we know that there is a world of spirits around us, a Saviour ever near to us, and thy Spirit ever ready to assist us.

To help us to this heavenly life on earth, bless all the ordinances of thy house to us on the morrow. O that it might please thee to distinguish to-morrow's Sabbath with special grace. May it be, more than it has ever heretofore been, a holy and heavenly day, full of unction from the holy One, full of grace. May we know, by happy experience, thy grace and presence in thy house of prayer. May our eyes be opened to see the wonders of thy law; may our hearts be raised to things above.

Bless thy ministers abundantly. Enable them to give to each a portion in due season. May their words sink into the hearts of all who hear them, and be found to praise, and honour, and glory at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, and grant that all who with us hear thy saving word on the morrow may hereafter meet again in thy heavenly courts above, where we shall see thee as thou art, know as we are known, and with one voice unceasingly praise thee.

Bless all thy people throughout the world; some in the lonely wilderness, far from all the ordinary means of grace; some in the isles of the ocean; some in the various kingdoms that profess thy truth, and others amidst heathen and Mahommedan nations: myriads of congregations in every clime and of various

tongues, yet all uniting in worshipping thee and in seeking to keep holy thy Sabbath.

Restore Zion and build up her walls, for thy servants take pleasure in her stones. May thy glory thus be manifested to the whole world, and the depth of the riches of thy wisdom and knowledge be universally displayed. Accomplish thus all thy glorious promises, and let thy church have full reason to say, Not one good thing hath failed of all that the Lord hath spoken.

O Lord, while we pray for others, bless also our own souls. Quicken us by thy Spirit, and enable us this night to wrestle with thee in private prayer, and not let thee go until thou dost bless us. Give us communion in retirement, with the Father of our spirits, that thus our souls may prosper and be in health. O may we be continually growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Sixth Week.

SHORTER PRAYERS.

LXXI.

LORD'S DAY MORNING.

PRAISE FOR SABBATH MERCIES-PRAYER FOR A SPIRITUAL MIND, AND FOR GOD'S MINISTERS. O God, who art our only refuge and strength, and a present help in times of distress, and the only giver of our multiplied blessings, our Sabbath privileges and national mercies; let us ever acknowledge thee, seek thee, and delight in thee, in times of quietness and peace as well as in times of trouble. Help us to call the Sabbath a delight, holy of the Lord and honourable, and to honour thee.

How many are thy mercies to us in a peaceful and holy Sabbath! We thank thee that on this day we have such abundance of means for becoming wise unto salvation. We have liberty to go to thy house; thy ministers have liberty to preach thy word, none making them afraid; thy assembled people gather together, thy ordinances are administered amongst us pure and uncorrupt from superstition, and thy people unite together in prayer and in praise. All glory be to thy holy name.

Give us on this day a Sabbath-spirit, that like thy holy Apostle, St. John, we may be in the spirit on the Lord's day. Let all our thoughts be fixed on thee, and on those spiritual and heavenly subjects which should fill our souls this day. O Lord, as it is every day our privilege to have our conversation in heaven, may our minds be peculiarly heavenly on this day of rest, which thou hast appointed as a type and foretaste of that eternal rest which remaineth for the people of God. O help our many infirmities, and enable us, in the midst of temptations which have so often beset and hindered us, to worship thee in spirit and in truth. Let us not lose by indolence of soul the blessings of the day; but may we stir up ourselves to take hold on God. Let not the services of the day be lost in mere formality; deliver ùs from the overpowering weight of the flesh, and grant that while we repeat the appointed words of prayer, our souls may rise as on wings to God; that we may mount up with eagles' wings, that we may run and not be weary, that we may walk and not faint.

Bless thy ministers here and through the whole earth in preaching thy word. May they declare thy truth boldly, powerfully, plainly, and earnestly; and in simplicity and faithfulness suited to the spiritual necessities of their hearers, that each one may be led from what they shall hear this day to resolve to give themselves to the Lord. O may great gracǝ

be upon all the assemblies of thy people, and a pure offering of prayer and praise from thy whole church ascend to thee in every land; and the gospel be fully preached through the world, to be a witness to all nations, to gather in thine elect, and complete the whole spiritual body of Christ.

Give unto us the seeing eye, the hearing ear, and the understanding and believing heart, that we may see, believe, turn unto thee, and be everlastingly saved through Jesus our Redeemer.

O Lord, let this Sabbath be one of great instruction, full of enlightening, quickening, and sanctifying grace to us and all thy saints, and blessed for the enlargement as well as comfort of the church of Christ, that the Redeemer may see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied.

LXXII.

LORD'S DAY EVENING.

FOR A KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S WORD.

Glory be to thee, O Lord, for all the many privileges and blessings which thou hast given unto us on this thy holy day.

Forgive all our past neglect of thine ordinances, and especially of thy precious word. Open our hearts as thou didst Lydia's, to attend to the things spoken. Open our ears to hear the voice of the Saviour. Open our eyes like the Psalmist's to behold wondrous things out of thy law.