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*•""  J  Conf  Pam  12mo  #685 

#(e85 


No.  107. 

A  HELP  TO  SELF-DEDICATION. 


"I,  the  Lord,  will  make  an  everlasting  covenant  with  you." — Isa. 
lv.,  3. 

"One"  shall  say,  I  am  the  Lord's,  and  another  shall  subscribe  with 
his  hand  unto  the  Lord." — Isa.  xliv,  5. 

Lord  God  of  hosts,  thou  didst  enter  into  covenant  with 
Abraham,  as  he  waited  beside  the  sacrifices  which  he  had 
prepared  (Gen.  xv,  18),  and  thou  art  now  graciously- 
waiting  beside  Jesus,  the  sacrifice  which  Thou  hast  pre- 
pared, in  order  that  sinners  may  enter  into  covenant 
with  thee  (2  Cor.  v,  19).  Father,  I  have^inned  acainst 
Heaven,  and  in  thy  sight,  and  1  am  no  more  worthy  to 
be  called  thy  child;  but  thou,  in  thy  rich  mercy,  art 
willing  to  receive  me,  and  I,  through  thy  grace,  am 
willing  to  be  thine.  I  lay  all  my  sin,  the  sin  of  my 
nature,  the  sin  of  my  heart,  the  sin  of  my  life  (Job  xxxiii, 
27),  the  sin  of  my  lips,  my  secret  sins — I  lay  all  my 
sins,  and  iniquities,  and  unrighteousnesses,  and  trans- 
gressions, upon  Jesus  the  Lamb  of  God;  and,  cleansed 
by  his  blood,  and  made  acceptable  in  his  righteousness, 
I  desire  now  to  give  myself  to  thee  in  an  everlasting 
covenant,  never  to  be  broken. 

I  am  not  my  own,  I  am  thine.  My  heart  is  not  my 
own,  it  is  thine;  I  will  endeavor  to  keep  it  for  thee,  and 
to  make  it  a  Bethel,  a  temple  for  the  Holy  Ghost.  My 
thoughts  are  not  my  own,  they  are  thine;  I  will  cul- 
tivate godly  and  heavenly  meditations.  My  words  are 
not  my  own,  they  are  thine;  I  will  avoid  all  idle,  unpro- 
fitable, vain-glorious,  flattering,  uncharitable  discourse; 
and  I  will  seek  to  have  my  conversation  always  savor- 
ing of  Christ  and  heaven.  My  eyes  are  not  my  own, 
they  are  thine;  I  will  withhold  them  from  looking  upon 
sin  and  vanity.  My  wealth  is  not  my  own,  it  is  thine; 
I  am  only  thy  steward  ;  I  will,  therefore,  lay  it  out  pru- 
dently and  faithfully  for  thee,  avoiding  all  unnecessary 
expense  upon  myself.  My  time  is  not  my  own,  it  is 
thine;  I  will  employ  it  for  thee,  doing  all  i  do  as  unto 
the  Lord,  striving  every  day  to  grow  in  grace  and  in 
knowledge,  and  to  make  myself  useful  to  my  fellow- 
men;  I  will  redeem  my  time  from   too  long  or  needless 


HELP    TO    hlKLl'-DIlDICATIOX. 


visits,  idle  imaginations,  fruitless  discourse,  unnecessary 
sleep,  and  more  than  needful  care  about  my  worldly 
affairs  I  desire  to  commit  all  I  have  to  thee*  my 
friends,  my  family,  my  health,  my  business,  my  esteem 
in  the  world.  1  am  willing  to  receive  what  thou  givest, 
to  want  what  thou  wilhholdest,  to  relinquish  what  thou 
takest,  to  suffer  what  thou  infli.ctest,  to  be  what  thou 
requirest,  and  to  do  what  thou  commandest. 

Lord  God  of  hosts,  1  desire  deliberately,  cheerfully, 
and  with  full  purpose  of  heart,  thus  to  surrender  myself 
wholly  and  for  ever  to  thee  ;  L  feel  that  this  is  my  duty, 
my  interest,  my  privilege,  my  glory;  1  believe  that  thou 
wilt  receive  what  I  thus  give,  I  believe  that  thou  wilt 
keep  what  I  have  thus  committed  to  thee;  I  will  trust 
in  thee  for  temporal  provision;  I  will  trust  in  thee  for 
support  under  daily  cares  and  labors;  I  will  trust  in 
thee  for  pardon  of  daily  sins;  I  will  trust  in  thee  for 
growth  and  fruitfulness;  I  will  trust  in  thee  for  strength 
in  the  hour  of  death  (lsa.  xliii,  2).  If  I  sin,  may  I 
grieve  without  despair  ;  if  I  walk  uprightly,  may  I  re- 
joice  without  pride. 

Lord  Jesus,  I  take  thee  for  my  Prophet,  my  Priest, 
my  King,  my  Life,*  my  Light,  my  Rest,  my  Joy,  my 
Glory,  my  All  in  All. 

Spirit  of  Adoption,  that  proceedest  from  the  Father  and 
the  Son,  I  desire  to  receive  thee  into  my  soul,  that  thou 
mayest  abide  with  me.  Convince  me  of  sin.  Convince 
me  of  judgment  Guide  me  into  all  truth.  Take  of  the 
tilings  of  Christ  and  show  them  unto  me.  Be  as  the  dew 
and  rain  of  heaven  to  my  soul,  causing  the  word  of  life 
to  take  root,  and  grow,  and  bear  the  fruits  of  peace,  joy, 
love,  gentleness.  Enable  me  to  mortify  the  flesh  with  its 
affections  and  lusts.  When  the  enemy  comes  in  like  a 
Hood,  do  thou  lift  up  a  standard  against  him.  Be  in  me 
as  a  well  of  living  water.  Be  in  me  as  the.  earnest  of 
the  inheritance,  u<  the  first  fruits  of  heaven — sealing  me 
unto  the  day  of  redemption.  Holy  and  Blessed  Spirit, 
help  me  to  distinguish  between  thy  voice  and  the  voice 
of  the  evil  one — between  thy  suggestions  and  the  im- 
pulses of  the  flesh — between  thy  leadings  and  the  fro- 
wardness  of  my  own  heart.  1  will  labor  not  to  resist, 
nor  grieve,  nor  dishonor,  nor  quench  thee;   but  with  a 


A    HELP    TO    SELF-DEDICATION. 


humble,  broken,  mortified,  self-denying  spirit,  will  en- 
deavor to  fall  in  with  thee  in  all  things,  and  to  think, 
and  speak,  and  act  in  thee. 


THE  FULNESS  OF  JESUS. 

I  Jay  my  sins  on  Jesus —  Lev.  xvi,  21. 

The  spotless  Lamb  of  God;  Heb.  ix,  14. 
He  bears  them  all,  and  frees  us  Heb.  ix,  28. 

From  the  accursed  load.  Gal.  iii,  13. 

I  bring-  my  guilt  to  Jesus,  Acts   xiii,  38,  39. 

To  wash  my  crimson  stains  Rev.  vii,  14. 
White  in  his  blood  most  precious,      1  Pet.  i,  19. 

Till  not  a  spot  remains.  Eph.  v,  27. 

I  lay  my  wants  on  Jesus  ;  1  Pet.  v,  7. 

All  fulness  dwells  in  Him,  Col.  i,  19. 

He  heals  all  my  diseases,  Psal.  ciii,  3. 

He  doth  my  soul  redeem.  Gal.  iv,  4,  5. 

I  lay  my  griefs  on  Jesus,  Heb.  iv,  15. 

My  burdens  and  my  cares ;  Psal.  Iv,  22. 

He  from  them  all  releases —  Isa.  Ixiii,  9. 

He  all  my  sorrows  shares.  Heb.  iv,  15,  16. 

I  rest  my  soul  on  Jesus —  Deut.  xxxiii,27. 

This  weary  soul  of  mine;  Matt,  xi,  28. 

His  right  hand  me  embraces,  Cant,  ii,  6. 

I  on  his  breast  recline,  John  xiii,  23. 

I  love  the  name  of  Jesus,  1  John  iv,  19. 

ImmanueJ,  Christ,  the  Lord  !  Matt,  i,  23. 

Like  fragrance  on  the  breezes,  Cant,  i,  3. 

His  name  abroad  is  poured.  Phil,  ii,  9,  10. 

I  long  to  be  like  Jesus —  1  John  iii,  2. 

Meek,  loving,  lowly,  mild;  Matt,  xi,  29. 

I  long  to  be  like  Jesus —  1  Pet.  ii,  21. 

•     The  Father's  holy  child.  Acts  iv,  27. 

I  long  to  be  with  Jesus,  Phil,  i,  23. 

Amid  the  heavenly  throng,  Rev.  vii,  9. 

To  sing  with  saints  his  praises,  Rev.  v,  13. 

To  learn  the  angels'  song.  Rev.  xiv,  3. 


A     HELP    TO    SELF-DEDICATION 


THE  SERVICE  OF  THE  LORD. 

How  blessed,  from  the  bonds  of   sin 

And  earthly  fetters  free, 
In  singleness  of  heart  and  aim, 

Thy  servant,  Lord  to  be  ! 
The  bardest  toil  to  undertake 

With  joy  at  thy  command  ! 
Tin1  meanest  office  to  receive 

With  meekness  at  Thy  band  ! 

With  willing  heart  and  longing  eyes, 

To  watch  before  Thy  gate, 
Ready  to  run  the  weary  race, 

To  bear  the  heavy  weight; 
No  voice  of  thunder  to  expect, 

But  follow  calm  and  still, 
For  love  can  easily  divine 

The  One  Beloved's  will. 

Thus  may  I  serve  Thee,  gracious  Lord  ! 

Thus  ever  Thine  alone, 
My  soul  and  body  given  to  Thee, 

The  purchase  Thou  bast  won  : 
Through  evil  or  through  good  report 

Still  keeping  by  Thy  side, 
By  life  or  death,  in  this  poor  flesh 

Let  Christ  be  magnified  ! 

How  happily  the  working  da 

In  tin's  dear  service  fly  ! 
How  rapidly  the  closing  hour, 

The  time  of  rest,  draws  nigh  ! 
When  all  the  faithful  gather  home, 

A  joyful  company, 
And  ever  where  the  Master  is, 

Shall  His  blest  servants  be. 


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