O LORD our God, thy glory is above all our thoughts, and thy mercy is over all thy works. We are still living monuments of thy mercy. For thou hast not cut us off in our sins, but still givest us a good hope and strong consolation thro’ grace. Thou hast sent thy only Son into the world, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish in his sins, but have everlasting life. O Lord, we believe: help our unbelief; and give us the true _repentance towards_ God, _and faith in our_ Lord Jesus Christ, that we may be in the number of those, who do indeed repent and _believe to the saving of the soul. Being justified by faith_, let us _have peace with_ God _thro’ our_ Lord Jesus Christ, let us _rejoice in him thro’ whom we have now redemption in his blood_; and let _the love of_ God _be shed abroad in our hearts, by the_ Holy Ghost _which is given unto us_.
And as we pray that thou wilt be to us a father of mercies and a God of consolation, so that thou wilt make us _followers of_ God _as dear children_, ever jealous over our hearts, and watchful over our ways; continually fearing to offend, and endeavouring to please thee. Thou knowest, O Lord, all our temptations, and the sin that doth so easily beset us. Thou knowest the devices of the enemy, and the deceitfulness of our own hearts. We pray thee, good Lord, that thou wilt arm us with the whole armour of God. Uphold us with thy free spirit, and watch over us for good evermore.
Let our supplications also ascend before thee, for the whole race of mankind. Send thy word unto all the ends of the earth, and let it be the savour of life unto all that hear it. Be gracious to this our native land. O do thou rule all our rulers, counsel all our counsellors, teach all our teachers, and order all the public affairs to thy glory. Turn from us the judgments which we feel or fear; continue thy blessings to our souls and bodies, and notwithstanding all our provocations, be thou still our God, and let us be thy people. Have compassion on all the children of affliction, and sanctify thy fatherly corrections to them. Be gracious to all our friends and neighbours. Reward our benefactors. Bless our relations with the best of thy blessings, with thy fear and love. Preserve us from our enemies, and reconcile them both to us and to thyself. O that all the habitations of Christians may be houses of prayer! And be thou especially kind to the several families where thy blessed name is called upon. Let thy blessing rest upon us of this family. Bless all our present estates to us; and fit us all for whatsoever thou shall be pleased to call us to. O teach us _how to want and how to abound_. In every condition secure our hearts to thyself; and make us ever to approve ourselves sincere and faithful in thy service.
And now, O Father of mercies, be pleased to accept our evening sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. O that thou wouldst imprint and preserve upon our hearts a lively sense of all thy kindness to us; that our souls may bless thee, and all that is within us may praise thy holy name. Yea, let us give thee thanks from the ground of the heart, and praise our God, while we have our being, for all thy patience with us, thy care over us, and thy continual mercy to us, blessed be thy name, O Lord God, our heavenly Father, and unto thee, with the Son of thy love, and Spirit of grace, be all thanks and praise, now and for evermore.
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