52 The NEW and COMPLETE LIFE of our BLESSED and intelligent creation. We adore thine almighty, thine irrefiflible power; we ve- nerate thy boundlefs, thine unfearehable wifdom; we reverence thine impartial, thine inflexible juftice; we rejoice in the glories of thine all- fupporting goodnefs ;. and exult in the contemplation of thine immutable mercy. Open our eyes, O Lord! that we may fee thy glory. May we be enabled at all times to blefs and praife thy holy name, and may we be of the number of thofe, whofe delightful em- ployment will be to do thy will, and fing thy praifes for ever and ever. Such was the prayer which the Son of God himfelf delivered to the multitude who furrounded him ; from which it may be learned, that the great King of the univerfe, who is feated on the exalted throne of heaven, furrounded by angels and archangels, and conftantly adored by all the holy and happy inhabitants of the upper world, is fo kind and condefcend- ingly good, as to hear the cries, and at- tend to the petitions of finful man. What an animating, heart-reviving thought it is, that poor, frail, finful creatures are per- mitted to ftand before the throne of the eternal God, and call him our Father ! The glimmering light of the dim-winking taper, which fleeps in it's focket, is not more exceeded by the fplendour and glory of the fun fhining in his flrength, than the brightnefs of the throne, the extent of the dominions, the power, glory, and majefly of the great King of the creation, exceeds the molt exalted prince on earth. Earthly princes are fo proud, and their minifters and attendants fo covetous and haughty, that they are rendered inacceffible to the greatefl part of their fubjecfs; but the great Monarch of the univerfe, the fupreme Lord ofheaven and earth, is eafyof accefs ; he calls upon finners to feek his face, and the meaneft of mankind may at all times have free accefs to his exalted throne. How blind and flupid, how regardlefs of their bell intereft, how cruel to themfelves are. greffed againfl us. We give but a poor evidence, that by a fincere and influen- tial faith, we are become partakers of divine forgivenefs,, if we indulge an unfor- giving temper of mind, and purfue with inexorable and implacable refentment, thofe who have tranfgreffed againfl us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us front evil. Deliver us, O thou eternal Father of our fpirits ! thou great maker and fupporter of the feeble frame of our bodies! from fuch temptations as thou knowefl will be too hard for us. Pre- ferve us, O Lord ! from fuch temptations as are too powerful for human nature, either by removing them from us, or granting fuch a meafure of thy grace, and fuch af- fillance from thy Holy Spirit, as may enable us to overcome. Make us fenfible, O our God ! how weak and frail we are ; may we never prefume on our own flrength, but depending on thy grace, may we, in thy might, be enabled to over- come all our fpiritual foes, and be pre- ferved to thy heavenly kingdom. For thine is the kingdom, the bower, and the glory, for ever and ever. Thou, O God! art the eternal, univerfal Monarch; thy kingdom is an everlafling kingdom, and thy dominion extendeth over all : the government of the univerfe is thine, and thou reignefl the great independent King of the creation : thou, by thine infinite power, firfl didfl eflablifh, and now pre - fervelt the flupenduous frame of nature : all power in heaven and earth is in thine hand, thou canif do what thou pleafefi and none can flay thine hand, or fay unto thee, What doeff thou? Thou art able, by thine almighty power, to proteéf and de- fend all thy faithful fervants ; and thou holdeft omnipotence in thine hand to crufh thy daring foes. Thou art all perfect and all glorious ; thou art poffeffed of every attribute and every perfection which juffly renders thee the object of fupreme ado- ration and the delight of the whole rational 3
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