thou gavest thy Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life Have mercy upon me a miserable sinner O thou that despisest not a broken and a contrite heart and whose Will and Power nothing can resist O do thou create a clean Heart and renew a right Spirit within me O say unto my soul I will be thou clean and be it to thy servant according to thy word O thou that hast no pleasure in the death of him that dies and hast given thy Son to die that sinners may not die eternally Spare me Lord most holy O God most mighty and deliver me from the bitter pains of eternal Death O blessed Jesus who didst die to give a worth and value to Repentance and that Repentance and Remission of sins should be preached to all the world in thy Name O do thou make my Repentance such as thou hast required and wilt accept and let thy Merits render it effectual to the forgiveness of my sins O thou who didst taste death for every man and laidst down thy Life for those who were dead in Adam and hast promised to accept all such as come unto thee O cast me not away from thee but have mercy upon me O God my God O thou that hast bid such as are weary and heavy laden come unto thee and promised they shall find rest for their souls O Lord look down upon me who in the bitterness and anguish of my soul come unto thee and have mercy upon me O Holy and Ever-blessed Spirit whose sacred Fires melt down the hardest Hearts whose holy Aids are sufficient to help our Infirmities and whose Fruits are Repentance and Peace and Joy O do thou direct assist and guide my soul and keep me in all thy ways O thou that leadest the ignorant to the Truth sinners to Repentance and Righteousness and art the Comforter of the sad and wounded soul O do thou open my eyes to see the errors of my ways and my heart to hate and forsake them and let thy Grace and Comforts guide me in all my difficulties and support me in all my trials O Blessed Spirit who knowest the dangers that encompass and the temptations that beset and most easily prevail against me O be thou my Guide and never leave me nor forsake me but from the deceit of my heart from the wiles of Satan and the sad effects of ill Opinions Melancholy and Despair Good Lord deliver me O good God give me not up to my self and withdraw not thy Grace from me but assist and accept my Prayers and my Repentance and hear thy Son that is making intercession for me let his Blood atone for me and by his Stripes let my soul be healed O merciful Father who wouldst have me repent and live and by whose Grace and Aid I have here prostrated my self before thee to confess and bewail my sins and purposed to forsake them O do thou who knowest the deceit of my Heart the weakness of my best Resolutions and the power and prevalence of my corrupt Nature let thy Grace be sufficient for me and the helps of thy Spirit make my sorrow sincere my resolution stedfast and so change and consecrate my Affections that they may never more misguide me O thou that art the Maker and Lover of Souls Hear my Prayer Forgive my Sins Accept my Sorrows Strengthen my Resolutions Confirm my Vows and grant me Repentance to Life Eternal for Christ Jesus sake Amen Amen 5. A Prayer for Grace O Most merciful Father who knowest my inability to do any thing that is good without thee and with what subtilty and diligence the Devil lies in wait to deceive and ruine my Soul O good God let thy strength appear in my weakness and discover and disappoint the designs of the Destroyer and deliver me from the corrupt inclinations of my own nature Thou hast promised to give the assistance of thy Holy Spirit to those that ask it let that blessed Spirit direct and guide to and keep me in all thy ways let it never leave me nor forsake me nor be withdrawn from me but keep me in thy fear and in thy ways till it bring me to thy presence and thy glory through the merits of Jesus Christ my blessed Saviour and Redeemer Amen 6. A Prayer for Faith O Almighty God who art the Author and Giver of every good thing Purge out of my heart all Distrust and Infidelity and every mean and unworthy thought of thy self Lord help my unbelief and beget continue and confirm in my Soul such a lively active and vigorous Faith as may shew it self in Piety and good Works and be effectual to my Salvation among those who have not seen and yet believe that He who is the Author Foundation and Finisher of our Faith and has promised Life to those that believe in and through his Name may at last say unto me Come thou good and faithful servant enter into the joys of my rest which I humbly beg for Christ Jesus his sake Amen 7. A Prayer for Holiness O Almighty God who seest the frailties of my Nature and knowest how great the difficulties how numerous the temptations are that beset me and how hard it is for Man that is born of a Woman to be clean before thee and yet hast declared That without Holiness no man shall see thy face in glory O Lord with an eye of pity look down upon me let thy Grace supply the defects of my Nature and that merciful Providence that watches over us for our good keep back or deliver me from every temptation and that Goodness that is able to consecrate my affections be always ready to direct and guide me in all my designs and ways that thy Holiness may be my aim and thy Glory my desire and the assistances of thy Spirit carry my affections to things above and so purifie me from all filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit that I may be holy as Thou art holy that my Conversation may be in Heaven and a holy and unblamable Life fit me for that state of Holiness that is the reward of the Saints above Hear and answer me O Lord for Christ Jesus sake Amen 8. A Prayer for due preparation for Death and Judgment ALmighty God whose hands have made and fashioned us out of the dust and hast in thy Justice pronounced That to dust we must return again and appointed unto all men once to die and after that to Judgment and by my own frailties and the reproaches of my Conscience hast given me such certain presages of my Death and the Account I am to give that I shall be inexcusable if I be found unprovided for them O good God let the notices thou hast given me keep me always mindful of what I am and what I must be and the thoughts of Death and Judgment so conduct the whole course of my life that when it is thy pleasure to call me I may be fit to die and
give up my Account with joy and a just assurance of his favour and love who is my Saviour and my Judge Jesus Christ the Righteous Amen 9. The Penitent's Prayer of Resignation or devoting himself to God O Blessed Father by whose Power all things were made and for whose service and pleasure they were created and in resignation to whose holy will all our felicity consists in mercy look down upon a Prodigal thy Grace and Goodness has brought to a sense of his Duty I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am unworthy to be called thy Child but it is thy will I should return and thou art pleased to receive me as a servant O blessed Father I resign my self to thy service to be disposed as thou seest fittest for me Thine shall be my will I will esteem that wise and holy thou commandest true that thy word promises or affirms just and reasonable thou appointest and will believe it my greatest interest to follow where thou art pleased to call me And here O Lord I offer and present unto thee my Soul and Body to be a holy and a reasonable Sacrifice to thee What thy Grace has made thine let thy Goodness accept and preserve and thy Spirit seal to the day of Redemption for Christ Jesus sake Amen 10. A Prayer for the Church O Blessed Father by whose Wisdom and good Providence thy Truth has been planted and preserved in these Nations In mercy look down upon that Church thy own right hand has planted therein make us so sensible of the advantages of a holy and uncorrupt Faith of the truly pious and decent Worship and the Blessings of uncorrupted and undisguised Truth we enjoy in her Communion that laying aside our Heats and Prejudices we may all study the Peace and Honour of our Holy Mother and our unhappy Divisions give no occasion to the enemies of the Reformation to attempt or hope our Ruine More especially I beseech thee to give me Grace in my place and calling to live an useful Member of this thy Church till thou shalt call me to thy Church in Glory All this I beg for his sake who died for and is the Head of the Church Jesus Christ the Righteous Amen 11. A Prayer for these Kingdoms ALmighty God by whose Providence we are preserved from Confusion and Ruine Forgive our fins and continue thy Mercies towards us and by thy Wisdom and Blessing preserve and secure the Peace and Honour of these Nations Make the Government thou hast established a great Instrument of promoting thy Honour establishing thy Gospel and securing the Peace the Welfare and Prosperity of the People of these Kingdoms and make them so sensible of the Blessings they enjoy thereby that we may all study to be quiet and live in Peace and Love and Piety till thou think fit to receive us to thy eternal Kingdom thorough Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 12. A Prayer for the People of these Kingdoms ALmighty God who seest what ill use we have made of thy great Mercies toward us how we have abused thy Grace and Goodness how we are fallen from that Innocence and Vertue from that Plainess and Integrity that were once the Honour of these Nations and how far that unhappy Spirit of Scoffing Irreligion and Profaneness have prevailed amongst us O Lord if it be thy will put a stop to our Profaneness and let our Wickedness come to an end revive a Spirit of Holiness and Sincerity of Justice and Temperance of Charity and Peace and make us that happy People who have the Lord for our God for Christ Jesus his sake Amen Occasional Prayers to be added On Good-Friday O Holy Father who hast ransack'd thy own bosom for arguments of pity and in thy compassion taken measure by thy infinite and unspeakable Goodness and for thy Mercies sake given thy Son to be a Ransom and a Peace-offering for thy Enemies In Him in whom thou art well pleased look down upon me let his Sacrifice of himself atone for my sins his Blood make my peace and by his Stripes let my Soul be healed O God my God Amen Another Prayer for Good-Friday O Most Holy and Ever-blessed Jesus who wast pleased to die for sinners Have pity and compassion upon me a miserable sinner and that the imitation of thy Life and Sufferings may fit me for the Merits and Blessings thereof let thy Grace and Goodness give a due influence to thy Example let thy exemplary Patience and holy Resignation teach me to resign my self and my will to the Hand and the Will of God in all his dispensations thy Charity to forgive thy Meekness to humble every aspiring thought and preserve a Spirit calm and easie amidst all the Injuries and Provocations that befal me let the Power of thy Death overcome all my propensities to sin and thy Sufferings atone for it and since thou livest for ever to make intercession for sinners and hast promised to save to the uttermost all such as come unto thee Lord hear my Prayers forgive my Sins and save me in the day of Wrath O thou Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Amen For Ash-Wednesday or any other time of Lent O Almighty God who art always ready to give thy assistance to every good thought every honest intention and sincere endeavour to consecrate our selves to thy service yet hast taught us to hope for the Aids of thy Grace in the use of Fasting and Prayer Mortification and Self-denial and all other useful ways of subduing the Lusts of the flesh Give O Lord thy Blessings and Assistance to all that humble themselves before thee accept their Abstinence hear their Prayers and forgive their Sins Bless me O my Father let thy Spirit help my Infirmities and so assist me that my flesh being so subdued to the Spirit my Fasting may be consecrated to thee who seest in secret and thou mayest reward me openly among those who by keeping themselves from the defilements of the flesh shall be fitted to follow the Lamb for ever and ever All this I beg for his sake who fasted for ours Jesus Christ the righteous Amen For the Thirtieth of January O Almighty God who in thy Justice didst suffer these Nations to fall into Anarchy and Confusion and involve themselves in the guilt of innocent Blood the Blood of thine Anointed Look in mercy upon us and forgive our sins especially That of This Day let it never be laid to our charge and do thou spare us when thou makest inquisition for Blood and make us so sensible of our great provocations that we may all turn from the evil of our ways and our iniquities may not be our ruine O do thou who art the God of Peace and Love and Order inspire us all with a Spirit of Holiness and Charity of Meekness and Obedience and make us the People who have the Lord for our God for Christ Jesus sake our Saviour and Redeemer Amen For the
4. Penetential Litany 5. A Prayer for Grace 6. Faith 7. Holiness 8. Preparation for Death and Judgment 9. A Prayer of resignation 10. For the Church 11. Kingdoms 12. People 13. Occasional Prayers to be added A Meditation on the Mercies of God and his gracious promises to penitent Sinners GOD created Man that he might never want an eternal Subject of his mercy that he might have a Being to which to impart his Goodness and distinguish from the rest of the Creation by greater instances of that mercy which is over all his Works And when sin had made a breach betwixt God and Man and his Mercy might have given place to the severer attribute of Justice his Wisdom and Power were set on work to restore sinners to a possibility of that Mercy they had justly forfeited He gave his Son that they might not perish sent him from Heaven to preach Repentance and Remission of their sins and was content he should die to capacitate them to live and the Blessed Jesus that he might be the Image of his Father's Love and Goodness as well as Glory is come on purpose to be the Saviour of them that were lost and that he might be so has constituted an Order of Men to beseech sinners in his stead to be reconciled unto God and not only appointed them to be Guardians of his Truth but Preachers of his Charity who with an undistinguishing Goodness has tendred a pardon to all that return to him by Repentance Has not God said Ezek. 33.11 That he would not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn from his sin and be saved and can I think that God can contradict himself and believe 't is his will I should perish when he has said He would have me return and live Has he not said Isai 1.18 Though my sin be as red as scarlet yet if I cease to do evil and learn to do well they shall be white as snow though they be red as crimson they shall be as wool and shall I doubt what God has affirmed Has he not said John 3.16 That he gave his Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life That his death was intended as a sacrifice for all the world or That he tasted death for every man That he would have all men come to the knowledge of his truth that they might be saved and shall I distrust that goodness that is thus frankly tendred to all the world 'T is true I am a sinner but 't is such that need and 't is to such that God has tendred mercy I am a notorious offender but 't is for such Christ has died I am weary and heavy laden and my iniquity is greater than I can bear but 't is to such that Christ has promised rest And shall I rob my self of that mercy which alone can be sufficient for me shall I question that Merit that is enough to save the World or doubt the Goodness which nothing but my own impenitence can deprive me of Oh no! thy Mercy O blessed Father shall be my refuge Thy Merit O blessed Jesus shall be the foundation of my hope and let me never distrust thy Goodness O God my God! Thus the Penitent having fixed in his soul a just Idea of that Penitence God requires and of that unspeakable Goodness and Merit that can give acceptance and value to it hastens to discharge his guilty fears into the bosom that can pity and forgive them 2. His first or Morning Prayer acknowledging God's Mercy and imploring his assistance and acceptance O Most holy and eternal Father by whose Care and Providence I have been preserved the Night passed and by whose Mercy and Favour I have a few hours to live and fit my self to die To thy Name be eternal Thanks and Praise for these and all thy Mercies vouchsafed to me The last Night my Soul might have been required at my hands or in thy Justice thou mightst have taken me in the very act of Sin to the Judgment-seat and not have given me time to speak much less to repent but thou hast let me see that thou canst be good to me though I have been evil that thy patience and forbearance are greater than my provocations and that thou canst have pity on me though I have had too little compassion on my own Soul Lord redouble thy Blessings upon me by sanctifying them to me and teaching me to make a wise and a good use of all the advantages of Instruction and Advice of time and opportunity and all the means of Grace and Repentance thou vouch-safest unto me Bless especially my present endeavours to seek thy peace and favour and teach me so to judge my self that I may not be condemned in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen 3. A Confession of Sins O Almighty God who art a Searcher of the heart and a Trier of the reins and from whom no secrets are hid and yet wouldst have us confess our sins unto thee who art about our Path about our Bed and spiest out all our ways In mercy O Lord look down upon me who in the bitterness and anguish of my Soul come to prostrate my self before thee my sins are in thy sight and my unrighteousness is not hid the frailties of my Nature the corruptions of my Will and the disorders of my Life my abuse of thy Mercies my contempt of thy Judgments my repeated violations of thy holy Laws are more than I am able to express I have neither loved nor served nor obeyed thee as I ought to do I have broke through all the obligations of Duty and Interest to pursue my Lusts and Follies every little temptation has withdrawn me from thy Love and Service whilst thy gracious invitations the mercy of thy promises and assistances of thy Grace and Spirit have all been lost upon me O good God! I am troubled I am ashamed and confounded what shall I do or whither shall I fly how can I hope for thy Mercy that have deserved the rigours of thy Justice But since it is thy will that I should repent and live look down O Lord in mercy upon me who am unfit to look up unto thee and let thy Grace form in me such a sense of my sins that I may hate and forsake them and do thou O Lord according to thy multitude of Mercies do away my offences Lord spare forgive and pity me for Christ Jesus sake Amen 4. A Penitential Litany or short Prayers for Repentance Pardon and Grace O God the Father who wouldst not the death of a sinner have mercy upon me O thou God of Mercy that wouldst have the sinner repent and live give me a due sense of all my sins and then forgive and pity me O thou that wouldst have all men come to the knowledge of the Truth and be saved cast me not away from thee O holy Father who didst so love the world that
Second of September being the Fire of London O Almighty God whose Judgments are terrible and whose Mercies are infinite who hast testified thy displeasure at our sins in permitting the destroying Angel to kill thousands in our streets and even surfeiting the Grave with our Dead and when this would not reclaim us in laying waste our Dwellings and giving us so dreadful a remembrance of Sodom and Gomorrha in our punishment by fire O Lord make us all sensible of our provocations that have drawn down thy anger and let thy Judgments drive or thy Goodness lead us all to Repentance Awake us from our Security and drive out that unhappy Spirit of Profaneness and Luxury that has so long prevailed and raise up amongst us a Spirit of Holiness and Wisdom of Temperance and Charity and teach us all to live in thy fear and in thy favour O Lord forgive whatever I have contributed to the crying sins of the Nation and let my iniquity never draw thy anger upon thy People but make me an Instrument of doing thee service for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen For any Day of publick Fasting O Almighty God who hast premised to forgive the sins and hear the Prayers of all such as turn to thee by Repentance In mercy look down on thy People humbling themselves before thee in Fasting and Prayer O Lord make us all sensible of our great provocations and how just it would be in thee to give us up into the hands of those men whose mercies are cruel and pour out thy indignations upon us But with thee O Lord there is mercy that thou maist be feared O do thou spare us though we deserve punishment and in thy wrath think upon mercy Give us not over unto confusion nor let our Enemies say We have prevailed but by a general Repentance and Reformation fit us for thy mercy and then be good unto us as thou usest to be to those that love thy Name Forgive especially whatever I have contributed to the publick Guilts or done to hinder thy Blessings whether to Church or State and give me such a sense thereof that my present Repentance and future practice may be exemplary and the course of my life fit me for ever to live with thee in Glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer before Receiving the Sacrament MOst gracious Lord our God who wouldest not have the Prodigal lost and hast no pleasure in the death of him that dies but wouldst have men come to the knowledge of themselves thy Mercy and thy Truth that they may be saved O holy Father receive a relenting Prodigal to thy Arms a Sinner to thy Mercy and let thy Goodness so cover the errors of my past life my present sorrows for them and my resolutions of a better obedience that I may be accepted at thy Table that I may be admitted to all the benefits of thy Son's Death and Passion and his Blood may seal my pardon and the assistance of thy Grace direct and enable me so to live for the time to come that I may at last be received with all true Penitents to thy Mercy through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen In the time of Sickness O Merciful Lord who usest thy rod in anger as well as love and expectest that we should be bettered by every correction With the compassions of a Father look upon me teach me to call my ways to remembrance and find out the accursed thing that has brought this affliction upon me and make me so sensible of my manifold provocations and so sincerely to lament and abhor and forsake them that this correction may appear the effect of thy love and pity and by a serious and hearty Repentance a lively Faith and a just affiance in thy Mercy fit me for the Night in which none can work that if thou thinkest fit to spare me I may live an example of one bettered by thy Judgment or else reap the benefits of thy fatherly correction in an entire submission to thy will here and being received to thy Glory hereafter All for Christ Jesus his sake Amen CHAP. IV. His method of arming himself against the temptations of the world and strengthening his resolutions by reflecting 1. On Death and the dangers of delaying Repentance 2. The Judgment to come 3. Love of God 4. Prayer for Love of God 5. General Litany THus the Penitent having discharged his Soul into the bosom of a God forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin is ravished with the hopes of pardon and a prospect of that Goodness he is henceforward to adore and imitate and the peace and joy of an easie conscience raise so amiable an Idea of Vertue and Holiness that he fears nothing more than that the impressions should be lost that his resolutions should languish 'T is therefore his next care to fix a sense of his past transgressions and perpetuate the satisfactions of the change he has made and carry back with him to his station in this world such a passion for the Honour and Service of God as may animate the whole course of his conversation and lest the objects of sense or his too partial regard to his worse part lessen his concern for that better Subject of his love and care the blessed Image of his great Creator he endeavours to arm himself with such Reflections as these 1. His Reflections on Mortality and Death and the danger of a late Repentance 1. WHilst I carelesly tread upon the ashes of my Ancestors and the pleasures of sense cloud the notices my Creator has given me of Mortality my Senses do the business of my Reason for my Body gives me such certain notices of its own mortal state that I am as certain I must die as I can be that I am not a Stock or a Stone that I have the sense of feeling or am uneasie when my blood is in a flame or when I am crying out of the pains of the Gout or Stone But whether the thread of my life shall regularly consume or make but one short flame is a secret I cannot penetrate the time and manner of my Death are equally unknown to me I have no better assurance in what manner I must leave the world than when I must do it my Reason and my Senses may go before me and Death may seize me when I am able neither to speak nor think much less reflect or beg pardon and there is no Repentance in the Grave but as I leave this world Judgment will overtake me in the other or it may seize me in the very act of sin when my soul is poured out upon my Lusts and all my faculties and all my affections are engaged in my Folly and should I be thus surprized with what confusion and astonishment should I appear before Him that hates my sin and all in vain did so much to prevent my ruine and what can I hope for when my life shall appear but one long scene of
Temptation Good Lord deliver me From the Flatteries of the Great and the Snares of Prosperity from the hardship and temptations of Poverty from the Luxury aâ—â— Wantonness of Plenty from Pride and Haughtiness in good Circumstances and Dejection and Discontent in had Good Lord deliver me From peevishness and spiritual Pride the mischiefs of vain and fond Opinions an uneafie Temper and unruly Tongue from rash words and the surprizes of lust and folly and uncharitable thoughts and censures Good Lord deliver me From an hard Heart and an evil Conscience from wilful Ignorance and Error and Knowledge that puffs up from resisting or discouraging Truth and promoting Error for secular ends from appearing or doing good for bad purposes promoting chief under pretence of Religion the abuse of thy Grace and the dangers of a late repentance Good Lord deliver me O Blessed Lord from whom every good thing comes to whom every thing is possible and who out of Stones canst raise up Children unto Abraham have Mercy upon me and make me such as thou wouldst have me to be good Lord I beseech thee O Lord in whose Hand are the Hearts of Men and who turnest them where thou wilt create a clean Heart and a new Spirit within me and turn me Good Lord that I may be turned Thou knowest how imperfect my Sorrows are how easily my Vows are broken and my best resolutions brought to nothing O do thou that dwellest with the humble and scontrite Heart make mine truly â—uch make my Sorrows sincere and my Resolutions steddy and let it be ever my studdy and delight to do thy will O God my God Let thy Word be my Rule thy Grace my Guide and Assistance thy Goodness my Pattern and Example thy Promises my Encouragement and thy Joys my everlasting Recompence and Reward O let my Words be such as may minister Grace to the Hearers my demeanour innocent inoffensive humble and easie my Affections governable and my Life exemplary Let every Mercy have its due effect upon me every opportunity of repentance make me better and if a temptation prove too hard for me let me not sleep with an unrepented Sin in my Bosom but give me a penitent Heart a watchful and upright Conscience Let thy Goodness and Beneficence be my Pattern and make me useful in the station thou hast placed me in give me a Heart and give me Wisdom and ability to do good and let such a temper and disposition of Soul as delights in the good of others recommend me to that Charity that is pleased with the Sacrifices of well doing O good God! to whom every thing is possible sanctifie my corrupt Nature and let thy gracious aids supply all my defects and so help my Infirmities that I may live in thy Love and Fear may die in thy Favour and be prepared for the account I am to give and be received with thy Faithful Servants to the joy of thy rest A concluding Prayer recommending himself to God imploring his Pardon Favour and Acceptance and grace to live in his Fear and Love O Blessed Father by whose Grace and Goodness I have been brought to some sense of my sins and some imperfect endeavours to make my peace with thee by Repentance In pity and compassion look down upon a poor sinner thy Grace has brought into thy presence Prosper O Lord the work of thine own hand Receive a Prodigal thy Mercy has brought back to thy Arms Forgive all thou hast seen amiss in my approaches to thee and accept and perfect my desires of being reconciled to thee and living in thy Love and Favour and give me such assistances of thy Grace that for the time to come I may live in thy fear and favour and by Peace and Charity by Temperance and Integrity by Holiness and Righteousness approve the sincerity and truth of my sorrow and repentance for my past transgressions O Lord into thy hands I commend my self To thy keeping O my God I commit my Soul and my Body Preserve me from every sin every danger keep me always mindful of my promises and resolutions of Obedience of Death and Judgment of thy presence and the great Account I am to give that so I may be always fitted and prepared to serve and glorifie thee by a right use of those Blessings thou hast committed to my trust fitted to be received amongst thy faithful Servants into the Joys of thy Rest O Lord hear and answer pity and forgive me and be good to me beyond what I can ask or think And all for his sake who died for sinners To whom with Thee and thy holy Spirit be ascribed all Adoration and Honour all Praise and Thanks both now and for evermore Amen CHAP. V. His behaviour after his retirement or some short Rules by which he endeavours to manifest the sincerity of his Repentance and Love of God 1. In his diligence in his Calling Justice in his Dealings c. 2. Good of fices to all men 3. Peaceableness as a Subject 4. Charity as a Christian 5. Watchfulness over all his Actions and wise and sober use of God's Blessings THe devout Christian having thus enquired into the state and condition of his own soul returns to his station in the world and chearfully sets himself to do his Duty in which each circumstance has a particular regard He is industrious in his Calling and his justice in all his dealings consecrate his Cares and his Wealth to God He knows that Godliness has the promise of this as well as the other world and assures himself of God's Blessing upon his Industry But if God withhold his hand or keep back his bounty he believes the wise Disposer of all things sees it fittest for him and quietly submits if God prosper his Cares he is humble and thankful and charitable and God has the honour of his own Beneficence 2. The frailties of his own Nature and that immense Goodness that with an universal charity embraces Mankind give him so lively a sense of that regard he owes to human Nature that he loves and prays for all Mankind that he studies to imitate the Divine Beneficence in his endeavour to do good and be useful in the world and and by all the good offices of Humanity Charity and Friendship transcribe the Beneficence that is ever pleased with doing good 3. That tendency to society which he finds rivetted into his Natures is cultivated and improved by a just regard to that Power and Providence by which the world is govern'd He believes Government the Ordinance of God and tho it always carries some marks of the frailties of men yet this he looks upon as the infelicity essential to the present state of things and thinks it a very unreasonable peevishness to disturb the publick Peace because God thinks fit to govern us by men that have failings but since this is the common state of mankind and till all Power be swallowed up in the Kingdom of the Father there can be neither Governour nor Government without a fault he believes he ought to contribute all he can to publick Peace and study to be quiet 4. He blesses God for his unspeakable Mercy in admitting him into the place of his Church as a Member whereof he believes there is a new tie laid upon him to preserve the Peace and further the Welfare of all his fellow Christians if they fall into Error and violate either the Faith or the Unity of that blessed Society he believes Christ is the Head and Judge to and leaves the matter in his hand and whilst he adores the Goodness that has kept him in the ways of Truth and Peace he preserves a charity for those who have departed from them The holy ardour which inspired the Devotions of his Closet returns with him to his Calling where he feels the rewards of it in a chearful access to and holy warmth in the publick Worship of God and the satisfaction he tasts in the care of his own Soul impresses a value and esteem on those that watch for it 5. The peace and joys of a holy Conscience and the ease and pleasure of being reconciled unto God grow up into a resolution to break through the tyranny of evil customs to fly every danger and temptation that have betray'd him to sin to watch every opportunity to serve God or be useful to men especially not to bring a reproach on Religion by being sowr or uneasie or fright men from a holy austerity and frequent Accounts with God by denying himself the innocent joys of Conversation but on the contrary his care is to do justice to the Honour of his Lord by such useful converse and decent and chearful use of God's Blessings as may convince his enemies that the Christian may be temperate in plenty humble in greatness pious and devout in the highest station or most publick Trust and hope for an inheritance in another world without abandoning the innocent pleasures and true joys of this or doing any thing unworthy the greatness of his Birth his Quality or his Trust his Honour or Friendship his good Breeding or good Temper Thus resolved the Devout Christian carries his Repentance into the light and his Sorrows and Vows become visible in Piety and Good Works He lives over his Resolutions of a better Obedience and his publick Actions bespeak his Soul consecrated to God till some unhappy temptation break in upon him some new Blessings call him back again or the Joys of Peace and conversing with God or his care of a future Account call him afresh to his Father that sees in secret ERRATA Page 8. line 16. for removed read renewed p. 26. l. 8. for sins r. sense p. 69. l. 24. for hardiness r. hardness FINIS