my Sins and Failings and receive me into thy favour for the sake of him who has taught me to call the Father and when I pray to say Our Father which art c. The following Form to be added when we have some assurances that our Hearts are steadfast towards God O the God of my life and the unexhausted Fountain of mercy which can never be drawn dry I have now by the assistance of thy Holy Spirit gone through though with weak and trembling steps the whole exercise of Repentance for I have confessed my Sins and thou hast promised upon my Confession of them not to impute them to me I have gone one step farther I have repented of my Sins and thou hast promised upon my Repentance thou wilt remember them no more and because thy Holy Word hath taught me that a new life is the only Repentance I have this day in thy sight and in the presence of all the Angels that attend thee in the conversion of a sinner made my firm resolution never to fall again into the Sins I have repented of and now O God the Father of Heaven who canst not be thought so cruel as to make me only to destroy me Have mercy upon me O God the Son who knowing thy Father's Will didst make it thy business to come into the World to save me Have Mercy c. O God the Holy Ghost who to the same end didst sanctifie me in my Baptism and hast so often since breathed Holy thoughts into my Soul Have mercy c. O Holy Blessed and Glorious Trintiy whom in three persons I adore as my one and only true God Have mercy on me Hear me O Lord. Help me O Lord. Save me or else I perish Lord carest thou not that I perish Thou that wouldest have all men to be saved Thou who wouldest have none to perish And wilt thou now shew thine anger against a Worm against a Vapour that vanishes before thee O remember how short my time is and deliver not my Soul into the power of Hell for what profit is there in my Blood no let me live in thy sight let me live O my God that my Soul may praise thee O remember for whose sake it was that thou camest from the Bosom of thy Father Remember for whom it was that thou enduredst the agony of the Cross and shed thy precious Blood Was it not for the Sins of the whole World and hast thou particularly excepted me Can I imagine thou diest for Sinners of a lower kind and left such as I without Remedy O how easie is it to thee to forgive for 't is thy Nature how proper is it for thee to save for it is thy Name how suitable is it to thy only end of coming into the World for it was thy business and when I consider that I am chief of Sinners may I not urge the Father and say shall the very chief of thy business be left undone Mercy Mercy Good Lord. I ask not of thee any longer the things of this World but thy pardoning Mercy O that I could hear thee say as thou didst to him in the Gospel My Son be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee O that I could never sin against thee more never purposely deliberately willfully sin against thee more and for those sins of daily Incursion those over familiar corruptions of my Nature which thou hast not yet given me strength enough to conquer Lord either subdue them by degrees or lay them not to my Charge but wherein soever my Conscience most accuseth me therein O my God be thou most merciful unto me Save me O Lord as a brand snatch out of the Fire Receive me O my Jesus as a sheep that has wandred but now is return'd to the Great Shepherd and Bishop of my Soul Let this day O my God be noted in thy Book do not thou forget my Prayers nor suffer me to forget my Resolutions though I am weak though I am unworthy though I am unprofitable yet I am thy Servant and here upon my bended Knees I humbly beg of thee that I may live and die so Lord hear my Prayers and let my cry come unto thee Lord pardon my Prayers and let not my coldness and wandrings and infinite unworthiness turn them into Sin Lord hear my Prayer and let my cry come unto thee O Lord Jesu Christ Son of the Eternal God interpose thy holy Death thy Cross and Passion between thy Judgment and my Soul now and in the hour of my death granting unto me Grace and Mercy to all faithfull people pardon and peace to the Church unity and amity to all Sinners especially those I have led into Sin Repentance and Amendment to us all life and Glory everlasting who livest and reignest ever one God World without end Amen O Lord bless me and keep me O Lord Make thy face to shine upon me O Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon me and give me peace for ever Amen Having performed this Office with due sincerity let us reflect upon what we have been doing 't is possible the result of our Thoughts may terminate in a mixture of fear and joy But we ought not to let either passion prevail more than is justly necessary don 't let our fear depress and cast us into such a Melancholy as may suggest God won't be reconciled and if we have been dull in the performance of these things that God has rejected us The Devil knows how fatal this course is to redeem us from his Power he is very busie to prevent our repentance and abuse our imaginations with allusions perhaps our own disuse of prayer has rendred us uncapable of a due attention 't is impossible to become immediately good from being very wicked or that we should pray with the same steadfastness as they who are accustomed to this duty We are therefore to strive to the uttermost where we fail to be sorry ask God's Pardon and Grace to do better for the future and in a little time we shall prevail to our satisfaction On the other side don't let our joy puff us up and because we have shed a few Tears said so many Prayers Fasted and given Alms that we are now become perfect and need no more Repentance we have but set the first step to this great work of our Salvation were we sure we had fully conquered sin and shou'd not suffer our selves to be deceived any more Yet this negative part of Christianity is not sufficient 't is not enough that we cease to do Evil but learn to do Well we are now to begin our course and as we have many things to unlearn so there are abundance to learn without which we shall never see the Face of God What they are the Scripture will inform us 't is from thence we are to learn our perfection for he hath shewed thee O man what is Good to do Justice to love Mercy and to walk humbly
Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. Lord if thou wilt thou canst cleanse me O touch me and say I will be thou clean Oh let this Blood of thine purge my Conscience from dead Works to serve thee the ever living God It will not suffice me dearest Saviour to receive thee in part only for I must be wholly thine and blessed be thy Name that thou hast already given me thy holy Body to cleanse my Nature and now thou art preparing thy precious Blood to wash away my Guilt my sins have poured out every drop thereof wherefore thou presentest it to me by it self to shew how truly thou didst suffer Death for me and now O my Redeemer thou hast said this Cup is the Communion of thy Blood and thy truth is unquestionable thy power infinite and thy love was such as thou gavest thy hearts blood for me I will receive it therefore as the everlasting Covenant the Seal of all the promises of thy holy Gospel I have indeed drunk iniquity like Water and therefore am unfit to tast this Water of Life and yet shall perish without it for I 'me all over defiled and this is the fountain which thou hast opened to cleanse us I am scorched with the Flames of lust and unruly passion and this is the Cup which thou hast provided to cool and refresh us What value is sufficient for me to put upon this immortal Cordial How can I reverence it enough since the God of Heaven esteemed it a price sufficient for millions of perishing Mankind My Soul longeth after it Lord let me taste and my Soul shall live let me wash in this laver before I come to thy great Tribunal so shall I be whiter than snow Let us repeat after the Minister the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ c. After the Cup. IT is finished blessed be the Name of our gracious God Blessing Glory Praise and Honour Love Obedience Dominion and Thanksgiving be to thee O sacred Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost Amen Well come O my good Jesus now dismiss thy Servant in Peace for mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation If we have time before we return to our Pews let us add HOw chearing is this Cup to me blessed Jesus which was so dreadful unto thee it was thy Agonies and thy Wounds which afforded me this Wine of Joy Thou didst find how bitter it was when thou wert appeasing an offended God but I taste how sweet it is now that thou hast made him a tender and reconciled Father I receive this Cup O Saviour as a new pledge of thy dearest Love and since thou doest here give me a right to that great Expiation which thou hast made I do most humbly commemorate the same before the Father of Heaven as the full satisfaction for my innumerable Debts and I will remember the dolors of thy Cross with a brisker sense than ever because thou hast made me drink of thy Blood and given me thy Soul thy Life and thy Spirit and since thou hast thus joyned me to thy self O let nothing seperate that which thou hast so graciously joyned together Amen They who have advanced thus far in their Duty and been refreshed at the Table of God will easily acknowledge Thanksgiving to be the least tribute they can pay and won't be satisfied that they have given praises at the Altar but are willing to offer this sacrifice every opportunity therefore let us at our return to our Seats be ready to acknowledge the loving kindness of the Lord. PRaise the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his Holy Name was it not enough that thou shouldst suffer so much for me but thou wilt also give all the purchase of those sufferings to me thy loving kindness is truly admirable thou hast taken my sins on thy self and communicated thy Righteousness to my Soul Lord while I believe and consider the benefits of thy Passion I am revived and fill'd with an unwonted Vigour my Conscience does accuse me of many and grievious sins but I do here most humbly and thankfully set forth this perfect sin offering before thy Divine Majesty I know thou cannot except against it I believe it is sufficient to attone thine Anger Blessed Jesus how is my Soul refreshed that is again restored to thy Father's love let Heaven and Earth praise thee for this glorious Sacrifice and I will bless thee while I have any being I have receiv'd thy immaculate Body and it shall cleanse my sinful Body and teach me by the vertue of so rare an Example to relieve my poor Brethren for whom thou hast died and to conquer my Enemies by charity for thus thou hast done to me and both my lips and life shall set forth thy praise for now I begin to find the Mercy Peace Comfort and Grace which flow from the Death of Christ wherefore I will love thee Holy Jesus more than I can express and since thou hast given thy self thy Merits and Graces to me and seal'd a new Covenant with me in thy Blood I here bind my self by this sacred Cup to be sincerely thine I have sworn and am steadfastly purposed to keep thy Righteous Judgments O let me never unhallow that Body or defile that Soul in which the Lord Jesus delights to dwell in let no Oaths or Lying prophane those Lips no Obscenity or Intemperance pollute that Mouth by which these holy Symbols have passed but let thy Mercy keep me in this happy Temper till I have accomplished all my Resolutions Amen Or This ALL is thine Dear Saviour dispose of all that is here of Body and Soul of life and lodging according to thy Divine Will and Pleasure I intend O Lord strengthen me in this very Hour I intend O sweet Saviour a Total Reformation of my Life and Manners an intire Mortification of my Corporal Senses an absolute change in my whole Man grant therefore O good Jesus that at each word of my Mouth at each glance of my Eye at each morsel I Eat at each member I Move at each action Inward or Outward I undertake I may perform all according to thy holy Will and Pleasure I will therefore expect from thee O Heavenly Father the exact Remembrance from thee my Redeemer the perfect Knowledge from thee O Holy Spirit a true Repentance from thee O Sacred Trinity the entire Absolution and Plenary indulgence from all my iniquities Amen We have been informed that this is the great Feast of Love and are now commemorating that inexpressible love of our Saviour and since his Blood was shed for the sins of the whole World let our Charity extend it self to the uttermost parts of the Earth but more especially the Holy Catholick Church therefore the time we spare from our Devotions let us bestow in good desires to those present sending up a hearty Amen to the Prayers for our Brethren let it rejoyce our Souls to see so many of the Servants of God
Union but that being begun here in grace it be consummated in Glory Grant this O merciful Father for thy dear Sons sake Jesus Christ our Lord. ONce more O my Soul contemplate that thou art now a preparing thy self for that Divine Banquet which thy loving Lord instituted a little before those Sufferings and that Death before the breaking of his Body and the sheding of his Precious Sacred and Royal Blood which he declared to be signified by the breaking of the Bread and the pouring out of the Wine for he went that very Night into the Garden where his pious Soul apprehensive of Divine Wrath humbly addressed with reiterated supplications for Relief and being sensible of the miseries of Mankind pressing hard upon his spotless Soul the Torments of the approaching Cross the executing Terrors of the Powers of Darkness and the whole Artillery of an incensed God which he was in little time to graple with they shook his very Nature melted him into streams of Blood and so cast down his Spirits that nothing less than an Angel of the presence was able to mittigate the conflicts of this otherwise insupportable Agony These are but the beginning of Sorrows for no sooner then Mercy overcame the afflicting convulsion of his Soul who was sorrowful to Death but he began to fortifie his kind intentions to poor Man by that inexpressibly loving and unparallel'd Resignation to the will of his Heavenly Father he chearfully proceeded to offer up that Sacrifice which was to appease the Divine Justice for the iniquities of an impious World when after a most exemplary submission to the affronts and injuries of implacable Spirits the ingrateful Malice and supercillious Envy of those who thirsted for his Blood being despitefully abused afflicted and tormented denied by some forsaken by others desolate and comfortless in every sense truly a Man of sorrows was forced to add weight to his past Sufferings and bear the Cross of his own Crucifixion Where O my Soul behold by Faith the Lamb of God lifted up for the sins of the World O humble thy self into the center of thy own nothing for of what punishment oughtest thou to be thought worthy that hast so insensed the Majesty of Heaven to give up the innocent and most Holy Jesus thy best thy only Friend and his dear Son to be Tortured and Tormented for thy sins O how cruelly was he scourged with Wips wounded with Thorns loaden with the Cross torn with Nails pierced with a Spear and racked on the most painful instrument of Death his lovely Face defiled with Blood and Spitting his Ears fill'd with Upbraidings and Curses his Eyes drenched in Tears for the ruine of his Enemies and his Soul amazed at the Terrors of an angry God 'till at length all wounded broken and bloody with many groans yet with admirable patience he breaths out his Soul with infinite Charity and Forgiveness O holy Jesu how excellent is thy Goodness O ye blessed Host of Heaven who rejoice at the conversion of a sinner adore and praise that unknown sorrow which ye your selves contemplate with awful admiration I cannot doubt thy power to ease me because of these Suffrings of thy Love I must not question thy willingness who callest me of thy own accord nor dare I suspect thy sincerity who art Truth it self and always in earnest with poor sinners my Guilt has made me think to fly from thee but thy melting Voice has eneouraged me to turn to thee and laid me prostrate at thy feet groaning under my Offences but if thou wilt pitty me I am safe it thou art pleased I am eased if thou pardon me my burden is gone and if thou wilt take away this intollerable Lord I will then venture to draw nearer even to thy Altar O holy Jesu there to receive more refreshment from thy mercy Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy leaden and I will give you rest These are thy words O Christ for you hast spoken them and they are mine because spoken for my salvation O sweet and amiable words in the ear of a poor sinner by which thou invitest an indigent starv'd wretch to pertake of thy Body But who am I O Lord that I should come The Angels and Archangels reverence thee thy Saints and holy Ones fear before thee and yet thou sayest unto me come Unless thou hast said it who could have believed it to be true Unless thou hadst commanded it who durst have attempted this approach Does my Saviour invite and shall I go Shall a sinner dare to sit down at his Table Does he invite and shall I not go Shall a Wretch presume to refuse his Call Rise then my Soul and take thy swiftest wings and fly to the presence of this great Mystery A Feast of Holy Bread and Holy Wine in representation of thy sacred Body and blood where thy all glorious self is freely to the meanest guest a feast of peace and love and incomparable sweetness to which thy own blest mouth thus kindly callest us But stay am I dressed like a friend of the Bridegroom that I safely may come to the Marriage Supper have I considered how chast those eyes should be which go to behold the God of purity have I considered how clean that mouth should be which presumes to eat that Bread of Heaven but most how all caelestial that Soul should be which aspires to a union with the Body of Christ Oh! how poor and dull and empty am I how infinitly unworthy of so divine a Sacrament yet am I call'd by him that can Command by him that sees and pitties my misery he bids me come he surely will receive me and with his bounteous fullness supply my defects Go then my Soul to that sacred Table and take thy part of that delicious banquet go all inflamed with Love and joy and hope and quench thy holy Thirst with that spring of bliss when thou hast tasted his everlasting sweetness and feelest his heavenly streams flow gently on thee open thy happy breast and suck those Waters in and let them freely run over all thy powers Let them soak deep to the root of thy heart and turn thy barren heath into a fruitful soil fruitful in holy thoughts and pious words fruitful in good just and charitable Deeds fruitful in good examples and God of his infinite goodness confirm all this that my Soul may bless his holy Name here and with the whole host of Heaven sing Hallelujah to him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for over hereafter Amen Our Father c. O Lord bless me and keep me this day O Lord make thy Face to shine upon me and be gracious unto me O Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon me and give me peace this day and for ever Amen The Blessings to be obtained and the sense of our Unworthiness which surely by this time is ingrafted in our hearts will inform us that each moment of this
are in league with the Devil for so every one is that has not been heartily sorry for his sins and seriously intended a reformation of his Life we must not think our selves perfect because our affections are raised and we seem to have a zeal for the Glory of God for no one can approach this solemnity without transport if we examined our selves before entertained Resolutions of Repentance and come with Faith and Humility though during the Celebration of these Mysteries we had Wandrings evil Thoughts and Disturbances yet if we struggled with them then and are sorry for them now God will receive us into his favour therefore 't is very necessary we should now call our selves to an account be sorry for the ill and bless God for the good which may properly be done in the following form A Prayer at Night BLessed be thy glorious Name O Lord for all thy unspeakable Mercies to me and all the World I adore and magnifie thee for thy great goodness in giving thy Son to die for me and making me partaker of his blessed Body and Blood O Lord what is Man that thou regardest him Or what am I a vile and wretched sinner that thou shouldest be thus favourable to me thou hast been pleased to admit me to renew that Covenant with thee which I had broken and to give me assurance of thy readiness to pardon so vile and great a Sinner as I have been I have received the pledges of thy love and been admitted to thy Holy Table I have there devoted my self again unto thee I have vowed Obedience and after the most solemn manner consecrated my self to thy service Thou art a God that knowest the heart and art not to be mocked I tremble when I consider thy infinit Power Wisdom and Holiness let these thoughts beget in my Soul a great fear of thy Name and care to perform thy Will Grant I may not turn the Grace of thee my God into wantonness and that I may not receive thy grace in vain O Lord help thy Servant keep the possession of my Soul which I have unfeignedly surrendred up to thee O pardon the defect I have been guilty of in the performance of the duties of this day and unite my heart O'Lord to sear thy Name grant that I may spend the remainder of my time in obedience to thee and in acts of Charity to my Brethren create a clean heart O Lord and renew a right Spirit within me guide me by thy Counsel and at last receive me to thy Glory I do greatly desire the Salvation of Mankind and humbly represent to thy Divine Majesty the glorious sacrifice which our dearest Jesus made of himself upon the Cross and by a never ceasing intercession now exhibits to thee in Heaven in the Office of an Eternal Priesthood in behalf of all that have communicated this day in the divine Mysteries in all the Congregations of the Christian World in behalf of them that desire to communicate and are hindred by any accident sear or the sentence of their own Consciences Give unto me O God and unto them a portion of all good Prayers which are made in Heaven and Earth the intercession of our Lord and the supplications of all thy servants unite us in the band of the common Faith and a holy Charity I humbly commend to thee this Church and Kingdom all our superiors in Church or State have mercy upon all states of Men and Women give thy grace speedily to all wicked persons especially those that I have tempted to sin that they may repent live well and be saved to all good people give an increase of Gifts and Holiness to all Scismaticks and Hereticks grant conversion and to all that have erred from the Truth bring thou into the right way O merciful God I humbly pray unto thee in vertue of our Holy Saviour to grant unto us all the graces of an excellent and perfect Repentance an irreconcilable hatred of sin a love of thee an exact imitation of the Holiness of the Blessed Jesus fox the sake of the Sacrifice of thy Eternal Son O Heavenly Father let it be because it is best and because thou lovest it should be so Amen O God the Father of Heaven whose mercy is over all the World I am infinitly pleas'd to behold thy Glory and to hear the praises which thou hast gotten by thy mercy to poor sinners and I could even pour out my Soul in the manifestation of that joy which my heart conceives at thy universal Honour wherefore I will praise thee by Acknowledgments bless thee with Hymns worship thee with the lowest Reverence and glorifie thee to the utmost of my Power I will give thanks unto thee with all my Soul for thy Pitty Patience and Mercy towards thy unworthy and miserable Creatures How shall I express thy welcome into my Soul blessed Jesus Or how shall I celebrate thy Praises I will remember what thou art in thy self and what thou hast done for us O thou Eternal and only begotten Son of God equal to the Father who art thy self both Lord and God How lovely art thou O thou innocent Lamb of God encircled with Millions of redeemed Souls whom thou hast washed in thy Blood O how illustrious a Brightness shines round thee whilst thou art in the midst of all thy happiness interceeding for poor Sinners I adore thee and long to do thee Honour my Lord and my God hear then my importunate supplications and enable me to proclaim the goodness of the Lord. BLessed Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith who art the same Yesterday as to Day and for ever thou hast given Spiritual means to those that fear thee and wilt ever be mindful of thy covenant but my goodness is as a morning Cloud which soon passeth away my Devotion fleeth like a shadow and never continueth in one stay Oh do thou establish me with thy free Spirit that I may not so easily forfeit my Comfort forget my Duty and break my Vows how unwearied art thou dearest Saviour in doing well unto me How constant is thy Love and shall I be so ungrateful to thee so cruel to my self as to forsake thee and my own Happiness I fear the Power and Policy of mine Enemies I do with shame and sorrow call to mind my former returns to folly I most passionately entreat thee not to leave me to my self I have through thy goodness now obtained some measure of Peace my Eyes are enlightned my Heart revived and my purposes seem to be sincere give me thy grace therefore that I may be able to perform whatsoever I have promised that I may be steadfast unmovable always abounding in thy work O Lord let me hold fast that which I have and daily strive to gain more make me faithful to Death that thou mayest give me a Crown of Life Now the God of Peace which brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ that great Shepherd of the Sheep