EIGHTH WEEK.—THURSDAY. — Evening

TO whom, Lord Jesus, shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. Through Thee alone can we draw nigh to the Father, by the help of the Holy Spirit. On Thee alone we depend, from day to day, from hour to hour, for grace, mercy, and peace: on Thee, who bore our sins in thine own body on the tree, and who ever livest to make intercession for us.

Grant that the lessons from thine own lips which we have now heard may be graven on our memory and heart. Make us willing to tread in thy steps, to go forth unto Thee without the camp, bearing thy reproach, and humbly looking for thine appearing in our behalf. Implant in us a filial fear of the Almighty, that we may fear none beside. Awaken us to a lively apprehension of thy providence in our minutest affairs. Give us grace to confess Thee before men, to deny ourselves, and willingly to give up all for thy glory; in thy saints to trace and to love thine image, and so to bear one another’s burdens as to fulfil thy blessed law.

O glorious God! we wonder at thy condescension in permitting us thus to plead with Thee. If Thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But thy love is greater than our guilt and misery. At thy own bidding we come to find refuge beneath the shadow of thy wings, until every calamity of life and of death shall be overpast. Have mercy, have mercy upon us. Pardon all that we have done amiss. Renew to each believing soul the assurance of thine accepting love. Help us to hate sin, to overcome the world, and to resist Satan. Apply thy truth, to warn, instruct, and stimulate us. May we prove its sanctifying virtue, and, by its exceeding great and precious promises, be partakers of the Divine nature. May we know how frail we are, and feel that eternity is nigh. May we live ready for our swiftly approaching change; and oh, remember us when Thou comest in thy kingdom.

These great mercies we ask for ourselves, and for all whom we love. We commend to Thee our Queen, our country, and all classes around us, with the Jew and the Gentile, the bond and the free, in every land. Hasten thy reign of grace, and let all the people praise Thee.

Now, Shepherd of Israel, we rest in thy care. We are safe and happy while Thou art our Guardian. May our last thoughts and our first thoughts be, every day, thoughts of Thee. May we rise, if it please Thee to spare us a little longer, to serve Thee in the duties of a new day. And when the night of our sojourn on earth is gone, may we wake up to be for ever in thine own light. Even so, Lord Jesus. Amen.