I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. _Evening Prayers before going to bed_. OUR Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name: Thy kingdom come: Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven: Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us: and lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. * * * * * ALMIGHTY God, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy name, through Christ our Lord. Amen. * * * * * LIGHTEN our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night, for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen. * * * * * After this private domestic duty to Almighty God, morning and evening, I should hope with such preparations, no one will be deficient in public duty every revolving Sabbath in God’s holy church, to enable him to become as perfect a Christian as possible on earth; for private prayer is only one part of a Christian’s duty; to which must be added, public devotion, praise, gratitude, and thanksgiving, for daily benefits received from Almighty God, on the sacred Sabbath. Private prayer without public devotion is imperfect, like faith without works of charity, benevolence, and Christian love will not complete the true disciple of our Lord, like unto St. John; but an union of faith and good works daily practised will plead for mercy, and a resurrection from the dead to endless happiness. Our excellent church requires three necessary offices to be observed, besides public worship, as preparatory to our Saviour’s interference for miserable sinners:—Baptism, Confirmation, receiving the holy Sacrament frequently, particularly on the sacred days which have a preface appointed to be read in the communion service, which are on the nativity of Christ, or Christmas-day, Easter-day, Whit-Sunday, Ascension-day, Trinity-Sunday. Our blessed Saviour was born in a manger, on Christmas-day, to teach mankind humility; suffered death on the cross, on Good Friday, to teach patience and resignation in affliction, troubles, and death; rose again the third day from the dead on Easter Sunday, convincing all the world he had conquered sin and wickedness. On Ascension-day, after his most glorious resurrection from the dead, he manifestly appeared to his Apostles; and in their sight, he ascended up into Heaven to prepare a place for faithful Christians.