The penitent Christian,: fitted with meditations and prayers, for a the devout receiving of the Holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper, / by Lewis Southcomb, rector of Rose-Ash in the county of Devon. ; For the benefit of the people under his charge, and others.

A Prayer before the holy Sacrament.

O My dearest Saviour, who wert pleased to suffer death upon the Cross, to purchase Heaven and Salvation for me, and now callest me to a remembrance of that thy dying Love; so fit and trim, and adorn my Soul I beseech thee, that I may not fail, to be now and ever an ac∣ceptable guest at thy holy Table.

Let the consideration of my state, and the remembrance of my past sins, lead me to a deep humiliation and contrition for them, and that con∣trition to intire hatred, a sincere re∣formation of them, and fixt resolu∣tions of future Love and obedience. O my Saviour, let my Faith, and Charity, and Devotion be, by thy gracious assistance, raised to a Hea∣venly

pitch and temper; that so, whatever thou please to deny me in this lower World, I may never be denied a participation of all the be∣nefits of thy meritorious death and sufferings. I come dear Jesu, I come to renew my Covenant with thee, which I have so miserably broken, by my Sins of Omission and Com∣mission, by my Iniquities of thought word and deed,† 1.1 [particularly by my Sins of —] For these and all other my impie∣ties, known and un∣known, be pleased to receive a reconciliation: and let this holy Sacrament prove a sealing of my Pardon in the Court of Hea∣ven, and may I not fail, O my Sa∣viour, together with thy body and blood, to receive new Grace and strength against them. O my Jesu, who hast done and suffered so much for me, and now invitest me to come

and see it represented to me, be pleas∣ed to do this further for me, to grant that it may not be in vain and lost as to me, by mine own default. O let it never be said or remembred of me in the day of Judgment, that I ever appeared before thee in this ho∣ly action, without such a wedding Garment, as thou didst mercifully accept; or that I did eat and drink my own damnation. And though my Iniquities are great; great like thy Sorrows, and great like thy suf∣ferings, which I am coming to com∣memorate; yet because they are in∣finitely less than thy Mercies and thy Merits; Pitty me, O Lord pit∣ty me, accept me, O my God ac∣cept me, for lo I come to do thy will; and grant that I may ever hereafter live the life of Grace, in a state ac∣ceptable to thee; that so by thine Agony and bloody sweat, by thy Cross and Passion, by thy precious death and burial, by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascention, which I

am coming to remember, my past Iniquities being done away, I may now at length be more closely uni∣ted to thee. That I may come back again from thy Table with joy and thanks, and Love and adoration, and comfort and satisfaction. O that at last my Resolutions may be fixt, and stedfast; the conquest of these Sins which I can easily remember have often foiled me, may be such, that they may no more prevail against me, and get the Dominion over me. And that now thou mayest abide with me forever, and the holy Spi∣rit may guide me into the paths of a cheerful, sincere, and persevering Ho∣lyness; that so having past my days that are to come, in the watchfulness and diligence, and Labours of Repen∣tance and a holy Life; I may live with thee, and dye with thee, and rise again with thee, and then ever sit at thy Feet in the mansions of Glory, O my dearest Saviour, Amen.

A Thanksgiving and Prayer after Receiving.

OHoly and Eternal Jesu; I praise thee, I bless thee, I worship thee, I glorifie thee, I give thee thanks for those invaluable mercies from the participation of which I lately came; for these representations of thy bleed∣ing, dying love to me; Love infi∣nite, Love unspeakable, Love eter∣nal, Love for me before I was born. O compassionate Jesu! who am I, that thou shouldest please to receive me, to renew my part of the Cove∣nant of Grace with thee, who have so frequently, so miserably broken it? O let the return which now I may ever hereafter make, for so much love, let it be Love and Obedience. Love, in some measure great like thine, even to death it self; and let my Obedience be as early as I can now make it, and as chearful and u∣niversal, sincere and constant. O let

the deep remembrance of this Love of thine, constrain me to such an obe∣dience, Let neither the Love of the World, the allurements and baits of the flesh, or the temptations of the Devil, ever force or draw me off from such an obedience. O my dear Re∣deemer, though I have now again resolved against all wilful known Sin, [particularly against the Sin of† 1.2 —] and promised thee an o∣bedience; yet with∣out the continuance of thy gracious aid and assistance, I shall most certainly fall again, upon the very next temptation. Secure me therefore O Lord, by that, secure me, save Lord or I perish: Whate∣ver thou pleasest to deny me here, deny me not, I beseech thee O Lord, I beseech thee, the assistance of that Grace of thine, without which, my Spiritual Enemies will soon prevail over me again. Make me to see and consider, the necessity of avoiding all

appearance of evil, all those occasi∣ons of my falling, and to get instant∣ly out of the way of Sin, whatever I am like to lose by it, whatever the disadvantage be in this World: Let, O let my Sacramental vows, and promises, and Resolutions, be never so broken again, as they have some∣time been formerly; but O my Je∣su, let my Sins and Iniquities ever hereafter appear so odious, and hate∣ful to me, as they did then when I was at my Lord's Table. O let them still be as vile and deformed as they then seemed to me. Let none of my pious purposes, and holy Resoluti∣ons, be ever forgot∣ten by me [particu∣larly.† 1.3 —] Let neither the cares of the World, nor the disappointments of my expectations in the affairs of it; nor the malice of my Enemies, the charitable reproofs of my friends, the trespasses of my Neighbours, the

hardness of my Labours, the Impor∣tunity and earnestness of my Credi∣tors, the neglects and injustices of my Debtors, any fears of being poor, any distrusts concerning a provision, for my posterity; or my being de∣spised or reproached by any man, or my Losses of the World, nor that World of Temptations, through which I know I am to pass, ever put my Soul out of frame, or lead me to a discontented, inconsiderate, and troubled Spirit, or put my holy pur∣poses out of my mind: but that in the midst of these and all other tu∣mults of the World, I may alway fly to Religion, and take Sanctuary there, and be safe and rest there, and de∣light to do thy will, and be ready to offer up my Soul and Body to thy Service. That so the rest of my dayes that are yet to come in this World may be passed away in Hu∣mility and Charity, in righteous∣ness and holiness, in mortification and self-denial, in love and obedi∣ence

to thee O holy and Eternal Jesu. Amen.

A pious Resolution, which may be so∣lemnly made (on their Knees) by them, who since their Baptism, have had no opportunity to be confirmed by the Bishop: but yet (being rea∣dy and desirous to be confirmed) are willing to receive the Holy Sa∣crament.

DRead Majesty of Heaven and Earth! — Forasmuch as thou hast received me in my Baptism in∣to the Covenant of Grace, (sealed by the blood of Jesus) when an Infant; Lord, I being now come to the know∣ledge of it, do on my bended knees humbly and thankfully own and ac∣knowledge that infinite favour, and adore thy mercy. And do really and heartily take upon my self, what was then engaged for me, and by the

help of thy Grace, (which I earnestly beg) do resolve to perform with an hearty sincerity my part of that Co∣venant, to the end of my dayes. I believe what was then promised I should believe, Lord help my unbe∣lief. I renounce in my own person, what was then promised I should re∣nounce. And for the conditions re∣quired on my part, (to wit) a joynt performance of all the Gospel-Gra∣ces and Duties, as Faith, Hope, Cha∣rity, Self-denyal, Repentance, and the rest, and an obedience to all of them in sincerity, thô with weakness and Imperfection; Lord, I humbly and thankfully embrace and accept of them, and declare my hearty de∣sires and resolutions to discharge them acceptably, through the holy Jesus. And before thee O holy Tri∣nity, and the whole Court of Hea∣ven, I do solemnly make this Decla∣ration, and renew my Baptismal Co∣venant Promise and Engagement. Amen.

If you are able to write, you may write out a Copy of these Words; and having repeated them before God with a deep humility and pious affections, you may add these words to it, [and sign it on my bended knees] And then before you rise, subscribe your name to it, and the day of the month.

January 1. 1681. N. N.

Ever after remembring, that now you have dedicated your self to God, and that if you live the rest of your life according to these beginnings, your passing over the World shall be safe and holy; and you be intituled to the Merits of your Redeemer, and qualified to receive the benefits of his death and sufferings.

An act of Resolution which may be humbly and devoutly made on their knees, by those who since their last receiving the holy Sacrament, have (through the violence of a Tempta∣tion, and it's daily solicitation, though constantly resisted) sometime fallen into some one act of known wil∣ful Sin.

DRead Majesty of Heaven and Earth. Forasmuch as I, who was early dedicated to thee by Bap∣tism, and have frequently renewed that Covenant at thy holy Table, have yet sadly fallen from my Bap∣tismal holyness, and broken my vows and resolutions even since the last Sacrament, grieving thy holy Spirit, wounding my Soul, and provoking thy displeasure, setting my self back deplorably in my jour∣ney toward Heaven, by the Sin of† 1.4 —] best known to thee when and where com∣mitted:

I do now heartily accuse and judge, and condemn my self for it, and for all other known and se∣cret Sins; and do earnestly repent my self of it, and desire to rise from it again by a sincere Resolution of amendment of life, a greater watch∣fulness and intire obedience; and this I solemnly on my bended knees de∣clare before thee O holy Trinity: and do now likewise humbly beg fresh assistances of the holy Spirit to enable me to be more constant in my holy Resolutions, and to please thee better. And for my Lord Jesus sake, and in his Name, and for thy loves sake to mankind, thy pitty and compassions sake, humbly beg, hum∣bly hope, my pardon may be as cer∣tainly now sealed in Heaven, as I make this declaration here on earth. Mercy O my God, mercy, for the sake of that immaculate Lamb, that takes away the Sins of the World, Amen.

Here again, if you are able to write, and sincerely do desire to rise from the Sin by Repentance, you may before you go to the holy Table, write out a Copy of these Words; and having repeated them with a penitent heart, subscribe your name on your bended knees, as also the day when you made this Resolution.

January 1. 1681. N. N.

That so you may the better discern, what progress your soul makes, in its Victory over all known Sin.

For no man can well observe his own growth in Grace,* 1.5 but by accounting sel∣domer returns of Sin, and a more frequent victory over tempta∣tions; concerning which every man makes his observations, according as he makes his inquiries and search after himself.

A Prayer before the Sacrament; which may be used by them, who never re∣ceived it before.

O Blessed Saviour and Redeem∣er! who wert pleased to ad∣m•••• me into thy holy Church by the Waters of Baptism in my Infant dayes before I knew it; I do now, being by thy Grace come to the knowledge of it, from the bottom of my heart adore and bless thee for that mercy, and with a penitent heart, humbly and earnestly beg thy pardon for my great abuses of it, that I should so wretchedly as I have, stained and poluted those white and innocent Robes which I then put on; and for my known and unknown breaches of those vows and promises, which were then made in my name. O my Lord, I am accused, judged and condemned by my own Conscience. But O my Jesu, whose sacred side once dropt Water and Blood for me;

as thou hast admitted me to the Wa∣ter when I was baptized, so be thou now graciously pleased to admit me to the Blood too, and to partake of all the benefits of it, that as I early partaked of the cleansing of the one, so I may now receive the healing vir∣tue of the other; and let all my Ini∣quities I beseech thee, that have been adventured on by me since my Bap∣tism to this present hour, be to thee as if they had never been at all. O that I could now go to thy Table with the like innocence that I came from the waters of Regeneration; But seeing I cannot, O my Jesu, who wert pleas'd to bring me to the ho∣nour and priviledge of Baptism, be∣fore I could beg or desire it, be thou likewise pleased, by thy grace to car∣ry me prepared to thy Table, who can, and do earnestly desire and beg this of thee; and as thou wert plea∣sed then to make me a lamb of thy flock, so deny me not the favour (how unworthy soever I have hi∣therto

lived of it) of being one of those faithful Sheep of thy fold, that hear thy voice. O my Lord, as I was never yet at thy Table, and come a stranger to this Heavenly feast; so I intreat thee, let me not miss of the mercy of being a wel∣come and acceptable guest there. O make me to understand and consi∣der the advantage that I have above many others, who may now (by thy Grace) never be an unworthy Com∣municant. Do thou therefore by thy gracious intercession supply my ignorance, and by thy Mercy and Merits, pitty and pardon the vani∣ties and sins and follies of my youth∣ful state, [particular∣ly† 1.6—] and receive me with the Love and Compassion and Tenderness of a Parent: that so I may love thee, and adore thee, and bless thee, and obey thee betimes; and may tast of the sweets and deli∣cacies of an early Religion and Ho∣lyness.

I come then O my Jesu, I come to give thee this first solemn Testimony of my Love to thee, and to receive the first great tokens of thy Love to me. O be pleased so feelingly to touch my heart now at the first with a deep sence of Love to thee and thy Religion, that I may e∣ver hereafter rejoyce in all opportu∣nities of a holy Sacrament, and have a never-ceasing Love to those holy Mysteries. Do thou vouchsafe O my dear Redeemer, at this our first most solemn meeting, to bring all those Graces along with thee, which thou would'st have my Soul to be fitted with, and fix them there I beseech thee. O my Lord I was early de∣voted to thee by others, but suffer me now to dedicate my self to thee. Come Lord Jesu, come then, take possession of my heart, I beseech thee, before ever the World, Flesh, or De∣vil, get any more footing there; and if either of them have got any alrea∣dy, for my great neglects to present

my self to thee, and opening the door of it to thee sooner, turn out, O my Lord turn them out thence, and with the rest of thy Church accept me, even me also O my Father. Let me take thee into my hand, O my dear Lord, and place thee in my heart, before ever any more lusts or follies be admitted there; and then be thou pleased to take me by the hand, and place me in thy heart, that there I may live, and there I may dye. Finally O my Lord, let all my past Iniquities I be∣seech thee, be so done away, that thou mayst receive me so, as if I were but now come from the Wa∣ters of Baptism.

With such hopes as these, with such defires as these, I come to lay my self at thy feet, O blessed Saviour and Redeemer, Amen.

A Prayer and Thanksgiving after the holy Sacrament, to be used only by such, as had never received it be∣fore.

O Holy and merciful Jesus! by whom the mercies of Eterni∣ty are conveyed to mankind; I bless and praise and thank thee, with my whole heart, and all the powers of my Soul, for this first admittance of me to the mercy and the privi∣ledges of the Holy Sacrament of thy Body and Blood; for my having lately partaked of some of these joyes and comforts that are alone to be found with thee and in thy Service, and till now were unknown to me.

O that having had the mercy and advantage of renewing my Cove∣nant with thee, I may now at least begin to spend my days, (as far as ever the necessary business of this present life will permit me) in thy Service, in all the parts of piety and

virtue; in works of Mercy and Cha∣rity and Devotion, in meekness and humility, in self-denial and Repen∣tance, in Chastity and Temperance, in all that's holy just and good. O my Lord! 'tis the serious desire and resolution of my Soul thus to do; that so early beginning to lay up my treasure in Heaven, I may (by thy Grace) have a good account there in the Records of Eternity, at the end of my sixty or seventy years. O my Jesu! whatever thou pleasest else to deny me here, deny me not a grant of this my request I beseech thee; that those desires and reso∣lutions of mine, may in some good measure be accomplished and effect∣ed. Let not the allurements and perswasions of my Companions, ever entice me from my Duty, or the jeers or reproaches of any man what∣ever, fright me from my Innocence. O let me never suffer my self to be laught out of my Religion, or be ashamed or affraid to perform my

holy Duties before the face of any man, but be ever looking unto Je∣sus; and let me in view of him be content to endure the Cross and de∣spise the shame, or whatever else shall befal me for the sake of Piety and Virtue, or obedience to any one Command of thine: Let my youth∣ful heart be never much inflam'd with any Loves, or passions or de∣sires, but those of thee and thy holy Religion. O my Lord, grant, that I may be perswaded to understand and consider, what a great advan∣tage I have, of devoting and giving up my first and best dayes to Reli∣gion and Piety; and that now is my time to shew, that I am lead to Re∣ligion by Love, and by my choice, and not driven to it only by the fears and horrors of an approaching Grave: and that I may often and betimes consider, with how much greater comfort I shall leave Morta∣lity, if I may be able then to remem∣ber an early Love and Obedience to

thee O Jesu. Let me who have liv'd in thy family ever since I was baptized, now at least begin to feel my self more powerfully drawn to thee than ever. O make me in the beginning of my dayes, to be true∣ly serious and considerate; to begin to withdraw from the World be∣times, and to love to be sometime alone, to look into the state of my Soul, and provide for a joyful Re∣surrection. Make me to think it the greatest happiness in this World to choose thee O blessed Jesu, be∣times for my Lord and Master, and to look on Religion as the Rest and Delight, and Satisfaction of my Soul. O fill my Soul with such a Love to thee, and to those holy Mysteries in which I commemorate a dying Lord, that I may be able to think it long, before I have an opportunity to come to feast upon thy Body and Blood again; and that as I grow in years, I may in some measure grow in Grace, and in the Divine favour.

To this end, O that I may pass safe∣ly through this dangerous state of life, freed from the Intemperance and Lusts, the folly and vanity, the heedlesness and inconsideration, that often attends it: and that I may the better be able thus to do, Lord I now deliver up to thee, all my Affections and Desires, to be guided and direct∣ed by thy Holy Spirit; I am willing to submit them all to thee, that so as I have lately begun for Eternity, I may go on, and prosper, and in an ac∣ceptable measure, now keep up to the purity and Innocence of my first san∣ctification, and never more give out, till I come to the end of my hopes, and the beginning of my joyes, and be presented to my Father, pure and spotless, in the great day of Rewards and Punishments, by thee O holy and merciful Jesus, Amen.

A Prayer which may be used by them, who before they come to the Sacra∣ment, set apart something to be then offered up to God in Alms.

O Merciful Lord! from whom every good gift comes, and by whose bounty alone it is, that I enjoy any thing which I possess; I humbly offer up this small return of it to thee, for the use of them whom thou hast made thy receivers, the poor and the needy. Let not the smalness of the offering, or any un∣worthyness of mine, I beseech thee, keep it from being an acceptable Alms and Oblation to thee; and let not the abuse of any of my possessi∣ons that have been laid out on Sin and Folly, Gluttony or Vanity, Lust or Intemperance, Revenge or Ma∣lice, be ever charged or remembred against me, in the day of Judge∣ment. And O my God take from me a Covetous and Illiberal heart,

and teach me the truely Christian measures of Charity, in Giving, and Forgiving for Jesus sake, Amen.

A Prayer for the Grace of Charity in forgiving, with particular reference to that petition in our Lord's Pray∣er, [forgive us our trespasses as we forgive, &c.] which may be used ei∣ther before the Sacrament, or any other time.

O Blessed and holy Jesus! who wert the great Example of Giving and Forgiving, dying for Enemies, ready and willing to for∣give Iniquity and Sin, and to give Heaven and Glory to all true Peni∣tents; Give me Grace to write after all this blessed Copy of thine in an acceptable measure. And if there be, or has been any offender or trespas∣ser against me, whom I have not forgiven, according to thy Will, and the measures of the Gospel, forgive me O blessed Jesu, and let me not fail to receive a full pardon of that Iniquity, for thy mercies sake. O let my desires and Petitions of being

forgiven as I forgive, never be an∣swered according to that instance whatsoever it were, or ever shall be, wherein I have not heretofore, or (through the frailty of humane na∣ture, or any sudden surprize or incon∣sideration) should not hereafter at any time, keep up to thy sacred Rule and Will. And O Lord guide and direct me for the Remainder of my dayes in the true measures of Pati∣ence and forbearance, and take from me all malice and hatred, and grudg∣ings and heart-burnings, and desires of Revenge on any that has injured me; and plant in my Soul, I humbly and earnestly beseech thee, the true Charity and forgiveness. O Lord, for thy mercies sake, thy Love's sake to mankind, so pitty me, and pardon all my former gratifications of my revengeful humour, that they may never be so charged on me or remem∣bred, as to hinder thy forgiveness of me: And whomsoever, and where∣in soever I have forgiven any, freely

and fully and truely, be thou pleased O my dear Redeemer, that all my former, and all my future petitions may be heard and granted, accord∣ing to that instance; And whensoe∣ver I have already, or ever shall re∣quest to be forgiven as I forgive, O merciful Lord, forgive me, as I then forgive. And grant, that for the fu∣ture I may so Copy out the blessed pattern which thou hast left me, that no Enemies, Persecuters, Slanderers, Revilers, or Injurious Persons, may ever be able to conquer my love to∣wards them:* 1.7

But that I may still bear a kind and tender heart to the most out∣raged and provoking Spirits, bles∣sing those that curse me, praying for those who despightfully use me, returning Courtesies for af∣fronts and injuries; bewailing their Sins, pittying their miseries, and endeavouring to overcome evil with good. Endow me with such a wise, considering, and sober Spirit, that I

may ever prefer the example of thee my Lord and Master, before all the Customs and fashions of this World: Enduring the mockeries, the shame and contempt which may be cast upon me, for the following his forgiveness and patience. And do thou. O God, to whom venge∣ance belongeth, pardon also and forgive those by whom I suffer wrongfully; Spare them good Lord, spare them, and deny them not the Grace of Repentance, that we may live together in eternal Love and Friendship with thee, O blessed and holy Jesus.

Amen.

Our Father, which art in Heaven; Hal∣lowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And for∣give 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. Amen.

Notes

• † 1.1

  Here you may mention those gros∣ser Crimes which upon Examination, you find your self to stand guilty of.
• † 1.2

  Here you may mention the Sin to which you are most tempted.
• † 1.3

  Here again, if you think fit, you may mention any holy Resolution made by you.
• † 1.4

  Here you may mention the Sin.
• * 1.5

  Bishop Taylor Rule of holy dy∣ing.
• † 1.6

  Here you may mention the par∣ticulars.
• * 1.7

  Christ. Sacrif.