THE PRAYER.

ALL Praise and Glory be to thee, O God, who hast graciously bestowed upon me many Blessings, spiritual as well as temporal, relating both to this Life, and a better.

I adore and praise thee, O Lamb of God, who by thy precious Blood-shedding hast rescued me from the Slavery of Sin, and the Dominion of the Devil.

All Honour and Thanksgiving be unto thee, O blessed Spirit, for those extraordinary Gifts bestowed on the Apostles, whereby they were enabled to work Miracles, and for those ordinary Gifts of thine, whereby all devout Christians have in all Ages been enabled to work out their Salvation: Grant that I, being enlightened and animated at the Celebration of these Wonders of thy Love, may constantly attend the Public Worship, and devoutly keep and celebrate these high Solemnities here below, that hereafter I may join with the blessed Spirits in the New Jerusalem, and with them say, ' Blessing and Honour, Wisdom and Power, be to him that sits. upon the Throne, and to the Lamb for all Eternity. Amen.

As Praise is due to God, for all his Mercies, so ought he in a more especial Manner, to receive your Homage and Adoration when you commemorate the Mercies vouchsafed on the great Festivals; as our Saviour's Incarnation, Resurrection, Ascension, and sending the Holy Ghost. For think how many Generations of Men have lived and died without the Knowledge of these uncommon and distinguished Favours: They are left in Ignorance, but you are made wise unto Salvation. God, rich in Mercy, hath revealed unto you the Gospel of his dear Son, and given you all possible Proof of his Loving. Kindness.

And now what a base and shameful Ingratitude will it be in you to forget the Blessings these auspicious Days bring to your Remembrance!

But alas! we see (and we grieve to see) that these holy Seasons, designed for better Purposes, are unhappily made the Instruments of Vice and Extravagance. We see to the Disgrace of our holy Religion, that they are for the most Part spent in Luxury and Ex

cess.

Some bold Talkers, in this loose Age, exalt their Voices against the Observance of these Days; others. treat the solemn Offices prepared by the Church for those Festivals, with Sport and Laughter. A third Sort ridicule the great Doctrines of Christianity, such as our Saviour's Incarnation, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension, which in the Opinion of all wise and good Men, command Respect and Veneration; but though these Philistines have sworn together against the Lord and his Church, I trust in God they fight in vain. It is the Part of every faithful Christian, as much as in him lies, to obviate this spreading Mischief: Do you, therefore, beg of God Almighty to preserve in your Mind a lively Sense of the Mercy you are called upon by the Church to commemorate. Think on

the great Mysteries of your Redemption, and your Heart will be truly thankful. Let not Covetousness, or Pleasure, so take up your Thoughts, as to hinder

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you from working out your own Salvation. Resort to the House of God with devout Behaviour; and forget not to approach the Altar with heavenly Affections. Bring to your Lord the Sacrifice of Praise; bring Hyrans of Glory to his awful Name. How can you think on your Lord's miraculous Incarnation; on his painful Crucifixion, his Resurrection, his triumphant Ascension into Heaven, and his sending down his Holy Spirit upon Earth, without Transports of Wonder and Love? Improve these holy Seasous to the Advantage of your Soul; be watchful against all Temptations, and moderate in your lawful Enjoyments, that you be not ensnared thereby : Then you will be sanctified here, and received up into Glory hereafter. That you may not forget these Wonders of divine Love exhibited to you at these holy Seasons, the following Collects may be of Use.

ON CHRISTMAS-DAY.

O HOLY and ever-blessed Jesus, who being the eternal Son of God, and most high in the Glory of the Father, didst vouchsafe to take our Nature upon thee, and as at this Time to be born of a pure Virgin: 0 thou who didst come into the World to heal the Broken-hearted, to help the Miserable, and to save that which was lost; to deliver us from the eternal Miseries of Hell, and make us Partakers of the Inheritance with the Saints in Light; Give me Grace, with all Admiration, Reverence, and Thankfulness, ever to receive and ponder this great Mys

tery

tery of Godliness in my Heart. O wel come News, that Christ Jesus came into the World to save Sinners! Quicken me, Lord, that I also may duly express that Thankfulness and Delight which my Soul ought to feel on this most affecting Occasion; that I may comply with the gracious Designs of thy Mercy, to do me good. Keep me, O God, at all Times, more especially during this Season, from abusing the good Things which thy Bounty has furnished me withal for the Refreshment of my Body, and from falling into Gluttony or Drunkenness, as the Manner of some is.

O work in my Heart such a lively Sense of the many and great Blessings which this Season brings to my Remembrance, that adoring and believing in thee as my only Lord and Saviour, imitating thy holy Example, obeying thy holy Commands, I may be saved through thy Merits, and at last reign with thee, who art God blessed for ever, World without End.

ON GOOD FRIDAY.

I COME before thee, O Lord, in the lowest Prostrations of Soul and Body, with Eyes full of Tears, and a Heart full of Grief

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Grief and Sorrow for those Sins of mine, which crucified the Son of God afresh, and put him to open Shame. When I look on my Saviour, and then on myself, I am astonished at the Wonders of his Love which surpasses the Thoughts of Men and Angels.

The Scriptures declare that in Adam all died; and that by the Offence of one, Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation. But my Consolation is, that my Saviour shed his precious Blood for me, that I might not suffer the Pains of eternal Death, but be advanced to Honour, Glory, and Immortality with him.

Assist me,

Henceforth I desire not to live but unto Christ who died for me. O blessed Spirit, to purify myself, and to tread in the Steps of this humble, meek, and patient Sufferer. Keep me in such a lively Sense of my Saviour's Agony and bloody Sweat, that I may bitterly hate Sin, the Cause of his Torments; and teach me the Value of my immortal Soul, for which he became obedient unto Death, even the Death of the Cross. Confirm my Courage in the Christian Warfare, that as a good Soldier I may fight manfully under the Banner of my crucified Saviour, that nothing either in Life or Death may ever separate