with what base ingratitude have I requited thy goodness! How grievously have I rebelled against thy laws! How obstinately have I resisted the influences of thy Spirit! It is of thy mercies alone, that I have not long ago been consumed; and because thy compassions fail not.

"I come, therefore, acknowledging myself to have been a great offender; smiting upon my breast, and saying with the humble publican, 'God be merciful to me a sinner! I come, invited by the name of thy Son, and wholly trusting in his perfect righteousness; entreating that for his sake, thou wilt be merciful to my unrighteousness, and wilt no more remember my sins. Receive, I beseech thee, thy revolted creature, who is now convinced of thy right to him, and desires nothing so much as that he may be thine.

"This day, do I, with the utmost solemnity, surrender myself to thee. I renounce all former lords that have had dominion over me; and I consecrate to thee, all that I am, and all that I have; the faculties of my mind, the members of my body, my worldly possessions, my time, and my influence over others; to be all used entirely for thy glory, and resolutely employed in obedience to thy commands, as long as thou continuest me in life; with an ardent desire and humble resolution, to continue thine through all the endless ages of eternity; ever holding myself in an attentive posture to observe the first intimations of thy will, and ready to spring for

ward with zeal and joy, to the immediate execution of it.

"Use me, O Lord, I beseech thee, as an instrument of thy service! Number me among thy peculiar people! Let me be washed in the blood of thy dear Son! Let me be clothed with his righteousness! Let me be sanctified by his Spirit! Transform me

more and more, into his image! Impart to me, through him, all needful influences of thy purifying, cheering, and comforting Spirit! And let my life be spent under those influences, and in the light of thy gracious countenance, as my Father and my God!"

Enable me, O Lord! this day, and at all other times, when I approach thy table, to renew my covenant with great solemnity, and unreserved devotion! Receiving thy holy ordinance with a penitent, believing, and grateful heart, may I enjoy the benefits of that sacrifice which it is intended to commemorate! Lead me into thy banqueting-house, and may thy banner over me be love! May I enjoy the pleasures of thy house, even of thy holy temple! May my soul be so strengthened by the spiritual food of the body and blood of Jesus, that I may faithfully discharge the duties, and meekly bear the afflictions of life!

"And when the solemn hour of death comes, may I remember thy COVENANT, 'well ordered in all things and sure, as all my salvation and all my desire,' though every hope and enjoyment is perishing; and

do thou, O Lord! remember it too. Look down with pity, O my heavenly Father, on thy languishing, dying child! Embrace me in thine everlasting arms! Put strength and confidence into my departing spirit, and receive it to the abodes of them that sleep in Jesus, peacefully and joyfully to wait the accomplishment of thy great promise to all thy people, even that of a glorious resurrection, and of eternal happiness in thine heavenly presence." Hear, in heaven, thy holy habitation, and when thou hearest, answer according to thy promise in the covenant of grace, through Jesus the great Mediator of it; to whom with thee, O Father, and the Holy Spirit, the one living and true God, be everlasting praises. Amen!*

FORMS

Designed to aid the devotions of a Communicant, from an office in "Taylor's Holy Living," altered.

AN ACT OF LOVE.

O Most gracious and eternal God! the helper of the helpless, the comforter of the comfortless, the hope of the afflicted, and the Saviour of all those who trust in thee; I bless and glorify thy name, and adore thy goodness, that thou dost, once more, afford me an opportunity of holding communion with thee

* Doddridge's abridged form of self-dedication, altered.

and thy people, in the way of thine appointment. O Lord! take away from me all love for the sinful vanities of the world! Let not my affections be set on things below, but may they rise to those things which are above; to the seat of God, the regions of glory, and the inheritance of the saints! May I hunger and thirst for the bread of life and the waters of salvation! May I rise superior to all earthly attachments, and have the "love of God shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Ghost," through Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.

AN ACT OF DESIRE.

O blessed Jesus! thou hast used many efforts to save me, thou hast given thy blood to redeem me, thy Holy Spirit to sanctify me, thy life for my example, thy word for my rule, thy promises for my comfort, and thy grace for my salvation. And as if this were not enough, O, boundless mercy! thou dost present thyself as a petitioner at the door of my heart, saying: "behold! I stand at the door and knock; if any man will hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and sup with him, and he with me." O, now come, Lord Jesus! come quickly! My heart is open for thy admission! I would fain entertain thee, not as a transient guest, but as a permanent inhabitant! Enter in, and take possession, and dwell with me for ever; that I may also dwell in the heart of my dearest Lord, which was opened for me with a spear and love.

AN ACT OF CONTRITION.

O. holy and merciful Saviour! Thou wilt find the heart to which I have invited thee, distracted with worldly cares and desires, cheated by the vanities of time, and averse to holy affections and engagements. Lord, have mercy upon me! O Christ, pity me! for this heart of mine is the seat of impurity. It is full of passion and prejudice, evil principles, and evil habits, peevish and disobedient, lustful and intemperate, "deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." Hear, this my humble confession, most merciful God! "I am ashamed, yea confounded," at the knowledge of my vileness! I do sincerely hate my sins, and am full of indignation against myself, that I have been so ungrateful for thy favours, so disobedient to thy laws. Thanks be to thy name! thou hast no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but would rather, that he should turn from his way and live. "Turn thou me, O good Lord! and so shall I be turned." "Create in me, a clean heart, O God! and renew a right spirit within me."

AN ACT OF FAITH.

Hopeless indeed, would my condition be, and I should be as miserable as I have made myself sinful, if thou, O Blessed Jesus! hadst not taken my nature upon thee, that thou mightest suffer for my sins, "the just for the unjust," to bring me to God. But thou hast redeemed me with thy most precious blood!