of mankind, by individuals and communities, and combinations of communities. O let them not labour in vain; let the pleasures of the Lord prosper in their hand; let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children; and let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish Thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hand, establish Thou it.

And prepare us for suffering thy will, as well as doing it. May we never look for unmingled felicity here, but expect to find life, as all who have gone before us have found it light and darkness, pain and pleasure, good and evil. When we meet with trials, may we never think them strange things; nor murmur and repine under them. Rather may we be thankful, that they are so few and alleviated; rather may we rejoice, that they are all founded in love to our souls, and designed to make us partakers of thy holiness. Sustain us under them; improve us by them; and assure us in due time of our deliverance from them; and of our entering the rest that remains for the people of God, where all sorrow and sighing shall cease, and all tears shall be wiped from our eyes.

And may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with us all, now and for ever. Amen.

SATURDAY EVENING

O GOD-Thou art the God of all the families of the earth; for they are formed by thy will, and supported by thy providence. But Thou art, in a peculiar manner, the God of those families, in which thy name is known, and loved, and honoured. Thy curse is in the house of the wicked, but Thou blessest the habitation of the just.

Whatever be the dispositions of others, we desire to say, with increasing resolution and zeal, As for us, and our house, we will serve the Lord. Thy yoke is easy, thy burden is light; thy work is honourable and glorious; and in keeping thy commandments, there is great reward. Thou art the best of all masters; Thou hast promised to bear with our infirmities, and to suffer us to want no good thing.

Already Thou hast laid us under infinite obligations, as the God of providence and of grace: Thou hast dealt well with thy servants, O Lord. Bless the Lord, O our souls, and all that is within us, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O our souls, and forget not all his benefits.

By thy good hand upon us, we have been conducted through the perils, not only of another day but another week; a period, during which, many have been carried down to their graves, and we have been brought so much nearer to our own. Im press us with the lapse of our time, and so teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Many have been involved in perplexities, and exposed to want; many nave been confined to the house of mourning, or the bed of sickness; but we have been indulged with liberty, and ease, and health, and strength; we have seen thy loving-kindness every morning, and thy faithfulness every night; and have had all things richly to enjoy.

But, O, how little have we been affected by the instances of thy undeserved goodness; how imperfectly have we improved our religious privifeges; how negligent have we been in seizing opportunities of doing good to the bodies and souls of our fellow-creatures-and how well does it become each of us to exclaim, Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer Thee? wherefore I abhor my self, repenting in dust and ashes.

We stand before Thee this evening in our trespass; enter not into judgment with thy servants, O Lord. Our only hope is, that to the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. Have mercy upon us, O God, according to thy loving kindness, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out our transgressions.

And may a confidence in thy goodness, instead of encouraging us to sin, that grace may abound, inspire us with that godly sorrow which worketh repentance unto life. May we hate and forsake every false way. May we be attentive to our condition, and study our character; may we bri dle our tongue, and keep our heart with all diligence.

May we often look back and see, how at any time, we have been ensnared or overcome and watch and pray in future, lest we enter into temptation. And do Thou keep us by thy power; uphold us by thy free Spirit; and not only restrain us from sin, but mortify us to it.

May sleep refresh our bodies, and fit them for thy service on the ensuing day; and may thy grace prepare our minds. May we leave all the cares of the world for a while, behind; that we may attend on the Lord without distraction. May we repair to the hallowed exercises of devotion, as the heart panteth after the water brooks. May we call the sabbath a delight, and be glad when they say to us, Let us go into the house of the Lord.

And, O'Thou God of all grace; do as Thou hast said; fulfil thy word unto thy servants, upon which Thou hast caused them to hope. Bless abun dantly the provisions of thy house, and satisfy thy poor with bread. Clothe thy priests with salvation and let thy saints shout aloud for joy.

And to the God of all grace, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Fifth Week.

SUNDAY MORNING.

O GOD, Thou art very great, Thou art clothed with honour and majesty; and it becomes us to approach Thee, with reverence and godly fear. We can also come before Thee, with humble confidence; for thy condescension equals thy grandeur, and thy goodness is thy glory.

If we are unworthy, we rejoice that we are not unwelcome. If we are guilty, Thou art gracious; if we are miserable, Thou art merciful; if we are all indigence, thy riches are unsearchable. By not sparing thine own Son, but delivering Him up for us all, Thou hast shown thy boundless compassion towards a perishing world; and proved, that with Him, Thou wilt also freely give us all things. Thus a foundation is laid for our hope; a refuge is opened for our safety; and a new and living way is consecrated into the holiest of all, for our approach to Thee.

O, bless us with that conviction of sin, that brokenness of heart, that self-despair, which will endear to us the gospel message, as a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation; and induce us to say with the apostle, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death. How happy are they that are found interested in Him! They are delivered from the wrath to come; they are justified from all things; they

have peace with God; they are heirs of the glory that is to be revealed.

May we feel a holy and increasing concern, to know whether these exalted privileges are claimable by us. For this purpose, may we frequently and faithfully examine ourselves. May we search after that deadness to the world, that love to the Saviour, that attachment to his house, that devotedness to His service, which characterise the subjects of His salvation.

And may these things not only be in us, but abound. It is an unspeakale blessing if we have life: but it is our duty and privilege to have it more abundantly. It becomes us to be thankful, if Thou hast begun a good work in us; but we are allowed to pray, that Thou wilt perfect that which concerneth us. According to the riches of thy glory, therefore, strengthen us with might by thy Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in ur hearts by faith; that we being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the height, and depth, and breadth, and length, and to know the love of Christ, that passeth knowledge, that we may be filled with all the fulness of God.

May every part of our character and conduct, be adapted to make, not only a serious, but an amiable impression, on the minds of those around us; that they may say, I will go with you, for I have heard that God is with you.

May all that we meet within our passage through life, whether pleasing or painful, instead of injuring the prosperity of our souls, turn to our salvation, through prayer, and the continual supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

Send us help this day from the sanctuary, and strenghen us out of Zion. We know that thine own appointments, were never intended to make us independent of thy agency; without thy superadded blessing, the best means will prove in vain.