The Whole Duty of Man, Part 1 – Part 2
DIRECTIONS for the MORNING.
As soon as ever thou awakest in the morning, lift up thy heart to God in this or the like short Prayer.
LORD, As thou hast awaked my Body from sleep, so by thy grace awaken my Soul from sin, and make me so to walk before thee this day and all the rest of my life, that when the last trumpet shall awake me out of my grave, I may rise to the life immortal, through Jesus Christ.
WHen thou hast thus begun, suffer not (without some urgent necessity) any worldly thoughts to fill thy mind, till thou hast also paid thy more solemn Devotions to Almighty God, and therefore during the time thou art dressing thy self (which should be no longer then common decency requires) exercise thy mind in some spiritual thoughts: as for example, consider to what Temptations thy business or company that day are most like to lay thee open, and arm thy self with Resolutions against them; or again, consider what Occasions of doing service to God, or good to thy neighbour are that day most likely to present themselves, and resolve to embrace them; and also contrive how thou mayest improve them to the uttermost. But especially it will be sit for thee to Examine whether there have any sin escaped thee since thy last nights examination. If after these considerations any further leisure remain, thou mayest profitably imploy it in meditating on the general Resurrection (whereof our rising from our beds is a Representation) and of that dreadful Judgement which shall follow it, and then think with thy self in what preparation thou art for it, and resolve to husband ca… fully every minute of thy time towards the fitting th…e for that great account. As soon as thou art ready retire to some private place, and there offer up to God thy Morning Sacrifice of Praise and Prayer.
PRAYERS for the MORNING.
At thy first kneeling down, say,
O Holy, Blessed and Glorious Trinity, three Persons and one God, have mercy upon me a miserable sinner.
LORD, I know not what to pray for as I ought, O let thy Spirit help my infirmities, and enable me to offer up a spiritual Sacrifice acceptable to thee by Jesus Christ.
A THANKSGIVING.
O Gracious Lord, whose mercies endure for eever, I thy unworthy servant who have so deeply tasted of them, desire to render thee the tribute of my humblest praises for them: In thee, O Lord, I live, and move and have my being, thou first madest me to be, and then that I might not be miserable but happy, thou sendest thy Son out of thy bos…me to redeem me from the power of my sins by his Grace, and from the punishment of them by his Blood, and by both to bring me to his glory. Thou hast by thy mercy caused me to be born within thy peculiar fold, the Christian Church, where I was early consecrated to thee in Baptism, and have been partaker of all those spiritual helps which might aid me to perform that Vow I there made to thee; and when by my own wilfulness or negligence I have failed to do it, yet thou in thy manifold mercies hast not forsaken me, but hast graciously invited me to repentance, afforded me all means both outward and inward for it, and with much patience hast attended and not cut me off in the acts of those many damning sins I have committed, as I have most justly deserved. It is, O Lord, thy restraining grace alone by which I have been kept back from any the greatest sins, and it is thy inciting and assisting grace alone, by which I have been enabled to do any the least good, therefore not unto me, not unto me, but unto thy name be the praises. For these and all other thy spiritual blessings, my soul doth magnifie the Lord, and all that is within me praise his holy Name. I likewise praise thee for those many outward blessings I enjoy, as health, friends, food and raiment, the comforts as well as the necessaries of this life, for those continual protections of thy hand, by which I and mine are kept from dangers, and those gracious deliverances thou hast often afforded out of such as have befallen me; and for that mercy of thine whereby thou hast sweetned and all…yed those troubles thou hast not seen sit wholly to remove: for thy particular preservation of me this night, and all other thy goodness towards me; Lord, grant that I may render thee not only the fruit of my lips, but the obedience of my life, that so these blessings here may be an earnest of those richer blessings thou hast prepared for those that love thee, and that for his sake whom thou hast made the Author of Eternal Salvation to all that obey him, even Jesus Christ.
A CONFESSION.
O Righteous Lord, who hatest iniquity, I thy sinful creature cast my self at thy feet, acknowledging that I most justly deserve to be utterly abhorred and forsaken by thee, for I have drunk iniquity like water, gone on in a continued course of sin and rebellion against thee, dayly committing those things thou forbiddest, and leaving undone those things thou commandest; mine heart, which should be an habitation for thy spirit, is become a cage of unclean birds, of foul and disordered affections; and out of this abundance of the heart my mouth speaketh, my hands act, so that in thought, word, and deed I continually transgress against thee. [Here mention the greatest of thy sins] Nay, O Lord, I have despised that goodness of thine which should lead me to Repentance, hardning my heart against all those means thou hast used for my amendment. And now, Lord, what can I expect from thee but judgment and fiery indignation, that is indeed the due reward of my sins? But, O Lord, there is mercy with thee that thou may est be feared, O fit me for that mercy by giving me a deep and hearty Repentance, and then according to thy goodness let thy anger and thy wrath be turned away from me; look upon me in thy Son, my blessed Saviour, and for the merit of his sufferings pardon all my sins: And, Lord, I beseech thee by the power of thy grace so to renew and purifie my heart, that I may become a new creature, utterly forsaking every evil way, and living in constant, sincere, universal obedience to thee all the rest of my days, that behaving my self as a good and faithful servant, I may by thy mercy at the last be received into the joy of my Lord: Grant this for Jesus Christ his sake.
A PRAYER for GRACE.
O Most gracious God, from whom every good and perfect gift cometh, I wretched creature that am not able of my self so much as to think a good thought, beseech thee to work in me both to will and do according to thy good pleasure; inlighten …, … that I may know thee, and let me not be barren or unfruitful in that knowledg; Lord, work in my heart a true faith a purifying hope, and an unfeigned love towards thee, give me a full trust on thee, zeal for thee, reverence of all things that relate to thee; make me fearful to offend thee, thankful for thy mercies, humble under thy corrections, devout in thy service, sorrowful for my sins; and grant that in all things I may behave my self so as befits a creature to his Creator, a servant to his Lord; enable me likewise to perform that duty I owe to my self, give me that meekness, humility, and contentedness whereby I may always possess my soul in patience and thankfulness; make me diligent in all my duties, watchful against all temptations, perfectly pure and temperate, and so moderate in my most lawful injoyments that they never become a snare to me; make me also, O Lord, to be so affected towards my neighbour, that I never transgress that royal Law of thine, of loving him as my self; grant me exactly to perform all parts of justice, yielding to all whatsoever by any kinde of right becomes their due; and give me such bowels of mercy and compassion that I may never fail to do all acts of charity to all men, whether friends or enemies, according to thy command and example. Finally, I beseech thee, O Lord, to sanctifie me throughout, that my whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory for ever.
Amen.
INTERCESSION.
OBlessed Lord, whose mercy is over all thy works, I beseech thee to have mercy upon all men, and grant that the precious ransome which was paid by thy Son for all, may be effectuall to the saving of all. Give thy inlightning grace to those that are in darkness, and thy converting grace to those that are in sin; look with thy tenderest compassions upon the Universal Church, O be favourable and gracious unto Sion, build thou the walls of Jerusalem, unite all those that profess thy Name to thee, by Purity, and Holiness, and to each other by Brotherly love. Have mercy on this desolate Church, and sinful Nation, thou hast moved the Land and divided it, heal the sores thereof for it shaketh, make us so truly to repent of those sins, which have provoked thy Judgements, that thou also mayest turn, and repent, and leave a blessing behinde thee. Bless those whom thou hast appointed our Governours, whether in Church or State, so rule their hearts, and strengthen their hands, that they may neither want will nor power to punish wickedness and vice, and to maintain Gods true Religion and Vertue. Have pity, O Lord, on all that are in affliction; be a Father to the fatherless, and plead the cause of the widow, comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, heal the sick, relieve the needy, defend the oppressed, and administer to every one according to their several necessities; let thy blessings rest upon all that are near and dear to me, and grant them whatsoever thou seest necessary either to their bodies or their Souls. [Here name thy neerest Relations] Reward all those that have done me good, and pardon all those that have done, or wisht me evil, and work in them and me all that good which may make us acceptable in thy sight, through Jesus Christ.
For PRESERVATION.
OMerciful God, by whose bounty alone it is, that I have this day added to my life, I beseech thee so to guide me in it by thy grace, that I may do nothing which may dishonour thee, or wound my own soul, but that I may deligently apply my self to do all such good works, as thou hast prepared for me to walk in; and Lord I beseech thee, give thy Angels charge over me, to keep me in all my wayes, that no evil happen unto me, nor any plague come nigh my dwelling, but that I and mine may be safe under thy gracious protection, through Jesus Christ.
O Lord, pardon the wandrings and coldness of these petitions, and d…al with me, not according either to my prayers or deserts, but according to my needs, and thine own rich mercies in Jesus Christ, in whose blessed Name and Words, I conclude these my imperfect Prayers; saying, Our Father, &c.
DIRECTIONS for NIGHT.
AT NIGHT, when it draws towards the time of rest, bethink thy self, how thou hast passed the day, examine thine own heart, what sin either of Thought, Word, or Deed thou hast committed, what opportunity of doing good thou hast omitted, and what soever thou sindest to accuse thy self of, confess humbly and penitently to God, renew thy purposes, and resolutions of amendment, and beg his pardon in Christ, and this not slightly, and only as of course, but with all devout earnestness, and heartiness, as thou wouldest do, if thou were sure thy death were as near approaching, as thy sleep, which for ought thou knowest may be so indeed, and therefore thou shouldest no more venture to sleep unreconciled to God, then thou wouldest dare to die so. In the next place, consider what special and extraordinary mercies thou hast that day received, as if thou hast had any great deliverance, either in thy inward man, from some dangerous temptations, or in thy outward, from any great and apparent danger, and offer to God thy hearty and devout praise for the same; or if nothing extraordinary have so happened, and thou hast been kept even from the approach of danger, thou hast not the less, but the greater cause to magnifie God, who hath by his protection so guarded thee, that not so much as the fear of evil hath assaulted thee. And therefore omit not to pay him the tribute of humble thankfulness, as well for his usual and dayly preservations, as his more extraordinary deliverances. And above all, endeavour still by the considerations of his mercies to have thy heart the more closely knit to him, remembring that every favour received from him is a new engagement upon thee, to love and obey him.