September 7/18
O GOD, the Creator and Preserver of all mankind, Father of all mercies, I thine unworthy servant do give Thee most humble thanks for all thy goodness and lovingkindness to me. I bless Thee for my creation, preservation, and redemption, for the knowledge of thy son Jesus Christ, for the means of grace and the hope of glory. In the days of childhood and youth, in the midst of weakness, blindness, and danger, Thou hast protected me; amidst afflictions of mind, body, and estate, Thou hast supported me; and amidst vanity and wickedness Thou hast spared me. Grant, O merciful Father, that I may have a lively sense of thy mercies.
Create in me a contrite heart, that I may worthily lament my sins and acknowledge my wickedness, and obtain remission and forgiveness, through the satisfaction of Jesus Christ. And, O Lord, enable me, by thy grace, to redeem the time which I have spent in sloth, vanity, and wickedness; to make use of thy gifts to the honour of thy name to lead a new life in thy faith, fear, and love: and finally to obtain everlasting life. Grant this Almighty Lord, for the merits and through the mediation of our most holy and blessed Saviour Jesus Christ; to whom, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, Three Persons and One God, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.
Transcribed June 26, 1768.
This is the first solemn prayer, of which I have a copy. Whether I composed any before this, I question.
The Year 1744-45
NEW YEAR’S PRAYER
At this time Johnson was not only living; in poverty, but in close friendship and intercourse with the notorious Richard Savage. Perhaps from these combined causes, his life was irregular, and not without reproach. There is a humble and penitent acknowledgment of this in the prayer. It is clear, also, from the last sentence in the prayer, that at this period, Johnson did not believe in purgatory, or the intermediate state. That faith came to him subsequently, as it has come to many others, in the hour of his most poignant sorrow.
January 1.
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, in whose A hands are life and death, by whose will all things were created, and by whose providence they are sustained, I return Thee thanks that Thou hast given me life, and that Thou hast continued it to this time; that Thou hast hitherto forborn to snatch me away in the midst of sin and folly, and hast permitted me still to enjoy the means of grace, and vouchsafed to call me yet again to repentance. Grant, O merciful Lord, that thy call may not be vain; that my life may not be continued to increase my guilt, and that thy gracious forbearance may not harden my heart in wickedness. Let me remember, O my God, that as days and years pass over me, I approach nearer to the grave, where there is no repentance; and grant, that by the assistance of thy Holy Spirit, I may so pass through this life, that I may obtain life everlasting, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Year 1747-48
NEW YEAR’S PRAYER
In the year 1747 Johnson announced his most important work ‘A Dictionary of the English Language,’ and issued the famous plan addressed to the Earl of Chesterfield.
January 1.
ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father, who hast not yet suffered me to fall into the grave; grant that I may so remember my past life as to repent of the days and years which I have spent in forgetfulness of thy mercy, and neglect of my own salvation; and so use the time which Thou shalt yet allow me, as that I may become every day more diligent in the duties which in thy providence shall be assigned me; and that, when at last I shall be called to judgment, I may be received as a good and faithful servant into everlasting happiness, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Year 1749-50
NEW YEAR’S PRAYER
January 1, after 3 in the morning.
ALMIGHTY God, by whose will I was created, and by whose providence I have been sustained, by whose mercy I have been called to the knowledge of my Redeemer, and by whose grace whatever I have thought or acted acceptable to Thee has been inspired and directed; grant, O Lord, that in reviewing my past life, I may recollect thy mercies to my preservation, in whatever state Thou preparest for me; that in affliction I may remember how often I have been succoured; and in prosperity may know and confess from whose hand the blessing is received. Let me, O Lord, so remember my sins, that I may abolish them by true repentance, and so improve the year to which Thou hast graciously extended my life, and all the years which thou shalt yet allow me, that I may hourly become purer in thy sight; so that I may live in thy fear and die in thy favour, and find mercy at the last day, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.
PRAYER ON THE RAMBLER
The ‘Rambler’ was started on March 20, 1750, and published twice a week for two years. ‘In 1750 he came forth in the character for which he was eminently qualified, a majestic teacher of moral and religions wisdom. With what devout and conscientious sentiments this paper was undertaken, is evidenced by the following prayer, which he composed and offered up on the occasion.’ — Boswell.
ALMIGHTY God, the giver of all good things, without whose help all labour is ineffectual, and without whose grace all wisdom is folly; grant, I beseech Thee, that in this my undertaking, thy Holy Spirit may not be withheld from me, but that I may promote thy glory, and the salvation both of myself and others; grant this, O Lord, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Year 1752
PRAYERS composed by me on the death of my Wife, and reposited among her Memorials, May 8, 1752.
Deus exaudi. — Heu!
Mrs. Johnson died March 17, O.S., or March 28, N.S., 1752, and was buried at Bromley in Kent. When Johnson married her in 1736 she was Mrs. Elizabeth Porter, the widow of a Birmingham mercer.
At the time of his marriage Johnson was 27 and Mrs. Porter was 48. Notwithstanding this disparity in their ages it was a true love match, and their married life was very happy. The loss of his wife plunged Johnson into the deepest grief, and he cherished her memory to the end of his days in the most tender and beautiful way. The anniversary of her death was sacredly kept and used by Johnson as a spur to penitence and to a more devoted Christian life. The religious devotions inspired by his wife’s memory are closely connected, also, with Johnson’s conditional belief in the efficacy of prayers for the dead, and the possibility of departed spirits ministering to the sorrowing survivors by ‘dreams or appearances.’
April 24, 1752.
ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father, who lovest those whom Thou punishest, and turnest away thy anger from the penitent, look down with pity upon my sorrows, and grant that the affliction which it has pleased Thee to bring upon me, may awaken my conscience, enforce my resolutions of a better life, and impress upon me such conviction of thy power and goodness, that I may place in Thee my only felicity, and endeavour to please Thee in all my thoughts, words, and actions. Grant, O Lord, that I may not languish in fruitless and unavailing sorrow, but that I may consider from whose hand all good and evil is received, and may remember that I am punished for my sins, and hope for comfort only by repentance. Grant, O merciful God, that by the assistance of thy Holy Spirit I may repent, and be comforted, obtain that peace which the world cannot give, pass the residue of my life in humble resignation and cheerful obedience; and when it shall please Thee to call me from this mortal state, resign myself into thy hands with faith and confidence, and finally obtain mercy and everlasting happiness, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
April 25, 1752.
O LORD, our heavenly Father, almighty and most merciful God, in whose hands are life and death, who givest and takest away, castest down and raisest up, look with mercy on the affliction of thy unworthy servant, turn away thine anger from me, and speak peace to my troubled soul. Grant me the assistance and comfort of thy Holy Spirit, that I may remember with thankfulness the blessings so long enjoyed by me in the society of my departed wife; make me so to think on her precepts and example, that I may imitate whatever was in her life acceptable in thy sight, and avoid all by which she offended Thee. Forgive me, O merciful Lord, all my sins, and enable me to begin and p
erfect that reformation which I promised her, and to persevere in that resolution, which she implored Thee to continue in the purposes which I recorded in thy sight, when she lay dead before me, in obedience to thy laws and faith in thy word. And now, O Lord, release me from my sorrow, fill me with just hopes, true faith, and holy consolations, and enable me to do my duty in that state of life to which Thou hast been pleased to call me, without disturbance from fruitless grief, or tumultuous imaginations; that in all my thoughts, words, and actions, I may glorify thy Holy Name, and finally obtain, what I hope Thou hast granted to thy departed servant, everlasting joy and felicity, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
April 26, 1752, being after 12 at night of the 25th.
O LORD, Governor of Heaven and Earth, in whose hands are embodied and departed spirits, if Thou hast ordained the souls of the dead to minister to the living, and appointed my departed wife to have care of me, grant that I may enjoy the good effects of her attention and ministration, whether exercised by appearance, impulses, dreams, or in any other manner agreeable to thy government; forgive my presumption, enlighten my ignorance, and however meaner agents are employed, grant me the blessed influences of thy Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
May 6, 1752.
O LORD, our heavenly Father, without whom all purposes are frustrate, all efforts are vain, grant me the assistance of thy Holy Spirit, that I may not sorrow as one without hope, but may now return to the duties of my present state with humble confidence in thy protection, and so govern my thoughts and actions, that neither business may withdraw my mind from Thee, nor idleness lay me open to vain imaginations: that neither praise may fill me with pride, nor censure with discontent; but that in the changes of this life, I may fix my heart upon the reward which Thou hast promised to them that serve Thee, and that whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever are pure, whatever are lovely, whatever are of good report, wherein there is virtue, wherein there is praise, I may think upon and do, and obtain mercy and everlasting happiness. Grant this, O Lord, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Our Father, etc. — The grace, etc.
May 6. I used this service, written April 24, 25, May 6, as preparatory to my return to life to-morrow.
BEFORE ANY NEW STUDY
November.
ALMIGHTY God, in whose hands are all the powers of man, who givest understanding, and takest it away; who, as it seemeth good unto Thee, enlightenest the thoughts of the simple, and darkenest the meditations of the wise, be present with me in my studies and enquiries.
Grant, O Lord, that I may not lavish away the life which Thou hast given me on useless trifles, nor waste it in vain searches after things which Thou hast hidden from me.
Enable me, by thy Holy Spirit so to shun sloth and negligence, that every day may discharge part of the task which Thou hast allotted me; and so further with thy help that labour which, without thy help, must be ineffectual, that I may obtain, in all my undertakings, such success as will most promote thy glory, and the salvation of my own soul, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.
AFTER TIME NEGLIGENTLY AND UNPROFITABLY SPENT
November 19.
O LORD, in whose hands are life and death, by whose power I am sustained, and by whose mercy I am spared, look down upon me with pity. Forgive me, that I have this day neglected the duty which Thou hast assigned to it, and suffered the hours, of which I must give account, to pass away without any endeavour to accomplish thy will, or to promote my own salvation. Make me to remember, O God, that every day is thy gift, and ought to be used according to thy command. Grant me, therefore, so to repent of my negligence, that I may obtain mercy from Thee, and pass the time which thou shalt yet allow me, in diligent performance of thy commands, through Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Year 1753
NEW YEAR’S PRAYER
The following prayer is not in Strahan’s book, but is given by Boswell in the ‘Life.’
‘He entered upon this year 1753 with his usual piety, as appears from the following prayer, which I transcribed from that part of his diary which he burnt a few days before his death.’
January 1, 1753, N.S., which I shall use for the future.
ALMIGHTY God, who hast continued my life to this day, grant that, by the assistance of thy Holy Spirit, I may improve the time which Thou shalt grant me to my eternal salvation.
Make me to remember to thy glory, thy judgments and thy mercies. Make me to consider the loss of my wife, whom Thou hast taken from me, that it may dispose me, by thy grace, to lead the residue of my life in thy fear. Grant this, O Lord, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.
Another prayer which is not in Strahan, but is given by Boswell: ‘In one of the books of his diary, I find the following entry:— “April 3, 1753. — I began the second volume of my Dictionary, room being left in the first for Preface, Grammar, and History, none of them yet begun.’”
O GOD, who hast hitherto supported me, enable me to proceed in this labour, and in the whole task of my present state: that when I shall render up, at the last day, an account of the talent committed to me, I may receive pardon for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.
ON EASTER DAY
In this Easter prayer, it is very beautiful to notice how thoughts of the crucified and risen Lord are blended with the humble and earnest desire that God, for Christ’s sake, will minister ‘whatever is best in her present state’ to the petitioner’s departed wife, and receive her at last to eternal happiness. The note, ‘this I repeated sometimes at church,’ was evidently added later.
April 22.
O LORD, who givest the grace of repentance, and hearest the prayers of the penitent, grant, that by true contrition, I may obtain forgiveness of all the sins committed, and of all duties neglected, in my union with the wife whom Thou hast taken from me; for the neglect of joint devotion, patient exhortation, and mild instruction. And, O Lord, who canst change evil to good, grant that the loss of my wife may so mortify all inordinate affections in me, that I may henceforth please Thee by holiness of life.
And, O Lord, so far as it may be lawful for me, I commend to thy fatherly goodness the soul of my departed wife; beseeching Thee to grant her whatever is best in her present state, and finally to receive her to eternal happiness. All this I beg for Jesus Christ’s sake, whose death I am now about to commemorate. To whom, etc. Amen.
This I repeated sometimes at church.
The year 1754 IN MEMORY OF HIS WIFE
These two prayers, one composed in the morning and the other at night of the same day, commemorate the second anniversary of Mrs. Johnson’s death. The brief reflections on the melancholy of the day, and the good resolutions formed when his wife died, were probably added later.
Fl. Lacr. — with flowing tears.
Fl. Lacr.
March 28, in the morning.
O GOD, who on this day wert pleased to take from me my dear wife, sanctify to me my sorrows and reflections. Grant, that I may renew and practise the resolutions which I made when thy afflicting hand was upon me. Let the remembrance of thy judgments, by which my wife is taken away, awaken me to repentance; and the sense of thy mercy, by which I am spared, strengthen my hope and confidence in Thee, that by the assistance and comfort of thy Holy Spirit, I may so pass through things temporal, as finally to gain everlasting happiness, and to pass, by a holy and happy death, into the joy which Thou hast prepared for those that love Thee. Grant this, O Lord, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.
March 28, 1754, at night.
ALMIGHTY God, vouchsafe to sanctify unto me the reflections and resolutions of this day; let not my sorrow be unprofitable; let not my resolutions be vain. Grant that my grief may produce true repentance, so that I may live to please Thee; and when the time shall come that I must die like her whom Thou hast taken from me, grant me eternal happiness in thy presence, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The melancholy of this day hung long upon me.
/> Of the resolutions made this day, I in some measure kept that of breaking from indolence.
The Year 1755
ON THE STUDY OF PHILOSOPHY AS AN INSTRUMENT OF LIVING
‘In July this year he had formed some scheme of mental improvement, the particular purpose of which does not appear. But we find in his “ Prayers and Meditations” a prayer entitled “On the Study of Philosophy, as an instrument of living”; and after it follows a note, “This study was not pursued.”’ — Boswell.
Johnson had just completed his Dictionary and, possibly in a glow of enthusiasm on completing that great work, resolved to apply himself more diligently and regularly to useful study. On the 13th of the same month, Boswell tells us he wrote in his Journal the following scheme of life for Sunday: ‘Having lived ‘ (as he, with tenderness of conscience expresses himself) ‘ not without an habitual reverence for the Sabbath, yet without that attention to its religious duties which Christianity requires: —
‘ “i. To rise early, and in order to it, to go to sleep early on Saturday.
‘ “ii. To use some extraordinary devotion in the morning.
‘“iii. To examine the tenor of iny life, and particularly the last week; and to mark my advances in religion, or recession from it.
“iv. To read the Scriptures methodically with such helps as are at hand.
‘“v. To go to church twice.
‘“vi. To read books of divinity, either speculative or practical.
‘“vii. To instruct my family.
‘ “ viii. To wear off by meditation any worldly soil contracted in the week.”’
July.
LORD, who hast ordained labour to be the lot of man, and seest the necessities of all thy creatures, bless my studies and endeavours; feed me with food convenient for me; and if it shall be thy good pleasure to intrust me with plenty, give me a compassionate heart, that I may be ready to relieve the wants of others; let neither poverty nor riches estrange my heart from Thee, but assist me with thy grace so to live as that I may die in thy favour, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Complete Works of Samuel Johnson Page 361
