Page:The Book of Family Worship.pdf/23

 We would enter upon the duties, trials, and conflicts of this day in Thy fear, we would serve These in newness of spirit, desirous not only of knowing Thy commandments, but of doing that which they enjoin. Lord, let Thy good Spirit be with us, so that we may not wander from Thy precepts. Let not sin have dominion over us, and grant that Thy preventive providence may be with us, so that the devices of our own evil hearts may not ensnare us into sin.

Strengthen us, we beseech Thee, that by constant watchfulness and prayer unto Thee for aid, we may be enabled to resist temptation. May the influences of Thy good Spirit, raise up a standard against our enemies, and may the trials permitted for our purification tend to draw us more closely unto Thee our only deliverer.

We desire to praise Thy holy name for the light of another day, and the blessings with which it is accompanied. Thou hast renewed our strength, and hast graciously preserved us during the night season. Thou hast brought us again to Thy footstool: O may this day, and every day that we are spared, teach us to die unto sin, that we may be alive unto righteousness, and serve Thee in newness of spirit. Amen.

Our Father, etc.

THOU who art of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, before whom the ungodly cannot stand; O Thou whose tender love and merciful providence is ever seeking to turn evil from man, behold us. Thy sinful creatures, now kneeling in prayer before Thee. O look upon us in our low estate, for we have estranged ourselves from Thee, we have nearly destroyed ourselves by our iniquities, and if Thou shouldst cease to be gracious, what hope have we of pardon and salvation? But Thou art never weary in befriending us. Thy love knows no ebbing tide. Thou art good and doest good, and notwithstanding all the evils we have committed. Thy goodness and mercy follows—and will continue to follow us all the days of our life. Thou didst create us in Thine own image and likeness, and didst so endow us with rationality as to enable us to hold communion with Thyself, and to feel and know the blessedness of so heavenly an intercourse. But we have turned to ourselves and disobeyed Thy most sacred injunctions, and turning from Thee, the fountain of living waters, hewed out to ourselves cisterns—broken cisterns—that hold no water. We have separated ourselves from Thee, and instead of walking in the path of life Thou hadst made straight before us, we have turned backward into the way of death. Pardon us, O Lord Jesus Christ, we beseech Thee; turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, cause Thy face to shine, and we shall be saved. Amen.

Our Father, etc.

LORD Jesus Christ, we again come before Thee this morning. Continue, we beseech Thee, Thy love towards us, and blot out our transrressions for Thine own name sake.

Go before us this day, we beseech Thee according to our need; either