EIGHTH WEEK.—SATURDAY. — Evening

ALMIGHTY Father, we bless thy holy name for the mercies of this day. In Thee we live, and move, and have our being. Enable us to feel that we are not our own, and give us grace that we may not live as our own, but that we may live unto Thee. Forgive all that thou hast seen amiss in us this day. Enter not into judgment with thy servants, O Lord, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. Wash away all our sins in the blood of thy dear Son.

Bless the words we have now read. May they be imprinted upon our minds, and sink deep into our hearts. Remove our spiritual blindness, and enable us to see Jesus in all his loveliness, and to behold wondrous things out of thy law. Take away our deadness of heart, and help us to praise thy name, and bear witness of Christ before all men. Help us to set a watch upon the door of our lips. May no idle words proceed out of our mouth, but sound and holy speech that may edify. We would remember that by our words we shall be justified, and by our words we shall be condemned, and that for every idle word we must give account in the great day. Whatsoever we have spoken amiss this day do thou graciously pardon; and whatever we have spoken that is profitable do thou graciously bless. Take from us all lukewarmness in our religion. May we remember that all who are not with Christ are against him. Keep thy servants from presumptuous sins, and let them not get dominion over us. May we never resist the strivings of thy Spirit, nor sin against the Holy Ghost. Graciously fill us with that Spirit, and make the fruits of holiness abound in us. O thou who art stronger than our strongest enemy, keep us ever stedfast in the way everlasting. May we as a household be bound together in love, and never be divided against each other. May we be united in the bonds of the Gospel, and love each other in the love of Christ Jesus. May our influence upon each other be always for good. May we bear each other’s burdens, and strengthen each other’s faith. If any before Thee know Thee not, and love not the Lord Jesus, oh! may thy Spirit quicken them, that we may none of us be separated from each other and from Thee in the day of Christ. O thou who searchest the hearts of all men, make us pure within, that we may be righteous in all our deeds. May we glorify our Father in heaven by bringing forth much fruit.

Go with us to our rest. May we lie down in thy love, and rise up in thy fear. O thou that neither slumberest nor sleepest, watch over us. Help us to serve Thee on the morrow better than we have served Thee to-day. Hear us, and answer us, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.