Morning-Prayer FOR A FAMILY.
I.

EVER-Blessed Lord God, the God that hearest Prayers, and therefore should all Flesh come unto thee ^a; Thou who hast pro­mised that where two or three are met together in thy Name, there thou wilt be in the midst of them ^b: We thy poor and unworthy Ser­vants, who are less than the least of all thy Mercies ^c, desire in all Hu­mility to offer up unto thee this our Morning-Sacrifice of Praise and [Page 2] Thanksgiving; we acknowledge, O Lord, that it is of thy Mercies that we are not consumed, because thy Compassions fail not, they are new every Morning ^d. Thou hast not dealt with us after our Sins, nor rewarded us according to our Iniquities ^e: But thou hast spared us according to the greatness of thy Mercy ^f, and kept us unto this present Moment: In thee we live and move and have our Being ^g, with all the comforts there­of: Thou, O Lord, hast preserved us from the dangers of the Night past, whereas we might have slept the Sleep of Death ^h; and thou hast raised us up to the Light of another Day, to walk before thee in the Land of the Living ⁱ. What have we, O Lord, which we have not receiv'd of thee ^k? The Mercies of this Life, the means of Grace, and the Helps and Advantages for that better Life which is to come; they are all from thee: And by these Mercies we should have been perswaded to offer up our [Page 3] selves a Living Sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto thee, O God, which is our reasonable Service ^l.

II.

BUT we confess, O Lord, that we have not rendered unto thee ac­cording to what we have received from thee ^a: We have been unthank­ful, and have not glorified thee as God ^b.

We confess, O Lord, we have sin­ned against thy Law written in our Hearts ^c, and against the Light shi­ning in our Consciences.

We have sinned against thy righ­teous Law, declared in thy Holy Word; whereas thy Word should have been a Lamp unto our Feet, and a Light unto our Paths ^d.

[Page 4]We have sinned against the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ ^e, against the Precepts and Promises of the Gospel; nor have we walked a­greeably to that excellent Pattern of Holiness shining out therein, even the Life of Christ, who left us an Example, that we should follow his Steps ^f.

We have sinned, O Lord, against thy Mercies, and against thy Judg­ments and Corrections; against the Motions of thy Holy Spirit; against Purposes and Promises of better Ser­vice and Obedience.

Father, we have sinned against Heaven and in thy Sight, and have made our selves unworthy to be cal­led thy Children ^g: And therefore to us belongeth nothing but shame and confusion ^h of Face, and the Wrath to come ⁱ.

III.

BUT there is forgiveness with thee, O Lord ^a. To the Lord our God belong Mercies and Forgive­nesses, though we have rebelled a­gainst him ^b. Thou hast declared thy self in thy Word to be the Lord, the Lord God, merciful, gracious, and long-suffering; forgiving Iniqui­ty, Transgression and Sin ^c; not wil­ling that any should perish, but that all should come to Repentance ^d: Thou willest not the Death of Sin­ners, but hadst rather they should turn from their evil Ways and live ^e: Thou didst so love the World, that thou gavest thine onely-begotten Son Jesus Christ; that whosoever be­lieveth in him should not perish, but have everlasting Life ^f: Thou didst send thy Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins, that we might live through him ^g.

IV.

GOOD Lord, give us such a sight and sense of our Sins, as may beget in us an holy hatred of them, and that godly sorrow for them which worketh Repentance not to be repen­ted of ^a. Give us therefore to repent and turn to God, and do Works meet for repentance ^b; and by repentance fit us for remission and pardon of sin. Lord, help our Unbelief ^c, and en­able us by Faith to receive Christ as Prophet, Priest and King. Make us willing to be taught by him, and to obey him in all things ^d. Enable us by Faith to embrace the Promises, and obey the Precepts of the Gospel. Bless us, O Lord, with all spiritual Blessings in Christ ^e. Bless us in for­giving our Iniquities ^f; and bless us in turning every one of us from our Iniquities ^g. Wash us in the Blood of Jesus Christ, that Lamb of God which taketh away the Sins of the [Page 7] World ^h; and purge our Consciences from dead Works to serve thee the living God ⁱ.

V.

AND let thy Holy Spirit sancti­fie us wholly and throughout, in Spi­rit, Soul and Body ^a. Let our Minds and Hearts be renewed more and more; that being transformed by the renewing of our Minds, we may prove what is that good and accept­able and perfect Will of God ^b; that we may be enabled to know it as we ought to know ^c, and delight to do thy Will, O our God: And let thy Law be within our Hearts ^d.

Give us so to know Christ and his Life, that he may be formed in our Hearts ^e, and that he may live in us ^f; that the same Mind may be in [Page 8] us which was in Christ ^g, and that we may be in the World as he was in the World ^h.

Give us so to know Christ and his Death and Sufferings, that we may be made conformable to his Death ⁱ; that we may feel the Virtue and Power of the Cross of Christ within us, in being crucified to the World, and having the World crucified unto us ^k; in crucifying the Flesh, with the Affections and Lusts thereof ^l; that the Body of Sin may be destroy'd, and that henceforth we may not serve Sin, nor obey it in the Lusts thereof ^m.

Give us so to know Christ and the Power of his Resurrection ⁿ, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the Glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life ^o, and may mind and seek those things that are above, where Christ sitteth at the right-hand of God ^p.

[Page 9]Let the Love of Christ constrain us, his Love in dying for us; and let us not live unto our selves, but unto him which died for us, and rose again ^q.

Enable us to walk worthy of the Gospel and the Grace of God; and, as we are taught thereby, to deny all Ungodliness and worldly Lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and god­lily in this present World ^r.

Help us, O Lord, to consider our selves to be but Strangers and Pil­grims here on Earth ^s, and to behave our selves as those that seek and de­sire a better Country, that is, an Hea­venly ^t. Let our Affections and Con­versations be in Heaven ^u, and make us meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in light ^w.

Give us, O Lord, to consider our latter end ^x, and to prepare for it; and to work out our own Salvation with fear and trembling ^y. So teach us to number our Days, that we [Page 10] may apply our Hearts unto Wis­dom ^z.

VI.

KEEP and deliver us, O Lord, from the Lusts of the Flesh, the Lusts of the Eye, and the Pride of Life ^a; that no Temptation of worldly Plea­sure, Profit, or Honour, may pre­vail over us: And enable us by thy Grace, to live a Life of Purity and Chastity, a Life of Temperance and Sobriety, a Life of Humility and Self-denial; help us to deny our selves, and to take up our Cross and follow Christ ^b.

Keep and deliver us, O Lord, from all worldly Cares and Fears, from all discontent with our own estate, from [Page 11] all distrust of Providence: And help us to sanctify thee in our Hearts, to make thee our fear and our dread ^c; help us to cast our Care and Burden upon thee ^d, to commit our selves unto thee in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator ^e. Prepare us for all disposals of thy Providence, and make all Things work together for good unto us ^f.

Keep and deliver us from the temptations either of Prosperity or Adversity; that in fulness and pro­sperity our Hearts may not be lift­ed up and forget the Lord our God ^g; that in Adversity and time of Trial we may not forsake thee, nor mur­mur and repine against thee: But enable us to possess our Souls in Pa­tience ^h, and to endure unto the end ⁱ: Make us to know both how to be abased, and how to abound, to do all Things, or to suffer all Things through Christ strengthening us ^k.

Deliver us from all coveting, en­vying and grieving at the Good of [Page 12] others, or from rejoicing at their Evils and Sufferings: And enable us to be content with our own Estate and Condition ^l, and to love our Neighbour as our selves, and to do to others as we would they should do to us ^m.

Deliver us from all bitterness, wrath and anger ⁿ, from all hatred and malice and desire of revenge: And give us to put on Bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of Mind, meekness, long-suffering ^o; not rendring evil for evil unto any ^p, but over-coming evil with good ^q.

Keep and deliver us, O Lord, from the wrath and craft of Satan and his wicked Instruments: Make us so­ber and watchful ^r against temp­tations: Make us strong in the Power of thy might, that we put­ting on the whole Armour of God, may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil ^s. Thy Grace is sufficient for us ^t; give us the vi­ctory over Satan, the World, and [Page 13] the Flesh, and all those Lusts that would war against our Souls ^u.

Deliver us from all Blindness of Mind ^w, and from all Hardness of Heart ^x: And give us a right Un­derstanding in all things ^y. Enligh­ten thou the Eyes of our Mind ^z, and give us an Heart of Flesh ^aa: Put thy Laws into our Hearts, and write them in our Minds ^bb; and put thy Fear into our Hearts, that we may not depart from thee ^cc.

VII.

AND now, O Lord, who hast brought us to see the Light of ano­ther Day, lift thou up the light of thy [Page 14] Countenance upon us ^a, and watch over us for good ^b; keep and pre­serve us this Day from all Evil ^c, from all Sin and Danger. Thou hast been our Helper, leave us not, nor forsake us, O God of our Salvation ^d. Preserve our going out and our com­ing in from this time forth and for evermore. ^e.

Direct our Thoughts, our Words and Ways, that we may walk wor­thy of the Lord unto all pleasing ^f. Give us Grace to walk circumspect­ly, redeeming the time, because the Days are evil ^g. Enable us to keep our selves unspotted from the World ^h. and herein to exercise our selves to have always a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward Men ⁱ.

Bless us in our Callings, in all law­ful Endeavours and Employments.

Bless all that belong to us.

Bless all that are nearly related to us; let them be near unto thee, and find favour in thy sight. Be thou [Page 15] their Refuge and Strength, a very present help in trouble ^k. Let them obtain Mercy, and find Grace to help in time of need ^l.

VIII.

NEITHER are we mindful of our selves alone; but we beseech thee that thou would'st manifest thy Goodness and thy Power through­out the World.

Have mercy upon the Jews and all other Infidels. Bring in both Jews and Gentiles, that there may be one fold, as there is one Shepherd the Lord Jesus Christ, that good Shepherd ^a who laid down his life for the Sheep ^b.

Give grace unto all those Nations that name the Name of Christ, to depart from all Iniquity ^c, and so [Page 16] to live as becomes the Gospel of Christ ^d.

Purge and purify all Christian Churches from all corruption of Do­ctrine and Life; and let the Do­ctrine and Truth which is accor­ding to Godliness ^e, prevail more and more in the World against the spirit of Error ^f and all false Doctrine whatsoever.

Bless the Protestant reformed Chur­ches with Peace among themselves ^g, Sanctify them through thy Truth ^h, make them sound and stedfast in the Faith ¹⁰⁷, Defend and deliver them from the Oppressions of their Ene­mies. Save thy People, and bless thine Inheritance; govern them and lift them up for ever ^k.

X.

IN mercy look down upon all ranks and estates of Men. Visit the sick, strengthen the weak, pity the afflicted and remember them in their low estate ^a. Succour the tempted, heal the broken in spirit; and let those that sow in tears reap in joy ^b. Instruct the ignorant, and enlighten those that are in darkness. Con­vince and humble those that are pre­sumptuous and secure, and give them repentance unto Life. Confirm and comfort the converted, and establish them in every good Word and Work ^c; that they may be blameless and harm­less, the Sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and per­verse Generation ^d; that they may be steadfast, unmoveable, always a­bounding in the Work of the Lord, as knowing that their Labour is not in vain in the Lord ^e.

XI.

THESE Mercies, and whatever else thou knowest to be needful for us or for others, we humbly beg of thee for the sake of thy dear Son and our Saviour Jesus Christ; in whose Name and Words we further call upon thee.

XII.

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, and the Power, and the Glory, for ever. Amen.

I.

MOST Holy and Glorious Lord God, Infinite in Good­ness, and Wisdom, and Power; the Father of Mercies, and the God of all Comfort ^a: We thy unwor­thy Creatures desire in all humility to offer up unto thee this our Evening Sa­crifice of Praise for the Mercies of thy Providence over us this Day. Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with his Benefits, even the God of [Page 21] our Salvation ^b: Thou art Good, and doest Good ^c.

Thou art unwearied in doing us Good; O let us never be weary in well-doing ^d: While we live let us praise thee, and sing Praises unto our God, while we have any being ^e. Let us praise and glorify thee in or­dering our Conversation aright ^f, in devoting our selves to thy Fear ^g, and consecrating our lives to thy Service.

Thou art worthy O Lord, to re­ceive Glory and Honour and Power; for thou hast created all things, and through thy Pleasure they are, and they were created ^h. Thou art wor­thy to be loved by us with all our Heart, with all our Mind, and with all our Strength ⁱ.

II.

BUT we confess, O Lord, we have not given thee the Glory due unto thy Name ^a: We have been Lovers of our own selves, and Lovers of Pleasures more than Lovers of God ^b: We have loved this present World ^c, and the things that are in the World ^d. How have we wan­dered from thy Commandments ^e, and walked contrary unto thee ^f, in walking in the ways of our Heart, and in the sight of our Eyes ^g: And therefore thou might'st walk contra­ry unto us, and make us feel that it is an evil and a bitter thing to have forsaken thee the Lord our God ^h: If thou, O Lord, shouldst mark our iniquities, we could not stand in thy sight ⁱ.

III.

BUT with the Lord there is Mercy, and with him there is plen­teous redemption ^a. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath visited and redee­med his People ^b: Who sent forth his Son, made of a Woman, made un­der the Law, to redeem them that were under the Law, from the curse thereof, that we might receive the adoption of Sons ^c. And Blessing, and Honour, and Glory be unto Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who was slain that he might redeem us unto God by his Blood ^d.

IV.

WE beseech thee, O Lord, that thou wouldst fit us and prepare us more and more for that eternal Re­demption, and the Benefits thereof, which Christ hath obtained for us ^b. Create in us clean Hearts, O God, and renew right Spirits within us ^a. [Page 24] Give us that broken Spirit, which thou wilt not despise ^c; that contrite and humble Spirit, which thou de­lightest to revive ^d. Give us that repen­tance toward God, and Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ ^e, as may fit us for pardon and peace, for Mercy and Grace; that in Christ we may have redemption through his Blood, even the forgiveness of Sins, accor­ding to the riches of thy Grace ^f. And give us Grace to live as the Redeemed of the Lord, and to walk worthy of Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purifie unto himself a peculiar People, zealous of good Works ^g. We are not our own, but are bought with a price, even with the precious Blood of Christ; O let us therefore glorifie God in our Bodies, and in our Spirits, which are God's ^h.

V.

FIT and prepare us also, O Lord, for the Influences of thy Light and Love: Make us meet to be living Habitations and Temples of thy Ho­ly Spirit ^a; and do thou delight to dwell in us ^b, and make thine abode with us ^c, and manifest thy self unto us ^d.

Fit us for the guidance and the powerful assistances of thy Spirit, and fit us for the comforts of thy Spirit. Let us not grieve ^e, nor resist the Holy Ghost ^f; but always follow thy good Spirit as our Guide, that we may enjoy thy Spirit as our Comforter ^g.

Let thy Grace always prevent us, and accompany us, and enable us to persevere unto the end. Make us, O Lord, perfect in every good Work, to do thy Will, working in us that which is well-pleasing in thy sight, through Jesus Christ ^h.

[Page 26]Father of Mercies, O God the God of our Strength ⁱ, and of our Salvation, never leave us nor forsake us: Our Eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord, in thee is our Trust, leave not our Souls destitute ^k. Let thy presence be with us, while we are here in this Wilderness; and lead us through it to the heavenly Canaan: Let us take heed of grieving or pro­voking thee through Disobedience or Unbelief ^l; but enable us by Faith in thy Goodness and Power, to re­sist and overcome our spiritual Ene­mies, Sin and Satan; enable us to follow the Lord fully ^m, and to con­tinue patiently in well-doing ⁿ, that through Faith and Patience we may inherit the Promises, and enter into thy Rest ^o. Guide us, O Lord, with thy Counsel, and afterwards receive us to thy Glory ^p.

VI.

AND now, O Heavenly Father, we recommend our Souls and Bodies unto thy Fatherly Care and Keeping this Night. Thou that neither slum­berest nor sleepest ^a, watch thou over us for good ^b: Preserve us from the Dangers and Fears of this Night; hide us under the safe shadow of thy Wings ^c: Refresh us with quiet Rest and Sleep: Let us lie down in peace ^d, in thy Love and Favour; and raise us up in health of Body, and ability of Mind, to serve thee faithfully the next Day. Cause us to hear thy lo­ving-kindness in the Morning, for in thee do we trust ^e.

VII.

MERCIFUL Father preserve all our Relations and Friends: With­hold [Page 28] not thou thy tender Mercies from them, O Lord; let thy loving-kindness and thy truth continually preserve them ^a. Bless them with all spiritual Blessings in Christ ^b. Bless them with Health and Peace, with all the Necessaries of this life, and with Contentment; and give them all things that pertain to life and godli­ness ^c.

VIII.

BE merciful, O Lord, unto all the Nations of the World that are without Christ ^a. Send unto them able and faithful Ministers of the New Testament ^b, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God ^c. Make thy Son to be a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy People Israel ^d; and let him be thy Salvation to the ends of the Earth ^e. Let the Earth be full [Page 29] of the Knowledge of the Lord, as Waters cover the Sea ^f; and let all the Kingdoms of the World become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ ^g.

Let those that enjoy the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ ^h, walk as Children of Light ⁱ, and shew forth the Vertues and Prai­ses of him who hath called them out of Darkness into his marvellous Light ^k.

Preserve thy little flock, and de­liver the afflicted Churches of Christ out of all their troubles: Weaken the Power, and disappoint the Devices of their Enemies: Bless thy Peo­ple with Peace ^l; and let all those that love thy Name, be joyful in thee ^m.

IX.

HAVE mercy upon these Realms and Dominions. Turn thou us un­to thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned ^a; Give us Grace throughly to amend our ways and our doings ^b, and to bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance ^c; and do thou rejoyce over us to do us good ^d. Establish us in Truth, Righteousness and Peace.

Be merciful to all Orders and De­grees amongst us, from the King who is Supreme, to all subordinate Magistrates and Rulers; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable Life in all Godliness and Honesty ^e.

Let Judgment run down as Wa­ters, and Righteousness as a mighty Stream ^f.

Let the Word of God run and be glorified ^g; and let it appear to be the Power of God unto Salva­tion ^h, in the turning of many Souls [Page 31] from Sin to Righteousness and true Holiness.

X.

IN mercy remember all the Chil­dren of affliction. Be unto them the Father of Mercies, the God of Comfort ^a, and the God of their Salvation. Let Patience have its per­fect work in them ^b; and make all things, even afflictions, work to­gether for good unto them ^c.

XI.

O LORD hear, O Lord, for­give, O Lord hearken and do ^a a­bundantly for us above all that we can ask or think ^b. Answer us and accept us in the beloved ^c, thy dear Son ^d, Jesus Christ: To whom with [Page 32] the Father and the Holy Spirit be all Praise, and Love, and Obedience, this Night and for evermore. Amen.

XII.

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, and the Power, and the Glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

I.

BLESSED Lord God, who a­lone canst teach us to profit ^a, enlighten our Minds, and give us a good understanding in all things ^b. Open our Hearts, that we may re­ceive the love of the Truth ^c. En­able us, O Lord, to receive the Word with meekness ^d, and with all readi­ness of mind ^e; and to mingle it with Faith ^f. Let thy Holy Spirit (which thou hast promised to give to them that ask ^g) enable us to know as we ought to know the [Page 34] Holy Scriptures, which are able to make us wise unto Salvation; that we may thereby be throughly fur­nished unto all good Works ^h. Give us as new born Babes to desire the sin­cere Milk of the Word, that we may grow thereby ⁱ; that we may grow in Grace, and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom be Glory both now and for ever. Amen ^k.

II.

O GOD, the Father of Lights, from whom comes every good and perfect Gift ^a, Give us the Spi­rit of Wisdom and Knowledge ^b, that the Eyes of our understanding being enlightened ^c, we may know the Great Things of thy Law ^d, and the Mysteries of the Gospel. Make us, [Page 35] O Lord, to see and taste how graci­ous thou art ^e in thy Promises, which are exceeding great and precious ^f; how holy in thy Precepts, which are all just and good. And let us not be Hearers only, but Doers of the Word, lest we deceive our own Souls ^g. Let it be the Power of God unto our Sal­vation ^h. Enable us to walk as Chil­dren of Light, having no Commu­nion with the Works of Darkness ⁱ; to walk in the light, as thou art in the light ^k; that we may have fellow­ship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ ^l, and may be made meet to be Partakers of the Inheri­tance of the Saints in light ^m; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.