Page:The Book of Family Worship.pdf/138

 gratitude and love, that we may praise and adore Thee as our continual benefactor and friend.

Lord, we retire to rest deeply conscious of our dependence upon Thee: preserve us in the night watches, and suffer us to renew our existence in the morning, to the praise and glory of Thy holy name. Amen.

Our Father, etc.

ORD Jesus Christ, our heavenly Father, as Thou dealest gently and mercifully with us, blotting out our transgressions for Thine own sake, and remembering our sin no more, so teach us to deal gently with our fellow-creatures. We feel, O Lord, that we ought to have compassion upon them, even as Thou hast had compassion upon us. When we review the numberless instances of Thy love and goodness, how does Thy divine injunction press itself upon our recollection, "Love one another as I have loved you."

O may we, with a willing obedience, render unto Thee the best affections of our souls, remembering that the title to all true conversion is a willing and an obedient heart. Give unto us hearts, O Lord, that we may diligently ponder on Thy commandments. "Purge us as with hyssop and we shall be clean, wash us and we shall be whiter than snow." Impart unto us, we beseech Thee, tempers of humility, benevolence, and love. Aid us, that we may seek another's good, and promote another's interest. Fill our understandings with the light of Thy truth, so that with a single eye we may labour to promote the glory of Thee our God and Saviour.

And now, Lord, again we implore Thy divine blessing upon the engagements of this day. Prosper Thou the labour of our hands, that we may provide things convenient and useful. Aid us to labour with diligence, to bear our crosses with patience, and to commit our way entirely to Thy guidance; so shall we be enabled in patience to possess our souls. Amen.

Our Father, etc.

LORD Jesus Christ, Thy law is a spiritual law, and we humbly pray Thee to write Thy law upon our inward parts. Aid us to worship Thee from a principle of holy love and truth. The breaking of the outward law, or letter of the Word, is like to the fault of which Moses was guilty, when, during the idolatry of the Israelites, he dashed down the tables and broke them in pieces. This Thou couldst pardon in the zeal of Thy angry creature. O pardon us who have not the same provocation. O how true are the words of an apostle, "Love is the fulfilling of the law;" for who can violate any of Thy precepts if Thou art loved with all the heart, with all the soul, and with all the strength? We could never indulge in any of our corruptions and lusts if Thy love filled our hearts. We could never be guilty of idolatry, worshipping our own self-hood, our honours, our titles, our houses, our wealth, if we remembered that the only true source of blessedness was "abiding in