08. The true Believer prays God to continue and increase the faith awakened in Him

EXHORTATION.

"If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."—Romans x. 9. "Lord, increase our faith."—Luke xvii. 5.

As unhappy as is an unbeliever, so happy is a soul which stands in the faith and true knowledge of God, of Jesus Christ, and of its own salvation. For an unbeliever is like a room in which there is no light, wherein it is dark and disagreeable, but a believing soul is like unto a room wherein it is light, and wherein a taper is lit, which taper is faith. This faith man cannot give unto himself, but it is God that lights it within us. 1. Therefore, a true believer shall thank God, that he has brought him to the faith and to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and thereby made him happy above Jews, Turks, or Heathens. 2. He shall be mindful of his covenant of baptism, and the glory thereby conferred upon him, and shall not wantonly transgress the covenant entered into with God. 3. He shall diligently and devoutly hear God's Word, that he may be constantly more enlightTO INCREASE THE FAITH AWAKENED IN HIM.

ened, and brought to a better understanding of his will in his works. 4. Therefore, a true Christian must not be satisfied with saying, I believe, but he must also let the fruits of faith, as piety, charity, chastity, patience, meekness, and others, shine forth throughout his life. Then he has the consolation that he will secure the end of his faith, eternal salvation. O thou gracious God! what great mercy is it, that thou has brought me to the true knowledge of thy salvation. I know the foundation of my eternal welfare, which is Jesus Christ, with his atoning merit, blood and death. I know the means of salvation, which are the Word of God and the holy sacraments. In these I set all my hope and my reliance, and now know the true way to heaven; for who would come to God must believe. By this faith am I distinguished from infidel, Jews, Turks, and Heathens. O thou gracious God! bestow upon me thy Holy Ghost, that he may give this knowledge life within me. Blessed are ye, if ye know, but blessed are ye if ye do it also. Give me power that my faith may be not a lifeless faith of the brain and of the lips, but a living faith. What thy Word forbids, I will eschew and flee from, THE TRUE BELIEVER PRAYS GOD but the duties and virtues it enjoins, I will seek to perform by thy grace, and the assistance of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Communion shall sanctify me out and out. I will often partake of it to strengthen my faith, and make me happy, as a food of sanctification and devotion, and will persevere in this sanctification. O my God! Increase within me faith, sanctification and obedience, that I may become every day more pious, more devout, more godly, and more true to the image of my Savior. And preserve me in this faith to the end of my days, so that I may live as a true and pious Christian, and die happy. Lord, I believe! help my weakness, let me not despair; thou canst give me strength when sin and death assail me; in thy goodness will I tread until I shall joyfully see thee, Lord Jesus, after the struggle, in the gladness of eternity. Amen.

1. I believe, O Lord! but yet my

Faith is weak and oft doth swerve,

Satan ever to upset my

Strength exerts his every nerve.

Storms and tempests gather o'er me,

No one offers to restore me.

Lord where are thy mighty arms,

To protect me from these harms?

TO INCREASE THE FAITH AWAKENED IN HIM.

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2. Where is thy all conquering glory,

Where thy all commanding mien,

Of which others make such story?

Am I then alone unseen?

Knowst thou not my grief and trial?

Canst thou give my prayer denial?

Is my wretchedness too great

For thy goodness to abate?

3. Help my unbelief in pity!

I believe, undoubtedly,

That the voice of meek entreaty

Never goes unheard from thee.

Still aloft I know thou soarest,

And the gift of mercy pourest

In abundance over all

Who on thee as children call.

4. I believe that me, a sinner,

Jesus' blood has purchased too;

Of my soul to be the winner,

Nothing will he fail to do.

In my bitterest repining

Jesus at my side was shining,

Though I knew him not, because

Blind and weak my eyesight was.

5. O be patient with my blindness,

Let me see thee as thou art,

Let the knowledge of thy kindness

Never from my soul depart.

Let despair itself betoken

That thy faith remains unbroken;

That thy love which never dies,

Waits to bear me to the skies.

6*

PRAYER FOR TUESDAY EVENING.

PRAYER FOR TUESDAY EVENING.

The Lord is with me, therefore I do not fear, what evil can men do unto me? This, O loving and merciful God, is the language of my experience this evening; and I heartily thank thee that thou hast suffered me to pass this day under thy fatherly care. Lord, thy goodness is great, and thy mercy endureth forever. The Lord is near unto them that cry unto him, unto them that cry unto him with earnestness, he does what the godly crave. Lord, how soon is a day past; as an arrow is shot from a bow, so do our years depart; therefore teach me that it is appointed unto me once to die, that my life has an end, and that I must away. Behold, my days are as an handbreath, and as nothing before thee. "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in the body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." Therefore I judge myself, and ask: My soul, how hast thou spent this day? Hast thou had godly thoughts? Has God remained united with thee, or hast thou driven him away with intended and conscious sins? Has the praise of God been spread abroad by thee, or hast thou overflowed with follies and scandalous conversation?—Whither have ye sped, ye feet? What have ye PRAYER FOR TUESDAY EVENING.

plied, ye hands? What have ye heard, ye ears? Ye eyes, whither have ye looked? What has been this day thy desire and thy yearning, my heart? O my God, if I should answer all these questions, how would I stand? Lord, with the passing away of this day, do thou blot out all my trespasses. O Jesu! wash out my sins in thy holy blood. O Holy Spirit! assure me of the forgiveness of all my sins, before I fall to sleep, so that, if this should be my last night, I may not be lost. Acquitted of my guilt, O triune God, I shall sleep with great composure, and shall to-morrow avoid with greater care, whatsoever may displease thee. Lord, let thy love cover me and mine. Blessed Jesus, in thy wounds I rest; so shall I sleep in peace. O Holy Spirit! breathe the last sigh into my heart before I fall asleep, with which I commend my spirit into thy hands, O God. Though I have fallen off, yet I return to thee, for thy son has reconciled us by his sufferings and death; I do not deny my guilt, but thy grace and tenderness is much greater than the sin which I ever feel within me. Amen.

THE TRUE BELIEVER PRAYS TO GOD