TWENTY-THIRD WEEK.—MONDAY. — Morning

BEHOLD us, O Lord, assembled before Thee to express our united thanksgivings for the mercies of the past night, and to commit ourselves, both as individuals and as a family, to the care of thy providence, and to the guidance of thy grace during the day. We know not to what trials we may be subjected, ere the sun go down; but thy people in all generations have felt themselves, under the protection of thy watchful and gracious providence, infinitely more secure than within the strongest and most solid dwelling-place; and we, animated by their recorded experience, pray that Thou wouldest give us also to know the blessedness of those whose refuge is the everlasting God, and around whom are extended the Almighty arms that formed the earth and the world.

We feel, O Lord, that we are not only dependent, but frail and short-lived creatures. Thou hast shown us in thy Word that all flesh is as grass; and not a week, scarce a day, passes over our heads, but we are reminded, by many impressive and solemn occurrences, that man, who is born of a woman, has but a short time to live. We know that by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin. In the cutting off of our days, and in the pining sickness whereby Thou dost make an end of us, we see the continued infliction of the sentence denounced against sin, according to which Thou turnest man to destruction, and sayest, Return, ye children of men. Oh, grant that we may so far know the power of thine anger, that our minds may be duly affected with a profound awe of thy justice and holiness; that we may be led, by repentance and faith in the Saviour, to seek thy favour as the fountain of purest joys; and that, from a consideration of the shortness and miseries of this life, as well as of the certainty of death, we may earnestly devote ourselves to the study and practice of that true wisdom which consists in piety and the fear of the Lord. We have constant need, O gracious Father, that Thou shouldest so teach us to number our days; for we spend our years as a tale that is told, and are prone to live as if we were to live here always.

Under a deep sense of our sinfulness, we plead thy mercy in Christ. Oh, give us the delightful consciousness of thy returning favour, and supply us with the promised influences of thy Spirit; that in the renovation of our nature, manifested by the conversion of our hearts and the progressive holiness of our conduct, the beauty of the Lord our God may be reflected upon us; and becoming henceforth steadfast as well as zealous of good works, we may hope that our persons and services will be accepted through Christ. Amen.