Page:The Book of Family Worship.pdf/126

 114 PIPTEENTA WEEK,

kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all things needful shall be added unto you." Amen. . Our Father, ete.

FRIDAY EVENING.

0 LORD, we desire to thank Thee that we have been brough? through

the duties of this day, and have been enabled to fulflthem. We adore Thee for the mavy proofs we have received of Thy paternal love. Thou hast been unto us as a tender Father, and though we have rebelled against Thee. Thou hast borne with us as wayward children, and hast not dealt with us according fo our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. Lord, we thank Thee for all the tokens of Thy love and mercy. Daily are Thy blessings renewed, and Thy preserving Providence never leaves the superintendence af both our souls and bodies. O let a sense of Thy favour and protection this day awaken within us feclings of gratitude and love; and may we ever be mindful of the wonderworking power which has so marvellously supported us.

Lord, we now surrender ourselves to Thy watchful guardianship through the perils of another night. O let the right hand of Thy righteousness sustein us. Be with us, we beseech Thee, and guard ns, and all near and dear to us, from the wiles of Satanic spirits; sv that in the defenceless hours of darkness we may fund Thee. O Lord, a shield, a buckler of defence, and a tower of strength. Thus in humble confidence we will lay ourselves down to slecp, hoping by Thy mercy to rise again with renewed spirits to go through the business of the morrow, and to prepare for that glorious immortality, which we hope to attain, for Thy name and mercy sake. O Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen,

Our Father, etc.

ORD, we adore Thee for the gift and privilege of prayer. For the gracious promise, that if we forgive men their trespusses, Thou wilt also forgive us. When we pray, O help us to acquire this spirit; help us to forgive if we have aught against any. Let this precept be ever before us when we approach Thee. We can never hope for pardon of our numerous and heavy transgressions, if we forgive not the slight trespasses of our brethren. May Thy divine words, "forgive and ye shall be forgiven," fill our hearts with that tenderness and compassion which has been so constantly and beneficently exercised towards us.

We thank Thee, O merciful Father, for the privilege of approaching Thee in prayer; for by this privilege we are at the same time enabled to elevate our affections to Thee the all-bountiful Father, and by a reliance upon Thy goodness, to feel every care lessened, every trial mitigated, every needful want supplied;-yea, all things thet are needful for us, Thou knoweat before we ask Thee, and by an acknowledgment of our dependence upon Thee, our blessings are increased and multiplied.

O God, we pray Thee not only to increase our faith, but to increase our gratitude. We feel the greatest happiness in being enabled to look up to Thee the God of heaven, and with humble and confiding hearts exclaim,