AND when all the land of Egypt was

famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.

And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.

And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.-Gen. xli. 55-57.

MOST

OST merciful Father, thy power is glorious in the rich provision which thou hast made in thy providence, for supplying the wants of every living thing; but far more glorious are the manifestations of thy gracious power, in the rich, the blessed provision which thou hast made for the wants of a perishing world. Thou hast prepared a feast for all people," a feast of fat things full of marrow, and of fat, of wines in the lees well refined." Glory to God in the highest, that millions have partaken of that feast, and that generations unborn shall partake of that feast, that gospel feast, for ever and ever.

My Lord and my God, I have reason to mourn and weep that I have hungered so little after this rich feast of mercy and love. Divine Spirit, give me, an unworthy sinner, the spiritual hunger. Oh give me the spiritual thirst, that I may hunger and thirst after righteousness. May that blessing descend upon my beloved parents, and all to whom I am related by the bonds of nature and affection : Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled."

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Lord, accept my thanks for the rest, sleep, and repose of the past night. May my life, my strength, and my reason, be employed this day to thy service and glory. May I ever feel that I am not my own, that I am thine by creation, providence, and grace. Mercifully hear my feeble and imperfect prayers, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

LORD, in the name of Jesus my great High Priest, I approach thy throne, to present my evening sacrifice. With reverence I desire to adore thee, as "the righteous Lord, that loveth righteousness." Lord, make me righteous; give me the righteousness of sincerity, integrity, and uprightness. Thou art a God of truth, and without iniquity; just and righteous art thou. Oh give me the truth of real religion in the heart; let the root of the matter dwell within me. Make me faithful unto death. Thou art a faithful God: give me faith to trust in the righteousness of Jesus; give me faith to trust in all thy faithful promises.

Lord, I confess my unbelief, graciously deliver me from an evil heart of unbelief; let my faith be strong and triumphant. May I resemble Abraham, who was strong in the faith, giving glory to God.

May thy goodness and mercy, which have followed me this day, fill my heart with thankfulness and love. Give me this night the blessing of sleep and repose. When awake upon my bed, enable me to think of Jesus and his great salvation.

Fill my heart, and the hearts of my beloved parents, with increasing love to Jesus. May we bear some resemblance to the children in the Temple, who, in rapturous notes, proclaimed his praise.

Hear, answer, and forgive, for Jesus' sake. Blessing, and honour, and praise, be unto God and the Lamb, for ever.

Amen.

Now

when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?

And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.

And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.-Gen. xlii. 1—3.

BLESS'D be the Lord, that gives his flesh

To nourish dying men;

And often spreads his table fresh,

Lest we should faint again.
Our souls shall draw their heav'nly breath
While Jesus finds supplies;

Nor shall our graces sink to death,
For Jesus never dies.

Daily our mortal flesh decays,
But Christ, our life, shall come;
His unresisted pow'r shall raise
Our bodies from the tomb.

WATTS, Bk. iii. Hymn 5.

MOST merciful God and Father, thou art good and doest good con

tinually. "Thou hast not left thyself without witness in that thou doest good in giving us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons." In creation, providence, and grace, thy goodness shines brighter than the glory of the firmament.

May thy goodness, kindness, and care, which I have enjoyed during the past night, fill my heart with emotions of thankfulness and of love. May a deep sense of thy goodness stir me up this day to diligence in the discharge of every duty, and in the avoiding of every sin.

Lord, give me grace that I may be prepared for living: give me grace that I may be prepared for dying. Blessed Jesus, thou art the conqueror of death: give me a glorious victory over death and the grave; deliver me from the guilt of sin, which is the sting of death; deliver me from the fear of death; support me by thy kind arms when I may endure the pains of death. When I reach the valley and shadow of death, oh teach me to say in holy triumph, “ I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me." May I, my beloved parents, and all my relatives and friends, be instructed by thy good Spirit to look death in the face, and say, death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory ?" Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through Christ Jesus our Lord. Mercifully hear my prayers, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

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BUT what think ye? A certain man

had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.

He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him the first.-Matt. xxi. 28–31.

GOD

BLESS'D are the undefil'd in heart,

Whose ways are right and clean; Who never from thy law depart,

But fly from every sin.

Bless'd are the men that keep thy word,
And practise thy commands;
With their whole heart they seek the Lord,
And serve thee with their hands.
Great is their peace who love thy law;
How firm their souls abide!
Nor can a bold temptation draw
Their steady feet aside.

WATTS, Ps. cxix. Part 1.

OD of my salvation, at the close of another day, and of another week, I desire, with humility and sincerity of heart, to acknowledge thy loving-kindness. "Thou showest loving-kindness unto thousands." Great loving-kindness thou hast shown unto me. Praise to thy great name, that thou hast said, by thy servant the prophet, "I am the Lord, which exercise loving-kindness and judgment, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight, saith the Lord."

Thou hast made thy loving-kindness to pass before me this day. Graciously accept my feeble, humble thanks. Continue with me thy mercies this night. May I awake in peace and in health on the morning of an approaching Sabbath, to praise thee in thy sanctuary.

Lord, I confess that I have been an unprofitable servant. And, alas how often I have engaged unwillingly in thy service. Oh fill me with thy grace, then I shall give thee the obedience of a loving child, and not the obedience of an unwilling slave.

Praise to thy name that thou hast prepared a glorious heaven for thy children. By thy good Spirit may I, my dear parents, my brothers and sisters, and all I love, and all I know, be enabled to look on heaven as our home. May we believe our loving Saviour is now saying to us, In my Father's house are many mansions; I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am, there ye may be also." Graciously hear and forgive, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

APPENDIX.

Miscellaneous Prayers.

AFFLICTION.

I. FOR A MOTHER IN SICKNESS.

MOST merciful Lord God, thou art a kind and compassionate Father:

no pity in a parent's bosom can be compared with thine. "Thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth." Lord, I come to thee to supplicate thy compassion in the dark hours of the anguish of my soul. With humility I desire now to address thee in the words of the holy Psalmist, "For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee, in a time when thou mayst be found surely, in the floods of great waters, they shall not come nigh unto thee."

In thy sovereignty thou hast laid thine afflicting hand on my dearly beloved mother. Mercifully support her under all her afflictions. Fulfil in her experience that promise, "I will strengthen thee, I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Comfort my dear parent in the hour of her affliction. Enable her to say, "The Lord Jesus is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my strength, my Saviour, in whom I will trust." Lord, sanctify the affliction to my suffering mother, to my dear father, and to all the sorrowing members of our family.

If consistent with thy wise and sovereign will, mercifully restore my dear mother to health, to be a blessing to all her beloved family, and a living ornament to the Gospel of Christ. Mercifully hear these my supplications, for Jesus' sake. Amen.