July 10

Isaiah lii. — 1. Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion! put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city! for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

2. Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem! loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion!

3. For thus saith the Lord: Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.

4. For thus saith the Lord God: My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.

5. Now, therefore, what have I here, saith the Lord, that my people is taken away for nought? They that rule over them make them to howl, saith the Lord; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.

6. Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak; behold, it is I.

7. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

8. Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with

The Lord here identifies himself with his Church: they are his people; they bear his name; and, when they are dishonored and persecuted, he feels that his name is blasphemed. For their sins he may suffer his people to be rebuked and chastened: if they will sell themselves to the world, they shall learn how empty and worthless is the bargain they have made; if they will deliver themselves to sinful pleasures, they shall learn how hard a yoke they have taken upon their neck. But, through all their bondage and affliction, the Lord still looks upon them with a loving eye, and cherishes toward them his purpose of grace. Jerusalem was desolate, her temple in ruins, her walls in the dust, her children in captivity. But the prophet already sees her re-established in strength and

the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion.

9. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people; he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

10. The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

11. Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.

12. For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight; for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rearward.

13. Behold, my servant shall deal prudently; he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.

14. As many were astonished at thee (his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men);

15. So shall he sprinkle many nations: the kings shall shut their mouths at him; for that which had not been told them shall they see, and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

beauty; redeemed, purified, exalted; a wonder and a glory in the earth. Her watchmen, standing upon her walls, desery upon the mountains the messenger of peace. With one voice they take up the good tidings, and echo and re-echo it, until the regions wasted by war, even to the remotest corners of the land, resound with joy and salvation. But, in order to this final triumph of the Church, she must purify herself of all dishonor and uncleanness. As Christ her Leader came in loveliness and contumely, his very visage marred and his person despised; so must his people walk in the path of lowly, holy consecration, that he may lead them to the victory of righteousness over kings and nations.

APPROPRIATE HYUNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 164, 186, 191.

We adore thee, O Lord our God! that thou hast not only revealed to us a heaven to come, but hast assured us that there are yet good things in store for this earth which we inhabit, and which has so long groaned under the curse of sin. We pray that thou wilt shorten these days of ignorance, wickedness, and folly, and hasten the reign of the Lord Jesus. Help us, O Lord our God! that we may not merely pray, but may also labor to the utmost to spread thy gospel and extend thy dominion.

Oh! fill us with the love of Him who went about doing good. May we glorify thee by bringing forth much fruit! Thou hast commanded and encouraged us, O Lord! to make prayers and intercessions

for all men. We commend to thee the members of this family, present or absent. May all be partakers of thy grace! Help us rightly to fulfil the duties of our several stations, always so exercising ourselves as to have a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men.

We commend ourselves to thy merciful protection and kindness throughout this day. Preserve us from all evil; and, in all our thoughts and words and actions, may we remember that thou, God, seest us.

And unto Him who hath been with us all our life long — our Creator, our Preserver, our Benefactor, and our Redeemer, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — be glory both now and forever. Amen.