The whole duty of man epitomiz'd: for the benefit of the poor. With select prayers suited to every partition. By Edm. Stacy, a minister of the Church of England.

An Introductory Prayer for Faith.

BLessed Lord, God, strengthen and confirm my Faith I be∣see thee, that I may truly believe and depend upon thy Holy Name, and Word; improve my Under∣standing, and direct my Will, that whatsoever I read in this, or any Book tending to the Promotion of Religion, and the Salvation of my Soul, may sink so deep into my Mind, that I may bring forth by it, the Fruit of good Living, to thy Praise and Honour: O Jesus, my only Mediator and Advocate.

A Prayer suited for the First Partition.

INstruct me O my God, in the Whole Duty of Man; enrich me with thy blessed Spirit, that the Lights of Nature and Scripture may shine bright in me, and guide me, through the distinct Branches of my Duty, to Thee, my Self, and my Neighbour. Give me O Jesus, mer∣ciful Jesus, such an awful Sence of thy Eternal Essence, that by a stea∣dy and unalterable Faith I may lay hold on thy gracious Promises; im∣prove and enliven my hope by a fixt and solid Dependance upon thy Goodness, and yet restrain me too, that I may in no respect be possest with the Vanity of Presumption. O God of Love, inspire my Soul with such a Holy Ardency, that I may make it the whole business of my Life to Adore and Love Thee. O God of Love! Let the Fear of Thee (O glorious Majesty!) pos∣ses me with such a Holy Reverence, and Regard for Thee, that I may

be afraid to do any thing against the Honour due to thy Name, or to provoke Thee with any kind of Sin, or Folly; and in all my Wants and Extremities, give me Grace to put my whole Trust and Confidence in Thee: O Almighty Lord!

For the Second.

ENdow me, O Lamb of God, with a Spirit of Meekness and Hu∣mility, that I may be enabl'd to submit to thy Will, and to undergo all the Sufferings of my Life with Calmness and Moderation. O thou Eternal Fountain of all Honour, Glo∣ry, and Power, for thy own sake I beseech Thee impress deeply upon my Soul, a high Reverence and Re∣gard for thy House the Church, and the Possessions thou hast set a part for thy own Use, and let thy Day, thy Word, and thy Sacraments be always precious in my sight; O Lord! my Strength, and my Re∣deemer.

For the Third.

O Merciful Jesus, who hast pre∣par'd a blessed Feast for the Entertainmment of my Soul, give me Grace before I presume to approach thy Table to prove my Self by a strict Examination, how fit I am to be a Guest at such an Holy Banquet; and seeing I can never prepare my self as I ought without Repentance, Faith, and Obedience: Direct me I beseech Thee, in the right performance of those great Duties, and in every other Grace and Vertue that is any ways requi∣site to qualifie me aright for that awful Mystery.

For the Fourth.

O Omnipotent and Eternal God, I acknowledg'd thy Name is Great, Wonderful, and Holy, and most worthy of Honour and Adora∣tion; keep me therefore (dread Lord) from all kind of Blasphemy,

and Perjury, and from all vain and unlawful Oaths, and from every o∣ther Sin that may any ways tend to debase the Majesty of thy most glo∣rious Name.

For the Fifth.

THY Name O Lord is thy own glorious Self! Hear me there∣fore O great Jehova! That when I Pray, Repent, or Fast, or do any of the other Duties of Religion, I may do them all with an habitual Reverence, and Purity of Intenti∣on, to the Praise and Honour of thy Name.

For the Sixth.

DIrect me O my God in the Duties to my Self! Impress upon me O Eternal Goodness, a so∣ber Mind, and an Humble Spirit, that I may acquit my self to Thee and my Fellow-Creature, as be∣comes a Wise Man and a good Chri∣stian; keep I beseech Thee all Pride

and Vain-Glory out of my Heart, and from a due Reflection upon the Folly and Danger that attends them, give me Grace to use the means to prevent 'em effectually; endow me O thou Author of all good Gifts, with a meek and quiet Spirit, that I may form my Life af∣ter thy Example; O blessed Jesus!

For the Seventh.

BLess me O Father of Mercy with a contented Mind through every State and Turn of my Life, and let neither Murmuring, Ambi∣tion, Covetousness, or Envy at any time get the Dominion over my Reason, and disturb the Composure of my Soul. Assist me mercifully O Lord in the performance of those Duties that concern my Body, that by the help of Chastity and Tempe∣rance, I may utterly mortifie all my Corrupt Lusts and Appetites, and make it a fit Receptacle for a pure Mind, and a quiet Conscience.

For the Eighth.

GIve me, O thou Eternal Foun∣tain of all Order and Sobrie∣ty, a fixt and setl'd Hatred against all Intemperance, but more especially against that of excessive Drinking; discover to me I beseech Thee, the false Ends of Drinking, and imprint upon me such a deep sence of the Danger, and Folly, and withal of the Loathsomeness of it, that I may reject it, as a Vice much below the Dignity of a Man, much more of a Christian.

For the Ninth.

O Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord, God, direct me I beseech Thee in a right Application of all thy Blessings. Thou hast given me leave to Sleep for the Support and Repose of my Frail Body, teach me likewise, O God of Temperance, to measure it by the Ends for which thou was at first pleas'd to ordain

it. Let all my Recreations be mo∣derate and inoffensive, and us'd with the strictest Caution with re∣gard to Thee, my Neighbour, and my Self; give me Grace and Pru∣dence to avoid all Gaiety in my Apparel, and to prefer the inward Ornaments of my Soul to all use∣less Trappins, and all gaudy and insignificant Shews and Formalities.

For the Tenth.

INstruct me, O Eternal Father of all Truth and Equity, in the Duties I owe to my Neighbour; grant I beseech Thee, that I may direct my Life, by the constant Rules of Justice, both Negative and Positive. Prevent me, O Crucify'd Saviour from that crying Sin of Murder; let the hainousness, the Punishments, and the strange Disco∣veries thou hast been pleas'd to make of it be always in my View, to deter me from it even in the most minute Particulars.

For the Eleventh.

GIve me Grace, O Blessed Re∣deemer that after thy Example I may observe a strict and Positive Justice to my Neighbour in all his Pos∣sessions. Stamp deep upon my Mind I intreat Thee (O my God) a tender regard for him in his Wife, and in all his worldly Goods. Lord I beseech Thee, defend me from the Sins of Oppression and Theft, and give me Grace to acquit my Self justly in all my Dealings, and to behave my self as becomes an honest Man in all manner of Bargains and Commerce.

For the Twelfth.

LET thy merciful Ears O Lord be open to my Prayers; for the sake of thy own Eternal Equity, errace utterly out of my Mind all unjust Notions; and let no Temp∣tations to any sort of Robbery at any time get the Dominion over me;

improve my Mind I beseech Thee with such a determinate hatred a∣gainst all kind of Deceit, that I may immediately resolve upon that great Duty of a Christian Restitu∣tion. And this I beg of Thee with the highest Ardency, for thy own sake O merciful Jesus!

For the Thirteenth.

O Eternal God of Truth! guide me I beseech Thee by thy blessed Spirit, that I may be exactly careful how I Believe, or Report any thing to the Prejudice of my Neigh∣bour; keep me from the dangerous Sins of Perjury. and Slandering, from all base and malicious Whisper∣ings, and from all fly and injurious Insinuations; O God of Righteous∣ness, let the tenderness and regard I owe to my Fellow Christian sink so deep into my Soul, that I may neither Scoff at his Calamities, or Infirmities, nor deride his very Sins. Give me, O King of Justice, such a Positive Ʋprightness and Integrity,

that I may abhor all sorts of Lying, Envy, and Detraction, and that I may preserve an humble and intire Gratitude and Thankfulness towards my Friends and Benefactors, but especially towards Thee O bounti∣ful Jesus!

For the Fourteenth.

O God of all Order and Power, who in thy Wisdom hast ap∣pointed several Ranks and Degrees of Men among us, give me an awful Sence of that profound Obe∣dience and Respect I owe to all the Magistrates, Pastors, and Gover∣nours in their respective Stations; teach me O my God! as a Child, that Love and Reverence I owe to my Parents, and as a Parent that Care and Duty I owe to my Chil∣dren, that in both Capacities I may discharge my Trust after the Direction of thy most Holy Pre∣cepts, O King of Righteousness!

For the Fifteenth.

TEach me O merciful God and Saviour, that I may acquit my self to all my Brethren whether Spiritual or Temporal, and to all my Relations, as becomes a Member of the Christian Profession; in the se∣veral Capacities of a Husband, Friend, Master and Servant, teach me O merciful God, to behave my self, as becomes a Member of thy most Holy Religion, O blessed Je∣sus.

For the Sixteenth.

INstruct me I beseech Thee, O Almighty Lord, in all the Branches of my Duty to my Neighbour. After thy own Example, O un∣changeable Goodness! Direct my Charity towards him, with respect to his Soul, his Body, his Goods, and his Credit; give me such a Spirit of Positive Justice, that I may value him upon all Accounts equal to my

self, and be always ready to do the very best I can to propagate his In∣terest in both Worlds. I beg this of Thee with the utmost Ardency of my Soul, O Jesus, merciful Je∣sus!

For the Seventeenth.

O Merciful God, who hast mark'd out my Compassion to my Fellow Creature, as the Stan∣dard by which thou intendest to measure Thine to me! Give me, I beseech Thee an intire and univer∣sal Charity. Open my Bowels, that I may be ready to help and further him in all his Extremities. Grant O my God, for the sake of thy own Love, that I may be always prepar'd to vindicate my Neigh∣bours good Name upon all occasi∣ons, that I may judge the best and speak well of him, and conceal or ex∣cuse his Infirmities, that I may be im∣patient to hear, slow to believe and unwilling to propagate evil Reports; lodge him in my Heart in the very

next Place to my Self, that I may constantly Study his Peace, and va∣lue it equal to my own; keep me from all Litigious Suits and Contro∣versies, let an even and regular Cha∣rity run through my whole Life and Actions, and extend it self even to my very Enemies; I beg this and every thing else, thou in thy Wis∣dom knows useful for me, for Jesus Christ his Sake,

Amen, Amen.