me thy favour and protection; preferve me this night from all evil, but efpecially from that of fin, give thy holy angels charge over me, that no evil accident may come near to hurt me; and raise me up again in health and safety, with a heart full of love to thee and zeal to thy fervice, thro', Jefus Christ our Lord, in whofe most holy name and words, I presume to call upon thee, faying, Our Father, &c.

Meditation on Wednesday Morning.

On felf-examination.

Let a man examine himself, and fo let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. Cor. xi. 28.

I.

•Remember, O my foul, how we did conclude our laft meditation, and that promife and refolution we have made truly to repent of all our former fins, which must be a fenfe, a forrow and confeffion of all our former fins, and a stedfaft purpose or refolution to lead a new life; according to that good direction and admonition of the church, who exhorteth us, to examine our life and converfation by the rules of God's commandments; and whereinfoever we shall perceive surfelves to have offended, either by will, word or deed, there to bewail our own finfulness, and confefs ourselves to almighty God, with full PART II.

E

pur

-purpose of amendment.* Such an examination of our confciences, if it be frequent, is one of the best inftruments of a chriftian life, and therefore it ought not to be neglected, when we have time and leifure for fo great a work. Because when we make a folemn profeffion of repentance, we ought to be particular in confeffing our fins to God, and in bewailing the feveral aggravations of them. Now it is impoffible to do this to purpose, except we fearch into our own minds, and compare our actions with the rule of God's word.

LI 2. This method, no doubt, is an admirable means to improve us in virtue, and the moft effectual way to keep our confcience awake, and to make us ftand in awe of ourselves, and afraid to fin, when we know before-hand that we must give fo fevere an account to ourfelves of all our ungodly, unjust, and uncharitable actions; of all our vain and filthy fpeeches; of all our wanton, proud, and covetous thoughts; by which our nature is defiled, God is made our enemy, and we are excluded the kingdom of heaven, without repentance.

4

3. Is not then this our duty? nothing can poffible be plainer. We must bethink our

*See the exhortation to the communion fervice.

felves,

felves, how we have spent our life paft? what commands of God we have tranfgreffed? what we have neglected? what we have done which was forbidden by God; and what we have not done which was commanded? And moreover,

4. After we have thus laboured to gain a true fenfe of our fins, we muft endeavour for contrition, or a forrowful bewailing of our own finfulness, in thought, word, and deed, which must always bear fome proportion to the degrees of our fins, according to that holy resolution of the royal pfalmift, I will declare my iniquity, and be forry for my fin. And this will neceffarily teach us that we must confess ourfelves to God, not in general terms, that weare finners with the rest of mankind; but by a fpecial declaration to God of all our most heinous fins, with all their feveral aggravations, laying open our fores to our heavenly phyfician, and firmly refolving to lead a new life.

5. Do not think then that it is enough to confefsour fins to God, and to be unfeignedly concerned and forrowful for having offended him; this is far short of a true repentance. No, my foul, that would be adding fin to fin, and grieving the holy spirit by our mockery of God. But you must remember that as our fins are against E 2 God

God, and against our neighbour; fo repentance implies not only our forrow for fin, but an endeavour to undo, as far as we can, whatever we have done amifs. And,

6. Therefore the church directs, if you shall perceive your offences to be fuck, as are not only against God, but also against your neighbours, then you fhall reconcile your felf unto them, being ready to make reftitution and fatisfaction, according to the utmost of your power, for all injuries and wrongs done by you to any other; and being likewife ready to forgive others that have offended you, as you would have forgiveness of your own offences at God's bands. But what fayeft thou, my foul? if I am able to make no reAtitution or fatisfaction at all, for the injury I have done my neighbour, muft I not come to the facrament; provided I acknowledge and confefs my fin to God, and promise in my mind to make amends whenever I am able?

*

7. Yes certainly; for as God requires noimpoffibilities, fo he expects of us no more than we are able to do; and this being all the repentance we can fhew under an inability of making fatisfaction for the prefent, we may be well affured, that where fuch a refolution of being

just

See the exhortation to the communion fervice of the church.

juft and boneft is attended with an hearty contrition, that will be fufficient till we are able to put it in execution.

8. So that the fum of what I have faid is this, that confeffion and reflitution are the two external tokens of repentance; and I am perfuaded, that the rule and measure of confession (to the parties injured) is the benefit and the good that would come by it: and the rule and measure of reftitution is a man's ability of making it. So that where mifchief and no good would come by confeffion, there I may repent without confeffion, except to God. And where I am able to make no reftitution, there I may repent fincerely without it; and fo may come to the holy facrament, tho' I have done much wrong and injury. Yet as the exhortation * directs, in cafes of difficulty you ought to confult your spiritual guide.

The Hymn, for Wednesday Morning.

On confeffion of fins to God.

IF I keep filence and conceal

My heavy guilt within my heart,

What torments doth my confcience feel!

What agonies of inward fmart.

See the exnortation to the communion Service of the church.