Page:The Book of Family Worship.pdf/18

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6
FIRST WEEK.

unto Thee. “For if we have made gold our hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art our confidence, if we rejoiced because our wealth was great, and because our hand had gotten much, this also is abomination before Thee, for we should have denied the Lord that is above.” Oh, help us to do our duty, and to give all the glory and all the praise to Thee alone. Amen.

Our Father, etc.


FRIDAY MORNING.

MOST merciful and adorable Lord our Saviour, who watcheth over the frailty and feebleness of all Thy creatures, who permitteth Thy blessed spirits to have charge over us, and bear us up when in temptation and suffering, we mourn over our transgressions, we desire to humble ourselves before Thee; help us to show forth that godly sorrow which worketh repentance—that sorrow which is a testimony of our weak and feeble condition, which supplicates Thine aid alone to enable us fo rise above our forlorn condition.

Lord; help us. On Thy goodness do we alone depend. O help us to bring forth fruits meet for repentance. May we no longer tamper with Thy mercy and long suffering.

Assist us to acquire that temper and spirit which subdues our evil passions. May we spiritually realize within our souls the fulfilment of the glorious prophesy: "The wolf shall lie down with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.” O assist us to gain this blessed state of innocence. O help us to become pure in heart, so shall we have conjunction of life with Thee, our only God and Saviour. Amen.

Our Father, etc.


FRIDAY EVENING.

MOST merciful Lord Jesus Christ, we would approach Thee this evening, lifting up our hearts with our hands unto Thee in the heavens. Enable us to conquer the selfish inclinations which draw us aside from our duty to Thee. Subdue within us all unholy lusts, all sordid desires, all anxiety about the world and its concerns, so that our worship may be without distraction, and heaven and its blessed realities kept before our eyes, while Thy divine perfections fill our souls with adoring love. May all the duties in which we engage of morality and external usefulness, be filled with that spirit and that life which exhibits the truth of faith and the good of life—the faith which worketh by love.

Enable us to acquire a spirit of humility, and to quell the risings of self-love; and O preserve us from spiritual pride. Whatsoever we engage in, may it be done under a deep sense of entire dependence upon Thee. Without Thee, we acknowledge we can do nothing.

And, O Lord, we beseech Thee, let Thy blessings rest upon the duties in which we have engaged this day, while we confide ourselves to Thy providential care during the night season. “Thine eyes behold, Thine eyelids try, the children of men.” To Thee alone do we commit our-