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not perish in my Folly, nor be consumed in thy heavy Displeasure. O gracious and loving Redeemer, to whom I am now approaching with hearty Desires and earnest Longings after thy Grace, in thine abundant Compassion accept, I most humbly beseech thee, of my unfeigned Sorrow for all my past Offences; the Remembrance of which is grievous unto me, and the Burthen of them is intolerable. O merciful Lord, who didst cast a favourable Eye upon Mary Magdalen's Tears, the bitter Weeping of Peter, and the humble Prayers of the poor Publican, accept of this my Humiliation; confirm my Resolutions, and seal my Pardon. Lord, I repent, pardon thou my Impenitence. Lord, I believe, help thou my Unbelief.

Lord, my Heart's Desire is solemnly to renew the sacred Vow and Profession made at my Baptism, to renounce the Vanities of this wicked World, all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh, and the Suggestions of the Devil. And it is my stedfast Purpose, thy Grace enabling me, to honour and obey thee, walking henceforth before thee, in Holiness and Righteousness, all the Days of my Life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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I, miserable

I, miserable Sinner, am unworthy even of the common Blessings of Life: yet, O God of all Grace, thou art pleased to permit me, nay, even to invite me, to tread thy Courts, to come to thy holy Table, and to Feast on Angels' Food. O fill my Heart with Thoughts of Gratitude and Love! for here I may renew that Covenant, which I have so often broken; 1 may get Strength against my Sins, and be enabled to crucify the Flesh, with its Affections and Lusts. O Lord, let the Sense of my Unworthiness always produce in my Mind lively and lasting Acknowledgments of thy infinite Goodness, that I may continue to shew forth thy Praise in a steady Course of a fruitful, thankful, and obedient Life, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

After this you may, without Scruple, go about whatever Business your Station in the Family makes necessary, and spend so much Time in Dressing as that you may appear neat and clean, though never so poorly dressed. And you need not expose yourself to the Danger of Sickness, or any other Inconveniency, by total Abstinence; but, without being nice in such Matters, you may take such a moderate Breakfast, as will keep up your Spirits under the Length and Fervour of your Devotion.

Till the happy Hour of receiving, be upon your Guard; let no criminal Thought, Word, or Deed, be indulged. In order to which, avoid every Thing

that

that may indispose your Mind for Devotion, but be very careful to keep yourself in such a heavenly Frame of Mind, as may in some Measure qualify you to meet your Saviour.

Be sure you be at Church before Prayers begin. Be very intent upon each Part of those grave, rational, and affecting Prayers, which are then offered up to Almighty God.

SERMON.

In hearing God's Word, apply the general Admonitions, and Exhortations, and Reproofs, to thy own Soul.

When the Sermon is ended, endeavour to compose your Thoughts, and raise your Affections to a devout Attendance on the succeeding Sacramental Service : let not the Thoughts of this World interrupt you in the sacred Ordinance. Let God's unspeakable Goodness to poor, miserable, sinful Worms, inflame your cold Heart with holy Love. Consider how chaste those Persons should be, who approach the Altar of the God of Purity; consider how clean those Hands should be, which presume to take and eat of the Bread of Heaven; how heavenly that Soul, which aspires to an Union with the Lord Jesus.

O LORD, help me to approach these holy Mysteries with Fear and Reverence, deep Humility and ardent Devotion: With an Heart full of Faith and Love; sensible of thy infinite Goodness in sending thy Son to die for me; and of his inexpressible Love in undertaking and accomplishing

the

the great Work of Man's Redemption.

Amen.

When you go to the Altar, meekly kneeling upon your Knees, say,

ASSIST me, O Lord, with thy holy Spirit in the Performance of this heavenly Duty. O touch my Heart with such an Awe of thy Presence, as may fix my wandering Thoughts, compose my unruly Passions, and raise in my Breast such longing Desires of being made comformable to thy holy Will and Pleasure, as may transform me into thy divine Image, and fix me to continue thy faithful Servant all the remaining Days of my Life; raise up my cold Desires, that I may feel the Power, and taste the Sweetness of this heavenly Feast.

O may the Sense of my Saviour's Sufferings inflame my Soul with Gratitude towards him, and powerfully incline my Heart to abhor and bewail those Sins which occasioned his Sorrows.

I come, Lord, to offer thee the Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving; to love and adore thee, the God of my Life. For Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive Glory, and Honour, and Power;

for

for thou hast created all Things, and for thy Pleasure they are and were created.

Where will you find any Form of Devotion more complete, rational, and affecting, than the whole Communion Service? It carries along with it so much of the primitive Simplicity, Gravity, and Piety, that it cannot well be excelled.

These Sentences which begin the Service are Persuasives to Charity, which is especially to be shewn at this Time, when we remember the infinite Goodness of our Saviour towards us; who, from the Throne of Glory, where Angels adore him, descended on this Earth, and submitted to die upon the Cross, only to save us from the bottomless Pit, and open the Gates of Heaven to all Believers.

These Oblations are to relieve poor helpless Children, desolate Widows, and other distressed Objects. But if you are Poor, and cannot give as you would, take Notice that the Alms collected at the Sacrament, are Matters not of Necessity, but of Free Gift, and every one is to give only according to his Ability, and as God hath enabled him. The poor Widow's neo Mites were preferred to the richest Offering of the Wealthy. And he that has nothing at all to give, is invited freely to partake of the spiritual Blessings, without Money and without Price.

Be very attentive, and make a short Meditation upon each Sentence.

When you make your Offering.

ALL I have comes from thy Bounty, O Lord, and to thy holy Name be the Glory. Blessed Jesu, as thou didst accept the poor Widow's Mite, be pleased

graciously

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