Page:The Book of Family Worship.pdf/106

 government. Help us to honour Thee in Thy holy ordinances in Thy Church; and as Thy Church is Thy spiritual bride, help us to honour our Father and mother in the supreme sense of Thy Word. But as the going forth of Thy divine commandments is from inmost principles, even to externals, O help us to render due homage and respect unto our earthly parents. May we reflect upon their patience and labour of love in training us to maturity. May we strive to show our gratitude by ministering to them in their states of feebleness, as they in tenderness watched over our infant hours. May we listen to their admonitions in a spirit of love and reverence, for they watch for our souls as they that must give an account unto Thee. May we be supports to their declining years; and may the pillow of affliction, on which they repose their weary heads, find us near, so that their spirits may depart in peace, and we be not charged with the horrible ingratitude of bringing down their grey hairs with sorrow to the grave.

O Lord, aid us we beseech Thee to be watchful over our passions, that we harbour not revenge in our hearts, nor indulge in the violation of that love and charity with which Thou hast enjoined us to love one another. Preserve us from indulging in those fleshly lusts which war against the soul, and O may we be guarded against falsifying, profaning, and adulterating the sacred truths of Thy Word. Aid us, we entreat Thee, to be just in all our dealings, to refrain from unrighteous gain, and to keep ourselves from the polluting and debasing love of gold. And O grant that we may never attempt to deprive our neighbour of those truths whereon his soul's salvation depends. Preserve us from dissimulation, fraud, violence, and covetousness; and grant that in singleness of eye and purity of heart, we may be enabled to progress in paths of regeneration, until we enter into the rest which remaineth for the people of God. Amen.

Our Father, etc.

LMIGHTY Lord God our Saviour, another day has passed of our existence, another day of unmerited mercy. Thine eye has still watched over and preserved us, and brought us safely to its conclusion; and now again do we humbly bow ourselves before Thee to offer the evening sacrifice of gratitude and thankfulness for every past instance of Thy love and goodness. O who can show forth all Thy loving-kindness; who can declare the goodness of the Lord, and His wonderful acts to the children of men! Aid us, O Lord, we entreat Thee, to examine ourselves this evening, that we may see from what motives we have engaged in the temporal duties of this day; that we may discover whether the love of our neighbour or the love of self has impelled us onward to the fulfilment of our duties. Lord, aid us to keep in remembrance the words of Thine apostle, that "none of us liveth to himself." O may we ever remember that the love of self is indeed the foundation of the kingdom of darkness within the soul. Assist us, then, O Lord, we beseech Thee, that the love of our neighbour may be constantly before us; that our chief desire may be first to seek Thee and Thy kingdom; and that we can only show our love to Thee by our love towards each other, for "by