THE FAMILY-PRAYERS OF THOSE POOR CHRISTIANS, WHO IN Court and Country, in Cities, Towns, Cottages and Farm-Houses, are in good earnest with Religion.  
Together with their way of Intercession or Praying for others.  
LONDON, Printed by A. M. for R. Royston, Bookseller to his Most Sacred Majesty, at the Angel in Amen-corner, 1675.   

The Family-Prayers of those poor Christians, who in Court and Country, in Cities, Towns, Cottages and Farm-Houses, are in good earnest with Religion.  
together with their way of Intercession, or Praying for others.  
(1.) THE Sum of our Christian Religion; In the Name of the ●●●er, and of the Son, and of the 〈◊〉 Ghost, Amen.  
(2.) The Prayer of Prayers; that ●●erein we ask all things necessary, for ●●ers as well as for ourselves; for 〈◊〉 and for Body; for our happy li●●● in this world, for our happy go●●● out of it, and for our most happy ●●ining of that better world that is 〈◊〉 come, namely, Our Father which 〈◊〉 in Heaven,— With this preparation ●●●d not by all, but by one only) ●●us pray for ourselves and all others, ●he Lord Jesus Christ himself hath not only taught, but also command us to pray, and to say, Our Fat●● which—  
(3.) The General Thanksgiving; 〈◊〉 that blessing of God for all his merci●● that he is much pleased with; namely, Glory be to the Father, and to 〈◊〉 Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it 〈◊〉 in the beginning, is now, and ever 〈◊〉 be world without end, Amen. With 〈◊〉 Introduction (said not by all, but 〈◊〉 one only) let us bless the Lord 〈◊〉 God for all his Mercies, in that fo●● of words which he greatly delights 〈◊〉 Glory be to the Father and—  
(4.) The Blessing of Blessing's u●● and to ourselves; The Grace of 〈◊〉 Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of G●● and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost with us all evermore, Amen.  
Being not able with any patience think of living without com●● Prayers in their respective Famil●● they have used themselves to own th● God in common as they could, w●● they could not as they would. 〈◊〉 ashamed, they say, they were, the ri●● 〈◊〉 learned sort should go beyond them 〈◊〉 the duty itself, though they do, or 〈◊〉 lest seem to do in the manner of ●●sormance. Set and long Meals they 〈◊〉 are used among them, and also set 〈◊〉 long Family-Prayers: But though 〈◊〉 neither of these could they equal 〈◊〉, yet equal, if not exceed them, 〈◊〉 would do, as in the wholesomer of their meats, never eating 〈◊〉 when they are hungry; so also in 〈◊〉 devoutness of their Morning and bleaing Family-Prayers: Because these 〈◊〉 them, are nothing but these four 〈◊〉 now set down; said aloud, and 〈◊〉 leisurely, and deliberately, and junctly, by all; Parents, Children, 〈◊〉 Servants, and all that are pre●●.  
And this upon these two grounds, ●●●●g sundry other:  
〈◊〉 Because they assure themselves, 〈◊〉 devotion is from them, and any 〈◊〉 Believers, true and acceptable de●●●n to that God who hath command●●, and knows the full importance 〈◊〉, though we do not; and has promised to hear and answer it, not according to our unworthy and narrow understanding of it, but according to his own All-seeing Mind and Meaning in it.  
2. Because this way of Family-Prayers, (1) All (2) together, and (3) upo● their knees, saying these things bot● Morning and Evening, is such as th● most busy and most employed Family that is may have time for: And ye● such too, as the most slender and ignorant Ruler, whether man or woman is able to perform: And yet that whic● being offered to God with true Devotion, Attention, and Intention, is 〈◊〉 him as acceptable as any Prayers wha● soever; nay, not the less, but the mo●● acceptable for the fervency occasion●● by the Brevity: Because they can off●● it most leisurely and considerately, a●● so most earnestly and ardently. A●● hereunto, That owning their God ev●ry day thus in common, they do assu● themselves, whatever falls out to the●● it shall be and is a Dispensation or Blazing out of Zion, or such as Religi●● ●●●s sanctified to them; especially when ●very one of and in the Family has a great charge laid upon him and her, ●or daily performing his or her own ●●cret and personal Devotions, according to his or her own secret and personal Necessities, Occasions, and Impulses.  

The Worship itself.  
(1.) In the Name of the Father, and of 〈◊〉 Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.  
(2.) Let us pray for ourselves and all others, as the Lord Jesus Christ himself hath both taught and commanded 〈◊〉; Our Father which art in Heaven. Hal●●wed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. ●●y will be done in Earth as it is in Hea●en. Give us this day our daily bread. ●nd forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. ●nd lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, for ever and ever, Amen.  
(3.) Let us bless the Lord our God for all his Mercies, in that form of words which to him is most acceptable; Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.  
(4.) 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. Besides this shorter ordinary way of Family-Prayers, they have also, whensoever they see they have time enough, a larger way of praying; but still by this Prayer of Prayers. For first they say it for the Holy Catholic Church, or for the whole estate of Christ's Church militant here upon Earth, with this Introduction, Let us pray for the whole Estate ●f Christ's Church militant here upon ●●rth. And then most devoutly and leisurely do they in the Name of the father, Son, and Holy Ghost, offer up the Lord's Prayer, all the while thinking of the whole Church. Next, for the Particular Church wherein they are, with the Governors of it, with this preparation, Let us pray for our King and this whole Church and State. And then, 〈◊〉 the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, saying, Our Father which ●rt— most leisurely and fervently; all the while thinking of the King and all his Dominions both in Church and State. After this for the particular Neighbourhood, whereunto they do belong, and the particular Guide thereof; with this Introduction, Let us pray for our Minister, and this whole Parish where God's Providence hath seated us: And then, In the Name of the— Our Father which art— Both most religiously and leisurely uttered; all the while thinking of their respective Parish and Minister. In the fourth place, Let us pray for all Enemies, Persecutors, and Slanderers, etc. In the fifth, For any sick, weak, or otherwise in Danger, Necessity and Tribulation; Namely in the, Let us pray, him or her, or them, to whom they are ready to be so charitable. In the sixth, For the blessing of God upon the fruits of the Earth. In the seventh, for any emergent especial occasion; for instance, for the Parliament when sitting, for Ordination of good Ministers before the four Ordination-Sundays. For any Women in travel, any friend in a journey, or engaged in any dangerous weighty business. For seasonable weather, etc. Concluding still in the same manner, for themselves then gathered together; thus, In the last place, Let us pray for ourselves here now assembled; In the Name of the Father, &c, Glory be to the Father, etc. Our Father, etc. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, etc.  
Now the way how they came to be confident and resolved in this way of praying for others, as well as for themselves, was this.  
First, with great comfort and thankfulness of heart, they did think much of that most merciful gift of Christ to his Church, the Lords Prayer. Secondly, with no less cheerfulness and encouragement did they consider, That the Lord Jesus in express words bids them whenever they pray, to say that Prayer; When ye pray, (saith he) Say, Our Father, etc. Luk. 11.2. Thereby plainly teaching them, that it was by him intended for all times, occasions, and purposes whatsoever. And being there is nothing necessary either for Soul or body, either for this, or for the life to come, but therein couched it is and comprehended and meant, and understood by God the composer and hearer of the Prayer; though not by us perhaps the offerers. In devout ask of all the blessings, and of the whole matter of this Prayer, not according to their own weak and low understanding of it, but according to God's wisdom in it, and his most gracious and fatherly intention towards Mankind by it: I say, in devout leisurely and considerate putting up this Prayer unto God, they did assure themselves, they prayed most worthily and acceptedly for Friends, for Enemies, for Children, for Parents, for Masters, for Servants, for King, for Church, for State, for Priest, for Neighbours, for Pastors, for Guide, for any sick, or otherwise distressed. If all the while they offered up this Prayer upon this or that occasion, all along they thought most wistly and affectionately of him, her, it, or them, that they then meant good to. Nay they then assured themselves, they had prayed for him, her, it, or them, as to the hearer of Prayers was acceptable, and so to the person or persons, or body prayed for, effectual or beneficial one way or other. In the third and last place, whereas some perhaps may object and say, that understand they cannot, how any man's Faith, Repentance, or Religiousness can benefit another, nor can they call to mind that ever they knew their Prayer for any else had ever the desired effect and event. This rub they were taught to put out of their way by these five Considerations.  
(1.) It is indeed no sense nor reason at all that any man's Religiousness or Devotion should in the least benefit any besides himself; no, nor himself neither; but only that God hath promised, that it shall. Here, here is all the power and energy of Prayer; God hath commanded it for others, as well as for ourselves, and in six hundred places hath promised to be overcome by it, at such time, and in such ways, as he sees most fit and necessary. So not the Prayers themselves, but Gods promise that upon our Prayers he will do so and so, This is the All in All. But if those six hundred Promises were not in Scripture so express, yet the commands for praying for others, being most express, it were enough: Because as every promise almost does suppose a command, so also does every command imply a promise; this command for instance, for Intercession, that prevail it shall; for God never commands frivolous, fruitless and successless things.  
(2.) As to the event and real effect of Prayers, the Word they were taught, informs us to this purpose.  
1. That the Creature is to do his duty, and to leave the issue to God, the event being God's care and business, not the Creatures, Mark 4.26, 27. So is the Kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground, and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up he knows not how.  
(2.) That the event is always that which is best, though not that which the Votary did particularly aim at. As when Saul sought for nothing but his Father's Asses, but met, we know, with the Kingdom of Israel. And Abraham's Prayer for all Sodom is answered by the signal deliverance of his near kinsman Lot; for so saith the Text, And it came to pass when God destroyed the Cities of the Plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the Cities, in the which Lot dwelled, Gen. 19.29. Nay, omnibus positis, the world being as it was, and is, nothing could be, can be, better than it was, and is. Besides, they that wait upon God in his ways, especially that of praying for others as well as for themselves; these do always find all events, good unto them and to the universe, one way or other; for to such, the Lord who made Heaven and Earth, and rules all, makes all events to be blessings out of Zion, as the Psalmist speaks, Psal. 134.3. That is, to be not only Secular events, but also Sion-blessings; or such as he uses to sanctify to his Church, to Zion and all praying Believers; and likewise to enable them to be well contented with them, be they never so harsh and distasteful to flesh and blood; yet still something of comfort and satisfaction do they, by virtue of their walking in the ways of Zion, sinned and deprehend in them; according to that most Orthodox and most common word of the believing Hebrews, when any thing very cross fell out to or upon them, Gam zu le tobha, would they say, Even this for good.  
For the unerring eye of Providence, or Omnividence, said they, saw, and sees, what was and is best and most necessary for the universe; and so, according to occasions, made and makes, or suffered and suffers that still to fall out.  
(3.) When those we pray for, such as the impure Sodomites, have made themselves uncapable of our Charity, yet is our Zeal and Charity to do good, not the less, but the more acceptable in the sight of God; and returns with the choicest of all answers into our own bosoms; that is, with an increase of the choicest Grace; that is, more and more Heavenly-mindedness, and more and more public spirit.  
(4.) All labour in vain is not vain labour; that is, labour in vain as to this or that particular design, is not vain labour, as to the general aim of Christianity and Religion. No, that many times is most attained and promoted, when the other may seem quite blasted and defeated.  
Ye poorer and unlearned, see your advantageous and easy way of Family-prayers in your Brethren; and be not so great enemies to your own Souls, and to the Souls of those who are under your Authority. As any time hereafter morning and evening, not to seek God in your Families in this short and easy, but effectual way; and make no question but that God who understands Hearts better than we do Words, will most graciously accept both the Hearts and Words, because these of his own enditing, as those of his own exciting.  
See then (saith the Apostle) that ye ●alk circumspectly not as fools, but as ●ise, redeeming the time, because the days 〈◊〉 evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord 〈◊〉, Ephes. 5.15, 16, 17. As if he should ●ave said in other words thus; Seeing the days are so evil, so perilous, and so atheistical, and withal so contagious and ●●oysoning, as ye see they are, do not ●●il to redeem time for this little (as one would say, to find or make time for ●sing this sovereign Antidote) in your re●●ective Families, twice every four and twenty hours at the least; or certainly 〈◊〉 do not understand what the will of the Lord is in this and many suchlike Scriptures. If yet ye have not done it, yet now at length do it, and let not this reproach lie at the doors of professed Christians, that Family-prayers, like set and costly meals, are to be seen and found only among the rich and learned. Do but break into it, and begin, and after one week the Devil and former neglect will never be able to cast you back into your old stupour, indisposition and benummedness.  
To conclude, whereas that word, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great volume, great vanity, was never more true than now, because men of poverty cannot buy such Books, and men of business cannot read them. We shall put no more to you at this time but this one thing the long and happy experience of sundry your Brethren, which assures you, that if this due care among sundry other, ye do take of your Families, this benefit for certain ye shall sinned to your selves, namely, That in your secret, proper and personal Prayers and Ejaculations, whether up or in bed, whether for yourselves, or for others, ye shall see yourselves every day more and more enlarged and asse●●ed, than ever ye did, when this open regard of your Families ye had not (as ●●e would say in the words of the Prophet Ezekiel, when ye did not study the turning of others as well as of yourselves, Ezek. 18.30.32. Wherefore turn ●●ur selves, and live ye. Margin, Wherefore turn others and live ye. Especially if 〈◊〉 do not fail often to mind your Fa●●ilies both jointly and severally, both ●●e by one and altogether; that to these family-prayers they add, praying by themselves every one to himself, and by himself, as often as he shall find himself ●●leisure and thereunto disposed, and ●●et never seldomer may it be, than ●ery night when he goes to bed, and ●ery morning when he ariseth. And 〈◊〉 every Father of the Family let him ●●ver forget but always well remember, ●●●t the only way to have good Children and good Servants, is to be sure to ●●ke them good Christians. And all whatsoever, Masters, Servants, Parents, children, Landlords, Tenants, Kings, Subjects, Pastors, People, Husbands, Wives, all of all estates, conditions and capacities whatsoever; Know we all, one great reason why we all have so little comfort one of another, seems to be this, Because we have so little Christian care one of another. For if Kings, for instance, would pray more for the Kingdom of God to rule in their Subjects, their Kingdoms certes would not be so shaken with Rebellions and Seditions as they be. And on the other side, if Subjects would be more praying, that their Kings might study more to hollow God's Name, than to honour their own, they would see Reason questionless to be more willing to confess them the Fathers of their Country, and under God, the authors and maintainers of their Prosperity. If Husbands would say the Lords-prayer for their Wives oftener than they do, God would keep their Wives from saying their Prayers backwards for them, so oft as many do. 〈◊〉 Fathers and Mothers would be more a● Our Father for their Children, the Children being wrought upon by their Father in Heaven, would become more dutiful to their Parents on Earth. If people would pray more that the Angels of God in this World his Ministers, might do the will of God on Earth as done it is by the Angels in Heaven, they would see more things in them to rejoice in, than now they do to lament and find fault with. If Masters would pray more that God would give their Servants their daily bread in the full extent and true meaning of that word, the daily bread which they do give them would doubtless be much better resented and requited by them, than now ordinarily it is. And then according to the Ordinance of King Ethelbert, who gave all mean Lords their Estates upon three Conditions, and one of them this, That they should be Fathers to their Tenants: Then I say, would Landlords doubtless be a kind of loving Fathers to their Tenants, and they back again as good as Sons to their Landlords; if both would make great conscience of offering up Our Father, for one another daily, constantly, and devoutly.  
In a word if all, that is, if men, as St. Paul orders, Phillip 2.1. Would not seek every one his own things only, but think and study, and pray every man for the things of others also; then would there be clean another face of things in the World than now is; even as it is in the next verse, The same mind in us, in a good measure, as was in Christ Jesus.  
But when all the intercourse between the respective Estates and Conditions is nothing but what we see; every one prating and practising for himself, and scarce any one, praying, or so much as propounding for any other, no marvel so many, very many are for the good of themselves only, and so few able to do themselves or others any real good at all.  
Si in suà quisque viciniâ, hanc aut similem fatigandi, [Isa. 62.7.] Deum suum rationem, suos omnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, docerent Ecclesiae Ministri, eamque iis in usum redigerent, effectum daretur haud dubie multum boni, multumque mali, partim anteverteretur; partim sanaretur. Quod faxit Deus, per & propter Jesum Christum Advocatum, Dominum & Mediatorem nostrum. Amen.   
FINIS.