humbly to confess and bewail your great and manifold offences, and to repent you truly of your sins, as you tender the eternal salvation of your soul. Be not deceived with a vain and presumptuous expec tation of God's favour, nor say within yourself, Peace, peace, where there is no peace; for there is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. God is not mocked; he is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity; and without holiness no man shall see the Lord. On the other hand, despair not of God's mercy, though trouble is on every side; for God shutteth not up his mercies for ever in displeasure; but if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Do not either way abuse the goodness of God, who calleth us mercifully to amendment, and of his endless pity promiseth us forgiveness of that which is past, if with a perfect and a true heart we return unto him. Since therefore you are soon to pass into an endless and unchangeable state, and your future happiness or misery depends upon the few moments which are left you, I require you strictly to examine yourself, and your estate Loth towards God and towards man; and let no worldly consideration hinder you from making a true and full confession of your sins, and giving all the satisfaction which is in your power to every one whom you have wronged or injured; that you may find mercy at your heavenly Father's hand, for Christ's sake, and not be condemned in the dreadful day of judgment. Lastly, beloved, submit yourself with Christian resig nation to the just judgment of God, which your own crimes have brought upon you, and be in charity with all men; being ready sincerely to forgive all such as have offended you, not excepting those who have prosecuted you even unto death: and, though this may seem a hard saying, yet know assuredly, that without it your charity is not yet perfect. And fail not earnestly to endeavour and pray for this blessed temper and composure of mind. So may you cast yourself with an entire depend ence upon the mercies of God, through the merits of our Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ. Here the Minister shall examine him concerning his faith, and rehearse the Articles of the CREED, Dost thou believe in God, etc. And the Criminal shall answer. All this I stedfastly believe. Then shall the Minister examine whether he repent him truly of his sins, exhorting him to a particular confession of the sin for which he is condemned; and upon confession, he shall instruct him what satisfaction ought to be made to those whom he has offended thereby; and if he knoweth any combinations in wickedness, or any evil practices designed against others, let him be admonished to the utmost of his power to discover and prevent them. After his confession, the Priest shall declare to him the pardoning mercy of God, in the form which is used in the Communion Service. ¶ After which shall be said the Collect following. HOLY Jesus, who, of thine infinite goodness, didst accept the conversion of a sinner on the cross; Open thine eye of mercy upon this thy servant, who desireth pardon and forgiveness, though in his latest hour he turneth unto thee. Renew in him whatsoever hath been decayed by the fraud and malice of the devil, or by his own carnal will and frailness. Consider his contrition; accept his repentance; and forasmuch as he putteth his full trust only in thy mercy, impute not unto him his former sins, but strengthen him with thy blessed Spirit; and when thou art pleased to take him hence, take him unto thy favour. This we beg through thy merits, O Lord, our Saviour and our Redeemer. Amen. 05 Then shall the Minister say, FATHER of mercies, and God of all comfort; We fly unto thee for succour in behalf of this thy servant, who is now under the sentence of condemnation. The day of his calamity is at hand, and he is accounted as one of those who go down into the pit. Blessed Lord, remember thy mercies; look upon his infirmities; hear the voice of his complaint; give him, we beseech thee, patience in this his time of adversity, and support under the terrors which encompass him; set before his eyes the things he hath done in the body, which have justly provoked thee to anger, and forasmuch as his continuance appeareth to be short amongst us, quicken him so much the more by thy grace and Holy Spirit; that he, being converted and reconciled unto thee, before thy judgments have cut him off from the earth, may at the hour of his death depart in peace, and be received into thine everlasting kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Adding this. SAVIOUR of the world, who by thy Cross and precious Blood hast redeemed us; Save us, and help us, we humbly beseech thee, O Lord. IN Then the Minister, standing, shall say, the midst of life we are in death; of whom may we seek for succour, but of thee, O Lord, who for our sins art justly displeased? Yet, O Lord God most holy, O Lord most mighty, O holy and most merciful Saviour, deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal death. Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts; shut not thy merciful ears to our prayer; but spare us, Lord most holy, O God most mighty, O holy and merciful Saviour, thou most worthy Judge eternal, suffer us not, at our last hour, for any pains of death, to fall from thee. Then the Minister shall say, Tthose put their trust in him, to whom all things Almighty God, who is a most strong tower to all in heaven, in earth, and under the earth, do bow and obey, Be now and evermore thy defence; and make thee know and feel, that there is none other Name under heaven given to man, in whom, and through whom, thou mayest receive salvation, but only the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. And after that shall say, UNTO thee, and keep thee. The LORD make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace, both now and evermore. Amen. At the time of Execution, the Minister shall use such devotions as he shall think proper. [NTO God's gracious mercy and protection we commit Notice. It is judged best that the Criminal should not make any public profession or declaration. The Collect for the Communion Service. GOD, who declarest thy almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity; We beseech thee to have mercy upon this thy servant, who for his transgressions is appointed to die. Grant that he may take thy judgments patiently, and repent him truly of his sins; that he recovering thy favour, the fearful reward of his actions may end with this life; and whensoever his soul shall depart from the body, it may be without spot presented unto thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Epistle. Heb. xii. 11. chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. The Gospel. St. John v. 24. VERITY, verily, I unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 319 A FORM OF PRAYER AND THANKSGIVING TO ALMIGHTY GOD, For the fruits of the earth, and all the other blessings of his merciful Providence; to be used yearly on the first Thursday in November, or on such other day as shall be appointed by the Civil Authority. T The service shall be as usual, except where it is hereby Among the Sentences at the beginning of Morning Prayer shall be the following. the with substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. Prov. iii. 9, 10. The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heav By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. Prov. iii. 19, 20. ens. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. Deut. xxxiii. 27. Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew. Deut. xxxiii. 28. Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! Deut. xxxiii. 29. ¶ Instead of O come, let us sing, etc., the following shall PRAISE the LORD, for it is a good thing to and pleasant thing it is to be thankful. : The LORD doth build up Jerusalem and gather together the outcasts of Israel. He healeth those that are broken in heart: and giveth medicine to heal their sick ness. O sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving: sing praises upon the harp unto our God: Who covereth the heaven with clouds, and prepareth rain for the earth and maketh the grass to grow upon the mountains, and herb for the use of men; Who giveth fodder unto the cattle: and feedeth the young ravens that call upon him. Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem: praise thy God, O Sion. For he hath made fast the bars of thy gates: and hath blessed thy children within thee. : He maketh peace in thy borders and filleth thee with the flour of wheat. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. : Amen. Then shall be said or sung one of the Selections, or some other portion of the Psalms, at the discretion of the Minister. The First Lesson shall be Deut. 8, and the Second Lesson shall be 1 Thess. 5, v. 12 to v. 24. After the General Thanksgiving, shall be said this which OST gracious God, by whose knowledge the down the dew; We yield thee unfeigned thanks and praise for the return of seed-time and harvest, for the increase of the ground and the gathering in of the fruits thereof, and for all the other blessings of thy merciful providence bestowed upon this nation and people. And, we beseech thee, give us a just sense of these great mercies; such as may appear in our lives by an |