Family Prayers. VIII. A Prayer for the Children of a Family. To be used by Parents on the Anniversary of their own Marriage, the Birthdays of a Child, or any other fit occasion. SENTENCES. NOTHING can make life sweet and happy but a constant preparation for death. And since God has led you to seek this happiness in Jesus Christ, seek it in the right way, and you will assuredly find it. Go to the throne of grace with humility and prayer. Pray without ceasing. Be importunate. Knock at the door of mercy until it be opened. Hear and read the word of God. Frequent his table. Be found in all the ways of his ordinances and he will be found of you. He will give you living faith, working by divine love, and with these graces your hearts will be strengthened and enabled to watch till your lord come. THOU must fear God above all things in this world; and break his commandments for the sake of no earthly good; also thou must love God above all things, and thy neighbour as thyself; labouring diligently to understand the law of God, especially his Ten Commandments, and watching that thy will be so regulated that it accord with God's will. TEXTS. When my father and my mother forsake me then the Lord taketh me up. Psalm xxvii. 10. Truly God is good unto Israel, even unto such as are of a clean heart. Psalm lxxiii. 1. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. Psalm cxix. 9. My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. Prov. vi. 20, 21. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal, for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Mat. vi. 19, 20, 21. PRAYERS. EFEND, O Lord, these thy children with thy heavenly grace, that they may continue thine for ever; and daily increase in them thy Holy Spirit more and more until they come to thine everlasting kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. LORD God, thy providence and mercy call for our continual praise. Thou not only determinest the bounds of our habitation in this world, but affordeth us the means of grace, that when we are called hence, we may enter into everlasting habitations of peace and joy. We bless Thee for the promise of that guidance and protection, which we need in this perilous world. How should creatures so weak and depraved as we are, escape the dangers to which we are exposed, were we to be left to ourselves! Lord! be thou with us to keep from the evil that is in the world. May it please thee to look down in mercy upon all men, and convince them of the great necessity of making this request unto thee. We particularly commend our tender offspring to thy grace. O give unto them that wisdom, which is profitable to direct them in this ensnaring and perilous state. And to those on whom thou hast bestowed children, be graciously pleased to afford both knowledge and grace, for bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. May it be our principal concern to guard our offspring from the evils of that state, into which we have been the means of bringing them. O Lord we would lead them to thee, we would intreat our Saviour to take them into his hands; for we can have no hope, either for ourselves, or for them, but in the power and grace of that good Shepherd. Crown, O Lord, our endeavours for their good, with thy blessing. Suffer not those, whose welfare we seek, to misunderstand us. Let them not look upon us as their enemies, because we tell them the truth. Give to our children a teachable disposition, that they may not lose the benefit of instruction, through obstinacy, rashness, or vanity. While we are pointing out to them the path of peace, may the Holy Spirit open their eyes to see the way, and incline their hearts to walk therein. And we humbly pray, that full reward may be given us. Let none of them be content to be numbered with those who have the form of godliness without the power: but may we have cause to rejoice over them, as those who cleave to the Lord with purpose of heart. Let thy presence, Most Blessed God, accompany them all through life. Though new situations should produce new and greater temptations, yet all will be well, if thou art with them. O guide them in all the steps which they take in matters relating to this life; and suffer them to enter into no connections which may be injurious to them either in temporal or spiritual things. In |