NINETEENTH WEEK.—SATURDAY. — Evening

O MOST merciful God and Father, who art rich in mercy towards all who call upon Thee through thy dear Son, we beseech Thee, for his sake, to look upon us with favour, and to give us thy blessing. We can do nothing good of ourselves. We are utterly without strength. Sin taints and defiles all our actions. We desire, therefore, to humble ourselves beneath thy mighty hand, and to seek for pardon through the atoning blood of Christ. Oh, renew in us a right spirit, and teach us to walk in thy holy fear all the days of our life.

We bless Thee for having graciously preserved us during the past day, and for again permitting us to draw near to thy throne of grace. Give us prayerful hearts. Enlighten our eyes, that we may understand thy blessed Word. Help us to obey its precepts, and hide them in our memories, that we may not sin against Thee. Show us more perfectly that to be truly happy and useful upon earth, we must follow in the steps of Christ’s most holy life, and seek to have the mind which was in Him. Set our affections on things above, that we may approve ourselves as his disciples, and be willing to take up our cross. Strengthen us, that we may never shrink from discharging our duty, whether towards God or towards man, and assist us to commend thy truth by the consistency of our lives and the purity of our speech. May our light so shine before men, that we may convince them that godliness is profitable for all things, and may persuade them to seek after the one thing needful.

Preserve us from a spirit of envy. May we always have grace to believe that Thou art good, and doest good. Keep us, O Lord, from an evil eye and proud heart, lest we convert thy mercies into occasions of discontent, and murmur against Thee. Give us that wisdom which cometh from above, and incline us to commit our way unto Thee with the confidence of thine adopted children. Confirm our faith in Christ, and make us ever thankful for that great love wherewith He loveth us. May no temptation from without, or in-dwelling frailty, separate us from Him, lest we become barren and unfruitful. Sanctify us by thy Holy Spirit, that we may daily grow in grace, and walk worthily of Thee, and do Thou keep us by thy power through faith unto salvation. Let thy fatherly hand ever be over us as a family, and over all whom we love. Guide us in our going out and coming in from this time forth and for evermore. Defend us this night under the shadow of thy wing, and grant us sweet repose, that we may be refreshed for the spiritual duties and engagements of the morrow, through Jesus Christ thy Son, our Saviour. Amen.