SEVENTEENTH WEEK.—TUESDAY. — Evening

ALMIGHTY God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we come before Thee this night to thank Thee for thy goodness to us throughout the day. Whatever good we have received has come to us of thine undeserved mercy; whatever evil has happened to us, Thou, we know, wouldest have it become to us a means of good. Thou doest all things well. Grant that every promise of thy Word and every dispensation of thy providence may encourage our confidence in Thee, and bind our hearts more closely to thy service.

O Lord God, grant us grace this night, before sleep comes over us, to have communion with Thee. We know not but that before the morning light the Son of Man may come. Grant that we may not be among the unhappy ones, who shall seek in vain to enter into the kingdom; but number us among the blessed ones who having earnestly striven shall pass through the straight gate into thy presence with joy. O Lord, we lie down to rest in the darkness, looking to see again the light of day; grant that we may even so look through the gloom of the grave with a good hope to the light of everlasting day; and that, if spared to the morrow, we may rise from our beds to serve Thee better than in the day which is past. May every day see us growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour; may our walk be more and more steady in holiness and in humility. May we feed continually by faith on Him who is the Bread of life, and be refreshed continually with the waters of grace from Him who is the everlasting Fountain.

May all our dear relatives and friends partake in full measure the blessings which we ask for ourselves; suffer none of them to receive thy grace in vain. [Especially regard with thy favour the children of our household; may they be indeed new creatures in Christ Jesus—the children of God, manifesting even from early years the fruits of the Spirit in all meekness and obedience]. Gather into thy kingdom increasing numbers of men from east, and west, and north, and south. But oh, grant that none of us who have already been called to know Thee, and have thy Word to instruct us, and thine ordinances to refresh us, may fail to find admittance, with the blessed company in heaven, to the marriage supper of the Lamb. On Him, O Lord God, is all our trust for the forgiveness of our sins and the renewal of our hearts. On Him would we fasten our affections. His steps would we follow. Oh, do Thou fill our hearts full with holy love. Help us to keep thy commandments; and make us meet for the inheritance of the saints in light, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, be honour and praise. Amen.