ways; believing assuredly, that God can and will make you full amends in the next life, for what you want or suffer in this, in submission to his will.

Lastly, your duty is to be thankful to God. The way to be so is, to look upon every mercy you receive as the gift of God: every danger you escape, as owing to his care and providence: every good thought, every good purpose, every occasion of doing good, as the effect of his good spirit.

Think, and act, and purpose thus: and it will be as natural to thank God for all the dispensations of his providence, as it is for vou to beg any blessing from him, which you stand most in need of.

Stop awhile-until you have considered these things, and until you have expressed your sense of them in the following prayer.

THE PRAYER.

This is indeed the first and great command, to love thee, O God, with all our heart; for on this, depends our salvation. But even this must be the gift of thy grace. For this grace I now apply to thee, to make my love and fear of thee the governing principle of my whole life that I may always do what I believe will please thee: that I may care

fully avoid what I know will offend thee: and that I may live as having thee the constant witness of my thoughts, words, and actions.

Give me a steadfast faith in thy word and promises; a firm trust in thy power: Let the fear of thy justice keep me from presumption, and a sense of thy goodness from despair. Defend me from all those bewitching snares which destroy our love for thee; from worldly cares; from all sensual and sinful pleasures; from evil company; from foolish diversions; and from every thing that may make me forget, that thou alone art worthy to be feared and loved: grant me these mercies for thy son Jesus Christ his sake; whose love and death we are going to commemorate. Amen.

SECTION V.

Your Duty to your Neighbour and Yourself.

THIS is the second great command, and will require the most solemn resolutions you can make, before you go to the Lord's Supper. Consider, therefore, whether you can sincerely resolve as follows:

I dare not, I will not, be indifferent how I lead my life. I know what God has commanded me, and I purpose sincerely to do it.

I will, in the first place, be obedient to the lawful commands of my superiours, and especially to those who watch for my soul. I do sincerely purpose in all my dealings to remember the command given me by my Saviour, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. And therefore I will make a conscience of doing the least wrong to any man; of using any deceit, or fraud, or oppression; or of taking advantage of the ignorance, mistakes, or necessity of my neighbour; knowing assuredly, that he who wrongs his neighbour, does the greatest injury to himself. And if at any time I am convinced that I have done him any wrong, I will make him satisfaction, as far as I am able, without being forced by law, to do unto others what I would they should do unto me.

To this end, I will endeavour to live peaceably and charitably with all people; avoiding all malice, and revenge, and evil speaking, and contention, as much as possibly I can. And I will speak the truth, at all times, and especially when I am called to my oath, whether it be for or against my worldly interest.

As to the duty I owe to myself, I am convinced, that my first and great concern ought to be, to take care of my soul.

I do therefore steadfastly purpose to lead a serious life, as one under the sentence of death ought to do: to be sober, temperate, and chaste; that when I die, I may be admitted into the Paradise of God, where no unclean thing must enter.

To this end, I resolve to keep a watch over myself, that I may avoid all such company, such pleasures and diversions, as may make me lose the remembrance of death, and the account I must give.

I will endeavour to be content with my condition, not coveting what is another man's, neither envying the prosperity, nor taking pleasure in the calamities, of my neighbour.

And, forasmuch as a life of idleness and luxury is hateful to God, I will strive to do my duty in the state of life, in which his providence has placed me; not flattering myself, that I do no evil, when I do no good in my generation, lest the sentence upon the unfruitful tree be passed upon me, Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground?

These duties I will endeavour to perform, as a proof of the love and reverence I bear to God, who is so good as to accept of my

repentance, and a sincere, though imperfect obedience.

And if, through weakness, temptation, or sudden surprise, I shall be so unhappy as to forget any of these resolutions, and fall into sin, I will, as soon as I perceive it, beg God's pardon, and be more careful for the time to

come.

Now, if your conscience can witness for you, that you piously purpose to live after this manner, you may safely go to the Lord's table; and the blessing of God will go along with you.

Go no farther till you have considered these purposes again; for they are to be the purposes of your whole life, and of every day of your life.

And then address yourself to God, that, through his gracious assistance, they may make the more lasting impression upon your mind.

THE PRAYER.

Gracious God, who hast given us precepts, and an example to walk by, let the remembrance of them be always seasonably present with me. Give me grace to practise them conscientiously, to reverence my betters, and all that are in authority, and especially such