fice of the supper of the Lamb, that was from the beginning of the world slain for the sins of every sorrowful and returning sinner. O grant me sorrow here and joy hereafter, through Jesus Christ, who is our hope, the resurrection of the dead, the justifier of a sinner, and the glory of all faithful souls. Amen.

A Prayer for Pardon of Sins, to be said frequently in time of Sickness, and in all the portions of Old Age.

I.

ETERNAL and most gracious Father, I

humbly throw myself down at the foot of thy mercy-seat, upon the confidence of thy essential mercy, and thy commandment that we should come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may find mercy in time of need. O my God, hear the prayers and cries of a sinner, who calls earnestly for mercy. Lord, my needs are greater than all the degrees of my desire can be; unless thou hast pity upon me, I perish infinitely and intolerably; and then there will be one voice fewer in the choir of singers who shall recite thy praises to eternal ages. But, O Lord, in mercy deliver my soul.

O save me for thy mercies' sake.

Psal. 6. 4, 5.

For in that second death there is no remembrance of thee; in the grave who shall give thee thanks?

II.

JUST and dear God, my sins are innumerable; they are upon my soul in multitudes; they are a burden too heavy for me to bear; they already bring sorrow and sickness, shame and displeasure, guilt and a decaying spirit, a sense of thy present displeasure, and fear of worse, of infinitely worse. But it is to thee so essential, so delightful, so usual, so desired by thee, to show mercy, that although my sin be very great, and my fear proportionable, yet thy mercy is infinitely greater than all the world, and my hope and my comfort rise up in proportions towards it, that I trust the devils shall never be able to reprove it, nor my own weakness discompose it. Lord, thou hast sent thy Son to die for the pardon of my sins; thou hast given me thy Holy Spirit as a seal of adoption to consign the article of remission of sins; thou hast, for all my sins, still continued to invite me to conditions of life by thy ministers the prophets; and thou hast with variety of holy acts softened my spirit, and possessed my fancy, and instructed my understanding, and bended and inclined my will, and directed or overruled my passions in order to repentance and pardon; and why should not thy servant beg passionately, and humbly hope for the effects of all these thy strange and miraculous acts of loving-kindness? Lord, I deserve it not, but I hope thou wilt pardon all my sins; and I beg it of

thee for Jesus Christ his sake, whom thou hast made the great endearment of thy promises, and the foundation of our hopes, and the mighty instrument whereby we can obtain of thee whatsoever we need and can receive.

III.

Lord, I do from my

MY God, how shall thy servant be disposed to receive such a favor, which is so great that the ever-blessed Jesus did die to purchase it for us; so great, that the fallen angels never could hope, and never shall obtain it? soul forgive all that have sinned against me: O forgive me my sins as I forgive them that have sinned against me. Lord, I confess my sins unto thee daily, by the accusations and secret acts of conscience; and if we confess our sins, thou hast called it a part of justice to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Lord, I put my trust in thee; and thou art ever gracious to them that put their trust in thee. I call upon my God for mercy; and thou art always more ready to hear than we to pray. But all that I can do, and all that I am, and all that I know of myself, is nothing but sin, and infirmity, and misery; therefore I go forth of myself, and throw myself wholly into the arms of thy mercy through Jesus Christ, and beg of thee for his death and passion's sake, by his resurrection and ascension, by all the parts of our

redemption, and thy infinite mercy, in which thou pleasest thyself above all the works of the creation, to be pitiful and compassionate to thy servant in the abolition of all my sins: so shall I praise thy glories with a tongue not defiled with evil language, and a heart purged by thy grace, quitted by thy mercy, and absolved by thy sentence, from generation to generation. Amen.

An Act of holy Resolution of Amendment of Life in case of Recovery.

MOST just and most merciful Lord God,

who hast sent evil diseases, sorrow and fear, trouble and uneasiness, briers and thorns into the world, and planted them in our houses, and round about our dwellings, to keep sin from our souls, or to drive it thence; I humbly beg of thee that this my sickness may serve the ends of the spirit, and be a messenger of spiritual life, an instrument of reducing me to more religious and sober courses. I know, O Lord, that I am unready and unprepared in my accounts, having thrown away great portions of my time in vanity, and set myself hugely back in the accounts of eternity; and I had need live my life over again, and live it better; but thy counsels are in the great deep, and thy footsteps in the water; and I know not what thou wilt determine of me. If I die, I throw myself into the arms of the holy Jesus, whom I love above all things: and

if I perish, I know I have deserved it; but thou wilt not reject him that loves thee. But if I recover, I will live by thy grace and help to do the work of God, and passionately pursue my interest of heaven, and serve thee in the labor of love, with the charities of a holy zeal, and the diligence of a firm and humble obedience. Lord, I will dwell in thy temple, and in thy service; religion shall be my employment, and alms shall be my recreation, and patience shall be my rest, and to do thy will shall be my meat and drink, and to live shall be Christ, and then to die shall be gain.

O spare me a little, that I may recover my strength before I go hence and be no more seen. done on earth as it is in heaven.

Thy will be

SECT. VIII. ·An Analysis or Resolution of the Decalogue, and the special Precepts of the Gospel, describing the Duties enjoined and the Sins forbidden, respectively; for the assistance of Sick Men in making their Confessions to God and his Ministers, and the rendering their Repentance more particular and perfect.

I. Comm. Thou shalt have none other Gods but me.

D

UTIES commanded are, 1. To love God

above all things. 2. To obey him and fear him. 3. To worship him with prayers, vows, thanksgivings, presenting to him our souls and