TWELFTH WEEK.—THURSDAY. — Evening

O LORD our heavenly Father, who hast taught us in thy holy word to have our conversation in heaven, enable us while we live in the world to live above it, renouncing its lusts and vanities, and seeking Thee only, as our exceeding great reward. Deliver us from all trust in secular knowledge, and from a vain satisfaction in sense; and, above all, from a worldly mind in our spiritual things. Take from us the carnal heart, which looks for Thee only in the rich, and mighty, and wonderful things of the world; and give us the spiritual mind which can see Thee best in love, and meekness, and holiness. Give us a spiritual ear to catch the still small voice of the promised Comforter, that so the earnest of the spirit of Jesus may be our all-sufficient sign from heaven in the dangers and troubles of our daily life. Teach us to read the signs of the time, not only in the world around us, but in the word of thy truth, and in the course of thy providence; and while we mourn in ourselves and others the abounding of error and wickedness, enable us to stay our hearts upon the assurance of thy promise, that when the enemy cometh in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.

O Thou who feedest the young ravens that call upon Thee, and the cattle upon a thousand hills; who satisfiest the poor with bread, and spreadest thy bountiful table for all the multitudes of mankind; feed us, we beseech Thee, with that bread of heaven which giveth life unto the world. We thank Thee and praise thy holy name for all our temporal blessings; but we beseech Thee to enable us to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, that we may know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, and be filled with all the fulness of God.

We feel and bewail the deceitfulness of our own heart, and that the leaven of sin lingers in it at its best estate. Cleanse us from our sin in its guilt and power. Take away our natural enmity to Thee. Wash us in the atoning blood of our Redeemer, and purge us throughly from our iniquities. Join us more closely to our risen Lord; quicken in us his life, and perfect in us his love, that henceforth we may not live to ourselves, but to Him that died for us and rose again. And when our hearts faint and fail through unbelief, remind us of the truth and mercy that have followed us all the days of our life; that, resting on thy love, and patiently awaiting thy time, we may trust Thee even in the thick darkness. These prayers and praises we offer to Thee, beseeching Thee, O Father, to bring us and all whom Thou hast taught us to remember at thy throne of grace, to that eternal feast of joy and love which Thou hast promised us in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.