within us, and lead us while we contemplate, to wonder and adore at the perfect means adopted by Thee to deliver us from the bondage of sin. "With the merciful, Thou showest Thyself merciful. With the upright Thou showest Thyself upright. With the pure Thou wilt show Thyself pure, and with the froward Thou wilt show Thyself froward." And yet Thou art unchangeable in Thine own nature, but Thou accommodatest Thine appearance unto man, that he may thereby be brought to know Thee, in Thy pure, merciful, and upright nature, when man shall himself have ceased to be froward. Ah! how often have we mistaken Thy character, and looked at Thy perfection through our own corruptions. Immersed in evil and selfishness, we have imagined Thee angry with us, and knowing how we have felt toward those who have trespassed against us, we have conceived that Thou wouldst display the same anger towards us, when sinning against Thee. How little have we learnt to know Thee, How imperfectly have we understood the Word of Thy Truth. O may we for the future feel and know that Thou art the Lord; Thou dost not change, therefore we sons of men are not consumed. Amen.
Our Father, etc.
THURSDAY EVENING.
THOU, O God, art from everlasting. Thine eye, ever watchful, has preserved us this day, and has brought us to the conclusion of it in peace. Thy goodness has fed, Thy providence has preserved, Thy power has protected us. The shades of evening again close around us. Thou spreadest abroad the curtain of the night, and man returning from his labour, seeks repose to his wearied limbs, and trusts himself with confidence to Thy protection.
How cheering it is to the wearied frame of man, to know that he has in Thee an all-powerful God, and at the same time an all-merciful Father, a redeeming Lord, mighty to subdue His spiritual adversaries, and yet a pitying Saviour; One who has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, and has yet subdued death and hell; One who knows our frailty, and who has in mercy declared—I will never forsake you, I will be your guide even unto death. "O God, Thou art our God, ever will we seek Thee." In the morning, at noon, and in the evening will we call upon Thee, and offer up our prayers unto the Lord, whence cometh our help.
Aid us, we humbly entreat Thee, to repose unlimited confidence in Thee. May Thy character be our model for imitation. May we submit ourselves implicitly to Thy wise commands; and whatsoever we do, may we do it to Thy glory.
We look back with sorrow and regret upon the years that are gone by. How little have we improved the time. We have spent our days as a tale that is told. Lord, help us to repent of our evils and to take heed and be watchful, and strengthen the things that remain, that are ready to perish, for our ways have not been perfect before Thee. Lord, we desire to humble ourselves before Thee for our sins, to remember that Thou lovest us, and those whom Thou lovest (and they are all Thy creatures) Thou rebukest, Thou chastenest. We humbly implore Thy grace, that we may submit to Thy divine chastisements, for we know that love alone raises the chastening rod. Amen.
Our Father, etc.
