1.

these marks of his grace. My views of happiness shew me I am his child. To be free from sin, and like God; to know, and love, and serve him perfectly-this is my view of happiness. Communion with him is my highest joy, a joy which far exceeds all the earthly pleasures I have ever experienced. These are not natural feelings, divine grace must have made the change.' Let the Christian, then, take the comfort which this view gives. It will fill him with gratitude and love; it will not lead him to pride, presumption, or a fancied superiority over others; but to self-abasement, tenderness, compassion, and unwearied benevolence.

But one important and great result should be, a firm purpose, by the grace of God, to amend what has been amiss. Such purposes should be made seriously, prudently, and sincerely; asking ourselves if we are likely to perform what we promise, and never intend in any circumstances, for any argument, or under any temptation, to yield to sin, and then in the conviction of our own weakness, we shall look more simply and entirely to Christ for strength, and doing so shall obtain his help, and be able to say, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Bishop Beveridge, speaking of Christians discharging this duty, says, "they must consider what sort of temptations they have been most subject to, and oftenest overcome by, and must resolve never to give way to them any more, but to withstand them with all their might. They must consider what place, what company, what employment, what recreations, or other circumstances of their life, have exposed them most to such temptations, and have been the chief occasions of their falling into sin; and must resolve for the future to avoid and forsake them."

Nor let all this be counted a vain labour. A period will arrive when we shall review our whole life, and we may even now be quite assured that "those days and hours which were spent in prayer, in fasting, in examination of the heart, and the exercises of faith and repentance, will bring more true peace and comfort upon our death-bed, than all other times of our life besides:" seeing they, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, discovered to us our sinfulness and ruin, and thus we were led to Christ, the only sure guide and protector through the valley of the shadow of death.

The following Confession and Prayers may close our self-examination.

CONFESSION OF SINS AFTER SELF-EXAMINATION.

O Lord God Almighty, the Judge of all the earth, keeping covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments, have mercy upon me, a miserable sinner, coming back to thee in the name of Jesus Christ. My conscience accuses me of many transgressions, and much disobedience. If in any thing I have not greatly sinned, or have in a measure fulfilled thy will, this was owing to thy watchful providence, and to thy restraining

sins for which my own heart more particularly condemns me.

[Here enumerate those sins and omitted duties, which have been brought to your mind by self-examination.]

And how much of my sinfulness is unknown to myself! But thou art acquainted with all my ways; O cleanse thou me from my secret faults, and from all my known transgressions. Wash me in that precious blood which cleanses from all sin. Give me grace to look to him who was pierced for my sins, and to mourn for them with that godly sorrow which works repentance unto salvation. O vouchsafe unto me a holy compunction of heart, a lively faith in Christ, and a sure hope of thy mercy through him. I beseech thee, grant that I may, with a pacified conscience, a believing and penitent heart, and a grateful and thankful spirit, commemorate my Saviour's death at his table. Hear me for his name's sake. Amen.

PRAYER FOR REPENTANCE.

O Thou, who by the right hand of the Father art exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins: now, in this accepted time, I come to thee for those great blessings. My heart is hard and impenitent, and little affected by my many sins and thy great goodness; I beseech thee take away the stony heart, and give me an heart of flesh. Vouchsafe unto me that broken and contrite spirit which the high and holy God will not despise. May thy sufferings, gracious Redeemer, touch and melt my soul. Let the goodness of God lead me to repentance. Never leave me to myself and my own perverse, wayward, and wandering heart. O blessed Jesus, now bring me back, by thy Holy Spirit, to thy heavenly Father and mine; and, returning to him, may I obtain his mercy, and find that he does abundantly pardon.

PRAYER FOR FAITH.

Almighty God, Father of mercies, from whom cometh every good and perfect gift, give unto me, I beseech thee, grace to believe on the name of thy dear Son Jesus Christ. Let me look to Jesus, dying for my sins, rising again for my justification, and pleading for me at thy right hand in heaven. I believe; Lord, help thou my unbelief! let me be strong in faith, giving glory to thee, and having a full persuasion that thou wilt perform all that thou hast promised. O help me to count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. Enable me so to believe, that Christ may dwell in my heart; and I may supremely love thee, my God, and unfeignedly love all my fellowcreatures. Hear me, for Christ's sake.

PRAYER FOR GRATITUDE TOWARDS GOD.

O Lord, whose tender mercies are over all thy works, and who hast chosen thy people to show forth

thy praises, circumcise my heart to love thee, my God, with all my mind, and with all my soul. By thy Holy Spirit fill me with so lively a sense of thy love to me, as displayed in the death of thy Son, that I may ever so gratefully remember that inestimable benefit, as to love thee and cleave unto thee, abound in thanksgiving, and keep all thy commandments. This I ask for Jesus Christ's sake.

PRAYER FOR CHARITY TOWARDS MEN.

Merciful and gracious Lord, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, who alone canst change and enlarge my selfish and contracted heart, I pray thee to give me the most excellent gift of charity. May thy love to me be so shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Ghost, that I may be full of love to others, forgiving them, and loving them even as Christ loved me. Teach me, I pray thee, to love others. O Lord, make me to increase and abound in love towards my Christian brethren, and towards all men, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

PRAYER BEFORE THE LORD'S SUPPER.

Almighty and most merciful God, who wilt be sanctified in them that come nigh thee, I beseech thee to prepare my heart for that solemn ordinance, in which I have such near access unto thee by Jesus Christ.

Give unto me, I pray thee, all needful and suitable graces and tempers, that in partaking of the bread and wine, according to the institution of my Lord and Saviour, and in remembrance of his death, I may truly have the communion of his body and blood.

0