PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS

PROPER FOR A

[SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION.

A Prayer to God for his gracious Assistance in our Sacramental Preparation. HOLY, holy, holy Lord God of Sa

baoth, heaven and earth are full of thy majesty and of thy glory! I, the most unworthy of all creatures, do here, in all humility of soul and body, prostrate myself before thee, acknowledging my own insufficiency to do any thing that is good or well-pleasing in thy sight: And therefore, I humbly implore the influence of thy grace, to further these my endeavours for a worthy participation of the Holy Communion of the body and blood of Christ, which he has commanded me to do in remembrance of him, and of the benefits which we thereby receive. Teach me, O Lord, the right way, and lead me into the paths of holy preparation, that I may be

received as a worthy and welcome guest at this thy heavenly table. Possess my mind with a sense of the excellency of thy mercy, in preparing this table for our spiritual food. Inspire my soul with pure and pious dispositions; that my heart may be a clean, though homely receptacle for my Saviour, and be fitted hereafter. for the blessed society of saints and angels in heaven, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Our Father,&c. See Psal. xxiii. xxiv. cxi. A Prayer for the Gift and Grace of Repentance.

ALMIGHTY and eternal Lord God, who art of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, and hast more especially enjoined all those who compass thine altar, to wash their hands in innocency, vouchsafe me unfeigned repentance for my past sins, and most firm and steadfast purposes to lead a new life. It is the voice of thy goodness and mercy, that if the wicked shall forsake his ways and the unrighteous man his thoughts, thou will have mercy upon him, and abun dantly pardon him. Isaiah lv. 7. Ölet thy goodness (of which I have had so

great a share, and plentiful experience,) lead me to repentance not to be repented of, that I may be a fit guest at thy Son's table. "Have mercy upon me, O Lord, and, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out all my transgressions, for thy mercy's sake in Christ Jesus, the Son of thy Love, whom thou hast set forth to be the propitiation of our sins." Grant this O merciful Father, for the sake of my blessed Saviour and Redeemer. Amen. See Psalm vi. xxv. xxxii. xxxviii.

A Prayer before self-Examination.

LORD who art the searcher of all our hearts, and a discerner of the very thoughts, be pleased to impart a ray of thy heavenly light, to discover all the sins and infirmities of my past life; that henceforward no secret sin may lie undiscovered 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 of my soul; and form a just sense of all my transgressions, through the assistance of thy grace, may be enabled to reform my

life, to turn my feet unto thy testimoties, and so faithfully to search and examine my conscience, that I may come holy and clean to the heavenly feast, and be received as a worthy partaker. Grant this, for thy mercy's sake in Christ Jesus. Amen. See Psalm exxxix.

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 apostacy, 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 that of God? Or, have I not trusted in men, and relied upon the world, more 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 as

cribed the glory and honour of what I now enjoy to myself more than to God? Say, God be merciful to me a sinner, or lay not this sin (or these sins) to my charge.

[Repeat the same at the end of every commandment.]

II.

Though I have not worshipped God by images, yet have I not entertained gross and false conceptions of him? Or, have I not wilfully omitted going to church, or to the public prayers, when I had no occasion to hinder me? Or, have I not irreverently behaved myself during the time of divine service? Or, have I notwilfully refused to come to the Lord's Supper, when I have been called to it? Or, have I not rashly and unadvisedly received the sacrament without due preparation? Or, have I not broken the 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