been effectual, which is fufficient to prove the Thing poffible; and if Divines thought otherwife, it would be in vain for them to exhort Perfons in fuch Circumftances to repent and turn to God.

Q. Wherein confifts the Danger of a Death-bed Repentance? and how is the Cafe of fuch dying Penitents deplorable?

A. Confidering the Difficulty of a thorough Change, and the difadvantageous Circumftances of a Sick-bed, it is highly probable that whofoever defers it till that Time will never repent at all; or, if he does, his penitential Refolutions, being founded upon fuch temporary Principles as the Fear of Death, and the Abfence of Temptation, they will feldom prove ftrong and vigorous enough to produce a thorough Reformation; as is plain in the Cafe of those that recover, among whom there are very

few that are true and conftant to thofe Purposes of Amendment, which they formed upon the Profpect of approaching Death. But, fuppofing their penitential Purposes be rightly qualified, confidering the Ficklenefs and Mutability of our Nature, nothing but the Fruits and Effects of Repentance can create in us an Affurance that we are inwardly changed; and confequently they muft needs die very uncomfortably, and in great Doubt and Anxiety of Mind what will be their Fate and Doom to all Eternity.

For Contrition.

For Par

The PRAYER S.

I.

who hateft

nothing that thou haft made, and dost forgive the Sins of all them are penitent; create and make in me a new and contrite Heart, that I, worthily lamenting my Sins, and acknowledging my Wretchednefs, may obtain of thee, the God of all Mercy, perfect Remiffion and Forgiveness, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen.

II.

don upon mighty God, Father of our Lord Jefus

feffion.

Christ, Maker of all Things, and Judge of our Con- all Men; I acknowledge and bewail my manifold Sins and Wickedness, which I from Time to Time moft grievously have committed, by Thought, Word, and Deed, against thy Divine Majefty, provoking moft justly thy Wrath and Indignation against me. I do earnestly repent, and am heartily forry for these my Mifdoings: The Remembrance of them is grievous unto me, the Burthen of them is intolerable: Have Mercy upon me, have Mercy upon me, moft merciful Father; for thy Son our Lord Jefus Chrift's Sake, forgive me all that is paft; and grant that I may ever hereafter serve and please thee in Newnefs of Life, to the Honour and Glory of thy Name, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

III. Ha

H

III.

tlewell, for

Aving thus utterly renounced my Sins, O Mr. KetHoly Father! I defire above all Things the Reto partake of thy Righteoufnefs; having utterly newal defaced and corrupted myself, I would gladly of our be new made by thee; having hitherto mifcarried Minds. whilft I would be in my own Hands, I defire now to be altogether in thine. I loath myself, O my dear God! whilft I am without thee, and whatever else I lofe, my earneft Prayer is, that I may recover thy Likeness, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

IV.

Holiness.

Know, O Gracious Lord, that I cannot re. For a Spiceive this but from thyfelf; therefore be rit of true thou the bleffed Giver and the Gift.. I know alfo, alas! that I am utterly unworthy to have thy divine Image ftampt upon my Soul; but I extremely need it, and I extremely value it; and fuch thou art pleased to account worthy of it. And I heartily love thee, O my God, or elfe I fhould not be thus defirous to be like thee. And thou loveft to communicate thy Goodness; and whom shouldeft thou imprint and display it upon, but on those who love thee, and are earneftly defirous of the fame! Hear me, therefore, O my God, and breathe into my Heart that Spirit, which renews me after thine own Image, in Righteoufnefs and true Holiness. Oh! thou who feekeft out Sinners to make them good, do not reject me now, when I feek thee out to make me better. I am poor and naked, O fill me with thy Righteoufnefs! My good Thoughts are inconftant and changeable, Ŏ fix Hh 2

O

them

For uni

them by thy Grace! Set up thy Kingdom, O Jefu, in my Heart! for to become thy faithful Servant is more to me than to have the Empire of this World; keep me ftedfast, O Lord, in ferving thee, till thou takeft me finally to enjoy thee, through Jefus Chrift my bleffed Saviour and Redeemer. Amen.

Lo

V.

ORD, grant that at all times I may account verfal O- my Sins, yea all my Sins, to be my Shame; bedience. and make thy Laws, yea all thy Laws, to be my Rule; and thy bleffed Will to be in every Thing my Choice and Satisfaction. Let thy Promises be my Hope, thy Providence my Guard, thy Grace my Strength, and thy bleffed Self my Portion, both now and in the End, through Jefus Chrift my Saviour and Redeemer. Amen.

W

CHA P. III.

Ember Days in Lent.

HAT are Ember Days?

Q. A. Certain Days fet apart for confecrating to God the four Seafons of the Year, and for the imploring of his Bleffing by Fafting and Prayer upon the Ordinations performed in the Church at fuch Times. And this in Conformity to the Practice of the Apostles, who, when they feparated Perfons for the Work of Acts 13.3' the Ministry, prayed and fasted before they

laid on their Hands. It will become us there

fore

fore to addrefs to Heaven at this Time after the fame Manner, that God would be pleased so to govern the Minds of the Bishops, that they may admit none into Holy Orders, but fuch as are duly qualified for the Discharge of that facred Function, and that thofe, who fhall be ordained to ferve at the Altar, may by their exemplary Lives and zealous Labours turn many unto Righteoufnefs.

Q. When are thefe Ember Days obferved in the Church?

A. At the four Seafons of the Year, being the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, after the first Sunday in Lent, after Whitfunday, after the fourteenth of September, and after the thirteenth of December: It being injoined by a Canon of the Church, that Deacons and Minifters be ordained Can. 31. or made but only upon the Sundays immediately following thefe Ember Fafts.

Q. Why are thefe Fafts called Ember Days?

A. Some think they are fo called from a German Word that imports Abftinence; others that they are derived from Ember; which fignifies Afhes, and therefore are ftyled Ember Days, because it was cuftomary among the Ancients to accompany their Faftings with fuch Humiliations, as were expreffed by fprinkling Ashes upon their Heads, or fitting in them; and when they broke their Fafts upon fuch Days, to eat only Cakes baked upon Embers, which was therefore called Ember Bread. But Dr. Marefchal's Con- Pag. 528, jecture, in his Obfervations upon the Saxon Go-529. fpels, feems to hit upon the true Etymology, which he derives from the Saxon Word importing a Circuit or Courfe; fo that thefe Fafts being not occafional, but returning every Year Hh 3

in