Forms of Prayer to be used in Families
MORNING PRAYER.
The Master or Mistress having called together as many of the
Family as can conveniently be present, let one of them, or any other
who may be appointed, say as followeth, all kneeling, and repeating
with him the Lord's Prayer.
OUR Father, who 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
those who 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.
Here may follow the Collect for the day.
Acknowledgment of God's Mercy and Preservation,
especially through the Night past.
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, in whom we live and
move and have our being; We, thy needy creatures,
render thee our humble praises, for thy preservation of us
from the beginning of our lives to this day, and especially
for having delivered us from the dangers of the past night.
For these thy mercies, we bless and magnify thy glorious
Name; humbly beseeching thee to accept this our morning
sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; for his sake who lay
down in the grave, and rose again for us, thy Son our
Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Dedication of Soul and Body to God's Service, with a
Resolution to be growing daily in Goodness.
AND since it is of thy mercy, O gracious Father, that
another day is added to our lives; We here dedicate
both our souls and our bodies to thee and thy service, in a
sober, righteous, and godly life: in which resolution, do
thou, O merciful God, confirm and strengthen us; that, as
we grow in age, we may grow in grace, and in the knowledge
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Prayer for Grace to enable us to perform that Resolution.
BUT, O God, who knowest the weakness and corruption
of our nature, and the manifold temptations which we
daily meet with; We humbly beseech thee to have
compassion on our infirmities, and to give us the constant
assistance of thy Holy Spirit; that we may be effectually
restrained from sin, and incited to our duty. Imprint upon
our hearts such a dread of thy judgments, and such a
grateful sense of thy goodness to us, as may make us both
afraid and ashamed to offend thee. And, above all, keep in
our minds a lively remembrance of that great day, in which
we must give a strict account of our thoughts, words, and
actions to him whom thou hast appointed the Judge of
quick and dead, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Grace to guide and keep us the following Day, and
for God's Blessing on the business of the Same.
IN particular, we implore thy grace and protection for the
ensuing day. Keep us temperate in all things, and diligent
in our several callings. Grant us patience under our
afflictions. Give us grace to be just and upright in all our
dealings; quiet and peaceable; full of compassion; and ready
to do good to all men, according to our abilities and opportunities.
Direct us in all our ways. Defend us from all dangers and
adversities; and be graciously pleased to take us,
and all who are dear to us, under thy fatherly care and protection.
These things, and whatever else thou shalt see to
be necessary and convenient to us, we humbly beg, through
the merits and mediation of thy Son Jesus Christ, our
Lord and Saviour. Amen.
THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of
God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with
us all evermore. Amen.
Forms of Prayer to be used in Families
EVENING PRAYER.
The Family being together, a little before bedtime, let the Master
or Mistress, or any other who may be appointed, say as followeth,
all kneeling, and repeating with him the Lord's Prayer.
OUR Father, who 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 those who 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.
Here may follow the Collect for the day.
Confession of Sins, with a Prayer for Contrition
and Pardon.
MOST merciful God, who art of purer eyes than to behold iniquity,
and hast promised forgiveness to all those who confess and forsake
their sins; We come before thee in an humble sense of our own
unworthiness, acknowledging our manifold transgressions of thy
righteous laws. * But, O gracious Father, who desirest not the death
of a sinner, look upon us, we beseech thee, in mercy, and forgive us all
our transgressions. Make us deeply sensible of the great evil of them;
and work in us an hearty contrition; that we may obtain
forgiveness at thy hands, who art ever ready to receive
humble and penitent sinners; for the sake of thy Son Jesus
Christ, our only Saviour and Redeemer. Amen.
* Here let him who reads make a short pause, that every
one may secretly confess the sins and failings of that day
Prayer for Grace to reform and grow Better.
AND lest, through our own frailty, or the temptations
which encompass us, we be drawn again into sin,
vouchsafe us, we beseech thee, the direction and assistance
of thy Holy Spirit. Reform whatever is amiss in the temper
and disposition of our souls; that no unclean thoughts,
unlawful designs, or inordinate desires, may rest there.
Purge our hearts from envy, hatred, and malice; that we
may never suffer the sun to go down upon our wrath; but
may always go to our rest in peace, charity, and good-will,
with a conscience void of offence towards thee, and towards
men; that so we may be preserved pure and blameless, unto
the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Intercession.
AND accept, O Lord, our intercessions for all mankind.
Let the light of thy Gospel shine upon all nations;
and may as many as have received it, live as becomes it.
Be gracious unto thy Church; and grant that every member
of the same, in his vocation and ministry, may serve
thee faithfully. Bless all in authority over us; and so rule
their hearts and strengthen their hands, that they may punish
wickedness and vice, and maintain thy true religion and
virtue. Send down thy blessings, temporal and spiritual,
upon all our relations, friends, and neighbours. Reward all
who have done us good, and pardon all those who have
done or wish us evil, and give them repentance and better
minds. Be merciful to all who are in any trouble; and do
thou, the God of pity, administer to them according to
their several necessities; for his sake who went about doing
good, thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Thanksgiving.
TO our prayers, O Lord, we join our unfeigned thanks
for all thy mercies; for our being, our reason, and all
other endowments and faculties of soul and body; for our
health, friends, food, and raiment, and all the other comforts
and conveniences of life. Above all, we adore thy mercy in
sending thy only Son into the world, to redeem us from
sin and eternal death, and in giving us the knowledge and
sense of our duty towards thee. We bless thee for thy patience
with us, notwithstanding our many and great provocations;
for all the directions, assistances, and comforts of
thy Holy Spirit; for thy continual care and watchful providence
over us through the whole course of our lives; and
particularly for the mercies and benefits of the past day;
beseeching thee to continue these thy blessings to us, and to
give us grace to show our thankfulness in a sincere obedience
to his laws, through whose merits and intercession we
received them all, thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Prayer for God's Protection through the Night following.
IN particular, we beseech thee to continue thy gracious
protection to us this night. Defend us from all dangers
and mischiefs, and from the fear of them; that we may
enjoy such refreshing sleep as may fit us for the duties of the
coming day. And grant us grace always to live in such a
state that we may never be afraid to die; so that, living and
dying, we may be thine, through the merits and satisfaction
of thy Son Christ Jesus, in whose Name we offer up
these our imperfect prayers. Amen.
THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of
God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with
us all evermore. Amen.
On Sundays, and on other days when it may be convenient, it will
be proper to begin with a Chapter, or part of a Chapter, from the
New Testament.
Forms of Prayer to be used in Families
A SHORTER FORM.
MORNING
After the reading of a brief portion of Holy Scripture, let the
Head of the Household, or some other member of the family, say as
followeth, all kneeling, and repeating with him the Lord's Prayer.
OUR Father, who 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 those who 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.
O LORD, our heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God,
who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day;
Defend us in the same with thy mighty
power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither
run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings, being
ordered by thy governance, may be righteous in thy sight;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Here may be added any special Prayers.
THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of
God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with
us all evermore. Amen.
A SHORTER FORM.
EVENING
After the reading of a brief portion of Holy Scripture, let the
Head of the Household, or some other member of the family, say
as followeth, all kneeling and repeating with him the Lord's Prayer.
OUR Father, who 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 those who 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.
LIGHTEN our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by
thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers
of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour,
Jesus Christ. Amen.
Here may be added any special Prayers.
THE Lord bless us and keep us. The Lord make his face
to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us. The Lord
lift up his countenance upon us, and give us peace, this
night and evermore. Amen.
Forms of Prayer to be used in Families
ADDITIONAL PRAYERS
For the Spirit of Prayer.
ALMIGHTY God, who pourest out on all who desire it,
the spirit of grace and of supplication; Deliver
us, when we draw nigh to thee, from coldness of heart and
wanderings of mind, that with stedfast thoughts and
kindled affections, we may worship thee in spirit and in
truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
In the Morning.
O GOD, the King eternal, who dividest the day from
the darkness, and turnest the shadow of death into the
morning; Drive far off from us all wrong desires, incline
our hearts to keep thy law, and guide our feet into the way
of peace; that having done thy will with cheerfulness while
it was day, we may, when the night cometh, rejoice to give
thee thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
ALMIGHTY God, who alone gavest us the breath of
life, and alone canst keep alive in us the holy desires
thou dost impart; We beseech thee, for thy compassion's
sake, to sanctify all our thoughts and endeavours; that we
may neither begin an action without a pure intention nor
continue it without thy blessing. And grant that, having the
eyes of the mind opened to behold things invisible and
unseen, we may in heart be inspired by thy wisdom, and in
work be upheld by thy strength, and in the end be accepted
of thee as thy faithful servants; through Jesus Christ our
Saviour. Amen.
At Night.
O LORD, support us all the day long, until the shadows
lengthen and the evening comes, and the busy world
is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is
done. Then in thy mercy grant us a safe lodging, and a holy
rest, and peace at the last. Amen.
O GOD, who art the life of mortal men, the light of the
faithful, the strength of those who labour, and the
repose of the dead; We thank thee for the timely blessings
of the day, and humbly supplicate thy merciful protection
all this night. Bring us, we beseech thee, in safety to the
morning hours; through him who died for us and rose
again, thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Sunday Morning.
O GOD, who makest us glad with the weekly remembrance
of the glorious resurrection of thy Son our
Lord; Vouchsafe us this day such blessing through our
worship of thee, that the days to come may be spent in
thy service; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
For Quiet Confidence.
O GOD of peace, who hast taught us that in returning
and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in
confidence shall be our strength; By the might of thy Spirit
lift us, we pray thee, to thy presence, where we may be
still and know that thou art God; through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
For Guidance.
O GOD, by whom the meek are guided in judgment,
and light riseth up in darkness for the godly; Grant
us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask
what thou wouldest have us to do, that the Spirit of
Wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in thy
light we may see light, and in thy straight path may not
stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Trustfulness.
O MOST loving Father, who willest us to give thanks
for all things, to dread nothing but the loss of thee,
and to cast all our care on thee, who carest for us;
Preserve us from faithless fears and worldly anxieties, and
grant that no clouds of this mortal life may hide from us
the light of that love which is immortal, and which thou
hast manifested unto us in thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
O HEAVENLY Father, thou understandest all thy children;
through thy gift of faith we bring our perplexities to
the light of thy wisdom, and receive the blessed
encouragement of thy sympathy, and a clearer knowledge of
thy will. Glory be to thee for all thy gracious gifts. Amen.
For Joy in God's Creation.
O HEAVENLY Father, who hast filled the world with
beauty; Open, we beseech thee, our eyes to behold
thy gracious hand in all thy works; that rejoicing in thy
whole creation, we may learn to serve thee with gladness;
for the sake of him by whom all things were made, thy
Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For the Children.
ALMIGHTY God, heavenly Father, who hast blessed us
with the joy and care of children; Give us light and
strength so to train them, that they may love whatsoever
things are true and pure and lovely and of good report,
following the example of their Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
For the Absent.
O GOD, whose fatherly care reacheth to the uttermost
parts of the earth; We humbly beseech thee graciously
to behold and bless those whom we love, now absent
from us. Defend them from all dangers of soul and
body; and grant that both they and we, drawing nearer to
thee, may be bound together by thy love in the communion
of thy Holy Spirit, and in the fellowship of thy saints;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Those We Love.
ALMIGHTY God, we entrust all who are dear to us to
thy never-failing care and love, for this life and the
life to come; knowing that thou art doing for them better
things than we can desire or pray for; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.
For the Recovery of a Sick Person.
O MERCIFUL God, giver of life and health; Bless, we
pray thee, thy servant, [N.], and those who administer
to him of thy healing gifts; that he may be restored
to health of body and of mind; through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
For One about to undergo an Operation.
ALMIGHTY God our heavenly Father, we beseech
thee graciously to comfort thy servant in his suffering,
and to bless the means made use of for his cure. Fill
his heart with confidence, that though he be sometime
afraid, he yet may put his trust in thee; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
For a Birthday.
WATCH over thy child, O Lord, as his days increase;
bless and guide him wherever he may be, keeping
him unspotted from the world. Strengthen him when he
stands; comfort him when discouraged or sorrowful; raise
him up if he fall; and in his heart may thy peace which
passeth understanding abide all the days of his life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For an Anniversary of One Departed.
ALMIGHTY God, we remember this day before thee
thy faithful servant [N.], and we pray thee that,
having opened to him the gates of larger life, thou wilt
receive him more and more into thy joyful service; that he
may win, with thee and thy servants everywhere, the
eternal victory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Those in Mental Darkness.
O HEAVENLY Father, we beseech thee to have mercy
upon all thy children who are living in mental
darkness. Restore them to strength of mind and cheerfulness
of spirit, and give them health and peace; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
For a Blessing on the Families of the Land.
ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, who settest the
solitary in families; We commend to thy continual
care the homes in which thy people dwell. Put far from
them, we beseech thee, every root of bitterness, the desire
of vain-glory, and the pride of life. Fill them with faith,
virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness. Knit
together in constant affection those who, in holy wedlock,
have been made one flesh; turn the heart of the fathers to
the children, and the heart of the children to the fathers;
and so enkindle fervent charity among us all, that we be
evermore kindly affectioned with brotherly love; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For all Poor, Homeless, and Neglected Folk.
O GOD, Almighty and merciful, who healest those that
are broken in heart, and turnest the sadness of the
sorrowful to joy; Let thy fatherly goodness be upon all
that thou hast made. Remember in pity such as are this
day destitute, homeless, or forgotten of their fellow-men.
Bless the congregation of thy poor. Uplift those who are
cast down. Mightily befriend innocent sufferers, and
sanctify to them the endurance of their wrongs. Cheer with
hope all discouraged and unhappy people, and by thy
heavenly grace preserve from falling those whose penury
tempteth them to sin; though they be troubled on every
side, suffer them not to be distressed; though they be
perplexed, save them from despair. Grant this, O Lord, for the
love of him, who for our sakes became poor, thy Son, our
Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
For Faithfulness in the Use of this World's Goods.
ALMIGHTY God, whose loving hand hath given us all
that we possess; Grant us grace that we may honour
thee with our substance, and remembering the account
which we must one day give, may be faithful stewards of
thy bounty; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A General Intercession.
O GOD, at whose word man goeth forth to his work
and to his labour until the evening; Be merciful to all
whose duties are difficult or burdensome, and comfort them
concerning their toil. Shield from bodily accident and
harm the workmen at their work. Protect the efforts of sober
and honest industry, and suffer not the hire of the
labourers to be kept back by fraud. Incline the heart of
employers and of those whom they employ to mutual forbearance,
fairness, and good-will. Give the spirit of governance and
of a sound mind to all in places of authority. Bless all those
who labour in works of mercy or in schools of good learning.
Care for all aged persons, and all little children, the
sick and the afflicted, and those who travel by land or by
sea. Remember all who by reason of weakness are over-tasked,
or because of poverty are forgotten. Let the sorrowful
sighing of the prisoners come before thee; and according
to the greatness of thy power, preserve thou those that are
appointed to die. Give ear unto our prayer, O merciful and
gracious Father, for the love of thy dear Son, our Saviour
Jesus Christ. Amen.
Grace before Meat.
BLESS, O Father, thy gifts to our use and us to thy
service; for Christ's sake. Amen.
GIVE us grateful hearts, our Father, for all thy mercies,
and make us mindful of the needs of others; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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