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 Prayer tor Plondap Morning, 267

strengthens our passions, and, like a moral pestilence, overspreads our heart, and renders our understandings more impervious to the light of heavenly wisdom. Then succeed a weakened and embarrassed conscience, a darkened and perverted mind, an insensibility to spiritual religion, and a careless and indifferent per- formance of duties, not amounting to absolute neglect, but to that which is even worse—to lukewarmness.

© Lord, while we thus confess our lukewarmness, help us to rise above so dangerous a state; help us to strengthen the things which remain, which are ready to perish, for we have not been perfect before Thee. We have lived in the world, and participated in its pleasures, as in the midst of spiritual Babylon, and our selfishness has continued to increase, We have lost sight of the truly spiritual principle of affection, of goodness, and Jerusalem has receded from our view, O, tum us again, Lord God of Hosts, cause Thy face to shine, and we shall be saved,

Our Father, 8c,

THOU Who art the Father and Friend of Thy people, by whose watchful providence we have been preserved through another night of our existence, we praise Thee for the renewal of our strength.

We come before Thee this morning with humble hearts, confiding in Thy goodness, and encouraged again to seek Thy guidance and protection upon our temporal avocations. As in spiritual, so in natural pursuits—nothing is prosperous unless it begins with