05. MORNING PRAYER FOR MONDAY

Let me hear thy mercy early, for I hope in thee. Show unto me the way that I shall walk, for my heart longeth for thee, holy, good and all-wise Lord! who hast created the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, and ordained that day and night should alternate,— that light should be followed by darkness, and labor by repose, that men and beasts may be refreshed. I praise and glorify thee this morning, for thy wisdom and fatherly care, that thou hast graciously heard my prayer, and hast preserved me during the past night, from sickness and every other evil, and hast cast thy protection over all that is mine! Lord! great are the mercies which thou showest to man. Thy goodness and truth extend as far as the heavens, and thy truth as far as the clouds extend. I slept, but thou didst wake; I was in the likeness of death, but thou hast permitted me again to behold the light of day. Oh my God! be thou also my helper and friend, my assistance and comforter, my refuge and almoner, to-day; let thine eyes be open over me, that under thy conduct I may undisturbed pursue my calling, and, if it be thy will, reach the evening once more unharmed. My God! let thy blessing be with me and near me in all MORNING PRAYER FOR MONDAY.

I undertake in thy name; give me thy counsel and assistance, and let me never wish for aught that is not thy will. As the sun has arisen upon the earth, so let the light of thy Holy Spirit arise in my soul, that I may spend this day in thy fear, love and obedience. Create in me a pure heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me; cast me not away from thy sight, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me; let Him lead, instruct and guide me, that I may not knowingly sin against thee this day, and if they would lead me into sin, let Him remind me of it, and deter me from it by His inward admonition. I put on my clothes, Lord Jesus! clothe me with the garb of thy righteousness. I wash my hands; Lord Jesus! wash me with thy holy blood from all sin. Guard me, that I may never "walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor sit where scoffers sit," whose friendship is thine enmity; and if I would be the world's friend, and walk in its sinful ways, thou wilt be my foe. Oh my God! impress upon my heart the words, "Walk before Me, and be thou perfect." O how many who commenced a week are in their graves when it closes! Therefore, let me always seek after sanctification, without which no one shall see God. May I cultivate pious words, blameless walk, and holy thoughts, that I may always be found to stand in grace. 4*

THE DEVOUT BELIEVER INVOKES A BLESSING.

May the grace of the Father preserve me, the love of the Son sanctify me, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost make me fruitful in all good works.

Thy blessings on me shower,

Make of my heart thy bower,

Thy word be my collation,

'Till ends my long probation. Amen.

The devout Believer commits his ways to God and invokes a blessing at the beginning of the Week.

EXHORTATION.

"Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father, by Him."—Colossians iii. 17.

If we have reason to pray at the beginning of each day, how much more reason has a true believer to lift up his heart and eyes to God, at the commencement of the new week! How many pass the Sabbath and commence the week in the enjoyment of health, who are already in their graves, before the ensuing Saturday arrives? How many have begun the week happy and blessed, but before its close, misfortune has overwhelmed them like a storm, so that they AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEK.

have ended it in anguish and woe, with wailing, weeping, and wringing of hands? This, my dear fellow-Christian, may also be your and my lot, and hence we should always turn to God at the beginning of the week.

1. The true believer must call upon God for his holy Spirit to sanctify his heart and guide it, so that he may not lapse into sin, offend God, damage his conscience, wrong his neighbor, and load a heavy responsibility upon his soul.

2. He must not forget to pray and worship God during the week, but faithfully attend meetings for prayer and spiritual improvement, not on Sunday only, but also during the week.

3. As success does not depend upon his incessant toils and over exertions, he ought constantly to think of God, and implore his blessing, and think of God when engaged at his work, and begin and end his work with prayer.

4. He must speak soberly, walk as a Christian should, have God before his eyes at all times, and remember, that one week after another is gliding away, and that his dying week will soon come, when our souls must render their accounts unto God. He who does this, may begin the week in grace and end it under God's protection, even if God should make it a week of trial for him, he will still be and remain, his help, his preserver, and his stay. THE DEVOUT BELIEVER INVOKES A BLESSING.

O thou loving and merciful God! by thy assistance I commence this new week, but I do not know what may transpire before it closes. How great adversity and misfortune may overtake me in a single day!—how much more in a whole week? Therefore at the commencement of this week, I come and commend myself wholly unto thee. Oh, my God! Grant me thy Holy Spirit, to sanctify, lead and govern me, and bear witness with my spirit, that I am a child of God. Bless thou me this week in my going out and coming in, in my daily business and occupation, and in all my steps. I lift up my eyes unto the mountains whence my help cometh; my help cometh from the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth. So thou keep me I shall not fall, so thou lead me I shall not go astray; therefore, let thy loving kindness ever attend me. Bless all that is mine, and let it flourish under thy blessing. O my God and faithful Father! protect and defend me from all harm, dangers, loss and misfortune; let me stand day and night under thy guidance and protection. Guard my house about like the house of Job, let the angels make a rampart around me and mine, then shall no mishap overwhelm us, how great soever it be. Hear my prayer when I call unto thee, and let AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEK.

me not go unheard from the throne of thy grace.

Preserve me from grievous sins, and guide me by thy truth. Keep my heart to this one thing, that I fear thy name. Grant that this week I become more pious and godly, increasing in the knowledge and love of thee, and as I leave week after week behind me, so may my inward man grow, that when the last week of my life arrives,

I may be assured of thy grace. Should this week prove a week of crosses, strengthen me by thy holy spirit, that I may bear and overcome everything by thy powerful assistance. Be thyself my help, and my preserver from all trouble.

Now I commend myself, body and soul, to thy fatherly protection, as all Christians should.

Amen, I say, forever

Believing in my soul,

God will with my endeavor

Be pleased in the whole;

Then with a lightened heart

Straight to the task I bend me

Which God was pleased to send me,

My calling and my art. Amen.

1. Week after week goes round, another and another,

Oh God! be with me still! bend o'er me like a mother!

Look on my daily toils and on my nightly care,

For 'tis my only hope that thou wilt hear my prayer.

THE TRUE BELIEVER INVOKES A TEMPORAL,

2. Oh yes, 'tis all in vain to rise at early morning,

And work till late at night, all rest and pleasure scorning;

Unless thy blessing still is with us day by day,

In everything we do, and everything we say.

3. In meekness let me spend this week most pure and lowly,

And let it be my task to praise thy name most holy

Preserve me from all sin, give me in Christ a share,

And if thy hand should smite, lend me thy strength to bear.

4. For all the mercies thou this week to me wilt tender,

To thee with all its power my spirit thanks shall render;

Oh keep me as thy child from all assaults of sin,

Until, through Jesus' blood, to heaven I enter in.

The true Believer invokes a temporal, spiritual, and eternal blessing.

EXHORTATION.

"God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him."—Psalms lxvii. 7.

Every man prays and asks something of God;

but every one should consider well how he prays and for what he asks. Oh, the prayer of most men concerns only earthly and transient things, which they often ask for to their own harm.

SPIRITUAL, AND ETERNAL BLESSING.

1. A true believer should pray for bodily health, blessing, daily bread, aversion of danger, help in need, assistance in suffering, extrication from misfortunes.

2. He should pray particularly for spiritual things, for the Holy Ghost, a pious heart, the Kingdom of God, which is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Romans xiv. 17 He prays for enlightenment, growth in good works, sanctification and the gift of the Holy Ghost, this is the most precious thing he can ask of God. 3. A true believer also prays for eternal things, that is to say, for a happy end, a peaceful departure from this life, and the much desired entrance into the life of bliss, that he may see God's face, dressed in white raiment, and that after the struggle is over, he may rejoice in God eternally. 4. He must lead a blameless Christian life, so that God may impart to him spiritual and heavenly blessings, which an unregenerate and wicked man cannot receive.

Oh, my God, so rich in grace! How great and glorious, how rich and mighty art thou, who hast all things, and canst give all things. Lo! I thy child come to thee and ask thee for thy gifts,

THE TRUE BELIEVER INVOKES A TEMPORAL, thou knowest that I have brought nothing into the world with me, that I have nothing of myself, but sin; wherefore, everything good that I have in me, cometh from thee, for all good gifts and all perfect gifts come from above; yea, what hast thou, Oh man, that thou hast not received? Oh, my God and father, make me especially rich in my soul. Give me thy Holy Ghost, give me a pious heart, convert me, enlighten me, that I may be a new man and a true Christian. Help me to struggle and to strive to conquer evil desires, renounce evil customs, separate myself from the world, and give my body and soul as an offering unto thee, which shall be living, holy, and well pleasing in thy sight. See, my God! to how many dangers and temptations I am exposed in the world, therefore, guide me by thy power, that I may not be seduced nor swerve from thee. Dwell in my soul, rule my heart, and lend me grace to become a living member of the body of my Jesus, and a new creature; then I shall be rich enough in the world, honored enough, happy enough. Have a care for me also, my gracious God and father! in earthly things, thou knowest what I need, thou seest what I lack, but give me not according to my will, but according to thy will. If health is well for me, Oh give me a hale and sound body for the better fulfilment of the duties of the SPIRITUAL, AND ETERNAL BLESSING.

station into which thou hast placed me. Give me food and raiment. Lead me in my paths, and preserve me from evil. Lay thy blessing upon my labor, for what thou dost bless, O Lord, is blessed indeed. Thou hast created me, thou wilt sustain me. I cast all my cares upon thee. Care for thy child, preserve thy child, and let me taste abundantly thy fatherly care and kindness. But as thou hast not created me for the things of this earthly life, I hope for still greater blessings. For if I had nothing to expect from thee but what I have received here, I should be the most wretched of men. Therefore, give me also thy heavenly blessings, preserve me in the faith, to my blissful end. Oh, hear the voice of my cry, and deny not the prayer of my lips. Bless, O Lord, my going forth,

Bless, O Lord, my homeward wending,

Save from hunger and from dearth

My beginning and my ending.

Bless my death with thy endurance,

Giving me of heaven assurance. Amen.

EXHORTATION FOR EVENING PRAYER ON MONDAY.

"I will both lay me down in peace and sleep; for thou, O Lord, only makest me dwell in safety."—Psalm iv. 8.

If gratitude is a fair Christian virtue, pleasing unto God and man, a true believer shall be

EXHORTATION FOR MONDAY EVENING PRAYER.

mindful of it, when God has permitted him to reach the close of day. It is to be deplored that many men suffer days, weeks, months, and even years to pass, without calling to mind what God has done for them; they enjoy the divine protection and do not even thank him therefor, think it must be so, God must thus sustain them and let them prosper. Therefore, O true believer, separate thyself from such unthankful souls. When thou hast happily passed the day under the protection and assistance of God, when the sun begins to sink, and evening approaches, lift up thine eyes to heaven with thanks and prayer. 1. Thank God that he has guarded thee from misfortune through the day, and call to mind, how many men, perhaps, have been overtaken by the greatest misfortunes on this day, whereon no harm has reached thee, how they have been laid on their beds at night, sick and in great pain, when they were fresh and hale in the morning. 2. Pray God to forgive thy sins, examine thy words and actions, if, during the day thou hast said aught against God or thy neighbor; if thou hast committed anything against thy conscience and the gospel, O then remain awake and pray God's forgiveness before thou retirest to rest. 3. Bethink thee that God may be pleased to ask thy soul of thee this night, therefore, make thy peace with God before thou close thine eyes

PRAYER FOR MONDAY EVENING.

4. Pray God for his protection, and the watch and ward of his holy angels, that they may keep all evil afar from thee.

5. And in the night, if thou chance to wake from sleep, think of God, and thank him, and thou shalt sleep soundly and sweetly in his arms, under the protection of his holy angels.

"I will both lay me down in peace and sleep; for thou, O Lord, only makest me dwell in safety." O thou Eternal and Almighty God, these are the evening thoughts with which I am about to give myself to rest this evening. O, how shall I sufficiently thank thee, that thou hast escorted me in going out and in coming in, so that I have not dashed my foot against a stone. Thou hast given me to eat and to drink, thou hast refreshed and comforted me. Thy look has preserved my breath, and through thee and thy grace I stand to this day. All these and other mercies are so many living voices to exhort me to thy praise; therefore, bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name. Bless the Lord O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Forgive me, Oh Lord! forgive me in mercy, if to-day I have not had the example of Jesus before mine eyes, if I have lost sight of thy commands, have lived after the word's ways PRAYER FOR MONDAY EVENING.

and with the world, have given free vent to the desires of my heart. If thou wert not a long suffering God, I should be no longer among the living. O Lord I repent in dust and ashes. The day is now past and gone; do thou also disperse my sins as the mist, and never more remember them. I hereby vow unto thee in true sincerity of heart, to serve thee faithfully, and to regulate my walk by thy Holy Word. Guard me this night from all persecution of the enemy, from misfortunes and from harm, and even in sleep let me still be thine. When I fall asleep, do thou thyself close my eyes. In darkness be my light; in time of need my defence. My heart recalls the word thou hast spoken, "Seek ye my face;" therefore, Lord, I seek thy face. Locked in the protection of the triune God, I shall sleep securely as Jacob, and comforted as a child on its mother's bosom. I sleep protected like Peter. Think of me, O Lord! in this darksome night, and give me mercifully the protection of thy care. I lay me down, mine eyes I close,

And gently fall asleep;

What dread could trouble my repose,

When angels vigil keep?

THANKS GOD FOR THE BLESSING OF HEALTH