First Week: Friday Evening

O God, the day is thine, the night also is thine. Thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice. The heavens declare thy glory — the earth is full of thy riches, and so is the great and wide sea. Thou art the maker, and sustainer, and proprietor of all things. We are the creatures of thy power, and the beneficiaries of thy bounty. But we have sinned against heaven and before Thee, and not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth which Thou hast showed us. We are of those that rebel against the light; for we have resisted the dictates of our consciences, the demands of thy law. the admonitions of thy providence, and the calls oftht gospel of peace. We have made light of those things which angels desire to look into; we have neglected thy great salvation, and we deserve that thy wrath should come upon us, as the children of disobedience.

But we are in the land of the living, and under a dispensation of hope. We flee for refuge to that dear Saviour, who said, deliver him from going down into the pit, I have found a ransom, and who himself bore our sin in his own body on the tree. O that we may be found in him, and know the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of nis suflrings, being made confonnable unto bin death. May we not only be justified by bis blood, and saved from wratl through Him; but may we derive from Him an influence, that shall subdue our iniquities, and change us into his own image, from to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.

IJeliver us we pray Thee, from the views and dispositions, of men of the world, who have their portion in this life. May la never look for thai on earth, which can only be found in heaven. Born from above, and bound for glory, may we feel the heart of a stranger, and pass the time of our sojourning here in fear. Reminded — and, O, how often are we reminded.^ that here we have no continuing city, may we seek one to come; and in all the changing scenes of time, know in ourselves, that in heaven, we have a better and an enduring substance.

In our journeyings through a vale of tears, cast us not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from us. Be Thou always within sight, or within call; for how often shall we have to address Thee? To thy wisdom we must repair for direction, or we shall every moment go astray. Thy power is our only safety. O I’hou that savest by thy right-hand, them that put their trust in Thee, from those that rise up against them, keep us as the apple of the eye, and hide us under the shadow of thy wing. Be Thou our strength in weakness, and our victory in conflict. We dare not say, we never ttV/ deny Thee; butO grant that we never may. Establish our hearts with grace, and deliver our feet from falling; and may we be sincere and without offence, until the day of Christ.

These are great blessings for us to ask; but we are undone for ever without them, and Thou hast encou-iged us to hope. We plead thy command

and thy promises. Ask and it shall oe given you seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. No suppliant, however unworthy, or guilty, was ever rejected, or insulted at thy footstool and we come in the name of Him who made intercession for the transgression. Him, Thou hearest always, and to Him, with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, be praises for ever and ever. Amen.