Page:The Book of Family Worship.pdf/372

 860 FIPTISTH WEEK.

FRIDAY EVENING.

Aeienrr God, who art the protector and friend of Thy people, ayain wo humbly approach Thy mercy-seat. By Thy merey have we been sustained aud supported through another day, and Thy blessings have descended upon us uninterruptedly. May Thy name bo magnified!

As Thou hast bestowed upon ts water as a symbol of Thy truth, so hast Thou given unto us fire as @ symbol of heavenly goodness. How wonderfully and how equally is Thy goodness diffused. We cannot know of its extent: we may indeed feel the effects of its life-giving properties, for we could not exist a moment, but by Thy goodness; how striking is the truth that Thou art never far from us! " We live, and moye, and have our being in Thee." Thy goodness is indeed universal, and so boundless in its operations as to be part finding out; and sa, too, do we observe itr aymbal fire. How useful is it in this our natural state: and yet, how little are we acquainted with it; how subtle is it in its going forth) Thera is no aubstance into which it does not penetrate; how truly analoxaus is it to Thy love, which knows no limit, confines itself to no ono objvet, but burns in its fervent purity for the evil as well as the good!

Wea feel Thy goodness. O Lord, for it has followed us all tho days of our lives; its effects are visible unto us, for without it we could not exist a woment; bat wha among us can describe the infinite variety of ways

-in which it is diffused? who can know the modes by which it causes all that exist in tho universe of worlds to feel the power of its fervent potency—" Such knowledge is too wonderful for us; it is high, we cannot atin to it." But the going forth of Thy love, or heat, is still visible unty 18; we are reminded of it at every step we take. We see it operating in a perpetual motion of life; we behold i+ in all nature, in all sensilla and corporeal things; ite numberless modes of operation may, tuul indeed do, frequently escape our closest notice; but wherever we bend tha eye of observation, wherever wo exercise our powers of thought nud reilection, in whatever avceations we engage, still we feel ang ina manner behold heat, a symbol of Thy goodness, 9 symbol of Thee, the everlasting sonree of life and blessedness. The air we breathe, the water wo drink, the enrth npon which we live, everything we behold, is permeated with heat; and if must ba se, because overything exists by Thy goodness, of which heat is the expressive symbol. Lord, we pray Thee renmler us more and nore sensible of this Thy goodness towards us: and make us more andl more grateful for the innumerable blessings bestowed npon us. May onr hearts be filled with Thy love, may our actions ba guided by Thy goodness, and in evory duty in which we engage may our charity be known of all men. Amen.

Our Father, ets,

N Thy holy Word, O Lord Jesus Christ, Thou hast given to Thy children an inexhaustible mine of wealth. Earthly riches may decay and perish, fraud and subtlety may deprive us of our possessions, and casualties of every kind tend to keep the mind in a chaos of anxiety and suffering; but the wealth of the soul, contained in the everlasting Word