who, for my sins, art justly displeased, O grant me unfeigned repentance for all the errors of my life past, and a steadfast faith in thy Son Jesus, that my sins may be done away by thy mercy, and my pardon sealed in heaven, before I go hence, and be no more seen. Let thy holy Spirit lead me through this vale of misery in righteousness and holiness all the days of my life; that when I shall have served thee in my generation, I may be gathered unto my Fathers, having the testimony of a good conscience; in the communion of the Catholic Church; in the confidence of a certain faith; in the comfort of a reasonable, religious, and holy hope; in favour with thee, my God, and in perfect charity with the world. Fit and prepare me, O heavenly Father, against the hour of death; that I may then commend my soul into thy hands, as into the hands of a faithful Creator and most merciful Saviour. And do thou wash it in the blood of that immaculate Lamb that was slain for the sins of the world, that whatsoever defilements it may have contracted, being purified and done away, it may without spot be presented unto thee. Grant, O Almighty God, with whom do live the spirits of those who depart hence in the Lord, and with whom the souls of the faithful, after they are delivered from the burden of the flesh, are in joy and felicity, that, with all those who are departed in the true faith of thy holy name, I may have my perfect consummation and bliss, both in body and soul, in thy eternal and everlasting glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. AN EXHORTATION, WITH SOME FORMS, IN ORDER TO ENFORCE AND TO ASSIST IN THE PRACTICE OF THE DUTY OF EJACULATORY PRAYER; THAT IS, OF OFFERING UP SHORT PRAYERS TO GOD ON ALL OC- RECOMMENDATORY ADDRESS, BY THE REV. WILLIAM JONES, OF NAYLAND. TO THE PUBLISHERS. SIRS, THIS little Book, plain as it is, being singular in its way, and having been the instrument of much good, I wished to see it reprinted several years ago, and on such authority as would have been sufficient to recommend the use of it; but as I did not succeed, I am glad you have determined to give a new edition of it. A reader may suppose the whole design of it to be only that of supplying the words and the language of occasional prayer. It will, indeed, supply words to those who want them; but its first and greatest object is, to produce in the Christian the habit of mental prayer; a readiness of heart, rather than a fluency of speech; for if the heart be ready, the tongue will seldom be wanting in utterance. I knew the author well;* and I knew him to be a man truly affected to God, of great charity to the poor, and a parish priest, as indefatigable as any in this church. The late Dr. Horne, Bishop of Norwich, so far approved his book, that he asked me, when it would be re-printed? that he might put it into the hands of some young persons very near to him, to give them a religious turn of thought. This anecdote will be a greater recommendation to many people, and promote the success of your new edition, better than all I can say in its favour. I, therefore, only add, that it will teach the young and the old; the former how to live, the latter how to die; for death will never take him by surprise who lives daily by this rule. Nayland, Nov. 30, 1796. W. JONES. The Rev. Robert Cooke, M. A. late Vicar of Boxted, PREFACE To the Parishioners of, Grace, Mercy, and Peace be multiplied. My Brethren, dearly beloved in the Lord, I BEG you will make use of this little Book for your pocket companion, which is intended to stir up in you frequent thoughts of the one thing needful, the care of your immortal souls. The method I have made choice of, is, to teach you to use this world, that instead of corrupting your hearts, and tempting you to a forgetfulness of God, it may daily hold forth some useful lesson to you, and bring to your minds the things of Heaven, together with your truest happiness here and hereafter. The method God himself hath chiefly used throughout the Scripture, is to lead the attention through natural things to spiritual, and to instruct us in the knowledge of those things, which no man hath ever seen, from the things we see daily; than which there can be no employment more delightful to a serious mind. Every capacity may take in the instruction thus communicated, and the experience of every day will renew and confirm it. May God accompany the reading of this book with his blessing; and if you reap any benefit from it, give God the glory, and pray for the author. Think how happy you are in being members of a church, whose faith, worship, and ministry, are holy, catholic, and apostolic. Endeavour, therefore, to adorn the doctrine of God your Saviour, and to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called, remembering always, that if you walk unworthy of it, your Christian calling will only increase your damnation. Hold fast that faith into which you were entered by baptism, sealed by confirmation, and in which you have since been nourished by the word of God, and the holy sacrament, as well as comforted by those prayers which are so full, solemn, and comprehensive, as to take in all those things which are necessary as well for the body as the soul. May God give us grace to improve all these helps to the purposes of true holiness, that we may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works; may he increase our faith, and give us true repentance, forgive us all our sins, and give us strength to run in the way of his commandments; so that every one of us may hear at last that joyful sentence, worth more than ten thousand worlds,-Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Which that God may grant, for Jesus Christ's sake, is the earnest prayer of Your affectionate servant in the Lord. |