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SATURDAY EVENING.

H. More.

In an humble acknowledgment of our manifold sins and iniquities, which we from time to time, and more especially this day, have committed against thee, both in thought, word, and deed, we now prostrate ourselves before thee, O Lord of heaven and earth, beseeching thee, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our only Lord and Saviour, to be merciful unto us. Forgive us, O Lord, that we have not rendered unto thee according to thy mercy and loving kindness; that we have been forgetful and disobedient, and have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight. Let thy Holy Spirit sanctify us throughout, and give us more and more grace and strength, whereby we may be enabled to subdue all our sinful and corrupt affections; grant that we may improve the remainder of our days with all possible care, and give all diligence to make our calling and election sure, that we may so persevere therein unto death, that at last we may attain everlasting life.

Accept our praises and thanksgivings for all thy mercies vouchsafed us in this life, and for the hopes of a better. And now that we are going to take our rest and sleep, let us consider that thou, Lord, only makest us to dwell in safety; whether we sleep or wake, live or die, let us be found thine own, to thy eternal glory, and our everlasting salvation, through Jesus Christ.

O our God, another week has just passed away, and we are still in the land of the living, while so many of our fellow creatures have passed from time into eternity. Blessed be God for the continuance of life and health, and for prolonged opportunities of preparing for death and judgment.

O gracious God, let not this continuance of mercy increase our condemnation, by encouraging us to commit sin, because hitherto thine anger has been withheld from falling upon us. Let us not treasure up wrath unto ourselves against the day of wrath; but teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Prepare us, most blessed God, by sleep and rest, to take our part in the duties of the Sabbath to-morrow. Give us that sense of sin which leads to a full confes

and private means of grace, as to advance our mee for the service of that eternal Sabbath that rema for the people of God; through the merit and m tion of Jesus Christ.

Our Father, &c.

LAST EVENING OF THE OLD YEAR.

Jay.

O GOD, thou hast been our refuge and dwelling place in all generations; before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. A thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night. But as for man, his days are as grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth; for the wind passeth over it, and it is gone, and the place thereof knoweth it no more.

We appear before thee, to close in thy presence, another of the revolutions of our fleeting existence; earnestly praying that the season may not pass away, without suitable and serious reflections. We know that our life is a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away; we know the frailty of our frame, and the numberless diseases and disasters to which we are exposed-so teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

What numbers of our fellow creatures have, during the past year, been carried down to their long homebut we have been preserved; and are living to praise thee this day. Blessed be the God of salvation, to whom belong the issues from death, that we are yet in the regions of hope, that we have yet an accepted time, and a day of salvation; and that our opportunity of doing good, as well as of gaining good, are still prolonged. Thou hast commanded us to remember all the way,

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structive and useful in their results.

Thou hast not dealt with us after our sins, nei hast thou rewarded us according to our iniquities.

But O what a series of bounties and blessings, pre themselves to our minds, when we look back upon year through which we have passed: and to what, b thine unmerited goodness in the Son of thy love, ar indebted for all. Health, strength, food, raiment, dence, friends, relations, comfort, pleasure, hope, fulness, all our benefits have dropped from thy cious hand; and there has not been a day, or an h or a moment, but has published thy kindness and

care.

Especially would we acknowledge thy goodness continuing to us the means of grace. Whatever been denied us, we have had the provisions of thy ho The toils and trials of the week, have been refres and relieved by the delights of the Sabbath. Our have seen our teachers. Our ears have heard the jo sound of the gospel; and our hearts have often s Lord, it is good for us to be here.

*And we especially praise thy name, O thou Go grace, for all the success which has attended the me of grace. We thank thee that thy Holy Spirit has b sent down upon thy churches. We praise thee that grace has been imparted to any to comfort the disc solate; to strengthen the feeble; to support the dy We bless thee that the preached gospel has been tended with success; and that the reviving influence thy Holy Spirit have been felt in our land. We th thee for all the mild and benignant influences of holy religion upon the nation amid whom we live; that the inestimable blessings of liberty, peace, pros rity, and education, are still continued with us. A

quitals of thy goodness. To thee, O Lord, belong glory and honour, but to us shame and confusion of face. O, who can understand his errors. O how many duties have we neglected or improperly performed. How little have we redeemed our time, or improved our talents. How little have we been alive to thy glory, or sought, or even seized, when presented, opportunities of serving our generation. How unprofited have we been under the richest means of religious prosperity-and, when for the time we ought to be able to teach others, we need to be again taught ourselves, what are the first principles of the oracles of God.

God, be merciful to us sinners. Pardon our iniquity, for it is great. Cleanse us from all unrighteousness; and work in us to will and to do of thy good pleasure. Let us not carry one of our old sins with us into the new year-unforgiven-unrepented of-unbewailedunabhorred. With a new portion of time, may we have new hearts; and become new creatures.

If this coming year we should die—and in the midst of life we are in death-may death prove our eternal gain: and if our days are prolonged, may we walk before the Lord in the land of the living, and show forth all thy praise. The number of our months is with thee. In thy hand our breath is, and thine are all our ways. Prepare us for all: and be with us in all: and bring us safely through all, into the rest that remains for thy people; for the sake of our Lord and Saviour; in whose words we call thee, Our Father, &c. Amen.

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