A Prayer for a Family on the evening of the Lord's Day (1787)

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Wayne

Tempus faciendi, Domine.
Odd to find devotional reading in a Book of Church Order, but I've been looking recently at an early PCUSA document, the Second Draught of the Form of the Government and Discipline of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, and was pleased to find this and similar prayers as part of an appendix to this work. This volume was prepared in advance of, and in preparation for, the meeting of the first General Assembly of the PCUSA (1789).

As you read this, think about what might have been, had that denomination remained orthodox all these years, and pray for an earth-shaking reformation to sweep across our land. Our Lord is able; may He remove every obstacle.

A PRAYER for a FAMILY, on the evening of the LORD'S DAY.

O Thou holy, ever blessed, and ever glorious Lord our God : Thou art God over all, and rich in mercy to all that call upon thy name. Thou art most wise and powerful, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; and thy dominion from generation to generation. This evening of thy holy day, O Lord, we present ourselves before thee, to offer up our evening sacrifice of prayer and praise. Thou hast given us to enjoy another Sabbath. Thy days are sweet to our souls; thy Sabbaths are our delight. We bless and praise Thee, with our whole hearts, for another of thy holy days. A day spent in thy courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! Thou has carried us to thy house of prayer; thou hast caused us to hear thy word, and we have had the privilege of joining in the prayers and praises of thy people in thy church.
Glory to God in the highest, for all his mercies and benefits to us. How great are the privileges we enjoy, above thousands of our fellow creatures, who are as good by nature as we are. What multitudes are bowing down to stocks and stones, are groping in more than midnight darkness, and know not Thee, the true God, nor Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent; while we are favoured with thy Sabbaths and thine ordinances, and enjoy the glorious light of thy gospel.
O Lord, we confess we are unworthy of the least of all thy mercies; and that thou art distinguishing us above others, is owing to thy mere, free, holy, and sovereign pleasure. With propriety may we ascribe all to the glory of thy name, and say, even so, Father, for so it seemeth good in thy sight. We call upon our souls, and all within us, to bless and magnify thy name, for thy distinguishing favours to us, thine undeserving creatures. We praise thee for the gift of thine only begotten Son; for the redemption of Christ Jesus our Lord; for the covenant mercy; for the means of grace, and the hopes of eternal life.
O thou Father of mercies, forgive what thy pure eyes have seen amiss in us this day. Forgive us, that we have not served thee with more love, zeal, and godly sincerity. In all things we have sinned, and come short of thy glory. Pardon, O Lord, our innumerable failings and imperfections. Forgive the iniquities of our most holy things. After we have done all, we have just reason to acknowledge ourselves unprofitable servants. But thou hast declared, O God, that they who confess and forsake their sins, shall find mercy. Thou art faithful to forgive us our sins. We pray, most merciful Father, that thou wouldst forgive us, and accept of us in the beloved. Accept of us, and of our poor and imperfect services. Give us grace, O God, that we may never forsake thy ways, nor turn from following after thee; but that, with purpose of heart, we may always cleave unto the Lord. Let us not count our lives dear unto ourselves, so that we may finish our course, with comfort and joy, to the glory of thy name.
O Lord our God, we pray that thou wouldst follow thy word and ordinances with a blessing wherever they have been dispensed on this thy holy Sabbath. Bless all the Ministers of thy gospel. Make them faithful to Christ, and to the souls of men. Pity the poor, the afflicted, sorrowful and distressed. Enlarge the borders of the Redeemer's kingdom. Let all the nations flow unto it. Hasten the downfall of the man of sin; and let pure and undefiled religion before God, and the Father, be revived, and made to flourish in all places.
Take us, O Lord, under thy protection this night. Enable us to close the day with thee. May we lie down in peace, and our sleep be sweet and refreshing to us. Bring us to the light of to-morrow; and may our souls rejoice and praise thee, in the out-goings of the morning. Enable us to carry much of the Sabbath with us through the week. May we set the Lord always before us. Prepare us for all that is before us in time. Be our guide through life, our support in death, and our everlasting portion. Now to the king eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God; to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be honour and glory, dominion and praise, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
 
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