Prayers and Meditations

Preparative to a

Sacramental Preparation,

According to

What the Church of England requires from her Communicants.

A Prayer to God for his gracious Affiftance and Direction in our Sacramental Preparation.

H

TOLY, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth, Heaven and Earth are fall of thy Majesty and of thy Glory: I the unworthiest of all Creatures do here, in all Humility of Soul and Body, proftrate myself before thee, acknowledging my own Weakness and Infufficiency to do any thing that is good or wellpleafing in thy Sight: And therefore, humbly implore the fpecial Influence of thy Grace and holy Spirit, to further thefe my Endeavours for a worthy Participation of the holy Communion of the Body and Blood of Chrift, which

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he has commanded me to do in Remembrance of him, and of those Benefits which we receive thereby. Teach me, O Lord, the right Way, and lead me in the Paths of holy Preparation, that I may be received as a worthy and welcome Guest at this thy heavenly Table. Poffefs my Mind with a true Senfe of the Greatnefs of this Mystery, and the Excellency of thy Mercy, in preparing this Table for our fpiritual Food Infpire my Soul with pure and pious Difpofitions; and inftead of thofe filthy Rags of my Righteoufnefs, clothe me with the Righteoufnefs of the Saints, that my Heart may be a clean, though homely, Receptacle for my Saviour, and one Day fitted for the bleffed Society of Saints and Angels in Heaven, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

Our Father, &c. See Pfal. xxiii. xxvi. cxi.

A Prayer for the Gift and Grace of Repentance. ALmighty and eternal Lord God, who art of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity, and haft more especially enjoined all thofe who compafs thine Altar to wash their Hands in Innocency, vouchfafe me unfeigned Repentance for my paft Sins, a hearty Sorrow and Contrition of Spirit to lament my Sinfulness, and moft firm and ftedfaft Purposes to lead a new Life. It is the Voice of thy wondrous Goodnefs and Mercy, that if the Wicked fhall for fake his Ways, and the unrighteous Man his Thoughts, thou wilt have Mercy upon him, and abundantly pardon him.

O let

O let thy Goodness (whereof I have had fo great a Share, and plentiful Experience) lead me to Repentance not to be repented of, that I may be a fit Guest at thy Son's Table. "Have Mercy "upon me, O Lord, and according to the Mul

titude of thy tender Mercies, blot out all my "Tranfgreffions for thy Mercy's fake in Chrift "Jefus, the Son of thy Love, whom thou haft "fet forth to be the Propitiation for our Sins." Grant this, O merciful Father, for the fake of my blessed Saviour and Redeemer. Amen. See Pfalm vi. xxv. xxxii. xxxviii.

A Prayer before Self-Examination.

Lord, thou that art the Searcher of all our Hearts, and a Difcerner of the very Thoughts, and in whofe Sight all Things are naked and open, be pleased to impart a Ray of thy heavenly Light to discover all the Sins and Infirmities of my paft Life, and whatsoever elfe thou knoweft wherein I have done amifs, that henceforward no fecret Sin may lie undiscovered and corrupted in my Soul; that by examining my Life and Converfation by thy Law, the Rule and Measure of my Duty, I may understand the true State and Condition of my Soul, and from a juft Senfe and Sight of all my Tranfgreffions, through the Affiftance of thy Grace and heavenly Benediction, I may be enabled to reform my Life, and to turn my Feet unto thy Testimonies; fo faithfully to fearch and examine my own Confcience, that I may come holy and clean

clean to the heavenly Feaft, and be received as a worthy Partaker of that holy Table which thou haft called me to. Grant this for thy Mercy's fake in Christ Jesus. Amen. See Pfal. cxxxix.

Brief Heads of Self-Examination upon each

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Commandment.

COMMANDMENT I.

Hough I have not atheistically denied the Being of a God, or wickedly renounced him by Apoftafy, yet have I not loved, defired and delighted in other Things more than in God? Or, have I not feared Men, and dreaded the Displeasure of the World, more than of God? Or, have I not trufted in Men, and relied upon the World, more than upon God? Have I not despaired of God's Mercy? Or, by prefuming too much upon it, encouraged myfelf in Sin? Have I not been unthankful for Mercies received? Or, have I not ascribed the Glory and Honour of what I now enjoy to myself, more than to God? (Say) God be merciful to me a Sinner, and lay not this (or thefe) Sins to my Charge. [Repeat the fame at the End of every Commandment.]

II.

Though I have not worshipped God by Images, yet have I not entertained grofs and falfe Conceptions of him? Or, have I not wil

fully

fully omitted coming to Church, or to the public Prayers, when I had no juft Occasion to hinder me? Or, have I not rudely, irreverently or wantonly behaved myfelf during the Time of divine Service? Or, have I not wilfully refused to come to the Lord's Supper, when I have been called to it? Or, have I not rafhly and unadvitedly received the Sacrament without due Preparation? Or, have I not broken my Vows and Refolutions which I then made?

III.

If I have not openly blafphemed the Name of God, yet have I not lightly or irreverently fpoken of him? Or, have I not profanely jested upon, or abused his holy Places or Perfons, or any thing else dedicated to his Service? Or, have I not taken God's Name in vain, by -common Swearing and Curfing? Or, have I not taken false and unlawful Oaths? Or, have I not broken my own Vows and Resolutions, efpecially my Baptifmal?

IV.

Have I not neglected the Worfhip of God on his Sabbaths? Have I not fpent Part thereof in vain Sports, idle Difcourfes, Vifits, and many other unneceffary Affairs? Or, have I not suffered others to profane the Sabbath, when it was in my Power to reftrain them from fo doing?

V.

Have I not been ftubborn, irreverent and undutiful towards my Parents, rejecting their Counfels,