Page:The Book of Family Worship.pdf/133

 SIXTEENTH WEEK. 121

Thee for the good we have this day enjoyed, and we implore Thy divine protection during the night season. Lord, we resign ourselves to Thy gracious keeping. Amen.

Gur Father, ata.

LORD Jesus Christ, without whom we can do nothing, enable us to go forth to our work and to our labour this morning with cheerful hearts and willing minds. Teach us, O Lord, to be mindful of our eternal state, and to keep the hour of our removal from this world ever before us. Aid us in the control of our passions, and in the keeping of our hearts unspotted by the world. May this day, upon the duties of which we are now about to enter, tend towards the puritication of the soul; for in the same proportion as we perform our natural duties from an inward conviction of their usefulness to others, shall we endeavour to infuse into them a portion of that spirituality by which all successful effort is accomplished. Thou hast instructcd us that our happiness depends upon our usefulness to others; grant us Thy assistance, therefore, O Lord, we beseech Thee, that we may perform all our duties in a spirit of love and charity.

May the vanities, cares, and anxieties of this world find no place within our souls; but as we must in this lower world be subjected to their influence, may they be so overruled by Thy divine providence, that they may not hinder our spiritual progress. And O grant us patience, that in the trials and vicissitudes so necessary for our purification, we may come forth from them as silver tried in the fire, purified seven times. These things, O gracious Father, we humbly ask in Thy name and for Thy mercies' sake. Amen.

Our Father, etc.

FRIDAY EVENING.

LORD Jesus Christ. Thou art the divine sower; Thou art the Spiritual husbandman. How anxious art Thou for the happiness of Thy wayward creature, man! notwithatanding all his backslidings. Thy desire is still to make him happy; Thine aim is to suw the sceds of virtue in the soul, to impregnate if with goodners and truth, anil to prepare if ultimately for its glorious abode in Thy kingdom. Lord, all taworthy ag we are, we yet desire to acknowledge the boundless workings of Thy divine love.:; But, alaal we are perverse in respect to divine things. We are negligent of our trae interests, and while again and again Thou callest upon Us, wa anffer Thy words to fall around us anheeded. Sometimes we luagine @ profession of religion to be sufficient, and Thy Word fally on the wayside" of our minds: we go to Thy house, and assume Thy name; we would be saved because we externally believe; but alas! Thy Word finds no real depth in our souls: filled with the loye of the world, and of ourselves, anxious for the applause of men, aad for the emolaments which man bestowe on external morality, the real love of religion finds no plas within us. 0. God, impresa upon our souls this solemn truth, that