Page:The Book of Family Worship.pdf/236

 Help us in this, 0 Lord, to behold our own progress, and not be weary in well doing. Our bodies are the frail barks exposed to the sea of troubles and trials so necessary for our purification, and the waves of onr passions too frequently endanger our progress. We are instructed, "There is an influx universal into the souls of men, teaching them that there is a God, and that He is one;" but O how deeply is this truth hidden from many! and it will be hidden from all until the evils of self-love and the love of the world are removed, and thus afford free seope for the divine influx to operate. In this, then, as in everything else, O Lord, may we be perfected through suffering. Let trial exercise our faith, let temptation purity us from evil, let suffering render us perfect, and in every stage help us to say, It is the Lord who purifies us, and may His holy will be done. Amen.

Our Father, etc.

LORD Jesus Christ, we worship Thee as an omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent God. Thou disposest our condition by infinite wisdom.

Give unto us, O Father of eternity, a deeper sonse of Thy goodness, a more interior feeling of Thy fatherly love; and while it is our duty to adore Thee for the gift of the model set before us when tabernacling in the flesh at Thy first advent, impress us with a deeper reverence for Thee, and from the purified affection of our hearts with a more willing obedience to all that Thou hast seen fit to ordain. Confirm in us a full conviction of the plenitude of Thy divine perfections, and as Thou hast revealed Thyself as God manifest in the flesh, may all Thy attributes, Thy qualities, and the divine names by which Thou art distinguished, still lead us to behold Thee in the tender character of Father.

As our Father, and existing in Thy inmost purity, no man hath or can see Thee; but as the only begotten Son in the bosom of the Father, Thou hast been graciously pleased to manifest Thyself before us.

In our lost and fallen condition, we can never attain to a just knowledge of Thee but by the medium Thou bast appointed, and that medium is Thy divine humanity; we are taught that no man cometh to the Father but by Thee. May we ever, therefore, look unto Thee, and know Thee by whatsoever name Thon art distingnished as the only wise God our Saviour. May we consider Thy Word as the best medinm of approach to Thee; and as in Thy gospel Thou hast promised rest to tho souls of all that come unto Thee, so may we take Thy yoke upon us, and learn of Thee, that we may be among the number of Thy children on whom it is Thy good pleasure to bestow the kingdom of heaven. Amen

Our Father, etc.

EACH us to kmow Thee, to love and serve Thee, by Thy name of "Creator," as our beneficent Father in heaven; by Thy name of "Redeemer," as our mighty deliverer from death and hell; by Thy name of