When shall I fully please thee O that I could always serve thee that I could perfectly obey thee Grant me O my only Love that I may continually reverence and adore thee Permit me not O Lord Jesus ever to be seperated from thee Teach me inlighten me direct me and assist me in all things but especially at this time that I may do or say nothing but what is agreeable to thy blessed Will Amen I Have made a large Collection of Meditations and Prayers because of the difference of Congregations some are very numerous and I esteem them pertinent to regulate our thoughts in that interval before we go up to the Altar the lesser Congregations and they who are desirous to be first at the Holy Table may have advantage of variety and make use of them as their inclinations and opportunity will give leave Our thoughts are not always upon the wing we require diversity of Arguments to press us to a forwardness besides they are not designed that our mind should be wholly taken up with them that we should read them all and then think we may safely go up to the Altar of God The best composure in the World will be insignificant if we don't offer it with Devotion Sincerity and Affection one of these Petitions rightly performed is of greater Efficacy than the whole repeated in a rambling disorder Lord have mercy upon me a miserable sinner said with humility was more prevalent than the long Prayer of the wordy Supplicant God knows our necessity before we ask and if we ask with Faith depending on the incercession of our Saviour he will grant our Petitions even before they are ended so that I would have some of them repeated with deliberation and between them call in our thoughts reconcile them to our reason and faith and then offer them up with earnest devotion and so shall we be prepared to receive the Lord of Glory When we have made an end of these Meditations and are ready to go to the Holy Table rising from our Knees with Reverence let us say GReat Captain of my Salvation I am going to learn to fight the good fight of faith in the blessed Sacrament of thy Love let thy great Example there encourage me to fight against all Ambition and Ostentation Censoriousness and Uncharitableness against coveteous lustfull and blasphemous Thoughts against guile and hypocrisie discontent and mistrust of thy providence against such enemies give me Grace to fight over these let me Triumph that having striven lawfully I may at last be admitted to the sight of thy sweet self and be charmed with thy Love for evermore Having thus began our Warfares and declared our chiefest Enemies let us approach the Holy Altar that there we may put on the Armor of God and being endued with Righteousness from above may walk more securely and be defended from the subtilty of Men and Devils therefore as we are going up let us turn our thoughts to God in the following manner As we go up to the Altar I Come Lord Jesus O take me to thee for thou lovest me and hast prepared a Table for me in the seat of thy Love in the multitude of thy mercies O Lord God do I now approach thy Altar O pardon my Sins and receive me graciously if thou shouldst be extream to mark what is amiss O Lord who may abide it but with the Lord is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption Lord hast thou set open this fountain and wilt thou let a wretched creature die for thirst in thy presence Hast thou prepared such Balm to heal me and shall I languish here before thee I know if thou wilt thou canst make me clean here is the very instrument Grant therefore holy Jesus that I may duly apply it and rightly use it and then it shall prepare me for thee and unite me to thee by such inseperable Bonds as shall never brake unless Eternity have an end Blessed are they who so eat thy Flesh and drink thy Blood so as thou requirest and so as thy Saints have done for they have been cleansed at this fountain and here there Union with thee first began O happy opportunity Lord let me do it well this once and I am thine for ever Let us now kneel before the Lord and say O Jesu Son of God everlasting King receive my Spirit O my Life take my Soul my Joy draw my heart unto thee thou that art my Head direct me Light of mine eyes enlighten me O my comfort rejoice me my sweet Food let me eat thee O Word of God refresh me O Light Eternal shine thou over me that I may understand know and love thee After we have thus dedicated our selves to God let us humbly represent to him the occasion which drew us hither and beg for his promise sake that we may not be sent Empty away O Lamb of God thou hast said he that eateth thy Flesh and drinketh thy Blood hath eternal Life behold thy Servant O Lord be it unto me according to thy Word O Lord God I desire to renew my Covenant with thee and to seal it now with this Sacrament Lord put thy Laws into my mind and write them in my heart and for the passion of thy dear Son which I now commemorate be merciful to my Unrighteousness my Sins and Iniquities do thou remember no more but be thou my God and I will be thy Servant The Minister now approaching us we ought with the Centurion in the Gospel to acknowledge our unworthiness to receive so glorious a guest and after such a Humilliation let us look up with confidence and represent to the Father of Heaven the prevailing sacrifice of his Son LOrd I am not worthy thou shouldst come under my roof but speak the word Lord and thy Servant shall be whole Behold O Lord the sacrifice of the everlasting Covenant the Lamb that takes away the sins of the World Oh let all the World feel the power of his Intercession hear good Lord the cry of his Wounds and deny me not since I bring thy Son with me let us all know that he lives that was dead and is a live for evermore O holy Bread which camest down from Heaven and givest life to the World come into my heart and cleanse me from all defilements of Flesh and Spirit enter into my Soul heal and sanctifie me within and without O my Soul taste now and see how gracious the Lord is Whence is it that my Lord himself should come to me Let us now with steadfast Faith repeat after the Minister bowing our Bodies The Body of our Lord Jesus c. After we have received the Bread let us lift up our Souls in thankfullness and say Hail Holy Lamb of God thrice welcome art thou to a poor perishing sinner Glory be to thee O Lord who feedest me with the Bread of Life let thy crucified Body deliver me from this body of death Before the Cup. I Will receive the
deserve is intolerable We fear the Punishment of our Sins but cease not pertinaciously to proceed in sinning Our Weakness is sometimes smitten with thy Rod but our Iniquity is not changed When thou smitest us then we confess our Sins but when thy Visitation is past then we forget that we have wept When thou stretchest forth thine Hand then we promise to do our Duty but when thou takest it away we perform no Promises If thou strikest we cry to thee to spare us but when thou sparest we provoke thee again to Anger Thus O God the Guilty confess before thee Unless thou givest us Pardon it is but just we perish But O Almighty God our Father grant to us what we ask even though we deserve it not Pardon us O Gracious Father and take away all our Sin Destroy the Work of the Devil let the Enemy have no part in us Acknowledge the Work of thine own Hand the Price of thine own Blood and the Purchase of thine own Inheritance and bring us to the Place which thou hast design'd for us by the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant by the Pains of thy Cross and the Glories of thy Resurrection O Holy and Blessed Jesus our Redeemer MOst merciful God and Father I thine unworthy Servant render my humblest Thanks to thy Divine Majesty that it has pleas'd thee notwithstanding my Unworthiness to give me a Heart to approach thy Blessed Sacrament Give me thy Grace that I may be a curious Spender of my Time this Week so as I may best resist or prevent all Temptation Let thy Grace so perpetually assist and encourage my Endeavours conduct my Will and fortifie my Intentions that I may persevere in that holy Condition which thou hast put me in by the Grace of the Covenant and the Mercies of the Holy Jesus Oh let me never fall into those Sins and retire to that vain Conversation from which the Eternal and Merciful Saviour of the World hath redeemed me Let thy Preventing Grace dash all Temptations in their Approach that my Hopes be never discompos'd my Faith weaken'd my Confidence made remiss nor my Portion be lessen'd in the Covenant Give me Grace to put on the Wedding-Garment And since thou hast commanded me to examine my self let me seriously consider and review my Life and Actions and how I am prepar'd for so weighty an Action I desire to do this O Lord help my weak Desires Give me Power to live more exactly than I have done I confess O Lord I am by Nature a Child of Wrath give me therefore a True and Lively Faith that I may be spiritually join'd to thee by the Visible Signs of Bread and Wine And so cleanse my Soul that thou mayest take up thy Habitation within me I know O Lord I am unworthy of this Blessing yet for thy Name sake bestow it upon me And when I present my self before thee at thy Table restrain my Wandring and Idle Thoughts let them be seriously fix'd on the Death of my Saviour And as I receive this Bread and Wine for Bodily Sustenance so cause me to feed on the Body and Blood of my Saviour that it may be real Nourishment to my Soul Which I beg for the sake of him who offer'd both his Body and Blood for my Salvation Jesus thy Son and my Redeemer Amen O Most Good and Gracious Jesus how excellent was thy Love towards us thou leavest thy Body and Blood to be our Food to Nourish us O thou true Food of my Soul receive me who am to receive thee quicken me with thy Spirit feed me with thy Flesh satisfie me with thy Blood and let me receive Life from thee to act and live unto thee O my Lord give me a Heart that I may think on thee a Soul that I may love thee and a Mind to remember thee Let me find thee O my hearts desire let me hold thee O thou whom my Soul doth love O my life for whom all things live by which I live without which I die O my Lord let me renew this life of mine by coming to thy Holy Sacrament Where may I find thee but here O that I may faint in my self and depend on thee O Lord let me love thee because thou didst first love me Where shall I get words to express the signs of thy particular great love towards me I bless thee for my Creation Preservation and all the Blessings of this life but most of all for my Redemption and the benefits convey'd to us in the Holy Sacrament O let me go to thy Holy Table to receive Life and Salvation O that I may cry after God even the living God that I may watch for thee more than they who watch for the Morning and that my delight may be in thy Commandments O God I Dare not presume to come to thine Altar Most Holy Lord God before I have cleansed my Mouth by confession of my Sins washed my Hands in Innocency and purified my heart by profession of my Faith in my Redeemers Blood for thy sacred Word teaches me that Holy Thing must not be given to Dogs nor Pearls cast before Swine with loathing of my self and greatest detestation of my rebellious corruption I confess that never Dog so oft returned to his Vomit nor Sow to wallowing in the Mire as I have to sin and sensuality I was at first conceived in Lust and since Lust has conceived in me and brought forth sin and sin had long ago brought forth Death if thy Grace and Mercy had not prevented it I am not able to conceive what sin I have conceived in my heart or uttered with my tongue my best actions are tainted how much more my defects my Prayers against sin are through their many imperfections unless thou cover them abominable in thy sight how much more the sins themselves against which I pray All the remedies which thou hast prescribed in thy Law against the maladies of my Soul have increas'd them and so improv'd my sin that sin is become above measure sinful O Lord thy Commandments are exceeding Broad and extends not only to our Words and Actions but to our Thoughts Desires and Affection the smallest desire of sin is sin the very inclination to sin without consent of the will the delight in sin against the consent of the will our vain fancies by Day and dreams by Night though not in our power to prevent are pollutions in thy Eyes who are purity it self Who then can say his Heart is clean or who knoweth how oft he offendeth O cleanse thou me from my secret Faults Pardon all my known and unknown Transgressions whether they be Omissions of any duty Commanded by thee or Commissions of any thing forbidden O loose me from those Bonds wherewith Satan and my own Lust have bound me thou seest I have abundant need of thee but am so cloged with Guilt that I am not able to move towards thee O let not my impenitence and unworthiness
Glory can intend by puzelling themselves and every Body else with their pretentions to more Reason than God has given them I can't imagine unless under the disguise of Charity to our Reason they would subvert our Religion and by pretending to bring the sublime Truths of God's Word to our understanding they would Ridicule the hidden things of God and so open a way for Atheism and Insidellity by denying first that there is any thing which our reason can't comprehend and then that there is nothing in the Scripture but what can easily be understood This is to make our Reason not the Scripture a rule of Salvation and when once our sense is to judge of these Divine Truths all of them that we can give a Mathematical Account of must be rejected And yet that there are such truths of which they can have no Idea is certain and after all they must own that either they are not to be understood and yet believed or else that they are Non-sence and contradiction which is an impudence they dare not publickly own and what would be fatal to their designs for the Socinian needs only appear in his proper Colour to make him abhor'd and rejected by all and lookt upon as an Enemy to God Religion and the common sence of Mankind But there is yet another sort who pretend an Obedience to the Gospel of Christ and yet make that easie rule of Salvation so confused and perplex'd that either they dare not or cannot give an account of their Faith Their principles if they have any are as unaccountable to themselves as to the World and they agree in nothing so much as to oppose the plain sense of the Scripture that Baptism and the Lord's Supper are positive Institutions the one to be perform'd by Water in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and the other by Bread and Wine in remembrance of our Saviour's Death and Sufferings are as plainly and positively commanded as any one thing in the Scripture That the Apostles and primitive Christians made it their Practise is capable of the same proof as the Scriptures themselves they went about Preaching the Lord Jesus and Baptising all that believed in his Name and the condition of Salvation in those days was Faith Repentance and Baptism that to strengthen People in their Faith they meet on the first day in the Week to break Bread and St. Paul is very careful to instruct our Behaviour that we might receive the Bread of the Lord worthily Yet notwithstanding this as if an aukerd Gravity and sullenness of Behaviour were to pass for Authority they pretend by a New Light to another understanding of the Scripture and impudently prevert that Sense which the Christian Church for 1600 Years and more submitted too So unwilling are they to go to Heaven in the steps of their Fathers that they prefer every wild Enthusiastick Notion to the written Word of God and so fearful of following the Examples of Tradition that each Man sets up for a Rule to himself they have no Priests as well as no Sacraments no settled constitution of a Church and are so little observers of St. Paul's Command to do all things with Decency and Order as if he did not speak it by the Spirit but to gratifie his own Superstition they live as if the Gospel was all Privilege and no Duty are Enemies to a form in Divine Worship and in spight of the Scripture which commands Women to be in silence will needs have them for Speakers among them thus do they play at cross purposes with the Word of God and by their Obstinancy and Fantasticalness make it of none effect But there is an Argument against them which they never thought fit to answer and till they can must be thought Enemies to the Gospel of Christ An Ordinance once enjoyn'd and never repeal'd is still in force but Baptism by Water was once enjoyn'd but never repeal'd Ergo and so of the Lord's Supper and what ever else is accounted an Ordinance in the Church of God and all that lies upon us to prove is That what we assert is an Ordinance and was enjoyn'd by lawful Authority and this is what the Scriptures prove themselves and what has been strengthen'd by the Arguments and Practise of the Church down to this day So that if there is any such thing as Unbelievers false Teachers and denyers of the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles we may find them in this wretched Sect of pretenders to Christianity But now among these who have no knowledge of the Truth or hold it in Unrighteousness or put Godliness into a Form to draw the ridicule and scorn of the World it s no wonder to meet with them Debauch'd or fill'd with Pride Conceit and Devillishness or Deceitful trusting in themselves Hypocrites turning the truth of God into a lie But that we who are Born in a Nation where the true Religion is Established by Law and have all the Advantages which God can give us to make us Happy Our Church teaching us the form of sound Words once deliver'd to the Saints and makes the Word of God her Rule of Faith the Example of the Apostles and Primitive Fathers her Guide and her constitution such as Decency directs that we in the midst of such assistances should fail of the end of Creation and in the spight of God's Grace and Mercy deprive our selves of everlasting Happiness by living in Disobedience to this Church in contradiction to the word of God and in defiance of what our reason tells us is both our interest and duty Whence is this hardness of heart that Men forget they were Baptised and live as if they never heard of Religion Let us all put the Question to our selves and see whether one Reason of this Stupidity and Wickedness is not from our Neglect in the Education of those committed to our Charge We are dedicated to God and Religion as soon as Born according to the command of our Saviour but since most of us are borought to the Church when through our tender Years we are not capable to judge nor perform what is required of us The Church according to an Ancient Prescription has appointed Sureties in our behalf they solemnly Engage for us till we come to an Age that we are able to take care of our selves Whence is it then that notwithstanding this Prudent care of the Church so few are bred up to those Pious Rules prescribed in our Baptism and how many less when they come to Age think themselves bound to perform what was vow'd in their Names Do they who are God-fathers perform their part Do they endeavor early to instruct their Children and inform them to what advantages they are Born that they promised by them who are their Sureties to perform their duty to God and their Neighbour that now they are able they are to be accountable for their own Actions and take upon them that Solemn Engagement to
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
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