fion`and Death of Chrift, He will as verily forgive them all their fins, as they are made Partakers of this Sacrament. Fourthly, To be a Sign, Symbol and Pledge of the moft near and effectual Communion which Christians ha e with Chrift; fo near a Union, that God esteems them as Members of his Dear Son: from which there flow to the Faithful many unspeakable Benefits: I, Chrift took by imputation all their Sins and Guiltinefs upon Him to satisfy God's Juftice for 'em, and He freely gives by impu tation unto them all his Righteousness in this life, and all his Right unto eternal life when this is ended : and counteth all the Good or Ill that is done unto them, as done anto his own Perfon. 2, There flows from Christ's Nature into their Nature united to Him, the lively Spirit and breath of Grace, which Renews them to a Spiritual life; and so fanctifies their Minds, Wills and Affections that they daily grow more and more conformable to th' Image of Christ. 3, He beftows upon them all faving grace neceffary to attain eternal Life, as the fer.se of God's Love, the af furance of their Election, with Regeneration, Juftification, and grace to do good works, till they come to live with Him in his heavenly Kingdom. 4, From the former Communion 'twixt Chrift and Chriftians there flows another Communion 'twixt Chriftians among themfelves, co firm. ing a League of Love and Friendship with all their Brethren. Fifthly, To be an affured Pledge to us of our Refurrection : 1, the Spiritual Resurrection of our fouls from the death of Sin, call'd the First resurrection; 2, the Corporal Refurrection of our Bodies at the last Day. call'd the Second Refurrection.Sixthly,to feed the Souls of the Faithful in the Hope, and feal unto’em th' Aflurance of Everlasting Life. §. 4. Of Judging my felf before the Communion.

I Must Examine the whole course of my Life by the Decalogue, or Ten Commandments, as aifo by my Baptismal vow, and the New Covenant; inquiring narrowly what my Breaches thereof have been, both for Kinds and Degrees, by fins of Omiffion and Commiffion, of Knowledge & careless Ignorance, of Wilfulness and of Weaknes, in Thought, Word, and Deed; and indeavor to put msy Soul into that order and state of good things, as if I were that day to dy, and suppose my self standing before the É 3

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Part 1. Tribunal of God's Judgment; and finding what makes me moft afraid, both of Omiffions and Commiffions, learn to make provifion accordingly, by grieving for all my fins, refolving to amend all, and actually to watch and pray against all, well confidering where I fail ofteneft, from what Principle, what are the beft Remedies, and ftedfaftly purpofing to pafs to the real and vigorous ufe of 'em, and to indeavor to ftir up every Grace which I am to exercife in my Converfation, and to thrust my felf forward in zeal of thofe Graces, not only to quit all my Actual fins, but alfo to amend my Lukewarmnefs, and repair my Neglects. And to eff & all this, I muft ift. Have the Prefence of God frequently in my thoughts. 2dly, Indeavor to bring it to pafs to have fuch a great Dread and Reverence of God, that I may be more afhamed and really troubled, and confounded to fin in his prefence, than in the fight and obfervation of the beft and fevereft Men. 3: Punish my felf with fome proportionable Affliction of the Body, or Spirit. for every Breach of the Sabbath, Excefs in eating and drinking, or any other irregularity, or return of indecency, in that inftance in which I fet ny felf to mortify any one fpecial Paffion, or Temptation. 4, Firmly purpofe in every thing which is not well, not to stay a minuit, but to repent inftantly of it, feverely to condema it, and to do fomething at the first opportunity for amends. 5. Refolve against an Inftance of Infirmity for fome fhort, fure, and conquerable periods of time as not to Curse, fwear, or take God's Name in vain for a day; or for a day not to flander, backbite, quarrel, or what else I'm given to or not to come into fuch bad Company, or Drink fuch a Liquor, for a Week; or for a Month not to be Drunk, or Fuddled, &c: and then fometimes for two Days, two weeks, two Months; and fo dyet my weak Soul with little portions of food, till it be able take in and digeft a full Meal. 6, Meditate often every day of Death, or the Day of judgment. 7, I must be fure to be ashamed, and humbled for my want of Indifpofition and flow Progreffion in the Discipline of Chrift; and if I be truly humbled for my want of Improvement, 'tis certain I have improv'd; and if I come with Fear and trembling, it is very probable I fhall come in the fpirit of Repentance and Devotion to this moft comfortable Sacrament of the Body and Bloud of Christ,

§. 5.

§. 5. HERE follow brief Heads of Examination upon each of the Commandments; all which I must carefully apply, and ask my Heart feriously at every one, Have I not been fuch a One? Done this evil? Neglected this duty? And when my Confcience answers, Yes, then I must most paffionately cry out, Lord have mercy upon me, and forgive me this or that Sin; and being afraid to transgrefs hereafter, and therefore defiring never more to offend, I must add, Lord incline my heart to keep this Law. ↑

$. 6. I. Commandment.

THO' I have not Atheistically deny'd the Being of God, or wickedly renounced Him by Apoftacy; Yet, have I not lov'd, defired, and delighted in other things more than God? Have I not fear'd Men more than God, and finn'd against Him to avoid their displeasure, or outward fufferings? Have I not trusted in Man, and rely'd on outward Means more than on God, in my Wants, dangers, and diftreffes? Have I neither neglected Lawful means, nor ufed Unlawful means to bring me out of Troubles? Have I not despaired of God's mercy fo as to neglect my Duty; or, by prefuming upon it, incouraged my felf to go on in Sin? Have I not been fearlefs of the Divine threatnings; and yet discontented with, impatient under, and unreform'd by God's corrections? Have I not been unthankful for good have, things or ascribed the praife of what I am, or can do, to fortune, my felf, or any other creature? Lord have mercy upon me : and incline my heart to keep this

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§. 7. II. Commandment.

THO' I have not Worshipped God by Images, Yet, Have I not entertain'd grofs, and falfe conceptions of God and worshipped Him fo as is unbecoming his Divine Nature? Have I not fail'd in any of the parts of Religious Worship? Have I not either omitted, or flighly perform'd Morning and Evening Prayer, and Reading the holy Scriptures? Have I not been indifferent and cuftomary as to my going to the Publick Worship? Have I not behaved my felf there without reverence and Devotion, forgetting the Prefence of th' invisible God whom I ferve? Have I not by defign, or carelefly neglected the Lord's Supper, or come to it ignorantly, rafhly, and without

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Preparation? Have I not receiv'd it irreverently, and without Spiritual affection, or broken the Vows and Promifes I then made? Lord have mercy upon me : and incli• ne &c.

§. 8. III. Penitential Pfalm, 38.

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puc me not to rebuke, O LORD, in thine anger: neither chaften me in thy heavy difpleafure. For thine arrows' stick faft in me and thy hand prefleth me fore. There is no health in my flesh, because of thy difpleasure: .neither is there any reft in my bones, by reafon of my fin. For my wickedneffes are gone over my head and are like a fore burden, too heavy for me to bear. My wounds ftink, and are corrupt through my foolishness. I am brought into fo great trouble and mifery, that I go mourn ing all the day long. For my loyns are filled with a fore difeafe and there is no whole part in my Body. I am feeble and fore fmitten: I have rored for the very difquietness of my heart. LORD, Thou knoweft all my defire and my groning is not hid from Thee. My heart panteth, my ftrength hath failed me: and the fight of mine eyes is gone from me. My lovers and my neighbors did ftand looking upon my trouble and my kinsmen stood afar off. They also that fought after my life, laid snares for me: and they that went about to do me evil, talked of wickedness, and imagined deceit all the day long. As for me, I was like a deaf man, and heard not: and as one that is dumb, who doth not open his mouth. I became even as a man that heareth not: and in whofe mouth are no reproofs. For in Thee, O LORD, have I put my trust: Thou shalt answer for me, O LORD my God. I have required that they, even mine enemies, fhould not triumph over me for when my foot flipt, they rejoyced greatly against me. And I, truly, am fet in the plague: and my heaviness is ever in my fight. For I will confefs my wickedness and be forry for my fin. But mine enemies live, and are mighty and they that hate me wrong fully are many in number. They alfo that reward evil for good, are against me: because I follow the thing that good is. Forfake me not, O LORD my God be not Thou far from me. Hafte Thee to help me: O LORD God of my Salvation. Glory be to the Father . As it Das &c.

§.9.

§. 9. Il Divine Colloquy. Soul. LORD, wherefore wouldft Thou begin thy Paffion in a Garden? Chrift. Be caufe that in a Garden fin took first beginning. So. Lord, why did thy three felect Difciples fall faft afleep whenThou beganft to fall into thy Agony? Chr. To fhow that I alone wrought the Work of thy Redemptiom. So. Why, Lord, were there fo many Plots and fnares laid for Thee? Ch. That I might make thee to efcape all the fnares of thy Ghoftly Hunter. So. Lord, why wouldft Thou fuffer Fndas (betraying Thee) to Kifs Thec? Ch. That by induring the word's of diffembling Lips, I might there begin to expiate fin, where Satan first brought it into the world. So. Lord, wherefore wou'dft Thou be fold for thirty pieces of filver? Ch. That I might free thee from perpetual Bondage. So. Lord, why didft Thou pray with fuch ftrong crying and tears? Ch. That I might quench the fury of God's Juftice, which was fo fiercely kindled against thee. S. Wherefore, Lord, waft Thou fo afraid and caft into fuch an Agony? C, That fuffering the Wrath due to thy fins, thou mighteft find more Comfort in thy Croffes, and be more fecure in thy Death. S, Lord, wherefore didft Thou pray fo oft, and fo earnestly that the Cup might pafs from Thee? C. That thou mighteft perceive the horror of that Curfe and wrath which, being due to thy Sins, I was then to drink and indure for thee.S.Lord, why didft Thou, after thy Wish, fubmit thy Will to the Will of thy Father? C. To teach thee what thou shou❜dit do in all thy afflictions, and how willingly thou fhou'dft yield to bear with patience that Crofs which thou leeft to come from the juft hand of thy heavenly Father: S. Lord, wherefore didft, Thou sweat fuch drops of water and bloud? C. That I might cleanfe thee from thy ftains, and bloudy fpots. S. But, Lord, why wouldt Thou be taken when Thou mightest have efcaped thine enemies? C. That thy fpiritual enemies fhou'd not take thee; and caft thee into the Prison of utter darkness. S. Lord, wherefore wouldf Thou be forfaken of all thy Difciples? C. That I might reconcile Thee unto God, of whom thou waft forfaken for thy Sins, S. Wherefore, Lord, wouldft Thou stand to be apprehended alone? C. To fhow thee that my love of thy Salvation was more than the love of my Difciples.

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§ JO.