confirming, as a public evidence of their being received into the full communion of the church of Jesus Christ. Self-examination and confession of sins, before approaching the Lord's Supper. HYMN 58. L. M.-Portugal. 1 WHAT strange perplexities arise? What anxious fears and jealousies? What crowds in doubtful light ap pear! How few, alas, approv'd and clear! 2 And what am I ?—My soul, awake, And an impartial survey take; Does no dark sign, no ground of fear, In practice or in heart appear? 3 What image does my spirit bear? Is Jesus form’d, and living there? Say, do his lineaments divine In thought, and word, and action shine! 4 Searcher of hearts, O search me still; 5 May I consistent with thy word, 6 Have I the wedding garment on, Or do I naked, stand alone? O! quicken, clothe and feed my soul, Forgive my sins, and make me whole. SELF-EXAMINATION. O Almighty and holy God! Before I would venture to approach unto thy holy table, I know that it behooves me to sanctify my lips, by the humble confession of my sins-that mine eyes should prove a fountain of tears, when reflecting on my past transgressions-that I should wash mine hands in innocency, and purify my heart in the precious blood of my dear Redeemer, for thy word teaches me, that it is not meet to cast that which is sanctified to dogs, nor the precious pearl before swinebut what is so holy as the body and blood of thy Son, in which the rays of thy divine majesty shine forth in the most refulgent manner! Where is there a pearl of so great a price to be found, as this held forth to my view in this holy sacrament? And where is there a dog or swine so impure as I am? But I must confess, O God, that in consequence of my natural depravity and actual transgressions, no dog has so often turned to his vomit ; nor swine to her wallowing in the mire, as I have wallowed in sinful lusts, and into which I had sunk even deeper, if thy preventing grace had not been shed abroad in my heart. O Lord God! It is impossible for me to remember, and much more impossible to recount all my sins, which I have committed against Thee, in thought, word and deed. In my very best works, I find much imperfection—my most solemn and devout addresses, must, as of themselves, in consequence of being polluted with sin, be an abomination in thy pure and holy eyes, if Thou wert to enter into strict judgment of them; and how much more, must all my sins be an abomination unto Thee? The means which Thou hast introduced in thy law and holy gospel, and hast prescribed for my salvation, have only tended to increase my sins, and render them a greater burden, because I have, alas! only abused them. Each line of thy holy commandments, which is calculated to direct me, as with a finger, in the way to heaven, has been perverted so as to direct me in the way to perdition. Adam only eat once of one forbidden fruit, but I have, alas! eaten ofttimes and of many forbidden fruits. 1. For inasmuch as according to thy first commandment, Thou hast enjoined it upon me, to seek my true happiness and felicity in Thee-place my implicit trust and confidence upon Thee, and await all my prosperity alone from thy hand; but instead of doing this, I have suffered my heart to be riveted to earthly things-my desires to be placed upon the honours of this world, on perishing riches, nay, I have made idols of sinful lusts, and have loved them more than thy love and fa vour, which are better than life. Thy kingdom and thy righteousness, which I should have been careful first to seek, I have only been too little concerned for. I have also, often murmured against thy all-wise providence, and have envied the prosperity of the ungodly, and on the other hand, I have stumbled and been offended at the crosses of thy people, and have been fretful under thy chastening rod-I have not sufficiently feared thy judg⋅ ments against sin, nor trusted in thy promises, by which Thou designest to remove all my doubts-I have not been sufficiently troubled under a sense of thy displeasure, nor manifested the zeal I ought to have done, for thine honour and glory, nor sought Thee with my whole heart, in thy word and ordinances, so as to learn to know Thee, that I might cordially love Thee, nor loved Thee so as to dread exciting thy displeasure, when I should have been ready to do and to suffer any thing, rather than transgress thy holy will. 2. Thou hast commanded me, in the second commandment, not to make unto myself any graven image, nor any likeness thereby to represent unto myself thy incomprehensible majesty, or to worship Thee, but on the contrary, to regulate all my actions, according to thy word, which is the only true rule of my faith and conduct, the polar star of my heart, a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my way, to lead me to worship Thee, as a Spirit, in spirit and in truth. But, alas! I have ofttimes served Thee according to my vain imaginations, and the delusive conceptions of my sinful heart. When I poured out my prayers before Thee, or set under the preaching of thy word, I have not been so prepared as I should have been, but have performed both with little zeal and devotion, and have not represented unto myself thy sacred Majesty and infinite wisdom, with which Thou not only fillest both heaven and earth, but with which Thou also searchest the hearts and triest the reins of the children of men, and knowest all the secret thoughts and intents of the heart. 3. According to thy third commandment, I am bound to make mention of thy holy name, (before which all knees must bow,) only in a holy and reverential manner, to confess it with cheerfulness, to worship it with zeal, and in |