FOR

the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.—Matt. xviii. 11-14.

WHO can describe the joys that rise

Through all the courts of paradise To see a prodigal return,

To see an heir of glory born?

With joy the Father doth approve
The fruit of his eternal love;
The Son with joy looks down, and sees
The purchase of his agonies,

The Spirit takes delight to view
The holy soul he form'd anew:
And saints and angels join to sing
The growing empire of their King.
WATTS, Bk. i. Hymn 101.

BLESSED, divine, and exalted Saviour, thy compassion toward our fallen, ruined race is ancient as eternity past. The "goings forth of thy mercy have been of old from everlasting." Thou art a merciful and a faithful High Priest; thou art the chief Shepherd and Bishop of souls; and thou hast furnished the most wonderful display of thy compassion and grace; for thou hast laid down thy life for the sheep.

Lord Jesus, make me one of the lambs of thy flock. I am by nature a lost sheep; may I be sought by thy gracious Spirit, brought into thy blessed fold, and there remain safe for ever and ever. While Satan, the enemy of souls, is seeking to destroy me, may I know by thy Spirit that thou hast sought me, and found me, and that I am for ever safe from Satan, the enemy and the murderer of souls. O Jesus, my petition and request is, that I may be saved, and that there may be joy in heaven over my salvation. Divine Shepherd, I commit myself to thy gracious, powerful hands.

May my beloved parents, and all the members of our family, belong to thy redeemed flock.

Accept my thanks for the mercies of the past day. May I enjoy thy providential loving-kindness and care this night, and my life be preserved to see another day of the Son of man. Lord, hear my feeble prayer, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

MOST

HE

E that hath made his refuge God,
Shall find a most secure abode,
Shall walk all day beneath his shade,
And there at night shall rest his head.
Then will I say, "My God, thy pow'r
Shall be my fortress and my tow'r;
I, that am formed of feeble dust,
Make thine almighty arm my trust."
Thrice happy man! thy Maker's care
Shall keep thee from the fowler's snare—
Satan, the fowler, who betrays
Unguarded souls a thousand ways.

WATTS, Ps. xci. Part 1.

OST merciful Father, thou art the almighty Defender of thy children. Thou dost hide them in the hollow of thine hand until threatened calamities pass.away. May the following promise be fulfilled in my experience, "Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all."

Lord, I am weak and helpless, exposed to dangers from which I cannot defend myself, and to temptations which I cannot resist. Mercifully deliver me, with the arm of thy power, and give me grace to resist every temptation and to overcome every enemy. Give me grace to utter with the heart the following words of the holy Psalmist, "God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble; therefore will not we fear though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. The Lord of Hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge."

I thank my heavenly Father for the mercies of the night, and that my life is spared to another Sabbath-day, another day of the Son of man. By means of a preached gospel, may multitudes be persuaded to flee to Jesus as their only refuge.

May this Sabbath be to my dear parents a day of sacred rest.

Oh let the churches and the sanctuaries of our land be filled with thy glory! May Jesus be lifted up, and multitudes drawn to him. Lord, hear, answer, and forgive, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

THE heavens declare the glory of God: and the firmament sheweth his handy work.

Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.

There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.

Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun.-Ps. xix. 1-4.

LO

BEHOLD the lofty sky

Declares its Maker God,
And all his starry works on high
Proclaim his pow'r abroad.
The darkness and the light

Still keep their course the same;
While night to day, and day to night,
Divinely teach his name.

In ev'ry diff'rent land

Their general voice is known; They show the wonders of his hand, And orders of his throne.

WATTS, P8. xix. Part 1.

ORD, thou art infinitely holy, wise, and merciful. Thy name is holy: "Holy and reverend is thy name." Thy throne is holy: Thou, the Lord, sitteth on the throne of thy holiness." Heaven is thy holy habitation, into which nothing unholy or vile can enter. "Thou hearest prayer from thine holy heaven, with the saving strength of thy right hand." May I not merely love heaven as a place of happiness, but as a place of holiness, into which no unclean thing

can enter.

With humility and filial love I desire to approach thy throne of grace on the evening of thy sacred Sabbath, to thank thee for all the mercies which I have received this day. I thank my God and Father for my gospel privileges, the ordinances of religion, observed and enjoyed this day. For all the saving benefit which has accompanied the services of thy Sabbath and thy sanctuary, I bless and praise thy glorious name. I thank thee for enabling thy ministering servants to sound the gospel trumpet. For all the saving good which has been effected, for every soul that has been convinced, for every sinner who has been converted, for every saint who has been edified and comforted, I praise thy glorious name.

May thy house, thine ordinances, thy sanctuary, and thy day, be increasingly precious to my beloved parents.

Under the shadow of thy providential wings, may I enjoy sweet repose this night. Mercifully hear my supplications, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

AND Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?

Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.

Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.-Gen. xxxvii. 26-28.

HEA

SAVE me, O God! the swelling floods,
Break in upon my soul;

I sink, and sorrows o'er my head
Like mighty waters roll.

I cry till all my voice be gone;
In tears I waste the day:
My God, behold my longing eyes,
And shorten thy delay.

They hate my soul without a cause;
And still their number grows
More than the hairs around my head;
And mighty are my foes.

WATTS, Ps. lxix. Part 1.

EAVENLY Father, deeply impress on my mind what I have now read of the sufferings of Joseph. Blessed Jesus, great was the anguish of Joseph when his brethren sold him into the hands of the Ishmaelites. Infinitely greater the anguish of thy soul when betrayed by Judas, thy disciple, into the hands of thy cruel enemies for thirty pieces of silver. Teach me to believe that thou didst submit to endure the suffering of such treachery and cruelty for me. While shocked at the envy and malignity of men, displayed by thy sufferings at the hands of men, may my soul be filled with joy by the manifestation of thy love to me in thine obedience, thy sufferings, and death.

I am by nature the slave of Satan and of sin. Alas, I have been sold into the hands of these mine enemies by my own guilt! How wonderful, thou didst willingly become a captive, the captive of the law, as a covenant; the captive of offended justice, and the captive of death and the grave, that I might obtain eternal liberty, joy, and peace. Hallelujah! What shall I render to my God and Saviour for such goodness?

Greatly bless my beloved parents, and every member of our household, with faith in Christ, as having suffered and died for them. By his bondage may they obtain liberty, and by his death may they obtain life.

Accept my thanks for the mercies of the night. Guide me by thy counsel this day. Hear my morning's prayer, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

HONOUR thy father and thy mother:

and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.-Matt.xix. 19-22.

LIFT up your eyes to th' heavenly seats
Where your Redeemer stays;
Kind Intercessor, there he sits,

And loves, and pleads, and prays.

'Twas well, my soul, he died for thee,
And shed his vital blood,
Appeas'd stern justice on the tree,
And then arose to God.
Petitions now, and praise may rise,

And saints their off'rings bring;
The Priest, with his own sacrifice,
Presents them to the King.

WATTS, Bk. ii. Hymn 37.

GLORY to thy great name, O Lord God, that thou hast revealed thyself as the hearer of prayer. Thy Spirit alone can teach the soul to pray. Give me thy Spirit, as my divine instructor, to teach me to pray. Blessed Spirit, thou art a spirit of grace and supplication. Oh teach me what I ought to pray for. Teach me to pray with humility, to pray with earnestness, to pray in faith, to pray with perseverance, and to pray in Jesus' name, and for Jesus' sake.

I thank my God for precious promises that prayer shall be answered. Give me grace to lay hold of and enjoy the following promises Thou hast promised, "In mine holy mountain I will accept them, and there will I require their offerings." Lord, mercifully do

as thou hast said. Thou hast promised, "Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him." O Lord, do as thou hast promised. May I resemble Jacob in the earnestness and perseverance of his prayers. Like him may I wrestle in prayer and obtain the blessing.

May a spirit of prayer most copiously descend upon my beloved parents, and all our family, that we may be eminently a praying household.

Accept my humble thanks for the kindness and mercies I have received this day. Continue thy goodness during this night. Hear my prayers, for Jesus' sake. Amen.