The Sum of Christianity, Prayer 1
A Prayer which may be used in Families either Morning or Evening.
O Most Glorious and Ever Blessed God, the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth, and all things therein, visible and invisible; Thy Creatures we are, and in thee we Live, and Move, and have our Being. But alas! we are by Sin wretchedly Corrupted, and by the Corruption of our Nature the Children of Wrath, abominable in thy pure Eyes, unworthy of the least of all thy Mercies, and deserve nothing at thy hands, but everlasting destruction. In all humility of Soul and Body we here lie before thee, adoring thine Incomprehensibly Glorious Majesty, and praising thy wonderful Goodness in sparing us hitherto, and not consuming us in thy Wrath, as we have d…served. O let the Riches of thy Goodness lead us to Repentance; and pardon us, O gracious Lord, who without thy free Pardon must perish everlastingly: And accept, we beseech thee, of our humble and hearty Thanks for our Creation, Preservation, and all the Comforts of this Life, particularly at this time.
In the Morning thus.
For keeping us in safety this Night past, for the Comfortable Rest and R…freshment which thou hast given us, and for bringing us in so good a measure of Health and Strength to the Light of this Day.
In the Evening thus.
For thy gracious Providence over us this Day, for preventing us in many Sins, and preserving us from many Dangers, supplying all our Wants and Necessities, both of Soul and Body, and prospering our Labours and Endeavours.
In a more especial manner we praise thee, O God, for thine inestimable Mercy in calling us to the knowledge of thy Grace, and Faith in thee: For giving the Eternal WORD, thine only Son, to be our Saviour, Jesus Christ our Lord; to be Conceived by the Holy Ghost, and Born of the Virgin Mary, and to be so made Man for us, to make us the Children of God: To suffer under Pontius Pilate, to be Crucified, to Dye, and be Buried, and to descend into Hell, and so to offer Himself once for all a Sacrifice of Atonement for our Sins; and the Third Day to rise again from the Dead, to Ascend into Heaven, and Sit on the Right Hand of God, making intercession for us till his Coming again in Glory to Judge the Quick and the Dead. We praise thee for sending the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth and Holiness, to enable thy holy Apostles by the preaching of the Gospel to gather unto thee out of all Nations an Holy Catholick Church, and Communion of Saints; and for admitting us into this Holy Communion, and making us Members of this Mystical Body of Christ by the Covenant of Baptism; for assuring us upon our keeping of that Covenant, of the Forgiveness of our Sins, of the Resurrection of our Bodies, and Life everlasting with thee in Heaven.
In humble Thankfulness for these thy most admirable Mercies, we here offer up our selves, Souls and Bodies, a Living Sacrifice to thee, O Heavenly Father; beseeching thee, the G…ver of all Goodness, to send thy Grace unto us, and to all People; that we may faithfully keep Covenant with thee, Repenting of all our Sins, and resisting all the Temptations of the Devil, the World, and the F…esh; that we may believe in thee, fear thee, and love thee with all our Heart, with all our Mind, with all our Soul, and with all our Strength; that we may give thee thanks, put our whole trust in thee, call upon thee, honour thy holy Name, and thy Word; Worship thee, Serve thee, and Obey thee, as we ought, and have Vow'd to do, all the Days of our Life. And we b…seech thee to give us grace to love our Neighbours as our selves, and to do to all Men as we would they should do unto us: To love, honour, and succor, as there is need, our Parents; to honour and obey the King, and all that are put in Authority under him; to submit ourselves to all our Governors, Teachers, spiritual Pastors and Masters; to order our selves lowly and reverently to all our betters; to hurt no body by Word nor Deed; to be true and just in all our dealings; to bear no hatred nor malice in our hearts; to keep our Hands from picking and stealing, and our Tongues from evil speaking, lying and slandering; to keep our Bodies in temperance, soberness and chastity; not to covet nor desire other mens goods; but to learn and labour truly to get our own Living, and to do our duties in that state of Life unto which it pleaseth thee to call us.
In the Morning thus.
Watch over us this Day, we beseech thee, both at home and abroad; keep us in thy fear all the Day long; afford us all things needful both for our Souls and Bodies; guard us from all evil both of Sin and Danger; direct, govern, and prosper us in all our honest labours and endeavours.
In the Evening thus.
Watch over us, O God, we beseech thee this Night, and keep us and all things that thou hast given us, in peace and safety: Let us be prepared to Dye, now that we are going to Rest; and if it shall please thee to add another Day unto our Lives, give us such quiet, comfortable, and innocent Rest and Sleep, that our Bodies may be thereby refreshed, and both Souls and Bodies enabled to do thee more and better service for the time to come.
Good Lord be merciful unto us, and forgive us our Sins, and save and defend us in all dangers of Soul and Body; keep us from all Sin and Wickedness, and from our Ghostly Enemy, and from everlasting Death. And this we trust thou wilt do of thy Mercy and Goodness, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath taught us thus to Pray.
Our Father which art in Heaven, &c.