abused thy sacred name, ridiculed thy holy word, despised thy ministers, and made a jest of all that is serious! but now I flee unto thee by this holy sacrament, and cry, Lord, be merciful unto me a sinner!

If I have been proud and envious, passionate and angry, full of hatred, malice, and revenge; if I have been guilty of slandering and abusing, injuring and defrauding my neighbour; of lewd actions and obscene discourses; of profane and filthy jests, and of frequent cursing, swearing, and lying; O Lord, be merciful unto me a sinner!

More particularly, O Lord, I do most sorrowfully confess, and lament before thee, to whom all things are naked and are naked and open, that I have most grievously offended thee, by—[Here name particulars.] Lord! what scandal have I brought to religion; what dishonour to thy name; what reproach to the christian profession, by these my wicked and sinful practices! all which I surely trust shall be forgiven me, when now with a contrite heart I flee unto thee, and say, Lord, be merciful unto me a sinner! Amen.

A prayer to implore God's mercy and forgiveness of our sins.

The wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. vi. 23.

O my God! I have no hope but in that mercy of thine, which thou hast manifested in the redemption of the world, by thy son Christ Jesus; that alone is the support of my soul under all its sorrow and anguish. I know, O God, that thou sparest when we deserve punishment, and in thy wrath thinkest upon mercy: spare me therefore, O good Lord! spare me, and be not angry with me for ever: wash away all my sins in the blood of thy dear Son, who came into the world to save sinners.

O Lord, pardon and forgive, I most earnestly beseech thee, all the sins and transgressions of my life past, more particularly [Here mention the sins you are guilty of]. Cleanse thou me, Ο my God, from all my secret and unknown sins; and O! be thou reconciled unto me, and receive me into thy favour, which though I have hitherto so foolishly abused, yet I now value and prefer above all the pleasures of this world.

Give me, O Lord, I most heartily beseech thee, such an unfeigned repentance of all my past sins, such a hatred and abhorrence of my former evil ways, that I may, from this mo

ment, take a final leave of all my darling lusts and sinful pleasures. Give me that humble and contrite spirit, whose groans thou dost never despise, that faith which overcometh the world, and which will enable me to conquer my most inveterate habits; and that love which will make me afraid to offend thee, and which will inspire me with resolutions active and vigorous, honest and sincere; such as by the assistance of thy grace and holy spirit may carry me through all difficulties, and be proof against all the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil.

O Lord, hear me, O Lord, help me, and have mercy upon me: grant me the blessing of thy spirit, and of thy grace, that I may goduly prepared to thy holy table. O Lord, pity and save my soul, for thy truth and mercies sake, who gavest thy son Jesus Christ to die for all sinners, and to rise again for their justification. Amen. Blessed Lord! Amen.

Our Father, which art in heaven, &c.

Directions.

The foregoing prayer may be properly used, if time will permit, upon sacrament-day.

Here also observe the directions given on page 8, and more particularly endeavour to improve your soul by reading a lesson out of the New Whole Duty of Man, Sunday iv, Sect, iv and v.

Meditation: Wednesday Evening.

On the joys of heaven, which we begin to taste in a worthy receiving of the holy sacrament.

Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 1 Cor. ii. 9.

Look, O my soul! and behold that glorious state, prepared above, for the spirits of the just, made perfect. But how shall we, poor dust and ashes, and laden too with the burden of our sins; how shall we hope to ascend those higher regions, or claim a portion in that holy land? Fear not, my soul, ask the bright angels, what made them happy'; and straight they will answer with a sprightly voice, "We readily obeyed our great Creator; and he fixed us here to shine for ever." Ask the blessed saints, what brought them to felicity; and immediately they will tell you in the same glad tone, We faithfully loved our dear Redeemer, and that love has placed us here."

46

Look up, 0 my soul! and see the sacred humanity of thy dear redeemer; that blessed Jesus who died for us upon the cross, and now invites us to partake of his holy sacrament. See and rejoice in those eternal honours, which heaven and earth pay to their king.

What is a name of honour, or a momentary pleasure, compared to the bliss of an eternal paradise? what is a bag of money, or a fair estate, if counter-balanced with the treasures of heaven? How narrow there do our greatest kingdoms seem! how small a circle the whole globe of the earth! cities and towns show like little molehils, and the busy world, but as a swarm of ants, running up and down, and jostling one another; and all this stir, for a few grains or husks.

O heaven! let me again lift up mine eyes to thee; and take a fuller view of that glorious prospect. There let me stand and fix my steady sight, till I am fully convinced, that all the most prosperous fortune we can here possess, is all an idle dream compared to thy real joys; an absolute nothing compared to thy solid felicity.

Here observe the directions given on page 8, and more particularly endeavour to improve your soul by reading a lesson out of the New Whole Duty of Man, Sunday v, Sect. v. The Prayer on Wednesday Evening, for the attainment of everlasting happiness.

Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. John vi. 54.

O Most great, most mighty, and most glorious Lord God! look down from the habita