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of human infirmities, fo that it is most reasonable to conclude, that, in the course of this life, they will fometimes unavoidably furprife and betray us into fome fins. Against thefe, therefore, we must continually strive, and we may reasonably hope, that by God's grace, and our own diligent and careful endeavours, we may every day more and more prevail against them. For,

8. However God may think it fit, for our humiliation, and a farther trial of us, to leave us ftill expofed to fome of the common infirmities of our nature; yet, in refpect of all habitual or deliberate fins, we may affure ourselves, that he is faithful, and will not fuffer us to be tempted above that we are able, but will with the temptation also make a way for us to escape, that we may (if it be not our own fault) be able to bear it. Nor will he fail to draw nigh to us, while we continue careful to draw nigh unto him. Let us then but fteadfaftly refolve to be hearty and industrious in doing what lies in our own. power; and then, though our fins be as Jcarlet, or as red as crim/on, yet we need not be difcouraged; for God is ready, upon our repentance, to make them as white as wool and fnow.

8. Yet, at the fame time, it ftands with

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a great

a great deal of reason, that the greater our fins have been, and the oftener we have relapfed into them, the deeper our forrow, and the more laborious our repentance muft be, in order to obtain our pardon. But fince there is a poffibility of pardon even in the cafe of the mot profligate and abandoned finner,

we

must not make the contrary fear fuggeed by the devil, a pretence for keep ing curfelves back from any of the or dinances of God, and from a more im mediate and intimate communion with him. On the contrary, let us flee to them in the time of our temptation, as the ready means to deliver us from all evil, and established by God to confirm us in every thing that is good.

T

The Hymn on Monday Evening.
A holy refolution to approach the Lord's table.

THE promife of my Father's love,
Shall fand for ever good:

lie faid, and gave his foul to death,
And Jeal'd the grace with blood.

To this dear cov'nant of thy word,
Ifet my worthless nume;

I'll feat th' engagement to my Lord,
And make my humble claim.

Thy

Thy light, and firength, and pard'ning grace,
And glory fhall be mine ;

My life, my foul, my heart, and flesh,
And all my powers are thine.

I call that legacy my own

Which Jefus did bequeath;

'Twas purchas'd with a dying groan,
And ratify'd in death.

Sweet is the mem'ry of his name,
Who blefs' d us in his will,
And to his Teftament of love
Made his own life the feal.

The Prayer on Monday Evening.

For pardon and forgiveness of thofe fins, which deter us from approaching the Lord's table.

MOST

OST great, moft holy, and most glorious Lord God! I know that thou delightest in the ways of mercy, that thou art a tender lover of fouls, and not only permitteft, but inviteft us, miferable creatures, to come unto thee; therefore I am convinced of the neceffity of that holy inftitution, which thou haft ordained by thy Son our Lord, in that holy facrament of the Lord's fupper, whereby we are raised from a death of fin unto a life of righteousness.

With humble confidence then, O Lord, I lift up my foul unto thee, befeeching

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thee,

Part II. thee, in thy great mercy, to look upon me, and to eafe me of the burden of my corrupt and finful inclinations: oh! caft me not away from thy prefence, but, for the fake of my dear Redeemer, receive me graciously to thy mercy; and let the merit of his bitter death and paflion atone for all the follies and mifcarriages of my life paft; forgive, I meekly befeech thee, whatever I have done amifs this day and all my life past, either against thee, my neighbour, or myself.

Oh! what am I, that I fhould prefume to speak unto thee, or to lift up mine eyes to that place of purity where thine honour dwelleth. Oh! cleanfe me from all my fecret and unknown tranfgreffions; and, moft merciful Father, who upholdeft all things by the power of thy word, grant that I may seriously confider and reflect upon the foulness and deformity of my fin, and what dreadful threatenings thou haft de nounced against it; that I may become a true and fincere mourner for my paft fins; and, as far as is poffible, redeem my miffpent time, by employing the remainder of my days in thy fervice and to thy glory. O Lord! give me a new heart, new affections, and new defires, that I may love thee with more fincerity and ferve thee with greater faithfulness, than I have ever

yet

yet done; convince me of the vanity and uncertainty of all things here below; and grant that I may make thee, who art the Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things therein, my only joy and my delight, my ftay and my truft, my guide and my counfellor; and be fo delighted with the ways of thy commandments, that one day in thy fervice may be dearer than a thousand spent in vanity and folly.

Grant that in the days of health and profperity I may confider my latter end, and remember and provide for that great account, which I must one day give before the judgment-feat of Chrift; that when the hour of my departure fhall come, I may meet death without fear and amazement, and with a well-grounded hope of thy mercy and goodness (tendered to me in this holy facrament) I may cheerfully refign up my foul into thy hands; and may be willing, and even defirous to leave this world when thou, my God, fhall please in thy gracious goodnefs to call me hence unto thy glory.

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thofe you intend

Take me and all that belongs Here mention to me this night under the care to pray for. and protection of thy good providence ; preferve us from all perils and dangers, and all apprehenfions or dread of any; give us fuch refreshing reft and fleep, as

may

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