15. EVENING PRAYER FOR FRIDAY

"The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them."

O thou great and Almighty God! if in the day thou hast commanded the angels to guard me in all my ways, so let them also stand around my bed at night. I am now about to retire to rest; blessed Jesus let nothing evil approach me, I am not afraid when thou art with me, and when I sleep in thee, and when thou hast sent thy blessing upon my labors. Everything I have undertaken in thy name to-day, thou hast crowned with success. O that this day my constant maxim had been the word of Joseph: "How should I do such great evil, and sin against God." Lord, in mercy forgive me that I have been guilty of many short-comings and failings to-day. Lord, if thou shouldst be strict to mark iniquities against us, who could stand before thee? But what I cannot afford myself, I will pay with the blood of Jesus. My Jesus is mine, his atonement, his righteousness, his 10*

THE BELIEVER PRAYS FOR THE heaven, are all mine. O acknowledge me, my guide, my shepherd, accept me; from thee, the fountain of all good things, much good have I received; may thy goodness and love lead me to repentance. May thy glowing blood warm my cold heart, that I may never more offend thee, who hast done me so much good. I now lie down to rest; I know not but that this may be the night of my death. I well know how I lie down to sleep; but I know not how I shall arise, that is with thee alone, thou Lord of my days and of my life. But this at least I know, that if I lie down in thy name Father! in thy wounds, O Jesus! in thy communion, O Holy Spirit, I shall die happy, even though I may not wake again to this transitory life. Amen. The Believer prays for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

EXHORTATION.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me."—Ps. li. 10, 11.

A prayer for the influences of the Holy Spirit is a most necessary and important petition.

1. In this life we indispensably need a leader, teacher and comforter; such is the Holy Ghost,

GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

who will lead us into all the truth, make us acquainted with Jesus Christ, will comfort us in all our afflictions and trials, and sustain us in the solemn and trying hour. He who has not the Holy Ghost in his heart, cannot be saved.

2. Hence all who live without the Holy Spirit are most unfortunate and miserable; they never can become truly pious, or lead a godly life, but will sin and stumble. But if God has given us the Holy Spirit, we must not grieve him away by wilful sin or a godless life; but daily pray, "Take not thy Holy Spirit from me."

3. All such persons are truly united to God, and in a state of grace.

Great God and holy Father! I thy unworthy and sinful child, come to thee to crave a most necessary blessing, even thy Holy Spirit, which thou hast promised, to all those who ask thee. Therefore, send him down from above, from thy holy dwelling-place into my heart, that he may be my guide, who shall lead me according to thy counsel, that I may at all times do that which is well pleasing in thy sight. How many ways of error and sin do I see around me and thousands of my fellow-men walking in them, and inciting me, sometimes with pleasant, and sometimes with spiteful words, to sin with them and do THE BELIEVER PRAYS FOR THE evil. O God! lead me in thy truth, preserve my heart in the one thing needful, that I may fear thy name. May I constantly remember, when the world would allure me into sin, that this is "the broad road which leadeth to destruction." Oh! give me thy Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, that he may instruct me; thy Spirit of joy, that he may gladden me in sorrow; thy Spirit of consolation, that he may comfort me; thy Spirit by which we are "born again," that he may make me a new creature; thy Spirit of adoption, that he may assure me that I am thy child. O Holy Spirit do thou sanctify me; for thou seest how unholy—how full of evil thoughts, lusts and desires my heart is by nature. But thou also seest that by thy grace I earnestly desire to be entirely delivered from my sins. I mourn that I have ever grieved thee, and have slighted thine admonitions. I now give myself entirely to thy guidance and counsel. Thou shalt be the main spring of my life, the consolation of my heart, the light of my mind, the force and firmness of my will, the source, the beginning and end, of my new and spiritual life. Sanctify me wholly, "that my whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Take my heart for thy temple and dwell in it. Thou sacred fire, do thou burn and banish from my heart all fleshly lusts GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

and desires. Reign in me and lead me on ever paths until thou bring me to heaven. When the flesh and blood and the world, under the troubles of this life, would deprive me of the comfort of being thy child, O assure me by thy vigorous consolation, that neither life nor death shall separate me from the love of God, and that though the children of God have sorrow and tribulation, they are his children none the less; bear witness unto my spirit that I am a child of God. Comfort me, especially in the hour of death, and when the help of man is vain, assure me that I shall partake of the glory which my Jesus has merited by his sufferings and death. Amen. 1. O come, most Holy Spirit,

And enter into me;

Inspire my soul, and stir it

With heavenly sympathy,

And dwell forever there.

I long to have and hold thee,

And in my arms to fold thee,

And in my breast to wear.

2. From every worldly trifle

Direct my wayward will;

Suppress in me and stifle

What thou dost not instil.—

THE BELIEVER PRAYS FOR THE SPIRIT.

I would be wholly thine—

Watch over all my wending,

My starting and my ending,

Make of my heart thy shrine

3. Yes, heart and soul must alter,

And all be sanctified;

I must not swerve nor falter

Nor wander from thy side.

Give me thy impulse strong

To look on sin with terror,

And shrink from every error

And all to thee belong.

4. I from myself will issue

When thou dost enter in;

Thy wonder-working tissue

Shall blot out all my sin.

In thee alone I have

Comfort, and firm reliance,

In which to bid defiance

To death and to the grave.

5. And when my days are ended,

And death at last draws nigh,

Thy loving hands extended,

Shall draw me up on high.

Short-lived the struggle seems,

That from the earth me severs;

The goal of my endeavors

Across my pathway gleams.

MORNING PRAYER FOR SATURDAY.

MORNING PRAYER FOR SATURDAY.

Lord, teach me that there must be an end of me, and that my life has a period, and that I must away. Strong and Almighty God! I praise thee at this early hour that thou hast so gloriously defended, so mightily protected soul and body, that no danger and no suffering can disturb me. Make my heart a temple for thyself, that I may not speak, or do, or think anything this day that is contrary to thy will. Blessed Jesus! thou who art the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, and who by thy grace hast brought me to see the last day of another week, help me to remember that soon the last week and last day of my life will have arrived, that I may spend all my remaining days and weeks in such a manner, that in the last hours of my life I may not be sorry or ashamed that I have lived. Let me spend this day also in the holy fear of thee, watch over my going out, and my coming in, bless the work of my hands, assist me in all things, and direct all my endeavors and undertakings according to thy will. I already rejoice in anticipation of the coming Sunday, when I shall rest from all my labors and cares, that thou mayest perfect the work of repentance, sanctification and grace in my soul. Amen. THE TRUE BELIEVER ACKNOWLEDGES