Page:The Book of Family Worship.pdf/101

Rh we have neglected the counsel of Thy servants who have spoken in Thy name; too frequently have we hardened our hearts, and while we have been externally moral, " our hearts have been deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." Create within us a clean heart, we beseech Thee, and lead us in the way everlasting. Amen.

Our Father, etc.

LMIGHTY and most merciful Lord God our Saviour, who art the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. Thy goodness is extended unto all, and Thy tender mercies are over all Thy works. O that our souls may be stirred up within us to praise and magnify Thy holy name. Lord, help us, we beseech Thee, to draw near Thy mercy-seat, and let the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer.

O Lord, we desire to unite in praise and thanksgiving to Thy holy name for all the mercies of the past night. Thy love is not confined to such as are of lofty estate, it dwelleth with the poor in spirit, to revive the hearts of the contrite ones.

Preserve us from envy, and from repining at the condition in which Thou hast placed us. Thou knowest what is best for us; teach us, with thankfulness, to submit ourselves to Thy divine disposal, and to be content in whatsoever station of life Thou shalt place us. May we trust in the Lord and do good, so shall we dwell in the land, and verily we shall be fed. May we delight ourselves in the Lord, and He will give us the desires of our hearts. May we rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. May we cease from anger, and forsake wrath, and fret not ourselves in any wise to do evil, so shall we secure the loving-kindness of the Lord, and dwell in the courts of the Lord for ever. Amen.

Our Father, etc.

THURSDAY EVENING.

ALMIGHTY Lord God our Saviour, help us, we beseech Thee, with becoming reverence to draw near to Thy mercy-seat, and with holy fear to worship at Thy footstool. Again, under Thy divine protection, has this family ended another day, and they would renew their thanksgivings, seeing that Thy mercy is ever new unto them. Enable us. O Lord, to show our love to Thee by devout obedience to Thy Word. May we be able to join the adoring song of gratitude, "O how I love Thy law, it is dearer unto me than thousands of gold and silver." As we love Thee, everything in Thy Word will be dear unto us; all Thy laws and dispensations will be viewed through the medium of Thy love. We shall glorify Thee for Thine innumerable benefits, we shall partake of no blessing without perceiving that Thou art the centre of it, and even those dispensations which visit us, and appear as Thy chastisements, will be viewed but as merciful calls, to wean us from the arm of flesh, and teach us that "it is better to trust in the Lord, than to put any confidence in man."

O Lord, we desire to acknowledge in Thy presence how prone we are