Page:The Book of Family Worship.pdf/328

 WEDNESDAY EVENING.

AtMicaTy Lord our Saviour. Thou makest the outgoings of the morning and of the evening to rejoice; Thou opencat Thy hand and suppliest the wants of every living creature. There are none so insignificant aa te escape Thy notice; 'Thy providence ia both general and particular, and nothing transpires with which Thou art unacquainted. As Thy truth instracts us that the hairs of our head ara all numbered, so does it also convey to us the assurance that not a sparrow can fall without thy knowledge and permission. Such knowledge is too wonderful for us; it is high, we cannot attain to it. .

O Lord, we humbly beseech Thee that while this Thy Omniscience is daily placed before us, help us to study Thee in Thy works, and to be obedient to Thy lawa: help ue to see that a violation of Thy laws, whether natural or spiritual, brings upon the violator svffering and punishment; for Thou art no less immutable in Thy glorious person, than in the laws which originate in Thy perfect wisdom. Thou dost not punish the wicked, but it is the evil itvelf which inflicts the punishment; it is our iniquity which separates between us and our God. Thou hast bestowed perfect freedom upon Thy creatures; Thou hast set before them life and death, blessing and cursing; and' Thy love is Porpetually exhorting us, and calling upon us to choose life, tbat we and our may live. Amen.

Our Father, oto.

LORD Almighty, with the returning day we humbly approach Thee: we give Thee thanks for Thy protection and preservation of our souls and bodies during the hours of darkness. How very gracious unto us Thou art! All unworthy as we are, there is no change in Thee. Ever abundant in goodness and truth. Thou openest Thy hand, and we are the recipients of Thy bounty. Thou art the source of life and light. O Being of beings, we exist, because Thou art life. We acquire all our knowledge from Thee, the source of all wisdom; and the most worthy use we can make of the intelligence Thou hast bestowed upon us is to humble ourselves before Thee. While we behold and adore the infinite greatness of Thy glorious character may it be the delight of our souls and the support of our weakness to know and to feel the extent of Thy goodness. Thou has placed Thyself before us as our model. Everywhere in Thy Word Thy example is one of perfection, and tacitly speaks to our souls "Learn of me." Yet hast Thou granted us perfect freedom and liberty. There is no creature superior to ourselves: Thou hast created us; we bear Thy glorious image; we are not destined to imitate other creatures; but in all that we do, Thou hast so endowed us that we possess the happy liberty to work as though we wrought of ourselves, and thus are we indeed rational and accountable creatures unto Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Our Father, etc.