thankfully receive this His inestimable benefit, and also daily endeavour myself to follow the blessed steps of His most holy life, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR GROWTH IN GRACE, AND FINAL
CONSUMMATION.

DEFEND me, O Lord, Thy servant, with Thy heavenly grace, that I may continue Thine for ever, and daily increase in Thy Holy Spirit more and more, until I come to Thy Heavenly kingdom,, through, Jesus Christ our Lord.

AN OCCASIONAL PRAYER FOR A FAMILY.

WE humbly beseech Thee, O Lord our God, to look down with compassion upon this Thy family; who have once more met to implore Thy mercy and protection, and to offer to Thee the homage of our sinful hearts. We know, O Lord, that we are not worthy to approach Thee, who art of purer eyes than to behold iniquity; but we presume on the merits of our Blessed Redeemer, who has opened to us the gate of mercy and of pardon, to ask of Thee in His name both the remission of our sins, and the blessing of Thy providence upon our future endeavours. O Lord, we have sinned: we beseech Thee, pardon us. The remembrance of our transgressions is painful to our feelings; and we hope that Thou wilt accept the atonement of our Redeemer, and restore us to that favour

which our guilt has forfeited. And feeling our incompetency without Thy aid to walk in the ways of truth and innocence, we beseech Thee, O Lord, to send Thy Holy Spirit into our hearts, that He may guide us in the paths of peace and holiness. And grant, O Lord, that the fruits of Thy Holy Spirit may appear in every part of our future lives; that we may have some intimation of our acceptance with Thee, and know what manner of spirit we are of. Put away from us all bitterness, strife, and envying; all pride and selfishness; all deceit and falsehood. Let love, and harmony, and truth, and charity, reign for ever in our bosoms; that we may acquire some foretaste of Thy Heavenly kingdom, and that Thy will may be done on earth as it is done in Heaven. O Lord, if it shall please Thee to receive us there, when Thou hast taken us from this world of peril, we hope to behold Thy glorious presence, and to enjoy a continual communication with Thee. Enable us, O Lord, so to behold Thee now with the

eye of faith, that we may feel ourselves to be always in Thy presence; that we may place our affections upon Thee, as if we actually beheld Thy glory: that we may thereby acquire such perfection in holiness, such purity of heart, and such sweetness of affection, that whenever Thou seest good to call us hence, we may be fit to be received into Thy Heavenly kingdom.

Be pleased, O Lord, to accept our thanks for the manifold blessings and mercies which we daily receive from Thee: not only for our creation and preservation, and that still more wonderful and impressive instance of Thy love in redeeming us by the sufferings of Thy Co-eternal Son; but for all the comforts and conveniences which Thou so plentifully bestowest upon us, whilst so large a portion of mankind are suffering from hunger and nakedness, or eating in the bitterness of their souls the bread of sorrow and of misery. Grant, O Lord, that the sense of Thy goodness towards us may make us kind and compas

sionate to our fellow-creatures.

Teach us to consider them all as our brethren; to sympathise with their afflictions, and relieve their sufferings. And grant that we may all so profit by Thy dispensations towards us, whether they are those of joy or sorrow, that we may at length be purified from our manifold corruptions, and receive the accomplishment of our purchased salvation by participating in the glories of Thy eternal kingdom.

Our Father, &c.