art redeeming sinners unto thyself, calling them out of darkness into marvellous light, and creating anew thine image in their souls. Thou art adopting them into thy family, and making them heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ! "Behold what manner of love is this, that we should be called the sons of God" and provided for as thy children! O let this name of Father, and our relation to thee, be our glory, our refuge, our support, and the principle of our love and obedience. Give us that |