The True Interest of Families, Prayers – Title page 2
SOME FORMS OF PRAYER WHICH Parents may teach their Children according to their Age.
A Morning Prayer to be taught Children, when they begin to ſpeak.
O Lord, I praiſe thee for all thy Mercies, and for thy Care of me this Night. Watch over me this day. Forgive me all my ſins, and make me thy Child for Jeſus Chriſt his ſake.
This Prayer may be uſed likewiſe at Night, only changing that petition [watch over me this Day] into [watch over me this Night.]
When Children come to be four or five years old, the following Prayer may be uſed.
O Lord my God, what ſhall I render unto thee for all thy Mercies. I bleſs thee for giving me Life, and all things needful to keep me alive. But above all, I bleſs thee for ſending Chriſt to dye for me, that he might waſh me with his Blood, and make me fit for the Kingdom of Heaven. For his ſake have mercy upon me, and forgive me all my ſinful thoughts, words, and deed. Give me Grace to ſerve thee as I ought to do; that I may not do, nor ſay a naughty thing, leſt thou be angry with me, and caſt me into Hell fire. Lord bleſs and preſerve my Father and Mother *If there be Brothers and Siſters let them pray for them likewiſe.and all my Friends and Relations.
I praiſe thee, O God, for preſerving of me this Night, watch over me this day; ſave me from every evil thing. Good Lord hear me, and grant me whatſoever thou knoweſt to be beſt for me, for Jeſus Chriſt his ſake, in whoſe holy name and words, I pray, Our Father, &c.
This Prayer may be likewiſe uſed at Night, by changing only two words, and ſaying, inſtead of [preſerving me this night] [preſerving me this day;] and inſtead of [watch over me this day] [watch over me this night.]
A Morning Prayer for Children, when they come to twelve or fourteen years of Age; ſooner or later, according to the ripeneſs of their underſtanding.
LORD teach and aſſiſt me to worſhip thee as I ought to do, Lift up my heart unto thee.
What ſhall I render unto thee, O moſt gracious God, and moſt merciful Father, for all thy mercies to me, and to all the World? I bleſs thee for making me a reaſonable Creature, and for affording me all things which be needful to ſupport my Life; I bleſs thee for my health, liberty, and ſafety; for my Food and Rayment; for the uſe of my Reaſon and Ʋnderſtanding, and of my Senſes; for thy corrections and deliverances; and for all the advantages I have had by good Examples, and good Inſtructions: But chiefly, I praiſe and bleſs thee for the redemption of Mankind by the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: That I was born within thy Church, where I was early given to thee in Baptiſm; that I have had the benefit of Chriſtian Education; that thou haſt afforded me the means of Grace, and called me to the hope of Glory.
But notwithſtanding thy goodneſs and love, I have gone aſtray from thee; I have not cared ſo much as I ought to have done, to know thee, and to do thy Will, but have done my own will in many things; and followed my own fooliſh and ſinful inclinations: I have broken many of thy moſt Holy and Juſt Laws, in thought, word, and deed*Here they may make a particular Confeſſion of their Sins., whereby I have deſerved thy Wrath and Curſe.
Father of Mercies have mercy upon me, & forgive me all my ſins for Jeſus Chriſt his ſake, who dyed for ſinners. Give me a true and hearty Repentance for all mine Iniquities; that I may not wilfully break thy Laws any more. Lord never leave me, nor forſake me. Hold up my goings in thy Paths, that my footſteps may not ſlide. Grant that henceforth I may love thee with all my heart, and may be afraid to ſin againſt thee: Work in me a true Faith, and a lively hope; make me humble, meek, and patient, ſober and temperate in all things, Charitable and compaſſionate towards all that are in diſtreſs, true and faithful in my words, and ſincere and upright in my Actions, well content and thankful in every condition of Life, and zealous for thy Glory. Grant that I may daily grow in Grace and ſpiritual Knowledge. Create in me a clean Heart, and renew a right Spirit wethin me, and cauſe me to walk in thy ways.
O Lord ſend thy Goſpel through the World: pour our plentifully the Bleſſings of thy holy Spirit on all thy People: Bleſs and preſerve our King and Queen. Guide our Judges and Magiſtrates: Sanctifie and aſſiſt the Miniſters of the Goſpel. Be with all my Friends and Relations, particularly bleſs and preſerve my Father and Mother. Reward them for their care and kindneſs towards me: Make me a loving and dutiful Child unto them.*If there be any Brothers or Siſters, he may pray for them, and for Grandfather and Grandmother, if they be alive. Comfort all that are in trouble, and ſanctifie their afflictions to them.
I thank, thee, O Lord, for thy care of me this Night: Watch over over me this day. Bleſs and direct me in all I do or ſay. Keep me mindful that I am always in thy ſight, that I may be in thy fear all the day long. Cauſe me to remember that I muſt ſhortly dye and come to judgment; that I may not miſpend my precious time, but employ it in a conſtant and chearful Obedience to thy holy and righteous Laws; that when this vain and ſhort life is at an end, I may be made partaker of everlaſting Life, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord; in whoſe Holy Name and words I pray, Our Father, &c.
This Prayer may ſerve likewiſe at Night, until you come to the laſt part, which begins with theſe words, [I thank thee, O Lord, for thy care of me this Night, &c.] inſtead thereof, you may ſay as follows, [I thank thee, O Lord, for thy care of me this day; watch over me this Night, and grant me quiet repoſe; ſave me from every Evil thing, for the ſake of thy dear Son Jeſus Chriſt, in whoſe Holy Name and words, I conclude my imperfect Prayers, ſaying, Our Father, &c.]
ADVICE TO CHILDREN.
BY A Divine of the Church of England.
LONDON, Printed for S. Lowndes near the Savoy-Gate in the Strand.
ADVICE TO CHILDREN.
THERE is ſcarce any thing wherein all Nations, and Men of all Religions, do more agree, than in the Common Duties of Children to their Parents: Neither is there any thing that tends more to the comfort and happineſs, the beauty and ſtrength of Society, than for Children to perform all thoſe Duties which they owe to their Parents. And yet hew ſad is it to think, that a great many Children, who have not only all the advantages which natural Religion affords, but likewiſe the aſſiſtance of Divine Revelation, do nevertheleſs carry themſelves in that manner towards their Parents, as if they either underſtood nothing of their Duty, or were moſt prodigiouſly perverſe, and reſolved to rebel againſt the Light, to trample upon all the Principles both of Natural and Revealed Religion.
The Deſign of this ſhort Treatiſe is to ſhew what the Duties of Children are towards their Parents, and to ſuggeſt ſome Conſiderations to excite them to do their Duty.