midst of my days, and, by this confinement and temporal punishment, hath recalled me to a fense of my Iniquities. Oh! let me now look upon them with abhorrence-let me recollect them only to deteft themand let my heart be now fixed, where true Joys are only to be found. It is not this bodily constraint, it is not an expectation of further pains and penalties, that induce me thus to cry out for help: it is a thorough conviction of my fins, and unfeigned contrition for them, that now operate on my Soul. Oh! let the forrowful fighing of me, an afflicted Prifoner, come before thee! Hear my groaning from the depths of the dungeon, and relieve the weight which now preffes upon my heart. Accept this confeffion of my fin, and through the all-fufficient merits of my Saviour, blot out my tranfgreffions. By the Influence of thy holy Spirit fo difpofe and correct my Inclinations, that when relieved from from my prefent afflictions, and once more mixing with the fociety of my fellow creatures (if fuch fhall be thy good pleasure) I may lead a life after the true Chriftian pattern, and, both by precept and Example, endeavour to follow the fteps of thy bleffed Son, who walked amongst men, without partaking of their fins. Grant this O merciful father, for Jesus Christ's fake. Amen. Here it will be proper to pause, and reflect on that particular crime, which hath accafioned your prefent Imprisonment. 1 Prayer. * God, the fountain of mercy, who didit fend thy Son into the world to call Sinners to repentance; and who haft affured us, that there is Joy in Heaven over one Sinner *Bishop Wilfon. Sinner that repenteth; look down with an Eye of pity upon me thy Servant, who have gone aftray from thy commandments. Give me a clear fight of my fin, and a deep fense of thy wrath againft impenitent Sinners; that feeing my danger I may patiently fubmit to godly difcipline, and to all the difficulties of true repentance. And grant, O God, that I may not deceive myself by a counterfeit repentance, but that this my humble confeffion may produce a real change of heart and amendment of life; that I may utterly renounce and forfake all evil ways: break off all evil habits; and being ever mindful of my Infirmi ties, may be more careful of myself and more earnest for Grace for the time to come; working out my Salvation with fear and trembling thro' Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. * OL Lord, I beseech thee, abfolve me from my offences; that through thy bountiful Goodnefs, I may be delivered from the bands of thofe fins, which by my frailty I have committed. Grant this, O heavenly father, for Jefus Chrift's fake, our bleffed Lord and Saviour. Amen. I Read one or more of the Seven penitential Pfalms, Pfalm. 6. 32. 38. 51. 102, 130. 143. Many of the Pfalms will be found particularly applicable to the fituations of perfons under confinement, and therefore it will be profitable to read them all in regular order. Read the first Leffon out of the table of Leffons prefixed. After Collect for 24th. Sunday after Trinity. After the firft Lesson fay LESSED Lord who haft caufed all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; grant that we may in fuch wife hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy word, we may embrace and ever hold faft the bleffed hope of everlasting life which thou haft given us in our Saviour Jefus Chrift. Amen. I Read the fecond Leffon as before. Then Jay +ALMIGHTY God, who haft given thine only Son to be unto us both a Sacrifice for Sin and also an Enfample of godly life; give us grace that we may always most thankfully receive that his ineftimable benefit, and alfo daily endeavour. * Collect for Second Sunday in Advent. |