Page:Family Prayers (John Clowes).pdf/43

 prophets, pour into our hearts, we entreat Thee, this Thy own blessed Spirit of love and charity, that so it may be the ruling principle of all our thoughts, words, and works. But whereas it is impossible for us to fulfil all the duties required of us by this heavenly grace, until we are enlightened by a right knowledge of their extent, both as to the persons on whom they are to be exercised, and in the way and manner in which they are to be exercised; Grant us, we further beseech Thee, a right under standing on these interesting subjects, with which our salvation and eternal happiness are so closely connected. Enable us, there fore, to see that every individual man is the neighbour whom we ought to love, but according to the nature and quality of his goodness, and that man considered collectively, or as a lesser or larger society, is the neighbour also who ought to be loved; and that according to this view, the church