upon mercy. Spare me O Lord, spare me, and let me not be brought to confusion. Hear me, O Lord, for thy mercy is great; and after the multitude of thy mercies, look upon me, through the merits and mediation of thy blessed Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. For God's pardoning Grace. O God, whose nature and property is ever to have mercy, and to forgive, receive my humble petitions; and though I be tied and bound with the chain of my sins, yet let the pitifulness of thy great mercy loose me, for the honor of Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Advocate. Hear me then, O merciful Father, not according to mine imperfect petitions, but according to the full meaning of that holy Prayer, which thy beloved Son hath taught me: The Lord's Prayer. Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven: Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, For ever and ever. 2 Cor. xiii, 14. May the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with me now, and for evermore GENERAL DIRECTIONS TO BE OBSERVED DURING THE SERVICE. The When the Service begins, with your eye, not with your voice, read along with the Minister; but never pretend to use any other prayers or meditations, whilst he is offering the prayers of the Church; for these are the best and most proper for the present purpose, and you must join with the congregation in their attention, and say AMEN with them, that you may reap the advantage of that common fervency, with which our prayers go up for a memorial before God." observance of order and decency in prayer tends much to edification; whereas the contrary begets distraction, and disturbs both yourself and your neighbours. It offends the truly devout, to hear the congregation say their prayers absurdly and indecently, holding their tongues, where they should speak and join, and joining with the Minister aloud, where they should hearken, and say AMEN. What can be more improper than to hear them promiscuously absolve themselves and one another, and thus taking the Priestly Office on themselves? Or, what can be more indecent, than to hear them repeat, either aloud or softly, the very words which the Ministèr uses, in delivering to them the Consecrated Elements? Let it be observed then, once for all, that nothing fixes the attention like Silence; and let me warn you, in all your public prayers, to join with the Minister only where it is directed, and at all other times to be silent; attend and make it your own, by saying AMEN. A Prayer to be used on entering the Church. O Lord, I am now in thy House; assist, I pray Thee, and accept mine imperfect services. Enable me, and all those who shall this day meet in thy Name, to worship Thee in spirit, and in truth. Let thy Holy Spirit help mine infirmities, and excite me to seriousness, attention, and devotion. And do Thou, O God, so dispose my mind, and influence my heart, for a due and worthy reception of thy Holy Sacrament, that my prayers and praises may prove acceptable in thy sight, and beneficial to my soul, through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ. G |