Olet thy Goodness (whereof I have had to great a Share, and plentiful Experience) lead me to Repentance not to be repented of, that I may be a fit Ġuelt at thy Son's Table.“ Have Mercy “ upon me, O Lord, and according to the Mul“ titude of thy tender Mercies, blot out all my “ Tranfgreffions for thy Mercy's fake in Chrift Jesus, the Son of thy Love, whom thou haft “ set forth to be the Propitiation for our Sins.” Grant this, o merciful Father, for the fake of my blessed Saviour and Redeemer. Amen, See Psalm vi. xxv. xxxii. xxxviii. A Prayer before Self-Examination, O Lord, thou that art the Searcher , of all our Hearts, and a Difcerner of the very Thoughts, and in whose Sight all Things are naked and open, be pleased to impart a Ray of thy heavenly Light to discover all the Sins and Infirmities of my paft Life, and whatsoever else thou knowelt wherein I have done amiss, that henceforward no secret Sin may lie undiscovered and corrupted in my Soul ; that by examining my Life and Conversation by thy Law, the Rule and Measure of my Duty, I may understand the true State and Condition of my Soul, and from a just Sense and Sight of all my Transgressions, through the Affiftance of thy Grace and heavenly Benediction, I may be enabled to reform my Life, and to turn my Feet unto thy Testimonies; fo faithfully to search and examine my own Conscience, that I may come holy and clean 2 clean to the heavenly Feaft, and be received as a worthy Partaker of that holy Table which thou hast called me to. Grant this for thy Mercy's fake in Christ Jesus. Amen. See Psal. cxxxix. Brief Heads of Self-Examination upon each Commandment. COMMANDMENT I. THough I have not atheistically denied the Being of a God, or wickedly renounced him by Apostasy, yet have I not loved, desired and delighted in other Things more than in God? Or, have I not feared Men, and dreaded the Displeasure of the World, more than of God? Or, have I not trusted in Men, and relied upon the World, niore than upon God? Have I not despaired of God's Mercy ? Or, by presuming too much upon it, encouraged myself in Sin? Have I not been unthankful for Mercies received ? Or, have I not ascribed the Glory and Honour of what I now enjoy to myself, more than to God ? (Say) God be merciful to me a Sinner, and lay not this (or these) Sins to my Charge. [Repeat the same at the End of every Commandment.] II. fully fully omitted coming to Church, or to the pub. lic Prayers, when I had no just Occasion to hinder me? Or, have I not rudely, irreverently or wantonly behaved myfelf during the Time of divine Service ? Or, have I no: wilfully refused to come to the Lord's Supper, when I have been called to it? Or, have I not rafhly and unadviledly received the Sacrament without due Preparation? Or, have I not broken my Vows and Resolutions which I then made ? III. If I have not openly blasphemed the Name of God, yet have I not lightly or irreverently spoken of him? Or, have I not profanely jested upon, or abused his holy Places or Persons, or any thing else dedicated to his Service ? Or, have I not taken God's Name in vain, by coinmon Swearing and Cursing? Or, have i not taken falle and unlawful Oaths ? Or, have I not broken my own Vows and Resolutions, especially my Baptimal ? IV. Have I not neglected the Worship of God on his Sabbaths ? Have I not spent Part thereof in vain Sports, idle Discourses, Visits, and many other unnecessary Affairs ? Or, have I not suffered others to profane the Sabbath, when it was in my Power to restrain them from so doing? V. Have I not been stubborn, irreverent and undutiful towards my Parents, rejecting their Counsels, Counsels, despising their Government, and covering their Estate before their Death? Or, have I contributed toward their Necessities when they were in Want, and I had it in my Power to help them? Or, have I not been disloyal to my Prince, stubborn and unfaithful to my Master, refractory and unthankful to my Minister, peevish and unkind to my Friend and Companion ? VI. If I have not actually taken away the Life of any Person, yet have I not made my Neighbour's Life grievous by Oppreffion, Rage, and Violence against him? Or, have I not by Fighting or Quarrelling wounded his Person? Or, have I not tempted him, by any other Vice or Intemperance, to destroy his Health, and fo shorten his Days ? Or, have I not by false or contumelious Speeches wounded his good Name and Reputation? Or, have I not, by my own Luxury and Intemperance in Eating and Drinking, been accessary to my own Death ? VII. If I have escaped the groffer Acts of Adultery and Fornication, yet have I not conceived Luft in my Heart, and neglected the Means to preserve my own and others Chastity ? Or, have I not by Gluttony and Drunkenness, or by any impure Thoughts or Words, defiled my Soul? Or, have I not accustomed myself to filthy Talking, Jesting, and immodest Garbs, and unchaste Behaviour in common Conversation ? VIII. VIII. If I have not been guilty of common and public Stealing, yet have I been true and juft in all my Dealings ? Or, have I not contracted Debts, when I was conscious to myself, that I was not able to pay, or make Réftitution? Or, have I not wasted my own or others Estates by riotous Living? Or, have I not by Violence and Oppreflion exacted of my Inferiors, or by unlawful Usury taken Advantage of their Neceflities? IX. If I have not before the Magistrate sworn falsly against any Man, yet have I not accuftomed myself to Lying and Slandering? Or, have I not accused my Neighbour unjustly? Or, have I not concealed the Truth of another, when Justice and Charity obliged me to give Evidence of it? Or, have I not unjustly sought to uphold my own Credit, or to blaft any other Person's ? X. Have I not secretly complained against the Providence of God, as if others had too much, and I too little ? Or, have I not by unlawful Means endeavoured to deprive others of their Goods and Property ? Or, have I laboured truly and faithfully to get my own Living, and been content with that State of Life unto which it hath pleafed God to call me? |