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DIRECTIONS

CONCERNING

The Method of Baily Devotion.

As soon as you awake in the morning, strive, as earnestly as you can, to keep all worldly thoughts out of your mind, till you have presented the first-fruits of the day to God; which will be an excellent preparative to make you spend the rest of it the better: and at your first waking, or rising, offer up to God the following ejaculations :

Awake, O my soul, and sing praises to God. I laid me down and slept, and rose up again; for the Lord sustained me.

Glory be to thee, O Lord, for watching over me this night.

Lord, raise me up at the last day to life everlasting.

When you have thus begun, suffer not, without some urgent necessity, any worldly thoughts

to fill your heart, till you have paid your solemn devotions also to almighty God; and therefore, while you are dressing yourself, exercise your mind in spiritual and religious meditations; consider to what temptations business or company are that day most likely to lay you open, and arm yourself with resolutions against them what occasions of doing service to God, or good to your neighbour, are that day most likely to offer themselves; and resolve to embrace them, and contrive how to improve them to the uttermost.

As soon as you are ready, say one or more of the following

PREPARATORY PRAYERS.

Prevent me, O Lord, in all my doings with thy most gracious favour, and further me with thy continual help, that in all my works begun, continued, and ended in thee, I may glorify thy holy name; and finally, by thy mercy, obtain everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid, cleanse the thoughts of my heart by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that I may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

O almighty and everlasting God, who hast safely brought me to the beginning of this day, defend me in the same by thy mighty power, and

grant that this day I fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger, but that all my doings may be ordered by thy governance; to do always that is righteous in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then rise from your knees, and read some portion of holy Scripture, more especially of the New Testament and Psalms of David; first, in a short ejaculation, beseeching your heavenly Father to assist you with his Holy Spirit, that you may so understand and practise his word, that it may make you wise unto salvation.

While you are reading, consider that God is speaking to you, and therefore read with attention and humility; and endeavour, as much as you can, to suit your affections to the subject you are upon. Let the reading any of God's commands excite in you a zeal to keep them; the reading his threatenings against sinners, or his judgments on them, a fear to provoke him; let his gracious promises quicken your obedience, and the instances of his mercies excite you to thanksgiving: when you read the great mysteries recorded in holy writ, prostrate your reason to divine revelation, and, in the midst of your reading, lift up your heart to God in some of these short ejaculations, according to the nature of the subject before you, viz. :

Lord, give me grace to obey this command. Or,

Lord, deliver me from this sin, or this judgment. Or,

Glory be to thee, O Lord, for this mercy.

Or,

Lord, I believe and adore this mystery.

Then read over the introductory meditations prefixed to your daily devotions: after which, offer up to God your morning sacrifice of praise and prayer.

Walk all the day in the fear of God; watch against every temptation; neglect no occasion of doing good; and gladly embrace every opportunity of frequenting the public worship of God in his Church. You may also make use during the day of some of the forms of prayer and praise contained in this book, according as you have opportunity, and as your circumstances may require.

When, in the evening, you again retire into your closet, after having used the preparatory prayer and read some portion of the holy Scriptures as before directed, proceed to examine your heart:

What sin, either of thought, word, or deed, you have that day committed?

What opportunity of doing good you have omitted?

What imperfections your religious duties are chargeable with?

Whether you have wronged your neighbour in any thing; and, if you have, whether you are ready to make him restitution and reparation?

Whether, if any man have wronged you, you are ready to forgive him, even as you desire that God, for Christ's sake, should forgive you?

Consider, also, what mercies you have that day received? What deliverances either from

dangerous and violent temptations, or from any great and apparent danger? And if nothing extraordinary hath happened, but you have been kept even from the approach of the danger, you have so much the greater cause to magnify God who hath so guarded you, that not the least fear of evil hath come nigh your dwelling.

After these meditations, offer up your evening sacrifice of prayer and praise; confess your sins humbly and penitently; renew your resolutions of amendment, and beg for mercy through Christ; and this not slightly, and only as of course, but with all devout earnestness, as you would do if you were sure your death were as near approaching as your sleep, which, for aught you know, may be so indeed; and therefore you should no more venture to sleep unreconciled to God, than you would dare to die so. Omit not, also, to pay him the tribute of your humble thanks, as well for his usual and daily preservations, as for his extraordinary deliverances; and, above all, endeavour, by the consideration of his mercies, to have your heart the more closely knit to him, remembering that every favour received from him is a new engagement upon you to love and obey him.

As you are putting off your clothes, think with yourself that the time approaches when you must put off your body also, and your soul must appear naked before God's judgment-seat; and therefore, while it is now the accepted time, while the day of salvation lasteth, make your calling and election sure, that the great and terrible day of the Lord may not overtake you

unawares.