The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth.

He maketh wars to cease to the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear asunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.

O OUR Lord God, almighty and all-merciful, thou hearest the cry of those who are in affliction; thou knowest our frame; thou rememberest that we are but dust. O Lord our God, in the midst of life's sorrows and trials our strength is in thee. We know that sorrow springeth not from the ground, that it cometh not without thy divine command; grant us therefore, O Father, to submit to the rod, and to him who hath appointed it. Thou, Lord, dost not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men; aid us, therefore, to discern in the present and in every time of trial the beneficent end thou hast in view, that we may derive from affliction the means of amendment. Grant us that we may not be overmuch bowed down by any burden of sorrow, so as to forget that resignation to thy will, that courage, and that faith in thee, which become us as thy children, and as disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ.

May we with grateful hearts recount the blessings

we still enjoy, and if reminded of happier times in the past, look forward to the enjoyment, through thy blessing, of happiness in the future; and above all to that heavenly world, where there shall be no more sorrow nor sighing, but where the light afflictions which are but for a moment here shall work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. May the sorrows we here endure, and all the varied discipline of thy providence, aid us in our endeavors to attain that world, and the glorious resurrection from the dead.

Grant us, O Lord, ever to keep in remembrance, and place before us as the model of our conduct, that holy and divine Saviour, who though he was rich yet for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich. May we follow his example in the patience with which he endured affliction, in the firmness which resisted all temptation, the love that returned good for evil and prayers for curses, and the trust in thee which gained the victory over death.

O Lord, while we deplore outward sufferings, may we not be insensible to the sins which have deserved severer chastisement at thy hand. We lament our unworthiness, and pray that thou wouldst grant us still deeper repentance, a clearer view of our own transgressions, and a firmer purpose of heart to turn from them all. In thy mercy, O God, forgive them, and strengthen us that we may fall into them no more. Let us examine our own hearts and lives, and root out

from them every beginning of evil. Nor let us make the effort to resist temptation in our own unaided strength, but trusting to the assistance of thy heavenly grace.

O Lord, as the night has gathered round us, so do shadows and darkness veil the light of thy countenance from thy children's eyes. Yet grant us to commit ourselves calmly to rest, knowing that thou, though unseen, watchest over us. May we rise in safety with another day, consoled, refreshed and strengthened, for the duties to which it calls us. So, too, may every shadow of distress pass from us, and the light of happiness shine upon our path; and at length, when the last shade shall gather, grant us, O God, to sink submissively and peacefully to rest, and to rise accepted in the image of our God when the light of eternity shall dawn upon us. We offer these our petitions, O Lord, as a united though suffering family of thy children, in the name of thy blessed Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ, ascribing unto thee, our heavenly Father, glory and blessedness foreverAmen.

more.

XXXII.

The True Rest.

At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid

these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to babes.

Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.

All things are delivered to me by my Father; and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me: for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

BLESSED art thou, O God, our great Preserver and Benefactor, our Father in heaven. Another day closes upon us in the midst of countless mercies. Throughout its various scenes, at home and abroad, thou hast been with us in thy providential care. In every joy it has brought, in every success we have met, in every act of kindness we have experienced; in the air we have breathed, in the food which has nourished us, in the occupations which have exercised our minds and bodies, in our continued health, in the comforts and endearments of home; we acknowledge thee, and gratefully adore thy love. And above all, in the advent, mission and ministry, of thy Holy Child Jesus, our Redeemer, Saviour and Lord; in the precious revelation he has made of thee as a Father; in his great sacrifice for our sins; in all that he taught and all that he suffered, that he might bring us into living communion with thyself, save us

from the power and degradation of sin, and prepare us for death and judgment.

Hear our prayer, O God, that we may come to him who is the only true rest for our souls. Through his grace may we break the hard yoke of our passions, and leave the heavy burden of our sins, and learn of him who was meek and lowly, whose yoke is easy and whose burden is light. Weary and heavy-laden, may we find in him a peace which the world cannot give and cannot take away.

Before we lie down to rest, we would commune with thee, and with our own souls. We would lay open to thee, and examine for ourselves, our own hearts. In the review of the day, we humble ourselves before thee. Thou hast not been to us a conscious, cherished abiding presence, and therefore we have sinned. The fear of God has not always been before our eyes, and therefore we have forgotten and broken thy holy law. Truly we have done those things which we ought not to have done, and have left undone those things which we ought to have done. Forgive us, we beseech thee, for thine own mercy's sake, as thou hast promised by thy Son; and may the sweet assurance of thy pardon take possession of our hearts, and give us abiding peace. We would retire to our chambers at peace with thee, at peace with the world, at peace with our own souls.

Watch over us, O God, this night; and protect us and our habitation, and all who are dear to us, while