A Prayer to God, that he would be pleased to affift us in our Preparation to receive the bleed Sacrament.

I

gra

Proftrate myself before thee, my most cious God and merciful Father, in an humble Acknowledgment of my Unworthiness, and Infufficiency of myfelf, for any Thing that is good. I know, O Lord, that without thee I can do nothing, and therefore do humbly implore thy gracious Affistance and Acceptance of my Endeavours to prepare myself for the worthy Receiving of the holy Sacrament of the Body and Blood of thy dear Son.

Stir up, I befeech thee, fuch pious Affections and Difpofitions in my Soul, and fill my Mind with fuch holy Meditations, as are fuitable to this important Occafion: Grant me such a Senfe of my Sins, and of the Sufferings of my bleffed Saviour for them, as may affect my Heart with a deep Sorrow for my Sins, and an eternal Hatred and Difpleasure against them; and may effectually engage me to love and live to him who has loved me at fo dear a Rate, as to wash me from my Sins in his own Blood".

I cannot but acknowledge, Lord, with Shame and Confufion of Face, that I have often negligently abfented myself from thy holy Table; that I have often partook of it with Coldness and Indevotion; and that I have highly deferv'd to be for ever deprived of this moft admirable Help which thou haft afforded to Men, to ad

[g] John xv, 5. [h] Rev. i, 5, [i] Dan, ix, 8.

vance them in the Paths of Piety: Yet, O God, thy Mercy, which always rejoiceth again Judgment, is not yet exhausted: Thou haft hitherto spared me, according to the Multitude of thy tender Mercies': Thou ceaseft not to draw me unto thee with the Cords of a Man, with Bands of Love"; and thou ftill vouchfafeft to lead me to Repentance, by the Richness of thy Goodness, and Forbearance, and long fuffering":---Senfibly affected with thy merciful and unmerited Indulgence, I will now come to do thy Will, O God. I earnestly defire to make a better Ufe for the Future of thy kind Invitation: I defire to prefent myself at thy Table, with all the Devotion that I am capable of; and I rejoice beforehand, that the Time of celebrating the Memory of my Redemption draweth nigh, when I fhall have the Opportunity to blefs and thank thee, from the inmost Receffes of my Heart, for the ineftimable Benefits which accrue to us from the Death of Chrift. How happy fhould I think myself, was but my Gratitude in fome Measure equal to the Greatnefs of thy Love! O grant that the repeated and precious Proofs thou giveft me of thy wonderful Goodness, may have their due Weight upon me, and induce me to give up myself to thy Service, walking before thee in Holiness and Righteousness all the Days of my Life PP. O God, which workeft in me to will, work alfo to do of thy good Pleasure, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

[k] James ii, 13. [1] Pf.li, 1. [m] Hof. xi, 4. ii, 4. [a] Heb. x, 7. [9] Phil. ii, 13.

[P] Luke xxi, 28. [pp]
G 3

[n] Rom.

Luke i, 75;

A pene

[6]

Here follows a particular Enumeration of SINS against God, our Neighbour, and our Selves, for the eafier Examination of our Lives; very proper to be used frequently, especially on Fridays and other Days of Fafting, and before the Sacra

ment.

SINS against GOD, are Atheism, denying Providence, Blafphemy, Superftition, Idolatry, Witchcraft, Foolifonefs or grofs Ignorance of our Duty; Unbelief; hating God; want of Zeal; diftrufting him; not praying to him; Unthankfulness; Difcontent in our prefert Condition, or repining at his Ordering; Fearlefnefs, or venturing on any Thing, tho' we know it will offend him; Common Swearing; Perjury; Prophanenefs; Difobedience.

SINS against our BRETHREN AT LARGE, which are Sins of

Injustice, as Murther; False-witness; Slander, i.e, defaming them with falfe Things; Lying; Unfaithfulness, or Breach of Promife; Theft; Oppreffion, i. e, wronging one that cannot cope in Contention; Extortion, or depreffing in bargaining; Circumvention, or going beyond our Brethren. Uncharitableness, as Wickedness, i.e, a Delight in doing Mischief, and making Work for others; defpifing and hating them that are

[r] Taken out of Mr Kettlewell's Help to worthy Compu cating.

good;

good; giving Scandal to weak Brethren, i.e, laying in their Way an Occafion of Sin; Envy, rejoicing in Evil; Uncharitableness in Alms; fuffering falfe Stains to flick upon others, when it is in our Power to vindicate them; EvilSpeaking, or divulging any Ill we hear or know of them; Cenforioufness, i. e, a Proneness to blame and condemn them; Backbiting; Whif pering; Railing; upbraiding them with our Kindnefs; reproaching them with their own Faults; mocking them for their Infirmities; Difficulty of Accefs; affronting them; Uncour teoufnefs; Uncondefcenfion; Unhofpitableness towards Strangers; Surlinefs; Malignity, or puting the worst Senfe on what is faid or done by others; Unquietness; Unthankfulness; Anger; Variance; Bitterness; Clamour; Hatred and Malice; Implacableness, or Difficulty in being appeased after any Offences; Revenge, or returning II for Ill; Curfing Enemies; Haftiness and Rigour in exacting Punishments. Difcord, as Unpeaceableness, Emulation, or provoking one another; Pragmaticalness, or being Bufybodies; Tale-bearing; not fatisfying for Inju ries; Contentioufnefs; Divifion and Faction; Herefy; Schifm; Tumult.

SINS against our BRETHREN in PARTICULAR RELATIONS.

SINS against SOVEREIGN PRINCES; as Dishonour; Irreverence; speaking evil of Dignities; refufing Tribute and Taxes; Traitorousnefs; neglecting to pray for them; Disobedience to them;. Refiftance and Rebellion.

.

SINS agajnft BISHOPS and MINISTERS; as Dishonour of them, efpecially for their Work's Sake; Irreverence; not providing for them; Sacrilege, or taking away either by Force or Fraud thofe juft Dues which were given to God for their Support; not praying for them; Difobedience.

SINS of MARRIED PERSONS; as

Unconcernedness in each other's Condition; not bearing each other's Infirmities; provoking each other; Estrangedness; Unfaithfulness to the Bed; publishing each other's Faults; not praying for each other; Jealousy.

Of the HUSBAND against the WIFE; as

Not maintaining her with convenient Supplies; not protecting her from outward Annoyances; Imperiousness, or a harfh and magifterial Exercife of Commands; Uncompliance with her reasonable Defires, and Uncondefcenfion to her pitiable Weakness.

Of the WIFE against the HUSBAND; as Dishonour in inward Efteem and Opinions; Irreverence in outward Carriage; Unobfervance, in not forecasting to do what may please him; Difobedience to his juft Commands; cafting off his Yoke, or Unfubjection.

SINS of PARENTS and CHILDREN; as Want of natural Affection; not praying for each other; Imprecation.

Of the PARENTS against the CHILDREN; as Not providing for them; irreligious and evil Education; provoking them to Anger by imperious Harshness and needlefs Severity in governing; [giving a bad Example.]

Of