TWENTY-SECOND WEEK.—LORD’S DAY. — Evening

O LORD our God, glory be to Thee for thine exceeding great love towards us in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ. What are we, that Thou shouldest have been so mindful of us? God of love, give us to believe in the Lord Jesus with all our heart; and may we in heart and mind thither ascend where He is gone before, and with Him continually dwell. We glorify Thee Thou hast given Him a name above every name, and hast exalted Him to be head over all things to the Church, which is his body. Lord, hasten the time when at his name every knee shall bow, and in all things He shall have the pre-eminence. And O Holy Ghost, help us to give Him the affection, and obedience, and honour we ought to do.

Great God of heaven and earth, we thank Thee for all the services and means of grace of this day. May none have worshipped Thee in vain; may every prayer have been heard, and thy Word everywhere been blessed. O Lord, we pray that thy presence may have been felt in every assembly of thy people this day; that the ignorant may have been taught, the mourners comforted, the weak strengthened, and every hungry soul filled with good things. We pray that the dead in sin may have been quickened, and many a lost sheep found this day. Grant, O Lord, there may be now joy in heaven because many have repented this day; and may all thy waiting people have grown in grace, and faith, and hope, and peace, and be strengthened to go on their way rejoicing.

O Lord, we entreat Thee that all ministers may have received much good and done much good this day. May thy Word read and preached have profited very many. May all missionaries, at home and abroad, have witnessed the power of the Gospel; and grant that no Sunday-school teacher may have taught or laboured in vain. We look to Thee for the advancement of thy kingdom in the world. Do Thou give the increase.

[We pray for all the young. Lord, pour thy Spirit upon our seed, and thy blessing on our offspring, as Thou hast promised. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings do Thou ordain strength; and make our children to glorify Thee.]

Hear us, merciful Father, we beseech Thee. For Jesus Christ’s sake pardon our offences, and all the iniquity of our holy things to-day, and accept every work of faith and labour of love.

Now take us, and all belonging to us, under thy protection this night. And when we lie down to sleep in death, may we awake in the morning of the resurrection, to give Thee perfect service and praise in thine eternal and glorious kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.