Truly our soul too love of this present world. much cleaveth to the dust. Lord, according to thy word, and let the love of thee only rule and direct our hearts. Forgive, aiso, our many offences against our neighbour; and help us in future to do unto others as we would they should do unto us. O Lord, who hast taught us that all our doings, without charity, are nothing worth, send thy Holy Ghost, and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity, the very bond of peace and of all virtues; without which whosoever liveth is counted dead before thee. Let not the sun ever go down or rise upon our wrath, but give us more of that spirit which thinketh no evil, which beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things, and disposeth us to cover a multitude of sins. Blot out, likewise, the offences which we daily commit against each other, as members of the same household: and do thou, O God of peace, deliver us from every practice which may prevent our dwelling together as brethren, and as heirs together of the grace of life. Enable us to watch over our hearts, that we be not easily provoked, except unto love, and to good works. Remove wickedness utterly out of our dwelling, and from among us, Give us grace to come before thee with clean hands and a pure heart; and let no secret or open abominations prevent our prayers from being accepted by thee. And now, O Lord, before we lie down and take our rest, suffer us to commend, not only ourselves, but all others, to thy covenanted mercies in Christ Jesus. Look in compassion on a fallen world. Turn sinners from the error of their ways. Look, also, upon thy Church and people. Pardon and heal our many divisions; and teach Christians to love one another, even as they are loved of thee. Comfort all who mourn, particularly those who mourn for sin. Give unto them everlasting consolation, and good hope through grace. Shed abundantly, thy blessing on those among whom we dwell, and with whom we are more nearly connected. Take us and them under thy fatherly protection; and bless and keep us this night, and for evermore, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our Father, &c. The Lord bless us, &c. TUESDAY MORNING. O GOD, who causest the light to shine out of darkness, and renewest the face of the earth which thou hast made for man; the heavens declare thy glory, and the firmament showeth thy handy work. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night teacheth the knowledge of thy power, thy wisdom, and thy love. We worship, and fall down, and kneel before thee; for thou art the Lord our God; and we are the people of thy pasture, and the sheep of thy hand. Hear us, while we come into thy presence with thanksgiving, and with the voice of supplication; for we come in the name of thy beloved Son Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Redeemer. We praise thee, O Father Almighty, for the many and undeserved comforts which thou hast provided for us in this mortal life. But, chiefly, we laud and magnify thy name for the prospect of that better world which thou hast revealed to us, where the sun doth not shine for a light by day, nor the moon and stars for a light by night; but thou thyself art the light thereof, and the glory of the Lamb doth shine upon it. Prepare us, O Lord, for that world of honour and immortality. Create in us those heavenly desires and dispositions, which will fit us for the society and enjoyments of thy holy angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect. Put away from us all anger, wrath, malice, pride, envy, uncleanness, inordinate affection, and evil concupiscence, which is idolatry. Clothe us with meekness, gentleness, humility, charity, kindness, purity. Grant that, as obedient children, we may not fashion ourselves according to the former lusts in our ignorance; but as thou who hast called us art holy, so may we be holy in all manner of conversation and godliness. We look up unto thee this morning for thy pardoning mercy and thy sanctifying grace. As thou hast raised our bodies from sleep, so raise our teousness. souls from their spiritual slumbers. Dispose us more earnestly to seek thy kingdom and righStir us up to the great work that lieth before us, and quicken us daily in the way of thy commandments. Let not the pomps and vanities of this world draw us aside, and beguile us into lukewarmness of spirit. But make us sober and vigilant against all the enemies of our salvation; especially against our adversary, the devil. Enable us to resist him steadfast in the faith, nor ever suffer him to get advantage over us. Bestow these blessings, we humbly beseech thee, on all who partake of our common nature. Teach thy ways unto the wicked, and lead them to consider that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven. Bless thy faithful people, and make them daily more meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. Remember those who are in any kind of trouble. Make them thereby partakers of thy holiness; and comfort their hearts with the sure and certain hope of that blessed world, in which thou wilt wipe away all tears from their eyes. Fulfil now, O Lord, these our petitions, for the honour and glory of thy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our Father, &c. The Lord bless us, &c. TUESDAY EVENING. O God, who art nigh unto such as call upon thee, yea, all such as call upon thee faithfully; we beseech thee favourably to receive the prayers of thy humble servants. Look down upon us, O Lord, in thy wonted compassion; not in thy anger, lest thou bring us to nothing. We trust entirely to thy promises made to us in the Gospel of thy beloved Son. We depend alone on the loving-kindness of God our Saviour. Not by works of righteousness which we have done-but according to thy mercy, do we hope to be saved, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost; which we pray thes to shed upon us abundantly, through Jesus Christ. Grant, that being justified by his grace, we may be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Teach us, day by day, to search and examine our consciences; yea, do thou, O Lord, who searchest the heart and triest the reins of the children of men, so prove and try us, that we may see whether there be any way of wickedness in us, and may be led in the way everlasting. We acknowledge our proneness to turn aside continually from the path of righteousness. We are wavering and unstable in all our ways, and our own strength is perfect weakness. Do thou, therefore, place underneath us thy everlasting arms, that in thy strength we may be strong. For as much as without thee we are not able to please thee, let thy Holy Spirit, in all things, direct and rule our hearts. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to receive the tribute of our |
