PRAYERS FOR MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS. For the Children. ALMIGHTY God, the Father and Maker of us all, who of thy goodness hast blessed this thy family with [that heritage that cometh of thee]; grant us thy heavenly grace and assistance so to train up our children in thy godly nurture and virtue, religion and discipline, that they may continually serve, honour, and obey thee, their heavenly Father; and thou, acknowledging and blessing them as thy children here, mayest bring them to the blessings prepared for thy children hereafter, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Or this. (Jer. Taylor, Bp.) ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father, bless the children of this family, we humbly beseech thee, with healthful bodies, and good understandings, with the graces and gifts of thy Holy Spirit, and with sweet dispositions and holy habits. [And especially watch over To be added those now far from us, and committed to the when any of the care and instruction of others.] May thy children are at mercy and providence lead them through school, &c. (See also p. 174.) all the dangers and temptations of this evil world, and sanctify them wholly in their bodies and souls and spirits, and keep them unblameable to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. General Benediction, which may be given by Parents to their Children (see Gen. xlviii. 15, 16, as well as the recorded practice of many Christian parents.) OD the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, Go be the Father, God the ; For the Household. (Jer. Taylor, Bp.) ALMIGHTY God, merciful and gracious, have mercy upon our whole household [and especially upon him who has lately come amongst us.] Sanctify them with thy grace, preserve them with thy providence, guard them from all evil, [make them faithful and diligent in the discharge of their several duties, living, not as unto us, but unto thee,] direct them in the ways of peace and holy religion by the conduct of thy most Holy Spirit, and consign them all, with a full participation of thy blessings and graces in this world, with healthful bodies, with good understandings, and sanctified spirits, to a full fruition of thy glories hereafter, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The preceding Prayer, together with this Psalm and sentence, may also be used on the coming of a new member into the family. Α S for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Appropriate Psalm.-ci. When the Prayers of a family are needed for any one not actually a member of it, but bound to it either by more distant connection, or by the ties of charity, they may be specially mentioned in the daily address, "Let us pray," &c., and also in such of the Collects and Prayers as are suitable to their various necessities. On the Anniversary of the Marriage Of the Master and Mistress of the Family (if so), being the day of thanksgiving for the first establishment of its members as a Christian family, and for all consequent blessings. S for me and mine house, we will serve the Lord. As Josh. xxiv. Blessed are all they that fear the Lord, and walk in his ways. Ps. cxxviii. Appropriate Psalms.-lxvii. ciii. cxxviii, The Prayer. GOD of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, bless us eternal life in our hearts; that whatsoever in thy holy Word we shall profitably learn, we may in deed fulfil the same. Look, O Lord, mercifully upon us from heaven, and bless us. And as thou didst send thy blessing upon Abraham and Sarah, to their great comfort, so vouchsafe to send thy blessing upon us thy servants; that we obeying thy will, and always being in safety under thy protection, may abide in thy love unto our lives' end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Benedictory Prayer. LMIGHTY God, who at the beginning did create our first parents, Adam and Eve, and did sanctify them. Pour upon us the riches of his grace, sanctify and bless us, that we may please him both in body and soul, and live together in holy love unto our lives' end. Amen. On the Birth of a Child. To be used until the day of its Baptism. H can he be clean that is born of a woman? Job xxv. OW then can a man be justified with God? or how Behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Ps. li. Lo, children and the fruit of the womb are a heritage and gift that cometh of the Lord. Ps. cxxvii. Appropriate Psalms.-ciii. cxxvii. (From two Prayers of Jeremy Taylor, Bp.) LORD God, Father of mercies, the Fountain of comfort and blessing, of life and peace, of plenty and pardon, who fillest heaven with thy glory and earth with thy goodness; We give thee most earnest, most humble and enlarged returns, of glad and thankful hearts, for that thou hast refreshed us with thy comforts, and enlarged us with thy blessing. Praised be the Lord daily, even the Lord that helpeth us, and poureth his benefits upon us; [graciously support, strengthen, and preserve thy servant, the mistress of this family, in her present need.] Let thy grace preserve this the fruit of her womb, and conduct it to the holy Sacrament of Baptism; that it being regenerated by thy Spirit and adopted into thy family, may live to the glory of God, to the comfort of its parents and friends, to the edification of thy Church, and the salvation of its own soul, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. On the day of the Baptism Of an Infant, to be used at the Morning Prayers, before it is taken to the Font. JESUS said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven. Matth. xix. Ask, and ye shall have; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Matth. vii. Appropriate Psalm.-viii. The Prayer. (Adapted from The Use of Salisbury, in a collection of Baptismal Offices.) GOD, the everliving protection of all who need, the deliverance of those who pray, the peace of those who ask, the life of them that believe, the resurrection of the dead; we pray thee in behalf of thy servant [the infant of this thy family] for whom we this day seek the gift of thy baptism, and long that he may attain eternal mercy by spiritual regeneration: accept him, Lord; and since thou hast deigned to say, Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened: so give now the reward to him that asketh, and open the door to him that knocketh; that by the eternal benediction of the heavenly washing, he may receive the promised kingdoms of thy gift: who livest and reignest with God the Father, in unity of the Holy Spirit, God throughout all ages. Amen. Another Prayer. (Compiled from the Collection of Devotions, 1734.) W thy E adore thee, O thou Lord God Almighty, and give |