O THOU _high and holy one that inhabitest eternity_. Thou art to be feared and loved by all thy servants. _All thy works praise thee_, O God; and we especially _give thanks unto thee_, for thy marvellous love in Christ Jesus, by whom thou hast _reconciled the world to thyself_. Thou hast _given us exceeding great and precious promises_. Thou hast sealed them with his blood, thou hast confirmed them by his resurrection and ascension, and the coming of the Holy Ghost. We thank thee that thou hast given us so many happy opportunities of knowing _the truth as it is in_ Jesus, even _the mystery which was hid from ages and generations_, but is now revealed to them that believe.
Blessed be thy goodness for that great consolation, and for the assistance of thy holy Spirit. Blessed be thy goodness, that we have felt it so often in our hearts, inspiring us with holy thoughts, filling us with love and joy and comfortable expectations of _the glory that shall be revealed_. We thank thee, that thou hast suffered us this day, to attend on thee in thy public service: and that we have begun in any measure, to pursue after that eternal _rest which remaineth for the people of_ God.
We offer up again our souls and bodies to thee to be governed, not by our will, but thine. O let it be ever the ease and joy of our hearts, to be under the conduct of thy unerring wisdom, to follow thy counsels, and to be ruled in all things by thy holy will. And let us never distrust thy abundant kindness and tender care over us; whatsoever it is thou wouldst have us to do, or to suffer in this world.
O God, purify our hearts, that we may intirely love thee, and rejoice in being beloved of thee; that we may confide in thee, and absolutely resign ourselves to thee, and be filled with constant devotion toward thee. O that we may never sink into a base love of any thing here below, nor be oppressed with the cares of this life; but assist us to _abhor that which is evil, and cleave to that which is good_. Let us _use this world as not abusing it_. Give us true humility of spirit, that we may _not think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think_. Keep us from being _wise in our own conceits. Let our moderation be known to all men._ Make us _kindly affectioned one to another_; to delight in doing good; to _shew all meekness to all men; to render to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour_; and to _owe no man any thing, but to love one another_. Make us so happy, that we may be able to _love our enemies, to bless those that curse us, to do good to them that hate us; to rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep_. Compose our spirits to a quiet and steady dependance on thy good providence, that we may _take no thought for our life_, nor _be careful for any thing, but by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, still make known our requests to thee our God_. And help us to _pray always and not faint; in every thing to give thanks, and offer up the sacrifice of praise continually; to rejoice in hope of thy glory; to possess our souls in patience_; and to _learn in whatsoever state we are, therewith to be content_. Make us _know both how to be abased, and how to abound: every where, and in all things_, instruct us _both to abound and to suffer want_, being enabled to _do all things through Christ which strengtheneth us_.
O that the light of all Christians did so _shine before_ men, that others might _glorify_ thee, _our Father which art in heaven! Send forth thy light and thy truth_ into all the dark corners of the earth; that _all kings may fall down before thee, and all nations do thee service_! Bless these kingdoms, and give us grace at length, to _bring forth fruits meet for repentance_. O Lord, save the king, and _establish his throne in righteousness_. Prosper the endeavours of all those who faithfully feed thy people, and increase the number of them. O that the seed which hath been sown this day, may take deep root in all our hearts; that being _not forgetful hearers, but doers of the word, we may be blessed in our deeds_. Help us in all the week following, to _set a watch before our mouth, and keep the door of our lips_. And _let not our heart incline to any evil thing_, or _to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity_. But _as we have received how we ought to walk and to please thee, so may we abound more and more_.
Protect us, we beseech thee, and all our friends every where this night, and awaken in the morning those good thoughts in our hearts, that _the words of our Saviour may abide in us, and we in him_; who hath taught us, when we pray to say, “Our Father, &c.”
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