September 13

Psalm lxviii. — 15. The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; a high hill as the hill of Bashan.

16. Why leap ye, ye high hills? This is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the Lord will dwell in it forever.

17. The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.

18. Thou hast ascended on high; thou hast led captivity captive; thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.

19. Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.

20. He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death.

Ephesians iii. — 8. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

9. And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ;

10. To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

11. According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord;

12. In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

13. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

14. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15. Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

16. That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

18. May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length, and depth and height;

19. And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

20. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

21. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

This wondrous prayer of the apostle opens to us the infinite possibilities of the life of faith. Beginning by resting the soul in Christ as the source of its life, faith rises above the range of human wisdom, and looks into the mysteries of redemption, which only the mind of God could unveil; and with this unfolding of spiritual knowledge comes an expansion of love, which, grow as it may, is continually filled and satisfied with the fulness of love that flows from the infinite Father. By this all-embracing love, the believing soul is made kindred with all the children of God on earth and in heaven. The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is the type and the source of all fatherhood.

Of him every family is named; for such is the more exact

rendering of verse 15: the family of men as first constituted in Adam; the family of Noah, the second father of men, and the fountain-head of nations; the family of Abraham, the father of the faithful; the family of Christ, the household of faith, — every family on earth derives its being and its name from God the Father; and the companies of angels, the principalities and powers in heavenly places, the glorious hierarchy of heaven, — these, too, are named after God, as the Father of all. Every circle of holy and intelligent creatures in the universe takes its derivation from him; and we, by the faith that lifts us to God, are brought into the family of the redeemed and holy, which is one in all worlds and through all ages.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 8, 42, 79.

O God! we are sinners, and of a sinful race. But Christ hath died to take away the sin of the world; and we draw nigh unto thee in the assurance of thy grace to help in every time of need: yea, the greater our sense of need and helplessness, the more plenteous is thy grace, the more ready is thy help. For Christ's sake, hear and save us.

Thou madest us to lie down and rest in safety; thou callest us to rise up and rejoice as in newness of life. Oh! bless and furnish us abundantly, we beseech thee, for all that is before us this day. May we worship thee in the beauty of holiness, our hearts being filled with love and devotion! May we be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect in doing good unto all!

Bless thy whole Church, and add unto its communion multitudes of penitent and believing souls.

We beseech thee to have compassion upon all who are yet living in sin. Oh! spare thy judgments, Lord, and show forth thy salvation; and imprint upon our hearts such a dread of thy judgments, and such a grateful sense of thy goodness to us, as may make us both afraid and ashamed to offend thee. Above all, inspire us with the joy of being with Christ in his glory; and, having this hope in him, may we purify ourselves as he is pure! May we know his love, and be filled with thy fulness!

Oh! keep this household in thy favor; bless abundantly our friends, near or far away; minister of thy comforts to the sick and needy, succor the perishing, and save the lost. Guide us ever with thy counsel, and finally bring us unto thy rest, for the Redeemer's sake. Amen.