FIFTH WEEK.—FRIDAY. — Evening

O THOU fountain of all goodness! we thank Thee for thy watchful care over us this day, for the supplies of thy kind providence, and for the strength which has enabled us to discharge the duties of life. Follow, we pray Thee, with thy blessing all the lawful occupations of the day, and give success to all our endeavours to do good to others, and to get good to ourselves.

May our sins and imperfections, our mistakes and neglects, be all forgiven, for our Saviour’s sake. Oh, sprinkle us afresh with his precious blood. Wash us, and keep us clean, that we may be enabled to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord.

Do thou help us, O Lord, to gain wisdom from the experience of the past. May we not go needlessly into scenes and circumstances that have proved dangerous to us. May we never trifle with temptation. May we never think lightly of sin. In every hour of peril, O gracious Deliverer, be Thou at our right hand, and bring us off more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

May the lessons now read from thy Word be written upon our memories and our hearts. Save us from a spirit of resentment; help us to return good for evil, and to follow the example of Him who prayed even for his murderers. Save us from vain and lofty thoughts about ourselves, and help us to learn of Him who was meek and lowly in heart. Save us from slothfulness, from dishonesty, and from the spirit that engenders strife. O thou Giver of all grace, qualify us, we beseech Thee, for every office we have to fill and every duty we have to perform. May we serve the Lord even in our daily business; and may our common occupations be sanctified by godly motives prompting them, and by the religious spirit in which they are undertaken.

We acknowledge, O Thou who art our Creator and Redeemer, that by many ties we are thine. And now we desire, constrained by thy multiplied mercies toward us, to present ourselves a living sacrifice unto God. Graciously accept us in and through thy beloved Son. And may we be so filled with thy Holy Spirit, that henceforth we may continually live under the recollection that we are not our own, but thine.

We pray Thee to bless our relations and friends, our neighbours and our fellow-Christians. May they all share in thy fatherly protection, and be all partakers of thy heavenly grace. Do Thou guard our habitation during the night, and fit us all, if it please Thee, by refreshing sleep, for the duties and enjoyments of the coming day. Hear these our prayers, and breathe on us thy evening blessing, for Christ’s sake. Amen.