up all the spaces of this week with meditations upon the most holy facrament, with acts of religion, and fervent charity, fo that when the devil affaults me, he may not find me idle, and that my deareft Lord, at his fudden coming, may find me improving the talent committed to my care, that I may enter into the joy of my Lord; to which, I befeech thee bring me, thro' the merits and interceffion of thy dear fon, Jefus Chrift, our Lord and Saviour. Amen. Directions. Now repair to the publick fervice at the church; or if you have not that opportunity, spend your leisure time in a devout perufal of that pious treatife, necessary for all families, as well as every private chriftian: lately published, By the KING's Authority, viz. THE NEW WHOLE DUTY OF MAN, &c.* And I heartily wish that every Poor (as well as Rich) Family in the Kingdom was furnished with one of thefe Books: it's great Pity they should be any where wanting. Great Charity therefore it would be for rich Landlords and others of eafy Fortunes, to beftow this picas and feful Book upon their poor and uninftrutted Neighbours, Tenants, and Servants, that the Knowledge of God and Religion may be promoted amongst them; which would make greatly for the Good and Welfare both of Church and State. For tho' brain-fick Opinions and falfe Principles may make Men proud and headftrong, and troublesome to their Governors and Superiors; yet folid Knowledge and fincere Godliness, will make Men humble and meek, quiet and peaceable, obedient to their Superiors and Minifiers, full of Charity to their Neighbours, and ready to do every good Work, Be fure to retire foon this evening to examine thy confcience. *This New Whole Duty of Man is printed in Oavo, price 6s. and in large Twelves at 4s. and is fold with the fame allowance as the Old Whole Duty of Man, to thofe that are difpofed to give them away. The Octavo may also be bad with a Set of very fine Cuts, at 7s. 6d. The The Meditation for Monday Evening. Upon the vanities of the world and the goodness of God, in order to a worthy receiving of the most boly facrament. I. A He that loveth his life fhall lofe it: and he that hateth his life in this world, shall keep it unto life eternal. John xi. 25. Wake thou, O my foul, from the fleep of fin; for, behold, life and death are fet before thee; chufe while thy gracious Lord allows thee time and day, left the night and darkness overtake thy neglect: chufe, but remember thy eternity is concerned, and deliberate e'er thou makeft thy choice. 2. Survey all the pleasures of the world before thee, and afk if any of them be worth fuch pains: afk if the vain forbidden things thou loveft, deferve thy affection better than thy maker. Are they more worthy in themfelves, or beneficial to thee, that thou mayeft juftly prefer them before thy redeemer? doft thou expect to be at reft, and satisfied by enjoying them, or everlastingly happy by their procurement? can they protect thee at the hour of death, or plead thy caufe at the day of judgment? Oh! no. They only deceive me with a smiling look, which I too often have proved by dear experience. 3. It 3. It is heaven alone that yields a true content; it is heaven alone that fills us with eter-. nal delight. Say then, my foul, take away your flatteries, falfe world, and leave me free for better thoughts. Oinfinite goodness! it is thyfelf alone I chufe; thou art my only happinefs for ever. I fee my portion hereafter depends on my choice here; and my choice here, O Lord, depends on thee. 4. O my deareft Lord, do thou chufe me, and guide my uninftructed foul to chufe thee. For, here, we, alas! move flowly in the dark, led on by the argument of things not feen; but did we clearly fee what we fay we believe, we should foon change the courfe of our lives. 5. Did we but fee the damned in their flamės, or hear them cry in the midft of their torments, how fhould we fear to follow them in their fins, which we know have plunged them into all thofe miferies! how fhould we ftrive against the next temptation, and cast about to avoid the danger by working out our falvation! or, 6. Did we but fee the incomparable glories of the faints; or hear the fweet harmonious hymns which they continually fing, "how should we study to imitate thofe holy ways, by by which we know they arrived at all their happiness! how fhould we feek all occafions of improvement, and make it our business to work out our falvation! did man but serioufly confider what he fays he believes, he would never live as he doth. Who can doubt but e'er long he fhall be turned into duft? yet which of us lives as if he thought ever to die? 7. Pity, O gracious Lord, the frailties of thy fervant, and fuffer not my blindness to lead me into ruin. Supply my want of fight by a lively faith, and ftrengthen my faith by thy powerful grace: make me remember it is no trifling thing to gain or lose the kingdom of heaven: make me chufe wifely, and purfue my choice, and use as well the means, as like the end. Ofetthou right the biafs of my heart, that in all my motions I may draw off from the world; that I may ftill incline towards thee, and rest at last in thy holy presence. Thou art my Lord, and I will serve thee in fear; thou art my God, and I will love thee in hope: what will it profit me to gain the whole world, and lose my own foul? or what shall I give in exchange for my foul? Now repair to the publick fervice of the church; but if you have not that opportunity, then employ your time in reading fome part of the ew WHOLE DUTY OF MAN, as directed on page 8, A Prayer efpecially Sunday 17. Sections I. and VII. A prayer before examination, with a firm refolution to forfake the vanities of this wicked world. Let a man examine himself, and fo let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. 1 Cor. xi. 28. Almighty God, thou fearcher of hearts, who feeft and knoweft all my fins; help me fo to fearch every fecret of my heart, that I may leave no fin, if poffible, unrepented of. Give me grace fo impartially to judge and condemn myfelf, fo humbly to repent and beg pardon, that I may not be condeaned, when I fhall appear at thy tribunal, in the great and terrible day of the Lord Jefus! But alas! after the moft ftrict examination we can make, who can number his iniquities? who can tell how oft he offendeth? cleanse me therefore, O Lord, I beseech thee, not only from my prefumptuous and known fins, but from all my fecret and unknown tranfgreffions, for his fake who died for finners, Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. Directions for felf-examination. Aving devoutly prayed for God's affistance, doubt not but he H will vouchjafe it to you. to the duty of felf-examination: Confider fericufly with yourfelf; that it is appointed for all men once to die, and after death to be called to judgment. That God hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by Jefus Chrift. At whofe coming all men fhall rife again with their bodies, and shall give an account of their own works: and they |