1

The Epistle. St. James i. 16. Do

O not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and

every perfect gift is from above; and cometh down from the Father of Lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath : for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls. Be

Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass; for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

The Gospel. St. Matt. v. 43.
Y
E have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy

neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? Or if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others ? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

FORMS OF

PRAYER TO BE USED IN FAMILIES.

MORNING PRAYER.

I The Master or Mistress having called together as many of the Family as can con

veniently be present, let one of them, or any other whom they shall think proper, say as folloros, all kenceling. UR 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.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, in whom Acknowledgment of

we live and move and have our being; God's mercy and preWe, thy needy creatures, render thee our servation, especially

through the night past. 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. To thy watchful providence we owe it,* (that no

• When disturbances disturbance hath come nigh us or our dwell- of any kind befall a ing; but that we are brought in safety to the family, instead of this,

say, that notwithstandbeginning of this day.) For these thy mer- ing our dangers, we are cies, we bless and magnify thy glorious Name; brought in safety to the

beginning of this day, 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.

A ND, since it is of thy mercy, O gracious

o

Dedication of soul Father, that another day is added to our

and body to God's ser

vice, with a resolution lives; We here dedicate both our souls and to be growing daily in our bodies to thee and thy service, in a sober, goodness. 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.

that resolution.

BUT
UT, O God, who knowest the weakness

Prayer for grace to
and corruption of our nature, and the man- enable us to perform
ifold 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 excited 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; and according to the works done in the body, be
eternally rewarded or punished, by him whom thou hast
appointed the Judge of quick and dead, thy Son Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.

For grace to guide
N particular, we implore thy grace and
IN
protection for the ensuing day. Keep us ing day, and for God's

and keep us the follow-
temperate in our meats and drinks, and dili- blessing on the business
gent in our several callings. Grant us patience of the same.
under

der any afflictions thou shalt see fit to lay on us, and minds always contented with our present condition.

. On Sunday mornGive us grace to be just and upright in all

ing, instead of this, say, our dealings; quiet and peaceable ; full of and let thy Holy Spirit compassion; and ready to do good to all accompany us to the

place of thy public men, according to our abilities and opportu- worship, making us senities. Direct us in all our ways, * [and

rious and attentive,

and raising our minds prosper the works of our hands in the busi- from the thoughts of ness of our several stations.] Defend us from this world to the con

sideration of the next, all dangers and adversities; and be graciously that we may fervently pleased to take us, and all things belonging join in the prayers and to us, under thy fatherly care and protection. and listen to our duty

praises of thy Church, These things, and whatever else thou shalt with honest hearts, in see necessary and convenient to us, we humbly order to practise it.

FAMILY PRAYER.

beg, through the merits and mediation of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

THE

and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,

Amen.

EVENING PRAYER.

1 The Family being together, a little before bed time, let the Master or Mistress, or

any other whom they shall think proper, say as follows, all kneeling. 0 UR 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 let him who

MOST merciful God, who art of purer Confession of sins,

eyes

than to behold iniquity, and hast with a prayer for conpromised forgiveness to all those who confess trition and pardon. 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 reads make a short of a sinner, look upon us, we beseech thee, pause, that every one

may secretly confess the in mercy, and forgive us all our transgressions. sins and failings of Make us deeply sensible of the great evil of that day. 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.

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.

Prayer for grace to reform and grow better.

297

XXXIII.

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.

ТО
O ,
our prayers, O Lord, we join our

The Thanksgiving. 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