Page:Prayer book, for families and private persons.pdf/13

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none of us fail of having a part in the everlasting adoration, praise, and love of thy name in the life to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A FAMILY PRAYER ON THE EVENING
OF THE LORD’S DAY.

O LORD, thou art great, wonderful, and holy. Thou art exalted far above all blessing and praise which can ever be offered to thee by the angels of light: yet such is thy condescending mercy, that the doors of thy house have been open this day to us; vile dust and miserable sinners. We have been waiting on thee in the ordinances of thy own appointment; and as we implored the comfort and help of thy Spirit, before we presented ourselves in thy courts, so now as becometh us in bounden duty, we desire to return thee our most hearty thanks and praise, if we have found any deliverance from the hardness, unbelief, distraction, and deceitfulness of our depraved hearts, whilst we were offering our vows unto thee.

Not unto us, not unto us, but to the influence of thy Spirit be the praise, if we have confessed our sins this day with any self loathing, and been melted into contrition for our offences; if the forbearance thou hast shewn towards us, and thy tender pity in sparing us, though so richly deserving damnation, have been sensible to our hearts, whilst we were accusing ourselves before thee. We praise thee if we have sanctified this day, and our holy services in it, to the honour of our Lord Jesus Christ, by looking only to the virtue of his atonement for the remission of our sins. We bless thee if we have found thy word sweet unto us, and the increasing discovery of thy love delightful to our