The Grand Question Resolved, Prayer 3 – Prayer 5
A ſhort Prayer for Families.
MOſt Glorious, Ever-living God, Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt, Infinite in thy Power, Wiſdom and Goodneſs; Thou art the Creator of all the World, the Redeemer of loſt Mankind, and the Sanctifier of thine Elect. Thou haſt made us living reaſonable Soul…, placed a while on Earth in Fleſh, to ſeek, and know, and love, and ſerve thee, which we ſhould have done with all our Soul and Might: For we and all things are Thine own, and Thou art more to us than all the World. This ſhould have been the greateſt Buſineſ…, Care and Pleaſure of our Lives: We were bound to … by thy Law, and invited by thy Love and Mercy, and the Promiſe of a Reward in Heaven: And in our Baptiſm we were devoted to this Chriſtian Life of Faith and Holineſs, by a ſolemn Covenant and Vow. But with Grief and Shame we do confeſs, that we have been too unfaithful to that Covenant, and too much neglected the Lord our Father, our Saviour and our Sanctifier, to whom we were devoted; And have too much ſerved the Fleſh and the World, and the Devil which we renounced. We have added to our Original Sin, the guilt of Unthankfulneſs for a Saviour, and reſiſting his Spirit and Grace that ſhould have renewed, governed and ſaved us. We have ſpent much of our Lives, in fleſhly and worldly Vanity, and finfully neglected the greateſt work, of making a ſure Preparation for Death and Judgment, and our endleſs State. In a Cuſtom of ſinning we have hardened our Hearts againſt thy Word and Warnings, and the Reproofs of thy Miniſters, and of our Conſciences that have oft told us of our Sin and Danger, and called us to Repent.
And now, O Lord, our convinced Souls confeſs that we deſerve to be forſaken by thee, and left to our own luſt and folly, and to the deceits of Satan, and untoendleſs Miſery. But ſeeing thou haſt given a Saviour to loſt Man, and a pardoning Covenant, through the Merits of Chriſt, promiſing Forgiveneſs and Salvation to every true penitent Believer; we thankfully accept thy offered Mercy, and penitently bewail our Sin, and caſt our miſerable Souls upon thy Grace, and the Sacrifice, Merits and Interceſſion of our Redeemer. Forgive all the ſins of our Hearts and Lives; and as a reconciled Father take us as thy adopted Children in Chriſt. O give us thy renewing Spirit, to be in us a powerful and conſtant Author of Holy Light, and Love and Life, to fit us for all our Duty, and for Communion with thee, and for Everlaſting Life: And to dwell in us as thy Witneſs and Seal of our Adoption. Let him be better to our Souls than our Souls are to our Bodies, Teaching us thy Word and Will, and bringing all our love and will to a joyful compliance with thy Will: and quickening our dull … drowſie Hearts to a Holy and Heavenly Converſation. Let him turn all our ſinful Pleaſures and Deſires, into the delightful love of thee and of thy Ways and Servants. Save us from the great Sins of Selfiſhneſs, Pride, and Worldlineſs, and give us Self-denial, Humility, and a Heavenly Mind. That while we are on Earth our Hearts may be in Heaven, where we hope to live in thy joyfull Love and praiſe with Chriſt and all his Holy Ones for even▪ Let us never forget that this Life is ſhort, and that the Life to come is endleſs: That our Souls are precious and our Bodies vile, and muſt ſhortly turn to rottenneſs and duſt; that Sin is odio…s, and Temptation… dangerous, and Judgment dreadful to unprepaved guilty Souls; and that without a Saviour and his Grace and Spirit, there is no Salvation: Cauſe us to live as we would die, and let no Temptation, Company or Buſineſs, draw us to forget our God and our everlaſting ſtate.
Lord bleſs the World, and ſpecially theſe Kingdoms, …ith Wiſe, Godly, Juſt and Peaceable Princes, and …nferiour Judges and Magiſtrates; and guide, protect …nd proſper them for the common good, and the pro…oting of Godlineſs and ſuppreſſing of ſin: And bleſ… …ll Churches with able, godly, faithful Paſtors, that are …ealous Lovers of God, and Goodneſs, and the Peoples …ouls. And ſave the Nations and Churches from Op…eſſing Tyrants and Deceivers, and from melignan… Enemies to ſerious Piety. And cauſe Subjects to live in juſt Obedience, and in Love and Peace. Bleſs Families with wiſe religious Governours, who will carefully inſtruct their Children and Servants, and reſtrain them from Sin, and keep them from Temptation, Teach Children and Servants to fear God, and honour and obey their Governours.
O Our Father which art in Heaven, Let thy Name b… hallowed. Let thy Kingdom com…. Let thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. … in this day our daily Bre…d; Forgive us our Treſpaſſes, as … forgive them that Treſpaſs againſt us. Lead us not into Temptation, but Deliver us from Evil: For thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, for ever. Amen.
Before Meat.
MOſt Gracious God who haſt given … Chriſt, and with him all that is neceſſary to Life and Godlineſs: We thankfully take this our Food as the Gift of thy Bounty, procured by his Merits: Bleſs it to the Nouriſhment and Strength of our frail Bodies, to fi… us for thy chearful Service: And ſave us from the abuſe of thy Mercies by Glu…tony Drunkenneſ…, Idleneſs or ſinful fleſhly Luſts, for the ſake of Jeſus Chriſt our only Saviour and Lord. Amen.
After Meat.
MOſt Merciful Father, Accept of our Thanks for theſe and all thy Mercies: And give us yet more thankful Hearts: O give us more of the great Mercies proper to thy Children, even by Sanctifying and Comforting Spir… assu…nce of thy Love thr…ugh Chriſt, and a …reaſure, and … Converſation in Heaven: And bring and keep … in a conſtant readineſs for a ſafe and Comfortable Death▪ For the ſake of Jeſus Chriſt our Lord and only Saviour. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Richard Baxter, The Grand Question Resolved (1692)