ELEVENTH WEEK.—TUESDAY. — Evening

O ETERNAL God, in whom we live, and move, and have our being, we bless Thee for the protecting care which has been around us this day. Dispose our hearts, we pray Thee, to come into thy presence with holy thankfulness and devout adoration.

Thou knowest, Lord, how this whole world lieth in wickedness; whenever the overflowings of ungodliness make us afraid, grant that our trust and our confidence may be in Thee. We adore thy goodness that our lot is cast in this favoured land, where the course of things is so peaceably ordered by thy governance, that thy Church is able to serve Thee in godly quietness, and the families of our Israel may sit each under his own vine and under his own fig tree, none making us afraid.

But forasmuch as thy holy Word has taught us that they who reign with Christ must first suffer with Him, we pray Thee, gracious God, to prepare us to bear with meekness, patience, and constancy the afflictive dispensations of thy providence, in whatever form they may present themselves. Give us the self-denial and boldness, even unto death, of thy servant John the Baptist; nay, more, give us the spirit of thy dear Son Jesus, who endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. In the hour of our sore temptations, in our conflicts with indwelling sin, in the mortification of self, in the fight of faith, and until the glad hour of final triumph, be Thou, O Lord, our strength and our defence. When our hearts are overwhelmed within us, lead us to the Rock that is higher than we. Thou, O blessed Jesus, art that Rock; Thou hast been our shelter and a strong tower from our enemies; keep us, we pray Thee, even unto the end. That we may walk more closely with Thee, and grieve not thy Holy Spirit, make us, O merciful God, very watchful against all occasions of sin, from without and from within. May we have grace to abstain from the very appearance of evil, and to be on our guard against all places, and all company, and all habits of worldly conformity, whereby we may be surprised into sin. Thus do Thou enable us to keep ourselves in the love of Thee, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Now, heavenly Father, we desire once again to commend ourselves to thy keeping for the coming night; may we lay us down in peace, assured that Thou, Lord, wilt make us dwell in safety; may we rise refreshed and strengthened to renew our work of faith and labour of love, until we rest with Thee in glory, through the only merits of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.