TWENTY-FIRST WEEK.—MONDAY. — Morning

HOLY, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts, before whom the seraphs veil their faces, and in whose sight the heavens are not clean, behold we have taken upon us to speak unto Thee, which are but dust and ashes. We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and iniquities, which we from time to time most grievously have committed, by thought, word, and deed, against thy Divine Majesty. Have mercy upon us, we beseech Thee. Pardon and deliver us from all our offences, and grant us all the assurance that we are accepted in thy beloved Son.

We thank Thee, O Lord, that Thou hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning. We bless Thee for the shadow of good things to come contained in the Law, and for the better things themselves revealed in the Gospel. By thy dear Son Thou hast caused the trumpet of jubilee to sound throughout the world. Thou hast anointed Him to preach the Gospel to the poor, to proclaim deliverance to the captives, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Cause every one of us, we beseech Thee, to know the joyful sound. Deliver us from the bondage of sin, and introduce us into the glorious liberty of the Gospel. We plead likewise for all our dear relatives and friends. Behold now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation. Oh, cause any of them who may still be the slaves of Satan to submit to the easy yoke of that gracious Saviour whose service is perfect freedom.

And not only do we ask Thee thus to bless our own immediate friends, but we beseech Thee also to have mercy upon all men. The whole world still lieth in wickedness. Thousands in our own land are still unconverted. Millions of the heathen are still bowing down to idols. Oh, let thy Gospel be preached throughout the whole earth, and cause them that are ready to perish to come unto Him who was lifted up upon the cross that He might draw all men unto Him.

And now, Lord, at the beginning of another day we dedicate ourselves anew to thy service. Preserve us in our going out and coming in. Guard us from vain thoughts. Set a watch before our mouths, and keep the door of our lips. Grant that we may fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger. Let us not be slothful in business; but whatsoever we do may we do it heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men. Enable us to be followers of Him who was holy, harmless, undefiled, and who went about doing good; and keep us unspotted from the world.

Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, unto Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.