Wesley Corpus

O LoRD our God, thou art infinitely good, and thou hast showed us what is good. Thou sendest out thy light and thy truth, that they may guide us, and makest plain thy way before our face. Thou givest us many opportunities and advantages, to quicken and further us in thy service. We have “line upon line,” and “precept upon precept;” thy messengers early and late to open and apply thy word, to call and warn, to direct and exhort us, with all long-suffering. But how little have we improved all the precious talents which thou hast put into our hands ! O Lord, thou mightest justly take away the gospel of thy kingdom from us, and give it unto another people, who would bring forth the fruits thereof. Because thou hast called, and we refused; thou hast stretched forth thy hands, and we have not regarded; thou mightest leave us to our own perverseness and impenitence, till our iniquities become our ruin. But, O Lord God, enter not thus into judgment with thy servants. Pardon all our contempt of thy word, and our not profiting thereby. And help us for the time to come better to improve the blessed opportunities set before us. “As the rain descends from heaven and returns not thither, but waters the earth and maketh it fruitful; so let not thy word return unto thee void, but prosper in the work whereunto thou sendest it.” O make it effectual to build us all up, in the true fear and love of God, and in the right knowledge and faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. O gracious God, may thy Spirit cause thy word to work thoroughly and successfully in all our hearts. And as we daily receive how we ought to walk and to please thee our God; so help us to “walk worthy of the Lord unto all well pleasing;” increasing in the knowledge and love of thee, and abounding more and more in every good work which is pleasing in thy sight through Jesus Christ. At his hands, O Lord our God, we beg thy gracious acceptance of our humble praise and thanksgiving for all thy blessings, spiritual and temporal, so freely conferred upon us.