FOR
FAMILIES
AND PRIVATE PERSONS,
UPON VARIOUS SUBJECTS AND OCCASIONS
In which all the Prayers are so arranged, that when any one is
too long to be used without inconvenience, it may be shortened by
leaving out some of the paragraphs: and this may be done without
injury to the connection.
TO WHICH ARE ADDED,
GRACES FOR YOUNG PERSONS.
GLASGOW:
PRINTED FOR THE BOOKSELLERS.
PRAYER-BOOK.
The following admonition read occasionally before Family-worship,
is very proper to produce seriousness of mind, and to keep up a
godly jealousy, lest hypocrisy and formality should render this
important duty of no use.
My Friends and Fellow-Christians,
We, dust and ashes, are assembled to speak unto the holy Lord God
of heaven and earth, our Maker and our Judge, who deserves from us
all possible reverence whenever we presume to call upon Him. We are
going to pray to that God who strictly charges us to take heed that
we draw not nigh to him with our lips, whilst our hearts are far
from him--to that God who is of purer eyes to regard our services
without the meditation of the Holy One and the Just, who died for
our sins, but hath promised to give us whatever we shall ask of him
in his name, and to perform all our petitions.
Now, therefore, let us lift up our hearts to him that he may fill
us with reverence and godly fear, with sincerity and lowliness of
mind, with lively faith in the blood and prevailing intercession
of Jesus, and with assurance that we shall receive whatever we
ask according to his will. With these holy dispositions we should
always desire to bow down our knees before God.
A FAMILY MORNING PRAYER.
O Thou, Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and God of glory, who
hast so loved the world as to give thy only-begotten Son, to
the end, that all who believe in him should not perish but have
everlasting life, mercifully regard us merciful sinners. Thou seest
how slow of heart we are to believe the record thou hast given of
thy Son. Though we read of his glory, how little does it affect us!
Though he has a name which is above every name in heaven or earth,
how little affiance do we feel in him! or consolation from all that
he hath done and suffered!
Have compassion upon us, O Lord, and help us. Give us what thou
hast most graciously promised, the Spirit of truth to open our
understanding, that we may understand the things which are spoken
of thy Son in the scriptures. O give us the spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge of him; of his person and his office;
of his love and power towards all that hear his voice and follow
him; that so we may abound in clear, magnificent, and endearing
thoughts of Jesus Christ the Lord; that he may be no less precious
to us than he was to the glorious company of the Apostles, and the
noble army of the martyrs. Thou, O God, hast declared that thy Son
shall be exalted and extolled, and shall be very high. Help us,
we earnestly pray thee, to give him the honour day by day, more
perfectly. Enable us to comprehend with all saints the immeasurable
extent of his love; the breadth and length, the height and depth
thereof.
We beg this of thee, O our God, in order that we may have our
affections raised up to heaven, where Christ sitteth on thy right
hand; that we may grow more dead to the world, and walk more
becoming our Christian character: that we may be enriched as much
as possible with light and grace, joy and peace in this present
life; and to shew forth the praise of Him who hath called us out of
darkness into marvellous light.
We beseech thee, that the excellency of our knowledge of Christ
may be evidenced to others, by our adding day by day to our faith
a noble Christian courage, in defence of his truth, honour, and
government: by a constant victory over our corrupt affections;
by a moderate use of all lawful comforts; by a meek and quiet
spirit under all our trials, and by resignation to the will of our
heavenly Father.
Grant, O Lord, that our knowledge of the redemption that is in
Jesus may work effectually this day upon our hearts. Let the
Saviour’s love to us be the pattern of ours to all that are round
about us; let it make us zealous to embrace all opportunities
of ministering to the happiness of one another. If we cannot
assist the needy by our alms, or protect the oppressed by our
power, O let us diligently exercise love, in abstaining from all
uncharitableness of speech, from all forwardness and evil tempers:
let us look upon the failings of others with pity, as if they were
our own: make us kind and tender hearted, forbearing and forgiving
all, as thou, for Christ’s sake, hast forgiven us. Banish from
our dwelling all variance, whisperings, heart-burnings, and evil
surmisings. Let peace and gentleness, meekness and goodness, be
exercised by all of us one towards another, and the only contention
in our family be this, who shall conform most to the will of God,
by abounding in brotherly kindness and fervent charity. Thou, O
God, that makest men to be of one mind that dwell together, inspire
us with a spirit of concord, and harmonize all our naturally
selfish tempers. O let this benefit at least be found from our
family-devotion, that we may agree better together, and live more
in peace and quietness, than those who call not upon thee; who lie
down and rise up like the herd of the stall, never saying, Where is
God the Maker!
Continue, we beseech thee, if it seemeth good to thee, the voice of
health and strength amongst us, and the favour of thy prosperous
providence; but give us grace to expect and to be ready for a
change. And, as in a day, nay, in an hour, our prosperity may
be turned by thee into deep affliction, our health into pining
sickness, our ease into tormenting pain, and our life into death.
O Lord God, establish us in Christ Jesus, and give the earnest of
thy spirit in our hearts, that, whatever we are called to suffer,
we may not be afraid with any amazement, but bear our cross
cheerfully, to the edification of those around us.
Comfort and protect continually all our near relations and dear
friends. Sanctify to them their present circumstances whatever they
are. May they mind the things of the Spirit, and never be deluded
by things of time and sense. Be their guide through life, and at
death give them admission into thy kingdom and glory.
Promote, O God, the peace and welfare of this our country. Let
thy servant, our most gracious King, be continually, guided by
thy counsel, and reign over us in righteousness. May he and his
Ministers with unwearied labour, seek to promote thy glory and his
people’s good.
Free and relieve all who are distressed or oppressed; regard their
hearts, bear their sighs and make them to see their sin in their
suffering, to humble themselves under thy hand, and find that it is
good for them to be afflicted. Bless our enemies; do good to them
who hate us; and ever enable us to return good-will for evil.
Accept our praises for our continued preservation by thy goodness,
who has first brought us into being; for sleep upon our beds, for
the return of the day after the shades of darkness, for the use
of our reason, the comfort of this opportunity of worshipping
thy name, and above all, for the light of life, the Son of
Righteousness, Christ Jesus; for whom, with all that is within us,
we should bless thy name; in whom we command ourselves and our
services to thee; and to whom, with thyself and the Holy Ghost, one
God over all, be all honour and praise, love and obedience, for
evermore.
Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom
come. Thy will be done on 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, and the power, and
the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
A FAMILY EVENING PRAYER.
Blessed and holy Lord God, who didst make all things by thy power,
who rulest all things by thy providence, and fillest all things by
thy presence, we, thy unworthy creatures, beseech thee to fill our
hearts with an awful sense of thee, and with humility, sincerity,
and faith in Christ in our approaches to thee.
We thankfully acknowledge our absolute dependence upon thee;
for our lives, and all the comforts of them, we are indebted to
thy bounty. Thy hands have fashioned us in the womb, brought us
into this world, and ever since we saw the light, filled us with
variety of good. We adore thy sparing mercy. Justly mightest thou
have brought upon us all the curses written in the book of thy
law against thy transgressors: and had thy ways been as our ways,
and thy thoughts like our thoughts towards our enemies, we had
long since been past the power of offering to thee our thanks and
praise, beyond the benefit of prayer, or the hope of pardon.
We confess, O Lord, we have been transgressors of thy law, in
thought, word, and deed. We are chargeable with the workings
and defilements of pride and hypocrisy, of uncharitableness and
sensuality of self-love, and worldliness of heart, notwithstanding
all the methods thou hast taken to heal these diseases of our
souls. We have sinned against the clear revelation of thy will,
and the strongest obligations binding us to comply with it. We
have sinned against thy most inviting promises, and thy most
dreadful threatenings: against the frequent warnings of thy Word,
the renewed motions and powerful convictions of thy Spirit, and
the precious blood of Christ. We have sinned against the light of
our understanding, against promises and purposes of obedience, and
against the strongest remonstrances of our own conscienses.
O God, we cannot recount the number of our sins, nor fully set in
order all their aggravations. We should not therefore presume to
ask for thy pardoning mercy, if we do not trust that thy Spirit has
created within us a holy mourning for all our wickedness, and for
that corruption of our nature, from whence as their fountain, all
these poisonous streams have flowed. O humble us effectually, and
place before us all the detestable qualities which meet together
in every act of sin, that injustice and contempt towards thee,
that rebellion and ingratitude which prevail in it. And oh! most
merciful Father, speak peace to our souls, weary and heavy laden
with guilt, through the death and sufferings of thy dear Son, and
for the sake of his precious sacrifice, avert the punishment from
us. Increase in us the faith whereby we only can be justified, and
have peace with thee, through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Accompany thy pardoning mercy with thy purifying grace. Help us,
O Father, thou God of all power and might, to put of the old
man, which is corrupt, according to the deceitful lusts, and to
put on the new man which is created after thine own image, in
righteousness and true holiness. Give us a new heart and put
within us a new spirit. O grant us a mind weaned from the pomps
and pleasures, the profits and honours, and all the transitory
enjoyments of the flesh; but hungering and thirsting after
righteousness. Prevent us by thy grace, that we may never more
commit sin with the deceitful hope of gaining advantage by it.
Impress us continually with the conviction, that the gaining of the
whole world can be of no recompense for the loss of the soul.
O let that solemn account we must ere long give, when the throne
shall be set, the books be opened, and the dead, small, and great,
stand before God, influence the whole course of our lives; O let
us so believe and so obey, that when Christ shall come in the
clouds with power and great glory, we may then cry out in holy
raptures. Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will
save us! This is the Lord, we will be glad and rejoice in his
salvation!
In thy merciful protection, O God, we humbly commit ourselves, our
dear friends and relations this night. The darkness is no darkness
with thee, but the night is as clear as the day. Defend, we beseech
thee, our persons, our dwellings, and our possessions. Refresh us
with sweet sleep; and with the health and strength of our bodies,
and the vigour of our minds, let us serve thee all our days, till
through the gate of death we enter into that blessed kingdom, where
there is no night; where we all receive the end of our faith, even
the salvation of our souls, through Jesus Christ; in dependence
upon whose righteousness and intercession we farther pray: Our
Father, &c.
FOR THE LORD’S DAY MORNING.
Thanks be unto thee, O most merciful and gracious God, for having
devoted this day to thy service. Never can we sufficiently express
the obligations we owe thee for this stated season of rest from
labour; for this delightful opportunity afforded us of imitating
the heavenly host, whilst we assemble ourselves with one heart
and voice to glorify thee, O God, our heavenly Father; and thee O
Christ, our Advocate, Righteousness, and Life; and thee, O eternal
Spirit, the Comforter and Sanctifier of the Church of God.
We praise thee, who instead of loathing our persons for our
sinful pride and stubborn forgetfulness of thee, hast taken the
most effectual methods to teach us the knowledge and plant in us
the love of thy name. We praise thee that thou hast commanded
us to make, on this day, public confession of our guilt, and of
thy hatred of sin; of our disobedience and the riches of thy
forbearance towards us; of our weakness, depravity, and need of
thy perpetual grace to help us. We praise thee for commanding us
to make public intercession for all sorts and conditions of men,
in order that our hearts may be the more enlarged towards them,
and our hands the more ready to minister to their necessities. We
praise thee for this opportunity of hearing thy holy scripture,
which is profitable for our reproof, for our correction, and for
our instruction in righteousness.
We bless thee that we have our habitation fixed in the land of
liberty, under the bright beams of thy glorious gospel; that we can
worship thee according to our conscience, no one making us afraid;
that we are not required to pay adoration to those who by nature
are not gods, nor compelled to bow down at the altar of idols. We
praise thee that we are in health and strength to use the sacred
opportunity of going with the multitude that keep thy holy day,
into the house where thou hast recorded thy name, and promised to
meet and bless us. How amiable are thy dwellings, O Lord of hosts;
one day employed in them is better than a thousand engrossed by the
business of the world.
We praise thee also for passing by all the provocations and insults
which we have offered unto thee by abusing and profaning this holy
day, by our detestable presumption in compassing thee about with
deceit and lies. O how often have we rushed into the courts of thy
house without meditation, without prayer, without any desire to
worship thee with an holy worship! how often have we dissembled and
pretend to give thee glory, when we were yet living in our sins,
making thee angry with us every day, and casting thy law behind us!
O, our God, let the time past suffice for us to have entered
into thy courts thoughtless and unhumbled, self-satisfied, and
self-sufficient. Now teach us effectually to reverence thy
sanctuary: make us feel awful conceptions of the God with whom we
have to do, and of the infinite importance of the holy exercises in
which we are going to engage. Thou knowest our souls cleave to the
very dust of the ground. O send thy quickening Spirit to raise our
thoughts and desires up to thee in every part of thy holy worship.
Shield us on every side from the flesh, the world, and the devil,
that they may have no power to fill us with sinful distractions,
and make us absent in spirit while we are presenting our bodies in
thy temple.
While we confess our guilt, open thou our understanding, we
beseech thee, that we may understand all the aggravations of our
wickedness. Call back to remembrance whatever at any time has made
us appear most vile in our own eyes, that we may now feel a godly
sorrow, and be really ashamed and confounded at the sight of our
iniquity.--Accompany, we beseech thee, the reading of thy most holy
word with the power of thy own Spirit, that so the practice of thy
saints, and thy peculiar favour towards them, may stir us up to
be diligent followers of their examples: that we may receive the
strong consolation from thy promises, which in Christ Jesus are all
sure and infallibly certain, and, by hearing the gospel proclaimed,
attain to clearer views of thy great salvation. When we are
offering up our intercession to thee, give us to feel tenderness of
heart, melting pity towards all our fellow creatures in distress,
and very fervently desire that thou wouldst immediately appear
for their relief. When we ask for mercy and forgiveness, strength
and holiness of heart, may we ask with an earnestness suited to
the value of these gifts, and with a strong conviction of our
unavoidable misery, if our suit is rejected.
When we join in giving thanks unto thy name, O make all thy
goodness to pass before us. Excite in us such a lively remembrance
of the multitude of thy mercies towards us, as shall fill our souls
as it were with marrow and fatness, whilst our mouths are praising
thee with joyful lips.--From the beginning to the conclusion of
the service of thy sanctuary, by the perpetual influence of thy
free Spirit, do thou uphold us, that we may be satisfied with
the pleasures of thy house, and offer to thee a pure offering in
righteousness.
And, as thou, O Lord, hast ordained that the people should seek thy
law at the mouth of thy ministers, do thou fill them with knowledge
and sound doctrine; that they may preach not themselves, but Christ
Jesus, the Lord. Under their instructions delivered according to
thy will, may our ignorance be dispelled, our slothful hearts
quickened, our fears removed, our hope encouraged, and our souls
established in grace.
Finally, we beseech thee, O God, to incline our hearts to sanctify
this whole day. Make it our delight to employ our time in reading
thy word, in meditation and privacy, not yielding to the sinfulness
of our hearts, or the custom of the world, in speaking our own
words, in thinking our own thoughts, and finding our own pleasure
on thy holy day. And grant us grace so to use this day of rest
and of public worship in this life that we may none of us fail of
having a part in the everlasting adoration, praise, and love of thy
name in the life to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A FAMILY PRAYER ON THE EVENING OF THE LORD’S DAY.
O Lord, thou art great, wonderful, and holy. Thou art exalted far
above all blessing and praise which can ever be afforded to thee
by the angels of light; yet such is thy condescending mercy, that
the door of thy house has been open this day to us, vile dust and
miserable sinners. We have been waiting on thee in the ordinances
of thy own appointment; and as we implore the comfort and help of
thy spirit before we present ourselves in thy courts, so now, as
becometh us in bounded duty, we desire to return thee our most
hearty thanks and praise, if we have found any deliverance from the
hardness, unbelief, distraction, and deceitfulness of our depraved
hearts, whilst we were offering our vows unto thee.
Not unto us, but to the influence of thy Spirit be the praise, if
we have confessed our sins this day with any self-loathing, and
being melted into contrition for our offences; if the forbearance
thou hast shown towards us, and thy tender pity in sparing us
though so richly deserving damnation, have been sensible to our
hearts, whilst we were accusing ourselves before thee. We praise
thee if we have sanctified this day, and our holy services in it,
to the honour of our Lord Jesus Christ, by looking only to the
virtue of his atonement for the remission of our sins. We bless
thee if we have found thy word sweet unto us, and the increasing
discovery of thy love delightful to our hearts; if we have been
filled with faith, and experience in our hearts the Spirit of
Grace, of prayer and supplication; so that instead of saying, When
will the Sabbath be gone, that we may buy and sell and get gain?
we have found the spiritual provisions of thy house a feast indeed
to our souls. We thank thee if thy word preached hath searched us,
making any hidden corruption; if it has been for our edification,
exhortation, and comfort in Christ Jesus. We thank thee, if it has
been a pleasant and joyful thing to us to be thankful, to speak
good of thy name, and to declare thy goodness towards the children
of men.
Lord, increase and stir up within us evermore devote affections
when we call upon thee: and in whatsoever we have displeased thee
this day, O do thou pardon us. Overlook what has been wanting,
forgive what has been amiss, though we are too blind ourselves to
perceive it. There is iniquity in our most holy offering. Purge
away, we beseech thee, the defilement of them in the fountain
opened for sin and for uncleanness. Accept our devotions at the
hands of our faithful and merciful High-priest, and may our
sacrifices be perfumed with the sweet incense of his merits.
For his sake fulfil all the requests we have this day made known
unto thee. O give us strength and power to live more according
to thy will, in all righteousness and holiness. Let the benefit
and success of our public worship be manifested in our whole
deportment; and the influence of the good impressions made upon us
in thy house, appear in our sincere love both to God and man, in
our abhoring all that is evil, and cleaving to that which is good.
Let every heavenly and Christian temper we have this day requested
shine in our conversation, and our lives be a transcript of the
graces we ask in our prayers. May we return again to our respective
employments armed with the whole armour of God, and determined
in nothing wilfully to offend thee. May thy praise and love, thy
power and glory, and the mightiness of thy kingdom, be much in our
thoughts, till at length we are brought to that everlasting sabbath
where we shall no more need the use of these means; no more behold
thee our God at a distance, and through ordinances darkly, but see
thee face to face, and know thee even as we are known.
We desire now particularly to recommend to thy mercy all who are
united to us by the ties of kindred or special friendship. Let none
of them slightly estimate this holy day, or blindly think it enough
to be merely present at the assemblies of thy people. May they ever
worship thee in spirit and truth, and esteem this day their delight.
We beg thy mercy upon all those nations which yet sit in darkness
and the shadow of death, that the Sun of Righteousness may arise
upon them to guide their feet into the way of peace. O hasten the
time, when all thou hast promised concerning the church in the last
days shall be accomplished; bring in the fulness of the Gentiles,
and let all Israel be saved. Revive and cause to flourish in all
places upon earth pure and undefiled religion. Let the power of
godliness prevail, and daily obtain victory over the formality and
hypocrisy of mere nominal Christians.
Particularly we recommend to thy protection and tenderest care, the
kingdom in which we dwell. We entreat thee to direct, sanctify, and
govern the heart of our Sovereign Lord, the King. Prosper all his
counsels for the good of his subjects. May he live dear to thee,
beloved of his people, and receive at thy hands, after death,
a crown of glory. Bless the Royal Family, and all that are in
authority over us.
Take us this night, O our God, under thy protection. Watch over
us whilst we sleep; if we wake in the night season, may our
meditation of thee be sweet and our souls be glad in the Lord. If
we are spared to see the light of the returning day, may we rise
from our beds to give all diligence to walk before thee to all
well-pleasing.--And whether we wake or sleep, live or die, may we
be the Lord’s. To him, with thee, O Father, and the Holy Ghost,
be ascribed, as most due, everlasting praise, might, majesty, and
dominion.
A PRAYER TO BE USED WHEN ANY MEMBER OF THE FAMILY IS SICK.
Either entire as a Morning or evening Prayer for the Family or
occasionally with some of the Family, or in part, paragraphs,
selected from it being added to the usual family devotions.