Page:The Book of Family Worship.pdf/190

 penteth more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance.

O God, whose presence is so holy as Thine? and yet, holy though Thou art. Thou art willing to receive such lowly creatures of the dust as we are; and if we approrch Thee in sincerity, where Thou art, there Thou hast promised we shall be also. Amen.

Our Father, etc.

FRIDAY EVENING.

LORD God Almighty, whose goodness is universal, whose greatness

is unsearchable, whose ways are past finding out, we come before

Thee this evening, sensible of Thy never-failing mercy, and of that goodness and mercy which has followed us all the days of our life.

We acknowledge, with shame and confusion of face, that the world and its concerns have occupied tvo much of our attention, and that we have kept heaven and eternal life at a distance, as though it was never to have a beginning, while the world and that which pertuins to it we have followed with avidity, as though it was never to have an end with us. We have toiled for frivolous riches as though we were labouring for eternal possessions, and we do but labour for the possessions of eternity as though we toiled for those of time. O heavenly Father, who shall deliver us from the bondage of the world if Thy providence were to relax? If happiness depended entirely upon our own efforts, surely all mankind would be miserable for ever when their few days were spent in this world. Alas! the cares of the world seem too frequently to be our moving spring—our animating cause.

O Lord, help us to overcome this love of the world, and to return unto Thee, our first love. Help us to do the first works. Help us to return unto Thee. Help us to overcome all spiritual difficulties: and may we by Thine assistance inherit the promise of everlasting life. Amen.

Our Father, etc.

REAT and merciful Redeemer and Saviour, they who draw near to Thee are required to do so with all their hearts. Thou art a Spirit, and they who worship Thee must worship Thee in spirit and in truth. The best affections of the heart, the most purified thoughts of the understanding, are altogether impure when considered in reference to Thy purity; yet a broken and a contrite heart, O Lord, Thou wilt never despise.

Thy kingdom is not of this world, and those of Thy children who are the least earthly minded are enabled to acquire the greatest degree of purity, and to be in consequence drawn nearer to the throne of Thy holiness. To these, how unsatisfactory are the honours and titles which constitute the essence of all worldly distinctions; to these, how deplorable is the error which invests mankind with the pompous distinctions which are bestowed upon the successful enterprises of the passions. To these, O God of peace and love, what is the fame attendant upon military toil and reputation, but a display of the bitter fruit of man's fallen