On Sunday Morning get up betimes, and Read a Chapter; on your Knees wait or sit silent a little time, casting all worldly Thoughts out of your Mind. Then say this Pre­paratory Prayer, for Sunday Morning, at home:

MOST Great and Incomprehensible Lord God! Thou art worthy of all Praise, and infinitely to be admir'd for thy Grace and Mercy in the Redem­ption of the World, by the Body and Blood of thy Son, whom thou hast given to be Meat and Drink to them that Fear and Obey Thee. O Lord, I design this Morning to receive of that Bread, and Drink of that Cup that nourishes the Soul of all true Penitents. Lord, let the Inward and Spiritual Grace accompany the Bread and Wine, that so my Body may not only be Refresh'd, but my Soul also Refresh'd, Comfortcd, and Strengthen'd; that I may evermore continue Obedient to thee, Blessed Jesus. O Lord, I beseech thee, send forth thy Light and thy Truth, to Guide and Direct me. O Establish me with thy free Spirit, that thou givest freely to them that ask in Faith, that Blessed Spirit that makes our Meditations of Thee to be sweet, yea, sweeter than Honey: It makes the Soul to rejoyce more than in plenty of Corn, Wine, and Oil. This is that that made Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego em­brace a Fiery Furnace; Daniel a Lyon's Den; St. Pe­ter a Crucifixion; and John a Kettle of Boiling Oil: St. Bartholomew to be Flead; St. Bernard to cry out, Hold, hold, for my Heart is not able to cantain these Joys which thou dost so liberally pour out upon me. Blessed God, let my Heart be thus tuned, and then shall I re­ceive Strength and Nourishment of Soul to Everlast­ing Life. All which I beg through the Merits of Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be all Glory and Praise, now and evermore. Amen.

Our Father which art in Heaven, &c.

Then repair to Church, &c. And after Sermon is ended, say this Prayer before the Sacrament:

MOST merciful and gracious Lord, who didst In­stitute this Feast of Love for us vile and mise­rable Sinners, utterly unworthy of the least of thy Fa­vours, be pleas'd to help me to approach it with that Devotion, Reverence, and Humility that befits a worthy [Page 7] Communicant at thy Table. Lord I come, out of a Sense of my want of that Food from Heaven, to which thou most graciously dost invite me. I come in Obe­dience to thy Commands, to testifie my Faith in Thee, and to commemorate thy unspeakable Love in accom­plishing the work of my Redemption, by a most Shame­ful and Bitter Death. I come to renounce and cast off my Sins and Transgressions, and to renew my Bap­tismal Covenant, which I have often and perversly broken. O do thou for thy Mercy sake accept me, though an unworthy Guest: Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant, for in thy Sight shall no Man living be justified. If thou, Lord, should'st be extreme to mark what I have done amiss, I must suffer all the Vials of thy Wrath; I must undergo all the Curses of thy Law; I must stand expos'd to all the Judgments and Ter­rors of this Life, and to the intolerable Torments of Hell in another. So far should I be in this Case from receiving any manner of Advantage from these Holy Mysteries, that I should eat and drink my own Damnation. Miserable wretched Creature that I am, that I should so eagerly pursue the Paths that lead to Death and Misery! that I should so continually offend thee, my most tender and indulgent Father! that I should trample under foot the Son of God, and repay that wonderful Love, and those unknown Sufferings of His on my behalf, with those Sins which at first Cruci­fied him, and still continue to Crucifie him afresh, and put him to an open Shame! that I should grieve that good Spirit of God, which so earnestly wooes and en­treats to accept of Life and Salvation! that I should be guilty of so much Pride, Hypocrisie, Indevotion, and Deadness in my Prayers; of so much Injustice, Passion, and Malice, of so much Impenitency, Un­cleanness, Intemperance, &c. [Here reckon up the par­ticular Sins thou hast been guilty of] whereby I have wickedly departed from Thee, the Lord of Life and Glory, the Fountain and Spring of all Happiness! Lord, I fly into the Arms of Thy Mercy: O save me [Page 8] or I perish. Hide me under the Clefts of thy Wounds until thy Father's Indignation be overpast. O thou that delightest not in the Death of a Sinner, but ra­ther that he should turn and be saved, receive me to thy Favour, for the Merits and Satisfaction of my Bles­sed Redeemer, in whom alone thou art well pleased. His Blood was shed to make Atonement for my Sins: His Body was bruised and beaten with Stripes, that thro' them I might be healed. Lord grant, that in this Blessed Sacrament, I may effectually receive these Benefits of his Death and Passion; grant that I may have my Pardon seal'd, my Weakness repair'd, my Graces strengthen'd, and my Soul raised to Heaven in Flames of devoutest Affection and Adoration. O do thou nourish my Soul by this immortal Food, to live the Life of Grace and Holiness, and enable it to make some Returns of Love to Thee, the infinite Lover of Souls: But oh! What Returns can be sufficient, what Transports of Love and Praise can be enough for Him, who died a most painful and ignominious Death, to deliver us from inevitable Ruin and Misery, when we were his bitter Enemies, and at open Defiance and Rebellion against him? Oh the Riches of thy Goodness, how unutterable are thy Mercies, and how unconcei­vable is thy Love! Grant I pray thee, that tho' I am utterly unable to make a true estimation thereof, yet I may love Thee to the utmost capacity of a frail Crea­ture, and shew it by living in all holy Obedience and Conformity to thy Laws and Precepts. Grant that I may always desire and endeavour to please thee; and be very tender and fearful of offending Thee; keep­ing a strict Watch over my Heart and Ways, that no Temptations prevail against me, or make me fall from my own Stedfastness: But that being effectually Sancti­fied here, I may in the end be eternally Blest in the Kingdom of Glory.

Lord, pity and commiserate my Frailty, and gra­ciously supply all my Wants and Necessities; for thy Mercy and Compassion's sake. Amen.

Our Father, &c.

Now repair to the Communion-Table, and being placed con­veniently, lift up your Heart towards Heaven, and say,

O Lamb of God that didst offer thy self a Sacrifice for the Sins of the whole World, have Mercy upon me miserable Sinner. I am here ready to renew the Covenant I made with thee in Baptism, and once more to take those solemn Engagements upon my self: O do thou give me the Assistance of thy Grace and Holy Spirit, that I may be enabled to perform them; that I may henceforth renounce the Devil and all his Works, all the Pomps and Vanities of the World, and the sin­ful Lusts of the Flesh; that I may stedfastly persist in the true Faith of thy most Holy Religion, and live in sincere Obedience to thy Laws, all the Days of my Life.

Amen.

Just before Receiving, a Prayer.

GRant, O Lord, I beseech thee, that the Wine that makes glad, and the Bread of Life may infuse new Strength and Vigour into my Soul, and into the Souls of all that Communicate with me; that we may daily grow in Grace, and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; and that (according to his Command) we may be united in Holy Love and Fel­lowship with one another, and with the Church of God; and at last obtain that glorious Fellowship with thy self in Heaven, which thou hast promised to all that love and fear thee, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

When you receive the Bread, say,

GRant me, Blessed Lord, so to eat the Flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and so to drink his Blood, that my sinful Body may be made clean by his most ho­ly Body, and my Soul washt in his most precious Blood, that I may evermore dwell in him, and he in me.

Amen.

After you have received the Bread, say,

O That the Bread which I have now eaten may be the Bread which came down from Heaven, and gives Life unto the World. O that I may now feel [...]s Efficacy, inflaming my Soul with the Heavenly [Page 10] Ardours of Divine Love; having all my Affections fet on things Above, and not on things Below. May this Bread be to my Soul the staff of Strength, whereby I may vanquish all the Assaults of the Devil, the World, and the Flesh, and continue my Lord's faithful Ser­vant to my Life's end.

Amen.

At the receiving the Cup, say,

THe Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for me, preserve my Body and Soul unto E­verlasting Life: I drink this in Remembrance that Christ's Blood was shed for me, and am thankful.

After you have received the Cup, say,

O That this precious Blood of my dear Redeemer may be now both the Purification and Nourish­ment of my Soul, the Seal of my Pardon, and Peace with God, and the Pledge of mine Inheritance in Heaven.

Amen.

Then return to your Pew or Seat, and say, on your Knees, this Thanksgiving after the Sacrament:

BLessing, Honour, and Glory be given to thee, O Lord, for thy Love this Day discover'd to me; and for all the Benefits receiv'd at thy Table. What is Man that thou art mindful of him, or Son of Man that thou should'st so regard him, as to suffer such bitter things for his sake; to be Scourged and Bruised for his Transgressions, and to bear upon thy Shoulders the Sins of a whole World? O the depth of the Riches of thy Mercy and Goodness! We have sinned against thee, and thou thy self hast undergone the Punish­ment! We have perversly run in the Paths that lead to Death and Damnation, and thou hast undeservedly merited Life and Salvation for us, and dost wooe and entreat us to accept of it, and hast ordain'd this Sa­crament to assure us of the Reality of thy gracious In­tentions towards us: Praise the Lord, O my Soul, and all that is within me praise his Holy Name! Praise the Lord, O Soul, and forget not all his Benefits; who forgi­veth all thy Sin, and healeth all thine Infirmities; who saveth thy Life from Destruction, and crowneth thee with [Page 11] Mercy and loving Kindness! Lord, grant that this un­speakable Love of thine may make me more and more a bound in Love to thee: Grant that it may constrain me to Obedience and good Living, and to a diligent Performance of all those solemn Engagements I have now made unto thee. And since thou hast purchased me with the inestimable Price of thy Blood, grant that I may continue wholly thine, and glorify thee both in Body and Spirit, by giving up my self to thy Ser­vice, and by walking before thee in Holiness and Righte­ousness all my days. Thou hast in infinite Mercy vouchsafed to unite thy self to me miserable and un­worthy Creature, thereby becoming the Strength, Life, and Support of my Soul: O grant that I may never dissolve this Sacred Union, nor suffer any sinful Lust or unlawful Passion to take me out of thy Hand. And grant that (according to the Profession of Charity I have made at thy Table) I may henceforward be Compassionate, and ready to forgive all Wrongs and Injuries, supply the Wants and Necessities of the Poor; that so in all things I may adorn the Gospel of God my Saviour, and finally attain that Glorious Crown of Bliss and Immortality, which thou hast prepar'd for thy Saints in Heaven.

Pardon, O my God, all my Sins and Failings, and perfect whatever Good Work thou hast begun in me unto the Day of Christ. Direct, sanctify, and govern both my Heart and Body in the ways of thy Laws, and in the Works of thy Commandments, that through thy most Mighty Protection both here and ever, I may be preserved both in Body and Soul, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Our Father, &c.

Then return home with a chearful Heart, and let a Holy Life be thy Care ever after.

1. Directions how to Live well.

IN the Morning awake with God, and offer up unto Him thy Morning-Sacrifice of Prayer: First, Give [Page 12] hearty Thanks for all his Mercies Spiritual and Tem­poral; and for thy Preservation in the Night. Se­condly, Make an humble Confession of thy Sins, and de­sire Pardon. Thirdly, Ask such Necessaries as are re­quisite for thy Soul and Body, with fervent Request to be reliev'd in them; and desire his Blessing upon thy Labour in thy Calling. Always think that thou art before the Living God, and let the Remembrance hereof make thee afraid to Sin.

Make Conscience of Idle, Vain, Dishonest, and Ungodly Thoughts; for these are the Seeds and Be­ginnings of actual Sin, in Word and Deed.

Have a special Care to avoid those Sins which thou findest thy Nature most prone unto, and eschew those Provocations which were wont most to prevail a­gainst thee.

Follow with Faithfulness and Diligence thy Law­ful Calling.

Think thy present State and Condition to be the best State for thee.

Look well to thy Carriage in Company, that thou do no hurt by Word or Example; nor take any thing from others, but endeavour rather to do good.

Use Honesty towards all Men: A good Conscience and good Manners go together.

If at any time thou art overtaken with any Sin, lie not in it, but speedily recover thy self by Repentance.

When any good Desire, Motion, or Affection doth arise in thine Heart, suffer it not to pass away, but feed it by Reading, Meditating, or Praying.

Esteem every Day as the Day of thy Death; and therefore live now, even as though thou wert now Dying; and do those good Duties every Day, which thou would'st do if this were thy Dying Day.

At the end of the Day, before thou sleepest, call to mind how thou hast spent the Day past: Thy Misdo­ings repent, and praise God for assisting thee with his Grace in the Duties which thou hast perform'd.

Sleep not, at Night, before thou hast commended [Page 13] thy self by Prayer into the Hands of God; for thou knowest not whether (fall'n asleep) thou shalt rise a­gain to live here.

Let Prayer be the Key to open the Morning, and the Bar to shut in the Evening. Walk as the Children of Light.

II. Directions how to Die well.

THink that the greatest Work thou hast to do in this World, is to Die well. They which Die well, Die not to Die, but to Live Eternally.

Be every Day ready to leave this Life. That Man doth finish his Days best, that every Day esteemeth the last Day of his Life to be present and at hand.

Endeavour before Death come to pull out his Sting, and take from him his Power and Strength, by hum­bling thy self in the time present for all thy Sins past, and by turning unto God for the time to come. That Man can never die ill, that taketh care to live well.

Innure thy self by little and little to Die, before thou come to that Point that thou must needs Die. He that leaves the World before the World leaves him, gives Death the Hand like a welcome Messen­ger, and departs in Peace.

When thou art Visited with Sickness, or Old-age, think either of these are Warnings for thee e'er long to appear before the Great Judge of all the World: Therefore now prepare to set all things in good order, and make thine Accounts ready.

Make a new Examination of thy Life and Conver­sation passed. Make a Confession unto God of thy new and particular Sins: As God sendeth new Cor­rections and Chastisements, make new Prayers, and more earnest than ever before, for Pardon of thy Sins, and Reconciliation with God in Christ; by all means avoid those Sins which thou findest and feelest en­crease the Wrath of God against thee.

Be reconciled to thy Neighbour, freely forgiving them that have offended thee, and earnestly desire [Page 14] to be forgiven of all that thou hast offended. Set thine House and Family in order, by disposing of thy Worldly Goods in thy Will and Testament; thereby thou shalt Die not the more quickly, but the more quietly, and prevent the Brawls and Jars that other­wise (when thou art gone) may arise from thine Heirs. Thou partest with Earthly Possessions, and art going to take Possession of Heavenly.

In the last Agony of Death, when all things in and of the World do fail and forsake thee, rest thy self by Faith on the Favour and Mercy of God in Christ, and comfort thy self in the Lord thy God. What shall sepa­rate from the Love of God in Christ? Not Life nor Death.

Let thine Heart and Tongue be still employ'd in Prayer to the Lord: First, For Patience in thy Trou­ble. Secondly, For Comfort in thine Affliction. Third­ly, For Strength in Weakness. Fourthly, For Deliver­ance at his Pleasure. Yea, endeavour to Die Praying. When thou art in the depth of Miseries, and at the Gates of Death, there is a depth of God's Mercy, which is ready to hear and help thee. Misery must Call upon Mercy.

Be willing and ready to depart out of this World without murmuring or repining, whensoever, whereso­ever, or howsoever it shall please the Lord to call thee. For why shouldest thou unwillingly suffer a short Death that will bring thee to the Fruition of Eternal Joys: Perswade thy self, that if thou Live, by the Mercy of God, thou shalt do well; but if thou Die, doubt not but thou shalt do better.

Lastly, when thou feelest Death approaching, com­mend thy Soul unto God: He gave it, to Him surren­der it again. So laying thy self down to sleep and rest, God shall make thee to dwell in everlasting Safety. A [...] Death leaveth thee, so shall Judgment find thee.

• Often meditate of God and good things.
• Care­fully watch over thine Eyes and Ears.
• Be always do­ing something that is good.

• Forethink whether it be lawful and fit to be spoken.
• Avoid all superfluity of Words.
• Affirm the Truth.

• Do all things as in God's Sight.
• Eschew ill Company.
• Think daily of thy Death.