Page:The Book of Family Worship.pdf/168

 name, knowing that the name of the God of Jacob can alone defend us. O impress upon us the truth that we can do nothing of ourselves.

Lord, we humbly look up to Thee this morning for all needful supplies of grace; that as our day is, so may our strength be. Weak and impotent in ourselves Thou only canst fight our battles for us, and overcome the enemies by which we are surrounded. In Thy name, O Lord, we desire to go forth to the duties of another day, and under a deep sense of our responsibility we would place ourselves under the divine protection of Thee alone; for except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. O God, make us with diligent industry to perform all our duties. If covetousness arise to tempt us from our integrity, may Thy precept, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," convince us of the evil we would commit. With a desire to maintain our integrity, and with our humble prayer that the spirit of Thy truth may be at all times near to help us, Lord, we go forth again into the world. Bless Thou the labour of our hands. Amen.

Our Father, etc.

LORD Jesus Christ, we are reminded by Thine apostle that "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, the things that God hath prepared for them that love Him." We glorify Thee, O Lord, that even when we pass from this our natural state, there shall be a succession of changes and spiritual vicissitudes, which shall but add to and increase the sum of our happiness, and continue so to increase to all eternity.

How bountiful art Thou to us, our Creator, our Saviour, our God! How constant is the succession of delights offered for our enjoyment even in this world! How unbounded is Thy divine benevolence; how abundant are Thy gracious gifts! Thou conductest us through paths of verdure; flowers spring up beneath our feet, fragrance perfumes the air, and all these mercies are bestowed upon us without our care and anxiety, and to teach us to do our duty, and always rely upon Thy protecting providence. O who would be anxious for the future, if he did but consider in his heart that the same God who crowneth the year with His goodness is the tender Father of the whole human race, and will be our guide even unto death. May we consider the lilies of the field; and if our God so clothed them, shall He not much more clothe us? Lord, make us grateful for the blessings we receive, and assist us to subdue our repining spirits, that we mourn not for those things of which we have been deprived, but remember that as the spring discloses a succession of flowers, so do our lives experience a succession of mercies, and the mercies of the Lord are ever new unto us. Lord, we thank Thee for this day's enjoyment, and we resign our spirits again into Thy divine hands. Amen.

Our Father, etc.

LORD Jesus Christ, it is our duty to wait all the days of our appointed time, till our change come, yet are we encouraged to look on-