juft and honeft is attended with a hearty contrition, that will be fufficient till we are able to put it in execution.

8. So that the fum of what I have faid is this, that confeffion and reftitution are the two external tokens of repentance; and I am perfuaded, that the rule and measure of confeffion (to the parties injured) is the benefit and the good that would come by it: and the rule and measure of reflitution is a man's ability of making it. So that where mischief and no good would come by confeffion, there I may repent without confeffion, except to God. And where I am able to make no reftitution, there I may repent fincerely without it; and so may come to the holy facrament, though I have done much wrong and injury. Yet, as the exhortation directs*, in cafes of difficulty we ought to confult our fpiritual guide.

The Hymn, on Wednesday Morning.

On confeffion of fins to God.

F I keep filence and conceal

IF

My beavy guilt within my beart,

What torments doth my confcience feel!

What agonies of inward smart.

D 5

• I Spread

* See the exhortation to the communion fervice of the church.

I fpread my fins before the Lord,
And all my fecret faults confefs;
Thy gofpel fpeaks a pard'ning word,
Thy boly Spirit feals the

grace.

For this fhall ev'ry humble foul
Make fwift addreffes to thy feat:
When floods of huge temptations roll,
There fhall they find a bless'd retreat.

How fafe beneath thy wings I lie,

When days grow dark and forms appear!
And when I walk, thy watchful eye
Shall guide me fafe from ev'ry fnare.

Another.

HOW bleft the man, for ever bleft,
Whofe guilt is pardon'd by his God;
Whofe fins with forrow are confefs'd,
And cover'd with his Saviour's blood!

Bleft is the man to whom the Lord
Imputes not his iniquities;

He pleads no merit of reward,
And not on worth, but grace

relies.

From quilt his lips and heart are free,
His bumble joy, his holy fear

With deep repentance well

agree,

And join to prove his faith fincere.

How

How glorious is that righteousnes

That hides and cancels all his fins!
While a bright evidence of grace
Thro' his whole life appears and fhines.

O

The Prayer, on Wednesday Morning.
For refignation and affiftance.

God, the creator and preserver of all mankind, by thee I have been holden up ever fince I was born; and by thy goodness it is, that I have been preferved the night paft from all perils and dangers. Grant me a perpetual fenfe of thy goodness, that fo the remembrance of thy paft favours may beget in me fuch a humble reliance on thy fatherly care and good providence, that I may perfectly refign myself to thy difpofal in all things, as most juft and righteous.

O let me never abuse thy patience, nor defpife thy goodness; but let thy fear be always before my eyes, that I may not fin against thee, but that, giving up myself entirely to thy fervice, I may endeavour in all things to obey thy bleffed will, and to keep a confcience void of offence both toward thee, and toward all men.

For which end, O Lord, vouchsafe me the affiftance of thy holy fpirit, for of myself I am

not able to please thee; my nature being corrupt, and miferably prone to what is evil. I am every way befet with temptations, and my own experience fadly teaches me, how eafily I am drawn away by the deceitful tempter. But, O thou, who art the faviour of all that put their trust in thee, deliver me, I beseech thee, from that cruel enemy of my foul, who is daily lying wait to deftroy me; be thou my ftrong bold whereunto I may always refort, and evermore mightily defend me; for thou haft been my fuccour ever fince I was born; O leave me not to myself, neither for fake me, O God of my falvation.

Lead me, I befeech thee, in the way wherein I should go, guide me by the right hand, and conduct me fafely through the dangerous fnares and temptations of this dreadful world: and, though thou should permit me to fall into fevere trials, yet, fuffer me not, I beseech thee, to be tempted above what I am able to bear; let no calamity ever drive me from thee, nor any profperity cause me to forget thee. But,

Grant that all thy providences toward me may work together for my good, and be a powerful means to bring me to thyfelf, and to an entire dependance upon thee: let not the world

get

get poffeffion of my heart, which has been fo often dedicated to thy fervice: let not thofe pomps and vanities, which I have fo folemnly renounced, become the objects of my foolifh defires; but be thou, O God, my only joy and my delight, my ftay and my support, my hope and my truft, my reft and comfort in this world, and my eternal bliss and happiness in that which is to come.

In confidence whereof, O Lord, I humbly beg thy bleffing this day upon all my honest defigns and undertakings; direct me in all my ways, that I may take nothing in hand but what is agreeable to thy bleffed will; let no worldly intereft or advantage ever prevail upon me to depart from my integrity; but amid the various affairs of this life give me grace to fet thee always before my eyes, that I may not fin against thee; and grant that I may be daily preparing for those things that are eternal, through Jefus Chrift our bleffed Lord and only Saviour, in whofe name and words, I commend to thy mercy and protection myself and all mankind, faying as he himself hath taught us, Our Father, &c.

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