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
frustrate thy Mercies to me and since thou hast appointed this Spiritual Feast for rich and famished Souls let my desires be answerable to my need of it and do thou qualifie me by thy Grace to receive the full benefits of it O Christ hear me and grant that I may approach thee with more sincere and fixed Reasolutions of an intire Reformation and let me receive such strength from thee as may enable me faithfully to perform them Lord there are many old Habitual Diseases my Soul groans under and though I lie never so long at the pool of Bethesda come never so often to thy Table unless thou be pleased to put forth thy healing Vertue they will still remain uncured O thou Blessed Physician of Souls heal me and grant I may so touch thee that there lothsome Issues may immediately stanch that these Sicknesses may not be unto Death but to the Glory of thy Mercy in pardoning so polluted a Wretch Lord have Mercy on me and grant I may approach thy Holy Table with such Humlity and Contrition Love and Devotion that thou mayest vouchsafe to come unto me and communicate to me thy self and all the Merits of thy Passion I acknowledge to my shame and sorrow that this Feast has often been prepared and I have with frivolous excuses absented my self or if I have come it has been rather to defy than adore thee I have brought such Troops of thy professed Enemies unrepented sins along with me as if I came not to commemorate but renew thy Passion of what punishment ought I to be thought worthy who have trampled under foot the Son of God counted the Blood of the Covenant an unholy thing by defiling my self with sensual pleasures and breaking my holy Vows since I received the blessed Sacrament and thereby have incurred the greatest danger by receiving that Unworthily which can take away the guilt of my Sin yet O merciful Jesus this Blood is my only refuge let this make my attonement or I perish Eternally Wherefore didst thou shed it but to save Sinners O let me find its saving Efficacy let not the price of thy Blood be utterly lost but Pardon that heap of sin which I bring to thy Cross to be forgiven that so I may be an acceptable Guest at thy Holy Table which I beg for thy Compassion Sake Jesus my God and Saviour BLessed and all sufficient Saviour I the unworthiest of thy Servants prostrate my self at thy Mercy Seat humbly imploring that Pardon and Forgiveness of my multiplied Transgressions which render me unfit to receive the least of thy multiplied Kindness much less of being made a partaker of the greatest in the participation of the Sacred Body and Blood in the Holy Communion Dear Redeemer let me approach this Divine Institution with a prepared Heart and a purified Soul O that infinite Justice of the Almighty in taking so full vengeance upon sin even upon thee his only beloved Son that we might fear and tremble at the sad Effects of sin O the infinite Mercy of the Almighty ever to think of such a remedy for miserable Man's Restoration O the equal Goodness of thee our dearest Lord who wast a willing Sacrifice who wast Content Ambitious Hungring and thirsting after our Salvation by thy dreadful Passion for which let me how my self at the Footstool of thy Cross and mourn for thy Sufferings as occasioned by my Sins O let the drops of thy Blood trickle down into my Bosom and wash out the stains of sin there let thy Thorns pierce me to the Heart and thy Nails fasten me to thee as much as ever they did thee to the Cross Thou that didst entertain Judas with Tranquility and sufferest him to kiss thy Cheek reject not me thy unworthy supplicant but kiss me with the Benediction of thy Lips and with the Affections of a Saviour thou that dist permit the Soldiers to bind thee to satisfie for my looseness and abused liberty bind me now unto thee with the Chains of Love let that Holy Union dissolve the Cords of Vanity and subdue my Passions and unruly Desires Dearest Lord as in my Body of sin there is no part free so in thy suffering Body there was no whole part nothing but Sores and Stripes Wounds and Bruises I have offended in all my parts thou wast tormented in all thine so that with shame and sorrow I confess that my sins inflicted the misery of thy Passion by the hands of thy barbarous Enemies O let the Spear that pierced thy Heart sweetest Jesus pierce mine with true Sorrow let me contemplate on thy Passion with infinite hatred of sin that occasioned it and with infinite gratitude to thy Love for performing the same I adore thee O Lord Blessed Jesus for instituting the Holy Sacrament strike an awe into my Soul when I approach it and create in me Heavenly dispositions to celebrate so Heavenly an institution let me verily believe that if with due preparation I come to thy Altar as certainly as I receive the outward sings so certainly shall I receive thy most blessed Body and Blood to receive which inestimable Blessing O merciful Lord do thou fit and prepare me for thy mercy sake in Christ Jesus our Lord. O All sufficient Saviour teach me by thy great good Examples Obedience and Submission to thy Divine Will I humbly beseech thee so to prepare my Soul to the due receiving of the Holy Sacrament worthily that I may thereby effectually feel tast and feed on thee my Saviour Christ that I may be thee have Eternal Life Pardon O Lord pardon my unpreparedness to come to so Holy and Divine a Mistery make thy Word and Sacrament always so powerful and effectual in my Heart that I may thereby be sanctified and renewed unto all Holy Obedience unto thy Will in the mortification of my sinful Corruptions renewing of thy perfect Image in me unto Holiness Righteousness Sobriety Truth Knowledge Faith Temperance and Chastity O Blessed Jesus by thee let me have access to thy Heavenly Father that by thee he may accept me who by thee is revealed to me let thy Innocence and Purity procure pardon for my uncleanness and disobedience let thy Humility extinguish my Pride and Vanity and thy Charity cover the multitude of my Faults and that thou wilt with the hands of thy Mercy immediately after this life receive my Soul into everlasting Joy and Felicity there to Reign with thee for ever A Concluding Prayer O Lord God into thy hands I commit my Body Soul and Spirit my Thoughts Words and Works desiring wholly to be thine O my God Gracious and Merciful accept me in thy beloved Jesus Christ for his sake let me not go from before thee without a Blessing a Blessing of Pardon and Peace a Blessing of thy Spirit and of thy Grace to come Holy to thy Table a Blessing of thy favour and of thy love in the Lord Jesus thus Lord say of me that thou hast Blessed me and I shall be
how miserable my end must be when the Heavens are not pure in thy sight and the very Angels are charged with folly there is no Holiness O Lord if thou with-draw thy Hand no Wisdom profits if thy Government ceases when thou leavest us we perish we are unstable and unsecure unless secured and confirmed by thee we fly to thee for help and yet depart from thy Commandments O how meanly do I deserve to be thought of how little and inconsiderable is the good I do how innumerable how intollerable are the Evils I have done many good things have I received from thee but I have abus'd them thou hast given me Grace but I have turned it into Wantonness thou didst create in me a hope of Glory but I have lost my Confidence Wherefore behold O Lord I come unto thee thou mightest indeed justly censure the approach of such a polluted Creature to be a daring presumption but I beseech the condemn not the action but behold the motives which drew me hither even my own miseries and thy mercies I increase the number of my sins what shall I do to thee O thou preserver of Men Who shall raise me up when I shall fall before thy dreadful Judgment Seat I will lay my Face in the Dust and confess my self to be nothing Pitty my Shame O God bind up my Wounds remove those sins that so easily overcome me and unite me to my Saviour Jesus O help me to supply in Humility what I want in worthiness let my mean and just opinion of my self my bended Knees and broken Heart shew that I durst not have adventured so nigh if thy mercy had not held out the Golden Scepter O then dear Jesus be a Jesus to me and let this Sacrament be a savor of life and thy Body the Bread of life thy Blood the purifier of my sinful life O send me not empty away for I shall faint and die I cannot live without thee O let vertue come from thee and heal my Sickness do thou appear to my Soul in these holy Mysteries enlighten my Darkness turn me from all vain imaginations and illusions of the Enemy all perversness of Will all Violence and Inordinate Passions sensual Desires Lust and Malice Gluttony Pride Envy and Detraction let not sin reign in my mortal Body nor the Divel lead my Will captive nor the World abuse my understanding nor debauch my Conversation O grant I may receive these Divine Mysteries for the amendment of my Life and for a defensative against all my sins for the increase of Vertue and the perfection of the Spirit this I beg O merciful God for the sake of thy Eternal Son my crucified Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Amen Here rising up read as Follows AND as they were Eating Jesus took Bread and gave thanks and blessed it and brea kt it and gave it to his Disciples and said Take Eat this is my Body which is given for you this do in remembrance of me likewise also he took the Cup and when he had given thanks he gave it to them saying Drink ye all of it for this Cup is the New Testament in my Blood which is shed for you and for many for the Remission of sins and they all drank of it Verily I say unto you I will not drink henceforth of the Fruit of the Vine until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God my Father I adore thee O Blessed Jesus for instituting this Holy Sacrament O let thy Divinity thus stampt on it strike into my Soul a holy awe in approaching it O create in me a Heaven disposition to celebrate so Heavenly an Institution and for thy Mercies sake pardon all my stupid forgetfulness and ingratitude hitherto do now create in me such a thankful and lively remembrance of thy dying love that may excite me to give up my self intirely to thee as thou didst give up thy self on the Cross for me Kneeling say A Prayer BEhold O sacred and undivided Trinity an unworthy wretched weak and wounded Soul oppressed with an intollerable weight of Misery terrified with the consideration of thy inscrutable Judgments confounded with the memory of her base ingratitude and encompassed with sorrow I have with the prodigal wasted that portion of Grace thou didst bestow upon me and therefore do infinitly want a supply out of thy Treasury but O Lord how shall such a wretch as I dare to approach this Holy Table how shall this spiritual Manna this Food of Angels be given to one Who has chosen to feed on Huscks with Wine nay to one who has so often trampled upon these precious things either carelesly neglecting or unworthily receiving these holy Mysteries O LOrd my horrible guiltiness makes me not dare to stay away for where shall my polluted Soul be washed if not in this Fountain which thou hast opened for sin and uncleanness hither therefore I come and thou hast promised him that cometh thou wilt in no wise cast out this is O Lord the Blood of the New Testament grant me so to receive it that it may be for the remission of my sins and though I have so often and so wretchedly broken my part of that Covenant whereof the Sacrament is a seal yet be thou graciously pleased to make good thine be merciful to my unrighteousness and remember my sins no more and not only so but place thy Laws in my Mind and write them in my Heart and by the power of thy Grace dispose my Soul to such a sincere and constant Obedience that I may never again provoke thee Lord grant that in these holy Mysteries I may not only commemorate but effectually receive my blessed Saviour and all the benefits of his Passion and to that end give me such a preparation of Soul as may qualifie me for it give me a deep sense of my sins and unworthiness that being weary and heavy leaden I may be capable of his refreshings Raise up my dull and earthly mind from groveling here below and inspire it with holy Zeal that I may with spiritual affections approach this spiritual Feast and let O Lord that infinite love of Christ in dying for so wretched a sinner inflame my frozen and benumed Soul and kindle in me that sacred fire of love to him and that so vehement that no water may quench no floods drown it such as may burn up all my dross and not leave one unmortified Lust within me and such as may also extend it self to all whom thou hast given me command to love even my Enemies as well as Friends O Lord I beseech thee cloath me with the Wedding Garment and make me though of my self a most unworthy yet by thy mercy an acceptable guest at thy Holy Table that I may not eat and drink my own Condemnation but may have my Pardon sealed my Weakness repair'd my Corruptions subdued and my Soul so inseperably united to thee that no temptation may be ever able to dissolve the
of men What can be more agreeable to a devout Soul than thus to exercise it self in the Law of God What can be more moving than to see and hear a devout Priest offering up Prayers and Supplications and others joining in his Petitions by Ecchoing a hearty Amen How does it constrain us to out-vie in Zeal and cause a Holy Emulation when we hear our Minister with fervency crying to the Father of Heaven to have Mercy upon us and we with equal earnestless invocating the Son and Holy Ghost mercifully to hear us Let others mock and call them vain repetitions while we endeavour to express the desires of our Souls in those Pathetical supplications Lord have mercy upon us We are not so vain but to confess our want of that Mercy nor ashamed of the Repetition when we find the benefit even the favour of the Lord which is better than life it self wherefore I must be earnest with every Christian to attend this service don't let our thoughts be roving but correct the wandrings of our minds the whole Service is in order to prepare us to a worthy reception of the Holy Sacrament when once we have got the mastry of our selves and can go along with all the parts of the Church we shall have less occasions for these helps to Devotion we shall find so much contained in the Prayers and Exhortations as will take up all the vacant time in Holy Meditation and this will make Holiness become exceeding delightful when we can turn our Souls towards God and solace them without interruption when we can leave the thoughts of this World and look steadfastly to God But this is to be done by degrees when we have conquer'd the love of this World and wearied our selves from its Alurements and this only to be performed by a constant watch over our words and actions and perseverance in the ways of goodness When the Prayers of the Church are over let us humbly ask God to pardon our defects in his Service and say O Lord Pardon the wandrings and coldness of my Petitions deal not with me according to my Prayers or Deserts but according to my needs and thy infinit mercy in Jesus Christ Amen Having discharged our duty in Prayer to God let us prepare our selves to hear what he will say to us out of his Holy Word we ought to look upon the Minister as an Ambassador of Christ and hearken with reverence to his Doctrine at the end of it to beg that we may bring forth the Fruit of it in our Lives and Conversation and this we can't do in better words than in one of the Collects after the Communion Grant we beseech thee Almighty God that the Words which we have heard this day c. While the People are going out let us devoutly turn towards the Table of the Lord and endeavour with admiration and reverence to contemplate the approaching Ordinance let us entertain thoughts of our unworthiness and then humble our selves before the Lord and say A Prayer O Almighty God who art infinite in Compassion and art able to pardon more sins than I can commit the stretcht out Arms of my dear Saviour upon the Cross can encompass the largest extention of my sins and his Passion affords an ever flowing Red Sea to cover them that they may not become my confusion O then let his Blood be my Bath purge me with Hysop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow and to capacitate me for these Mercies let the deepest sorrow wound my Soul Oh! let it grieve my Spirit that I have lived so long to the grief of thine and let me grieve so long that I can grieve no more make my Soul to ascend in an humble supplication and let my Saviour's intercession procure thine acceptance and give me such a Faith as may take possession of all I pray for and least my own trust should deceive me when I have said Amen to my Prayers do thou say Amen to my Amen that so an Establishment of Blessings may be the crown of my Soul which I beg through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ Extinguish O Lord all the Fires of Hell my Lust Pride Envy Malice and Uncharitableness create in me O God a great longing after the Bread of Heaven and a thirst after the fountain of Salvation that as the Heart panteth after the water brooks so my Soul may long after thee my Saviour and Redeemer Amen When the Minister goes up to the Holy Table letus raise our Affections and prepare our selves to accompany him in this great work and fixing our selves in a devout posture when he begins the Exhortation to Charity let our thoughts carry us beyond the litteral Expression of those Sentences and whilst he Reads consider the necessities of the Poor Let us enlarge our desires and wish we were able to satisfie the complaints of those who are in want at least let us resolve to do according as God has put it in our power not Grudgingly and of necessity because 't is the custom and the Church requires it at such Seasons Here we have an opportunity of examining our selves whether we have fulfill'd the will of God in this manner 'T is not to be supposed that we deserve the name of charitable persons who take no time to distribute of this World good but when we can't help it therefore let us ask our Souls at every Sentence Hast thou followed this Advice or obeyed this Command Hast thou performed that great duty of the Law doing as thou wouldst be done by Hast thou restored with interest whatever thou hast unjustly detained from any Man And first have we taken care that they who have sown unto us Spiritual things should reap of our Temporal for 't is meet those who wait at the Altar should be partakers with the Altar for we must know that even so God hath ordained that they who Preach should live of the Gospel Therefore if we have fail'd to do this let us ask God's Pardon and don't let us because the Minister can't exact it take that advantage and pay nothing Secondly have we shew'd our compassion to the poor by giving Alms Have we not turned away our Face from our Brother who was in need but been merciful after our power If our Hearts condemn us not we have confidence in God that he is Righteous and will not forget but reward us in the day of necessity thus may we turn these excellent Admonitions into heads of Examination and happy are we if we have offer'd up such Sacrifices as are acceptable The Church has taken care to tell us what they are and has placed them at the beginning of this excellent Office to exhort us to Good Works We are about to remember that exceeding love of Christ and the wonderful charity of our Saviour therefore 't is very proper in the entrance to this Holy Ordinance to exhort us to be like minded that
Expectations It was the Observation of a great Man That the more exact he was in keeping the Sabbath his Affairs met with the greater Success in the following Week Whether every Body would be thus happy I can't resolve but am sure there can be no Danger in the Trial and if we fail once it may succeed the next However there is sufficient Reward in it self for we shall have the Satisfaction of doing our Duty and that we can't effect more exactly than by a devout Meditation when alone and a serious Attention when at Church They who have Families are to instruct their Houshold in their Duty and see they discharge it by giving good Examples and Instructions and seeing they follow them for when all is done the effectual Preachers are Parents and Masters Ministers may give the best Counsel and preach the greatest Truths but 't is they must see it has its proper Effect in their own Lives and Conversations and in those that belong to them If this were industriously practised what Encouragement would it be to the Ministers to labour more abundantly for the Salvation of their Flock And how should we all rejoice in the Day of the Lord that they had neither run nor labour'd in vain In short Our Communion on this Day ought to be free from Lightness or Vanity not in Worldly Affairs nor Relations of foolish Stories and as little as possible in common Talk no unnecessary Visit nor any where but when we have an Opportunity of doing good This ought to be our constant Care to apply our selves wholly to God and Religion and avoid every thing as much as possible that would take up our Thoughts on any thing else This is truly to sanctifie the Sabbath And they who can thus observe it will find the Benefit even an Everlasting Rest to their Souls in Heaven After we have dined let us retire again and when we have rais'd our Affections by a serious Contemplation let us say A Prayer after Dinner O Thou All-seeing and most holy God! I have been admitted to make my Oblation of Praises and my self unto thee and am infinitely concern'd that thou shouldst accept me therein not for any Merit in me but for thine own Mercy sake O my God thou knowest I have been polluted with Sin undutiful to thy Commands unfaithful to my Promises and confederate with thine Enemies yea even in the time of these holy Mysteries so obdurate and confused that I might justly fear lest my Wretchedness should make my Sacrifice an Abomination I blush that I am not fitter I lament that I should bring so many Defilements where the Purity of an Angel is scarce sufficient But I take Sanctuary in thy more obliging Condescentions and because I am so unworthy will endeavour to esteem my self as vile as really I am in thy sight Oh do not look upon the Defects of a wretched Sinner but remember thine own Mercies and accept what thou hast required of me and so shall thy Favour be more illustrious because it is bestow'd upon so evil and undeserving a Creature and the Sense of my Unworthiness shall enlarge my Thankfulness and make me praise thee more than if I had approached thee with all Perfections It is a mighty Favour to me O God that thou hast made Bread to grow out of the Earth to nourish my mortal Body But Oh! how far hast thou transcended that Mercy in giving me the Bread of Life from Heaven to feed my immortal Soul Whom was there in Heaven or Earth that I could have wish'd for in comparison of Jesus Christ O my Soul bless thou the Lord I went not to gaze or taste of the outward part but to satisfie my Soul by laying hold of the Merits of my Crucified Saviour yet I have receiv'd the Elements and thou hast made them to me that which I needed and desired even the Body and Blood of thy Son Oh how it fills my Soul with Joy to see thy Sacred Majesty appeas'd But O merciful God I tremble in Expectation of those furious Assaults which will be made upon me by my Enemies from whom I am withdrawn O God thou knowest how often I have return'd to Folly But if thou pleasest to plant thy Grace within me and send thy Blessing upon me I will not fear the Powers of Darkness I have receiv'd that Heavenly Food which is the Means of conveying this Grace unto me I know by this Coelestial Remedy many of thy Servants have been dreadful to the Powers of Darkness and thou didst never cast off an humble Soul Oh bless then this Life-giving Mystery unto me that I may find such Power Strength and Resolution flowing from thence that I may stand firm to the Purposes I have made Sweetest Saviour I am now thy Servant Oh deliver me from Anger Malice and Intemperance from Pride Lust and Covetousness and all the Furies which use to torture me O mark me for thine own and deny me not that Grace which is necessary to make me thine I 'm sure in thee all Fulness of Grace dwells and let it now overflow that I may receive of thy Fulness and then shall I always perform my Vows Gracious God I have beheld the Efficacious Sacrifice which thy Son hath offered for us I have remembred it blessed be thy Name for it though not so highly as I am oblig'd for the Benefits are inestimable There is no Want of Merit in Jesus to deserve nor of Mercy in thee to bestow Remission Oh let there not want in me nor in any for whom Christ died grace to accept this Pardon Behold Lord how I struggle under a load of guilt but I have receiv'd that which is an effectual remedy who was ever reconciled to thee but by Jesus or who was ever so much thy Enemy but this Holy Sacrifice has made their Peace and shall it be ineffectual only to me Dear Father let me find the Effecacy thereof in my self and then I shall be engaged to praise thee more and more for this great Salvation through Jesus Christ Our Father c. The Grace of our Lord Jesus c. HAving thus renewed our desires and fired Souls with an ardent love of Christ let us prepare again to meet the assembly of Saints that we may worship God together and give thanks to his Name that we may receive new instructions for the amendment of our Lives and the confirmation of our Faith that we may inlarge our desires after Heaven and see the pleasures of the Habitation of the Lord. At our return home 't will be necessary that we give up our selves to a serious Meditation of our actions this day if our heart condemn us not then have we confidence towards God if otherwise let us humbly beg Pardon Let us be earnest in this Examination for 't is of great moment to be very circumspect now don 't let us cry Peace when 't is far from us and fancy we are reconciled to God when we
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
my Wickedness and be sorry for my Sins I will pour out my Prayers in the bitterness of my Spirit and therefore now Lord call my Sins to my Remembrance and when thou hast so done blot them out of thy Remembrance and Pardon me A Confession of Sin O Thou great Judge of Heaven and Earth before whose glorious Majesty even the good Angels who never sinned fall prostrate and tremble with what debasement and dread ought I to appear before thy awful Presence who am but Dust and Ashes and which is infinitely worse a miserable Sinner Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty thou art of purer eyes than to behold iniquity with the least approbation the way of the wicked and the sacrifice of the wicked is an Abomination unto thee Wo is me then O Lord Wo is me for I have inclined unto Wickedness but for the sake of thy well-beloved Son cast not out my prayer nor turn thy mercy from me Miserable wretch that I am I have gone astray from the very Womb I was shapen in Wickedness and in Sin did my Mother Conceive me Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean What is Man then O God that he should be Clean or he that is born of a Woman that he should be Righteous Thou Lord puttest no trust in thy Saints The Heavens are nor clean in thy sight and the very Angels thou chargest with folly How much more abominable than am I who daily drink iniquity like Water Lord Pity cleanse forgive and save me for thy mercies sake I know O God that in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for when I would do Good Evil is present with me and I see a Law in my Members warring against the Law of my Mind bringing me into Captivity to the Law of Sin Lord have mercy on me and deliver me from this body of Death from this tyranny of Sin Alass my whole Nature is corrupt infinitely prone to all Evil and a verse to all that is Good my Understanding is full of Ignorance and error my will perverse my Memory tenacious of all things that may pollute me but forgetful of my Duty my Passions are inordinate my Senses the inlets to all impurity I have abused all my faculties and am unclean unclean Lord pity cleanse forgive and save me for thy mercies sake O Lord God how have I through my whole life violated the sollemn Vow I made to thee at Baptism by eagerly persuing the Vanities of this Wicked World by early yeilding to the Temptation of the Devil by greedily indulging my own carnal Desires and Lust by a fruitless and dead faith and by a disobedience to thy holy Will and Commandments Father I have Sin'd against Heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy Son I have Sin'd O Lord God I have Sin'd against Thee By c. Here make your confession of Sins against God and then add O Jesu Lamb of God Son of the Father let thy Blood cleanse me from these sins O pity forgive and save me for thy mercies sake I have sin'd O Lord God I have sin'd against thee and my own self By c. Here confess your sins against your Self and then add O Jesu Lamb of God c. I have sin'd O Lord God I have sin'd against thee and my Neighbor By c. Here confess your sins against your Neighbor and then add O Jesu Lamb of God c. O Lord God my wickedness is exceeding 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 know thy mercies are greater than my sins Have mercy upon me therefore O God according to the multitude of thy mercies do away my Offences Who alas can tell how oft he Offends Oh cleanse thou me from my secret faults from all my sins of Ignorance or Infirmity or Omission or which I have not observed or which I have forgot Lord lay none of them to my charge Father forgive me Lord Jesus have mercy upon me O remember not the sins and offences of my Youth but receive me O heavenly Father into the Arms of thy Fatherly compassion and forgive me all my Transgressions for the merits of Jesus thy Son and my Saviour Amen O Lord God of Mercy and Pardon give me a just remembrance and sad apprehension of my sins teach me to bewail them with as great indignation and bitterness as I have committed them with complacency and delight Let my Prayer and Confession come into thy presence and obtain mercy and pardon for me Let not thy Justice and Severity so remember my sins as to forget thy own mercy and though I deserve to be condemned yet thou canst not lose that glorious attribute whence flows comfort to us and hopes of being saved Spare me therefore O merciful God for to give pardon to a sinner that confesses his faults and begs remission is not impossible to thy Power nor disproportionate to thy Justice nor unusual to thy mercy Blessed Jesu acknowledge in me whatsoever is thine cleanse me from whatsoever is amiss Have pitty on me now in the time of mercy and condemn me not when thou comest to judgment for what profit is there in my Blood Thou delightest not in the death of a Sinner but in his Conversion is joy in Heaven and when thou hast delivered me from my sins and saved my Soul I shall praise and magnifie thy Name to all Eternity O Jesu God be merciful to me a miserable Sinner O Lord who art the God that hearest prayers and alone has power finally to forgive sin I beseech the mercifully hear and graciously answer these my Petitions for pardon I am a sinner and deserve punishment but O Lord remove my guilt and spare me who do now confess with shame and sorrow my sins unto thee that I whose Conscience by sin is accused so justly now before thee by thy merciful pardon may be absolved from my Guilt for the sake and through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. By thine Agony and bloody Sweat by thy Cross and Passion by thy precious Death and Burial Good Lord deliver O Lamb of God that takest away the Sins of the World Have mercy upon O Christ hear me Lord have mercy upon me Christ have c. Lord have mercy c. Our Father which art c. A Prayer O most gracious God who out of thy boundless Compassion to thy Creatures art never wanting in any means that may draw them to thy self I the unworthiest of thy Servants desire to give Glory to thee in a hearty acknowledgement that thou hast afforded me all the methods that might either force or allure me to Obedience but I have resisted that goodness of thine which should have lead me to Repentance Thy compassion has been affronted by my continuance in sin and thy forbearance only serv'd to harden me in Iniquity I have lived to provoke thy
Mercies by endeavouring to out-vye them with my Sins what can I expect but to find a Judgment worthy of God such an irreversible ruine as might render me an astonishing instance of thy severity to the whole Earth Thou hast attested thy self to be indeed a Father of Mercies and yet I who enjoy the benefit of them neither consider them as Blessings nor thee as a God but Atheistically defie that providence by which I subsist Thou givest me a time for Repentance but I 'm unwilling to throw off this Bondage of Sin and think it a hardship to submit to that Yoak whieh is easie and delightful and if I cou'd stifle the Terrors of my Conscience wou'd glady proclaim Licence to my Lusts These are the base returns I have made thus have I requited the Lord and incur'd his Displeasure yet I am fearless of his Wrath and can't repent me of my ways nor consider the Evil I have done Surely my Heart is heardned and I am nigh unto Cursing O Lord what can I plead to avert the sentence who am as far from Penitence as Innocence How can I pray against that Vengeance which I make it my business to pull down if thou O Lord shou'dst spare me what wou'd it avail if it serve but to set me at a greater Hostillity with thee O merciful Saviour who gavest thy self a ransom for Sinners look again with compassionate Eyes on me who needs now a second Redemption even a rescue from my self Lord thou seest the miserable state to which I am reduced Where is thy Pitty and the sounding of thy Bowels towards the Afflicted Oh! bow thy Heaven and come down hear the Prayer of a distressed Sinner deliver me from that misery I have involved my self put thy Laws a new into my Heart and write them in my Mind O blessed Mediator who prayedst for thy Crucifiers interceed also for me who have under the name of a Disciple crucified thee afresh and tho' I have nothing to say for my self cannot pretend that I knew not what I did yet let thy Stripes and Wounds thy Cross and Passion plead for me Oh! let thy Blessed Spirit breath again upon me that even these dry Bones may live in thy sight Let him so effectually convince and reprove illuminate and excite me that I may cleanse my self from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit walk worthy of the holy Vocation whereto I am called and evidence my relation to the Prince of Peace Oh that my ways were thus direct but alas how little Disposition have I towards it This change must be only the work of that mighty Power which is able to subdue all things to it self and yet O Lord with what face can I beg of thee to force me to that happiness which I still resolve to resist What can I say to thee O thou preserver thou redeemer of men who have put my self beyond all the ordinary means of thy grace I can only lay my self at thy Feet display my misery and leave thee to consider thine own compassion Oh let that move thee to do for me whatever my wretched state is in need off O Lord Hear O Lord forgive consider and do it for thy name sake Thou art Jesus a Saviour save thy servant from his sin and let me not slide back by a perpetual backsliding Oh abandon not thy poor creature Lord carest thou not that I perish Turn thee again O Lord sanctifie and cleanse me for I am exceeding sinfull create a new Spirit within me melt my obdurate heart into contrition and if it cannot be done without the rigour of thy Laws Lord do that or any thing with me so that I may become a Vessel of honour meet for thy Service But O Lord if thy gentler method may have any effect be pleased to continue thy Long-suffering and though I have no pretence to mercy yet do thou assert thine own work be merciful because thou hast been so dispence to me whatever thou seest most apt to reduce me and that thy outward applications may be no longer in vain enforce and enliven them with thy free Spirit subdue my obstinate perversness and give me at last such Grace as I may not turn into wantonness Oh thou to whom all things are possible who hast been so merciful to me work again greater miracles in me and of a prophane ungrateful wretch make me a penitent and obedient servant that I may study as much to please as I have to provoke thee by a continuance in well doing may obtain the Crown which thou hast laid up for those that serve thee and possess eternal joys in the Kingdom of thy Father which thou O blessed Jesus hast purchased with thy blood and sealed by thy Spirit To which blessed Trinity be ascribed all praise honour Glory now and to eternity Amen O Lord God I am Ashamed and Blush to lift up my Face to thee for my iniquities are increased over my Head and my Trespasses grown up unto Heaven O my Soul what Fruit have I reapt from all the pleasures of Sin but Vanity and Vexation of Spirit Lord I am ashamed of my own Folly Madness and Disingenuity when I call to mind how greedily I have sucked in my own Pollution how treacherously I have betrayed my own Soul to Temptations and combined with the Devils to hasten and increase my own Damnation how obstinately I have fled from thee when thy Mercy persued me with promises of Pardon how unworthily I have abused thy Goodness and Forbearance and Long-sufferings which should have led me to Repentance Son of David Blessed Redeemer Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the World have Mercy upon me O Jesu be a Jesus unto me Thou that sparedst thy Servant Peter that denied thee thrice thou that didst cast seven Devils out of Mary Magdalen and forgavist the Woman taken in Adultery and didst bear the convert Thief from the Cross to the joys of Paradise have Mercy upon me also Though my Offences are greater than these yet not their Sins nor mine nor the Sins of the whole World can equal thy Glorious Mercy which is Infinite and Eternal as thy Self I acknowledge O Lord that I am Vile but yet redeemed with thy precious Blood thou O Lord lovest to shew Mercy behold then a fit Object for thy pitty My sins are so great and many that to forgive me will be a glorious act of mercy Dispise me not O Lord for I am thy Creature dispise me not for thou didst die for me cast me not away in thine Anger for thou camest to seek and save me Say unto my Soul I am thy Salvation let thy Holy Spirit lead me from the Error of my ways into the paths of Righteousness to great degrees of Repentance and thro' all the parts of a Holy Life to a Godly and Holy Death Grant this O Blessed Jesu for thy Mercies and for thy pitty sake Amen Most merciful and indulgent Jesus hear the
inhumanly defile his Face with Spittle After the Horrid Pomp of this Solemnity was over they divested him of this Dignity and proceeded to treat him like a Slave and that his Death might appear more dreadful they usher it in with all its Terrors with Stripes and Scourges and all the Torments their malice could Inflict Thus bruised and wounded with the weight of our Transgression he ascends the last steps of his Passion and without the least Reluctance stretches out his Arms to be fix'd on the most painful instrument of Death where O my Soul behold the Son of Man lifted up O dearest God who wast Wounded Despised Crucified and Crowned with Thorns and for my sins wert Nailed to the Cross I beseech thee by the Merits of them all O sweetest Jesus to pardon my Offences His Death was now a hastning on and their Diversion near to a Conclusion they were resolved to make the best use of their time and make their ingratitude last as long as his life they rail on Him treat him with all the marks of Infamy and continue their Revilings to his dying Minute Their Madness Folly and Aggrevations reached Heaven put the World into disorder and turned the Day into Night but could not move his Soul he saw their Madness felt the weight of their Offences and only prayed for their Forgiveness he pittied their Misery and when they endeavor'd to pull the Vengenace of his Blood upon their Heads he was sheding it as Sacrifice for their Wickedness But when the Majesty of Heaven grew Angry and exerted his Fury and laid on him the iniquities of us all he trembled at his Wrath cou'd not bear the direction of the Deity and groan'd away his Soul when God with-drew his presence from his support yet neither the Frowns of his angry Father nor the Rage of Men or Devils could make him sink till all was fullfil'd which the Scriptures spake concerning him when that was finish'd he only tarried to recommend his Mother to the pious care of his beloved Disciple bowed his Head and gave up the Ghost O crucified Jesus let thy Blood wash my Scul I am not ashamed of thy Cross but adore thee in thy Passion and acknowledge thee to be God Let us now turn the Scene and think how we have offended this God and lived in a continual Rebellion and then of what punishment ought we to be thought worthy who have Slighted Contemned and abused such infinite Mercy Who have returned the Love of God with the basest ingratitude and had no other reason for our Wickedness but that God was Good What an inconceivable Mercy is it that we are not this minute in those unquenchable Flames where the exquisitness of the Torment should oblige us instead of crying for Mercy to breath out horrid Blasphemies And as we slighted his Government here Curse and Dam his severity thee still sinking our selves deeper in the intollerable Misery where will be no Mittigation of the Torment nor end to our sad Affliction Let us constrain all the forces of our Soul to praise God that we are alive entreating his Pardon Let us beg Pardon even for taking that liberty to praise him and withal that he would still help us to praise him more O let us reflect on every thing that may move us to confess our Wickedness and be sorry for our sins The thoughts of these things may well enough put us in a heat and when our Passions are throughly urged vent themselves in Sighs and earnest desires of Reconciliation that both of them may meet with success let us add alms to our Fasting and Prayer for when our Petitions are thus assisted the mercy of God will not deny us a suitable return therefore in the entrance to our Devotion let us set apart something for the Poor and humbly offer it up in the following form O God Blessed be thy Name all things come of thee and of thine own do I now give thee O let this Alms be as an Odour of a sweet smell and acceptable in thy sight Preparitory Prayers before the Communion ALmighty Eternal God thou art the comforter of all that call upon thee thou hast concluded all under sin that thou mightest have Mercy upon all Look upon me O God and have pitty on me lying in my Blood and Misery in my Shame and in my Sins in the fear and guilt of thy Wrath in the shadow of thy Death and in the Gates of Hell I confess to thee O God what thou knowest already but I confess it to glorifie thy Mercy who hast spared me so long I am guilty of the vilest and basest Follies which usually dishonour Fools and the worst of Men I have been Proud and Covetous Envious and Lustful Angry Indevout and Irreligious restless in my Passions Sensual hating wise Counsels and soon weary of the Offices of a Holy Religion I cannot give an account of my Time and I cannot reckon the Sins of my Tongue my Crimes are Intolerable my Imperfections Shameful and my Omissions Innumerable What shall I do O thou preserver of Men I 'm so Vile I cannot express it so Sinful that I 'm odious to my self and I 'm much more Abominable in thy sight I have sinned against thee without Necessity sometimes without Temptation only because I would Sin I have been so Ungreatful Foolish and Unreasonable that I have put out my own Eyes that I might with confidence and without fear sin against so good a God so mighty a Redeemer my sin is grown shameful and aggravated even to Amazement O God I 'm amazed and confounded in thy presence BUT yet O God thou art the healer of our Breaches and the litter up of our Head I must not despair I 'm sure thy gooness is infinite thou doest not delight in the Death of a Sinner my sins though very great are infinitely less than thy Mercies I 'm not worthy to look up to Heaven but be thou pleased to look down into the Dust let me not perish in my Folly or be consumed in thy Displeasure give me time to Repent give me the power of thy Spirit that as by thy Gift and Mercy I intend to amend what is amiss so I may indeed have Grace and Power faithfully to fullfil the same Inspire me with the Spirit of Repentance and Mortification that I may always fight against my sins till I be more than Conqueror Support me with a Holy Hope confirm me with an excellent Operative and unreprovable Faith enkindle a bright and burning Charity in my Soul and grant by the power of thy Spirit I may overcome all Carnal and Spiritual Wickedness be wholly delivered from sin preserved from thy Wrath and at last pass on to the Glories of thy Kingdom through Jesus Christ my Saviour A Meditation of St. Austin BEfore thy Eyes O Gracious Lord we bring our Crimes before thee we expose the Wounds of our bleeding Souls That which we suffer is but little that which we
through the Blood of the everlasting Covenant make me perfect in all good Works working always that which is well-pleasing in his sight and the Blessing of God Almighty the Father Son and Holy Ghost be with me for ever Amen Our Father c. Praise the Lord O my Soul Amen There is no occasion to prescribe any Rules for our Behaviour between the Evening Service and the time of rest we have already been informed that no part of this day when we don't communicate ought to be spent in our own inventions then surely it requires our strickest observation when we have had so great an honour confer'd upon us to be adopted the Children of God the thought of this will continually run in our mind and we shall have sufficient reason to be always praising God till Nature puts us in mind of our Necessities and that its time to commit our Souls and Bodies into his keeping when we shall be unable to take care of our selves THE CONCLUSION HAving thus begun our Course Let us run with dilligence the race that is set before us 'T is now that we are begun to be Christians and let us be very cautious how we discredit the holy Name by which we are call'd 'T is not sufficient to assume the Title without departing from Iniquity to compleat the Character Therefore at our return to the World let us have the mercies of God in continual remembrance let that goodness which has so far led us on to repentance move us to be zealous in his service and prevent our ingratitude by keeping our selves from every evil work Let us consider that we are bought with the price of the Blood of Jesus and looking upon our selves so redeem'd let us not sell our selves any more to work wickedness Let us consider the dignity of our Nature that God has made us but a little lower than the Angels that we only came into this World in order for a better that we were born on purpose to be eternally happy Why then should we do any thing to debase our selves and make us uncapable of that blessedness which the Wisdom and Goodness of Heaven has prepared for us The consideration of this will lead us to praise God for our Creation which we ought sincerely to do and shall want no motives to offer up our Thanksgivings if we consider the inestimable benefits we may receive by it Let us consider we are but begun in our way to Glory that to falter in our purposes wou'd endanger our ruin and to return wou'd be to lose the glorious pains we have been at in our conversion All those Prayers and Tears Fasting and Alms-givings which enter'd Heaven in our behalf and by the intercession of our Saviour done so great things for us will turn to our confusion be a terrible accusation of our hypocrisy and banish us to eternity from the presence of God besides how can we expect to attone Heaven if we should attempt a second Repentance when all our former Vows prove false Won't God be deaf to our complaints when they are usher'd in by such treacherous Advocates Can feigned tears move compassion from that God who is a lover of truth What form of Prayer will serve our turn when we have made use of the best composures as a mock to the Judge of Heaven Oh Christian since thou hast approach'd the Altar of God and there vow'd a perpetual Obedience to his Will as thou hopest Heaven has heard thy petitions and sign'd thy release as thou believest thou hast eat the Flesh and drunk that Blood of Christ and by that incomprehensible Mystery art united to our Saviour Jesus as thou hopest from this wonderful mercy to be raised at the last day to Eternal life live worthy of thy Calling by a perfect submission to the Will of God and a holy perseverance in his ways make thy Election sure Since thou hast thus put on the Armour of God and taken to thy self the sheild of faith resist the World the Flesh and Devil and thou shalt at last reap that reward which is laid up for those who have continued in well doing and by their constancy in some sort merited that eternal Gift of God which is a Crown of Glory in endless inconceivable joys Let us endeavour to fill our Souls with all vertues and when we are so happy as to have our inclinations after goodness that we have a fondness for the Glory of God and habituated our selves in his service we shall find the advantage of our conversion for besides the inward peace and satisfaction which is the result of a pious mind we may enjoy with more pleasure the Goods of this World than when we gave a loose to our desires and were led captive by our lusts when we so industriously persue our happiness we shall arrive to that degree of goodness which will make it as uneasie and difficult to commit wicked actions as 't was at first hard to refrain them We shall have an aversion to Vice and see our weakness and folly that cou'd be subject to its embraces it will then lose all its charms and we shall yield to that divine Truth that God is only to be loved that Religion is our wisest choice that to be happy is to understand her for her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace This indeed is what very few believe Men generally frame an austere Notion of Religion think it ties them up from the business and pleasure of this World they have an inclination to serve God but think he requires so much of their time that they have but little for themselves or Families This may be one reason why some are so religious by fits they are mighty zealous against an Easter or any particular time of Devotion but as soon as the Season is over return to their former habit of indifference and can give no other reason but that their Business calls them off as if Devotion consisted in saying just so many prayers at such an Hour to be in their Closset to fast such a day in the week and to neglect the Affairs of this World because we can't serve God and Mamon Such a Notion of Duty is certainly very prejudicial to the practise of Religion God created this World for our convenience and did not design we shou'd be preserved like the Lillies which toil not neither do they Spin but commanded man to get his bread with the sweat of his brow and can we think his labour shall be turn'd to his reproof that whilst he honestly persues the necessary Duties of his Calling that he shou'd be accused for not imploying that time upon his knees Providence has ordered very differing circumstances among men and to discharge with fidelity the Post in which he has placed us is part of our Religion and when justly perform'd as acceptable as our Devotion we may enjoy a great deal of this world and yet be very good