Troubles of this

our vicious Habits: It preserves a lively Sense of God and Religion in our Minds, and fortifies us against those Temptations that affault us; it fpiritualizeth our Nature, and raifeth our Souls above this World,and fupports us under see the Daily the Troubles and Calamities Companion, with Christian Supof this Life*, by fanctifying ports under the fuch Afflictions; it leads us World, &c. gradually to the Perfection of Price bound 6d. a Christian Life,and preferves that Union between God and our Souls, which feeds our Spiritual Life with Grace and Goodness; without it we in vain pretend to discharge thofe Chriftian Duties incumbent on us,or to profper in our Temporal Affairs, which must have God's. Bleffing to crown them with Succefs. And as Prayer in general has thefe great Bleffings and Advantages attending it, fo give me leave to fuggeft to you,under this Head, That thofe publick Publick Prayer Prayers and Devotions which recommended. we offer unto God in our Churches, are not only more acceptable to him, but also much more edifying and advantageous to our felves; they cannot but be more acceptable to God, because thereby his Honour and Glory is much more confiderably advanced and maintained

in

in the World, than by our Private Devotions By thefe outward Signs and Tokens we publickly declare to all the World that inward Regard and Esteem which we have for his Divine Perfections and Goodness; hereby we let our Light fo Shine before Men, that they may see our good Works, and glorifie our Father which is in Heaven, Mat. 5. 16. There is no Duty in Scripture more frequently commanded, none more earnestly prefs'd upon us,than this of publick Prayer. We have the Example of all good Men, in all Ages, for it; and of Chrift himself, who was daily in the Temple and in the Synagogues, and,noQuestion,frequented thofe Places at the ufual Hours of Prayer, because then he had the faire ftOpportunity,from those Publick Affemblies,to inftruct,and to exhort to Faith and Repentance. 2dly,We may expect greater Bleffings and Succefs to our Requefts and Defires, when we join in the Publick Prayers of our Church, than from Private, becaufe our Saviour has ina fpecial manner promised to fuch Affemblies his immediate Prefence, that where Two or Three are gathered together in his Name, there will he be in the midst of them; which he hath no where faid the like of Private, tho' both are very good, nay,

both

both are abfolutely neceffary for the Beginning and Ending of a Chriftian Life; and it is a very bad Sign of fome Evil Principle or other, for any Man to be much a Stranger to the House of Prayer, which is one of the greateft Bleffings and Privileges (if we know how to value the fame) that we can have in this World, and has always been accounted fuch among all wife and good Men. It is certain that the Turks, whom we call Infidels, go to their publick Devotions Five times every Day; and fhall not they rife in Judgment against us Chriftians, who cannot afford to go once or twice a Day to God's Houfe,when we have bothLeifure and Opportunity. If Men shall be judged for every idle Word, to be fure they fhall not pass unpunish'd for all the Neg. lects and Omiffions of their Duty of this Nature. But to proceed,

Meditation.

TO this Duty of fervent Pray- Reading and er, the Communicant fhould fpend fome Portion of time in Reading and Meditation, to raise his Soul into a Devout and Heavenly Temper: The proper Office of Reading is,to gain Spiritual Food and Suftenance, and of Meditation to digeft it. Those Divine Subjects, moft proper for our ferious Contemplation, on this folemn Occasion, I

See, A Devout

Chriftian's Prepa

rative to Deaib,
tranflated from

ERASMUS by
R. Warren, D.D.

Price Bound 6 d.

think,are our Saviour's Sermon on the Mount, the Love of God in the Salvation of Sinners, through Jefus Chrift, Repentance, Faith, Charity, * Death and Judgment; the happy Condition of a future State of Bleffedness, and the miferable. Condition of the Damned in Hell. These, and the like, as they offer themselves unto you, fhould be meditated upon until fome Sorrow of Mind, fome Ardour of Devotion,fome Act of Faith,fome Flame of Love and Charity arife in your Souls. THUS have I briefly reprefented to you both the Nature and Neceffity of a Sacramental Preparation, which in a great meafure contains the whole Duty of a Chriftian's Life, viz. Repentance towards God, Faith towards our Lord Jefus Chrift,and Charity towards our Neighbour: And I also hope, whosoever among us will but endeavour to prepare themselves for the HolyCommunion,according to the forementioned Directions,may (by the Help of God) upon all Occafions, come to the Lord's Table without the leaft Fear or Danger of eating and drinking Damnation to themselves.

AND, now fome People may cenfure this Difcourfe, as giving too great Liberty and Encouragement to approach the Lord's Table with lefs Preparation than otherwife

Men

Men would venture to do: But I know no Ground or Reafon for any fuck Suggestion, if they impartially confider the Excellence and Perfection of Church Catechifm. that Guide and Companion I høve followed throughout the whole: And to reprefent this Duty of frequent Communion otherwife than what the Church requires, is an Injury both to God and to our felves and I dare affirm, that no part of Divine Worfhip has fuffered more on this Account, than that of the Holy Communion, Thousands of People not daring (in all their Life-time, tho' very good Livers) to partake of the Lord's Supper, for fear of eating and drinking their own Prayers

Damnation.

T

ADVERTISEMENTS. HE Encouragement The London New Method and Art of teaching Children to Spell and Read diftinctly and perfectly,has met with from the World, makes me recommend it to general Ufe, as well to inftru&t fuch as have been ill taught, as those who are but young Beginners. Price Bound 6 d. with great Allowance to thofe who fell or give them away. Note, There are fome printed on Fine Paper, bound up with Cuts. Price 8 d.

Arithmetick made Eafie, according to the New Method now taught and practis'd in London. Wherein the Rules of that neceffary Art are briefly explain'd, and illuftrated with fuch familiar Examples as may fuit the meaneft Capacity, if they defire to learn it. To which is added a Succinct Treatife of Decimal Fractions, with compleat Tables, Rules, and Examples demonftrating the fame. The like not extant in any other Treatife of this Nature. The 4th Edition. By John Copeland, Writing-Mafter. Price bound 1 s.

The Benefit of Early Piety, recommended to all Young Perfons,and particularly to thofe of the City of London. By W. Smythies, late Morning Lecturer at St. Michael in Cornhill, London. The Third Edition. Price bound 6 d.

Forms