. ' -USA flmfi TT T^Vt^^^ 2 - > f -^f fW^-^*^ (^ £^=r**-«^-^~ t-tS^* ££££ *"-<4~*. Sc£ *t/3fc* £.20. Publifhed by Authority. To all devout Chrijlians. BE pleated to obferve, that the preference, which the truly pious and judicious have given to thh New Week's Preparation, has lately tempted fever al Bcokfelkrs to reprint Keble's Old Week's Prepara- tion, with an Engraved Title-page, and a New Print before it, fo as to make that Old Book fomewhat refemble//;/j New Week's Preparation to the eye of the purchafer : and therefore the public are defired to be careful, that they have not that Old Book ! impofed upon them for the future, inftead of this New IVeek'i Preparation, which is publifhcdby the [Kings Authority, and is, by Afllgnment from the Executors of the late Mr. WicJJiced, printed only for John Hinton, at the King's Arms, in Neivgats Street, London. (£^» Bfware alfo of a Book infitkd, The Nezv WetlCi Prepara- tion for the worthy recannng of the L,rd i S:tpper f I?.;*' I (pretend; J to be punted at GLASGOW, LONDON, and fcveral . othc ich for Tome Time part has been fold : MANCHESTER, and has. bctn published, as it is prefurhe4, 1 with the farre ktratfot J r .r^i } as that above mentioned* Eat /?/>//7M3read and Drink // '/vW-Qnj? . JZiifnwfdattdJtwfcti ' ap/M/r and Devotions at the IiORDS TABILX ; Ali S O Meditations \omd&&yxstok&ewc7l after receiving die HOLY SACRAMENT. To which are a died KMvrmnok^Eifrnfhg?Y7^etior ^C/o/ctoTFarnily. ice TheTwenty Ninth. Edition. Lo;NT> OK, Printed byAfsi gument from the Ejrecufonr of the fa/?JEDJ$Wrci£ST£Ei> , iwJoBK HILTON in^ewgate Street. GEORGE R. f^EORG E the Second, by the Grace of God, King .of Gnat Eritafc, i -f- France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. To all to whom v -* thefe Preients mall come, Greeting.- WHEREAS our Truity and f Well beloved Edward Wiciflecd, of our City of London, Bookieller,' hath humby reprefented to us, TJ^at he is now Printing a New Edition {witb Improvement s) of a Wcri:, Entitled, The New Week's Prewar at ion/sr a Worthy Receiving of the Lord's S u p p fr , as recommended and appointed by the Church of England, iffc. In two Parts. AND whereas the faid Edward IVkkfleed has informed us, that the faid Work has been perfected with great Labour, Study, aud Expence. He has therefore humbly prayed Us to grant to him the faid Edward Wick fixed, Our Royal Privilege, Licence, and AUTHORITY, for the SOLE Printing, Pubhjhing, and Fending the laid Work, in as ample Manner and Form as has ever been done in Cafes of the like Nature. W E being gracioufly inclined to give all due Encouragement to Works that may be Of Public Ufe aftdBcneft, and efpecially to thofe of this Kind, which fo greatly tend to the Advancement of Religion, and the genera 1 Good and Beneft of Mankind, ARE pleafed to con- defcend to his Requeft, and DO by thefe Prefents (as far as may be agreeable to the Statute in that Cafe made and provided) give and grant to the laid Ed- ward IVn'tfteed, his Executors, Adminiftrators, and Afligns. full Power, Li- cence, Privilege, and fole AUTHORITY, for the SOLE Printing, Publfh.ng, and Vending thefaid Work, together with all and all manner of Amendments, CorrefUons, Alterations, and Additions of or to the fame; and Our exprefs "Will and Pleafure is, and We do hereby ftriclly charge, command, and pro- hibit all and every Perfon and Perfons whatsoever, within Our Dominions, that they, nor any or either of them, prefume in any manner of wife to re- print, abr;dge,or extracl the fame, or any Part or Parts thereof, either in the like, or in any other Form or Forms, Volume or Volumes whatfoever ; OR to import, buy, vend, utter, or diftrihife, any Copies thereof* or of any Part or Parts thereof, that are or (hall be printed or reprinted beyond the Seas, with- out the AUTHORITY, Content, or Approbation of the faid Edward IVickficcd, his E;i'j:utors,Admininratbrs,or Affigns,by Writing under hrs or their Hands and Seals .firA had and obtained, as they and every of them offending herein vriD incur Our Royal Indignation and Difpleafure, and fuch other Pains and Penalties as by the La-vs and Statutes of Our Realms may be inflicleti.. WHEREOF the Co mmi doners and other Officers of our Cufloms, the Mafter, Wardens!, and Company p\ Stationery of London, and all other OiHcers, Mini- ilers, and others, whom it. may concern, are to take Notice, that a iiz'UX Oi;fiiience be ghzn to Our Pleafure herein fignified. fj'vi)! at pur Court at St. fames's, &c. His Maje/iy's Command. Holles Newcastle, The Contents of this Book. The Week's Preparation Ejaculation-; when we awake, i when we arife. i For Mojiday. A meditation for the morning. 3 A prayer for the morning. 7 A meditation for the evening. 9 A prayer before examination. 12, Directions concerning examinati- on. , 12 The Preface. KEbk\ week's preparation ex- ceeding faulty. Page 1 A few instances of the many lewd and fcandahus cxprcliions in KtbtVs week's preparation. ii Such language fitter for a fenfual li- ver than a worfhipper of the all pure, and all-knowing God. iii Bi/hop St tiling fleet's tefhmony a- gainit that way of wodhip. iii The way of worfhip made ufe of in Kcble's week's preparation has greatly contributed towards the decay of chriftian piety, ii Many homjl and well-meaning chri itians have been thrown into de- spair by it. It has ferved to bring Religion into ridicule and contempt, and to har- den the wicked and unthinking part of mankind againil the flrfi efforts of reformation, iv The love of God, as tawght by Ke- ble's week's preparation, very I different from that taught us by thrift bhnfelf, and by St. John, v The prayers and meditations in this New Week's Preparation are ! fuch as can be warranted from ' the ivcrd of God itfelf. Bifliop Fleetwood's teftimony '< • gainft the manner of wormip made ufe of in Kebles week's ; preparation. An account of this work. The duty of frequent communicat- - ing. The obligations for preparing our- felves for the Lord's /upper, vii The communion office muft be carefully attended to. viii The ufefulnefs of aclual prepara tion. i: 'Dr. lVaterland'% commendation of j A confeflion of Cms, the Week's Preparation. ix A prayer for God's mercy. The warning on Sunday before the A meditation for the evening, moft holy facrament, x A j^ayer for the evening, • A A form of Examination, J elf, 67, 1 14 and depend on thee. Satisfy me with thy Blood, He 74 bowed down his Head to kifi me. He ftretched forth 74, 126 So his Arm to embrace me. From his interior Love burji 81 forth fuch exterior Signs and Demonfrations as were fuf- 89 ficient to mollify a Heart more frozen than Ice itfelf, 166 and more hard than any Marble. Such are thy Gifts, O 96 fweet Saviour, fuch are the Works and Delights of thy 184 143 Love. O that I was (o f aft ened unto thee that I might 106 142 never depart. Thou wert within me. Thou only plcaf- 159 ejl me, and thee only I defire, &c. &c. &c. 158 Thefe without difputc, are the wanton exercifes of a warm imagination, and of a lufcious fancy; where warmth of con- ftitution, not reafon, much lefs religion, has the chief and fovcrcign influence. Undoubtedly writers of this call:, have fhamefully fuffercd the fofter Paffions to mix toojlrongly with their Zeal for reli- gion.f By f The following is the Apology of no lefs an Author than Dr. Ifaac Watts bimfdf: _ , " Let it be obferved, that it was much the Fajhion, even among fome Divines of " Eminence in former Years, to exprefs the Fervors of devout Love to our Saviour i£ in the Style of the Song of Solomon : And I muft conffs, that fcveral of my ** Cumpfura in Verfe, written in younger Life, were led by thofe Examples un- <4 wanly into this Track. But, if I may be permitted to fpeak the Senfe of ma- tt turer Age, / can hardly think this the happiefi Language in which Chrifliant i( ft: ould di [cover their warm Sentiments of Religion, fince the clearer and more fpi- << 1 i val Revelations oj the NewTeftament ." To this Apology wemay add, that in thefe our Meditations and Prayers are no vifionary Scenes of wild Extravagance j no Affcclations of that Style, which fprcads a glaring Confufwn over the Under- (landing, Here are none of thofe incomprehenfibk Fhrafcs which may amufe the Ear with founding Vanity \ and hold Reafon in fovereign Contetrpf, In jhort, here art nofecret Fantings after a mortal Love t in the Language of Devotion andFiety, The Author to the Reader. iii By what Means true Devotion is deftroyed. Here the true fpirit of devotion ; which is in its ozun nature a liberal and reafonable fervice, is made wholly to evaporate in unnatural hca'u, and extatic fervours j fitch as are a difgrace and reproach to the dignity of a rational nature. Andinjhad of [peaking the language of a ferious, rational, unaffected />/ no?, the love ^Chriftians u towards God is no fond amorous affection, but a due ap- " prehenfion and efleem of the divine excellencies? a hearty fenfe '" of all his kindnefs to us?, and a conllant readinefs of mind to do x B his ivill. And thus the beloved foil of God hath declared what %i He means by the love/;*? expeclsfrcm his difciples : If ye love " me, f/7yj-Chrift,) keep my commandments ; and ye are i4 my friends if ye do whatfoever I command you. And if « (jap St.. John) any man fay I love God, and hateth his £ brother The Author to the Reader. v have taken in the whole of that office from one end to the other \ which I can't approve of upon fever al accounts too tedious to be re- lated in fo flj or t a preface, and which I rather chufe to conclude with the following quotation of the late pious, learned and or- thodox Dr. Waterland, agmnjl the folly tf/^/'danger of laying a fafhionablej^r^ upon an habitual preparation, and in fa- . vour of fuch Weekly Treatifes of preparation before receiving the Lord's Supper. The ufefulnefs of actual preparation before receiving the Lord's Supper. " Our ejleem or d'fe/leem (of this holyfacrament) willbejl be u fen by our preparing or not preparing for it as we ought. — " There is femcihing of a preparation of heart, mindandways r " required for all religious offices, much more for tbfSj which is w tie flower and perfection ofalL " As (C The Author to the Reader. ix 44 As to the length of time to be taking in preparing, there 44 U no one certain rule to be given, W'hich can Juit all cafes or 44 circwnflances : only, when a man has competently adjufhd his 44 accounts with God, (be it fooner or later) then he is ft to 44 come, and not till then* 44 There is an habitual , and there is an a£hi al preparation * 44 77;*? habitual preparation is a good life ; and the farther we 44 are advanced in //, the Ufs need there is of any actual prepa- 44 rati q n befdes : but, becaufe men are too apt to flatter and de- ceive their own hearts, andtofpeak peace to themfelves with- 4 4 outfufficient ground for fo doing ; therefore fome adi ual prcpa- 44 ration, felf-examination, &c. is generally necefjary, even to 44 thofe who may be habitually good, if it be only to give them a 44 well-grounded afjwance, that they really are Jo. 44 It were to be wijhed there were not many amongst us who 44 have a deal to confider of before-hand \ many offences to ccr- 44 reft, many difordcrs to ft right, much to do, and much to un- 44 do, before they prefume to come to God's altar. 44 Fault has been fometimes found zvith thefe little treatifesjf 44 Weekly Preparation : I think without reafon. Thtyitre 44 exceeding ufeful in their kind. — It may be happy for them 44 who need none of thefe helps : but they that leaft need them, 44 are not the men, generally, who mofll defpife them. None of 44 us, perhaps, are fo perfeft as not to want, at fome fiafons y 44 fomefuch hints for recolleftion or helps to devotion. It is well 44 for common chriflians, that they are provided with ufeful 44 manuals of that kind. They that are well difpofed, will make 44 ufe of them as often as they need them^ and will at all times give 44 God thanks and praifes for them. * Ste tbi Directions in Page 1 34. ^* A 6 • Tbt The WARNING on Sunday before the Holy Sacrament. D Early beloved, on Sunday ntxt I purpofe, thro* God's affiftance, to adminifter to all fuch as fliall be religioufly and devoutly difpoied, the moil comfortabley^TTz;;^/// of the body and blood ofChrijl, to be by them received in remembrance of his merito- rious crois and pafiion, whereby alone we obtain re- million of our fins, and are made partakers of the kingdom of heaven. Wherefore it is our duty to render moft humble and hearty thanks to almighty God our heavenly father, for that he hath given his fori our Saviour Jefus Chrifr r not only to die for us-, but alfo to be our fpiritual food and fuftenance in that holy facrament. Which being fo divine and comfortable a thing to them who receive it worthi- ly, and fo dangerous to them that will prefume to re- ceive it unworthily ; my duty is to exhort you in the mean feafon to confider the dignity of that holy my f- tery, and the great peril of the unworthy receiving thereof, and fo to fearch and examine your own con - fciences (and that not lightly, and after the manner of difiemblers with God j butfo) that ye may come holy and clean to fuch a heavenly feaft, in the mar- riage-garment required by God in holy fcripture \ and be received as worthy partakers of that holy table, $x. The The il?etu Week's Preparation. The Lord Jefus, the fame night in which he was betrayed, took bread : and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and faid, Take, eat ; this is my body,, which is broken for you : this do in remembrance of me. After the fame manner alio he took the cup, when he had fupped, faying, This cup is the new teftament in my blood : this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in re- membrance of me : For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do fhew the Lord's death till he come . i Cor. xi. 23, 24, 25, 26. In the Morning, when youfirjl awake, Jay : A Rife, thou that flcepeft ; arife, my dull and drowfy foul, and Chrift will give thee light. To thee, O Lord, do I lift up my eyes, my hands, my heart, from this bed, where my bo- dy hath taken its nightly repofe, towards thy Heaven, where my foul experts her eternal reft. My voice fhalt thou hear betimes in the morning ; in the morning will I dire£t my prayer unto thee, and will loek up. When you rife. *TN the name of Jefus Chrift, who was cru- i cified for our fins, and rofe again for our juftification, I arife from this place of bodily . reft, * From Bi/hop Cos in. 2 3In tfjc pouting* reft, to fulfil thy will, O my Gsd : fave me, therefore, by his crofs and paflion, blefs, go- vern, and keep me this day, and for ever. Amen. I laid me down and flept, and rofe up a- gain, for the Lord hath fuftained me. Amen. When you are ready y look on your foul as fiill undrefled, till you have /aid your fray en . OBlefled Lord ! who haft invited and com- manded us to pray unto thee, let thy fpirit help mine infirmities ; and do thou fo difpofe my mind, and influence my heart in my preparation for a worthy receiving of thy moft holy facrament, that my prayers and praifes may be acceptable in thy fight, thro* the mediation, and for the fake of Jefus Chrift our Lord and Saviour. Amen. O Almighty Lord God, mortify and kill all vices in me; and fo ftrengthen me with thy grace, that by the innocency of my life, and the conftancy of my faith, I may always glorify thy great and holy name. Grant me the true circumcifion of the fpirit 3 that, my heart and all my members being mortified front all worldly and carnal lufts, I may in all things obey thy blefled will. Enable me to love my enemies, and to do good to thofe that hate agontiap awning;, 3 hate me, and to pray for them that defpitcful- lyufeme, andperfecuteme, in obedience to the command, and in imitation of the exam- ple of my great Lord and Mailer, Chrifl Je- fus. Amen. Here may be added (if time will permit) the Morning Prayer, on page 135 of this First Part. OUR fat her which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be doie in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Andforgive us our tre/paj/es y as we forgive them that trefpafs again/} us. And lead us not into temptation ; but deliver us from evil. Amen. \0> So far may be ufed every Morning before the Meditation. The Meditation for Monday Morning. Upon our Saviour's loving invitation to the commu- nion of his body and blood. My little children, thefe things write I unto you, that ye fin aot. And if any man fin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrifl the righteous, i John ii. i „ I . /^Ome now, O my foul, and let us retire VJ from the purfuits of this vain deceit- ful world \ and let us well confider the graci- ous and condefcending invitations wherewith \ our 4 agontiap e$QininB. our blefled Lord and only Saviour has called us, in his holy gofpel, to be partakers of his Holy Table. Why then this wavering, or cold- nefs, O my foul ! give ear to the eternal truth, who will remove all thy doubts and fears by the following invitation. CO me unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and Iwillref reft yon. The bread that I will give ', is myflejh; which I will give for the life of the world. Take, eat, this is my body , which is given for you ; this do in remembrance of me. He that eateth myfiejh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. The words, which Ifpxike unto you, they arefpirit, and they are life. Matth. xi. 28. John vi. ji. 1 Cor. xi. 24. Johnvi. 56, 63. 2 . Rife then, my foul, and take thy fwifteft wings, fly to this great myftery. There we fhall fee the prince of peace facrifice himfelf to reconcile us with the Father: there we fhall fee, Oftupendous mercy! the Son of God with heavenly food entertaining the fons of men. Can we, O dear redeemer ! believe the won- ders of this myftery, and not be ravifhed with admiration of thy great goodnefs ? can we ac- knowledge thy perfeft veracity, and not be- lieve this wonder of thy love ? let us not then refufe Q^onDap joining. 5 refufe to believe our God, becaufe his mercies tranfeend our capacities. None but infinite wifdom could ever have invented fo ftrange and high, and prodigious a myftery. None but an inconceivable infinite goodnefs would ever have imparted fo dear, and tender, and rich a bleffing. 3. When the impiety of men was at the height, and their treacherous heads plotting to betray thee; then did thy wifdom merciful- ly confult to overcome our malice with thy bounty. Immediately thou contrivedft an ad- mirable way to invite all the world to a feaft of wonders : a feaft ! where thy facred body fhould be our food, and thy precious blood our drink. A feaft! in which are continually wrought new miracles of love for lis. Thus, as if it had not been love enough to have gi- ven thyfelf on the crofs for us; thou haft found out a way to give thyfelf to us in the holy facrament : to unite us with thyfelf by the moft intimate union that is poffible for us to conceive, and which we can better feel than exprefs: to become the life, the ftrength, the fupport and comfort of our beings : nay, to become even one with me, and be unto me the very foul of my foul. O Lord my God ! this is fo 6 ^onnap scorning, fo inconceivable a bleffing, this is fb divine a union, that the very angels, with awful admi- ration, contemplate thy wonderful conde- fcenfion in it. 4. Lord, who are we, unworthy finners, that thou thus regarded our wretched duft ? what is all the world compared to thee, that thus thou feemeft to difregard thyfelf ? it was for our fakes, and to draw us up to thy lave, that thou haft commanded us to commemo- rate and reprefent thy paffionj and prefent the merits of it before thy father, on earth, as thou doit prefent them to him in heaven . It was for our fakes, and to help the infirmities of our nature, that thou didft appoint a com- memorative facrifice, of that one oblation of thyfelf once offered upon the crofsj and bread and wine fo offered and bleffed as fymbols of thy body and blood. What great bleffings are thefe, OJefu! that demand my praifps ! 5 . Yet more bleffed is the heart that defires thy coming, and longs to fee thee in thy glo- rious felf . O my adored redeemer ! when will that happy day appear, when mine eyes may behold thee without a veil ? when will the clouds and fhadows pafsaway, that thy beams may fhine on me in their full brightnefs ? ob- jea je6t not againft me, deareft Lord, that none can fee thy face and live. Thofe fears thy love has changed, and my fixed hope is now to live by feeing thee. Say not, O thou mild and gracious majefty, if I approach thy prefence I muft die. Rather inftru<5t me fo to die, that I may live for ever in thy prefence. fcj 3 Here, if thou dejirejl to knot's the reafon The Ofiavo may atfc be had with a Sc: •/ very fnt Cuts, at 7 s. The asontrag evening. The Meditation for Monday Evening. Upon the vanities of the world and the goodnefs of Gody in order to a worthy receiving of the mofl holy facrament. He that loveth his life (hall lofe it : and he that hateth his life in this world, (hall keep it unto life eternal. John xi. 25. I. >\ Wake thou, O my foul, from the fleep jTjl of fin; for, behold, life and death are fet before thee ; chufe while thy gracious Lord allows thee time and day, left the night and darknefs overtake thy negledt : chufe, but re- member thy eternity is concerned, and deli- berate e'er thou makeft thy choice. 2 . Survey all the pleafures of the world be- fore thee, and afk if any of them be worth fuch pains : afk if the vain forbidden things thou loveft, deferve thy affedtion better than thy maker. Are they more worthy in them- felves, or beneficial to thee, that thou mayeft juftly prefer them before thy redeemer ? doft thou expe6l to be at reft, and fatisfied by en- joying them, or everlaftingly happy by their procurement ? can they protedt thee at the hour of death, or plead thy caufe at the day of judgment ? Oh ! no. They only deceive me with a fmiling look, which I too often have proved by dear experience. 3. It 3 . It is heaven alone that yields a true con- tent; it is heaven alone that fills us with eter- nal delight. Say then, my foul, take away your flatteries, falfe world, and leave me free for better thoughts. O infinite goodnefs ! it is thyfelf alone I chufe; thou art my only hap- pinefs for ever. I fee my portion hereafter de- pends on my choice here; and my choice here, O Lord, depends on thee. 4. O my deareft Lord, do thou chufe me, and guide my uninftrucled foul to chufe thee. For, here, we, alas ! move (lowly in the dark, led on by the argument of things not feen; but did we clearly fee what we fay we believe, we fhould foon change the courfe of our lives. r . Did we but fee the damned in their flames, or hear them cry in the mi dft of their torments , how fhould we fear to follow them in their fins, which we know have plunged them into all thofe miferies ! how fhould we ftrive againft the next temptation, and caft about to avoid the danger by working out our falvation ! or, 6. Did we but fee the incomparable glories of the faints ; or hear the fweet harmonious hymns which they continually fmg, how fhould we ftudy to imitate thofe holy ways, by by which we know they arrived at all their happinefs ! how fhould we feek all occafions of improvement, and make it our bufinefs to work out our falvation ! did man but feriouf- ly confider what he lays he believes, he would never live as he doth. Who can doubt but e'er long he fhall be turned into duft ? yet which of us lives as if he thought ever to die ? 7. Pity, O gracious Lord, the frailties of thy fervant, and fuffer not my blindnefs to lead me into ruin. Supply my want of light by a lively faith, and ftrengthen my faith by thy powerful grace : make me remember it is no trifling thing to gain or lofe the kingdom of heaven : make me chufe wifely, and purfue my choice, and ufe as well the means, as like the end. Ofetthou right the biafsof my heart, that in all my motions I may draw off from the world ; that I may ftill incline towards thee, and reft at laft in thy holy prefence. Thou art my Lord, and I will ferve thee in fear ; thou art my God, and I will love thee in hope : what will it profit me to gain the whole world, and lofe my own foal? or what Jhal 1 1 give in exchange for my foul? Now repair to the publick fervice of the church ; but if you have not that opportunity, then employ your time in reading fome part of the fftzto Whole Duty of Man, as directed e* page 8, Specially Sunday 1 7, Sections I. and VII. A Prayer 12 ^onuap 6tiening, A prayer before examination, with a firm refolulion to for fake the vanities of this wicked world. Let a man examine himfelf, and {q let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. i Cor. xi. 28. O Almighty God, thou fearcher of hearts, who feeft and knoweft all my fms \ help me fo to fearch every fecret of my heart, that I may leave no fin, ifpoffible, unrepented of . Give me grace fo impartially to judge and condemn myfelf, fo humbly to repent and beg pardon, that I may not be condemned, when I fliall appear at thy tribunal, in the great and terrible day of the Lord Jefus ! But alas ! after the moft ftri6l examination we can make, who can number his iniquities ? who can tell how oft he offendeth ? cleanfe me therefore, O Lord, I befeech thee, not on- ly from my prefumptuous and known fms, but from all my fecret and unknown tranf- greffions, for his fake who died for finners,- Jefus Chrifl our Lord. Amen. Directions for felf-examination. TTAving devoutly frayed for God's ajffancc^ doubt not but be J. J will vouchfafe it to you* And the better to difpofeyour heart to the duty of felf-examination : Consider ferioufly with yourfelf ; that it is appointed for all men once to die, and after death to be called to judgment. That God hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in right eoufnefs by Jefus Chrif. At wbofe cowing all men JJ? all rife again with their bodies^ and Jhall give an account of their vwn works ; and they C^cmnay (JBticninflf. »3 /i*}* f/W have dr,:e good, fall go into lift rverlafting ; and they thai have done evil, into everlaftir.g fire : for the bock's Jk all bt of en % and the deadfall be judged cut of the things written in thojc bock:, according to their works. And then, Coniider how much, how nearly it concerns you to judge jKXirfelf before that time, that you be not judged, that is, con- demned of the Lord. But fo massy and 'various arc the fins of our lives, in thought, v:ord 9 and deed, and oniifficns again jl God, our neighbour, and onr (cites, that this work will, at beft, be conffed, except chrijiians ha-ve proper helps to bring their federal fins difinclly to remnnbrance* fo that I frail in this form lay before you the fever al heads of our duty Jo God, ear neighbour, rwri/ou Helves, as the mfi effectual help in this car ; that upon each particular head, you may examine your paft life, and try the pre fe fit d/Jpoftion of your heart. Firft, when you examine y our j elf let it be chiefly about your v/il - ful fins, and fans ^ com million; and be not over f crapulous either to acatfie your j elf of fins you never committed, cr to reckon up all your in fir ?nl ties ; for that would render ycttr examination endlefs and im- practicable: and though there may bsfimefins that ycu may doubt ti' he t her you have committed \ ethers yen may far you have f ergot \ yet be not difcouraged : for whin you have acted henefily an cerely, rcjl fatisfed: but v:hat fns ycu cannot recolleSl and frd c::t % fo as particularly to conftfs and beivail, you ought to conclude under a general repentance for wha.foever ycu have done amifi - y and t& pray that God would clcanfe you from your fecret faults . Obferving w here ever you find yourfe If innocent s to glorify God, and beg of him to prcferve and continue you therein. Secondly, If you have not wholly negleclcd, and yet dc fire par- ticularly to increafs in feme chriftirn virtue, lift up your heart to God, for his holy fpirit to aid and ajjifi y*ur fmcere endeavours to grow in it ; for we are not barely to avoid fin, but to grew in grace andgoodnefs. Thirdly, When you come to any fit you have commit 'ted 'often, or deliberately, or againf the checks of covf'uncc, or again ft frequent ad?nonitions,, or laftly, again ft your own j pedal vows, and rejolut ions to the contrary ; you mufl ta \e into the account fuch aggravating eircumftances as increafe and heighten the guilt of it y to increafe you- Jhame and for row, and to few you hov: greatly we ft and in need of God\' far don for what is paf, and of his offing g r act to preferve * B an+ H ^ontmj? oBuenmg;. and ftrengthen us in the ways of his laws, and work of his commands. And. p Fourthly, Some, where they have found 'themfelves guilty upon any head, whether of omitting a duty, or committing a fin, haw* written down thefois they have been guilty of or have ?narked them in the margin of their book, that they might be able to make a more exaft and particular confrfficu of their fever al offences before God, and enter their vows and rejoin tions the more difinctly againf them : and this may be farther ufeful ; for, by compar'mg one time with another, ycu vuill better difcern the a?nendmcnt cf your life, and growth in chrifian virtue : but this is only advice ; for every one is left to judge of the ufefuhiefs and expediency cfthis method. Fifthly, They that cant quiet their confeiences by this examina- tion, concerning the lawfulnefs or unlawfulnefs of this or that action, or Jhall ?ncet vjithfcruples and difficulties of any other kind, let them fir Jl pray to God to enlighten and eftablijh their mind, a?id then have recourfe to Jo?ne learned and pious minifer of God's word, always remembering to be honefi and impartial in this work, between God and their Gwn co?fciences ;for it is in vain to hope to hide any thought ', aclion, or defign, from his all -feeing eye, who is the great fe archer and judge of all hearts. idnd here I would for the true penitent's greater fatisf aclion re- cojnmend to him the reading of the IVth Section, of the care of thi /ml in the j® CtO Wh ole Duty of Man. Heads for the examination of confeience, upon thofe duties wherein GOD s honour, andoxxx own and neighbour's good are concerned. Search and examine your own confeiences, and that not lightly, and after the manner of diflem biers with God ; but to that ye may come holy and clean to fuch an heavenly feafl, in the marriage garment required by God in holy fcripture, and be received as worthy partakers of that holy table. Thefirfl exhortation in the communion fenvice. Come now let us reafon together, faith the Lord : though your fins be as fcarlet, they fhall be as white as fnow ; though they be red like crimfon, they ft all be as wool. Ifaiah i. 1 8. 3 I. Con- I.* Concerning our duty towards GOD.* ENter, now, O my foul, into the fecrets of thy heart, and examine whether thou doit believe and confider that God, by his providence, governs *the world and all things in it ? Dofh thou remember, that God beholds the mod fecret thoughts and adtionsofthy heart and life, and will judge thee with fevere juftice at the laft day ? Art thou warn'd by the itn(c of God's all-feeing providence to take heed to thy ways ? Doll thou afcribe the fuccefs of thy undertak- ings, chieliy to the good providence of God over thee ? Doft thou pray daily for the protection of God 9 and his bleiling upon thy honeit endeavours ? Hath t\\t gGoduefs and mercy of God, in creating, preferving, and redeeming thee, that effed upon thy heart, as to make thee hvehim^ anddeiiretopleaic him ? Haft thou lovedGod before,aftd above all things? Have the many teftimonles, which thou haft re- ceived of God's mercy and goodnefs, bred in thee a comfortable hope in him t Haft thou never fo far prefum'd upon his mercy* as to encourage thee to fin againft him ? Hath the confideration of God's majefty andgreat- nefs imprinted awful and reverent thoughts con- cerning him, and bfed in thee modeft and humbk thoughts concerning thyfelf ? B_2 Doth * This duty may be found cx v 'ained at large in the /t)*U5 Whole Duty of Man, Sunday 1, Se&ion II. j 6 cgontsap aEttcmng, Doth the confideration of the power andjuj?;cs of God, make thee afraid to provoke him, and a- fraid of offending him more than man ? Doft thou fteadfaftly rely upon the truth and pro- rnifes of God, under all diftrefles and calamities, fo as to wait patiently for a deliverance in God's good time, and never to try to deliver thyfelf out of ca- lamity by (infill means ? Haft thou gontto witches or cunning men for coun- cil; or for the recovery of things lolt: or been too attentive to dreams, fortunes-tellers, or the vain pre- dictions of men \ or lots, fo as to attempt thereby the knowing before-hand things to come ? Haft thou refigned thyfelf, and all thy concerns, to the all-wife and good providence of God ? Art thou not immoderately careful and anxious about outward things ? Haft thcu not prophaned the holy and dreadful *name of God 9 by perjury and unlawful oaths, or by cuftomaryfwearing or curling in thy common con- verfation ? Haft thou not mentioned the name of God, or of his fon Jefus Chrift, irreverently or lightly in thy common converfation ? Doft thou take care to admonifh and reprove o- thers for their fins, fo far as thou mayeft with pru- dence and decency? Haft thou faithfully received the fcriptures, not as the word of man -, but as they are in truth, the word of God ? Doft thou read and obferve them, in order to make them the rule of life ? Have Have the promifes and awakening threatnings therein prevailed with thee, to govern thyfelf ac- cording to the holy and admirable precepts there- in delivered ? Haft thou honoured him by a reverent ufage of whatfoever things or perfons belong to him, and are dedicated to his honour and fervice ? Doft thou confide* the Lord's Day, as fet apart by God for the care of the foul, and the preparation Bf ourfelves for the next life, and for his more im- mediate woriliip, in keeping it holy, to thofe ends for which it was appointed •, by attending the pub- lic fervice of the church; in reading and hearing his holy word; in prayer and meditation, andgooddi^ courie on the Sabbath Bay? Doit thou go'tochurchwith a hearty intention D) ferve God, and to be mftrufted in thy duty, or re- minded of it \ and not only for fafnion's lake ? Doft thou afterwards reflect upon what thou h heard, and lay it up in thy heart, that thou ma; -live according to it ? Haft thou lb little regarded this holy day, as to fpend it in travelling, and taking unneceffary jour- neys thereupon, fuch as might as well have been performed on any other day r Haft thou every day duly prayed to him, and praifed him for thy mercies received ? Have thy prayers andpraifes been always accom- panied with fuch a fenfe of God, and fuch ferioui- neis, fervency, and affe£tion, as he requires ? Haft thou (notwithftanding the means of grace, B 3 and i8 a^ontiai? aBtieninff. and the light of the gofpel) fuffered thyfelf to live in ignorance of him^and thy duty ? Haft thou not been fo foolifli as to put off thy re- pentance, thereby rendering thyfelf Ids able to fet about it ? Haft thou a reverent regard to the fact 'anient* which G&d hath appointed in his church ? Art thou mindful of thy part of the covenant made with God in baptifm ? Haft thou made it thy care to live fuitable to thy faeramental profeffion, and folemn engagements ? Haft thou ferioufly confidered that amazing in - ftance of the love of Chrift, in redeeming thee from the bondage and dominion of fin,, and the tyranny of the devil? Doft thou depend upon the merits and fatisfac- cion of Chrift, and doft thou hope for acceptance with God, only through him, and not for any me- rit of thy own ? Haft thou frequented the holy fecramentof the Lord's fupper ? or haft thou not ftaid away through caufelefs prejudice, or feigned excufes, being un- willing to part with thy fins ? Or, Haft' thou at any time received the blefled facra- ment without repentance, and a ftedfaft purpofe to lead a new life; without a firm and lively faith; a hearty and thankful remembrance of the love of Chrift, in giving himfelf to be a facrifice for our fins y and without a lincere and univerlal love and good- will to all mankind ?. II. Con- II . Concemingour duty towards our neighbour .* TURN now, O my foul, and fcrioufly confider whether thou hail difcharged thy duty to thy ( neighbour ? and firft reflect, that, in the fenie of the Gofpel, not only the perfon who dwells near thee, but every man is thy neighbour. Doft thou confider thy neighbours as thy brethren and fellow- members of the body of Chrift ? Haft thou had that univerfal love and charity for all men, as to defire all good to them, without v9 much as williing evil or harm to anyone ? Haft thou, in conformity to this rule, endeavour - ed in thy place and ftation to prevent evil and da- mage to th-e fouls, and bodies, and eftates of others? Haft thou never been the means of hurting the foul of thy neighbour, in drawing him to fin by thy authority, or allurements, or example ? Haft thou difcoumged or deterred any one from the ferious practice of religion and piety ? Haft thou fought and endeavoured to bring thofe to repentance, whom thou haft any ways led into fin ? Doft thou endeavour to reftrain thy neighbour from running into fin, by feafonable cautions, and friendly admonitions ? Haft thou delighted to grieve any one ? Haft thou never injured the body of thy neigh- B 4 bour, * This Duty may be found explained at large in the J#etD Whole Duty of Man, Sunday 8. Settion I, £sV. zo ^onnap V* a^onnap ti&tentnft 2 3 Doll thou remember, that after this life we muft give an account of all our a<5tions ? Haft thou exercifed a daily care and watchful- nefs over thy deceitful heart, refilling its importu- nities and lulls ? Hall thou contented thyfelf with only the form and outlide of religion and godlinefs, negle&ing the life and power thereof? Hall thou diligently andearnellly implored the aid and aflillance of the holy fpiritof Gocf, to renew and landtify thee ? Doll thou iludy to attain a true humility^ and to become fenfible of thy own follies and frailties ? Doll thou refill the firft rifings of pride, and an immoderate opinion of thy own underllanding, and ftudy to improve it to God's glory and the good of mankind ? Doll thou endeavour after a meek and quiet {pint ? Hall thou not behaved with pride and haughti- nefs in converfation and carriage ? Hall thou not been angry without caufe, or a- bovejull caufe? Halt thou not been pettiflr and froward in little things, and upon meer millakes, and involuntary errors of others, for want of reviewing things in their juft nature, weight, and meaiure ? Art thou contented with the condition which God hath allotted thee in this world ? Hall thou not been immoderately concerned and anxious about prefent things*? Hall thou not been too covetous of the world, its riches, honours, and pleafures ? Hail *4 s^omav opening, Haft thou not fought to gain, or to keep them by finfu] means ? Doft thou not envy others, becaufe their condi- tion is more plentiful andproiperous than thy own? Haft thou been diligent in doing thy own bufi>- nefs, and to provide thofe things that are needful and expedient for thyfelf and family, and fuch as depend upon thee ? Hail thcu endeavoured to make thyfelf ufeful in the world, and charitable to thy fellow-creatures ? Haft thou reftrained thy appetites ? haft thou not committed excefs in eating and drinking, in fleep, or recreations ? Doft thou fpend more time mjleeping and recrea- Sions^xhzn is a neceffary and convenient refrefhment ? Doft thou chuie and defire fuch recreations only: as are honeft and innocent ? Doft thou faft and pray for the fubduing and mortifying of thy lufts.? Haft thou neverbeen guilty of adultery, fornica- tion, or any other a6tual pollution and uncleannefs, and been careful to avoid all fuch objefts and dif- courfes, as are apt to excite filthy defixes in thy heart? Haft thou not had an impure heart, or unclean: affections, or offended by any unchafte thoughts,. words, or actions b Doft thou ufe moderation in thy apparel, fuitable to thy condition and abilities? Directions.- N. B. Thus far, all fierfon s of what age, /ex, or condition foewer \ W concerned to examine tbcnf elves dijinftly in relation to the fins they. have Qgonnap (ZEueninrr. *s banje committed againJiGOY), their Neighbour, ^/./Thcmfclvcs. But upon the following heads, enquiry is only to be made as they Jhall agree with every one *s particular circumjlanccs an J relations in life. The duty of a child to the parent.* HAST thou reverene'd and honour'd thy pa- rents, obey'd their lawful commands, and attended to their wife counfels and inftru&ions, and that for confeience-fake ? Doft thou fhew all love and gratitude to them for thy being and education ? Doft thou heartily wifh and pray for their life and proiperity ? Haft thou, according to thy ability, made a com- fortable provifion for them, if reduced to want ? Doft thou' dutifully conceal and excufe their fail- ings and infirmities ? Haft thou been difobedicnt to them ; difhonour- ed them in thy mind, or carried thy felf rudely and irreverently in thy behaviour towards them ? Haft thou mocked, or fpoken evil of them ? Haft thou not been ftubborn and obftinate to- wards them, and endeavoured to caftoff thy fubjec - tion to them? Doft thou not fecredy wifti the death of thy pa- rents, out of impatience to be delivered from their government, or pofTeffed of their eftate ? Didft thou difpofe of thylelf in marriage, with- out their advice or confent? The * This duty may be found explained at large in the JftetD Whole Dvtv of Man, Sunday 8. Se&ions V, and VI, 26 S^cmtiap (ZEDening;, The duty of a parent to the child* AR T thou diligent in thy calling, to enable thy- felf to nourifli and fuftain thy children ? Haft thou diligently preferred the eternal intereft of thy children before their temporal ? Haft thou taught them, as they were capable of learning, to know, fear, love and worfhip God with a perfect heart, and a willing mind ? Haft thou taught them how to govern their paf- fions, and to moderate their affections to worldly things 5 and encouraged them, by thy own example, to follow that which is good ?, Doft thou watch over their behaviour, and fee that they pradtife what they have been taught ? Haft thou not been too fond and indulgent to them ; fuffering them to go on in their follies and fins, without fuch correction and reproof, as in duty thou waft bound to give them ? Art thou any ways acceffary to the fins of thy children, by any ill example fet them ? or by giv- ing them fuch an education, as would naturally lead them into pride and vanity? Haft thou done thy part to provide what was ne- ceflary and convenient for their living, and com- fortable fubfiftence and being in the world ? Doft thou ble& them, and commend them to the favour and guidance of God i The * This duty may be found explained at large in the j^eto Whole Duty of Man, Sunday %* Sections VII. and VIII, figjcmnap ©owing. 27 The duty 0/' brethren to be made en Monday evening. I will arife and go to my father, and' will fay unto him, fa- ther I have finned againft'heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy fon. Luke xv. 18, 19. Lord ! I call my ways to remembrance with a troubled heart ; my evil doings are before mine eyes ; they are a burthen upon my fpirits, afore burthen too heavy for me to bear. But now, O my God, with a heart truly for- rowful and penitent, I turn from my evil way s, refolving by thy grace to become a new crea- ture; from this day forward I am fully deter- mined to betake myfelf to a religious courfe of life ; O let not iniquity be my ruin. O Lord, I am not worthy fo much as to lift up mine eyes unto thee ; but whether fhould a wretch in guilt and mifery look, but unto thee, the fountain of all mercy ? whither, but to a God, whofe mercy is greater than my wicked- nefs ? to a God, whofe property it is to be kind to his enemies; and whofe patience to bear with my fins, is as great as his power tppunifli them; and who had much rather be reconci- led to me, than take vengeance upon me? whi- ther indeed, but to thee, O God of all grace and comfort! who ilie weft mercy to the un- worthy, worthy, and inviteft mc with all the tencler- nefs and bowels of a companionate father to turn from my evil ways, that my fold may live, and be for ever happy in thy eternal kingdom. Therefore, encouraged by thy goodnefs, O Lord, I addrefs myfelf unto thee, who am rea- dy to fink under the heavy load of guilt and mifery : and yet I make no plea, but for thy mercy; nor have any pretence toclaim it, (for, alas ! I muft with fhame acknowledge, I have very much abufed it • ) but thro' thy inexprefii- ble love. I know I have a moft merciful Savi- our, who died to purchafe falvation for me; and who now powerfully intercedes with thee for the pardon of true penitents. O ! for the fake of hisblefied name, receive me gracioufly to thy mercy, and be not angry with me for ever ! Forgive me, O merciful Father, for I am heartily forty for all the evils which I have done : I have finned, O Lord God, I have fin- ned again ft theC ^ by [Here recolka a?idconfefs thofefens [ you have committed againft God, with their aggravations that ac- company them\ asfet down in i\\c preceding heads for the examina* lion ofconfeience contained betwixt Pages i 5 and 1 8, both inch* l foe. For Injlance, Lord, I have committed this fin, or thefe fins Ifrequently, againft checks ofconfeience, &c. and then add! po- ther I have finned againft heaven, and in thy 'light, and am no more worthy to be called thy 7 fon ; 34 fl©0'nnap Oemng, Ion: Opity, andcleanfe, and forgive, andfave me,forthymerciesfake. Ihavefinned, OLord God, I have finned again]} thee, and againjl triV neighbourly [Here corrfefs thofe fins you have commit- ted again]} your Neighbour, tuitb their aggravations, Sec. as contained betwixt pages 19 and zz, and betwixt 25 and ^1, and then add] Father, I have finned againft heaven and in thy fight, and am no more worthy to be called thy fon: O pity, andcleanfe, and forgive, and fave me for thy mercies fake. I have fin- ned againjl thee, and againjl my own f elf. by — [Here confefs thofe fins you have committed againjl Yourself, nvith their aggravations, Sec. as contained betwixt pages 22 and 2 5 , and then add] Father, I have finned againft hea- ven, and in thy fight,* and am no more worthy to be called thy fon : O pity, and cleanfe, and forgive, and fave me,forthymercies fake. Fpr- give all my fins, for I am fully refolved by ihy grace to love and ferve thee: forgive me, O molt gracious God, for I forgive all that have of- fended me, and do intreat thee to forgive them likewife. O Lord God, my wickednefs is great, and my iniquities are infinite; they are more in number than the hairs of my head ; and my heart would fail me, but that I well know thy mercies are more numberlefs than my fins. O do not exact punifhment of me for my fins \ but extend thy mercy and pardon to my foul for my dear redeemer's fake, Jefus Chrift oui Lord. Amen. The? ajonuap csucning. 35 Then fay 9 Turn thee, O Lord, and deliver my foul : O fave me for thy mercies fake. Pfalm vi. 4. HEar me, O gracious God and father, and breathe into my heart that fpirit which renews us after thine own image, in righte- oufnefs and true holinefs. Blefled Jefus, who feekeft out finners to make them good, do not rejeft me now, when I feek to thee to make me better. I am poor and naked, Oh ! clothe me with thy righteoufnefs. :My good thoughts are changeable and incon- ftant ; but Oh J do thou eftablifh and fix them by thy grace: fet up thy kingdom, O Jefu, in my heart; for to become thy faithful fervant is more to me than to have the empire of this world. Keep me ftedfaft in ferving thee, till thou takeft me finally to thyfelf. A prayer of refignation to the will of GOD. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Matt. vi. 10. \f\ Lord Jefu, I give thee my body, my foul, \^J my fubltance, my friends, my liberty, land my life; difpofeof me, and of all that is imine, as it feemeth beft to thee, to the glory of thy hoiy name. Lord, I am not now mine, but thine ; therefore claim me as thy devoted right; ] keep meas thy charge>andlovemeas thy child; fight 3 6 3ln tfee GEfcening, fight for me when I am afTaulted ; heal mc | when I am wounded ; and revive me when I am fainting. Amen. O Saviour of the world fave me ; who by thy crofs and paffion haft redeemed me, help me and fave me, I befeech thee, O my God. Give me, O Lord, fpiritual wifdom, that I may difcern what is pleafmg to thee, and fol- low what belongs unto my peace; and let the knowledge and peace of God, and of Jefus Chrift our Lord, be my guide and my portion all the days of my life. Amen. To the king eternal, immortal, invifible, and only wife God, who is the ever bleffed and adorable Trinity, be all honour and glory, thankfgiving and praife, now and for ever- more. Amen. A prayer to conclude our devotions upon this day, and eveiy day in the week. Verily, verily, I fay unto you, whatsoever ye fhall afk the father in my name, he will give it y:u. John xvi. 23. Lmlghty God, who haft promifed to hear the petitions of them that aik in thy fon's Name; I befeech thee mercifully to incline thine ears unto me, who have now made my prayers and fupplications unto thee ! and grant that thole things which I have faithful- ly afked, according to thy will, may be effec- tually 3in t&e aBuening. 37 twally obtained, to the relief of my neceffitics, and to the fetting forth of thy glory, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. "The blefling. fTpHE peace of God, which pafieth all un- j JL derftanding, keep my heart and mind in the knowledge and love of God, and of his fon Jefus Chrift our Lord; and the blefting of God Almighty, the father, the fon, and the holy ghoft, be with me, now, and at the hour of my death. Amen. On Monday night (and the reft of the week) at going to bed, fay, I Will lay me down in peace and take my reft, for it is thou, O Lord, only that makeft me to dwell in fafety. Iitto thy hands I commend my fpirit, for thou haft redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, now, and at the hour of death. Amen, Amen, Amen. ♦The 38 Cueftiap awning;. *The Meditation for TuefdayMorning. Upon God's mercy and Chrift's incarnation, to pre- pare us for a worthy receiving of the holy facra- ment. For God fo loved the world, that he gave his only begot- ten Ton, that whofoever believeth in him mould not perim, but have everlafting life. John iii. 1 6. I .TTXRaw near all ye that fear our Lord ; and M^J I will tell you what he has done for my foul; hear, and I will tell you what he hath done for yours, and the wonders of his bounty towards all the world. When we lay afleep in the (hades of nothing, his almighty hand a- wakened us into being; not to that of (tones, or plants, or beafts, over which he has made vis abfolute lords ; but to a body wonderfully made, and an immortal foul, little inferior to his 'glorious angels; he printed on our fouls his own fimilitude, and promifed to our obe- dience a (hare in his own felicity; he endued us with appetites to live well and happy, and furnifh'd us' with means to fatisfy thofe ap- petites; creating a whole world to ferve us here, and providing a heaven to glorify us hereafter. 2. Thefe * litre you may ob/erve the directions given on Page 3. CLUcioap tfi9o?nin< great myftery is to which thou art in- vited in the holy facrament: let us confider the nature Cuefnap evening* 45 nature and end of this [acred injlitution y what is meant by this holy aftion; to what purpofe it was ordained; what benefits and advantages may be expefted from it. Thi s neceflary know- ledge once attained, and which may be com- pared without great difficulty, will be a {land- ing qualification in all our future communi- ons, and create fuch godly difpofitions of mind that I may no longer be afraid to ap- proach the Lord's table. And to this end, 2. Let us call to mind our baptifmalvow y wherein we have promifed to lead a godly and chriftian life, which can never be fulfilled fo long as we live in a conftantnegle£t of this bo~ lyfacrament ; nor is it poflible to be a meet par- taker of that holy myftery, except there, be a due preparation, by conf effing our fins with an humble, penitent, and obedient heart, and a readinefs to forgive thofe that have offend- ed us, and afking with faith : without thefe, O my foul, I dare not go to that holy table, and my prayers and praifes will find no acceptance at the throne of grace. But if I endeavour to live as becomes a chriftian y if I really believe the chrijiian religion, and fincerely govern my life by the doftrines and precepts of the gof- pel, there is nothing fhould deter me from par- C 5 taking 4<3 Cueftiap <&uninQ. taking of this holy ordinance ; nay, I am bound to receive it at any time when there is an opportunity. 3. Thus, tho' it be my duty to communi- cate at the Lord's table, it is very advifeable that mylampfhouldbe trimmed, thatlfhould examine the ftate of my mind, renew my re- pentance, exercife my charity, enlarge my de- votions, and fpiritualize my affections , I am therefore refolved to retire from all unnecef- fary bufinefs and pleafures ; that by prayer and alms-deeds,thou, my foul, mayeft be raif- ed to relifh fpiritual enjoyments; and that I may no longer be deprived of that glorious expectation of the faints, whither I can ne- ver expeft to be exalted, if I live in the con- ftant habitual practice of any known fin, without repentance; for fuch an impious ap- proach to the holy table is a mocking of God, and a great contempt of his authority. 4. Say then, IwiUwafh my hands ininnocen- cy K fo will I compafs thine altar, O Lord. Pfalm. xxvi. 6. For I believe that according to a man's preparation, fo will be his profit. Impe- nitence makes our prayers an abomination to the Lord; for to profefs one's felf forry for one's fins, and refolved to forfake them, when there Cucfnap Cbenin^ 47 there is no fenfe of the one, nor firm refolution to do the other, is the greateft affront imagi- nable to our Maker, by fuppofing either that he doth not know our hearts, or that he will be pleafed, when we draw near to him with our lips, though our hearts are far from him: but yet this is our encouragement, that if the Lord fees a man fet himfelf ferioufly to a pre- paration, he will bear with many failings, and fo heal his people that they may keep thefeajl with gladnefs ; a feaft wherein thou, O Father, haft commanded us to commemorate that great- ell inftance of thy love to us, our redemption by thedeathof Jefus Chrift, thy Son, our Lord. Here obferve the directions gi * The 50 ftCtetmeOiap a^ntng* *The Meditation : TVednefdayM.oxmng. On the refurreftion, as a means to excite a due vene- ration for the holyfacrament. Therefore let us keep ihefeqft, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of 'malice and ivickednefs : but with the unleaven- ed bread oifmcerity and truth. I Cor. v. 8. I . /^\ Come now my foul, and let us fing to \Jr our Lord a pfalm of joy; fing praifes to the God of our falvation ; ling with a loud and chearful voice; fmg with a glad and thankful heart ; fay to the weak of fpirit, be ftrong; fay to the forrowful, be of good com- fort; tell all the world this foul-reviving truth, and may their hearts within them leap with joy to hear it. For, 2. The Lord of life is rifen again, and hath clothed himfelf with immortal glory. He made the angels meflengers of his viftory, and vouchfafed even himfelf to bring us the joyful news. O my foul, adorn thy felf with the garment of gladnefs, prepare thy moil triumphant hymns to go forth to meet this great returning conqueror. 3- His * Here you may obferwe the dire&ions given on page j. atfletmeftiap Rowing;, 51 3. His warfare is now accompliflied, and he hath parted through the fcorn and cruelty of men; the malice and rage of devils; the juft, but fevere anger of God ; yea, the fhadow of death, and the regions of eternal horror : and after all this thy f urety is fet at liberty; for he hath paid thy debts, and cancelled all thofe difmal bonds by which thou wert forfeited to eternal ruin. Blefled be he that cometh in the name of the Lord. 4. We receive thee, deareft Saviour, as born to us a fecond time, and this fhall be thy birth- day alfo, the nativity of thy empire, thy refto- ration to a ftate of immortality. Thy former birth did fhew thee to be the fon of man, but this declares thee to be the fon of God j and now we know that thou our redeemer liveft, for thou haft told us, I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold lam alive for evermore. $ . The ways of thy mercy are unfearcha- ble, O thou wife contriver of all our happinefs! and thy wifdom is infinite who didft invent them to convince thy followers into this bleft belief, and fettle in their hearts a firm ground of hope: for, thou didft not only appear to the holy women in their return from the fe- pulchre, and openedft their eyes to know and adore 52 COetmcftiap joining. adore thee; but thou didrt purpofely over- take, in their journey, two of thy difciples, that were difcourfmg of thee, and madeft their hearts burn within them to hear thee. Thou didft condefcend to eat before them, and invite them to touch thy facred body. How didft thou fweetly invite the incredu- lous Thomas to thruft his hand into thy fide, and haft thence taken occafion, from his hardnefs to believe, to facilitate the faith of thy church in thefe after-ages. 6. Therefore, O my foul, being thus pre- inftrufled in this great myftery of our faith, by the revelation of J ejus Chrijl, make it the principal fubjeft of thy ftudies, and the daily entertainment of thy moft ferious thoughts. Draw me, O dear eft Lord, from the world and myfelf, that I be not entangled with any earthly defires. Draw me after thee, with a fure hope of eternal blifs, that I may run with delight in the way of thy commands, and es- pecially to thy holy table. Draw me up fi- nally to thee and thy throne of glory, that I may fee thy face, and rejoice with thee for ever in thy kingdom. Amen. COctmeftiap joining* 53 A confefiion of fins on Wednefday morning, pre- paratory to receiving the holy facr anient. If we fay that we have no fin, we deceive ourfelves, and the truth is not in us ; but if we confefs our fins, he is faithful and juit to forgive us our fins, and to cleanfe us from all unrighte- oufnefs. 1 John 1. 8, 9. O Moil mighty God! how fhall I, a poor miferable firmer, who am all over fin and pollution, dare to fpeak unto thee ? O Lord, when I look back on my pail life, I am afto- nifhed at thy mercy and long-fuffering to- wards me ; and am fenfible, if I had been re- warded according to my mifdeeds, that I had long before this been condemned to endlefs mifery and torments. And left I drop this op- portunity of repentance, I flee unto thee and cry, Lord be merciful unto me a finner ! I have been a rebellious and difobedient finner, a contemner of thy laws, and one of thofe wretched fools, that have made a mock at fin, and would not hearken to reproof; my mind has been overfpread with blindnefs, ig- norance and folly, and almoft every power and faculty of my foul has been corrupted and defaced. But now as thou haft vouchfafed me this light of thy fpirit to fee mine infirmities, I flee unto thee, the author of my comfort, and fay, Lord be merciful unto me a finner ! How 54 Cffletmeftiag awning:* How have I preferred a life of folly and madnefs, of extravagance and diforder; a life that has yielded me fhame and much remorie, forrow and affliction, before the peace and pleafure, andferenity of a fober, virtuous, and religious converfation ! how have I preferred the pleafures and profits of this world to the ways of virtue and religion ! but now I repent,, and fay, Lord be merciful unto me a firmer I O Lord ! I dare not plead, that I have fpent any one day of my life folely to thy honour and glory; but how many days, nay, years, have I fpent in the fervice of fin ? how many are my lufts, and how great my intempe- rance ? how oft have I profaned thy fabbaths, abufed thy facred name, ridiculed thy holy word, defpifed thy minifters, and made a jeft of all that isferious ! but now I flee unto thee by this holy facrament, and cry, Lord be mer- ciful unto ?ne afinner ! If I have been proud and Envious, paflio- nate and angry, full of hatred, malice, and revenge; if I have been guilty of flandering and abufing, injuring and defrauding of my neighbour; of lewd aflions and obfeene dif- courfes; of profane and filthy jefts, and of frequent curfing, fwearing, and lying: O Lord be merciful unto me ajinner ! More aftietmcfnap awning, 55 More particularly, O Lord, I domoft for- rowfully confefs, and lament before thee, to whom all things are naked and open, that I have mofl grievoufly offended thee by — [Here name particulars.] Lord ! what fcandal have I brought to reli- gion ; what dishonour to thy name \ what re- proach to the chriftianprofeffion, by thefemy wicked and finful practices ! all which I fure- ly truft fhall be forgiven me, when now with a contrite heart I flee unto thee, and fay, Lord be merciful ant o me a firmer I Amen. A prayer to implore God's mercy tf«Jforgivenefs of our fins. The wages of fin is death : but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jefus Chrifl our Lord. Rom. vi. 23. O My God ! I have no hope but in that mer- cy of thine, which thou haft manifefted in the redemption of the world, by thy foa Chrift Jefus; that alone is the fupport of my foul under all its forrowand anguifh. I know, O God, that thou fpareft when we deferve pu- nifhment, and in thy wrath thinkeft upon mercy : fpare me therefore, O good Lord ! fpare me, and be not angry with me for ever : waih away all my fins in the blood of thy dear fon , who came into the w r orld to fave finners. O 56 auenneftjag epowinz* O Lord, pardon and forgive, I moft ear- neftly befeech thee, all the fins and tranfgref- fions of my life paft, more particularly [ Her < mentio7i the fins thou art guilty of] cleanfe tllOU Hie, O my God, from all my fecret and unknown fms ; and O ! be thou reconciled unto me, and re- ceive me into thy favour, which though I have hitherto fo foolifhly abufed, yet I now value and prefer above all the pleafur es of this world . Give me, O Lord, I moft heartily befeech thee, fuch an unfeigned repentance of all my paft fins, fuch an hatred and abhorrence of my former evil ways?*that I may, from this moment, take a final leave of all my darling lufts and finful pleafares. Give me that hum- ble and contrite fpirit, whofe groans thou doft never defpife, that faith which overcometh the world, and which will enable me to conquer my moft inveterate habits ; and that love which will make me afraid to offend thee, and which will infpire me with refolutions aftive and vi- gorous, honeft and fincere; fuch as by the af- fiftance of thy grace and holy fpirit may car- ry me through all difficulties, and be proof againft all the temptations of the world, the flefh, and the devil. O Lord, hear me, O Lord, help me, and have mercy upon me : grant me the blefling of thy fc&cDneftmp (JEtiemng;* 57 thy fpirit, and of thy grace, that I may go du- ly prepared to thy holy table. O Lord, pity and fave my foul, for thy truth and mercies fake, who gaveft thy fon Jefus Chrift to die for all fmners, and to rife again for their juf- tification. Amen. BlefledLord! Amen. Our father which art in heaven^ &c. Dire&ions. The foregoing fray er may be properly ufed, if time will permit, upon facr anient -day. Here \ ; olferve the dire£lions£/i;*7/ on page 8, and more par* ticularly endeavour to improve your foul by reading a lejjcn out of the iTtJeto Whole Duty of MAN^Sunday 4. Sections IV. andV. The Meditation : TVednefday Evening, On the joys of heaven, which we begin to tajle in a worthy receiving of the holy facr anient. Eye hath not feen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 1 Cor. ii. 9. I . T Ook O my foul, and behold that glori- JL/ ous ftate, prepared above, forthefpi- rits of the jufl made perfect. But how fhall we, poor duft and afhes, and laden too with the burden of our fins : how fhall we hope to afcend thofe higher regions ; or claim a por- tion in that holy land? fear not, my foul, afk the 58 (Krietmeftmp evening:* th$ bright angels, what made them happy ; and ftraight they 11 anfwer with a fprightly voice : " we readily obeyed our great creator -, c< andhefixedusheretofhineforever. ,> Aik the blefled faints, what brought them to feli- city; and immediately they'll tell you in the fame glad tone, c c we faithfully lov'd our dear cc redeemer, and that love has placed us here/* 2 . Look up, O my foul ! and fee the facred humanity of thy dear redeemer; that blefled Jefus that died for us upon the crofs ; and now invites us to partake of his holy facrament. See and rejoice in thofe eternal honours, which heaven and earth pay to their king. 3. What is a name of honour, or a mo- mentary pleafure, compared to the blifs of an eternal paradife? what is a bag of money, or a fair eftate, if counter-balanced with the treafures of heaven? how narrow there do our greateft kingdoms feem ! how fmall a cir- cle the whole globe of the earth ! cities and towns fhew like little mole-hills, and the bufy world, but as a fwarm of ants, running up and down, and joftling one another; and all this ftir for a few grains or hulks. 4. O heaven ! let me again lift up mine 2 eyes 2£teDneftmp (Evening;* 59 eyes to thee; and take a fuller view of that lous profpe£t. There let me ftand and ly ileady fight, till I am fully convinced, that all the moll profperous fortune we can hci e poffefs, is all an idle dream compared to thy real joys ; an abfolute nothing compared to thy folid felicity. Here obferve the dire&ions given en page 8, and more particularly endeavour to improve your foul by reading a lejfon out of the Jj3etP Whole Duty of Man, Sunday 5. Se&ion V. The prayer on Wednefday evening, for the attain- ment 0/everlafting happinefs. Whofo eateth my flefh, and drinketh my blood, hath eter- nal life, and I will raife him up at the lad day. John vi. 54. OMoft great, moft mighty, and moft glo- rious Lord God! look down from the habitation of thy holinefs upon me thy un- worthy creature, who am come into thy pre- fence to adore thy incomprehenfible ma jelly, and to prefent before thee the evening facrifice of my unfeigned praifes for thy many and un- defended favours bellowed upon me. I ac- knowledge thy eternal honour, glory, praife and adoration ; for thou art the fovereign Lord of heaven and earth, by whom all things were made, and by whofe infinite power and gooclnefs they are preferved and kept in be- ing. And BlefTed 60 (EOciineftiap (Evening;* BlefTed be thy unfpeakable goodnefs, that has advanced me to fuch a degree of being, that I am in fome meafure capable to know thee, to love thee, to ferve thee, and obey thee. And for ever blefTed be thy name, O Lord, that I was born of chriftian parents, and ear- ly dedicated to thee by baptifm ; and that by thy grace and goodnefs I have been preferred to this moment, and have, in any degree, es- caped the pollutions of this wicked world. BlefTed be thou, O God, who by thy grace, and by the voice of thy church, haft call'd me to repentance : difcover to me, O thoufearcher of hearts, the vaft charge that is againft me, that I may know and confefs, and forfake the many fins I have fallen into. Give me that true repentance to which thou haft promifed mercy and pardon, that I may amend what I have done amifs, and that iniquity may not be my ruin. And, O blefTed advocate, who e- ver liveft to make interceffion for me, I put my caufe into thy hands ; let thy blood and merits plead for me, and by thy mighty interceffion procure for me the pardon of my paft offen- ces. That thou mayft fay unto me, as thou didft unto the penitent in the gofpel — Thy fins are forgiven — fo that I may go with a quiet confcience to thy holy table, and at laft be re- ceived Cbutftmp fl^ojmngr, 61 ceived into thy glorious prefence for ever- more. Amen. See the concluding prayer atfiblefTing on page 36 and 37. * The Meditation: Thurfday Morrimg. Upon our falsification whereby we are made worthy to come to the holy facrament. Except a man be born of water, and of the fpirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the fiefti, is flefh, and that which is born of the fpirit, is fpirit. John iii. 5 , 6 „ 1 . /^(Onfider, O my foul, the mercies of thy \^Ji God y confider the wonders he has wrought for the children of men. The eter- nal father created us out of nothing, and fat us in the way to everlafting happinefs. The eternal fon came down from heaven to feek us when we had loft ourfelves. The eternal fpirit brings his grace to fanctify us, and give us ftrength to walk in that holy way. Thus every perfon of the facred trinity has freely contributed his peculiar bleffing ; and all to- gether as one co-infinite goodnefs, have gra- cioufly agreed to complete our happinefs. * D 2. Come • Here you may obfer*ve the directions given on page 3 . 62 Cfmtftmp Q$owin$. 2- Come then let us humbly implore the divine grace to make us worthy to addrefs our ianclifier ; who from the father and the fon eternally proceeds, and with the father and the fon muft be equally worfhipped and glo- rified. He infufes into man the breath of life, and brings him forth in the fecond birth; a birth that makes men heirs of heaven, and gives us a title to everlafling happinefs. 3. Arife, therefore, O my foul, and inter- cede for pity upon the unhappy ftate of fallen mankind, which neither nature nor law could bring to perfection. For tho' they under the law were trained up in a fet form of difcipline, which grew and fpread into a publick religi- on, and was uniformly prof ef led by a whole nation; yet they had but weak conceits of the kingdom of heaven, and imperfe6t means to bring jihem thither : and as to thofe high and fupernatural myfteries, that fo glorioufly ex- alt the chriftian faith; they all were blind or in the dark, and dangeroufly expofed to the effects of their own ignorance, wanting thofe clear and powerful motives to love their God. God having provided fome better thing for us, that they without us jlmild not be made perfe£i y Heb. xi. 40. Neverthelefs, this prepared them for Ctwrf&ap awning;, 63 for the times of grace ; lb that if any riper fouls came forward to the birth, there wanted fpirit to bring them forth; but fend out thy fpirit, O Lord, and they fhall be created j and from the death of fin, be raifed to the life of holi- nefs; fend out thy fpirit, and renew the face of the earth, and our weeds and thorns fhall be turned into a paradife, thro 1 Jefus ChrifL 4. Let us adore that bleffed fpirit, who be- ftoweth his favours as he pleafeth ; and the more he hath given, ftill the more he giveth ! O holy ghoft, fit and difpofe me thy fervant, firft to entertain thee, and then gracioufly vouchfafe to defcend into my heart; and make me, the more I receive of thee, ftill defire to receive thee more ; till I fhall afcend to thofe Satisfying joys above, where ail my faculties fhall be enlarged, where they fhall be filled with fulnefs itfeif, and overflow with^a tor- rent of pleafure for evermore; where they flail be fat isfied with theplenteoufiefs of thy houfe; and thou flalt give them drink of thy pleasures, as out of the river \ for with thee is the well of life, and in thy light flail we fee light. Pfal. xxxvi. 8 5 &c. c; . But, O ungrateful man ! was it not e- nough to receive of our God all we have and are? was it not enough that the fon of God D 2 fhould 64 Cfmrfnap awning, fhould come down, and live to teach thee, and die to redeem thee ? was not all this e- nough to make thee love him? and love is all he aimed at, and was all that man needed. I muft confefs to thee, O merciful Lord : I will confefs to thee our deplorable condition. Such was, alas ! the corruption of human nature, and fo many and ftrong the tempta- tions round about us, that without this thy laft miraculous favour of fending the holy ghoft to guide and quicken us, we fhould have ftill remained in our old dull ftatej flow to underftand, and flower to obey. A prayer on Thurfday morning, for our fanftifica- tion, preparatory to a worthy receiving of the holy facrament. Whom he called, them he alfo juflified : and whom he juflified, them he alfo glorified. Rom. viii. 30. ETernally blefled, and infinitely glorious Lord God and Saviour, who keepefl mercy for thoufands, and forgivefl the ini- quities of all truly penitent and returning finners ; I prefent myfelf this morning before thee, acknowledging my manifold fins, in hopes of obtaining thy gracious favour, and of becoming a partaker of the moft holy fa- crament. But, O my God, I do not prefume to CfmrfDap e0o?nmg, 65 to come to that great feaft of thy body and blood, upon the leaft opinion of my own worthinefs; for, when I reflect on my (infill life, I am even afraid to come, left I Ihould eat and drink my own damnation. But when I confider thy infinite mercies unto mankind, and thy own words calling all men without exception; and knowing that thy crucified body is not only food to nourilh, but phyfick to cure, I, that am but duft and afhes, beg leave to come to thy holv table, and with my imperfect faith to feed upon fome crumbs of the bread of life. Iconfefs, O Lord, my wedding-garments are not without feam, but I come to repair them at thy crofs; from thy bitter forrows to derive into my foul a godly forrow, working repentance to fal vation ; from thy broken bo- dy, a broken heart; from thy warm blood, flowing from thy wounded fide, zeal and fer- vency; that I may admire, love, and ferve thee, my God, as I ought to do. O good God, to whom every thing is pof- fible, fandtifymy corrupt nature, and let thy gracious aids fupply all my defects, and fo help my infirmities, that I may live in thy love and fear, die in thy favour, and be prepared for receiving the great myftery on next Swi- ft 3 day, 66 Cfjurftiap OBtienmg, day, and for the great account I am one day to give, and be received with thy faithful Ser- vants to the joy of thy kingdom thro' Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. Here offeree the dire&ions given en page 8, and more particu- lar^ endeavour to improve your Jou/ by reading a lejjon out oj the i^eto Whole Duty of Man, Sunday 5. Section I. The Meditation for Thiirfday Evening. On receiving the mofi holy facrament. I am the living bread, which came down from heaven : if any man eat of this bread, he mall live for ever: and the bread that I will give, is my fleih, which I will give for the I lie of the world . John vi . 51. t. T Will afcend with the blefTed Jefus up it to Jerusalem, to eat the pafchal lamb with his difciples, which they made ready in a large upper room ready jttrnijloed and prepar- ed: I will intreat him to purge my foul, and to enable me alio to prepare a large upper room, wherein to entertain him, elevated from this filthy world, above the poor and empty fatisfactions of it. 2. O blefTed Jefus ! infpire me with faith, fill me with the love of thee, illuminate me with knowledge, cleanfe me by repentance in thy blood, that I may receive thee in the facrament, the lamb flain from the begin- ning Cfmtftiap dEtiening;* 67 ; ning of the world, to the joy of my foul, to the eftablifhment of it in all good, and for a protedtion againft all evil. 3. Let us admire, O my foul, the conftan- cy and obedience of the blefled Jefus, who with great defire did defire to eat his pajfover : tho' he knew that after this feaft his paffion was then nigh at hand, would neverthelefs go up to Jerujalem to the fame, as a faithful fon to his father's houfe, as a prieft to the fanc- tuary, and a facrifi.ee to the altar. 4. Let us endeavour to praftife according to his pattern, who, after flipper was ended, did fhew a miracle of humility, wafhing the feet of his difciples with his own facred hands, to give us the mofl perfedt example of humi- lity, and to extinguifh our pride : For, 5. By this means I fliall partake of his graces, and be filled with his abundant love : I fliall be waflied from error and idle imagi- nations, my hands from all impure actions, my heart from all vain affections, my fenfes from all finful delights and defires : fo that thou, my foul, being purged by true repen- tance, I fliall, both body and foul be cleanfed in his blood, and made partaker of all thofe D 4 glorious 68 CfcurfDag SEeemng. glorious fruits which Chrift hath given me in this food of life. 6. O blefTed Jefus, what madnefs then is k to fet my affections upon the perifhable things of this world, who may attain the joys even of eternal life by knowing thee ! the hour is come O Jefus, wean me from the world, and fecure me wholly unto thyfelf, and give me this life eternal to know and glo- rify thee. Make me fenfible that it is my inte- reft as well as duty to walk always before thee, and be always mindful of thy prefence with me. Let it be my meat and drink to do thy ho- ly will, and my only joy to glorify thy name. Here obferve the divt^Wons given on page 8, and more particu- larly endeavour to improve ycur foul by reading a lejj'on out of the fSefti Whole Duty of Man, Sunday b. A prayer on Thurfday evening to implore God's mer- cy and qffiftance^ towards a worthy receiving of the moft holy facrament. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full afTurance of faith, having our hearts fprinkled from an evil confeience, and our bodies warned with pure water. Heb. x. 22. GRant, almighty and moft merciful Lord God, that I may never draw down thy juft indignation upon myfelf, either by turn- ing my back upon this ordinance, or by going to it without thought and unworthily. May thy Cfjurfnap (ZBticning* 69 thy mercy pardon what is pad, and give me grace for the time to come, to confccrate my life to thee, and to embrace every occafion of remembering my redeemers love, and there- by fecuring thy favour, and my own falva- tion ; and if it be thy will, grant that I may always find fuch comfort and benefit in this ordinance, as may encourage me to obferve it with joy unto my life's end. BlefTed be thy name, holy father, for the opportunity thou haft this day vouchfafed me of humbling myfelf before thee. Par- don, I moft humbly befeech thee, all my fail- ings and defe£ls at this time. The wander- ings of my prayers, the coldnefs of my affec- tions, and the difproportion of my repen- tance to the heinoufnefs of thofe fins which I have committed. O let thy mercy and good- nefs fupply w r hat is wanting in me, and be thou gracioufly pleafed to pity my weaknef- fes, and forgive my infirmities, through the* merits, and for the fake of thy beloved fon, and my blefied Saviour, Jefus Chriftthe righ- teous.; to whom with thee, and the holy ghoft, be afcribed all honour and glory now and for evermore. Amen. Sje the concluding prayer andrelcaje unto us Bar abbas. What v was this but to fay, deftroy the innocent, and give us a traitor and a thief? away with the prince of peace and univerfal charity, and , leave unto us the author of fedition : put him : to death who has raifed lip the dead before us, and give unto us a known murtherer. 8. But what haft thou done, O thou lamb of God ? and how haft thou deferved, thou fa- viour of the world, to be thus expofed, vilified, and tormented ? what is thy crime, and the caufe of thy grief? what is it that has laid thee on the altar of the crofs, naked, bleeding, tor- tured and dying ? the Lord has laid on thee the iniquities of us all : thou art wounded for our tranfgreffions : thou art bruifed for our fins : the chaftifement of our peace is upon thee y and by thy ftripes we are healed. 9. Sing then, all you dear-bought nations of the earth, fing hymns of glory to the only Jefus-y let every one break forth into fmging, who pretends to felicity; fing praifes to the God of our falvation; to him, who for us en- dured fo much fcorn, and patiently received fo many injuries -, to him, who for us fweat drops of blood, and drank of the dregs of his father's 74 JFrtoag joining:. father's wrath 5 to the eternal Lord of hea- ven and earth, who for us was flam by the hands of the wicked ; who for us was led a- way as a fheep to the flaughter ; and meek as a lamb, opened not his mouth. A 'prayer on Friday morning, acknowledging our own frailty, and imploring God's grace^ thro' the merits of thepajfion ofhisfon Jefus Chrift. Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodnefs : according to the multitude of thy mercies, do away mine of- fences. Warn me thoroughly from my wickednefs, and cleanfe me from my fin. For I acknowledge my faults ; and my fin is ever before me. Pfalm li. i, z, 3. OMofl great and glorious Lord God, juft and terrible in thy judgments to all ob- flinate rebellious fmners, but of infinite mer- cy to fuch as truly repent, and turn unto thee; look down, I befeech thee, with the eyes of mercy upon me, who now prefent myfelf before thee, acknowledging that I am not worthy to lift up mine eyes to the throne of thy glorious majefty . O Lord, my fins are fo many and fo great, that it is owing to thy infinite goodnefs and mercy, that I have now an opportunity of humbling myfelf before thee, and begging mercy for my foul, which, I confefs, has greatly finned againft thee. For I ftiU fear, I have too great a defire aftei jFrinap pouting* 75 after the things of this world; too great a fondnefs for the profits and pleafures of it. And tho' I am fully perfuaded, that it is my happinefs and privilege, as well as my duty to love and ferve thee; yet I am very apt to forget thee, and to grow carelefs and remifs in that great and important work which thou hail: given me to do. My devotion to thee is many times cold and languid; my prayers are full of wanderings, deadnefs, and di- ffractions, and the very beft of my religious duties are accompanied with fo many fail- ings and imperfe6lions, that I have great caufe to humble myfelf before thee. O Lord, I have no hope but in thy mercy, and the infinite merits and paffions of my dear redeemer : and if thou re j eft eft me, I am loft and undone for ever. Therefore re- member that I am but duft, and turn not thy face from me, nor caft thy fervant away in difpleafure; let the interceffions of thy belo- ved fon prevail in my behalf : and for the fake of his meritorious death and paflion, for ail that he has done, and all that he has fuf- fered for me, have mercy upon me. O Lord, pardon and forgive, I moft ear- neftly and unfeignedly befeech thee, all the fins and follies of my life paft; efpecially, O my 76 JFritiag joining;, my God, lay not to my charge thofe fins [ Heri may be named particulars} by which I have offended thee, my good and gracious Lord God. O cleanfe me from all my fecret and unknown tranfgreffions, and vouchfafe, O merciful fa- ther, to be reconciled unto me, who am forry for my fins, and grieved that I have offended thee, my moft gracious Lord and Matter; for which, and all other thy repeated mer- cies to me, I owe all the returns of love and duty that can poflibly be paid by a creature to thee his creator. O Lord ! open thou mine eyes, that I may fee the vilenefs and deformity, as well as dan- ger of fin; that I may fly from all appearance of evil, and with an unwearied diligence fol- low after, and purfue the things that make for my everlafting peace. Grant, that for the time to come, I may live only unto thee, in an awful fear of thy great name, and a con- ftant regard to thy bleffed will, keeping al- ways a confcience void of offence, both to- wards thee, my God, and towards all men ; that when thou fhalt think fit to take me out of this ilate of trial and temptation here, I may be received into that bleffed kingdom, where all tears fhall be wip'd from mine eyes, and fin and death fhall be no more. Graaat thiSj Jfrinap GEtiening;* 77 >&is, O merciful father, thro' the merits, and ffor the fake, of the fame thy dear fon, and (my blefled faviour, Jefus Chrift. Amen. | Here ol.ferve the dire&ions given on page 8, and more particu- larly endeavour to improve your foul by reading a lefjon out of the V&eto Whole Duty of Man, Sunday^. Section I. 1 y The Meditation for Friday Evening. Upon the fufferings of Jefus Chrift commemorated in the facr anient of the Lord's fupper. ; For even hereunto were ye called : becaufe chrift alfo fuffer- ed for us, leaving us an example, that ye mould follow his 'fteps : who his ownfelf bare our fins in his own body on the tree ; that we being dead to fin mould live unto righteoufnefs : by whofe ftripes ye were healed, i Peter ii. 21, 24. i . 7VTOW, my foul, thy deareft Lord is ta- X nI ken down from the crofs , let us by the eye of faith and reafon look nearer upon him : O what a man of forrows, what a dole- ful fpe6lacle do we behold ! how pale, how wan, and extenuated, how mournful and doleful is his face ! his eyes are funk, his tem- ples are furrowed with the thorns. O the ga- fhes and deep wounds of his fhoulders and back, opened all with ftripes ! O the wide rendings of his hands and feet ! his empty veins, his ftretched-out finews, his rankled flefli, how flaggy with ftripes, how begored with blood! his hair clotted, and his whole body 7 8 jFritiap aEtienmg, body out of order ; and all this for finners, for his enemies, for loft ungrateful man, e- ven for us, O my foul ! 2. Come, O my foul, and compare thy love for Jefus with that he has fhewn for thee, and all mankind. O ! confefs thy remiflhefs and thy fin. Say ; O bleffed Jefu ! I adore thy love, and acknowledge my tranfgreffions : for love brought thee down from heaven to us ; but how few of us doth it carry up thither unto thee ? love made thee die the moft fhame- ful death ; but it doth not make us live the moft glorious life. Love made thee endure the foreft pains ; but, alas ! it doth not make mankind take the pleafure of following thy fteps to the greateft happinefs. Love made thee think perpetually on fuch poor wretches as we are ; but we feldom think upon thee. Love perfuaded thee to come to us w r hen there was nothing to call thee, except only our great miferies ; but it doth not bring us all to thee; tho' we are moved by the merits, and precious promifes of fo immenfe a love. 3. Let not our devotion reft in bare ac- knowledgments, do not only praife his good- nefs, but dread his majefty; andletusfhew our love by our deeds; to him let us reverent- JFriDag atumap joining. 83 brrow, for having fo long abufed the tender nercy of fo good a God. I defire now to re- \gn and give up myfelf to the conduct of thy loly fpirit. Lead me in thy truth > and teach rne^ f br thou art the God of my fahation. Let thy word be my rule, thy grace my guide and afli- ftance, thy goodnefs my pattern and example, thy promifes my encouragement, and thy joys my everlafting recompence and reward, thro' the merits and intercefllon of thy blefled Son, my Saviour and Redeemer. Amen. See the concluding Prayer and bleffing on page 36 and 37. f The Meditation : Saturday Morning. On the excellency of the holyfacrament. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. Jobn\i. 50. I. /^lOme unto me all ye that are weary and V_^ heavy laden, fays the blefled Jefus, and I will refrefh you > take my yoke upon you, and learn of me 3 for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye fhall find reft unto your fouls $ for my yoke is eafy, and my burthen is light, 2. Does my Saviour invite me: and fhall I go ? fhall a finner dare to fit down at his table ? does • Hire ycu may obfervi the directions given on page 3 . 84 ^atutnap awning* does he invite, andfhall I not go? fhall a wretch prefume to refufe his call ? rife then, my foul, and take thy fwifteft wings, and fly to the par^ ticipationof this great myftery. Afeaftof ho- ly bread and holy wine, in reprefentation of ChrilVs moft facred body broken, and blood filed for us, where thou, deareft Jefu, dofl free- ly give thy felf to themeaneftgueft ; afeaft of peace and love, and incomparable fweetnefs, to which thou haft thus kindly invited us. 3. Come to me, ye that labour for holi- nefs, and are opprefled under the weight of your fins ; ye that hunger after heaven, and thirft to drink of the fountain of blifs, come to me, and I will refrefh you with the wine of gladnefs, and the bread of life. 4. But ftay, am I arrayed like a friend of the bridegroom, that I may fafely come to this marriage-fupper ? have I confider'd how chafte thofe eyes fhould be, which go to be- hold the God of purity ? have I confider'd how clean that mouth fhould be, which pre- fumes to eat the bread of heaven? but moft of all, have I confider'd how all-celeftial that foul fhould be, which afpires to an union with the body of Chrift ? 5. Look, my heart, look well into thyfelf, and ^atttioap joining:. 85 md flriStly fearch eveiy corner of thy breaft ; \las ! how poor, and dull, and empty are we ; low infinitely unworthy of lb divine a facra- nent ! yet are we called by him that can com- riand, by him that fees and pities our infi- nities; he bids us come, he furely will receive as, and with his bounteous fulnefs fupply ou:* defects . 6. Go then, my foul, to that facred table, md take thy part of that delicious banquet; 50 all inflamed with divine love, and joy, and hope, and quench thy facred thirft with that [pring of life. And when thou haft tailed the sverlafting fweetnefs of that holy facrament, bhou fh alt feel the heavenly ftreams of Chrift's blood flowing into thy truly repenting heart. 7. Let them fink deep to the root of thy heart, and turn thy barren foil into a fruit- ful land 3 fruitful in holy thoughts and pious words; fruitful in good, and juft, and charita- ble deeds ; fruitful to thyfelf in thine own im- provement; fruitful to others in thy good ex- amples. Praife the Lord, O my foul, and all that is within me praife his holy name, who faveth thy life from deftru<5Hon, and feedeth thee with the bread of heaven, which is adm i- niftered to the worthy receiver in the holy Sacrament. E A 86 %atarua? Q9o?nmg> si Prayer on Saturday mornlng/br pardon and grace to refill temptations, that our receiving of the hofy Sacrament may be found acceptable in the fight of God: Pardon our iniquity and our fin, and take us for thine inhe- ritance. Exod. xxiv. 9. O Almighty God, who art of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, who canft not look favourably upon fmners, neither fhall a- ny evil dwell with thee: how fhall I a guilty polluted creature dare to approach thy pre- fence ! I blufli, O Lord, to life up mine eyes towards heaven; to me belongs nothing but ihame and confufion of face, under winch I ought to lie down before thee, if I reflected on- ly upon the bafenefs of my defcent, being the offspring of difloyal parents, who were rebels and traitors again ft thy divine majefty; with what dejeftionoffpiritthen ought I to think of, and mention allthofe offences, w r hereby I h ave j ufti fted that fir ft rebellion , and ftiil taken part with the devil andhis angels, againft thee and the motions of thy holy fpiritin my heart ! Wretched man that lam, who fhall deliver me from this bond of death, from this bon- dage of corruption ? thy- grace, I know, O Lord, is fufficient for me, and thy fon mighty to fave me; his office is to fave his people from their fins j for this end he gave himfelf for us, that ^atutnap evening, 87 :hat he might redeem us from all iniquity, and mrify untohimfelf a peculiar people, zealous )f good works. O let the blood of Chrift, who :hro' the eternal (pint offered himfelf without pot to God, purge my confidence from dead works to ferve the living God. Aflift me by thy grace, that I may not only abominate all filthy vices, but alio hate the garments infedt- ^d with fin, and abflain from all appearance of evil. And do thou, O God of peace, fan£ti- fy me wholly, that my whole fpirit, foul and body, may be preferved blamelefs unto the :oming of our Lord Jefus Chrijl. Amen. Here obfer*ve the directions given o;i page 8, and more particular I- mdeavour to improve your foul by reading a lejjon out of tie JJ3 tio Whole Duty of Man, Sunday 6, Se&ionI,II, III, and IV, The Meditation for Saturday Evening. On my unworthinefs to come to the holy Sacrament. Whofoever fhall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, (hall be guilt/ of the body and blood of ;he Lord, i Cor. xi. 27. I. /^\ My foul, thou perceiveft that my V7 tranfgreffions are innumerable, and the weight of them is intolerable : that my imperfeftions are fhameful, my nature cor- rupted, crofs andpreverfej and almoft every temptation draws me from my God : that my * E 2 fins $'8 ^atumap OBtiemng;* fins both of omiffion and of commiffion en aloud againft me, and are a burden too hea- vy for me to bear : what therefore can I do. what can I fay unto thee ! let me flee untc thee, thou preferver of men, and confefs that I am fo vile, that I cannot exprefs it; fo loath- fome and deteftable, that I even abhor myfeli for my iniquities. 2. O my foul! make no longer tarrying, for we can't expert that his purer eyes fliould ■condefcend to look upon me, orthathefhoulc extend his favour to fo polluted a wretch as ! find myfelf to be. And fliould he leave me to myfclfj were utterly undone,beyond all hope, or fo much as poflibility of recovery. But, 3. Blefied, for ever blefled, be thy name, O God ! who haft opened a fountain for fin, and for uncleannefs, and haft encouraged the very worft of men to hope for mercy upon their fincere conver£on and amendment; and haft fent thy dearly beloved Son to take upon him our nature, and to call not the righteous but finners to repentance ; and haft bid all thofe come unto thee, that are weary and heavy laden. In a fenfe therefore of my own unworthinefs and guilt, I come trembling un- to thee. For, I loath, I deteft, I abominate my fins, and myfelf, becaufe of them. 4. 4.. Wherefore, moil merciful Lord, defpife ne not, but behold my mifery, as the greater xrcafion of thy mercy., And let thy pardoning )f fo great, fo vile, fo wretched a (inner, fhew he greatnefs of thy clemency and compafli- >n. Thou alone are the healer of our wounds, he lifter up of our heads, and I cannot di- fruft thee fince thy goodnefs is infinite. Tho* ny fins are great, thy mercies are greater • Jierefore with them cover all my guilt, I Tioft humbly befeech thee. 5 . I am not worthy to look up to heaven y Hit do thou look down from thence, and raife i miferable (inner from the dunghill, and out )f all the mire of my finful pollutions. Thus [ caft all my care on thee, who didft ordain :hat Chrijl fiiould die for all, that they who ive, fhould not henceforth live unto them- elves, but unto him who died for them and •ofe again: and therefore my ftrong hope is n thee: if I had not that confidence that We/us would heal all my difeafes, I muft de- pair under their number and weight. Thus, I dare accept of the invitation of my Saviour :o eat and drink at his table. O ! thou God of ill mercy and truth, receive me gracioufly pro' the mediation of my blefled Saviour, ind let not mine iniquities work my everlaft- ng ruin. E 3 A 90 ^aturuag ©jetting, A Prayer en Saturday evening,/^ a worthy receiv- ing of the holyfacrament. I will vvafh my hands in innocency, O Lord, and fo will I go to thine altar. Pfalm xxvi. 6. O Crucified Jefu ! who at thy laft flipper didft ordain the holy eucharift, the fa- crament and bond of chrijlian love, for the continual remembrance of the facrifice of thy death ; and haft commanded us to do this in remembrance of thee: let that propitiatory facrifice of thy death, which thou didft offer upon the crofs for the fins of the whole world, and particularly for my fins, be ever frefli in my remembrance. O bleffed Saviour, let that mighty falvati on thy love hath wrought for us, never flip out of my mind, but efpecially let my remembrance of thee in the holy facrament be always moft lively and affecting. So that if I love thee tru- ly, I fliall be fure to frequent thy altar, that I may often remember all the wonderful loves of my crucified Redeemer. Yet, forafmuch as I know, O my God, that a bare remembrance of thee is not enough ; fix in me fucli a remem- brance of thee, as is fuitabletothe infinite love I am to remember ; work in me all thole holy and heavenly affections, which become the remembrance of a crucified Saviour; and do thou @tmDag ®®Qinin$> 9 1 hou fo difpofe my heart to be thy gueft at thy idy table, that I may feel all the fweet in- fluences of love crucified, the ftrengthening 'and refreshing of my foul by thy body and blood, as my body is by the bread and wine, f O merciful Jefu ! let that immortal food, which in the holy eucharift thou vouchfafeft me, pour into my weak and languifhing foul new fupplies of grace, new life, new love, new vigour, and newrefolutions, that I may never more faint or droop, or faulter in my duty. Amen, Lord jfefus, Amen. See the concluding Prayer #;/n. * The Meditation for Sunday Morning. Oil the love of God to mankind, particularly mani- fefted in this facr anient. Hereby perceive we the love of God, becaufe he laid down his life for us. 1 John iii. 16. I.T)Ehold, Lord, thus encouraged, thus X) invited, I come; yetldonotprefume to do fo, trujiing in my own righteoufnefs, but in thy manifold and great mercies. I feel, alas! my weakneffes and wants, and betake myfelf to thee for reliefs fick and difeafed, I fly to the E 4 phy- * H:re you may cbferve the direct ions £/<&•«? on page $» $2 ^im&ap awning;* phyiician of fouls; hungry and thirfty, to this ' fountain of living water, and bread of life ; poor and needy, to the bountiful king of hea- ven 5 a fervant to his kind m after ! a creature to his companionate creator, who hateth no- thing that he hath made; and a forlorn dif- conio] ate wretch, to thee, the holy, the eter- nal, the only comforter. But, 2. Whence is this to me, that my God ftiould vouchfafe to come unto me ? or, who am I that thou fhouldft communicate to me thy own felf ? how fhall a wicked finner dare to appear before thee ? or how canft thou, who art of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, en- dure to makefuch condefcending approaches to a foul polluted with fin and with unclean- nefs ? thou feeft my very inward parts, and knoweft I have nothing in me that is good; nothing to invite fuch mercy; nothing fit for the reception of fo pure, fo glorious a majefty. 3 . 1 will therefore molt humbly confefs my own vilenefs and thy unfpeakable goodnefs ; I will moft thankfully admire, andpraife, and adore thy marvellous love, and exceeding a- bundant grace. For this is purely thine own act. Nothing on my part could deferve, no- thing could move thee to it. The more un- worthy ^unDap joining* 93 worthy I am, the more confpicuous is thy goodnefs, the more amazing thy mercy and condefcenfion. 4. Since therefore thou art pleafed to ftoop fo low, be it unto me according to thy word. Since thou haft thought fit to command my approach, I will mod gladly teftify my ready obedience 5 and only beg, that my ownfinful- nefs may not render me odious in thy fight, nor fruftrate thefe ineftimable mercies to me. I will fupply my want of ability by the ear- neftnefs of my zeal j and mod humbly befeech thee to accept thofe hearty defires of the ine- ftimable benefit, by which my foul and all its faculties thirft and pant moft impatiently af- ter thee and thy righteoufnefs. I will turn my eyes into ray own heart, and entertain myfelf with the mortifying profpeft of my own unworthinefs, laying my foul low be- fore thee ' y and from the fenfe of my fin I will flee to thy mercy, that I may be made whole by the body and blood of my redeemer.. 5 . How wife, how faving, was thy defign* in the firft inftitution of this holy flipper ! how rich, how delightful a banquet haft thou prepared for thy guefts, by ordering thy own body and blood for the myftical entertain- E 5 meat 94 ^annap ^oinitig:, ment of the faithful ! how aftonifhing are the operations of thy grace and power ! how incomprehenfible the methods of fulfilling thy moft true promife! Thou fpakeft the word in the beginning, and all things were created ! and by the fame almighty word, thou commandeft bread and wine, and they nourifh fouls to life eternal. 6. And thou, my foul, rejoice and be ex- ceeding glad for fo noble a favour, fo heaven- ly a refrefhment, fo rich a confolation to fup- port and fweeten thy paflage thro' this vale of tears and mifery. For, every time thou attend- eft thefe holy myfteries, thou doft fpiritually eat the fie jh ofChrifi, anddrifik his blood ; thou doft aft, as it were, over again the work of thy re- demption, and effeftually partake of thy Sa- viour's merits and fufFerings. For, his love continues always the fame, and the excel- lence and worth of his propitiation is an in- exhauftiblefpring of mercy. Come therefore hither with new exalted zeal, enlarge thy heart and its defires, and'doubt not, but thou fhalt at every approach, return with frefh and plentiful acceffions of grace. 7. Let not the frequency abate thy devo- tion: for this favour fhould always feem great, this this feaft always honourable, and the delights of it always new. And by the force of pious meditation, the myftcry will afFed thy won- dering mind at every repetition, as if the fon of God were juft that moment born from the womb of his mother; as if thy fullering re- deemer were in that inftant labouring under all his agonies; and thine own eyes beheld him hanging and bleeding, and dying on the crofs. A prayer on Sunday morning, before\\\t communion. Except ye eat the flefh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. John vi. 53. OAlmightyGod, and merciful father, who haft given thy only fon Jefus Chriit to die for us, who did inftitute a holy feafl in com- memoration of that his moft precious death, thereby to preferve in our minds a conftant re- membrance of his great love, in laying down his life for our fakes : I thy unworthy fervant, who am now invited to thy holy table, do humbly adore thy divine majefty, acknow- ledging that I am not worthy of my daily bread, much lefs of that which came down from heaven , and which thou haft given to be the food and nourifhment of our fouls. I confefs, O Lord, my fins may juftly caufe me to tremble, when I appear before thee ; 2 but, 9^ §>tmua2 joining. but, O moft merciful father, encouraged by thy wonderful goodnefs and love, in giving thy fon to die for all penitent and returning fmners, I prefent myfelf before thee at this time ; befeeching thee, in great humility to continue to me that love, and admit me to thy holy table, that I may tafle and fee how gracious thou art, and how wonderful in thy doings towards the fons of men. O make my longings and defires after this divine food, fome way anfwerable to my great need of it -, that my foul being fenfible of all its wants, it may no longer feek for re- lief from the unfatisfying objefts of this world ; but coming to thy holy table with a true fpiritual hunger and thirft, may there find a full fupply of all thofe graces and blef- fings that it ftands in fo much need of. And to this end, O Lord, fit and prepare my heart to partake of fo great a mercy, by giving me a juft abhorrence of my own un- worthinefs, and an unfeigned repentance of all my fin. Root out of my heart all finful and corrupt affeftions, all prejudice, hatred, and ill-will ; and plant all thofe devout and pious, charitable and humble difpofitions, that become the worfhippers of the holy J'e- iis^ that when Iprefume to appear before thee> ^untmp joining* 97 thee, I may bring with me a heart raifed a- bove the corruptions that are in the world, and full of the ftrongeft defires and refoluti- ons of loving and ferving thee. Deliver me, O my God, from all coldnefs and for mality, when I attend upon thee in holy and religious duties ; and grant that by going to this holy feaft, I may have my pardon feal- ed, my w r eakneffes repaired, all my evil incli- nations fubdued, my faith ftrengthened, my hopes enlarged, my charity encreafed, and my foul fo entirely and infeparably united unto thee, that nothing may be ever able to diffolve the union •> but that being begun here in grace, it may hereafter be confummated in glory, through the merits of him that died for me, even the fon of thy eternal love, Jefus Chrift j the righteous ; to whom with thee, O father, and the holy fpirit, be afcribed, as is mofl due, all honour, glory, power, thankfgiving, and praife, both now and for evermore. Amen. This lajl. prayer may he added to our other devotions the morning *we receive, and may be frequently ufedin the iveek preceding tbi facrament. See alfo the directions on page 57. H Ejaculations when you firft come into church. O W amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord ofhofts! Bleffed 98 g>tMttiap Rowing. BlefTed are they that dwell in thy houfe, they will be always praifing thee. My foul longeth, yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord : my heart and my flefh cry out for the living God. For a day in thy courts is better than a thoufand years ; I had rather be a door-keep- er in the houfe of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickednefs. A prayer to be J aid before or after the prayers of the Church, as time Jh all admit . IT is but too apparent, blefTed Lord, how apt we are to forget thy dear love to us, and thy bitter fufferings for us 5 our conti- nual tranfgreffions publifh it, and our for- mer ftupidity and indevotion do plainly de- clare it. Praifed therefore be thy goodnefs for the lively emblems thou haft given us of thy moft meritorious crofs and paflion. O that the chara£ters of thy love may be fo deeply imprinted upon my heart, that no time nor temptation may wear them out ! may I now moft affectionately call to mind the humility of thine incarnation, the merits of thy death, the power of thy re 1 urreftion, and the glories of thine afcenfion O how much do we owe thee, moft blefTed redeemer ! ^tmtiap ago?ningr* 99 redeemer ! how great is the price, which thou haft paid for the ranfom of us miferable Tin- ners ! what fhall I render unto thee for the in- comprehenfible benefits thou haft beftowed upon me ? Alas ! I have no return to make but a broken and contrite heart, which thou wilt not defpife ; and thir> is yet a further inftance of thy goodnefs, that thou expe£teft no other teftimony of gratitude, but my fincere affec- tions in ferving thee, the ofily true God, thro' Jefus Chrift our Lord. Attfak A prayer to be ufedas foon as fermon is ended, O that men would therefore praife the Lord for his good- nefs, and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men. Pfalm cvii. 20, 21. O Eternal and almighty God, by whofe bounty and goodnefs, I have now an opportunity offered me of approaching thy table, and of pleading before thee the prevail- ing merits of the death and paffion of thy fon Jefus Chrift; I am fenfible, O Lord, of my great unworthinefs ; but the pofitive com- mand of my blefTed Saviour, when he was about to lay down his life for my fake, has made it abfolutely necelTary; and the many fpiritual wants I labour under, oblige me to apply to this fovereign remedy,, for the re- pair of thofe breaches my finful follies have made in my foul. There- ioo ©untmg awning:. Therefore, affift me, O Lord, with thy holy fpi- rit, in the great duty and fervice I am about to per- form ; grant that nothing, during all the time of this holy adlion, may make me unmindful of that reverence and refpeft which I owe unto thy divine majefty; or of that attention, which becomes the celebration of thefe holy myfteries. Fill my heart with fuch an awe of thy prefence, as may fix my wandering thoughts, compofe my diforderly affec- tions, and ftir up my faint and cold defires, that I may fttl the power, and tafte of the fweetnefs of this divine banquet. O Lord, grant that I may have fuch a fenfe of my Saviour's fufferings, as may fill my foul with love and gratitude towards him for thofe ineftima- ble benefits he has purchafed far me ; that I may have fuch a fight of my fins, which occafion'd all his for rows, as heartily to bewail and deteft them; fuch a faith in that full perfed: oblation and fatif- faction made upon the crofs for the fins of the world, that I may fo importunately plead the me- rit of it in this commemoration of that facrifice, as to render thee gracious and propitious to me a mi - ferable finner \ fuch a conviction of my own weak- nefs and infufficiency, as may procure thy gracious aid and affiftance ; fuch longing defires of being made conformable to thy holy will and pleafure, as may transform me into thy divine image, and fix me to continue thy faithful fervant all the re- maining days of my life ; through the merits and mediation of thy fon, Jefus Chrilt our Lord and Saviour. Amm. The The Companion for the Altar, rb i The Companion for the Altar. Directions. £^ 1 would advife thee, my devout commr.picant, by all means to read over the following Companion for the Altar, with the di- rections a/a/ prayers, feme time before you go to the facramenr, that mcu may with ?7iore readinefs and de-notion go along with, and Sear your part in the communion fervice ; which with very little palm, you 11 he able to do ; efpecially after your ru ft communicating : When^ if ycujhcuhlhe at alefs, and under fotnidifordcr and confufion y do not be dijlurhedy nor troubled, but refolveto endeavour to amend 'what you have obfervedto be done amifs, as foon as you have another opportu- nity of receiving again. And the' 1 after y cur belt endeavours, you feu Id always find occafion ts lament your defied s and frailties, in the performance of this, as well as other duties of religion : yet never fear that any involuntary failings, or infirmities, will ever rife up in judgment againfyou. Do your duty as well as you can, and tho* it may not be done fo exaclly as you could vcifh, ?ny foul for your s, you are certainly fafe ; beginning your devotions on this occafion with thefe f lo wing ejaculations. MOfl: gracious God I come to thy altar to renew my baptifmal covenant, of which this facrament is a leal. — O heavenly father I come to teftify my fenfe of thy love, in fo loving the world, as to give up thy only fon to die for me. — O bleffed Saviour, I come to teftify my faith in thee, and my love towards thee, and thankfully to commemorate thy wonderful love in dying for me. — O Lord I come to tef- tify my ftedfaftnefs in the communion of thy church, and my charity to all the world. — 6 Lord, io2 The Companion for the Altar. Lord, I come to this thy table, out of the fenfe I have of the want of that fpi ritual food, to which thou inviteft me in this holy facrament. — I know there is no food can ftrengthen my foul but thy body, no cordial can revive my drooping obedience, but thy blood 3 — O gra- cious Lord,grant that I and ail that communi- cate with me, may be fed, refrefhed and nou- rifhed in our fouls to life everlailing. Amen. Directions. NOW, laying afide all 'fears ^Wdefpondencies, proceed to the communion fervice, and then to the facrament, with as much joy and fatisfaftion^ as a guilty criminal would go to plead his pardon at an earthly tribunal. ^ At your approach to the chancel, drop all thoughts of things. on earth, and give up your felf wholly to the remembrance of the fuf- ferings of cur Saviour, lifting up your foul to him in thefe words : I Will wafh my hands in innocence, OLord, and fo will I compafs thy altar, that I may fhew the voice of thankfgiving, and tell of ail thy wondrous works. fl" Then fh all the priefl return to the Lord's table and begin the- Offertory, faying one or more of thefe feniences following, as he thinketh mojl conc ^imCter* Let us pray for the whole ftate of Chrift' s church, mi- litant here on earth. ALmighty and ever liv ing God, who by thy holy apoftle hath taught us to make prayers and fuppli- cations, and to give thanks for all men ; we humbly be- feech thee moft mercifully [to accept our alms and oblations^ + and] aim Kor^Wa^oZ to recerve Acfe our prayers, which we of- tbenjkall the words fer unto thy divine ma jefty,befeeching thee 'lurch cord: Ts thy holy [of accepting our to infpire continually the univerfal church f*idi and grant that all they that do confefs thy The Companion for the Altar. 1 07 holy name, may agree in the truth of thy holy word, and live in unity and godly love. We befeech thee alfo to lave and defend all chriftian kings, princes, and governors; and dpecially thy fervant George, our king, that under him we may be godly and quietly governed : and grant unto his whole council, and to all that are put in authority under him, that they may truly and indifferently minifter juftice, to the punifhment of wickednefs and vice, and to the main- tenance of thy true religion and virtue. Give grace, O heavenly Father, to all bifhops and curates, that they may, bo.h by their life and doctrine, fet forth thy true and lively , and rightly and duly adminifter thy holy facraments. Amfto all thy people give thy heavenly grace, and efpecial- ly to this congregation here prefent, that with meek heart and due reverence, they may hear and receive thy holy word, truly ferving thee in holinefs and righteoufnefs all the days of their life. And we moft humbly befeech thee, of thy goodnefs, O Lord, to comfort and fuccour all them who in this tranfitory life are in trouble, forrow, need, fick- nefs, or any other adverfity ; and we alfo blcfs thv holy name for all thy fervants departed this life in thy faith and fear, befeech ing thee to give us grace, fo to follow their good examples, that with them we may be partakers of thy heavenly kingdom. Grant this, O father, for Jefus Chrift's fake our only mediator and advocate. Amen. IRu&jicfc, IT At the time of the celebration of the communion y the communi- cants being conveniently placed for the receiving of the holy facr amen t f the prieit/ZW/ fay this Exhortation. tt&e S&iniUeu ^Direttions. £5= 7 on muft ferioujly attend t9 this exhortation,^ /'/ is full of excellent information and inf ruc- tion ; it Jhews you the great bene- \fit of coming worthily, that is, Dearly beloved in the Lord, ye that mind to come to the holy communion of the body and blood of our Sa- vour Chrifr, muft confiderl with a true penitent heart, and howl lively 1 08 The Companion for the Altar how St. Paid exhorteth all perfons diligently to try and examine themfelves before they prefume to eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For as the benefit is great, if lively faith to this bolyfacrament, and the great danger of coming unworthily, that is, without re- penting of your fins, and with- out trufting in God's mercy thro' Chrift.. with a true penitent heart, and lively faith, we receive that holy facrament (for then we fpiritually eat the flefh of Chrift, and drink his blood ; then we dwell in Chrift, and Chrift in us ; we are one with Chrift, and Chrift with us) fo is the danger great if we receive the fame unworthily : for then we are guilty of the body and blood of Chrift our Saviour ; we eat and drink our own damnation, not con- fidering the Lord's body ; we kindle God's wrath againft us ; we provoke him to plague us with divers difeafes, and fundry kinds of death : judge therefore yourfelves, bre- thren, that ye be not judged of the Lord ; repent you truly for your fins paft ; have a lively and ftedfaft faith in Chrifl our Saviour ; amend your lives, and be in perfect charity with all men, fo fhall ye be meet partakers of thofe holy myfteries ; and above all things, ye muft give moft humbk and hearty thanks to God the father, the fon, and the hoi) ghoft, for the redemption of the world by the death and paf- fion of our Saviour Chrift, both God and man, who die humble himfelf even unto the death upon the crofs for u< miferable fmners, who lay in darknefs, and the fhadow o death, that he might make us the children of God, and exal us to everlafting life. And to the end that we fhould alway: remember the exceeding great love of our mafter, and onlj Saviour Jefus Chrift thus dying for us, and the innumerabl< benefits which by his precious blood fhedding he hath ob tained to us ; he hath inftituted and ordained holy myfterie as pledges of his love, and for a continual remembrance o his death to our great and endlefs comfort. To him, there fore, with the father, and the holy ghoft, let us give (as w are moft boundegi) continual thanks, fubmitting ourfelve wholl The Companion for the Altar. 1 09 wholly to his holy will and pleafure, and ftudying to ferve ;him in true holinefs and rightcoufnefs all the days of our life. Amen. ffiutyic&f f[ Thenjhall the prieft/?y to them that come to receive the holy communion. Directions. (£5* Being thus called upon to make your humble confeifion to almighty God, be Jure to let your whole heart be lift up to the throne of divine grace, and humbly pray, that you may have afhare in that pardon, which is foon after to be pronounced by the minifcr. 3TI;e Sgtniaer* Ye that do truly and ear- neftrly repent you of your fins and are in love and charity with your neighbours, and intend to lead a new life, fol- lowing the commandments of God, and w r alking from henceforth in his holy ways : draw near with faith, and take this holy facrament to your comfort, and make your humble confefiion to almighty God, meekly kneeling upon your knees. Bttfrjtcfe. f Thenfhall this general Confession^ made in the name of all thofe that are minded to receive the holy communion, by one of the mi- niilers, both he and all the people kneeling humbly upon their knees , andfaying, Directions. (r^ 3 In this confeffion offms^ join with the minifter both in heart andvo'ice, with the great- eft humility, for you are equally therein concern d with him. 3Tf>e SJBmitfer* Almighty God, father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, ma- ker of all things, judge of all men; we acknowledge and bewail pur manifold fins and wickednefs, which we from time to time moft gnevoufly have committed, by thought, word, and deed, againft thy divine majefty, provoking moft juftly thy wrath and indig- nation againft us. We do carneftly repent, and are hearti- ly forry for thefe our mifdoings : the remembrance of them is grievous unto us; the burden of them is intolerable; have F mercy 1 1 o The Companion for the Altar, jnercy upon us, have mercy upon us moft merciful father ; for thy fon our Lord Jefus CHrift's fake, forgive us all that is paft, and grant that we may ever hereafter ferve and pleafe thee in newnefs of life, to the honour and glory of thy name, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. f Thenjhall the prieft (or bijhop being prefent ) ft and up, and turning himfelf to the people , pronoiw.ee this Absolution. 3TI;e Splutter* Almighty God, our hea- venly father, who of his great mercy hath promifed for- givenefs of fins to all them that with hearty repentance, and true faith, turn unto him -, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your fins, confirm and ftrengthen you in all good- nefs, and bring you to ever- Directions. $§> When the abfolution be- gins 9 then hold your peace and attend to the minifter with all year heart; and placed in an hum- ble poiture, beg earnejlly of God that he will pleafe to confirm in heaven the abfolution of your fins, pronounced at this time, by his minifer. But for any one to repeat the abfolution word for word with the minifter, is very abfurd, andjhews much ignorance: our Lord. Amen, Jafting life, thro' JefusChrift f £ r * ^Itsparthenisto be file-nt and to attend, and to fay __ -nothing but a mcf earn eft Amen, *witb a firm refotution to lead a new life . And thei -efore let me warn you in all the publick prayers , that you join with the minifler where you are bid, and at all other times be filent, att£7id and make it your vwn, by faying a hearty Amen. f^ 3 The olferving order and decency in prayer tends much to edi- fication ; whereas the contrary begets diftrattion , and difturbs both yourfelf and your neighbour ; it offends devout and ' under jlanding peo- ple mightily, to hear men a?id women fay their prayers abfurdly and indecently, holding their tongues where they fhouldfpeak, and join- ing with the 7ninijler aloud, where they ftculd only hearken and fay Amen. But what can be more improper than to hear them promifcu- oufy abfolve thcmfclves, a,id one another, and taking the prieflly of- fice on them in a part of it, which is one of the mof dijlinguijhing he has? £f= When The Companion for the Altar. 1 1 1 £j' When the abfolution is over, attend diligently to the fcntcnccs of fcripture, which the miniilcr is to read: and when he bids you lift up your hearts to God, you nmjl befurc not only to do it in word, hut in deed, and with great earn ejt fief. H Then /ball the Priefty&y ; Hear what comfortable words our Saviour Chrift faith unto all that truly turn to him. Come unto me all ye that travel and are heavy laden, and I will rcfrefh you. MattL xi. 28. So God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten fori, to the end that all that believe in him fhould not pe- rifh, but have everlafting life. JohnWu 16. Hear alfo what Saint Paul faith. This is a true faying, and worthy of all men to be re- ceived, that Chrift Jefijs came into the world to fave fin- ners. 1 Tim. u 15. Hear alfo what St, John faith. If any man fin, we have an advocate with the father, Jefus Chrift the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our fins. 1 John ii. 1. H After which the Prieft/W/ proceed \ faying ; Lift up your hearts. Anfw. We lift them up unto the Lord. Pricft. Let us give thanks unto our Lord God, Anfw. It is meet and right fo to do. U Then fhall the Prieft turn io the Lord *j table and fay ', It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we fhould at all times, and in all places, give thanks to thee, O Lord, f holy + T f efe Tt " ho!y / a " £ , 1 • , in- >I 1 ; t ' er ] mu ft t* omitttd on father almighty, everlalting God. Trinity Sunday. U Here fhall follow the proper preface, according to the time, if there be any efpecially appointed ; or elfe immediately fhall follow, F 2 There- 1 1 2 The Companion for the Altar. Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious name ; evermore praifing thee, and faying, Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hofts, heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord moft high. Amen. fl" "Proper Prefaces. f Upon Chrifhnas-day, and /even days after . Becaufe thou didft give Jefus Chrift thine only fon to be born, as at this time, for us ; who by the operation of the Jioly ghoft was made very man, of the fubftance of the vir- gin Mary his mother, and that without fpot of fin, to make us clean from all fin. Therefore, with angels, tsV. ^[ Upon Eafler-day, and fern en days after. But chiefly we are bound to praife thee for the glorious refurrecliion of thy fon Jefus Chrift our Lord : for he is the very pafchal lamb, which was offer'd for us, and hath taken away the fin of the world; who by his death hath deftroy'd ddeath, and by his rifing to life again hath reftcred us to e- verlafting life. Therefore, with angels, &c. fl" Upon Afcenfion-day, andfe-ven days after. Through thy moft dearly beloved fon Jefus Chrift our Lord, who after his moft glorious refurrection manifeftly appeared to all his apoftles, and in their fight afcended into heaven to prepare a place for us, that w T here he is, thither we might alfo afcend, and reign with him In glory. There- fore with angels, &c ff Upon Whit-funday, and fix days after. Through Jefus Chrift our Lord, according to whofe moft true promife the holy ghoft came down as at this time from heaven, with a fudden great found, as if it had been a mighty wind, in the likenefs of fiery tongues, lighting up- on the apoftles, to teach them and lead them into all truth, giving The Companion for the Altar. 1 1 3 givingthemboth the giftof divers languages, and alfobold- nefs with fervent zeal, conftantly to preach the gofpcl unto aH nations, whereby we have been brought from darknefs and error, into the light and true knowledge of thee, and of thy fon Jefus Chriit. Therefore with angels, Zsfc. fl" Upon the jeaji 0/* Trinity only. Who art one God, one Lord ; not only one perfon but three perfons in one fubflance ; for that which we believe of the glory of the father, the fame we believe of the fon, and of the hoi y ghoft, without any difference or inequality. Therefore with angels, £fa fl" After each of 'which prefaces fall 'immediately be fuvg or fid f Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious name, evermore praifing thee, and faying, Holy, holy, ho- Jy Lord God of hofts, heaven and earth are full of thy glo- ry. Glory be to thee, O Lord, moft high. Amen. Btuifict* f Then fhall the prieft, kneeling down at the Lord y $ table, fay in the name of all them that fli all receive the communion y this pray tr following. We do not prefume to come to this thy table, O merciful Lord, drifting in our own righteoufnefs, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not wor- thy fo much as to gather up the crumbs under thy table ; but thou art the fame Lord, whofe property is always to have mercy : grant us there- fore, gracious Lord, fo to eat the flefh of thy dear fon Jefus F 3 Chrift, Directions. £5* When the prieft acknow- ledges in thisform of humiliation his own, and the communicant s unworthinefs, and Gods unme- rited kindnefs in admitting them to his holy table, ?nake this acl of humiliation, your own by your 7noji devout attention, and joining with an hearty Amen. j 1 4 The Companion for the Altar. Chrift, and to drink bis blood, that our finful bodies may be made clean by his body, and our fouls wafh'd through his moll precious blood, and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amm* Hubjic&f ^T When the prieft, Jlanding before the table, hath fo order d the bread and wine, that he may ixith more readinefs and decency break the bread before the people, and take the cup into his hands, he Jh*ll jay the prayer , . , \ \ J to take the patten into took bread ; and when he had given his bands. thanks fb) he brake it, and £ave it to his \lly«d htret0httak difciples, faying, Take, eat, fc) this h ( c) And here to lay his W*} hands up9n all the bread. Directions. 10* This is the prayer of con- fecration, to he Jaidby //& this 5 for this (e) is my blood of the New ^ Jft J Teflament, which is filed for you, and y/.. formany, for the remiffion of fins : Do »«9<"«»Hft this as oft as ye {hall drink it, in re- crah * membrance of me. An Directions. trjp Be not (life our aged if % you cannot fill up all ft aces ivitb rig demotion, en- %vitb intenfe meditation between the prayer nf conjecra- tion and the time cf receiving the bread and into their hands r all meekly kneeling, The Companion for the Altar. 1 17 Directions. %^> The fir ft perfon that receives is the minifter, who has a re- quejl to you in behalf 'of 'himfelf, namely y that as he prays for you with great fervency , you would comfort and encourage him with an hearty Amen upon your knees, to the petitions at his taking the holy ele- ments : and in the interval between his receiving the bread and wine, ufe the following prayer. A -prayer to be J r aid when the prieft is receiving the- bread and the wine. Let thy priefts be cloathed with righteoufnefs : and let thy faints fmg with joyfulnefs. Pfalm exxxii. 9. Give thy grace, O Lord , we humbly befeech thee, to all thofe who are called to any office or adminifixation in thy church; and fo replenifh them with the truth of thy do&rine,,. and endue them with innocency of life, that they may faithfully ferve before thee, to the glory of thy great name and benefit of thy holy church, thro' Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. Directions. frj? After the minifter has received the communion in both kinds, and is proceeding to deliver the fame to the people, lift up your heart to God in the following prayer \ A prayer before receiving the holy facrament. Ehold, gracious Lord, I come to this holy table, as a fick man to the great phyfician of life; I befeech thee, O Lord, to cure my in- firmities, and let me not only receive the out- ward and vifiblefign, but the inward and fpi- F 5 ritual i 1 8 The Companion for the Altar, ritual grace, the body and blood of thy fon Jefus Chrift, that lb all carnal affe&ions may die in me, and that ail things belonging to the fpirit may live and grow in me ; that I may have power and ftrength, and victory, to triumph againft the world, theflefli, and the devii j and alfo may be endued will all fuch heavenly virtues which are pleafmg to thee, and which thou wilt eternally reward, for the merit of thy fon's death • to whom with the father and the holy ghoft, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen. Another prayer juft before receiving the confecrated bread, if time will permit. If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there remembered that thy brother hath ought againft thee ; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, firft be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Matt. v. 23, 24. LET it be thy pleafure, O God, to work in me whatsoever is wanting to fit me for thy divine acceptance, and a worthy receiving of thefe holy myfteries; give me repentance unto life, not to be repented of; endue me with a lively faith, a perfect love, and an univerfal charity 3 pity my weaknefs, and forgive my in- firmities, that I may worthily receive thefe e- lements of bread and wine to my fupport and comfort in this life, and my eternal happinefs in that which is to come. Amen. The Companion for the Altar. 1 1 9 Directions. ^ When the minifter is drawing near you, and before you re- ceive the bread, fix your thoughts upon Jefus Chrift dying for the fins of the world. Kubite&* fl" And when the prieft delivereth the bread / When the mini ft er is drawing near you with the cup, fix your thoughts upon Jefus Chrifl dying for the fins of the world. Before receiving the cup. OMcrc ifulGod, grant that this cup, which I am new about to receive, may be unto me a cup of bleffing. Sprinkle me with the blood of the ever bieffed Jefus, that my foul,, being cleanfed from all corruptions, may at- tain to life everlafting. % And the minifler that deliver eth the cup to any onefkallfay y BTje Sounder* Directions. The blood of our Lord Je- fus Chrift, which was filed for thee, preferve thy body and foul unto everlafting life. Drink this in remembrance that Chrift's blood was fhed for thee, and be thankful. \gj> When the minifler delu becaufe anidlecufiomhas prevail' 'd of 'people 1 *j repeating what the minifler fays, to the dijlur- £##0:0/7^ miniiler, and to the hindrance y I dare fay, ejftheirown 3 de 54' 55> 5 6 - When thou haft received both kinds, fay ; I Have done, O Lord, as thou haft command- ed me, and let thy name be for ever blefled y O let me find the great Benefits of this thy di- vine inftitution ; pour down thy graces upon me, direft my goings in thy ways, and enable me by thy power and ftrength of this divine food, to perfevere in the practice of a holy and religious life, even to the laft moment of my days ; be thou my peace and refuge, and let my pleafure and fafety depend on thee 5 be thou my portion and greateft treafure, and let my eternal happinefs be fixed in the enjoyment of thee, who didft vouchfafe not only to take our nature upon thee, that thou mighteft die for our fins, but haft left us a perpetual memorial thereof in this holy facrament. Amen. A 1 2 2 The Companion for the Altar; A prayer of thankfgiving as foon as we are retired from the Lord's table. I will fing of the Lord, becaufe he hath dealt fo lovingly with me : yea, I will praife the name of the Lord moil higheil. Pfalm xiii. 5, 6. ALL honour, glory, and power, might, majefty, and dominion, be unto him that fitteth on the throne, and unto the lamb that was flain, for ever and ever. I give thee moft humble and hearty thanks, O Lord, that thou haft been pleafed to admit me to renew my baptifmal covenant with thee in this holy facrament. That thou haft vouchfafed to feed me with the fpiritual nourifhment of the body and blood of thy fon Jefus Chrift ; and this not for any merits of my own, but for the fake of thy infinite goodnefs and mercy. Unworthy tho' I am, yet thy bounty, O Lord, never fails > theloveofmyfaviourisnoti diminished ; and the virtue of his propitiation is never exhaufted: Grant, therefore, I befeech thee, that this holy facrament may never turn to my judgment and condemnation. But that it may be health and recovery un- der all my weakneffes and infirmities ; Safety and defence againft all the attacks of my fpiritual enemies 5 Vigour The Companion for the Altar. 1 1 3 Vigour and ftrength to all my holy pur- pofes and refolutions ; Comfort and fupport under all the afflic- tions and calamities of life; Affiftance and directions under all difficul- ties and doubts - y Courage and constancy under all dangers and perfecutions, efpecially in times of fick- nefs, and at the hour of death. Finally, let it procure for me pardon and forgivenefs in this life, mercy and favour at the day of judgment, and a never-fading crown of glory in thy heavenly kingdom ; where with thy fon Jefus Chrift, and the blef- fed fpirit, thou liveft and reigneft one God world without end. ^T If the confecrated 'bread or wine be all /pent before all heme com- municated, the prieft is to confecrate more according to the form before prefcribed, beginning at [our Saviour Chrift in the fame night, &c] for the blejjtng of the bread ; and at [likewife after {upper, £sV.] for the bleffmg of the cup, as you will find it on p. 1 1 4, 115. Directions- 10> When all have communicated, and the minifter returns to the remaining part of the communion office, (by fame called the poft communion) befureyou be not unready to join with him; n-ay, though youjhouldnot have ended ycur private devotions, yet break them off, thai* in the middle, and join with the publick ones, for that is better , and your Duty ; and go on with hi?n in heart //// he has made an end. Eub>ic&» 51 When all have communicated, the mini iter fhall return to the n hordes 1 24 The Companion for the Altar. Lord's table, and reverently place upon it vchat remainetb of the con- fecrated elements, covering the fame voith a fair linen cloth. fl" Then Jhall the prieil fay the Lord's prayer, the people repeating after hi?n every petition. tl£e $®inifat anti JPeopIe* Our father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven : give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trefpafles, as we forgive them that trefpafs againft us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil : for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen* fl" After Jhall he f aid as follow eth : 2TI;e $0iniae** O Lord and heavenly father, we thy humble fervants entirely defire thy fatherly goodnefs mercifully to accept this our facrifice of praife and thankfgiving; moft humbly befeeching thee to grant, that by the merits and death of thy fon Jefus Chrift, and thro' faith in his blood, we and all thy whole church may obtain remiffion of our fins, and all other benefits of his paiJion- And here we offer and prefent unto thee, O Lord, ourfelves, our fouls and bo- dies, to be a reafonable, holy, and' lively facrifice unto thee, humbly befeeching thee, that all we who are par- takers of this holy communion, may be filled with thy grace and heavenly benediction. And although we be unworthy, through our manifold fins, to offer unto thee • any facrifice, yet we befeech thee to accept this our boun- den duty and fervice ; not weighing our merits, but par- doning our offences, through Jefus Chrift our Lord ; by whom, and with whom, in the unity of the holy ghoft, all honour and glory be unto thee, O father almighty, world without end, Armn % for thofe refolutions thou haft wrought in me to perfe- vere when returned from Church. 1 3 3 vere in thy fervice to the end of my days -, make them firm, vigorous, r and conftant \ and ne- ver let any finf ul paflions any more ruffle and difcompole my mind. Blefled be thy name for that relifh thou haft given me of fpiritual delights, that defire of poflefling the eternal inheritance : Let the en- joyments of feftfe appear mean and contemp- tible j and let not the pleafures of the world henceforward any more prevail upon me to tranfgrefs thy holy laws. Grant, O Lord, that I may walk worthy of thefe thy diftinguifhing mercies, and live as it becomes the redeemed of the Lord. With- out thee, O blefled Jefus, I can do nothing ; without thee, who art the fun of righteouf- nefs, I fhall walk in darknefs 5 without thee, who art the phyfician of fouls, I fhall languifh and die; without thee, who art the joy of all devout minds, I fhall confume my days away in fadnefs. Remain therefore, O Lord, and abide with me for ever j I fhall then be enabled to do thy will in this life, and thereby be qua- lified to partake of thy glories to all eternity in the next. Amen. Amen. Dire&ions. ttfj> Thus having complied with the duties of the morning, you may re frefb your felf with a temperate and ch earful meal, and thankfully enjoy the good things of this life, which God hath blejjed thee with. Js G to 134 Directions. to the afternoon of this, and all other Lord's days, you are pioufty and prudently to divide it between the pub lick fervice, family duties , private devotions, offices of charity ', if 'they prefent themfelves ; and, Infill add your own neceffary refrcjhme?it : for I am not fo ftritl as totally to forbid you fc?ne time upon that day, to unbend your mind \ and relax your thoughts, by any company and conversation that is in- ftrutiive, and innocently diverting; but I abfolutely forewarn you againft all places of public k re fort, all gaming, and fportful exercifes, as giving offence to fo?ne, and bad examples to others ;for they areun- fui table to the ferioufnefs and folemnity of the day, and indeed favour- ing too much of levity and profanenefs : and for the further improve- tnent of thy foul, read a leftfon out of the Nevu Who le Duty of Man, Sunday 2. Se&ionUL N. B. After thefe good inftruclions and devotions, if thou would/?, my devout chriftian ! perfevere in thy duty, and defreft to lead an holy and godly life for the future, I would advife thee, by all means (after you have ended the foregoing meditation) to make the fecond part * of this New Week's Preparation to be thy companion for the week enfuing ; for beginning with the devotions for this Sunday's evening, it will fumijh thee, through the courfeof another week, with fuch devotions, meditations, and hymns, as will be accept- able to Almighty God, after thou hafl been a worthy partaker of the Lord's fupper. £^» Thofe fervants and others, who have not the command of their own time and therefore cannot employ as much of it in thefe exercifes as they could wifhanddefire ; they may reft adjured thai GOD ap- proves and accepts their willing mi fid, provided they go on inafincere refolutionto avoid and forfake fin, a7id live in the fear of GOD ; and behave themf elves with confeience andhonefty in thofe fever al ft ations eflife which his providence has appointed them. * N. B. The fecond part of the New Week's Preparation (as well as the firft part) publifhed by the K I N G's A U T H O- RITY, is printed only for John Hinton, at the King's Arms in Nnvgate-ftrett, London. Occa- [ t3S ] ■I ■ ■ ' » Occafional Prayers. A Morning prayer, to be ufed any day in the week. O let me hear thy loving kindnefs betimes in the morning, for in thee is my truit : mew thou me the way that I mould walk in, for I lift up my foul unto thee. Pfa/mcxlm.S. OMoft mighty and gracious God,to whom I am indebted for all the good tilings I enjoy; for in thee I live, and move, and have my being ; I defire to adore and blefs thy glo- rious name, humbly befeeching thee to accept this my morning facrifice of praife and thanks- giving for the comfortable refrefhment of the night paft, for thy prefervation of me [and my family and all that belongs to me] from fire, rob- bery, and tempeft, and from all perils and dan- gers, and efpecially for bringing me in health and fafety to the beginning of this day j in which I befeech thee, O Lord, to keep me without fin. Give me awful thoughts of thy divine maje- fty, and fuch an humble, ferious, and devout frame of mind, that my adoration may not reft in a mere outward form of godlinefs, but that I may always offer unto thee a lively facrifice, holy and acceptable in thy fight. G 2 Be J 3 6 A Morning Prayer Be with me, O Lord, this day in all places, and upon all occafions : dire£t and guide me, fanftify and preferve me : keep me both out- wardly in my body, and inwardly in my foul : defend me from die power and malice of the devit, from the corruptions of my own finful nature, and from thofe fins efpecially, that feem moft habitual to me. Pardon, I befeech thee, all the fins I have at any time committed, grant that I may die unto fin, and rife again unto righteoufnefs ; that henceforth being freed from fin, all things belonging to the fpi- lit may live and grow in me. [Dire£lme, O Lord, in all my affairs, bkfs my labours and ftu- dies, and give me grace to do my duty in that itateoflife, whereun- to thou haft been plea fed to call me, and make me therewith content : continue to me the bleffmgs I en joy; fupply me with thofe I want \ and turn from me all thofe e- vils $^t On Sunday morning in- ftead of the oppofite para- grapb, fay, [And now I am going to the place of thy publickwor- fhip, I befeech thee let thy holy fpirit accompany me, and make me devout, feri- ous, and attentive. Raife my mind from the thoughts of this world to the confidera- tion of the next ; that I may join fervently in the prayers and praifes of thy church, and liften to my duty with an honeft heart, in order to praftife it. And give me grace for every Day. 137 vils which I have mofl righteoufly deferved; or which either the malice of the devil, or the wickednefs,or mif- fortunes of the world may bring upon me.] grace to dedicate this day, as thou haft appointed mc, to thy fervice and the care of my foul. Dire£t me in all my ways, and guide my feet in thy paths, that I may, at the laft, from a life of righte- oufnefs, be tranflated to a life of eternal glory.] I refign, O God, and give myfelf to thy providence ; I fubmit myfelf to all the events which it fhall pleafe thee to bring upon me - y and grant me always thofe things, whether profperous or adverfe, that may beft conduce, and be moft profitable to my eternal falvation. So, my God, do with me what thou feeft good, and let thy holy will be done in me, and by me, for the fake of JefusChrift our Lord. And for this end, Teach me to dire6l my converfation as be- cometh the gofpel ; and grant that I may this day, and for ever, endeavour to mortify my corrupt inclinations, to cleanfe myfelf from all filthinefs of flefh and fpirit, and to bring every inordinate defire to the obedience of thy will. Fill my heart with fuch honeft and upright affe6lions for truth and juftice, that no world- ly intereft or advantage, how promifing or G 3 great 138 Morning Prayer for every Day. great foever, may be able to fhake my integri- ty, which I beg may be always fupported by thy providence, and that in the ufe of honeft and lawful means I may improve that talent, which thy infinite wifdom and goodnefs has committed to my charge. [" Be gracious, O moll merciful God, to the * 1 whole race of mankind ; pity the deplorable Ci ftate of thofe that know thee not, and have " never heard of thyname: reform the wicked i% and impenitent; and let all that name the " name of Chrift depart from iniquity. cc Let every one of my friends and relations, " God, be of the number" of muic whom " thou loveft and delighteft in. Defend them * • from the evils and temptations of this world; € c and grant them whatever thou feeft needful C4 both for their fouls and bodies/'] And now, O my God ! relying firmly on thy gracious promifes, I commend into thy hands myfelf, and all that thou haft given or blefTed me with, my foul and body, and all my relati- ons ; keep us from all evil, lead us into all good, carry us fafely through the dangers and temp- tations of this wicked world, to that place of everlafting reft and peace, which thou haft prepared for thofe that die in the Lord, thro' the An Evening Prayer. 1 39 the merits of thy beloved fon Jefus Chrift, my Lord and Saviour, in whofe words I fum up and recommend the wants of all mankind, to- gether with my own, faying, Our Father which art in heaven 1 &c. An Evening prayer, to be ufed any day in the week. Lord let my prayer be fet forth in thy fight as the incenfe, and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening facrifice, Pfa. cxli. 2. OLord ! thou hateft iniquity with a per- fect hatred, yet I am allured, that thou delighteft in the ways of mercy 5 that thou art a tender lover of fouls, and not only permit- ted:, but invited us, mife;~blc creatures, to come unto thee. With humble confidence, then, OLord, I lift up my foul unto thee, be- feeching thee, in much mercy, to look upon me, and to eafe me of the burden of my cor- rupt and finful inclinations. Forgive, I meekly befeech thee, whatever I have done amifs this day, and all my life paft, either againft thee, my neighbour, or myfelf ; O cleanfe me from all my fecret and unknown . tranfgreflions : and, O merciful father, grant that I may ferioufly confider and reflect upon the foulnefs and deformity of fin, and what dreadful threatnings thou haft denounced a- gainft it -, that I may become a true and fm- G 4 cere 1 40 An Evening Prayer cere mourner for my paft fins ; and as far as is poflible, redeem my mifpent time, by em- ploying the remainder of my days in thy fer- vice, and to thy glory. Give me, O Lord, a new heart, new affec- tions, and new defires ; that I may love thee with more fmcer ity , and ferve thee with great- er faithfulnefs than I have ever yet done. Teach me, O Lord, fo to number my days, that I may apply my heart unto true wifdom. Let me n^ver be feparated from thee ; but grant that I may be of the number of thy faith- ful and obedient fervants, who are united to itae hv prace and good works in this life, and will hereafter live with thee in endieis bins and kappinefs. And, Grant that in the days of health and pros- perity I may confider my latter end, and re- member and provide for that great account, which I muft one day give before the judg- ment-feat of Chrift ; that when the hour of my departure fliail come, I may meet death without fear and amazement; and with a well-grounded hope of thy mercy and good- nefs, may chearfully refign up my foul into thy hands ; and may be willing and even de- firous to leave this world, when thou my God, in thy great wifdom, fhall fee it fitting. Be for every Day. 14 1 Be mindful, O Lord, of all that are in any affliction or diftrefs. Relieve and comfort thofe that fufFer for the teftimony of a good confcience, or that labour under the torments of a wounded fpirit. Let the forrowful figh- ingof the afflifted come before thee; and de- liver them, in thy good time, out of all their troubles. Here may bi added the Two paragraphs in the morning prayer, on page i 3 8, marked thus [" . To thefe my prayers and int^rceffions, I defire to add my unfeigned praifes for all thy bleffings fpiritual and temporal. I blefs thee more particularly for the mercies of the day paft ; for preferving me in health and fafety y and delivering me from the evils which I have moft juftly defer ved. Give me grace to make a right ufe and im- provement of all thy mercies 3 and vouchfafe, O Lord, to continue to me thy gracious favour and prote£tion. Be thou pleafed of thy great goodnefs to take me, [my dear hiijband or wife and children} and all that belong to me, this night, under the care of thy good providence. Defend us from all perils and dangers ; and after the comfortable refrefhments of reft and ileep, raife us up in health and fafety, with* hearts full of love to thee, and zeal to thy fer- G 5 vice 142 A Prayer iri Si ck n e s s . vice, through Jefus Chrift our Lord, in the fulleft fenfe of whofe words I pray to be heard j faying, Our Father, &c. A prayer during the time of ficknefs. ALmighty and immortal God, the aid of all that need, the helper of all that flee to thee for fuccour ; the life of them that be- lieve, and the refurre&ion of the dead ; I hum- ble myfelf before thee with fmcere acknow- ledgments of thy juftice, in all the difpenfati- ons of thy divine providence. Look with an eye of compaflion upon me thy poor affli6led fervant, and fan6Hfy, I befeech thee, this thy fatherly correction to me, that I may never murmur or repine under any of thy wife dif- penfations ; but at all times receive thy judg- ments as a means to wean me from the world ; to bring me nearer to thyfelf ; and to purge a- way all that drofs and defilement which my foul has contracted in this ftate of finful mor- tality. I confefs, O gracious Lord, that thy judg- ments are juft, and that thou of thy goodnefs haft caufedme to be troubled; fornotwith- ftanding all the gentle methods which thou haft ufed towards me, I have not loved thee as I ought to do i but in the days of health and profpe- A Prayer in Sickness. 143 profperity have forgotten thee my God, and gone in the paths of vanity and folly; but, O merciful father, that defpifeft not the fighing of a contrite heart, nor the defire of fuch as be forrowful, mercifully aflift my prayers that I offer unto thee in all my troubles and adverfi- ties : and efpecially let not my fins provoke thee to turn away thy face from me thy fer- vant, now feeking unto thee in this time of my trouble ; fhut not up the bowels of thy tender compaffion from me ; but for the merits and interceflion of thy beloved fon, pardon all my fins, and vouchfafe, I befeech thee, for his fake, to be reconciled unto me. Support me under all my pains, weaknef- fes, and infirmities ; ftrengthen my faith, en- large my hopes, increafe my charity, and per- fect my repentance. Make thou my bed in my ficknefs, and lay not more upon me than thou wilt enable me to bear ; give a bleffing to the means that fhall be ufed for my recovery ; and fay unto my foul, I am thy falvation ; and if it be thy good pleafure, reftore me to my former health, that I may lead the refidue of my life t in thy fear, and to thy glory : but if thou haft determined that this ficknefs fhall be unto death ; grant, O merciful father, that the more the outward man decay eth, fo much the more 3 1 1 44 A Prayer on t a k i n g Ph vs i c k . I may find the inward man ftrengthened and renewed with thy grace and holy fpirit. O give me grace fo to take this thy vifitation, that af- ter this painful life is ended, I may dwell with thee in life everlafting, through the merits and mediation of Jefus Chrift, my dear and only Saviour. Amen. A prayer to be ufed on taking phyfick. OGod the creator and preferver of all man- kind, who knoweft our neceffities before we afk, and our ignorance in afking, without whom all our endeavours are but vain, I, in a deepfenfe of all thy mercies, acknowledge it to be an eminent token of thy goodnefs, that I am not cut offin the midft of my fins, by a fud- den and unprovided death, and am particu- larly thankful that thou haft placed me in fuch ftation and cireumftances as to be enabled to obtain the ufe of fuch means as thou haft or- dained for the benefit of mankind. Oh ! give thy bleffing to thefe means now ufed for my recovery, and (if it be thy bleffed will) make them fo effectual for that end, that I may live and be an inftrument of thy glory, and better prepared for the coming of my dear Lord, when every man fhall be judged according to what he has tkme in the flefh, through Jefus Chrift our Lord* Amen. A A Prayer under grievous Pains. 145 A prayer when labouring under any grievous pains. OLord our refuge and ftrength, who art a prefent help in time of trouble; look down from heaven j behold, vifit and relieve me thy fervant $ and fend me that eafe and comfort in this time of my diftrefs, as fhall feem to thee mofk expedient for me. O let me never murmur or repine under any affliction thou feeft fit to lay upon me 3 for thy tender mercy is over all thy works ; and my fins de- ferve much greater pains than I now feel. Grant therefore, O gracious Lord, that I may meekly and quietly fubmit to thy will, and never be raflily or unbecomingly trans- ported into any indecent expreffions, or caufed to entertain a hard thought of thy providence,, under the extremity of my pains \ but whate- ver evils or forrows I may feel, let me ftill love thee, and believe thee to be a kind and merci- ful father ; ftrengthen and fupport me with the confolations of thy holy fpirit, and fan£ti- fy this affli£tion to me, that it may produce in me the fruits of a true and fincere repentance, who feek for relief, mercy, and forgivenefs, on'y through the merits, and in the name of Jefus Chrift our Lord and Saviour. Amen. A 146 A Prayer for a sick Child. A prayer to be ufedfor a lick child. O Father of mercies, and God of all com- fort, to whom alone belong the ifliies of life and death, we flee unto thee for fuccour in behalf of this child here lying under thy hand in a weak and fickly ftate. Vifit him, O Lord, with thy falvation : deliver him, in thy good time, from his bodily pain ; comfort him in his greateft extremity, and fave his foul, for thy mercies fake. We know, O Lord, that if thou wilt, thou canft raife him up, and prolong his days here % on earth : wherefore we humbly befeech thee, if it be thy pleafure, to raife him up again, that be may, together with his years and ftature, grow in wifdom and in thy fear, and thereby to comfort his parents, and to glorify thee, by doing good in his generation. But whether he live or die, let him be thine ; and either preferve him to be thy true and faith- ful fervant here on earth, or elfe receive him in- to thofe heavenly manfions, ydiere the fouls of them that ileep in the Lord Jefus, enjoy perpe- tual reft and felicity. Grant this, O Lord, for thy mercies fake in the fame thy fon, our Lord Jefus Chrift, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the holy ghofi, one God, world with- out end. Amen. A A Prayer for a woman with Child. 1 47 A prayer to be ufed by a woman during her being with child. OMoft merciful God, the fupreme difpo- fer of all events, the author of our being the fountain of life, and the refuge of all that truft in thee > I, thy unworthy fervant, adore thy glorious majefty, w r hich has begun an ex- cellent work in me, which no eye but thine fees, and no hand but thy almighty power can finifh ; and I do moil: humbly implore thy gra- cious aid and prote£tion. Be thou to me, O Lord, in this time of danger and peril, a fure guardian and rock of defence ; and be pleafed not only to perfect and complete that which thou haft now begun in me, with its due fhapes, and full growth; but preferve me from all frights, or evil accidents, which may caufe me to mifcarry. Let thy almighty hand form it with an un- derftanding mind and heart, and with all thofe holy and good difpofitions, that may make it always know, love and fear thee, and be amiable in thy fight. I therefore moft humbly befeech thee to fanclify it from the womb, and to receive and reckon it for thy child, as foon as it is mine ; lent to me for my comfort, but created and referved by thee for thy 1 48 A Prayer to be ufed under AffiiSlion. thy fervice in this world, and to reign with thee in glory in the world to come. I acknowledge the juftice of thy fentence, when thou faidfl unto the woman, I will great- ly multiply thy forrow in conception, in for- row flialt thou bring forth children : ftreng- then me therefore, and enable me to go thro' all the pains and uneafmefs of child-bearing with patience and fubmiffion to thy will -, con- fidering that they are the juft punifhment of fin : give me an humble trull: and dependence on thy fatherly care and good providence -, and make me, in thy good time, a joyful mother of a hopeful child, which may live to be an inftru- ment of thy glory, and by ferving thee faith- fully, and doing good in its generation, may be received into the manfions of eternal blifs, thro' Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. A prayer to be ufed by a per/on under affliction. , God of all mercy, and father of all com- fort, fupport me under the troubles thou hail moft righteoufly laid upon me. I confefs that mine iniquities are many, and that my fins have deferved more grievous punifhments than I now fufter under thy juflice, which leaves none of the events of this life to chance or uncertainty, but difpofes of all things, by thy 3 g°°d A Prayer for one troubled in mind. 14$ good providence, for the benefit of thy crea- tures. Therefore extend thy mercy, and have pity upon me ; and confidering the infirmities of my nature, deal with me, not according to my fins j but after thine own great mercy, par- don all my fins, and after thou hall brought me to a true fenfe of my own unworthinefs, and to a fincere repentance, reftore me to thy love, peace and favour. But if for reafons, beft known to thy infinite wifdom, thou (halt fee fit to continue my prefent troubles, thy blefTed will be done > befeeching thee only to en- able me patiently to bear, and contentedly to fubmit to the difpenfations of thy good provi- dence, how contrary foever to fleih and blcod. and to dired me to ufe all proper and honefl means to bring them to an end, without mur- muring and repining ; all which I moft hum- bly requeft, through the merits, and in the name of Jefus Chrift, my dear redeemer, who, in his own flefh, bore my infirmities, and all myforrows. Amen. A prayer to be ufed by a per/on troubled in mind. O BlefTed Lord, the father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, look down, I humbly befeech thee, with pity and compaf- fion upon a miferable creature, under great for- 1 50 A Prayer for one troubled in mind. forrow and dejection of mind. Thou of thy j juftice and wifdom doft write bitter things a- gainftme: thy wrath lies hard upon me, and my foul is brought low, even unto the dull. I confefs with hearty forrow, that my fins are many and very great 5 but greater is thy mercy to penitent finners. I confefs my fins have de- ferved much more grievous punifhments than I feel ; but fhouldft thou be extreme to mark what I have done amifs, I fhall not be able to abide it. Great is the malice of the power of darknefs, and great is my own weaknefs ; but much greater is thy power and goodnefs. O th p n! rive me? ^"^""^w^ndin^of myfelf, «;id of thy threats and promifes, that I who :: travail and am heavy laden with my fins, may, at thy call, come unto thee only for fuccour, and put my whole truft always in thee. O re- ceive me, and relieve me, and revive me, take pity upon my forrowful foul ; fhut not up thy tender mercies in difpleafure, but make me hear of joy and gladnefs, that the bones which thou haft broken may rejoice. Break not the bruifed reed, and quench not the fmoaking flax. Deliver me from the fear of the enemy, and lift up the light of thy countenance upon me, and give me peace of confcience, and joy in the holy ghoft. Make m A Prayer for all Men. 1 5 1 Make me to wait with patience, for thy good appointed time, to comfort me, and make me know aiTuredly, that it is good for me that I have been in trouble. In the mean time, O Lord, give me the fhield of faith, whereby I may be able to quench all the fiery darts of the devil y that, trufting in thee, and in thy pro* mifes, I may at laft be more than conqueror, looking unto Jefus, the great captain of my falvation. Therefore when my fears prefs hard upon me, I will hope in thy mercy, and put my truft and confidence in thee. For which end therefore I humbly pray thee to infufe thy grace into my heart •, purify my foul - y difpel LilOlC Dldtlv ix x ^.k v, a «*a mi m ■ ■ijfineir'Vi r rvS rt| r ■ . ■ , ■ -, 'im ^ fions, which terrify and difcompofe my mind : and be thou my mighty defence in all my wants and diftreiTes, and my ready helper in this time of need. To thee, therefore, who art able to keep me from falling, and to prefent me fault- lefs before the prefence of thy glory, with ex- ceeding joy, be afcribed all honour, glory, might, majefty and dominion, both now and for ever, Amen. A prayer for all dates and conditions of men. OGod, the creator and preferver of all man- kind, I humbly befeech thee to receive thefe my prayers which I offer unto thy divine majefty, 152 A general Thank/giving . majefty, for all forts and conditions of men, that thou wouldft be pleafed to make thy ways known unto them, thy faving health unto all nations. More efpecially I pray that thou wilt infpire the u- niverfal church with the ipirit of truth, unity, and concord, that all who profefs and call themfe'lves chriftians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of fpirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteoufnefs of life. Finally, I mod humbly befeech thee of thy goodnefs, O Lord, to comfort and fuccour all them who in this tranfitory life are in trouble, forrow, need, ficknefs, or under aay other affliction or diftrefs, in mind, body, or eftate ; that it may pleafe thee to comfort and relieve them according to their feveral neceffities, giving them patience unto their fufferings, and a happy ifTuQ *->»>«• #vf oil *U^«. ofKiArirmc • onrl tKio I K~~ ^ „ Tp,/; iC v Chrift's fake. Amen. A Thankfgiving* ALmighty God, father of all mercies, I thy un- worthy fervant do give thee moft humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodnefs and loving-kind- nefs to me and to all mankind. I blefs thee for my creation, prefervation, and all the bleflings of this life; and for all thy fervants departed this life in thy faith and fear j befeeching thee to give me grace fo to follow theirgood example, that with them I may be partaker of thy kingdom -, but above all, I blefs thee for thine inef timable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jefus Chrift; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And I befeech thee,