Page:The Book of Family Worship.pdf/85

 TENTH WEEK. 13

WEDNESDAY EVENING. Q LORD Jesus Christ, whose goodness and mercy have followed us all the days of our life. Thou art-God, and God alone. Thou hast brought us safely through this day, and the evening ayain culls us to Thy footstool, to offer up our praises and thanksgiving, and to pour forth our supplications in Thy presence.

With humble gratitude we thank Thee for Thy fatherly protection. Thou hast given us strength to bear our burthens, 'Thou hast aided us in all our duties, and Thou only hast brought us safely to the present moment. We desire to glorify Thy high and holy name. O Lord.

O grant unto us a reflecting and discerning spirit: now that we are in Thy especial presence may we look back upon the past day with a calm seriousness, and placing ourselves at the bar of our own consciences, mav we enter into judgment upon every thought, word, and deed, by which this day our conduct has been distinguished; and while we have not been visited by external trials and sufferings. O give us to perceive the benefit of internal trials and temptations. To learn to overcome evil with good, to learn to forgive injuries, is more difficult than to bestow bounties, and we know from sad experience that injuries will abound, when adversity prevails, and when many false friends, from whom it is expedient that we should be separated, will fall away and walk no more with us. Teach us. O Lord Jesus Christ, that our regeneration demanded the separation, and Thy providence has alone brought it about. Lord, we have been allured into this wilderness of trial for our good. Now we pray Thee, speak comfortably unto us. © cause Thy face to shine, and we shall be saved. Amen.

Our Father, etc.

EAR our voice. O God, in our prayer, preserve our life from fear of our spiritual enemies. Hide us from the secret counsel of our own evil affections, which are continually prompting us to indulge in sensuality. Which insinuate doubts of our soul's happiness, and whisper that there can be no hope for such as we. These are the enemies of our own household, which wander among the good thoughts and affections of our souls; these are the accusers of the brethren, which accuse them day and night, before Thee. But, O Lord, we beseech Thee, let the power of Thy truth silence them, so shall our souls be freed from their insinuations; we shall declare the glory of the Lord, and shall wisely consider that our deliverance is of Thee. Then shall we be glad in Thee. O Lord! we shall trust in Thee; and shall rejoice that Thou hast brought us up out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and hast set our feet upon the rock of Thy truth; and hast established our goings.

0 how inestimable a gift is Thy holy Word; how necessary as a guide. Protector, and friend for those who traverse the path of the regeneration! As we, day by day, peruse it, and bring our minds under the serenity and quietude which it inculcates, we gather new views from it, and increased light shines through all its divine precepts. It is indeed a lamp to our feet and a light to our path to guide us from this world of trial to one of test, joy, and peace, in the heavens. As our affections and thoughts