GRANT, O God, I beseech thee, the same mercies. to my family, relations, and friends; make them faithful members of Christ's body, the Church; and fit them for death, judgment, and eternity. (Cover them, O Lord God, with the shadow of thy wings. Hold them in the hollow of thy hand, that no evil may come near their bodies or souls. Root out of their hearts all unholy propensities, and establish in them the dominion of Jesus Christ. May they grow in grace, and daily attain a greater conformity to the spirit of the Gospel.)

GLORY be to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life: but, above all, for the redemption of the world, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory, through Jesus Christ. (O fill my heart with devout gratitude and love! May this be a ruling principle within me, consoling, purifying, elevating me. May it make me comparatively indifferent to all worldly objects, and may the love of Christ be my satisfying portion.)

ACTS OF DEVOTION

IN RELATION TO THE LORD'S SUPPER.

A GENERAL CONFESSION.

O LORD, the great and glorious God, against whom I have grievously offended, and who, for my sins art justly displeased; I know not where to begin or end with the rehearsal of my transgressions, which are more than I can remember, and greater than I can express.

Thou art God alone, and there is none beside thee, that should have sovereignty over me. But I have idolized qualities in myself, and in this present world, and have set them in the stead of God; either disbelieving thy attributes, or forgetting thy presence, or disliking to retain thee in my thoughts, and living without thee in the world. I have not improved in thy knowledge, answerably to the means of instruction wherewith thou hast blessed me. I have not had my whole dependence upon thee, nor my chief hope and delight in thee; but have trusted to creature comforts and worldly enjoyments, things short of thee, my God, to make me happy. O how have I hardened my heart

against the fear of thy glorious Majesty, who can, whenever thou pleasest, destroy and cast sinners into hell; daring to sin against the clear light which thou hast caused to shine upon me! And how have I shut my heart against the love of my chief good; who has still been laying renewed obligations upon me, notwithstanding my ingratitude, every day!

I have conceived irreverent thoughts of thy infinite greatness, and goodness, and holiness; acting as if the most high and glorious God would accept outward professions, and a partial obedience, and an inoperative faith and instead of worshipping thee in spirit and in truth, it has been in a formal heartless manner, with wandering thoughts, too proud or too slothful to do thee homage with my body; either neglecting the offices of thy worship, or profaning thy holy things, and drawing nigh to thee with my mouth, when my heart has been far from thee. O how irreverently have I mentioned thy great name, and how little zeal have I showed for thy honor and glory! I have disregarded thy word and works, thy mercies and judgments, thy calls and warnings.

Thy day I have not remembered and sanctified as I ought, but have used as common, what thou hast set apart for sacred; or have borne the holy season as a burden, and made bold with thy hallowed time, to spend it upon my sloth and lusts, and worldly trifles and carnal impertinences.

O how have I failed and sinned in all my relations; as a superior, in pride and vanity; as an inferor in stubborness and envy; as a parent and child, master and servant, friend and neighbor; not discharging my duty in any capacity as I ought. I have been careless of the souls of those dependent upon me; passionate and unmerciful, contentious and revengeful; provoking in my words, malicious in my heart, tempting some into soul-ruining sins; or not doing what in me lies, to keep others from destroying themselves; nor exerting my utmost desires and endeavors to do good unto all.

O Lord, I am unclean, unclean, defiled with vain imaginations rolling in my head, and inordinate desires harboring in my heart, forsaking the blessed bridegroom of my soul, to cleave to polluting vanities, and to keep up that friendship with the world which is enmity with God.

I have been unfaithful in the unrighteous mammon, and not honored thee with my substance, nor done the good which thou hast made me capable of; but by idleness and injurious intrenching on the rights of others, or by consuming my portion on my own pride and lusts, I have been a sacrilegious usurper of thy good creatures.

O what vicious liberties have I taken to myself, in speaking evil of my neighbors; using them in my words, as I would deem it a cruel injury to be used; slandering and reviling, dissembling or rash judging; and perhaps wronging the truth to avenge, to excuse, to exalt myself.

What a nursery of covetous and selfish desires, has been this corrupt and wicked heart of mine. Cherishing and delighting in evil motions; repining at others' welfare; coveting all to myself, and catering only for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts.

Such sins, O Lord, I have committed against thy holy law and I have also sinned against thy gracious Gospel, not acquainting myself with the way of salvation by Jesus Christ, but neglecting so great salvation, and disregarding the only Saviour, whom to know and win, I should have accounted all things else but loss and dung. I have not been awed by thy threatenings, nor taken with thy promises; have not listened to the calls of thy word, nor yielded to the motions of thy Spirit; neither. have I effectually believed the truths, nor loved the days and means, nor improved the opportunities, which thou hast graciously set before me; but have shut my eyes against the things of my peace, and made light of all my Saviour's doings and sufferings for the salvation of my soul: sometimes taking pleasure in the enemies of his cross; little concerned for the success of his Gospel, nor laying to heart my own or others' sins; not seriously repenting, nor fervently praying; and doing all these things, without lively fear and concern.

Such is my heavy charge; this is my heinous guilt. O that I may not only confess it, but be duly humbled for it, and lay my mouth in the dust, if so be that yet there may be hope! And is there