COMMANDMENTS. Which commandment is first of all? Jesus answered, The first is, Hear, O Israel, The Lord our God is one Lord; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. The second is this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is no other commandment greater than these. Mark xii. 28-31. Said Jesus, Why dost thou call me good? None is good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honor thy father and thy mother. Mark x. 18, 19. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets. - Matt. vii. 12. Be ye therefore perfect, as your heavenly Father perfect. Matt. v. 48. Bless, and curse not. GENERAL CONFESSION. Father, we have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices of our own hearts. We have broken thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done. O Lord, have mercy upon us, and forgive us as we confess our sins, and turn from them. Restore those that are penitent, according to the promise of thy love in Jesus Christ. And grant, O Father! that we may live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of thy holy name. Amen. FIRST SERVICE. GOD'S CALL. Even now, saith the Lord, turn ye to me with all your heart. Turn to the Lord your God, For he is gracious and merciful, and of great kindness. Exult, O ye sons of Zion, And rejoice in the Lord your God. It shall come to pass, saith the Lord, That I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh. And whoever calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saved. In that day shall the mountains drop down new wine, And the hills shall flow with milk. A fountain shall come forth from the house of the Lord; We will drink from the river of God forever. Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel! Seek ye the Lord, and ye shall live. Hate ye the evil, love good, and establish justice. I have no delight in your solemn assemblies, saith the Take ye away from me the noise of your songs. Let justice flow forth as waters, And righteousness as a mighty stream. Woe to them that put far away the day of evil, That drink wine in bowls, And anoint themselves with the most precious perfumes. Come, and let us return to the Lord! For he hath torn, and he will heal us. He hath smitten, and he will bind us up. Let us ever strive to know the Lord. His coming fort is sure as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter rain which watereth the earth. Thy judgments have gone forth like light; Thou desirest mercy, and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God rather than burntoffering. Thou wilt punish us according to our ways, And requite us according to our doings. Turn thou to thy God; observe mercy and justice, We have known no God but thee; Yea, there was no Savior beside thee. Thou wilt ransom us from the power of the Thou wilt redeem us from death. O death, where is thy plague? grave; O grave, where is thy destruction? O Lord, forgive our iniquity, and receive us graciously · For from thee the fatherless obtaineth mercy. The righteous shall dwell under thy shadow, And their beauty shall be as the olive-tree. For the ways of the Lord are right, And the righteous walk in them. Now, unto the King eternal, the immortal, invisible, only God, Be honor and glory, forever and ever. Amen SECOND SERVICE. THE TRUE SERVICE OF GOD. HEAR, O ye heavens, and give ear, O earth! What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? Bring no more false oblations. Iniquity and festivals I cannot endure. When ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you. Yea, when ye multiply prayers, I will not hear. Wash you, make you clean; Put away your evil doings from before mine eyes. |