and thou hast ever suited our temptation to our peculiar strength, that we should not be tempted above that we are able to bear, but should in every temptation have a way to escape. 0 may we have grace then to call upon thee in the season of trial, and by thy strength to be faithful when tried. Continue to guide us with infinite wisdom, mercy, and love. May we ever do thy will, and give up ourselves unto that divine Saviour who for us resisted sin unto blood, when he shed his own blood on the accursed tree for our sins. May we too be faithful even unto death, that we may receive the crown of life.

We cannot count up all thy benefits, so great is the sum of them; benefits to our bodies, benefits to our souls, benefits to our neighbourhood, benefits to our nation, benefits to our church, and to the whole world. We give thee glory for all. How highly hast thou favoured our land, in giving us the light of thy truth and the abundance of thy word, and enabling us to bear that light and communicate of that abundance to others!

Bless those

O Lord, preserve these blessings to us. who rule over this country. Save us from wicked and unreasonable men, for all men have not faith. Save us from the deceivableness of unrighteousness in the apostacy; save us from the raging floods of lawlessness and infidelity. Provide the means of grace for every dark place in the land. Multiply churches and teachers in all the destitute parts of the

country. Deliver us from prevailing ignorance and ungodliness, from all Sabbath-breaking, swearing and licentiousness, and may the knowledge, and love, and fear of God prevail and triumph over all darkness and alienation of mind from God, and all wicked

ness.

O Lord, who hast given us great promises of thy future glory, and who hast taught us to pray "Thy kingdom come," fulfil these promises to us, and in our day, that thy church may with full joy of realized triumph have to cry, The Lord reigneth. O hasten the time when the nations shall beat their swords into plough-shares and their spears into pruning-hooks, and the Prince of Peace shall reign in every land, and there shall be abundance of peace as long as the moon endureth, and the earth shall be full of righteousness, reflecting the holiness of heaven, for thy will shall be done on earth even as it is in heaven.

All this we confidently ask, because Jesus is worthy, and we offer up all our prayers in his name and through his mediation. Amen.

XXXVII.

THURSDAY MORNING.

THE THRONE OF JUDGMENT AND THE THRONE OF

GRACE, ADOPTION SOUGHT.

O righteous and eternal God, who triest the hearts and the reins, and hast declared that thou wilt bring

every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil; we believe that we also must stand before the judgment seat of Christ, and receive the things done in our bodies, whether good or evil; and we bless thee for thy loving-kindness in now appointing for us and revealing to us a throne of grace, open to all who need that grace. We come to thee, seated now on that throne of grace, and, in this accepted time, we ask that we may all obtain mercy for our many sins, and grace in time of need to overcome every corruption and do that which is good and acceptable before thee.

We bless thee that thou hast revealed to us the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all that believe, and that we are justified freely by thy grace through redemption. O give unto us faith in the blood of Jesus, and grace to be fully assured that what thou hast promised, thou art able also to perform. Thus may our faith bring glory to thy great name; fill us with pure and holy love; may it enable us to triumph over the world, the flesh and the devil, and prepare our souls to meet thee in judgment, seeing that whosoever believeth in Jesus, thy only-begotten Son, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.

O heavenly Father, look upon this thy family, for which thy Son Jesus died, and to which thy Spirit is promised, and give unto us more and more of the spirit of adoption, that we may look to thee as our

Father, and cry Abba, Father, and have entire confidence of heart in thee, and fervent glowing love, and unreserved devotedness to thee. Preserve us from all evil. Give unto us all that thou seest good for us. Assist us in every duty. Look in mercy on the peculiar state and circumstances of each of our souls, guarding us from the snares and dangers to which we are exposed, and enabling us to fulfil that special service in thy kingdom, to which thou hast called us. Lord, help us to attend first to near, primary, and immediate duties. Keep us from being careful and troubled about the future. Let us not be anxious about to-morrow; but to-day, while it is called to-day, may we hear thy voice and live. Give us to act in faith, hope and love, ever minding these three things, and remembering that the greatest of these is love, and God himself is love. Make us, then, O make us like thyself, and let us bear thine own image.

Lord, grant to us very largely the supply of the Spirit of Christ. Baptize us, O Jesus, with the Holy Ghost, and by his powerful in-working, may we this day and continually bring forth all the fruits of true righteousness.

Prepare us for the day of Christ. Let us ever take heed to ourselves, and not be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, lest that day come upon us unawares, and as a snare; and seeing that vast multitudes that dwell on the face

of the whole earth shall be thus unprepared, may we not walk in the course of this world. Gracious God, make us watchful and prayerful, that we may be accounted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Spare our country, and give us true repentance, and make us a far larger blessing to all countries. [Bless our rulers, and may they be nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the faithful witnesses of thy truth.] Bless the whole church of Christ. Bless our own immediate neighbourhood, minister, [andparish,] our relatives and friends. Make us truly thine now and evermore, and vessels of thy mercy to others, through Jesus our Redeemer.

XXXVIII.

THURSDAY EVENING.

SIN CONFESSED, FAITH IN CHRIST DESIRED, AND THAT AFFLICTIONS MAY BE SANCTIFIED.

Thou great and glorious God, who in the heavens can be compared unto the Lord! who is a strong Lord like unto thee, or to thy faithfulness round about thee! thou art to be had in reverence of all them that approach unto thee. We worship thee, in deep abasement of soul, acknowledging our innumerable sins, and coming unto thee through that propitiation for our sins, even Jesus Christ the Lord, which thou thyself hast provided for us.