Imatges de pàgina
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Then shall the Person who conducts the Service say;

BY the favor of God, we are come to the evening of this day. Let us pray to our Father to enable us, as we draw nearer to the grave, to draw nearer to himself, and to his heavenly kingdom.

Answer. O thou who hearest prayer, unto thee will we lift up our souls. Reader. Let us pray.

Then shall be read either of the following Pray

ers.

O GOD, the light of every heart that sees thee, the life of every soul that loves thee, we, thy children pray that thou wouldst lighten our darkness, sustain our faintings, save us from the death of sin, and grant us life eternal. Enter, we beseech thee, into our hearts, speak peace unto this house, and abide with us always.

Keep us continually, O God, in thy faith, and fear. May we be fol

lowers of that which is good, and followers of thy Son Jesus Christ, obeying his precepts, and imitating his example. Let our bodies be in constant subjection to our souls, our senses to our reason, and our reason to thy divine and gracious instruction; that so, both outwardly and inwardly, we may be fully disposed to do thy will.

May we, thy children, know from our experience how good and how pleasant a thing it is to dwell together in unity. May we be kind and faithful to each other, and to all with whom we are in any way connected. And may we be always sensible of our relationship to thee, our heavenly Father; and feel that whether sleeping or waking we are still with thee. Keep and defend defend us this night. Grant unto us quiet and restoring slumbers. Bring us to the light of another morning in safety; and when our days and nights on earth are numbered and finished, grant that we

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thank

WE humbly thee, merciful Father, for thy goodness in conducting us to the close of this day, and for all thy mercies from day to day bestowed upon us. Add this to all thy favors, we beseech thee, that we may never forget to be thankful, but may constantly acknowledge thee as the source of all our blessings, and praise thee not only with our lips but in our lives. Write thy law upon our hearts, that all our desires, words, and actions may be conformable to thy holy will. Remembering thy mercies hitherto vouchsafed to us, we do entirely trust thee for the time to come. For this only we are anxious, and do earnestly pray, that we may all our days serve

and please thee in such a constant practice of piety, righteousness, and mercy, of temperance, meekness, patience, truth, and fidelity, as may adorn the religion and name of our Lord and Master.

Accept, O God, as the testimony of our love and charity, our hearty intercessions for all mankind. Let the glorious light of thy Gospel shine upon all nations; and grant that all who have already received it, may live as becomes it.

O Lord, continue thy gracious protection to us this night. Into thy hands we commend ourselves, our souls and bodies, and all things belonging to us. And make us mindful, we pray thee, of that time when we shall lie down in the dust; and grant us grace always to live in such a state, that we may never be afraid or unfit to die. And now to thee, our God and Father, we ascribe all honor and glory, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

and relations. We be

THIRD.

ALMIGHTY God, we draw nigh to thee, in faith and humility, to offer our evening worship. How great is the privilege of those, who can look up to thee, and call thee their Father! How blessed are they who have him for their friend who made heaven and earth, and orders all things therein! We pray that we may abide in thy favor; may be kept in thy family; may always find thee near. Having sought first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, may all other things be added unto us. May thy bounty supply our wants. May thine arm be stretched out to protect us. May thy holy Spirit sustain and strengthen us. And when it seems good unto thy wisdom to visit us with trials and afflictions, may thy grace sanctify all our sorrows, and make them instrumental to our eternal benefit.

To thy grace and care we commend our friends

seech thee to guard them from evil, and grant them all things convenient to them; and when they shall have finished their appointed course on earth, to bring them to thine everlasting kingdom.

Bless the old and the young. May children be blessed in their parents, and parents in their children. Bless those who are coming on, and those who are in the midst of their work, and those who are passing away. Be thou the God and the Guide of all.

Let us go to rest, this night, secure in thy gracious protection. Let us rise in the morning prepared for the duties of the day. When we are called to sleep the sleep of death, may we fear no evil, but rejoice in the sure hope of a brighter morning, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

Then shall the whole Family say the Benediction, as in the preceding Service.

PETITIONS AND THANKSGIVINGS

TO BE INTRODUCED INTO THE PRECEDING FORMS OF PRAYER, AS OCCASION REQUIRES.

FOR SUNDAY MORNING.

BE graciously present with all who this day meet to serve thee; bless the labors of all those who watch for souls; and give us all grace to hear with attention, to receive the word with meekness, and to serve the Lord with gladness. Teach us all things necessary to salvation; enable us to understand and remember the sacred truths delivered to us, with full purpose of living accordingly, that our conversation may be holy, and our end everlasting life.

ANOTHER.

WE thank thee for the morning light of this day of rest, and for all the spiritual privileges which

May

it brings with it. we have rest and refreshment to our souls. May we read, and hear, and meditate with profit, and lift up our hearts to thee in prayer and praise with sincere devotion. And grant, most merciful God, that we may so improve all our sacred opportunities, that we fail not of a part in thine eternal rest, and in the hymns of angels and blessed spirits in the world to come.

FOR SUNDAY EVENING.

GLORY be to thy name for the especial blessings which this sacred day has brought to us. Pardon us, if in any manner we have abused its privileges. Cause the truths which we have heard to sink deep into our hearts,

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and bring forth in us the fruits of a holy and religious life, a peaceful and blessed death, and a glorious resurrection.

ANOTHER.

BLESSED be God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath vouchsafed to us the rest and the instruction of this Christian Sabbath. Blessed be God for the means of happiness and improvement, which have been offered this day to us and our fellow Christians. Make us mindful, we pray thee, of our duty; that as we often hear how we ought to walk and to please God, we may continue to do so unto our lives' end. INTERCESSION FOR CHIL

DREN.

OUR Heavenly Father, we beseech thee to be a Father to our children. Take them into the arms of thy love. Strengthen them in the path of duty, and when they fall, raise them up again. Wherever they are, or may go,

there be thou with them. Guide them; teach them; defend, pardon, and save them.

ANOTHER.

WE humbly and earnestly look to thee, O God, for a blessing, a plenteous blessing on our dear children. Grant them thy best gifts. Grant them health, and strength, and understanding. Grant them, above all, virtue, holiness, good dispositions, the knowledge and love of thee, and of thy Son Jesus Christ. Help us to do all our duty to them, and help them to do their duty to us. Lead them and guard them through life; be with them in death; and grant that we may all meet together at last in the House of our Heavenly Father.

INTERCESSION FOR
FRIENDS.

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