thy divine image, and fix me to continue thy faithful servant all the remaining days of my life; so that I may finally inherit thy heavenly kingdom with him that has commanded me to call the Father, and has taught me when I pray to say, Our Father, &c.

Here observe the directions given on page 8, and more particularly endeavour to improve your soul by reading a lesson out of the New Whole Duty of Man, Sunday iii, Sect. vii and viii.

Meditation for Tuesday Evening. On the nature and necessity of our preparation before the receiving of the holy sacrament.

He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 1 Cor. xi. 29.

CONSIDER, now, O my soul, what that great mystery is to which thou art invited in the holy sacrament: let us consider the nature and end of this sacred institution; what is meant by this holy action; to what purpose it was ordained; what benefits and advantages may be expected from it. This necessary knowledge once attained, and which may be compassed without great difficulty, will be a standing qualification in all our future communions,

and create such godly dispositions of mind that I may no longer be afraid to approach the Lord's table. And to this end,

Let us call to mind our baptismal vow, wherein we have promised to lead a godly and christian life, which can never be fulfilled so long as we live in a constant neglect of this holy sacrament; nor is it possible to be a meet partaker of that holy mystery, except there be a due preparation, by confessing our sins with an humble, penitent, and obedient heart, and a readiness to forgive those that have offended us, and asking with faith: without these, O my soul, I dare not go to that holy table, and my prayers and praises will find no acceptance at the throne of grace. But if I endeavour to live as becomes a christian; if I really believe the christian religion, and sincerely govern my life by the doctrines and precepts of the gospel, there is nothing should deter me from partaking of this holy ordinance; nay, I am bound, to receive it at any time when there is an opportunity.

Thus, though it be my duty to communicate at the Lord's table, it is very adviseable that my lamp should be trimmed, that I should examine the state of my mind, renew my repentance, exercise my charity, enlarge my

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votions, and spiritualize my affections: I am therefore resolved to retire from all unnecessary business and pleasures; that by prayer and almsdeeds, thou, my soul, mayst be raised to relish spiritual enjoyments; and that I may no longer be deprived of that glorious expectation of the saints, whither I can never expect to be exalted, if I live in the constant habitual practice of any known sin, without repentance; for such an impious approach to the holy table is a mocking of God, and a great contempt of his authority.

Say then, I will wash my hands in innocency, so will I compass thine altar, O Lord. For I believe that according to a man's preparation, so will be his profit. Impenitence makes our prayers an abomination to the Lord; for to profess one's self sorry for one's sins, and resolved to forsake them, when there is no sense of the one, nor firm resolution to do the other, is the greatest affront imaginable to our Maker, by supposing either that he doth not know our hearts, or that he will be pleased, when we draw near to him with our lips, though our hearts are far from him: but yet this is our encouragement, that if the Lord sees a man set himself seriously to a preparation, he will bear with many failings, and so heal his people

that they may keep the feast with gladness; a feast wherein thou, O Father, hast commanded us to commemorate that greatest instance of thy love to us, our redemption by the death of Jesus Christ, thy son, our Lord.

Here observe the directions given on page 8, and more particularly endeavour to improve your soul by reading a lesson out of the New Whole Duty of Man, Sunday vi.

The Prayer on Tuesday Evening, for a worthy receiving of the most holy sacrament.

What reward shall I give unto the Lord for all the benefits. that he hath done unto me? I will receive the cup of salvation, aud cali upon the name of the Lord. Psalm exvi. 11, 12.

Blessed be thou, O my Lord, for ever blessed, for this instance of thy love to fallen mankind, in sending thine only begotten Son for our redemption, who are not worthy of the great and manifold mercies which thou hast showed unto us--Grant, O Lord, that this thy inexpressible love may not be lost upon me: but, that, being sensible of my sad condition by nature, and my worse condition by my own wilful sins, I may be thoroughly convinced of the necessity and blessing of a redeemer, and that I may, with a heart full of gratitude, join with thy faithful church in giving our devoutest thanks to thee, and in keep

ing up the remembrance of what thy blessed Son has done and suffered for us.

Grant, O my God, that I may always receive that pledge of thy love, and the offers of pardon and grace, tendered to me in this holy ordinance, with a truly thankful heart, and in remembrance of thee, my great and best benefactor; in remembrance of my saviour's holy example of his bitter death and sion-of his glorious resurrection and ascension into heaven, and of his coming again to judge the world.

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Give me, O my God, a stedfast faith in thy word and promises, and a firm trust in thy almighty power: and let the fear of thy justice and omniscience keep me from presumptuous sins, and a sense of thy goodness and mercy preserve me from despair. Defend me from all those snares, which destroy my love for thee; from worldly cares; from all sensual and sinful pleasures; from evil company; from foolish diversions; and from every thing that may make me forget, that thou alone art worthy to be feared and loved: grant me these mercies for thy son Jesus Christ his sake, whose love and death I am now about commemorating. For,

O my God, I shall [on Sunday next presume