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(^ £^=r**-«^-^~ t-tS^* ££££ *"-<4~*.
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£.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 />/}• ,
they abound wholly with rapturous flights ^unhallowed love,
and ftrdins ^/"myftical diflblutenefe; or as an ingenious author
terms it, fpiritualized concupifcence, invented by the carnal
and wanton appetites and wifhes of the unmarried nuns and
friars , and thence either by defign, or by the delufion of the ca-
vil, or both, foijlcd into the devotions of the reformed church y
under a pretence of purer flames ^divine love and fpiritxial
rapture; whereas they pollute the foul with lufcious images,
warm it into irregular ferments, and fire it with a falfe paf-
fion; d'.ffipating all due compofure and recollection of mind,
and laying open the heart to all the wild extravagancies of fr cm-
tic enthufiafm: a manner of addrefs much fitter for a diiiblute
lover, than for an acceptable worfhiper of the all -pure and
all-knowing God.
It was againjl this kind of devotion, that great light cf the
church 0/* England, the learned and pious hijhop Stilling -
FLEET thus cxclahncd. " Is it pojfwle (fa id he) that any man
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 #;/ Blefling on page 36 and 37.
—— - ■•■"- -■■ — ' ■ — — ■ ' ■' " ' ■-■--— " ■-- ■ '■• •■ ■>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 /' Consecration as fclloiveth,
3Tf?e Emitter*
Almighty God our hea-
venly father, who of thy ten-
der mercy didft give thine
only fon Jefus Chrift to fuf-
ter death upon the crofs for
our redemption, who made
there (by his one oblation of
himfelf once offered) a full,
perfect, and fufficient facri-
fice, oblation, and fatisfac-
tion for the fins of the whole
world, and did inftitute, and
in his holy gofpel command
us to continue a perpetual
memory of that his precious death until his coming again :
hear us, O merciful father, we moft humbly befeech thee,
and grant that we receiving thefe thy creatures of bread and
wine, according to thy fon our Saviour Jefus Chrift's holy
inftitution, in remembrance of his death and paflion, may
be partakers of his moft blefled body and blood : who, in
, , Tr . . A . the fame night that he was betraved, fa)
(a) Here the pneft is <=> , . , \ \ 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 //& priefl
alone ; and nxhilfl he is confe cra-
ting the bread andw'me, raife up
thy foul to fee c with the eye ofi aith
what great things the Lord hath
left thee in that facr anient \ and
pray that they may be a means of
conveying into your foul all the be-
nefits of his precious death, faying
fecretly,
SEnd down thy fpirit and
bleifing upon this means of
grace r.ndfalvation, which thou
thyfelf, O Jefu, hall: ordain 'd.
The Companion for the Altar. 1 1 5
my body which is given for you, do this in remembrance of
me; likewife after topper (d) he took (d) Ucrehe{iu( , ke
the cup, and when he had given thanks* the cup into bis banAi*
he gave it to them faring, Drink ye all of (f) ^ ind **" >
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 / tf#y one, hefljall
3Tf?e (©iniCter* Diredions.
The body of our Lord Je-
fus Chrift, which was given
for thee, prcferve thy body
and foul unto everlaftin£life.
Take and eat this in remem-
brance that Chrift died for
fl^ 9 When the minifter comes
to give you the confe crated bread
and wine, / woidd have you very
intent upon what you arc about ;
but take great heed, leji while you
are f riving to raife your heart ,
you be not hft and bevsildered in
thee, and feed on him in thy\ yourthoughts . Strive rat her for a
heart by faith with thanks- \j erious an d compejed mind-, let
g lvin £* \ycur devotion be rather regular
and equal, than exalted 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,