SIXTEENTH WEEK.—FRIDAY. — Evening

O LORD our Righteousness, who only art worthy, permit us to call upon Thee this evening, and, after the mercies of another day, to give Thee thanks for all the goodness and mercy with which Thou hast been pleased to accompany our path. We would this evening confess ourselves before Thee as utterly unworthy of the least of all thy mercies. Forbid it, Lord, that we should boast ourselves in thy presence, or claim to ourselves any righteousness in thy sight. If we would inherit eternal life and become heirs of God, we must be born again, as his sons. Grant us this new birth, which will make us heirs of life; and so fill us with thy Holy Spirit, and sanctify our souls, that we may love Thee perfectly and follow Thee faithfully.

Take away from us all a spirit of self-righteousness. Oh, let us not strive to justify ourselves, but in lowliness of mind, and in self-abasement, may we find our righteousness in thy beloved Son, and know that in Him and through Him we receive the adoption of sons, the inheritance of heaven, and everlasting life.

Show unto us, O God, our state by reason of our sin; how sin hath sore smitten us, and Satan hath buffetted us, and stripped us, and wounded us, and left us half-dead, yea, utterly dead in trespasses and sins. Teach us the blessed lesson how Jesus, better than the Good Samaritan, came out of his way and out of his place to seek the wounded victims of Satan, and to take care of them, and heal them. O Thou good Friend of sinners, come and pour out into our wounded hearts the oil and wine of thy sweet mercy and Divine compassion. Lift us up from death in sin to the life of righteousness.

And enable us to imitate the example of thy Son, our living Saviour, by loving those that love us not, and by pouring the precious balm of kindness on the heads of those that hate us. Let all the world be “neighbours”—one with each other, one with Thee. Make wars to cease through all the earth; let love, and joy, and peace be multiplied; send forth the spirit of peace into all the world. Oh, that the nations of the earth may learn in Christian love to forget their national enmities, and join hand in hand in doing each other good. And to this end be pleased to grant to our own land the spirit of Christian love, and that she may send the messengers of Christ to all lands, to help the weak, and to strengthen the dying. Bless all missionary enterprises, and enable us all to choose that good part which shall not be taken from us. Let thy protecting care be about us during the night, preserve us from evil, and bless us in all things, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.