EARLY DEVOTION.  Father I have Sinned He that Humbleth himself shall be exalted Luke 14: ●● 
Remember thy Creat●…r in the day●… of thy Youth.  
Printed for Ramires Simpson Bookseller.    

AN Earnest Admonition to ALL, But especially to Young People: To turn to GOD by Speedy Repentance and Reformation.  
Being the Substance of SIX SERMONS, Delivered in the Chapel at Poplar.  
To which is added, An Account of the Rise and Progress of the Religious Societies of Young Men; and of the Societies for Reformation, lately erected in the Cities of LONDON and WESTMINSTER, with a Copy of their Orders, vindicated from the common Objections.  
AND Sundry Directions relating to the Religious Conferences of these Societies; with Devotions suited to them; and Prayers for the use of Private Families, and for Seamen.  
By Josiah Woodward, Minister of Poplar.  
Prlnted for the Author, and sold by Ramires Simpson, at the Harp in St. Paul▪ s Churchyard, 1697.   

TO THE Religious Societies of young men In and about the CITIES of London & Westminster, Particularly to that at POPLAR.  
IT is in Hope, My dear Brethrens, of making some Addition to your Pious Fraternities, (and thereby to the invisible Church of God) that I have (at your Request) published this compassionate Call to sinful Prodigals; who, by leaving the House and Government of their Heavenly Father, have parted with all true Honour, Peace and Happiness; and can never return to these, but by their effectual Return to their God and their Duty Which gives us such an undeniable Reason for the Necessity of the Conversion of ●… Sinner in order to his Happiness, that none who will seriously consider it, ca●… withstand the convincing Power of it.  
For, who can once think, That men ma●… fight against God, and come of with Victory and Triumph? Or, that such as love nothing so much as Sin and Pollution can inherit the undefiled Kingdom ●● our Lord Jesus Christ? Or, that such who serve the Devil, and bear his likenes●… upon Earth, will be as happy as the Regenerate Children of God in the othe●… World? The lest Application of mi●● will show us the impossibility of these thing●… and consequently, that all wicked People must speedily repent and amend their Live●… or perish for ever.  
But yet indeed, It is a very sad Truth of which we have too many gross Examples; That habituated Sinners may at la●● arrive at such a desperate Pitch of Insensibleness, as to be blind to all the Convictive Methods of the Gospel, and dead t●… all the mighty Persuasives of it.  
I have therefore chief directed this Evangelical Call to Young People, who are not yet so fatally enured to sin; hoping that their Ears are not thus judicially closed against the proclaimed Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.  
And truly as to this, It is matter of abundant Praise to God, that he hath opened the Ears and Hearts of many of You to receive divine Instruction; and this, to such effectual Purpose, that it is enough to affect a very dull Soul to behold the Vigour and Steadfastness of your Zeal for God, and your humble and holy Deportment in his Sight.  
What suitable Praise can we offer to God (the Giver of all Good) when we behold Youth punishing Lust, and giving Examples of Piety to Age? Delighting in the Praises of God, as their chief Joy; and celebrating the Exercises of our Holy Religion with such Relish and Delight, as gives a seasonable Demonstration to this Epicurean Age, That there are vaster Pleasures to be reaped from the blessed Entertainments of Religion, than fro●… all the possible indulgence of sensual Van●…ties.  
I would therefore entreat all Young Pe●…ple (who are naturally Lovers of Pleasure) to make this Experiment, namely To frequent your Societies, and joy●… their hearts with a suitable warmth t●… yours, in the Worship, Love and Praises of God for a competent time. An●… than let them tell us, whether one day in the House (and with the Household o●… God) be not better than a thousand in the Tents of Wickedness? An●… whether any Company be really so desirable as that which tends to advance o●● spiritual and everlasting Happiness?  
In this they will have an inconceivabl●… advantage over such who engage themselves in wicked Company. For, thes●… meet to their mutual Condemnation, and to the confusion of each others Faces; to fuel each others Lusts a while, and t●… be Firebrands to each others Consciences for ever. And therefore, except they are perfectly hardened, they who meet together for sinful Ends must needs leave ●●ch others Company with sorrowful ●…earts; wishing they never had seen ●… met each other; regretting the Gild with ●…hich they have loaded each others ●…onsciences; foreseeing with horror ●…e light of that Day which will discover ●●l the Works of Darkness; in which ●…e Partners in sin must appear together ●… all their Nastiness before the Judg●…ent Seat of Christ to give an Account ●…r what they have jointly done in ●●e Flesh.  
But pious Society gins and ends ●●ite otherwise. Such meet to advance ●●e Glory of God, and the Grace and ●…eace of each others Souls. And therefore they part (as I have sometime seen ●●) with joyful Reflections on what they ●●ve been transacting together; and ●…itle a blessed Hope of meeting each other ●…ith Joy before God, and of being for ●…ver with him.  
Enlivened by this Hope, your Zeal ●…ay well take wing, and soar to a very ●●fty Eminency. But than jest it should evaporate, or (like an Enthusia●● Phantom) become unsteady and move travagantly: You happily take care your excellent Rules, to poise your Z●● by a ponderous Humility, and the ste●● Love of Unity and Order. For make a truly Christian Reformati●● without a Sect; and whilst you hate ●… separate from sin, you love and pity ●… Sinner: And whilst your affection's ●… in the greatest warm●…h, you keep to th●… Form of Doctrine and Devotion which you have been educated; and your utmost to revive the primitive P●●ty and Power of the Christian Religi●● in the most ancient Methods.  
In these and other particulars, ●… show a Zeal steered by Knowledge ●… balanced by Humility; which is a g●… Argument that it is a Fruit of the Spi●●● of God; and is the best Ground I ●● where found, to hope that God will not le●● us utterly. Only be exceeding care●… to walk worthy of this your special Profession of Religion; always remembering of what concernment all religious Acti●● ●●e, wherein God is the Object, Conscience the Register, and Eternity the Con●●uence.  
It may be expected from You, that ye ●●uld do more than others. And, O! ●●y it ever be seen, that you are to others exemplary in all Humility, Purity and ●●tegrity of Heart and Life.  
Than will you lay a good Foundation ●… Stability and Increase in your Holy purposes; and you will engage the Pray●● of all the Lovers of God and Religion ●… your behalf. And may it please the ●…od of all Grace to enliven and advance ●…ur Orthodox Zeal for his Glory to ●●ch a conspicuous Brightness, as may ●…eatly glorify his Name on Earth, ●●d retrieve the Honour of our Holy ●…eligion, and increase the numbers of ●●e true Worshippers of God; till at ●●st, all these lesser Luminaries of the ●…hurch below shall be united in that ●… and Constellation of the Church a●…ove; where Holiness will never be ●●vied, reproached, or molested; and ●…ill never need to be excited, cherished or advanced by human Assista●●● For, there it will be the very Nat●● Bliss, and Glory of perfected So●● ●…o love, serve, and praise God.  
Into this blessed Society of t●● Firstborn, may it please God (in ●● time) to introduce every one of Y●● and every one that bears the Name ●● Christ, in particular.  
Your Affectionate Assistan●● in the things of our Common Salvatio●… J. W.   

An earnest Admonition to Young PEOPLE:  From LUKE ux. xviii. ●… will Arise, and go to my Father, and will say unto him; Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and before thee; and am not more worthy to be called thy Son. 
THESE are the Prodigal's serious Thoughts and Purposes, when he came to himself. And ●●at we may consider them the ●●tter, let us look back a little on the Follies and Extravagances ●● his past Life: in which these Ci●…cumstances tend to our Edification.  
IN the first place, He was in th●… prime of his Youth; that bloo●…ing season of human life fro●… which the after first-fruits may ve●● much be guest at. We read in t●● twelfth verse, That the young ●… Son said to his Father; Father, gi●● me the Portion of goods that fall●● to me. He would feign be his o●● man now; free from the Restrai●● and Councils of his Father's government. And thus the wild a●● wilful Youth, led by his yout●… lusts and vanity, ran on to the ●●ry brink of Ruin.  
1st. Ob. WE may here observe, Th●● the time of youth is a very dangerous & critical Season; & needs ●● most of any to be kept strictly ●● ●●der good Tutorage, and to have the benefit of good Examples. In youth, many lusts and passions are strong, and the Judgement and Understanding is weak: and therefore it greatly needs to be guided by wise and experienced Governors. 'Tis a great error in Education (and I fear it has proved fatal to many) to think, that when young people arrive to the age of 15 or 16 years, they are than fit to be left to their own Conduct, and need little over sight. Quite otherwise, now is the most dangerous season of all their life. One opportunity of committing such gross sin as they are now capable of, may undo them for ever.  
THIS is the time in which the Tempers and Manners of people are to be form aright; and are the most easy to take those impressions, which are the most difficult to be altered in their adva●…ced Age. They are now setti●● out for Heaven or for Hell, a●… which way so ever they take, the youthful warmth and spirit is li●● to carry them on fiercely in ●● And therefore happy are they w●● fall into good hands, and so enjoy a sober and pious Education, they have grace and wisdom make a good use of it; the wa●… of which had like to have rui●● the vain youth in the Text. He h●● a very good Father, and was ●●der a very pious government, b●… he grew weary of it, and wo●●● have his own will: And therefore he resolves to stay not longer, whe●… he could not do what he pleased and to this end, He took his journey into a far Country, Verse ●● that is, To a place remote fro●… ●…is Father's Inspection, where he ●…ould have none to check or ●…urb him in his Revelling and Riot. We may here note further:  
2 d. Obs. That if a young Person ●…ven to any vice or lust, once gets ●…to such a place where no body ●…proves or checks him for his Sin, is a thousand to one but he is un●●ne. It was a part of the con●●ssion of a young man lately exe●…ated at Tyburn for Robbery; ●●own to many of us (for he li●…ed sometime in our Neighbour●…ood), that he had lived in several sober Families, but he left them, ●…ecause he could not there follow ●…s Lusts. And when once he got ●…ose from these restraints, how ●…on did he come to ruin?  
CONSIDER this, You that ●●e Parents; and be careful to pro●●de pious places for your Children, when you sand them o●● into the World. Places in which it shall be difficult for them to com●… at the vices to which youth i●… prove: And where they may hav●… religious instruction, and good e●● Examples, and may happily escap●… the pollutions of a lose and prefligate age.  
AND this is more especially ●● be regarded in the solemn (an●… almost indissolvable) contract ●● Marriage: where the intimacy an●… affection that is due, will make i●… almost natural to imitate either th●… good or evil manners of the de●● Associate, who is to be looked o●… as the other part of ones self. The indeed the evil dispositions of th●… One are more like to prevail ove●… the better Temper of the Other than the contrary, through the tendency of our depraved Nature to that which is ill. As, if a dead ●…ody be chained to a living; the ●…ead will sooner kill the living, ●…han the living quicken the dead. Which serves to show the unhap●…y state of such who have any tinc●…ure of Religion, when they are ●…natcht to a Person of a contrary ●…umour and practise. 'Tis the fast●…ing of the living to the dead, which should make every one very cautious and circumspect ●…n that great Affair of human Life: in which, to be rash and unadvised, is to run hoodwinked upon a Precipice, and to make Court to Misery and Sorrow.  
THESE Cautions are at this time the more seasonable and important, considering the dismal debaucheries that abound both in Youth and Age.  
AND therefore, Let me advice, yea require, you that a●● Young, to be advised and directe●… by your Parents and sober Friend●… Your Parents have had the Experience of many years before yo●… had any Being; and they hav●… brought you up with great Pain●… Cost, Care, and Sorrow; expect●…ting to reap comfort from you a●… last: And they cannot want good will to advice their own Offspring to that which they think most fo●… their advantage. Wherhfore remember the Council of Divin●… Wisdom by the mouth of Solomon●… Prou. 1. 8. My Son, hear the Instruction of thy Father, and forsake not the Law of thy Mother.  
HAD the Prodigal taken this course, he had done well. For▪ the first wrong step which he took, was, when he departed from his Father: hereby depriving himself of the advantages of his Father's ●●ber admonitions and example, ●…nd forfeiting the blessing of God ●…xprest in the first Commandment ●…ith Promise. Take heed, Young People, that you leave not sober ●…nd serious Society for the contra●…y: If you habituate yourselves ●…o ill Company, you run on the mouth of a Cannon. The Lepro●…y of Sin is often spread by Famili●…r Conversation. And such as converse with people that are sick of the Plague, will be in danger of dying of the same distemper.  
WELL, The Prodigal will be go from the Government of his pious Father; and now, what will become of him? Truly, 'tis easy to guests, what a young Hot-Pate, left to his own will, will betake himself to. He first falls into ill Company, and than to Drinking and Riotous living. And this adding new flames to the natural Heat of youthful blood, in the next place; he keeps Company with Harlots. And thus he falls into a deep and narrow Pit, as Solomon calls it, Pro. 23. 27. out of which few escape.  
IT was a very unhappy Circumstance of this Prodigal's condition, that he had an Estate given him by his Father, Verse 12. He divided unto them his Living. This young Man had not for certain been so lewd, if he had not been so plentifully provided with means to accommodate his Lusts. So that we may here make a third Note:  
3 d. Obs. THAT a plentiful Estate in the Possession of a Wild Youth, does most directly tend to his destruction. 'Tis like a Sword in the hand of a mad Man, with which he will very probably do himself a mischief. There is not a more dangerous and deplorable condition upon Earth, than for a Person that is eagerly bend towards any vice, to have favourable Circumstances to accomplish it without any Check of Conscience, or Rebuke of providence. He seems to be abandoned of God to his own Will, and given up to his affected Vices: and he has no kind Rub or Cross in his way to stop his Career in the ways of Death.  
IN this Respect the Prodigal's wealth was his Snare: But we may be sure, his Prodigality will soon make him poor enough. And, indeed, the next news we have of him, is, That he had spent All, and was surrounded with Famine and Distress: And that he had betaken himself to one of the most abject employments in the World, even th●… feeding of Swine, and yet could not by this get Bread to pu●… into his mouth, not nor so much as a bellyful of Husks on which th●… Swine did eat. We may therefore note further;  
4th. Obs. THAT beastly lust●… will soon bring men to extream●… misery in both worlds. Solomon●… Observation has been fully veristed by many miserable Examples; namely, that by means of a whorish Woman a Man is brought to a Morsel of Bread, Pro. 6. 26. It brings many a plentiful Estate to a poor starving Fragment; and reduces many a Family of Note to such extreme penury, that they are clothed with Rags.  
THUS it was with our Prodigal Youth, his case was miserably al●…ered since he left his Father's House. He is now sorely hunger-●●itten, and almost starved for want ●…oth of Food and Raiment: He ●…as a severe Fast after his former Surfeits, and has now many Marks of the Lashes of his own Folly before his Eyes; and this does him more Good than all his Prosperity had done: For, now he gins to consider what Plenty he once enjoyed under his Father's Roof. He remembers that his Father's dutiful Servants fared better than his wild Son; and having hope, that his Father would yet show him some Favour upon his Return and Submission to him, he takes up the Resolution of the Text, I will arise and go to my Father: As if it were said, I will arise out of this nasty and needy Condition, into which my Extravagancy has brought me. I am resolved to throw myself in a Penitent a●● Humble manner at my Father feet: And I will say unto him Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before Thee; I am a gre●● Sinner against God and Man. ●… have been a very undutiful Chil●… to my heavenly and earthly F●…ther, and am not worthy to b●… looked on as a Child by either o●… them. I am a vile unthankfu●… Wretch, a Swine rather than a●… Man, a Rebel rather than a Son.  
THIS was the Purport of his humble Confession; and thus humbling himself, he was Exalted: For his Father's Eye was upon him so soon as ever he looked homeward, and the Son's heart relenting, the Father's bowels are melted within him. And whereas the Son comes onward drooping, the Father runs cheerfully, and even prevents the Language of Words in ●…is Son's mouth, reading his Re●…entance in his very Looks: Where●…pon, he falls on his Neck and kisses Him, giving him Assurance of his Welcome, by the most Affectio●…ate and Rapturous Embraces. And upon this we may make a fifth Remark: Namely,  
5th. Obs. THAT God, through his mediating Son, accepts even those into his Mercy and Favour, who are by outward Misery brought to an effectual Return to him. The Prodigal's outward Want and Penury awakens his Conscience, (through sanctifying Grace) and excites spiritual Sorrow, which brings him to a sincere Conversion to God; and so he obtains Favour in his Sight.  
FOR we must consider this Parable, as a lively Representation of a Sinners Apostasy from God and the Vows of his Baptism, to a vain and wicked Life. Licentious Minds think themselve●… cramped and confined by the Commandments of God; and tha●… they are kept with severity from those things which are agreeabl●… to their sensual Appetites: An●… therefore they tread down those Fences of Religion which shoul●… keep them within the Bounds o●… true Happiness, forsaking God th●… only Fountain of Bliss. And the●… being misled by sinful Lust's an●… the invisible Enemy of Souls▪ they wander about in the c●…urse of a thousand Follies and Extravagancies, till they are surrounded with Misery and Perplexity: Yet, if than they are awakened by their Afflictions and Distress, and effectually turn to God in time, he will have mercy upon them, ●…nd there will be Joy in Heaven at ●…heir Conversion.  
And for as much as we found no good thing done by the Prodigal, ●…efore he came to his holy Reso●…ution expressed in the words of the Text, Let us make one Remark ●…ore: To wit,  
6th. Obs. THAT we have ●…one of us made one true Step in Religion, till we are come to a ●…revailing Resolution for God and ●…nd his Kingdom, in opposition ●…o all the allurements of Sin and this present World. When once man's wicked and stubborn Will is changed by the Grace of God, the Man ●…s converted, and gins a new course of Life: Than it is that we ●…ruely set our Face towards Heaven, which we before either forgot or despised; and than we can not longer rest on those Beds of slo●● and sensuality, on which we ●● drowsily snoared before: but w●… arise, and go to our Father.  
NOW, this should put us on th●… most serious and frequent Con●●deration of those Motives, whic●… are proposed to us in the Gospe●… to incline our Wills to embrac●… the Government and Grace ●● our Lord Jesus Christ; such a●… The infinite Danger and Deme●● of Sin, The abundant Mercies ●● God, The Grace and Merits ●● our Lord Jesus Christ, The Spir●…tual Assistances of the Holy Ghost and. The eternal Rewards and Punishments of the world to come▪ And in order to make these Motives effectual, we must pray t●… God for that new Heart which h●… hath promised, Ezek. 36. 26, 27▪ We must beg, with David, That God would incline our Hearts to ●…s Testimonies, and not suffer our ●…ffections to run after Covetous●…ess or any other Lust, Psa. 119. ●…6.  
AND whereas this Parable is ●● put, that of the two Sons which ●●e Father had, only one was a ●…rodigal, the other very Dutiful: Yea, and the Prodigal at last be●…ame reform. Let us here in ●…he last place make a mournful Re●…ark, concerning the multitudes of obstinate Sinners in these times: To wit,  
7th. Obs. THAT it is matter of great Sorrow, and what presages ill to us, That so few profane People come to the pious Resolution of the Text. Alas! we have many Prodigals, but few Penitents. It is a sad Thought, and unanswerable to right Reason, (to which all men are Pretenders that the greatest part of the world yea, (which is most our shame the most of those which are calle●… Christians lie contented in th●… Prodigal state of a dissolute & profane life. How many are there wh●… know no other Pleasure or Tro●…ble, but what affects their externa●… Senses! and like our Prodigal, they spend their time in feeding of Swin●… (their beastly Lusts;) themselve●… being in truth, the more abominable Swine of the two. They have no mind to the things of God; yea, they have a perverse Dislike to his holy Nature and Government, and are Enemies to that which is Good  
THEY have a most Gracious and Blessed King to their Father, and might inherit a Glorious and Eternal Kingdom, would they but arise by a real Conversion, and go ●…enitently to God, and serve Him ●…ruly for the future: But they ●…oath the very thoughts of this, ●…nd do all they can to discredit e●…ery thing that borders on Religi●…n; and in effect, reverse the words of the Text; and say, I will lie ●…own again in my sinful Pollutions, and will not betake myself ●…o the ways of Holiness and eter●…al Life.  
OH poor degenerate Children of Men! How are ye fallen from your primitive Excellency! Is this the Creature that was made after the Image of God? Can such as were made to enjoy an infinite All-pure ●…ountain of Goodness, be conten●…ed with a broken Cistern of puddle water? Can the Reason of Man (as corrupt as it is) once imagine that it is better wallowing in the mire with Swine, than conversing with Angels; yea, w●● God himself? In this wretch●● choice, Men are more to be proached than Devils. Infer●● Spirits are fallen from their Glori●… Station, but have no Helper to ●● up again: But the kind Father fallen Men, stretches forth his H●● all the Day long to them, to inv●● and assist them to come unto H●… that they may have Life; but ●● Men will not Arise and Go to th●… Father.  
SURELY, if the Holy Ang●● above, may be supposed to be intently concerned for the Salvation of men, as those fallen Ang●● beneath, are for their Destructio●… With what Indignation must th●… needs consider the sinful Follies of the Children of Disobedient Those Blessed Angels at once perceive the happiness of serving God, ●…nd the poison of those vices which ●…icked Men Idolise: And the ●…race of God tends to bring Men ●● this true savour of things, by ●…hich, when the Lovers of Sin ●…ome once to be enlightened and ●…urified, they than awake as one ●…ut of a deluding Dream; they ●…ondemn & renounce their Follies, ●…nd arise and go to their Father.  
Let us here than Consider three ●…hings in the words before us:  
1. THE Prodigal's Resolution — I will Arise, and Go to my Father.  
2. HIS Humiliation — And will say unto him; Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and before Thee; and am not more worthy to be called thy Son.  
3. THE Considerations which led him to this penitent Conversion: Which were,  
1. THE Misery and Wretchness of his Condition, whilst wandered (after his own vain desire's and Imagination's) at dista●● from his Father's House, be rest his Father's wise Conduct, and de●●tute of his Blessing.  
2. THE Necessity of changing his course of Life. He saw, th●● was nothing but Scarcity, Mise●… and Death, in the ways that he h●● foolishly betaken himself to; a●● therefore he resolves to Arise ●● Go to his Father: Considering f●●ther,  
3. THE Bowels and Mercy his Father. He perceives his Co●…dition to be wretched, but ●● Hopes that it is not desperate. ●● confided, that his Father, who w●… once so very kind and indulgent to him, would be so again, wh●● he should approve himself as d●●●●l to him as he was before: And ●… succeeded accordingly.  
O! That our Good God, the Fa●●er of us all by Creation, would ●…ecome our Father also by Regeneration! That he would (for his be●…otten Son's sake) give us such ●…nfeigned Repentance for past Sin, ●…nd such ingenuous Resolutions of ●…uty for the future, that we may ●●● repeat the words of the Text in serious and affected Manner this ●●y: Especially such of us as have ●●therto been Strangers to the Pow●● of God's Grace, and to that in●●rd Purity of Heart, which is ●●ential to our Divine Religion. It ●… time for such who have hitherto ●…alkt loosely, without the awful ●…ar of God, and without a just ●…re to Please and Honour him in ●… their ways; to look about them ●●rth with, and to begin to Work out their Salvation with Fear ●● Trembling: Even before the G●● God rises out of the Seat of a ●●ther, to ascend the Tribunal ●● Judge.  
LET us now (even from ●● very instant) come to a pere●…tory Point, from which we res●● by the Grace of God, nev●● part: Namely, that we wil●… hearty and steadily for Reli●● for the pure Life and Hope ●● Christian, in opposition to all ●● Lust's and Allurements of a C●● Life. We are sure that this ●● sent Life is drawing to an ●● And that this is our seeds-time an eternal Harvest of Bliss or ●●guish. And that Such as sow t●… Flesh, will of the Flesh reap Co●●●tion, that is, Destruction: And ●● Such as sow to the Spirit, will ●● Spirit reap eternal Life, Gal. ●●  
'Tis time therefore to stop our Course in sin, and to considet whi●…her it is carrying us: And since we ●…annot bear even the Thoughts of ●…welling with Everlasting Burn; ●…e must seriously set ourselves ●● do our utmost to avoid them: We must betake ourselves (not ●…eignedly or faintly, but) in good ●…arnest, and with all the V●…gour ●…hat human Nature, assisted by ●…he Grace of God, is able to act ●● the Ways of God prescribed in ●…he Gospel: Let us therefore begin ●…ith the Prodigal in the Text; ●…amely,  
I IN his efficatious Resolution ●● repent, and reform, and return ●● God. — I will Arise, I will Go ●● my Father. I will not longer lie ●…reaming of Happiness in nasty ●…usts, and in a deluding World, ●…hich will one Day perish and come to naught. Not, I will ●●stantly Arise out of my presum●…tuous Dreams, and this car●● state; and will go right humb●● to my heavenly Father; and ●●●ling down upon my bended Kne●● before his Mercy-Seat, I will fro●… the bottom of my Heart be w●● my corrupt Nature and si●● Life, and will beg his Grace ●● Spirit, to serve him truly all ●● Days of my future Life; trust●● in the Mercy of his Covenant a●● Promises through my Saviour Je●●● Christ; hoping that (through Mediation and Merits) mercy w●… yet be vouchsafed to me a vile P●●fligate, who am not worthy ●● be called a Creature of God, m●● lesle his Child.  
THUS, when an enlighte●● Mind sees the Baseness, the F●● and the Danger of Sin, it soon ●● ●…ies the sad News of this ill State ●…o the Will and Affections: And ●…he Will of Man having a natural Abhorrency of apparent Evil, it ●…oon takes the Alarm, and gins ●…o set up Resolutions of new and ●…etter Courses. For so it is said ●…f the Prodigal, that when he came ●…o himself, or to have a right Judg●…ent of his sad Condition, he forth●…ith resolved to Arise and Go to his Father. The same Spirit of Sanctification, who gave convincing ●…ight to his Understanding, did ●…lso incline his Will to follow the Dictates of the enlightened Mind, ●…nd empowered him to act accor●…ingly: So that he effectually resol●…ed for God, and actually turned ●…o him, so soon as he really came ●…o his right Mind.  
SIRS, who ever there is among You, that is carried away with any sinful Lust or Passion, and li●● in any way of Profaneness a●● Irreligion; I hear mind you o●… Truth, which perhaps you will ●● believe now, but I am sure y●● will loudly confess it sooner or l●●ter: Namely, That whilst you th●● live in sin, you are not in your rig●● Mind. As the Idolatrous Jews a●● said by the Prophet to be mad up●● their Idols, Jer. 50. 38. for as muc●… as their Sin clouded their Reaso●… to that degree, that they praye●… to a senseless Log or Stone th●● was more shiftless than themselve●… So the vicious Person is mad up●● his Lusts, and sees not the Shame●… Vexation, and Misery, which necessarily attends him in that unhappy Course of life. As Solomo●… Youth confesses at the last (after long insensibleness, through the deceitfulness of Sin) Pro. 23. la●● They have stricken me, shalt thou ●●y, and I was not sick: They have ●…aten me, and I felt it not. Even ●… mad Men wound themselves, ●●d are insensible of the Hurt they ●● to their own Flesh.  
KNOW therefore, All ye Lo●…ers of Sin, that this your inordinate Affection to it, is perfect Ha●●ed to your own Souls. Your ●…hirst after forbidden Objects is ●… thirst after Poison: And when ●●er ye indulge it, ye act as madly ●… he that crams his mouth with ●●●rning Coals, or that poureth ●…reams of scalding Brimstone own his Throat. 'Tis a perfect ●…hrensy to indulge unsober Lusts. ●● this, Men dig their own Graves ●● this World, and their own Hell ●● the other. By sinning against ●…od, we resist our own Happiness; ●…e loose the Prospect of future Glory; we court Shame; we tre●● the Paths of Death; and prepa●● Fuel for the eternal Flames.  
Come than to sober Though●… my Brother, in due time pull ●● that gross Veil wherewith Sat●● blinds thine Eyes: Look upwar●… towards thy Father's House, a●● consider the happiness for whi●● thou wast made, and is yet te●…dred to thee. And if this awa●● thee not, Look down into the d●● Cells of damned despairing Sou●… Hear, how they lament their se●… destroying folly in contemning the grace of our Lord Jesus Chri●● and their selling their Birth rig●● for a few carnal morsels. OH ●●ware my Brother, that thou fall●● not into that place of Torm●● through Unbelief and incorrigiblen●● 'Tis cheaper Learning by the ●● Examples of others Misery, th●● our own. Wherhfore take up in ●…ime, and resolve (by the Grace of God) to live a new Life. You ●…ee, how properly our public Ser●…ice gins with the Prodigals Reso●…ution in the Text; I will Arise and Go to my Father, etc.  
BUT it may be said, That it would seem presumptuous to speak after the manner of the Text. What ●…erson, that has any sense of his own Corruptions, can with any modesty say, I will leave this Sin, ●…r perform this duty? I am resolved to become Religious, or to cease to be Vicious.  
I Answer: That rash and presumptuous Resolutions of Refermation will never hold long; and therefore we must always have respect to the Grace and Blessing of the Holy Ghost, in all our spiritual Resolutions and Undertake. And the gracious promises of this Divi●● Assistant must never abate our e●…deavours, but always quicken a●● excite them. For so the case ●● stated by the Holy Spirit himself Phil. 2. 12, 13. Work out your ow●… Salvation with Fear and Tremblin●… And to stop all Objections of o●● own Disability to do this, it is a●…ded; For it is God who worketh in ●● both to will, and to do, of his go●● Pleasure. So that, since God plea●…eth to assist our Wills in their Dete●…minations for Holiness, we ma●… and aught to Resolve for it: An●… since he pleases to give Grace ●● Accomplish those Resolutions i●… Newness of Life, we must strive an●… Labour to the Uttermost to effect it Confiding in the promised Succours of preventing, assisting, an●… renewing Grace. Our good God through his Son will hear th●… Prayers of such as seek to him in ●●ncerity. It is a very disparaging ●…ct of Unbelief to Question that ●…hich He hath promised Six times ●…ogether, Math. 7. 7, 8. Ask, ●…nd it shall be given You; Seek, and ●…e shall found; Knock, and it shall be ●…pen'd unto You: For, every one that ●…sketh receiveth; And he that seeketh ●…ndeth; And to him that knocketh, ●…t shall be opened. He hath also ●…romised, that he will pour out his ●…oly Spirit (that is, freely and plen●…ifully give spiritual Assistance) to ●…uch as set themselves to do his will, Prou. 1. 23. Turn You at ●…y Reproof: behold, I will pour out ●…y Spirit unto You, Yea, he will grant this, as willingly and as compassionately as ever any Father or Mother in the world gave a piece of bread to their own Child who cried upon them for hunger. For so runs that condescending Promi●● of of our Lord, Luke 11. 11, 1●… 13. If a Son shall ask bread of a●… of You that is a Father, will he gi●● him a stone? Or, If he ask a Fi●● will he for a Fish give him a Serpent●… Or if he shall ask an Egg, will he off●● him a Scorpion? If ye than being ev●● know how to give good Gifts unto yo●… Children, how much more shall yo●… Heavenly Father give the Holy Sp●…rit to them that ask him? Here ●● even an Appeal to human Nature itself, (as depraved as it is) whther the bowels of Parents will n●● painfully yearn over a poor hung●● Child that cries to them for Brea●… And the Inference is strong an●… undeniable; Namely, That the i●…finite Mercies of God are inco●…ceivably greater than the scan●● compassions of corrupt men. L●● us therefore arise and be doing, a●● the Lord will be with the good, Chron. 22. 16. The diligent will be ●…ccour'd when the slothful will be forsaken.  
AND here, we must also take ●…otice, That pious Resolutions in ●…e general, will not do our busi●…ess; But we must consider the ●…articular ways and means, where●…y we offend God; and make particular efforts against each of them. ●…e may not think to break the bun●…le of our Corruptions all at once, ●…ut must take the Branches apart, ●…nd break them twig by twig, till ●…he whole be destroyed. For, though ●…here be a deadly wound given to ●…he whole Body of Sin, in the de●…ermining act of Conversion; yet ●…his blow must be followed by hear●…y strokes of Mortification, and Self-denial; and the lively exercises of Faith and Prayer. Sanctification is a progressive work; and we ●● required to abound in it more a●… more, 1 Thes. 4. 1. For we mu●● never think that we have d●● working, till the Devil has do●… tempting, and till the world a●● the Flesh have done warring agai●… the Spirit.  
NOW, The Prodigal's Resol●…tion before us consisted of t●● Parts.  
1. HE Resolves to leave ●● old Wander and Misdeme●…nours, and the Ways that led ●… them.  
2. HE Resolves to turn ●● God, and to observe his Comman●…ments.  
I HE Resolves to leave his o●● Wander and Misdeameanour●… and the ways that led to them. will Arise, says he, from these pe●…niscious Vanities: I have slept ●● them too long already. The Sun advanced, my time is far spent, ●●d I have not yet set forth in the ●…ays of Life. I have trifled and ●…ayed away the Morning o●… my ●…ge. I have wasted my Youth, ●●d Stength, and Wealth, in lewd ●…ouses and lose Company. Oh! will Arise out of this hateful and ●…retched sort of Life. 'Tis a Mer●● that I am yet on this side ●…e Grave: That God has shown ●…e my Sin, before I am dam●●d for it. Alas! how sottishly ●●ve I lived! in what vain dreams ●●ve I wasted my time! but now, ●●ce God has graciously a wakened ●…e, I will Arise. I will not lay ●…own my Head to sleep again on ●●at bed of carnal Presumption, ●…hich the Devil makes as soft as ●…e can for deluded Souls. Should take one Nap more thereon, it may be just with God that I ne●● awake but in a Bed of unquenc●…ble Flames, from which Di●● (who scarce ever before looked H●●ven●● wards) lifted up his Eyes behold the Happiness he had l●● Wherhfore, by the help of G●● I will certainly, I will speedily, will effectually arise from this st●● of Sin, and seek the Face of ●● God.  
HERE he must be understood leave three Things: 1. His form sinful Company; 2. His form Lusts; 3. His former way of L●●  
1 He Resolves to leave his ●●mer sinful Company: That is, to any Partnership with them their Vanity and Debaucher For so the Holy Ghost advi●● Eph. 5. 11. And have no Fellowship with the unfruitful Works Darkness; but rather reprove th●… Christian must not be the Fellow ill Society, but the Physician of it. We must break Fellowship ●…ith these, or we cannot walk ●…ith God. Can they that walk ●…wards Heaven, keep Company ●●d Pace with them that walk to●…ards Hell? Or, Can they that ●…ould get to the Top of a Hill, ●…yn Company with them that ●…n downwards, and will tumble own all they can with them to the bottom?  
I speak not of civil Conversation, or of Intercourse by way of Trade ●●d Commerce, but of our cho●●n and delightful Company. As ●● which the Holy Psalmist says, ●…epart from me ye Evil-Doers, for will keep the Commandment of my ●…od, Psa. 119. 115. 'Tis the same ●…esolution with this in the Text: ●● will not more comply with your Humours, ye seed of Evil-Do●…nor be any further a Partaker your Sins. Cease your en●…nar●● Invitations, and forbear your ●●sed Assignations; I am not the m●… I was, and will not more do a●… have done. And therefore I da●… not put myself into such Comp●…ny, wherein I must sacrifice ●● Peace of my Conscience, and ●● Favour of my God.  
WE never found, That the P●…digal went back to his Harlot's a●… profligate Companions, after his R●…turn to his Father's House. N●… he keeps wisely to the Society his Father's Household, wh●● good Examples tended to confi●… his holy Resolutions, and refo●…med Conversation. Sober and R●…ligious Company is like a Guard Holy Angels about any Person, ●● keep him in God's ways; The must first get out of such Compa●● before they can be very viti●●. It is the Remark of the in●●'d wise Man, Pro. 13. 20. That that walketh with wise Men shall wise, but a Companion of Fools ●…ll be destroyed. The wise Man ●●e, is the good and virtuous man, ●…o will be apt to instill good Injections into the Person he con●●ses with, and to communicate ●●●ething of his own warmth in spiritual things to others, through ●…e Grace of God, who hath pro●●sed to make it effectual, where ●…s on both sides piously underta●●●. What a divine Blessing than good and holy Company! How ●● we duly value it! Since the ●…od Companion is often like God's ●…gel to Lot, sent to lead us by the ●…nd out of a State, upon which ●…e flaming wrath of God is descen●…ng.  
I therefore take this opportunity, to recommend to you all; more especially to such as Young, that excellent Method Religious Society; which has late years been happily set on ●● by some of our Divines, and m●… happily increases by the bless●● of God. Their Method is so H●… so humble, so full of Charity ●● primitive Purity; and is ca●● on (as far I can perceive) w●… such Life and Savour of H●… things; and is so opposite to ●● Scarlet Sins of the times, Tha●… hope it is seed sown by Almighty God for a blessed Reformation, ●● a most happy Prelude to it. ●●ther it all ye can, ye that h●… any Zeal for God, or Love of ●● holy Religion; Despise it not a Blessing is in it.  
IT is the avowed Purpose these Societies, to do all they do to ●…e Glory of God, and to think so ●…wly of themselves, that the Re●…oaches of the scornful World can ●…arcely set them lower than ●…y their Rules) they place them●…ves. And in Subordination to ●…e Glory of the Great God, they ●…nd their utmost Strength to re●…ve languishing Religion: and to ●…duce the Honour of it by the ●…ictest holiness of Life, and to ●…nfirm this by frequent and fer●…nt Prayer, and by the most so●…mn and affectionate Celebration ●● the Sacrament of the Lord's Sup●…r, which they also reduce to the ●…rimitive Frequency, as the due ●…ove of God our Saviour must ●…eeds do. They are full of Alms●…eeds, and of holy Discourse; and ●●●ually encourage each other ●…ayly to Meekness, Humility, and Contempt of the world, those ●…tiquated Graces which have ●● been despised by a crooked ●… haughty Generation, though they indeed the Ornament of our R●…gion, and of great Price in ●… sight of God. It is they say on●… the greatest Delights and Div●…sions they have, to sing Psal●… which they always perform w●… the strictest Reverence of S●… and Body: And before they there pray to God, or praise Name, they use to read so affecting Preface, to excite at o●… the highest Veneration of the i●…nite Majesty of God, and the lowliest Humiliation before him.  
WHAT I speak is from ●● own Observation, and upon ●● strictest Judgement I can make their real Bend and Design: which, though some of them ●● probably be unsincere (since one of ●…ur Saviour's chosen Twelve proved Traitor, & some of the very An●…els above kept not their first Stati●…n:) Yet as to the Temper and Be●…aviour of many of them; I think ●… am so far from giving them any ●…dvantage by what is said; That ●… am sensible, I have not done ●…hem right. For the Life, the ●…igor and Affections of real Pie●…y have an intrinsic Beauty and Excellence, which it is not in the Power of Words to represent.  
AND, notwithstanding the ●…urmises of some; I think it ve●…y manifest, That neither the Church nor the State will have reason to be jealous of these Societies; ●…or their Rules tend directly to support and advance both; And ●…hey are protest Enemies to Schism and Sedition; Thou at the same time, they profess themselves ●…vers of all good men, though, di●…ting from them in Opinions w●● touch not the Essence of Religi●… looking on Christian Charity, ●●dour, and Mildness, as com●● Debts to all that lead a g●… Life,  
SHALL I need now to ●● many words to recommend th●… holy Purposes to You? Is it no●… valuable Privilege to enjoy ●● Society? And will not the L●● of God and of your ownsolus, ●● your Desire of the Propagatio●… Religion, and the welfare of ●● Nation, engage you to encour●… it? Especially since pious Example's do recommend Religion such a lively and attractive M●●ner, and do so fit it for our Pr●…tice (instilling it by degrees, ●● that, with Pleasure and Life) T●● g●…od Company has much the Advantage even of good Books in refor●…ing a vain Conversation.  
AND how wellpleasing this is the sight of God: See Mal. 3. 16, ●…7. Than they that feared the Lord ●…ake often one to an other: And the ●…ord hearkened and heard it; and a ●●ok of Remembrance was written be●●e Him, for them that feared the ●…ord, and that thought on his Name. ●…nd they shall be mine, saith the Lord Hosts, in that day when I make up ●… Jewels, and I will spare them as a ●●n spareth his own Son that serveth ●●m. You see, God hearkens at the ●…oor, and will register every good ●…ord which drops from your Lips. ●…ea, not a serious Thought shall ●…cape his Book of Record. And such all be honoured by a signalizing providence of God in the day in ●●ich He makes up his Jewels. What day is this? Why, 'tis the Da●… in which he is departing from an●… place. Than People take care ●… their Jewels, to carry them wi●● them: and it is probable that th●… expression had Respect to the M●…gremus h●●● mentioned by Joseph●… The Departure of God from ●● Jewish state.  
AH! my Brethrens (with tre●…bling I speak it) methinks I ●… the dawning of this day of G●● Departure from us, even from All his methods to reclaim us ha●… been sadly frustrated. We are Ju●●ment-proof; and we have tur●● God's gracious deal into wa●…tonness. What can be done further for our Trial by the God of ●… the Earth? what method of pr●…cedure have we not already frustr●…ted? and after all, How prodig●…ous are our sins! and (to the ●● of Reason) How hopeless our Re●…ormation! In these dark Cir●…umstances, I advice every parti●…ular Soul to secure his Peace with God, that he may be provi●…ed of a sure Refuge in the day of ●…vil; For it shall be well with them that fear the Lord, Eccl. 8. 12.  
BE so just therefore to your ●…wn Interests in both worlds, as ●● take up this first part of the Pro●…igal's Resolution, viz. To leave ●…nsnaring Company: Partake not ●…f their sins, jest ye share in their ●…lagues. As you dread their Pu●…ishment, a voided all Partnership in ●…heir Pollutions.  
(2.) He Resolves to set himself against his former Lusts. He seri●…usly endeavours, through the holy ●…pirit, to crucify the Flesh with its effections and Lusts, Gal. 5. 24. ●…niquity shall not devil with allowance in his heart. He labou●… to subdue the Love of Sin, by th●… prevailing Love of God, and h●● ways. The Prodigal must now pa●… under an other Name. He no●… loves his Father too well to affro●… him, or to departed from him. A●● though the Love of goodness be not y●… perfected in him, yet he will tru●… labour by daily mortification, a●… progress in holiness, to carry it ●● towards perfection.  
REMEMBER, Christians, that ever you would walk worthy that Holy Name ye bear, You m●… duly exercise and carry on t●… spiritual work of mortification You must through the spirit mortify t●… deeds of the flesh (inward and o●●ward) that ye may live, Rom. 8. 1▪ Even that ye may live to the Glor●… of God on earth, and be meet ●● inherit his undefiled Kingdom. ●… must be our labour as long as we ●…ive, to hate Sin more perfectly, ●…nd to love God more entirely. And this is Christian sanctification; ●…he blessed work of the Spirit of God on the degenerate Souls of men; who here sits as a Refiner, continual●…y purging out our Dross, and making us more pure Vessels of Honour, more and more fit for our Maker's Use. Blessed are the pure in Heart, for they shall see God, Mat. 5. 8. And indeed they only can see him with Delight. As, the glory of the ●…un's brightness is painful and in●…olerable to a sore Eye, though no●…hing is more pleasant to the sound Eye than to behold the shining of he Sun: so, to the unsanctifyed Soul, ●…he presence and Praises of God are ●…ot only undesireable but bur●…hensome; whereas, to the graci●…us Soul God is their exceeding joy, Psa. 42. 4. His Courts are amiant Psal. 84. 1. His Commands delight●● 1 Jo. 5. 3. And in his presence is ●●ness of joy, and at his right hand ●● pleasures for evermore, Psal. 16.  
LOOK to this inward pur●…cation of your Souls, All ye th●… would have your Righteousness ●●ceed the superficial Righteousness the Scribes and Pharisees; jest w●● them and all other fruitless professors, ye be shut out of the Ki●●dome of Heaven, Math. 5. 20. T●… fear of falling short at last, and b●…ing found light when weighed the balance of the last Judgement will make every sincere Christi●● very careful and circumspect in ●… things, and even curious in Ordering his conversation aright. He wi●● attend upon every ordinance ●● God with a zealous concern: H●… will pray without ceasing; He wi●● watch withou●… sleeping as do others; He will fight against Lust and Passion with hearty blows, and perse●…ere in the same with all long-●…uffering. He would in every action so approve himself to God, that Christ may say of him in every part of his Life, behold a Nathanael, an Israelite indeed; a Christian without dissimulation; a Professor of Religion without Guile.  
THUS the Prodigal (and every sincere Convert) looks to the integrity of his heart, in opposition to ●…mpurity, vanity, and every deceitful Lust.  
(3.) He resolves to quit his former corrupt Conversation. He will not more revel and riot as he had done. He will beware of wine and wantonness, and all those Paths of Death, in which he had like to have perished. He will not more walk (as other Sensualists do) in the Vani●● of their minds, having their Understanding darkened: being alienat●… from the Life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, because of t●● blindness of their heart: Who (bei●● hurried by exorbitant Lusts) gi●● themselves over unto Lasciviousness, ●… work all Uncleanness with Greediness But on the contrary; He puts ●● as to his former Conversation, the ●● man, which is corrupt according its deceitful Lusts. And (bei●● renewed by the Holy Spirit ●● God) He puts on the new Man, whi●● after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness, Eph. 4. 18, 1●… etc. He casts of the works of Dar●…ness, and puts on the Armour ●● Light; and walks honestly as in th●… Day, not in chambering and wanto●…ness, not in rioting and drunkennes●… not in strife and envy: But he p●● on the Lord Jesus Christ, and makes no more Provision for the Flesh, to fulfil ●…he Lusts thereof, Rom. 13. 12, 13.  
IN few words: A true Convert is influenced by that power●…ul Principle of Faith working by Love to God and his Holy Will, ●…nd aims at the Glory of God in ●…ll he does, in hope of enjoying ●…he glorious Presence of God for ever. Thus, He who lived like ●… Swine before, lives like an Angel ●…ow. He has his Conversation in Heaven; his Heart is truly there; and his Soul and Body will soon be ●…here also.  
HE seems to take possession even now of the prepared Mansions above, in that his Affections are there already. His hope has cast ●…ts Anchor even within that Veil. And surely he cannot but have Treasure there where his Heart is so much.  
THIS, This, my Brethrens, that Prize of our High Calling. O●… Let us press hard after it. He●… is nothing below worthy of o●… precious Hours, or the Concern ●… our immortal Souls. We found ●… much noisy Discord, and nasty D●…bauchery in this present evil wor●… that a Dove like Soul cannot ●● where to set his Foot, or rest it se●… in entire Peace and Quietude. A●… indeed, it is not fit that we shou●… have perfect Rest below, jest ●… should forget the promised Rest ●… 'bove; and be ready to take ●… Lot on this side Jordan, as part ●… the Israelites did, being enamou●… with the Commodiousness of t●● Place.  
LET us therefore Arise and ●… to our Father; in whose House the●… are many Mansions of perfect Bli●● Let us make the same Use of ●… our present Wants and Afflictions, ●…hat the Prodigal did; Namely, to ●…asten our Journey Heaven-wards. We must of necessity part with all things which will separate us from God. And if we now sincerely arise from sinful Pollutions, and ●…o to our Heavenly Father by Faith, Love, and dutiful Observance here ●…elow; He will ere long call us to come up into his nearer Presence, ●…o see him as he is; and to be with ●…im where he is; yea, to Triumph with Him, and to be happy in Him ●…or Ever.  
HERE than arises an impor●…ant Question? Namely, How we may get to our Father? and what ●…re the sure Paths which lead to ●…is Presence? I hope you are all willing to go to God; and that ●…ou resolve to live not longer (as Prodigal's) in Filthiness and Superfluity of Naughtiness: but to li●… (as obedient Children) in stri●… Love and Duty to your God a●● Saviour. But perhaps some o●● whose Understanding is not y●… clearly enlightened in the ways God, may say as Philip, Jo. 14. Show us the Father, and it suffice us. Or as Thomas, Verse 5. H●… can we know the Way? No man ha●… seen God at any time. Whit●… than must we direct our Ste●… that we may go directly and su●…ly to him?  
I answer. Fellow the Prodi●… in the second Part of his Resol●…on as well as the former, and t●… will lead You to the favoura●… Presence of God, as it did him.  
WE have already considered ●… things which the Prodigal resolv●… against: Let us now mind th●… which he positively resolved, fo●… Namely,  
HE resolved to apply himself to spiritual things, and to use all appointed means to please God. He will not longer be a Contemner of God's Ordinances, nor a Mocker of his Servants. But will Wait at the Doors of Wisdom, and accounted it the greatest Honour in the world to be a Fellow-Citizen with the Saints, and to be one of the House hold of God. He now prays with earnest Fervour, like a true Son of Jacob: He hears with dutiful attention, like one whose heart God hath Opened: And praises God with exalted Affections, like a Fellow▪ Psalmist of Holy Angels: He diligently searcheth the Holy Scripture to found every part of his Duty: and when ever he opens these blessed Oracles of God, he says in his Heart, Speak Lord, for thy Servant heareth. He watches against his own Corruptions, and th●… Snares of Satan, and the Entangl●…ments of the world: and he Gir●… on the whole Armour of God, that ●● may be able to stand against them and come of a Conqueror.  
BUT more particularly: T●● Steps which the Prodigal took i●… his Return to his Father's Hous●… (as expressed or employed in the Tex●… were principally these:  
1. HE deliberately Conside●… and weighs the Terms upon whic●… his Father would accept him, an●… hearty consents to them.  
2. HE deeply Regrets and R●…pents of his past Offences against his Father.  
3. HE betakes himself effectually to serve his Father in Newness of Life.  
AND if we abstract thes●… things from the Allegory of the Page rabble, and consider them in the ●…ractical Doctrine which our bles●…ed Saviour teaches us in them, we ●…hall found in these particulars the ●…umm of the Gospel-Covenant, and ●…y Consequence our direct way ●…o Peace with God.  
I FIRST than, The Prodigal ●…eliberately considers and weighs ●…he terms upon which his Father ●…ould receive him into Favour; ●…nd he hearty consents to them. He knew full well, that he must ●…ive an other sort of a life than he ●…ad done, if he meant to be one of ●…is Father's beloved Children; and ●…he fully resolves so to do; relying ●…nd trusting in his Father's goodness to pardon what was past, upon his penitent Return to him, and dutiful Behaviour towards him for the future.  
NOW these are some of the essential Acts of a vigorous and ●…fectual Faith. For, when the S●…ner comes (through the Grace of G●… to such an efficatious Sense of ●… Sinfulness, Misery, and Cursedness of his Condition, and to such an ●…fecting belief of the Suitableness Sufficiency, and Willingness of ●… Lord Jesus Christ to supply all ●… Wants, and of his being ordai●… by God the Father to these ble●● purposes for the Sanctification a●… eternal Salvation of Sinners; a●… when he considers that all that ●… saved by Christ must be enligh●…ned, renewed, and governed, by ●… Gospel through the Holy Spir●● and upon the serious Considerati●● of all this, consents sincerely ●… the whole of it, and will adve●…ture all upon this bottom; T●● is that dedicating, covenantin●… and transforming Faith which ●● Title to the Promises of the Gospel. ●…nd by such Acts as these the Soul ●…akes its first true steps to leave a ●●te of Sin and Wrath; and to ob●●in the Mercy and Favour of God. ●…ith is the Mother-Grace, the ●●ring of those noble Actions ●…hich abound in the regenerate servants of God, who by this sub●…e the World, crucify the Flesh, ●…nquish the Legions of the invi●●●le Powers of Darkness, and do ●●ch mighty things as are recor●…ed in the Eleventh Chapter of ●●e Epistle to the Hebrews; which ●… a little Chronicle of the Wonders ●…ne by a Mighty Faith.  
WHEN this Principle had ●…owerfully influenced the Prodigals Heart, as well as convined his ●●dgment, with what Ease, yea, ●…ith what Joy did he break the ●…hains of Youthful Lusts and Customary Sins. Faith working Love makes a new Creature. ●… with one Look he beholds the ●●luding Devil leading him into ●… Dungeon of eternal Misery; ●… with an other, he beholds the ●…ther of Mercies kindly calling to ●… and opening his Arms to rec●● him. With one Thought he ●●ders the needy and nasty condi●… into which his Sin had cast h●● and with an other, he confid●● the Happiness of the meanest i●… Father's House. And now he co●● (through the grace of God) to ●… determining Point, even to reso●… for Heaven; for Heaven, I say●… opposition to all the ways and entertainments of Sin. And he●● upon  
II HE deeply regrets and ●●feignedly reputes of his past Off●…ces against his good Father. Ev●●gelical Faith produces an ingenuous ●…elting of the Heart for sinning a●…ainst infinite Goodness and Love; ●…ith an Aversion as well as Fear to ●…ffend again, let the bribe to it be ●…ever so great; and this is true Re●…entance.  
METHINKS I see, with what a ●…ejected and ashamed countenance ●…e Prodigal returns home: With ●…hat sorrow of heart does he con●●der his undutiful carriage towards ●…s good Father, and those hateful ●●travagances which he had run to since he left him. Let us con●●der his confession, and we shall ●…ave an affecting Account of his ●…rrow.  
1. He acknowledges his Sin. — Father, I have sinned.  
2. He aggravates it in all its ●…eightning Circumstances. Against Heaven and before thee, or, in thy ●●ght  
3 He is sensible of the desert his Sin. I am no more worthy to called thy Son: Make me as one of hired servants. The meanest pl●● in thy House, is better than all Advancements of ungodlyness.  
First, HE acknowledges and ●…ments his Sin from his very he●… His words are very mournful ●… melting: Father, I have sinned. ●… sin, my sin troubles me sorely sticks me to the very heart to th●● how indulgent my good Father ●… been to me, and what a stubb●● and untractable wretch I have b●… towards him. I have been as a Be●… before him. So that he hangs do●… his ashamed face, and smites up his guilty Breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.  
O! When once the sinner co●● to this; when he sees his o●… wretchedness, desolation, and d●●●●r by reason of his sin, and groans ●…rth his inutterable sense of its eight; there is than a happy al●…ation begun, and he is in the di●…ct way to spiritual peace and e●…nal Rest. For, the promise of di●…ne Rest is made by our Saviour to ●…ch as are weary and heavy laden, ●●th. 11. 28. And we shall one ●…y bless God with rapturous joy ●●t ever he made us Sorrowful after ●…s godly sort; For, this works reactance never to be repent of; ●…a, ever to be rejoiced in.  
Secondly, He aggravates his Sin, all its heightening Circumstance. Alas! I have sinned against ●…eaven and before Thee.  
(1.) He is sorry for the impiety of his sin against God: As if he ●●d said, Ah! I am full of Sorrow ●●d Confusion, for my great and ●…ny Sins against my Good God, the God of my Life, the God my Vows, the God of my Mer●● and the God of my Salvation. ●● that ever I should be such a wret●… to blaspheme the Great God w●… the breath which he gave me: ●… abuse his Wine and good Creatu●… in revelling and drunkeness: make the Members which he g●… me, the Members of a Harlot; ●●verting the very end, for wh●… God my Creator made me; ●… honouring his Name, thwarts his Will, and despising his Jus●● and Mercy. This is the first ●● chiefest Aggravation of Sin, wh●… chief affects the Conscience. T●… Sin is lamented, as Sin; as co●…mitted against Heaven. The ●●brew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (Heavens) is ●…mongst the Jews an usual Name God, as Dan. 4. 26. where it w●… told Nabuchadnezzar, that his Ki●● ●● should be sure unto him, after ●…t he knew that the HEAVENS ●● Rule. And so in the new Testa●…nt, Mat. 21. 25. The Baptism John, whence was it! Of Heaven, ●… of Men? So that the Penitent ●…ncipally laments his Sin, as Sin; it was committed against the ●…thority, Goodness, and Perfecti●…s of God.  
(2.) A true Penitent will also ●●ent, and to his power recom●●ce any injury that he has done men. He will confess his Fault, ●…eech Forgiveness, and make all ●…ssible Restitution to any Person ●…om he has wronged. So the ●…odigal; Father, I have wickedly ●…ended and grieved You: I have ●…ned before thee; My wicked ●●e has fetch many a tear from ●…ur Eyes, and many a sigh from ●…ur Heart. I wasted your Goods, I left your Company, I disgarded your Advice: For which, I solemnly arraign and codemn myself before you this da●… and will not more do so wickedly  
Thirdly, He was sensible of Desert of his Sin. — And am more worthy to be called thy ●… Here is more employed, than is ●●ken: For it implies the shame, L●● and Rejection opposite to Sonship As if he had said, I have deser●● to be disowned and discarded you, my good Father; as I ha●… also deserved to have my Na●… blotted out of the Book of Li●… to be abandoned by the God Mercy, and to be for ever ●● up in the Dungeon of Darkn●● with Unbelievers and Obstin●… Enemies of God.  
Thus will a Penitent aggrav●● his Sin in the day of his Humilia●… ●●: which is a true step to obtain ●…ercy, for he that humbleth him●…f shall be exalted, Luk. 14. 11. ●… thou dealest sharply with thyself, says Tertullian) God will deal ●…ildly with thee. But if thou excu●●t thyself when thou art Guilty, ●…d will accuse thee. And there●…re another of the Father's advi●● Sinners to Load themselves ●●th self-accusations as the ready ●●y to alleviate the Burden of ●●, Ambros. These lowly Princi●…es made those Holy Men of old, walk humbly with their God, e●…n to a degree of Humility which ●…azed the Age they lived in, as ●…uch as it reproaches this.  
WE may also further take notice ●…ncerning the Prodigals humili●…on and solemn Address to his Fa●…er, that he framed it in his Mind fore he came to utter it with his Lips in his Father's presence. ●… first said within himself, I will to my Father, and say thus and th●… and than he went and spoke accordingly. This may mind us to ●● meditate, before we pray to ●… Great God: as the Wise-Man ●…vises, Eccles. 5. 2. Be not rash ●… thy mouth, and let not thine hear●… hasty to utter any thing before ●… Remember the infinite distance ●…twixt the Almighty Eternal ●● and a poor, finite, polluted C●…ture. He is in Heaven, and tho●… on Earth, therefore let thy word●… few. 'Tis ill trifling and toying w●… such a tremendous thing as Pra●… to the Lord of Heaven and Ea●… for things of eternal moment true Convert will pray seriou●… and sensibly too; in the spirit, ●… with understanding also. And crown all, in the last place:  
3. HE betakes himself in good earnest to serve his Father in Newness of Life. We never read that the Prodigal played the Runagate again after his Restoration to his Father's Favour, but he continued soberly in his Father's Family, and observed the pious Orders of his House. Thus a real Convert will firmly and supremely love that God whom before he dishonoured, and embrace those Laws, which before he despised, and venerate that Piety which before he blasphemed; desiring by patiented Continuance in well-doing to inherit the Promises.  
THUS have we in our Meditations accompanied the Penitent Prodigal in all the steps of his Return to God. And that we may in Heart and Deed imitate his Repentance and Reformation, I come now to recommend to you th●… three principal Motives which i●…clined him to it. And truly th●… will appear very forcible to eve●… sensible mind; Namely,  

1. THE deplorableness his present Condition.  
2. THE necessity of an a●…teration of it.  
3. THE likelihood of h●● succeeding in it, upon his earne●● Endeavours.   
I IN the first place, He co●…sidered the deplorableness of h●● present Condition. He was nast●… as the very Swine he kept, an●… much more hungry and empt●… than they. The Hogs had a Ma●…ster that would provide for them but he had no friend near him none that would bestow the Charity of a few Husks upon the poo●… perishing man. He had brough●… himself to the most abject, sordid, ●…nd comfortless Condition upon Earth; and to continued in these Circumstances was the way to pe●…ish inevitably.  
OH Sirs! This is yours and my Case, if we are departed from the ●…iving God through our evil heart of Unbelief. The Swine's wallowing ●…n the mire is a Scripture-Emblem of the Sinners spiritual pollution. And the Famine and Nakedness which befell the Prodigal in his wild ●…amble, foreshews the Misery and Wretchedness to which a carnal Life leads men. For if they live ●…fter the Flesh they must die; they die to all spiritual good now, and ●…herefore will be separated from ●…ll felicitating Good for ever.  
AH! what nasty work is every Worker of iniquity engaged in? To what brutal Lusts and Passions is he enslaved! What an ill Mast●● does he serve! What a pitiful, d●… generate, and unreasonable Li●… does he live! and Ah! What wretched and desperate death do●… he die? and above all, what dreadful, painful, unpitied Ete●…nity must he undergo?  
OH Sinner, I beseech thee even b●… the Mercies of God which the despisest, that thou wouldst ●● thy immortal Sous that right, ●… to stop thy furious Course in s●● and consider wisely what swee●…ness there is in a Life of Faith a●… Holiness! What blessedness in ob●…dience to the King of Heaven What Joy there is in peace wit●… God What Honour in Communio●… with the Lord of the whole world What Satisfaction, Hope, and Divinity there is in a pious Life! an●… what Blessedness and Glory ther●… at the end of it. And withal, ●…nsider how near we are to an ●…ernity of Bliss or Torment, and ●…w unalterable our Condition ●…ill be in the other World, when ●●ce it is entered upon. He that ●…ath the Power of thinking, let ●●m think on these things.  
HOW long shall it be ere we ●…ome to the determining Resoluti●…n for eternal Happiness? We can●…ot endure the thoughts of dwelling with everlasting Burn: We cannot deny but we have immor●…al Souls, which must quickly re●…eive an irrevocable Sentence from ●…he mouth of God, according to ●…he manner of our life here. And we daily see ourselves decaying and drawing on towards the invisible state; and yet how late is it ●…ere most of us set ourselves seriously to do the will of God, and many thousands never come at ●… to this point. Ah! Why will a●… wise Person live (says one) so ●… no wise Person dares die? Why ●… we do that with delight, whi●● tends to bitter Sorrow? Why ●… we not lay out our time a●● strength chief in the Conce●● of the eternal Life to come? Si●● this World is but our Passage, w●● do our Affections stick here? Ho●… can we live in quiet, when t●● prospect of a future state is ●… cloudy? Or, how can we wit●… Reason and Self-Love do suc●… things now, as will be our Conf●…sion and Torment in the Eternal State?  
TO what purpose have we lived all those years which God ha●… given us, if we have not yet effectually considered, for what purpose God sent us into the world and in what our happiness consists? it wisdom for us to be always ●…roviding for a world in which we ●…ust stay so little a while; and ●…ake no provision for a world ●…hich has no end? Have we yet ●…o hope in Christ? No saving in ●…erest in him? No Communion ●…ith God? No Fellowship of the ●…pirit? No Sense of God's Love? This is indeed a very dark and ●…ismal state, the Shades of eternal ●…eath are in it; I pray you hasten ●…ut of it. No person can make ●…oo much haste where his Life is in ●…mminent Danger. And to quick●…n you to this, Consider the Pro●…igal's second Motive; Namely,  
II THE absolute necessity of changing his Condition. And this could be no otherwise done (he was sure) but by untreading the steps of his Prodigal Life. And therefore, he goes back to his ●●ther with speed; for he saw th●… if he continued at this distan●… from him, he should perish by h●●ger and nakedness and the want ●… all things. Thou some sins lo●… fair and alluring to a carnal Ey●… especially when varnished by the ●…lusions of the Devil, yet there nothing in it but Darkness, De●…sion, and Destruction. Like th●… Apples of Sodom which some ha●● made mention of, which are ●● (they say) to the Eye, but ha●● nothing but dust within them. T●… Prodigal found this true by sad E●…perience; and methinks we sho●… never forget his Cry, Verse ●… I perish with Hunger. My so●… is starved for want of the t●● meat which nourisheth to eternal Life.  
MY Brethrens, Our Father House is the Church of God: His Family is the Congregation of the faithful: His Son's Body and Blood received by faith are the true viands which nourish to everlasting Life. If we are destitute of these, we are infinitely miserable. For, if so, God is our Enemy; His word is our Condemnation; His Son will pronounce sentence against us; and it will be but a little while, and we shall be cut of from our outward Christian Privileges ●…ike unprofitable Branches, and be cast into the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone for ever.  
IS this a condition fit to believed ●…n? Can we content ourselves in the neighbourhood of such Curses, ●…nd under the burden of such Gild? Pray, tell me; is it not worth our while to labour earnestly for so short a time as this life lasts, to eat the eternal Doom and Torments of Devils? Has the Prince o●… this world so perfectly blinded you●… Eyes, that you are not scared at the approaches of Death and the Judgement to come, though you perceiv●… that your peace is not made wit●… God, and that you are not partakers of that inward holiness with out which none can see His face wi●● comfort?  
MEN, Women, Children, co●…sider I pray you in time; that if ●● are not regenerated by the holy sp●…rit of God, and do not become sincerely holy in all manner of conve●…sation: If we dare indulge any c●●nal appetite, or neglect God's O●…dinances, or live in the contem●● of any part of God's will: T●● Curses of God's book belong to ●… in both worlds, and we ma●… (for aught any body can assure●… ●…o the contrary) make our Bed in Hell before the light of the next ●…ay shines upon us.  
SINCE there is therefore such ●…bsolute necessity of becoming sin●…ere Converts to God in time: Let ●…one of us settle again on the Leeses ●…f a carnal state, but let us in time arise and go to our Father, for he is gracious and merciful and ready to forgive. This leads us to consider the third motive which inclined the Prodigal to return, viz.  
III THE Likelihood of his succeeding in it, upon his sincere Endeavours. He confided in the goodness of his Father, and trusted that he would not reject but cherish these first kindle of Love towards him. He considered, with what tenderness his Father had brought him up; and with what unwillingness he parted with him; and with what bounty he gave hi●… a Portion of his Goods. And he co●…cludes (with reason) that his bo●…els were not perfectly hardened ●…gainst him yet: or however th●● though he might justly loathe hi●… when a Prodigal, yet that he wou●● love him when a Penitent. And ●… proved according to his expectation, yea much better than he co●●● have hoped. For, so soon as ev●● his Father could get sight of hi●… and beheld that his Son's face w●● towards him, even whilst he w●● yet at distance, his Father ran ●… meet him. The good old Man seem to forget his Years, he ran like ●… nimble youth, (such Spirits had h●● Joy infused): And though he foun●… his Son all in rags, besmeare●… with dung, and stinking with th●… stench of Swine; yet the Father'●… Love digests all these loathsom●… circumstances, and before the Son ●…ould confess his fault, the Father ●…alls on his neck and vouchsafes to ●…mbrace that lump of filth and ●…eggary. His Father reads his Son's ●…epentance in his looks, and this ●…lessed Grace blots out a multitude ●…f sins. The Father does not so ●…uch as upbraid him with what he ●…ad been, for Joy of what he now was. For he looked upon him as ●…aised from the very dead. His sins ●…ad been so enormous, and he had ●…o long abandoned himself to them, ●…hat his Father had despaired of his Conversion, and gave him over for ●…ost. But he now beholds his Son become another Man, and now the best Clotheses and the best Cheer in the House are called for, to entertain ●…im: And all the neighbourhood ●●ings with the Music and Mirth of the House; and the burden of their Joyful Songs was this, M●… Son was dead and is alive again, ●● was lost and is found.  
MY Brethrens, this is the tru●… Character of God's mercy to retur●…ing sinners; drawn to the life i●… this Parable by the Son of hi●… Bosom, who could best set for●● his love to us. Let this than incline us all to return to God with spee●… and sincerity: and what ever o●… sins have been, let them not ove●…whelm us into despair, though the must humble us to Repentance.  
LET me here leave this R●● with you, which I pray you to ●●member and practise, when ●● Lips shall be closed and will be & more able to give you instruction Namely, That you do not suffer yo●… sins, how horrid so ever, to drive y●● from God, but to him. For when t●● Devil has brought you into t●● Snare of sin, his next Plea is, That ●…ou can never get out of it: That ●…ou can't have the face to go to ●…od, or to seek his mercy in this ●●ious condition into which Sin ●…as brought you: And if he can ●…evail with the Sinner to sit still in ●…s Sin and never look out for a ●…medy, he has his End. But be●…are, I beseech you, of this wile of ●…e Devil; And say with the Pro●…gal, I will arise, and ask pardon ●… my Father: he has laid help upon ●…e that is mighty to save, Isa. 63. 1. ●●d through him he will abundantly ●●rdon, Isa. 55. 7. The Lord Je●●s Christ is able to save to the uttermost those that come to God by ●●m, Heb. 7. 21. And will in no ●●se cast out such as come unto him, ●…. 6. 37.  
EUSEBIUS has recorded a meorable passage of St. John the Evangelist concerning a Young M●● of a great capacity and a promis●● Countenance; in order to wh●● Education this Holy Apostle h●● given a particular charge to ●● Bishop of the place where ●● young Man lived. But notwithstanding all the care that was tak●● he proved a very dissolute and w●… Man; and after the practice many sorts of wickedness, desp●…ring of the mercy of God, he ●… came the Captain of a band of Rubbers, wholly bend to Rapine, Mut●● and Cruelty. Of which when ●… John was informed, he road to ●● place where he used to rob, a●… being taken by some of them, desired to be carried to their Capta●● But no sooner did this great Robb●● behold the awful face of St. John, ●● he was stricken with shame, a●… fled way. Upon which, the go●… Apostle ran after him, crying, My ●●, my Son! why fliest thou from thy ●…ther, unarmed, and old? OH my ●●, tender my case; be not afraid; ●…re is yet hope of Salvation for thee. ●…ill undertake for thee, with Christ. ●…ill die for thee, if need be, as Christ ●…ed for us, I will hazard my Soul for ●…ine. Trust to me, Christ sent me. ●…he Robber hearing this, first stood ●●l, casting his Eyes on the Earth: ●●d than fallen into a trembling, and ●… last wept so bitterly that he ●●emed to baptise himself in his ●…n Tears. And here the humiliation of the Thief and the embraces of the Apostle, seemed to be ●…other Prodigal returning to his ●●ther, and received with Joy. ●●r he was hereby brought to Repentance and Newness of Life. ●…useb. lib. 3. ap. 20.  
LET us than be assured from the abundant Promises of G●… and the Examples of his mercy Sinners, (of which, his forbearance towards every one of us i●… near instance to convince us) t●… God will show mercy to the w●● of Sinners that have hearts repent, and forsake their S●● Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord, Isa. 1. 18. Th●● your Sins were as Scarlet, they ●● be as Wool; though they were as Cr●●son, they shall be as white as S●● The change of your Heart a●… Life by the Grace of God ●● make a blessed Alteration in y●● present State and future Expectations.  
TRULY, Sirs! there is day so beneficial, so happy, blessed to us, as that of our ●● feigned Conversion to God. ●● than the face of our Heavenly ●● ●●er is turned towards us, His ●●ms are encircled about us, and ●…s Bosom opened to us. Than we ●…ay look up towards Heaven with ●●mfort, and think of Eternity ●…th Delight: We may meet Death ●…th an unshaken peace; and lay ●● our Bodies (as we put of our ●● Clotheses) in hope of receiving ●…em in a better frame in the Resurrection.  
THUS have we considered the ●…odigal's Resolution of returning his Father; with his Humilia●● before him; and the Motives ●●ich excited him to both. Let now more particularly apply all ●…s to ourselves.  
1st. Use. AND here the first ●…e that we are concerned to ●●ke, will be to bring ourselves ●… an impartial Self-Examinaiion in the presence of God; whether we are in the Prodigal-Es●● of distance and disaffection to G●… or in a penitent and conver●… one? How stands the case ●● us? Are we of the invisible Ch●● of God, or of the Synagogu●… Satan? All we like Sheep have ●… astray, every one in his own ●… says the Prophet, Isa. 53. 6. ●… are we risen from the Folly's ●… Wander of our vain Con●●sation, or are we not?  
THIS is a point which dese●● our most speedy and most se●● Consideration: What! Know not your own selves, says the ●…postle, How that Jesus Christ i●… you, except ye be Reprobates? 2 ●● 13. 5. If this work of sin●… Conversion of the heart be not effected, what a mockery is our profession of Religion! ●… how unsavoury are all our P●●●●s and other vain Performances ●● the nostrils of God The whole ●…urport of the first Chapter of ●…saiah, is to chide and rebuke the ●●ifling and unsincere Meddlers with ●…eligion. To what purpose do ●●ey take God's Book into their and, or his Covenant into their ●…outh, who hate to be reform?  
SINCE it is therefore a matter ●…f such Consequence; Let us (with●…ut any manner of Misrepresentation) bring ourselves directly and ●…mpartially to this one Question; ●…amely,  
Quest. HAVE we affectionate●…y and unfeignedly made, And do ●…e (to our utmost Power through Grace) faithfully keep, the Vows ●…f the Christian Covenant? Have ●…e such an abiding sense of the ●…nfinite evil of Sin, and the im●…ense Excellency of God and his ways, that we have solemnly a●… resolutely devoted ourselves ●… God through his Son Jesus Christ, ●●cording to the terms of the C●…venant of Grace? And is ●●bent of our Heart, and the Course our life indeed agreeable to the holy purpose? Do you serve G●● or Mammon? Do you live a●● the Flesh or after the Spirit? ●● Faith or by Sense? Do you rese●…ble the Prince of Light, or ●● Prince of Darkness? And to whi●● of these are you subject? Who ●● your heart, and whom do y●● serve? What Interest do you ●● with in the choices and course your Life? either that of God Jesus Christ, or the interests of the World, and the will of the Fle●● and the Devil? Does your Desi●● and Resolution to please God, ●●verbear all contrary Desire's an●… inclinations? And is the Favour ●…f God, the chief happiness you purpose to yourself? And in Order to this, is the Holy Gospel your ●…hosen Rule of Life?  
SINCE many Questions are ●●t to puzzle weak Minds and ●…rupulous Consciences, I have ●●re chosen to refer you to one ve●…y plain one, which is the foundati●…n of the Christian Religion and ●●e Christian Hope. I pray you, ●●ove yourselves by it without ●…eceit, the delusion will be your ●…wn, if you deal otherwise.  
AND if you found your Case ●…ood, and your Heart and ways ●…uely Christian: be sure to offer ●… God (thro', the Blessed Media●…r) the Praises due to his Name ●…n this Account. OH happy You! ●… you can appeal to God in the ●…ords of the elder Son, Verse 29, Lo! These many years have I ser●● thee, neither transgressed I at ●… time thy Commandment? Not b●… known and wilful Transgressi●… or by no such Sin, not truly repent of. If so, the Father's answer to those words may be ap●●ed to you, Verse 31. Son, thou ●● ever with me, and all that I ●● is thine. We have a promise' full as this, Reu. 21. 7. He th●●●…vercometh shall inherit all thi●● and I will be his God, and he shal●… my Son. This is blessed bey●● expression; an Inheritance wh●… exceeds all Estimation.  
BUT if on the contrary, Y●… Self-Examination shows you y●… wander from God, and y●… distance from his gracious presence. I than beseech you w●… all the earnestness I am able speak, yea, I charge you in Name of God that you hasten your return to him; for why? O! why? will you die in your Sin, and perish for ever?  
DO you indeed consider your mortality and immortality? Have you ever thoroughly considered, how dreadful it is to die in a Prodigal State? at a wide distance from your Father's House? And under his heavy displeasure? Without hope of Heaven, or any further mercy from the sole Fountain of it? With Terrors without, and Agonies within? With an Almighty Enemy above, and immortal Enemies beneath? Crushed by a multitude of intolerable sufferings, without any manner of support, or hope of mitigation?  
SURELY the merry contented Sinner never yet thought so far as this: He is so dazzled by the present gaiety of Sin, and so hoodwinked by the Prince of darkness that he discerns not the dark cloud which gather about him, and th●… horrible Tempest which is falling upon him. But there is one Tex●… of Scripture, which one would think should awaken and undeceive every Sinner, that is not perfectly dead to all that is spiritu●● It is that tremendous Question p●● to sinful men by the Holy Gho●● Rom. 9 22. What if God, willing to show his wrath, and make his power known, endured with much long suffering the Vessels of wrath fitte●… for Destruction? OH dreadful! Th●… righteous God will give an Example of his Almighty Power in the Punishment of the damned. It shal●… be seen by Angels and Men, how miserable the Omnipotent God i●… able to make condemned men Who knows the Power of his Anger? says the Psalmist, Psal. 90. 11. It exceeds comprehension, yet must be endured by guilty persons to all Eternity. As the man is, such is his strength. Judg. 8. 21. A Giant can give a more smarting and a more deadly Blow than a Child. OH than, who can bear the weight of Almighty Power put forth to the utmost in direful Vengeance? and that for ever? OH dismal Sufferings! Which not Revolutions of Ages, or Million of Years can so much as lessen! For still those miserable Souls are not nearer to an end of their sufferings than at the beginning of them.  
TELL me, all ye that live unrighteously, unsoberly, and ungodly! Are ye willing to die thus? Can ye devil with everlasting burn? Can your Hand be strong, or can your Heart endure, in that D●● in which the God of Judgement sha●● deal with you after your deserve▪ I know, ye cannot. OH than! Take better Courses in time, that ye may come to a more blessed end.  
AND yet, jest I should not have sufficiently roused the Lethargic Sinner; and because ●… know, that such as see their natural Face in a Glass, and are terrified with it for the time, are apt to go away and forget what manner of me●… they are, and how near and terrible their dangers are; and because the invisible Enemies of goodness will be busy in their endeavours to steal away the Seed sown; I make this request to every Captive of Sin and Satan, that they would retire, and give the following Questions serious Consideration: by which I desire you to ex●…ostulate and reason the Case with our own Souls,  
1st. Quest. LOVEST thou the God of thy Mercies and Bliss so ●●ttle, as to part with his Favour ●…or such trifles as Sin affords? For ●… little Drink which thou needest ●…ot, and which can only please ●…hee whilst it is running down thy Throat? Or, for a few moments of filthiness, like Esau, who for one carnal Morsel sold his Birthright? Or, for a few Sums of Money, which thou must leave quickly, or they thee; and which bring disquiet to thy mind, and cannot profit thee in the day of wrath? Or, for a few ill words, which bring neither Profit nor Pleasure here, yet pull down infinite Torments in the eternal State? What a reproach is it to a reasonable Creature to act so madly and disingenuously?  
2 d. Quest. IS the Authority ●… the Great God so contemptib●● that his Command will not st●● thee? Do you despise the Gove●…nour of the World, who is able ●… destroy both the Soul and Body ete●…nally?  
3 d. Quest. CAN any thing be●… Secret to God? or will the hidde●… sins of men be long secret to th●… world? Does not God fill all plac●… with his Presence? Does not hi●… knowledge enter where the Ligh●… cannot? And has he not appointe●… a day, when every secret Sin sha●● be laid open?  
4. Quest. HAS not any Sou●… greater Peace in the mortificatio●… of inordinate Lusts and Passions, than in their rage and fury? Is there not greater Sweetness, Honour, and Hope, in the Liberty of those whom the Spirit of God frees from the Tyranny of Sin; ●…han in the Slavery, Toils, and ●…exations of such as are the Slaves ●…f beastly Appetites and Passions?  
5th. Quest. DOES not Christi●…n Selfdenial produce great inward Comfort? And does not the Conquest of a Temptation bring ●…s the Joy and Glory of a Noble Triumph? And does not spiritual Joy vastly exceed carnal Mirth?  
6th. Quest. HAS not sinful Indulgence sad twitches of Conscience, a painful regret of mind, and dismal foreboadings of an after-reckoning? Threatening them, as (they say) Caesar's Ghost did Brutus, to meat them hereafter to their Terror.  
7th. Quest. IS it a light matter to contradict the End ●…or which we were made, and to pervert our faculties, and abuse the mercies of God? Will a just God bear thi●… long?  
8th. Quest. IS it not Self-enmity to despise the Lord Jesus Christ the gracious Saviour of men? An●… to trample on his blood, grieve hi●… Spirit, and neglect that great Salvation which he has purchased so dear a rate?  
9th. Quest. WHAT if th●● shouldst be forsaken of God, and g●…ven up to the blindness, hardne●● and perverseness of thine own Co●…ruption? Would not your C●● than be as wretched even as th●● of Devils themselves?  
10th. Quest. HOW many Mercies of God are past! How many present! And what offers are mad●… of an Eternity of mercy to come▪ And shall all these loose their end▪ Will not these Rivers of oil mel●… and soften your hard heart?  
11th. Quest. HOW if you should be taken out of this world this day, by some violent distemper, or some ●…nseen Accident? How could you ●…ppear before God? Or tender an Account of all the passages of your Life? Or bear the doom of the ●…ast Sentence!  
12th. Quest. DID you ever look ●…ack on any Sin committed, and not with it undone? Does not Sor●…ow succeed the shameful Acts of wickedness, as soon as ever the Vio●…ence and Rashness of it is over? And why than, will you again ●…ake work for Sorrow and Re●…entance?  
13th. Quest. IS it not the greatest Honour that man can have, to con●…erse with God? The greatest sa●…isfaction, to have Peace with ●…im? And the greatest happiness, ●…o be his Favourite?  
14th. Quest. Is not our depart●● from God the Cause of our Sorrows, and the very Essence of o●● Misery? Would not Hell itself lo●● its Name if the gracious presen●… of God where there? And up●● the whole:  
15th. Quest. HAVE we any ●●terest or Concern upon Earth great and important; as to rep●● of our sins, and return to our G●● and to glorify his Name upon E●● and do the work he has given ●● do?  
CONSIDER these things ●●ly and show yourselves men. ●● as Reason and Self-preservation (influenced by Faith) will d●● you in this Case. Grudge not pray you) to spend a little time secure a glorious Eternity.  
AND let me here subjoin ●● Saviour's words, (though spoken ●…n other Account) what thou dost, do quickly. The shortness and uncertainty of our mortal Life will not bear the Linger and Loitering of a tedious Suspense. Many a Soul has been snatched away into its eternal Condition, whilst it has been entertaining itself with uncertain Thoughts of preparing for it.  
INDEED nothing frustrates the Design of Religion more, than the putting of the Holy Purposes of it from day to day: Because this administers something of Rest to a deluded Soul, and at the same time prepares a Net for its Destruction. And Alas! How many thousands have perished in this fatal Snare! 'tis very probable, that of the many Million now in Hell, there are but few but had in their Life time, some thoughts of repenting hereafter. But when God says, Now is the accepted time▪ Now is the day of Salvation, 2 Cor 6. 2. It is a very absurd and hateful Presumption for a poor dependant Mortal to say, Not Now, b●● hereafter. By men's delays, the●… harden their hearts; they ma●● the Bonds of customary sins stronger; they provoke God to give●… them up to their Lusts and Delusions; and though they will every day need more Grace than othe●… in order to their Repentance, ye●… they are lesle and lesle likely to obtain it. So that in effect, by persuading people to delay their Repentance, the Devil secures hi●… Game better than he could by bringing them at once to resolve against Salvation; Because this is so horrible a thing that no Conscience can be supposed to bear it long: Whereas the other way of ●…rocrastination very often prevails ●…n men to their latter end.  
BESIDES; Consider, my Bro●…her! If it could be as you vainly ●…roject; that you could spend the ●…ost of your time in Sin, and yet ●…e saved at last. Would you not ●…e ashamed to appear before the ●…nfinite Majesty of your Creator, when you reflect on what you ●…ave done; and see how much you ●…ave done for the Devil, and how ●…ittle for God?  
WHAT! Shall your old Age ●…nly be at God's Service? Will you offer dry Bones upon his Altar? An honest Heathen would Blush at ●…his. Does it not shame thee (says Seneca) to squander away the active ●…nd useful part of thy time in vice, ●…nd only to reserve those last hours ●…f thy life for Sobriety and Virtue, which thou knowest not how to emplo●… otherwise? And again. Ah! Ho●… late is it to begin to live, when on●… life is ending. Sen. de Breu. Vit●● And we have it from a better Pe●●● that the Blind and Feeble Cattl●… (the Emblems of old Age) Offere●… in Sacrifice to God would not be ●●cepted, Mal. 1. 8. That is, whe●… they had a Male in their Flock, (●● more strong and more perfect Service in their Possession) as all suc●… as are young now have, over wh●● will be in their capacity when the●… are old.  
SO than for as much as th●… Youngman in this Parable has bee●… the Subject of my Discourse all ●… long, I now turn my concludin●… Exhortation to Young People in ●… particular manner.  
YOU that are now in the Flower of your Age, and the mornin●… ●…f your time; Consider, I pray your ●…e Misery which attended the he misled Youth in the Text: ●…nd be careful that you do not ●…isspend the golden days of your ●…ife. O! What a vile shame is it, ●…r any Young men and Women ●● Sacrifice their First-fruits to the ●…evil! To pollute some of their ●…irst-breath by profane Lan●…uage! And to dedicated the prime ●…f their Strength and Time to Lust, ●…nd Wine, and Profaneness! I ●…eseech you, do not thus foolishly ●…nd perversely. This will only ●…e the sowing of Thistles and Bram●…es in the spring, which will not ●…omfort but torment you and tear our Breasts in your reduced years. ●…or, if you should be so unwary ●…nd unhappy, as to begin your ●…ears in polluting Follies; it will ●●me to this, namely, that you must either walk back, and und●● what you have done amiss wi●● Shame and Sorrow, (if God giv●… you such grace) o●… go on he●… lesly to eternal Horror and D●…struction.  
LET me therefore advice you●… set out aright, that you may f●● your Course with Joy. Do not ●… much as desire to taste the poi●…nous baits of youthful lusts. ' 〈◊〉 madness to eat that which will ●… your death if you do not vomi●… up again.  
IF therefore the Sottish W●● bibber, or the nasty Creature w●… is above others called Vncleane●… the person who by Cozenage a●… Robbery gets unjust Gains, say ●● thee; Come with us, Partake of ●… Mirth and Jollity. As thou fea●● God, consent thou not. Be not a partaker of their Dainties, jest thou ●● ●●r for them when the reckoning ●…rought in. If you laugh with them ●●, you will howl with them here●…er.  
AND beware, Young People, ●…t you think not within your ●…ur selsve, that you have so much ●…e before you, that you may Sin ●●w and repent hereafter. Jest ●…ath come suddenly, and finding ●●u in Sin, you be doomed eternal, ●… to that place of to●…ment, where ●… repentance will be in vain. 'Tis ●●●initely best not to taste of Sin at ●●; for one Sin does but open a ●…p for a greater, till the con●●●ence be laid waste, and than 'tis ●… Thousand to one but the Soul is ●● for ever. Let me therefore in●●at you, to accustom yourselves ●… sober Thoughts and divine Medi●●●ions in your Youth. Begin this ●●ble Exercise betimes, by which methinks, a good and wise ●… seems to excel the sottish and thinking part of Mankind, ●● than these exceed the more sagous' part of Bruits.  
AND that I may give y●● proper Subject for your early ●●ditations; I think, you'll scarce ●… a Consideration which more ●● to your advantage, than to t●● deeply and frequently, of the Benefits of an Ear●●ly Conversion: S●● of which I will briefly him You.  
I YOUTH is the proper ●● appointed by God for it. This see●… to be taught in Type under Mosaic Law, by which they ●● required to offer up Lambs, 〈◊〉 Calves, young Pigeons, and the ●● Fruits of all. And is expressly ●●quired, Eccl. 12. 1. Reme●● Now thy Creator in the days of Yo●…th. 'Tis indeed the proper time ●… it, because we are made wholly ●… God, and aught to enter upon ●… work in God's Vineyard so ●…n as ever we are able to do any ●…ng there. If otherwise, how can ●… present ourselves amongst the ●…bourers in the evening to receive ●…ges? Or how can it indeed be, ●… the Nature of things? Can he ●…pect a plentiful Harvest who ●…glects the proper Seeds-time? Or, ●…n he come timely to the end of a ●…ng journey, who loiters long in ●…e morning? Solomon lamenteth, ●…t Man knoweth not his time, Eccl. ●… 12. And if you trifle away the ●…den Season of Youth, you will ●…e reason to take up the same ●●mentation at the last.  
II CONSIDER, if in your ●…outh you set yourself to the work Religion, it will the more surely be accomplished. Now, time is ●●fore you: Your Heart is com●…ratively tender; Your actual ●● are fewer; Your faculties m●… 〈◊〉; Your mind lesle prejudic●… Your God more near you; and ●… promise' of your finding fa●● with him very positive, 〈◊〉 8. 17. Such as seek me early ●● found me.  
III THE more early your ●●version is, the greater will y●● growth in Grace be. To what ab●…sed eminency in Grace will t●● advance, who have been inpro●● their Talents ever since they ●● capable of acting with Rea●● They will be able to run with ●… Horsemen, and be some of the ●● most in the Christian Race.  
IV. HEREBY your inward ●● will be the more firmly establis●… You will eat those doubts ab●●● ●…he Love of God, and the safety of ●…our case, through which many go ●…rooping and with a sad heart.  
V YOU will be the greater Or●…ament to Religion: It will be seen ●…n you, that the Grace of God is ●…ble to subdue the violence of ●…outhfull Lusts: To do which Philosophy has confessed its weak●…ess; and therefore Aristotle affirms that Young Men are not proper hearers of the Rules of Philosophy. But the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ made young John a steady Disciple, and young Timothy a grave Bishop. ●…t is recorded to the Honour of Mnason to this day, that he was an old Disciple, Act. 21. 16. And St. Paul speaking of Andronicus and Junia his Kinsman; gives them an honourable Preference (even the Right hand of Fellowship) as those that were in Christ before, Rom. 16. 7. God will surely honour th●… who thus honour Him, by an ea●● preferring of his Service before ●… the glittering Temptations p●●posed to their Senses by the Wor●● Flesh, and Devil.  
VI YOU will hereby beco●● a greater Help to others; a m●● eminent Example to them, a m●● sufficient Councillor and Comfor●… of them; and a more powerful intercessor for them  
VII. YOU will have grea●… Hope and Comfort in your Dea●● Which indeed you will found wo●● all thee pains you have undergo●● All the weary steps which you ha●● taken in your Christian race w●● be forgotten, when once you co●● to finish it with Joy.  
THERE may be some extraordinary Instances which seem ●● contradict this: But in the ord●…nary procedure of things, a strong Faith will have strong Consolation.  
VIII. THIS is the way to greater ●…lory in Heaven. You'll shine like ●…ars of the first Magnitude. The ●…oung Diciple St. John was the Disciple whom Jesus loved, and lay in his Bosom, Jo. 21. 20.  
OH admirable! To what Peace, ●…nd Glory, and Honour, and Bliss, ●…o the commands of God lead us. ●…t may well be said, Blessed are ●…hey who do his Commandments, Reu. 22. 14. They have even ●…ow some fore-tastes of the Fruit of ●…he Tree of Life. They are now be●…oved of God; Members of the Lord Jesus Christ comforted by the holy Spirit; guarded by Holy Angels; ●… part of God's Family, yea his dear Children, and the Heirs of his Kingdom. Such is the Happiness, (shall ●… say?) or rather the Glory of the faithful servants of God. Aspi●… unto this advancement, all ye th●● have any sense of Honour! Wh●… can too soon make sure of th●… which cannot be duly value when enjoyed; nor ever recovere●… when lost?  
OH that every obstinate Sinne●… (who is the real Prodigal in th●… Text) would effectually consider this. Count up the cost of yo●… Sins, OH ye unthinking Souls! ●● there be any possibility in Arithm●…tick to sum up the lest part of ●● Consider what you loose by yo●… distance from God; and your bein●… destitute of the Hope which is set b●…fore you. Will your few momen●… of sensual pleasure, and your fe●…●●pence of unlawful Gains, (whic●… is all you can pretend to get by S●● make amendss for the infinite Loss ●● of Heaven, and the eternal sufferance of Hell? If not: why tarriest thou in such a state of Loss and Danger? Why do you not instantly arise, and humble yourself before God; and inquire with all the concern you are able, what you must do to be saved?  
OH my Brother! Every hour that you defer effectual amendment, you run such a Risque as is enough to amaze you, when ever you seriously state your own case. For, there is but the rotten Plank of this frail Life, betwixt you and everlasting To●…ment.  
WHEREFORE be advised, Young Men and Women, to go forth early to your Labours in God's Vineyard, and than your work will advance with your time, and your improvements will be so conspicuous, that you will be like Pillars in the Church of God. Your steady course in the ways of G●● will glorify your Creator; Redeeme●… and Sanctifier; and will adorn yo●… Profession; and honour yo●… Name; and comfort your heart●… and eternize your Happiness.  
AND whilst vicious and pro●●gate Youths afflict their Friend●… defile their Consciences, beelo●● their understandings, wound the●… Souls, bring temporal Judgmen●… upon their Country, and eternal Plagues upon themselves: Yo●… will rest quiet from the fear of E●● in both worlds; being sensibly interested in the favour of God, an●… in his promises relating to the Li●● that now is, and that which is to come  
O! how can any of us than refuse to live with such Honour a●… our holy Religion directs, in orde●… to die in such Peace and Bliss as i●… doth promise?  
TO conclude therefore, Let us ●…ll seriously set ourselves to turn ●…nto the Lord by a penitent and re●…enerating Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us arise and go to our Father, whilst He yet looks whether we will return to our duty or not; and is desirous of an opportunity to show us mercy. And if we thus turn to him, and walk in ●…his ways; we shall certainly found the kind Embraces of our Heavenly Father now; and be commended of him before two Worlds of Men, and Million of Angels in the last day; and from thenceforth partake of the Bliss and Glory of his Kingdom for Ever.  
WHICH I pray God vouchsafe to us all, for the sake of his ever-blessed Son, our only Mediator and Redeemer.  
AMEN.   

A Particular Account OF THE RISE & PROGRESS OF THOSE Religious Societies of young men Which have of late been Erected in the CITIES of London & Westminster▪ With a Specimen of their ORDERS.  
Giving also A Faithful Relation of the Successful Endeavours of Reformation, which have of late been made by these and other Societies meeting together Weekly for that End.  
WITH Brief Answers to some Objections which have been made against them.  
Printed in the Year 1696.   

To the Citizens of London and We●●●●nster, among whom these Religious Societies are of late Erected: and to whom this Account of them is hereby particula●…ly addressed, and the Encouragement of them earnestly recommended.  
SIRS,  
I Conceive it very proper for me, and of the greatest Concernment to you, to lay particularly before your Eyes those hopeful Means of Reformation, which GOD hath lately pleased, in Infinite Mercy, to raise up amongst you.  
I know, I need not tell you, That you are Denizens of a City, which for its commodious Situation, Trade, Rich●…s, and Plenty of all necessary Accommodations, is inferior to few and for its Evangelical Enjoyments Liberty, and Laws, is happy above all the Cities in the World.  
But I must in Conscience mind yo●… That all these great Enjoyments a●● in manifest Danger of being lost b●… those horrid Enormities, which have for some Years passed abounded in thi●… great City: for indeed, they are gross, scandalous, and crying; eve●… to the Reproach of the Government ●● your City, and to the great Dishon●●● of the Christian Religion. And therefore, I beseech you, even by your Hope of Mercy in both Worlds, that ye●… would effectually set yourselves to p●● up those Pestiferous Roots, which wi●● produce nothing but Gall and Bitterness to Tou and Yours, in this Life, and that to come.  
And I entreat you, with all possible Earnestness, that you would not trifle nor deliberate long, in a Case of such absolute necessity; but set to it with as much Earnestness and Assiduity, as you would to quench the Flames which you saw kindled upon your Houses (of which you above ●…thers have had awakening Instances) or, as you would remove People infected with the Plague from among you: A dismal Case too, which you have reason to remember. And I am sure, the lest measure of Christian Faith will assure you, that these are but some of the smallest Instances of the Vengeance of an Angry God.  
It nearly concerns us of this Nation to take notice, That God does, at this day, try us both in a way of Mercy and Judgement at once. We have no small part of the Evil of War upon us; and yet the most dismal Effects of it are at a happy distance from us. We are, at the same time, destitute of Treasure, and yet in a Wealth Condition. And we have had very considerable Advantages and Disadvantages in our Encounters with the Common Enemy; so that Almight●… God seems at this day to have dra●… forth the Sword of his Justice against us with one Hand, ready to give the last strokes of his deserved Indignation: whilst, at the same time, his other Hand is all the day long mercifully stretched out to a disobedient and gain saying People. And indeed, both the Providences of GOD and the Sins of Men, seem to be advanced to a full Crisis, either for ou●… Reformation or Destruction. An●… London is many ways loudly war●●● to reform, that it be not ruin'd.  
HOW can you than, in Reason, i●… Policy, and in Self-love, (as well ●● in Conscience, and in the Faith an●… Fear of God) delay to take away th●… Causes of God's Wrath? How long shall those worse than Midianitish Women be a Plague and Reproach to your City? How long shall they be tolerated to spread their Nets in the very Streets, yea, before the Sun; and to bring their Rottenness into the very Bones of so many People and Families? How long shall the Disorders of Public Houses go unpunished, whereby many a young Man (that might have done good Service to his Country many ways) is utterly emasculated, and becomes feeble as Old-Age, and trembles like a poor enervate Paralytic?  
IS it not absolutely necessary to our Prosperity (as well as Salvation) that the Holy Name and Day of the Lord be sanctified, which have been so dreadfully polluted and profaned among us? And that every Family which would be thought desirous of God's Blessing, should daily seek it by solomn Prayer? And that they seriously set up Religious Houshold-Government within their Walls, as they would not be of the number of those who disown all Relation to God, and Dependence on Him?  
Will you be discouraged from this because some distracted People will call it Fanaticism, and give it sundry ill Names, which the Enemy of all Goodness puts into their Mouths? Will you be mocked out of Religion, and the Worship of God, and the Promises of His Favour and Kingdom, by such Unreasonable Revile? Or rather will not every one that knows the Duty and Reward of a Christian, rejoice and glory in trampling down such puny Enemies of their Salvation?  
YEA; Let no Man's Heart fail him, though he sees some Sons of Anak appearing as Champions, in the Cause of these Uncircumcised Enemies of God. You may, in the following Pages, behold Young Striplings going forth ●…ith a generous Courage against these blaspheming Goliahs, who defy God and his People: And, praised be God, we have some Honourable Magistrates, who go forth as Leaders in this Divine Cause; and we hope they will at last smite overgrown Vice in its impudent Forehead, and cut of the Head of it by the Sword of Justice; since they go forth against it in the Name of the Lord  
AND, O! what a brave and blessed sight is it, in these degenerate and debauched Times, to behold young Men (not led by ill Women to the correction of the Stocks) but leading them to a just Correction! And to observe them taking greater Pleasure in singing of Psalms, than others can possibly take in their profane and obscene Songs; and, in short, better pleased in the punishment of Wickedness, than the poor abandoned Wretc●… is in the commission of it!  
AND in this happy and blesse●… Work you have in your City some of almost all Ranks and Qualities of Me●… effectually, though secretly, engaged through the late Mercy of God to us, viz Members of the Honourable House of Commons, Justices of the Peace and Gentlemen, together with Citizens of all Ranks, Officers of diver●… Qualities, and private People of a●… sorts: So that you may have Society to join yourself to, suitable to your respective Quality and Condition, he ●● what it will: And therefore ever●… Inhabitant of this great City has ●● this day a most valuable Opportunity of doing great Service to God and his Country, of what quality or capacity soever he be.  
AND shall I now need to ask you ●…hat you resolve to do in this matter? ●●, which side you will take in this ●…trife, betwixt the Kingdom of God, ●…nd that of the Devil? Dare you be ●…f the number of those who revile, ●…iscourage, and oppose these People ●● the prosecution of scandalous Sins, ●…hich are our worst Enemies, and so●…est Plagues? Yea, can you be cool ●…nd unconcerned in this important Affair?  
I must tell you, That there can be ●…o Neuters in this War betwixt the Prince of Light and that of Darkness. ●…t is the known Rule of our Lord and ●…aster, That he that is not for him, ●…s against him: and, That he that ●…athereth not with him, scattereth ●…broad. So that your neglecting to ●…ppose the growth of Sin, according ●…o your Place, is a manifest cherishing of it, in God's Account, and consequently an Enmity to Him. And i●… you are against GOD, He will b●… against you: and if so, nothing i●… the World can befriend you.  
THERE is a natural tendency in Vice to ruin any Person, Family, City, or Nation, that harbours it. It engenders Sloth, Variance, Profuseness, Pride, Falshood, Violence, and a Neglect and Betraying of the Public Good. It du●● the Understanding, takes away the Sense of Honour, Dispirits Manhood; cuts the Nerves of Diligence and destroys the true Principles of Commerce and just Dealing. And by these means it directly tends to undermine and overthrew the Prosperity of any City, or Public Body.  
BUT Ruin will pursue Vice the ●●e swiftly and surely, because it is ●●●'d on by the just Vengeance of ●…ighty GOD, the righteous Go●●●nour of the World; of whose ●●eful Judgements upon other Ci●●●s abroad, you have been sufficiently informed of late, if you have ●●gotten the former Strokes of it ●● yourselves. You bear from ●…irna, Jamaica, Malta, Sicily, ●● other places, that many great ●● famous Cities have been shattered, and swallowed up by dread●●● Earthquakes: whereas the same ●…OD (though mightily provoked ●● us) was pleased only to shake ●●d jog us in a very gentle man●●r by the same Expression of His ●…ispleasure.  
OH Sirs! take the gentle War●…ing, and improve the Merciful reprieve; jest His Vengeance swall●● us up also, when He next arise●… to shake terribly the Earth. T●● is, in Duty, laid before you, by  
Your Affectionate Monitor, J. W.   

A Particular Account OF THE ●…ISE & PROGRESS Of those Religious Societies, etc.  
I Do not here undertake to give an Account of all the Pious Fellowship of Youth, which hath been amongst us in time ●●st, (which, we may hope, has ●…een the Practice of serious Young ●…en in all Ages, and among all the ●…o various Denominations of Christians;) but to give a short Nar●…tive of the Original of those ●●gulated Societies, which are no●… (through the Grace of God) conspicuous among us for many go●… Works; and which (if duly e●…courag'd) may very much contribute towards the Support, Hono●● and Advancement of these Th●● Kingdoms, in Church and Sta●● and yet are but too little know●… to very many among us.  
NOW, as far as I am able ●… trace their first Rise, it was th●… introduced by the Gracious Pro●●dence of God.  
IT is now about Twenty yea●● ago, that several young M●…n ●… the Church of England, in the Citi●● of London and Westminster, we about the same time touched wi●● a very affecting sense of their Si●● and began to apply themselves, a very serious manner, to Religious ●…houghts and Purposes.  
As to their manner of Life be●…ore this, I am informed, That though ●…ome of them had been guilty of great Lewdness, and yet become very affectionate Servants of God afterwards, (even to an eminency, ●…n the Judgement of some, who with Wonder considered their happy Change) yet the greater part of ●…hem were such as had enjoyed a ●…ober Education, and had not sha●…ed in the scandalous and heigh●…en'd Enormities of these later days, otherwise than by their having ●…een too insensible of the Disho●…our done to God by them. But ●…hey now began to look on their ●…wn and others Sins, in another ●…anner.  
I was, about that time, made pri●…y to the Spiritual Sorrows of one of them: who with floods of Tea●● lamented, that he had not till the●● had any affecting Apprehensions ●● the Glorious Majesty and Perfectio●… of God, nor of His Infinite Love●… Men in his Son Jesus Christ: A●● that he had not before felt any ●● Convictions of the Immense Ev●● of every Offence against God, the●… it be but (said he) in the wilful Neglect or Misperformance of an●… Duty to Him. But now he ●●● and groaned under all this, in ve●● sharp and pungent Convictio●…▪ And withal perceiving the unive●…sal Corruption of Human Natur●● and the deplorable Crookedness and Deceit of Man's Heart; a●● with what a world of Temptatio●… we are encompassed, being with besieged by many invisible Legio●… of Infernal Spirits. When he co●…sider'd all this, his Soul was eve●… ●…oured out within him, and he was ●…n danger of being overwhelmed with excessive Sortow.  
THE Case was very much the ●●me with several young Men at ●…he same time, (as he than told me) ●…ome of which had been greatly ●…empted by the Devil (that Mur●…herer from the beginning) to lay ●…iolent Hands on themselves; which was also (he confessed) his ●…wn Temptation; and that so ur●…ent and incessant, that Sleep de●…arted from his Eyes, as well as Rest ●…rom his Soul.  
IN this mournful Season, these disconsolate convicted People of●…en resorted to their Ministers for Spiritual Advice and Succour; be●…aking themselves in good earnest ●…o the ways of real Piety, and eter●…al Peace. And it many times fell ●…ut, (as the same person informed me) that several of them met together, at the House of their Spiritual Physician, seeking Cure for their wounded Spirits; and so contracted a little Acquaintance by those Providential Interviews.  
FOR, alas! (as he suggested) there needed little other Language but that of their Looks to discover their inward Sorrows to each other (especially when they came prepared to open them to their Minister) and they needed no other arguments to incline them to p●●● each other's Case, but to consider their own; there being a Propens●…ty in Nature to secure those wh●… groan under the like Misery's wi●● ourselves. So that by these an●… the like means they soon contracte●… a very intimate acquaintance.  
THE Benefit of Dr. Horneck'●… Awakening Sermons, and the M●●ning Lectures on the Lord's Day in Cornhill, preached by Mr. Smithies, (chief designed for the instruction of Youth) having occasioned much of this happy Work upon the Spirits of these Young men; they did more particularly apply themselves to these Divines for Direction, who had been Instruments in the Hand of God for their conviction.  
AND upon their frequent Ap●…lication to these and other Minister's, it was advised, That since ●…heir Trouble's arose from the same Spiritual Cause, and that their Inclinations and Resolutions centered ●…n the same Purpose of a holy Life; they should meet together once ●… week, and apply themselves to good Discourse, and things wherein they might edify one another. And for the better regulation of their Meetings, several Rules and Orders were prescribed them, being such as seemed most proper to effect the●… End proposed.  
UPON this, they met together, and kept to their Rules; an●… at every meeting (as it was a●…vis'd) they considered the Wan●… of the Poor; which in time amounted to such considerable Sums, that thereby many poor Families have been relieved, so●● poor People set into a way. Trade suitable to their Capacitie●… sundry Prisoners set at Libert●… some poor Scholars furthered i●… their Subsistence at the University, several Orphans maintained, with many other good Works.  
BUT they were not presently brought to those pious Exercises, Orders, and Things of public Benefit; to which they are now, by the Grace of God, advanced. As no Creature is born in its full Perfection, so the improvement of these Societies grew up by degrees, by conferring one with another, ●…nd by their enlarged Desire's of doing Good, as Occasions and Advice were offered them. So that I cannot but recommend Christian Society with the greatest earnestness, to all sorts of Men. It must needs be as useful to Magistrates ●●nd Ministers, in carrying on their ●●duous work of regulating and reforming Man's Manners, as daily Experience shows it to be to Artists and Tradesmen, who join together in Companies and Societies, and found their Arts and Interests advanced by a multitude of Heads and Hands. So that we may very properly pronounce Solomon's Woe to him that is alone.  
THESE Youngmen soon found the Benefit of their Conferences one with another, by which (as some of them have told me with Joy) they better discovered their own Corruptions, the Devil's Temptations, and how to countermine his Subtle Devices; as to which each person communicated his Experiences to the rest.  
IT seemed proper, for the better management of their Comm●● Stock for Charitable Uses, to choose two Stewards, as the Managers of their Charity. And the two first Stewards that I found (after diligent search) were in the Year 1678. whose Names I have by me, with a recorded Succession of them to the beginning of the Reign of King James II at which time the face of the Reform Religion being clouded, and all private Meetings suspected, some of these young persons, not having digged deep enough to have a firm Root in Religion, began to shrink and give back, (like the Seed in our Saviour's Parable, which had no deepness of ●…arth) being afraid of the Jealousy of the State against them, especially when they saw the bloody and merciless Executions in City and Country, with which that Reign began, which died it of such a crimson colour, as rendered it frightful to many, particularly to these young Proselytes, insomuch that some of them forsook their wont Assemblies, and getting lose from their strict Rules and good Society, they grew cool in Religious Concerns, and alas! some of them grew lose and extravagant.  
Times of Danger are indeed Times of Trial, and many times of Falling; as it proved to the first Followers of our Blessed Saviour, who kept close to their Master whilst he was at liberty, but when they saw him apprehended, and in the hands of powerful Enemies, they all forsook him, and fled.  
But, through the Grace of God, there was not such a total tergiversation among these Disciples of our Lord; but, on the contrary, some of them being encouraged by others, who till than had not been of this Society, being also grieved at Heart to see some of their Brethrens turn their Backs in the day of Battle; and being animated with holy Zeal against the growing Interests of Popery, (which than appeared not only open, but in Armour; being promoted by the utmost Power and most earnest Zeal of the Prince than reigning): Being (I say) greatly moved on all these accounts, they took up a more vigorous Resolution than ever, to do what in them lay towards the maintaining and increasing the Purity and Power of Religion in themselves and others. And seeing that the Popish Mass was than publicly celebrated not only at the Royal Chapel, but in other public places, they set up (at their own expense) public Prayers every Evening at Eight of the Clock, at St. Clement Danes, which never wanted a full and affectionate Congregation. And not long after they set up an Evening Monthly Lecture in the same Church, to confirm Communicants in the holy Purposes and Vows which they made at the Lord's Table: And by this public Lecture (which was greatly frequented) many were confirmed both in the Profession and Practice of the true Principles of Primitive Religion; for they were preached by the most eminent Divines about the City from whose Lips and Pens Popery, received such Wounds, as all her Art will never be able to cure.  
IT was the Design of these young Men, from the first framing of their Societies, to conceal thei●… Names from public Knowledge, jest it should seem to be a Device to catch the Applauses of Men; which is but a very poor matter, an aerial Blast, of little importance if you obtain it, and of which you can have no hold; and they looked upon it with a just Disdain, in comparison with those exceeding great and precious Promises which the Unchangeable God hath set before men. But they had now a particular Reason for concealing their Names from all but their Ministers and a few Friends; for the Eyes of Papists than in Power were intent upon them, who (together with those their Undersetters, whom Gain and the Promises of Court-favour had brought over to their Party) pried narrowly into all they did: So that they law, that they had great Reason as well as the Primitive Christians, to make use of the Wisdom of the Serpent, whilst they as carefully retained the Innocence of the Dove; especially being in the near Neighbourhood of the Court, which was than filled with foreign and domestic Zealots for Popery, or with crouching false Friends to Protestancy.  
IN this Juncture, upon Advice, they changed the Name of Society for that of Club; and instead o●… meeting at a Friend's House, who might be endangered by it, they adjourned to some public House or other, where they could have a Room to themselves, and under the Pretext of spending a Shilling or two, they conferred seriously together in the same religious manne●… as formerly; by which honest A●…tifice they carried on their go●… Design without interruption, eve●… to the end of that unhappy Reign.  
THIS their Constancy, Piety, and good Service to the Public, made them much esteemed at the beginning of the Reign of K. William and Q. Marry, those celebrated Instruments of God's Providence, for the restoring our Religion and Liberty, when the public Enjoyments of both were just expiring. ●…o that now their Religious Exer●…ises and Purposes grew more public and famous; which gave occasion to some mistaken or ill●…ffected People to accuse these So●…ieties to the Bishop, as things leading to Schism, Spiritual Pride, and many other ill Consequences. This made their Names more public t●●n ever they thought or desired to have them; for now they were obliged to appear and justify their undertaking; which they did in a very humble and solid Apology, which they presented to the Bishop. And their Vindication appeared so Reasonable and Satisfactory; their Assemblies so Regular and Subordinate to the Public Worship, and their Designs so truly Christian and in offensive, (all which was attested by several eminent Divines on their behalf) that his Lordship declared himself satisfied with it.  
FOR indeed, any one that peruses the Vindication of their Societies, which they drew up, upon this and another like occasion, (the Copies of which several of them keep by them) will found, that they have given such meek and full Answers to every Objection, that they have rendered it very difficult for any Lover of Piety, or any one that knows and desires the Interests of the Reformation, to make any reasonable Objection against their Orders or Design.  
As to that which is feared by some sober and good People, namely, that it may degenerate in time to a Sect, and introduce Division; be it considered, that as this would indeed be a very detestable thing, so they have most industriously fenced themselves against it, by their Monthly Communion; their use of many of the public Prayers constantly in their Assemblies; their setting up public Prayers in many Churches in the City, and frequenting them in great bodies, where they appear the most devout ●●rt of the Congregation; and their utter disclaiming of all Schism and Faction; and finally, their humble deference to their Ministers, (without whose Approbation no Rule, Prayer, nor Practice is allowed among them). I say, all these Considerations together give any sober Person all the Satisfaction that he can reasonably demand, that there is no manner of Ground for such a Jealousy: For indeed, they found such improvement in all Christian Duty, and such Satisfaction in their Consciences, in observing the Constitutions of the Church of England, that it is remarked by some that have made a full Enquiry into the matter, that they could never yet found more than one Instance of any person of these Societies that hath fallen from the public Communion to any Sect or Separation.  
AND as to that other dark and dismal Case of some of them, who after an appearance of Zeal for this pious Undertaking, and a temporary Partnership in it, have fa●● of to Vanity and Vice: It is like the cutting of a Member to th●… rest of the Body; they consider it with piercing Grief, Affliction and Indignation, though it be no new thing in every Profession of Religion to have some false Brethrens The first Planters of Christianity had reason to sigh over the Apostasy of a Judas, a Nicholas, a De●●as, whom the Love of this present ●…orld had ensnared. And I men●●on this, that every one that ma●…eth profession of Religion, and ●●inketh that he standeth, may take ●●ed jest he fall. And that they ●…ay dig deep, and lay a firm Foun●…ation in Faith, Lowliness of Mind, ●●d sound Knowledge of the great ●…hings of our Salvation; and that ●●ey be very strict in Christian ●…atchfulness, and in Mortification the Desires of Sin, and the in●●rd Workings of Corruption, ●● to their Life's end.  
TO fall from a high Profession of religion, will prove a very crushing and dreadful Fall. And there●●●e let every Christian look well the Sincerity of his own Heart, at his Spiritual Knowledge and ●●ly Vows may not increase the number of his Stripes at last, fo●… want of walking suitably thereto and of persevering therein.  
MANY of these Unhappy Revolters from their former strictnes●… of Life, are now not able to bea●… the Reproofs of their perseverin●… Brethrens; they eat their Company, they know not how to converse with them, and are asham'●… to look them in the Face. An●… sometimes they pray them to disturb them no more by their Admonitions, since they apprehended all the Danger they threaten the●● with to be very true, and fore●●● their desperate End sometimes wi●● a Terror not to be expressed. An●… their Design seems to be, to div●●● those Melancholy Thoughts as lo●● as they can, with all the Sensu●● Merriment they can invent. S●… true is that Observation, That R●…ligion can torment those whom it can●…ot reclaim.  
O! how much greater Comfort ●● there in the Conscientious Practise ●●an in the Profane Contempt of ●…eligion, even in the course of this ●…ortal Life! But who can express ●…e infinite difference betwixt them ●● the Hour of Death, the Day of ●…udgment, the state of the Resurrection, and the unchangeable Eter●●●y to come?  
TO eat this fatal Danger of apostatising from God, and revering their Vows made to Him; it ●●e Practice of all these Society to partake of the Holy Supper ●…ur Lord as frequently as they ●…ay, thereby to devote themselves ●●esh to their good Master, and to confirm their Purposes of perpetual ●●rvice to Him, and as a Means of ●●ceiving Spiritual Strength from ●●m so to do.  
AND in order to their more advised Preparation for so solemn ●… Work, there is in some one Churc●… or more of this City a Sermo●… preached every Lord's Day in th●… Evening (by the procurement o●… some of these Societies) on the important Subject of due Preparatio●… for the Lord's Table, and a meet deportment after it; by which grea●… Good has been done, and a de●● sense of Religion wrought in man●… persons.  
AND by this their Care to acquit their Consciences, as to this last Command of our dying Lord many of them have (by the Grac●… of God) attained to that excellent primitive Temper of frequent communicating without growing formal; not lessening due Reverenc●… by the frequency, nor extinguishing the proper Exercises of Love to ●…od, Thankfulness and Spiritual ●…y at this Divine Sacrifice of ●…raise, (as some unhappily do) by ●…xcessive and unseasonable Terror ●…nd Dread.  
THERE is such Love amongst ●●ose of them that have fallen un●●● my Observation, that scarce ●● natural Brothers are so vigorously affectionate. I have often ●●●eld their meeting and parting ●●braces with admiration; and ●●ose who are newly admitted are ●…on contracted into the same Fellowship of Christian Brotherhood.  
IT is required of such as desire rejoin themselves to them, That ●●ey give the Society a solemn Accounted of their Sense of Spiritual ●…hings, with the real Motives ●…hich lead them to this Underta●…ing, and what they seriously purpose as to their Future Life. Th●● is many times done in Writing ●… and I have perused some of thei●… Papers, and have found them pen'●… in such an honest, affectionate an●… undisguised stile, with such pio●● and sensible Expressions, and in s●… modest and humble a manner, th●● they would mightily affect a●● pious person to read them, ●● move him to break forth in pathetic Praises to God, who h●● given such Grace to young M●● in so degenerate an Age.  
AS for the Reproaches which ●● People cast on these Societies, it ●… what good Things and Perso●… have ever met with from the ●●ginning, and must be expected ●● the end of the World. The Sco●● and Grudges of such People again●… any thing, demonstrate that the●… is Good in it; and indeed the●● Commendations may be looked up●● as an effectual Defamation.  
UPON such Occasions of Slan●…ers and Evil-speaking against them have heard them exhorting and recommending to each other the ●…e Christian Armour of Humility, ●●ience, and a Resemblance of our ●●essed Saviour's Silence under Re●●●ngs, admiring that divine Com●●nd of his, of returning Blessing ●… Cursing, and of endeavouring to ●●come Evil with Good, minding ●●e another not to make any men●●● of their being of such or such ●●ciety, but to make their Holy ●●●es to testify, that they are real ●●●istians.  
AND thus by exhorting and encouraging one another to Christian ●●y, the Piety of many of them ●● appeared very eminent and exemplary; insomuch, that it is evident, even to demonstration that their Zeal hath in many places given new Life to the celebration of the Lord's Supper, publi●● Prayer, Singing of Psalms, and Christian Conference, Duties which w●● in many places almost disused, ●● performed in a cool and languishin●… manner.  
THIS is (as far as human ●●● can see) the real and only De●●● of these Societies, who seem ●● one Heart to attempt, by the ●● pious and peaceable methods ●● put a stop to our overflowing nakedness, remove our Plagues, ●● to dispose us into a meetness for t●● Blessings and gracious Presence ●● God; by whose Blessing they ha●● of late years so increased among us, that there are now 25 distinct Bodies of them, within the comp●●● of the Bills of Mortality. And b●…sides, those that have been some time erected in the University of Cambridge, and in the City of ●…loucester, etc. there are others ●…ewly form in Shadwell, Green●…ith, and even as far as Dublin in the Kingdom of Ireland; where, from three or four persons, with which they began, they are now increased to nine or ten Societies, containing about Three hundred ●…ersons. And they found such En●…ouragement there from the pious archbishop, and from several Di●●●es, and other considerable Per●●●s, that they have been a means of reviving a great Sense of Reli●…ion in many of the Inhabitants of ●…hat City, and have begun a very ●…opeful Reformation of Manners ●…mong them; the Archbishop ha●…ing signed his Approbation of ●●eir Orders, which are copied from those in London: And indeed all these good Effects were occasioned by the Examples of the London Societies, and by the removing of some few of the London Associates to Dublin.  
This minds me to add, that out of these Religious Societies in London, there have been two Associate Bodies form, who have made it their Endeavour to inform against Vice and Profaneness, in order to suppress the public Insolence of it, meeting weekly to carry it on, according to the legal and prudential Rules which some worthy Gentlemen, learned in the Law, drew up for them; in which they have spent a great deal of Time and Labour, and have suffered many Reproaches for their Diligence in this good and necessary Work; yea, they have often run the hazard of their Lives in it, which they underwent with Christian Courage, being greatly supported (under God) by divers of our Bishops and London Divines, who told them, That if any of them suffered in so divine a Work, they would very much resemble the Martyrs and Confessors of Christ, and receive the Reward of it in the other World. And in this respect, the Right Reverend Bishop of ●●●●cester, and those worthy Divines, Dr. Horneck, Dr. Jekyl, and Mr. Edward Stephens, have most eminently signalised their Zeal for their Great Master and His Work.  
AND here, I conceive, it may ●…e conducive to the Public Good ●● make another eminent Society ●●own to the World, which is of ●●e erected in this our capital City, which consists of many considerable Gentlemen and chief Citizens, who frequently meet to superintend, direct, and pursue this glorious Work of Reformation, consulting the best and most advisable methods to carry it on, spending a great deal of time weekly, and sometimes daily, in it, and furthering it by very large and honourable Contributions; by whose means several Thousand of Drunkards, Swearers, and Prophaners of the Lord's Day have been brought to just Punishment: And they have by various methods excited all the Cities, Corporations, and Market-Towns in this Kingdom to do the like.  
AND to the great and just Honour of many worthy Justices of the Peace in and about this City, be it mentioned, That a very considerable number of them have agreed to meet weekly, to promote and facilitate this excellent Design.  
AND here I may not with Justice omit to mention a very active and successful Society for Reformation, consisting of about Sixty persons, most of them Housekeepers in and about the Tower Hamblets, to whom several persons in various parts of the City are joined, with several Churchwardens, Constables, and other Officers. And though this Society is composed of persons who differ one from the other in some lesser Circumstances of Religion, yet they act as one Man against Debauchery and Profaneness: And they have put down several open Markets which were kept on the Lord's Day, and have suppressed some hundreds of Houses of ill Fame, and have brought the Frequenters of them to due Shame and Punishment. And by the means of this Society alone, about 2000 lewd People have suffered the penalties of the Laws suitable to their Crimes. And their Proceed herein have been so prudently and legally managed, that they have for some time passed received great Countenance in the several Courts of Judicature; and Encouragement from the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen of this City, who have honourably contributed towards the necessary great Expense of so vast an Undertaking.  
AND indeed, all these Societies beforementioned, with some others in the different parts of the City (which I shall not particularly insist upon) have by the blessing of Almighty God so happily prevailed, that the open opposition to Reformation is greatly abated, the general Odium and the threatening Dangers of informing against Vice and Profaneness much lessened, and the blessed Work of Reformation set into such an excellent and successful Method, that the outward part of it would soon be effected, would but some few in every Street or Parish who are of Place and Power, pull their Hands out of their Bosoms to engage in this honourable and necessary Work; or would others, who are of Ability, but contribute as it becomes them, towards the Expense of it. For, the apprehending of lewd People, and the Prosecution of them in the course of our Law is very chargeable; in so much, that more than seven hundred Pounds have been expended in this work by one of these Societies alone, within the space of the last three years: As it may be proved by their Book of Accounts, to any one that desires it for any good End.  
AND that none may be discouraged on the account of the general Overflowing of Vice, and the dispropotionable fewness of Hands engaged to put a stop to it, It is fit that it be known, that the chief part of this Opposition to Public Immorality has been occasioned by the meeting of 4 or 5 private People together, who duly considering and bewailing the Height and Extent of the Sins of this Nation, came to a Resolution of doing their utmost to oppose it, in the due course of our Laws. An Attempt, which methinks, seemed as Generous and Heroick, as that of Jonathan and his Armourbearer, who being inspirited by God, resolved to attack a whole Army of Philistines encamped on a vast Hill: But the Lord of Hosts who led them on in this noble Enterprise, did successfully carry them thorough it, to the utter Discomfiture of those numerous Enemies of God: And since we may without Rashness conclude, that this Effort against public Sins has the same Original with that of Jonathan, we hope it may at last attain the same End, ●…ho ' this Attempt against numerous and heightened Enormities has as great Disadvantages as that, in human Estimate.  
O! what a Field of Honour lies here, before all People among us! In which Magistrates and Ministers are more especially concerned to be Leaders, who are by their Offices designed to direct the Consciences, and regulate the Conversations of Men. I beseech the Almighty and All-good God to inspirit and determine them effectually to this Work, to which he loudly calls them, a work absolutely necessary not only to our Prosperity but Subsistence; and for want of which we are almost undone.  
AND in truth, the Glory of Almighty God, and the Support of our Church and State, are so manifestly concerned herein; that I cannot see how the Ministers of Justice or of Divine Service will be able to answer the unchristian Neglect of it, before the Lord Jesus Christ (the Judge of All) before whose Judgement-Seat we must all appear, and that very speedily. Where two Armies are engaged in a bloody and uncertain Battle, how will those Regiments answer it to their Prince, who stood by, and idly looked on, without striking one hearty stroke in his Cause, to whom they vowed a military Faithfulness to their Death? But above the rest, how will the Officers of those dastardly Troops, answer it to their Sovereign, who dreaded a little Danger and Hardship in his Service, more than his Royal Displeasure?  
AH Sirs! If we are now backward to contribute our utmost Endeavours in our several Stations towards the suppressing those impudent and scandalous Vices, whereby our God and his holy Religion are so outrageously blasphemed: If we prefer carnal Ease, the Favour of men, or any worldly Interest, before the Honour of our God and the propagation of Religion: What insupportable Shame, Horror and Regret will at last seize us, and for ever torment us! And therefore I again beseech the Holy Spirit to excite and fix in us all (even in Magistrates, Ministers, and all Ranks of People) a vigorous and effectual Zeal for his holy Name and Will; and a just Concern for the languishing Repute of the Christian Name, and of the Reform Religion.  
AND as for all those various Degrees of men who have already set their Hands to this excellent Work, may they never slacken their Hands or pull them back. Let me entreat them to act in it with a Zeal, Constancy and Purity of Intention, suitable to so divine an Employment as that they engage in, to so great and good a Master ●…s they serve, and to that infinite Reward which they may expect. Be not such Enemies to yourselves, ●…s to be weary of well-doing, since ●…n a short time you will reap, if you ●…aint not.  
OH Christians! Look unto Je●…us, who not only underwent the Contradiction of Sinners, but endu●…ed the Cross, and despised the ●●●me, for the Glory which was ●…et before him. Remember, That ●…s a Curse is threatened to such as ●● the Work of the Lord negligently, So a Crown is prepared for those ●…ho are faithful unto Death.  
THE Time of our Warfare is ●…ut short, and the difficulty of it ●…ill be much sweetened by the ●…romised Comforter, and the Re●…ard of well-doing will be of in●●nite Value and eternal Duration. And as no work in the World wi●● be more commended of our supreme Judge at last, than this ●● Reformation; since he himself sit as a Refiners Fire and as Fulle●… Soap, to purify and cleanse his People from their sins; and since h●… will e'er long consume that Reprobate Silver, which is not effectually refined by those means o●… Purification which he hath ordained: On all these accounts, I say we have not Concern upon Ear●● so great, as to acquit our selve●… well in this our spiritual Calling not being slothful, but diligent Fe●…lowers of them, who through Faith an●… Patience inherit the Promises.  
AND here I cannot but cal●… upon our dissenting Brethrens als●… to join their Hands and Heart●… with us in casting out those Public●… Sin's which threaten and endange●… ●…s all; and in furthering a Public ●●d General Reformation of Manners, ●…hich is here endeavoured, and ●● put into a judicious Method ●● order to success. And let me ●●treat them, even by the Bowels ●…f our common Lord and Saviour, ●…hat they studiously endeavour to ●●●pose their Young One's to follow after things which make for ●●●ce, Unity and Order, (the Desire ●● which seems deeply impressed on ●● Spirits of our Societies of Young●●●) that the Church of God may ●●joy more peaceable and flourishing Days in the next Age, than has in this.  
THE making of our Peace with ●…od by effectual Reformation, and ●● Union among ourselves by mu●●al Charity and Condescension; ●●e the happiest works that any ●…erson can apply himself to on Earth. The satisfaction and peaceable Fruits of it here would be exceeding great, and the Reward of it hereafter inexpressible.  
NOW these Societies aforementioned, seem in a great measure fitted to carry on both these great Designs: If at lest there be any hope of such inestimable Blessings, left to such a profligate People as we are: For they have been instrumental, to bring several Quakers and Enthusiastic People to Baptism▪ and to a sober mind: And of the Conversion of many profane People, and of bringing others to legal Punishment, who appeared otherwise incorrigible.  
AND many of our Ministers have found by Experience (as they have assured me) that the planting of one of these Societie●… in their Parish, has been a mean o●… enlarging their Congregations ●…od Communions to a very great increase; and not only so, but of introducing a more devout De●…ortment in all Public Ordinances. ●…o that it is greatly to be wished, ●●at every parochial Minister ●…ould endeavour to erect a Society of this Nature in his Parish, ●…hich he might do, if he could ●● found 2 or 3 Youngmen or housekeepers in it, of pious Inclinations and a sober Life, (and if ●●ch a number as this cannot be ●●nd in any place, it is worse than 〈◊〉) and we may begin a So●●●y with these (as many of those ●…hich are now numerous, began ●● first) till more be added to ●●em by the Grace of God. A thing this Nature hearty undertaken ●● the Glory of God, and attended with Prayer, Diligence and Patience, could hardly misca●● And a good Minister would f●● his work happily furthered ●… such a Pious Nursery of Yout●… and the poor Neighbourhood n●… a little comforted by their Cha●●ty: Yea, the very money whi●● is by the Law forfeited to t●● poor, by Swearing, Drunke●…ne●… and profaning the Lord's da●… would be a seasonable Relief ●… the poor in these hard times; ●● by these Penalties, 55 Pound w●… raised in one Parish of this Ci●● lately in the space of one Year.  
BEFORE I conclude, it may expected that I give some Descri●…tion of the weekly Conferences, a●… joint Devotions of our Religio●… Societies: But I shall not need ●… insist on this, since the Method ●… both is hereunto annexed, par●● for their Use, and partly to p●●vent Misrepresentation by false Re●…orts: So that, I shall only add, ●…hat as they use very affecting ●…refaces before they pray to God, ●● praise his great and holy Name, ●…o raise and fix their inward Devotion; so they always use a very ●…everend outward Deportment in ●…he worship of God, that their Bo●…y may not seem to mock or dis●…pprove of that which their Soul ●… doing. Which is surely agree●…ble to all Sober Reason, and Sound ●…eligion. Our Creator, Redeemer ●●d Sanctifier, aught to be owned, 〈◊〉 shiped and glorified with those ●…odies (as well as those Souls,) ●…hich his Almighty Power, Wis●●m and Goodness, hath created, redeemed, doth sanctify, and will glorify. So that, in Prayer, they ●…ll kneel, according to the directi●● of the Spirit of God, Psa. 95. 6. And according to our Blessed Sav●…ours Example: Luk. 22. 41. ●● kneeled down, and prayed. And i●… singing of Psalms, or any other s●…lemn Doxology, they stand up which is surely the fittest Postu●● for this exalted part of God's Wo●…ship. And if I may speak my ow●… Experiences, I think, we shall fin●… our Souls greatly raised by our b●…dily Reverence. Thou it be sti●… allowed, That the spiritual Reverence of the Soul is vastly th●… chiefest, and that in all bodil●… Weakness, and other necessary Impediments, God will have Mer●● and not Sacrifice.  
MANY of them meet tog●…ther at each others Houses, also ●● the Evening of many Feasts of th●… Church and Holy-Days; whe●● they discourse seriously on th●… Subject-Matter of the Day. B●… which they found themselves much form in many essential parts ●… the Christian Religion.  
THESE their holy Purposes, ●●ve for a considerable time been ●…erished & improved by some of ●●r pious Bishops, who have often ●…eacht to them on these Occasions: And in particular, one of ●●m has for many years allowed ●●m the use of his Church, and ●●an present at the Sermons which ●●ey procured, and has also writ●●n a most excellent Vindication ●● these beginnings of Reformation, ●●d another of them who, gives a ●…ost illustrious Instance of his Care ●… cultivating Youth, by training ●… Young Scholars for the Ministry, ●…t only at his own Expense, but ●… his personal Instruction of them, ●●th published to the World the ●…eat Delight with which our late Pious Queen received the Accou●● of this hopeful Method of reforming of Youth by these Societies and with what Concern she often inquired after it. His words ar●… these, She did harken carefully after every thing that seemed to give some Hope, that the next Generat●●● should be better than the present, with a particular Attention: She heard of a Spirit of Devotion and Piety that was spreading itself ●…mong the Youth of this great City with a true satisfaction: She enquired often and much about it, an●… was glad to hear it went on and prevailed; which was her hearty Wi●● and daily Prayers. Essay pag. 118.  
THERE are also several worthy Gentlemen, who encourage and assist these Societies, (particularly in their Endeavour to suppress the public Vices,) with their Coun●●●s and Examples; and by their ●●ses and Power: But alas! The ●●mber of these sober and pious ●●ntlemen is confessedly small, if ●●●pared with the vast numbers ●…thers, to whom the very Name Reformation is harsh and disa●●eable. But since there is evidently so much Goodness in these ●●●ieties, as to give us Hope that ●● are of God; we have thence a ●● ground to hope, that they not come to naught.  
●…N this Hope I have often been ●●●ouraged, when I have obser●●●●…ith what Delight and Indu●● they prosecute their holy Pur●●es. I have known some of them ●●o have been at their own Li●●y) come out of the midst of City (after their Shops have ●● shut) three or four miles to ●… outmost parts of the Suburbs, to give Instruction and Encourag●…ment to a new-planted Society Returning again a considera●●● time after night in all the Inco●…veniencies of the darkness and uncertain weather, with the chea●…ing Thought of having been we employed.  
I must also further note, to ●… Praise and Glory of Almighty 〈◊〉 by what remarkable Provide●● it hath pleased him to further th●… divine Work. For, the Conver●…ons of some of those Young-me●… who have been very instrument in this Affair, have been very wo●…derful.  
ONE of them had such an ●●fecting Dream of the Day of Ju●●ment, that he forthwith become ●… very zealous Servant of God; a●● was so sensible of the importan●●d of securing Peace with God an●… ●…edeeming time; that for several ●…ears together, he spent the great●… part of the night in Prayer and ●…ous Exercises; as his Chamber-●…llow informs me. He also beg●…d leave of his Master to retire ●… little while to his Devotions at ●…oon, and to have Liberty to partake of the benefit of some public ●…mons and Prayers, promising to ●…e him satisfaction for it, when ●… came out of his Time: Which ●…cordingly he did, though it does 〈◊〉 speak the Piety or Charity of ●… Master, who required it of him. ●…N other of them (though in perfect health) could not rest in his 〈◊〉 for several nights together, ●…hich at last brought him upon ●… knees to ask it of God, with me Sorrow for his Sins, (for he ●…d lived a very ill Life) and he and such Ease to his mind there●●, that it presently conduced to his bodily Rest; which led him to the further exercise of it, especially before he went to bed. And than taking some Delight in th●… Duty, he frequented the Evening Prayers set up at eight of the cloc●… by these Societies; where he observed the affectionate Devotions of these associated Youngmen; and after Prayers, made his Condition●… known to some of them, who mightily assisted him in the Way●… of God, and he is ever since reduced (through divine Grace) to a very good Life.  
AN other of them was told by an idle prating Woman, that 〈◊〉 was persuaded, he would not liv●… long; which she grounded upon a most impertinent Observation not worthy to be mentioned. Bu●… this jesting Talk awakened him 〈◊〉 good earnest to prepare to die: 〈◊〉 powerful is a trivial means in th●… hands of the All Mighty God. Whereupon, he spent the greatest part of the following night in Prayer, with ●●rnest Vows and Tears: And he has lived a very devout and exemplary Life ever since, which is about nine Years.  
MANY others, have in my ●…hearing, praised God that ever they were acquainted with these christian Associates: And have owned, that their knowledge of God, and conversion to him were occasioned thereby; yea, I never yet met with one member of any of these Soci●…ies, who did not greatly praise God for the benefit they reap from him.  
AND since the time, that the ●…sefulness of these Societies has been visible to the world; Their Zeal hath provoked some of their dissenting Brothers to join with them occasionally, and to set up the like among themselves. And who knows, but that this Essential Union of theirs in the Love of God and goodness, may at last draw them to centre in the same Communion; and so bring a most inestimable Blessing to this bleeding Church and State: Than which no Blessing upon Earth can be imagined greater. For, it would mightily strengthen the languishing interest of Pretestancy; and envigorate the the Power of our Holy Religion; and be the best and surest foundation of a vigorous and general Reformation. And this, in a time when both Union and Reformation are almost despaired of. And if once the Holy Spirit of God vouchsafes us these his heavenly Fruits of Unity and Purity, England will indeed be the Glory of all Nations.  
IN fine, we have here many Hundred of young, sober, and active men, freely and solemnly engaging themselves to live strictly as it▪ becometh our Holy Religion (the Honour of which is at this day deplorably sunk) and humbly offering their utmost service to our Magistrates and Ministers, in ●…rder to suppress the public Practice of those scandalous and insolent Sins which endanger both our Church and State. And there seems to be a zealous and generous Spirit in them animating them to this noble Enterprise: And they are put into an excellent method to carry it on in all the parts of the City, of which they have already given sufficient proof. And truly, if these means of Reformation be not accepted, it will be difficult to found out any other that is so like to effect it, or to better the next Generation, in which all our Hope of Prosperity on Earth seems to lie. So than, if it shall please People in Place and Power to improve this Talon laid before them, by strengthening those Hands which are hearty stretched forth against Profaneness, but need their assistance to effect it▪ What eminent service may be do●…e for God and these Kingdoms in this Season? But if this design be mo●…kt and browbeaten (as many things proposed for the public Good, and this in particular hath been) and if some vain people give it a Nick▪ Name, and term it an imprudent or unseasonable zeal, or the like, and than the rest decry and discourage it, or at lest are ashamed to own it, or appear for it. I am persuaded▪ That notwithstanding the common▪ Cry of Peace, Peace; It will be hard ●…o assign good Proof, that we are not near to Desolation.  

Specimen of the Orders of the Societies before mentioned; with the Reason of their being here made Public: And a brief Vindication of their Design drawn by some of the Members of those Societies.  
I THAT the sole Design of 
1. Pet. 1. 15.  this Society being to pro●●te real Holiness of Heart and life: It is absolutely necessary 
Josh. 24. 15●….  that the People who enter in●● it, do seriously resolve to apply themselves in good earnest to all means proper to make 
2 Tim 3. 15.  them wise unto Salvation.  
II THAT in Order to their being of one Heart and one Mind 
Rom. 15▪ 6, 5.  in this Design, every Member of this Society shall own and manifest 
Pbi. 2. 2  himself to be of the Church of England, and frequent 
1 Pet. 2 13.  the Liturg●…, and other public Holy-exercises of the same. And that they be careful withal to 
Eph. 4. 2. Rom. 12. 18.  express due Christian Charity, Candor and Moderation, towards all such Dissenters as are of good Conversation.  
III THAT the Members of this Society shall meet together one Evening in the week at a convenient place, in order to encourage 
1 These 5. 14. Rom. 14. 19  each other in practical Holiness, by discoursing on spiritual Subjects, & reading God's Holy Word; and to pray to Al●…mighty God, and praise his Name 
Psal. 34▪ 3.  together.  
AND to this Assembly any serious Person may be admitted, upon Request.  
IV THAT at such Meetings, there be no hot Disputes about controversial Points, State Affairs, or the Concerns of Trade 
Rom. 15. 6.  and worldly things. But that the whole bent of the Discourse be to glorify God, and edify one 
Eph. 4. 16.  ●● other in Love.  
V THAT it be left to every People Discretion to contribute ●…t every weekly Meeting, what ●● thinks fit towards a Publick-Stock 
1 Cor 16. 2.  for pious and charitable ●●ses: And the money thus collected shall be kept by the two ●●wards of the Society (who shall be chosen by Majority of voices once a year or oftener) to be disposed of, by the consent of the Major-part of the Society, for the uses abovementioned. And the said Stewards shall keep a faithful Reg●…ster of what is thus collected and distributed; to be perused by any Member of the Society, a●● his Request.  
VI THAT any respective Member may recommend any Object●… of Charity to the Stewards, who●… shall (with the consent of th●● rest) give out of the commo●● Stock, according as the occasion requires. And in a case of extraordinary necessity, every particular Person shall be desired to contribute further, as they shall think fi●….  
VII. THAT every one that absents himself four Meetings together (without giving a satisfactory account to the Stewards) shall be looked upon as disaffected to the Society.  
VIII. THAT none shall be admitted into this Society, without giving due notice thereof ●● the Stewards, who shall ac●…aint the whole Society therewith. And after due Enquiry ●●to their Religious Purposes, ●…nd Manner of Life: The Stewards may admit them to subscribe their Names, if the Ma●…-part of the Society allows ●● it; and not otherwise. And ●●●h the like joint-consent, ●●y may exclude any Member ●●oved guilty of any Misbehaviour after due Admonition, ●…nless he gives sufficient Testimony of his Repentance and ●…mendment, before the whole ●●utty  
IX. IT is hereby recommended ●● every Person concerned in his Society, to consider the ma●● inconveniences, (and many ●●mes sins) which attend Ale-House-Games, 
Ga. 5. 13.  and wholly de ●●ine them. And to eat all ●●necessary Resort to such Houses, and Taverns; and wholly 
1 The. 5. 22.  to avoid lewd Playhouses.  
X THAT the respective Members of this Society, shall hearty endeavour, through God's Grace;  

1. TO be just in all their 
1 These 4. 6.  Deal, even to an exemplary Strictness.  
2. TO pray many times every 
1 These 5. 17.  day: Remembering our cotinual dependence upon God▪ both for spiritual and tempora●… things.  
3. TO partake of the Lords Supper at lest once a month, if 
1 Cor. 11. 26. Luke 22. 19  not prevented by a reasonable Impediment.  
4. TO practise the profoundest Meekness and Humility. 
Mat. 11. 29. Mat 7. 1.   
5. TO watch against censuring others.  
6 TO accustom themselves 
Psa. 139. 23.  to Holy Thoughts in all places.  
7. TO be heipful one to an 
1 Cor. 12. 25.  other.  
8 TO exercise Tenderness, 
'tis 3. 2.  Patience, and Compassion towards all Men.  
9 TO make serious Reflecti●…ns on 
1 Cor. 10. 11.  themselves when they ●…ad the Holy Bible, or other good Books, and when they hear Sermons.  
10 TO eat all fore-seen 
1 Thes. 5. 22▪  occasions of Evil: As evil Com●…any, known temptations, etc.  
11. TO think often on the 
Luke 16. 25.  ●●fferent Estates of the glorified ●…d the Damned in the unchange●…e Eternity, to which we are ●…stening.  
12. TO examine themselves ●…very night, what Good or Evil 
2 Cor 13. 5.  they have done in the day past.  
13. TO keep a private Fast 
Mat 6. 16.  ●…ace a month (especially near ●●eir approach to the Lords Ta●●e) if at their own disposal; or 
Luke 5. 35.  ●… fast from some Meals when they may conveniently.  
14. TO mortify the Flesh 
Gal. 5. 19 24.  with its Affections and Lusts.  
15. TO advance in heavenly-mindedness, and in all Grace. 
1 Pet. 3. 8.   
16. TO eat spiritual Pride and the Effects of it, as Railing, Anger, Peevishness and Impatience of Contradiction, and the like.  
17. TO pray for the whole Society in their private Prayers. 
Jam. 5. 16.   
18. TO read pious Books▪ often for their Edification, but 
Jo. 5. 39  especially the Holy Bible: And herein particularly,  
Mat. 5, 6, 7. Chap. Lu●● 15, 16, Chap. Rom. 12, 13, Chap. Eph. 5, 6, Chap. 1 The. 5. Chap. Reu. 1, 2, 3, 21, 22, Chapters.  
And in the old Testament.  
Leu. 2●…. Chap. Deut 28. Cham Isa. 53. Chap. Ezek. 36. Chap.  
19 TO be continually mindful of the great Obligation of ●…his special Profession of Religion; ●…nd to walk so circumspectly, ●…hat none may be offended or ●…scouraged from this by what ●…ey see in them; nor occasion ●…en to any to speak reproach●●ly of it.  
20. TO eat all manner of ●…ectation and Moroseness; and ●… of a civil and obliging De●…tment to all Men.   
XI. THAT they often consi●…, (with an awful dread of 
Mala 3. 16.  ●…'s wrath) the sad Height to ●…ich the Sins of Many are ●…anced in this our Nation; ●● the bleeding Divisions ●…reof in Church and State. And 
Judg. 5. 15.  ●…t every Member be ready to ●…, what upon consulting with ●…h other shall be thought ad●…able, 
De●…t. 13. 8.  towards the punish●…ent of public Profaneness, ac●…ding 
L●…v. 24. 11.  to the good Laws of ●… Land; required to be put in Execution by the King's and the late Queen's special order.  
XII. THAT each Member shall encourage the Catechising of 
Deut. 6. 7. Josh. 24. ●…5.  young and ignorant People in their respective Families, according to their stations and Abilities: And shall observe all▪ manner of Religious Family-Duties.  
XIII. THAT the Major-Part of the Society shall have Power to▪ make a new Order to bind the whole, when need requires: If it be approved by a pious and learned Minister of the Church of England, nominated by the whole Society.  
FOURTEEN. THAT these Orders shall be read over at ●…east four times in the Year by one of the Stewards; And that with such deliberation, that each Member ●…ay have time to examine him●…lf by them, or to speak his ●…nd in any thing relating to ●…em.  
XU. ●…LASTLY, That every ●…ember of this Society shall ●…ter mature deliberation and ●… Trial) subscribe his Name ●…hese Orders: to express his ●…obation of them, and his ●●lution to endeavour to live ●…o them. In order to which, ●…all constantly keep a Copy ●…hem by him.  
The End of the Orders   

The Reason of this Publication ●● the Orders and Design of these Societies.  
HAVING found by discourse with several People (who have greatly rejoyce●… to hear of any Public Good set o●… Foot) that they never before hear●… of these Societies; I could not bu●… wonder that a thing of this Nature could so long remain secret.  
THEY have been erected i●… our Capital City above Eighteen Years: They procure Sermons by way of preparation for the Lord●… Supper, or to engage a suitable Holiness of Life after it, every Lord's Day about five in the Evening, in many of the larges●… Churches in the City. Their Charit●… is extended to deserving Objects i●… all the Parts of the City and Suburb●… ●…nd by their Procurement Public ●…ayers are daily made in several ●…uches at such Hours as they can ●…ost conveniently be present at ●…m. And by the means of their ●…at Zeal, & giving Informations, a ●…ltitude of such as have no fear of ●● before their Eyes, have been pu●…'d for their Profaneness and ●…anchery.  
SO that, it is to be admired, that ●…r good Deeds and Designs could so long unknown to so many. ●…truly, this does very much re●…mend their Christian Modesty. ●…emonstrates that they do not af●… to publish either their Alms or ●…votion, after the vaunting man●… of the Pharisees, with which our ●…ssed Saviour was so highly offen●●; but that they desire to manage ●…eir holy Purposes in the most ●…ble Silence and contrived Se●…cy.  
I conceived therefore, that might probably conduce to the ●…largement of these useful Societi●… and to engage the Prayers of go●… People in their behalf, to give fo●… Public Account of their Constitution, Design, and Orders; all whi●● have been approved by divers Em●…nent Divines; and among them, ●● our late excellent Primate Arch▪ Tillotson, who after he had examin●… their Orders, and the trifling Obje●…tions that were made against the●… by some People, declared it as h●… Opinion publicly, and upon sev●…ral occasions, That these Societi●… were a Support to our Church: an●… surely they will not be ashamed ●● appear in Public, wheresoever th●… Christian Religion does.  
AND tho'there be some litt●● variations in th●… Orders of some ●● these Societies from others; Yet th●… ●●bstance of them is generally one ●…d the same. In which, I beseech ●● Holy Spirit to establish every ●…lengaged therein, and to incline ●…ers to be followers of them in that ●●h is Good.  
THAT we have absolute need ●●formation from the Highest to ●…owest; and that it highly con●● us to set about it with speed; Truths so manifest, that I need ●…stand to prove them to any ●…on of serious & sober thought. such must of necessity conclude ●…h me, That unless it be effected ●…dily, we are undone.  
●…ND I think it will as little be ●…stioned by sober Men, but that ●…e Societies do very directly ●…d towards that desired Effect. ●…ever, since some Objections ●…e been made against them, we ●…now take them into Conside●●on.   

The chief Objections which ●…a●… been made against these Societi●… Considered and Answered by some their Members.  
I WHEREAS it has be●● Objected, That there is danger ●● Schism and Dissension by their we●●ly meeting, and conferring togeth●… about Religious matters.  
THEY Answer. 1. That th●… cannot conceive where this dang●…▪ lies. Since no People do mo●… professedly own the Holy Doctrin●… and Constitution of the Church England, than themselves, desiri●… always to be found in their Pra●●tice agreeable thereunto: An●… that none do more sincerely rev●…rence and esteem the Public M●●nistry, nor more constantly and reverently attend upon the Publi●… ●…dinances: In the great Esteem of ●…hich (in Subordination to the ●…lory of God, and their own and ●…hers Salvation) they have at ●…eir own Expense set up daily ●…blick Prayers in many Churches, ●…fter due leave obtained;) and ●…we procured (through the Assist●…re of several pious Divines) ●…e benefit of weekly Communi●…s in many Churches, which ●…ey frequent in great numbers.  
2. THAT some of their Mem●●s had by their Examples influ●…ced several Dissenters to come ●● Church, and been a means of ●…inging several Anabaptists and ●…uakers to Baptism. That they ●…d also been instrumental of pre●…ving from Popery several un●…ady and wavering People, in ●…e late Rage of 〈◊〉 Plague: and ●…f reducing many licentious People to Holiness of Life.  
3. THAT as all controvers●… Points are forbidden by their Order to be meddled with in their Conferences, (because they only designed to promote practical holiness by their assembling together so in their reading of those practical portions of Holy Scripture t●… which their Orders direct them they have recourse to Doctor Hammond's Exposition, or some othe●… Author recommended by their Ministers.  
4. THAT it had in Fact been verified for these 20. Years passed that but one Member of these Societies had (to the best of their knowledge) left the Communion of the Church of England for any other Of which Singular defection som●… special Reasons ●…ay be given.  
LASTLY. That leaving Mat●…ers of Fact, they did Appeal to the Sentiments of all good People; whether their reading of the Word of God with the most orthodox Expositors; their Praying and singing Psalms together; with their Exhor●…ing, Reproving, and encouraging one another in their Spiritual War●…are, have any tendency in Reason ●● in the Nature of things to make ●…chismaticks? Or rather, whether any Church of Christ will not most certainly be the more established and advanced by the consci●…ntious and general Practice of such Holy Exercises?  
II WHEREAS others have ob●…ected, that ill and designing Men ●…ay get into these Societies (as Po●…ish Emissaries have into some others) ●…nd quite pervert their Design, how good soever in the first insti●…ution) to the prejudice of the Church.  
THEY Answer, 1. That thei●… Orders forbidden the admittance 〈◊〉 any Person into their Societies (a●… Members) who is not known t●… some of the Rest, and who does no●… frequent the Public Ordinances i●… that way of Ministration which i●… by Law established. Which is 〈◊〉 caution they use to prevent differences and disorder, and effectuall●… excludes such as are mentioned by the Objector.  
2. THAT they are so man●…festly studious to comply with th●… Rules of the Church of England, 〈◊〉 to yield a just Obedience to those tha●… are set over them in the Lord: Tha●… they have been many times censu●…red as guilty of rigid severity, an●… uncharitableness towards Dissentin●… Protestant's: Which they must lik●…wise accounted an injurious trea●…ment: For as much as they ende●…vour to eat all extremes: Being desirous to practise Christian Sub●…ectian without prejudice to Christi●…n Charity.  
III TO those who Object, that by their reproving and admonish●…ng those they converse with; & by their visiting the sick, and sometimes praying with them; they do ●…nvade and intrude upon the Mini●…ter's Office.  
THEY Reply, 1. That since they are commanded of God, in ●…ny wise to reprove their Brother, ●…nd not to suffer Sin upon him: And ●…o exhort one another daily, jest any be ●…ardened by the deceitfulness of Sin. They humbly conceive, that their Christian Admonitions and Reproofs can by no good Person be censured as an intrusion upon the Ministerial Function.  
2. THAT since the Duty of visiting the Sick, and administering to them, is one of the great things which will be enquired into by their Lord and Saviour at the last Judgement: And since all People are commanded to Pray one for another: They cannot accounted it an invasion upon the Minister's Office; if a●… such time as the Minister cannot be present, they use an approved Form of Prayer suitable to the condition of the Sick-Person (which they humbly conceive any Christian Friend may and aught upon Request, to do for an other, who by sickness is disabled from doing i●… himself) And in any ●…ase or manner but this, they do not practise it.  
IV. TO such as suggest, that there is Danger of Spiritual Pride in these Societies, by their making a particular and special Profession of Religion, and being thought ●…ore holy than others.  
2. THAT they cannot think it warrantable to omit any part of Christian Duty for fear of Spiritual Pride, or seeming holier than others: Since than, for the same reason they ●…ight omit the whole.  
3. THAT it is indeed a due ●…ence of their own and others In●…rmities which induces them to ●…nite into Societies (since two are stronger than one, many than few,) ●…nowing that the difficulties are ve●…y many and very great which they ●…ust encounter in their Passage ●…owards Eternal Life: And that ●…uch is the Degeneracy even of Christians in these latter days, That through the Profaneness of some, ●…nd the Lukewarmness and Coward●…ise of others; they should but ●…eldom meet with such Conversation as is highly expedient for the keeping up a due Warmth and Life in Spiritual things: Were it not for those frequent Conferences and pi●…us Exercises which are (with good effect) set up by these Societies.  
V Whereas it is Objected; That since a Church of Christ ●…s a Society of Christian People; and that these Societies are erected in a reformed Church: That this is ●… Society within a Society, and a refining upon a reformed Church.  
TO this they humbly Reply:  
1. That they have not yet learned, that the reading of God's Word and conferring on the practical Points of Religion, in order to a more holy Conversation; hath at any time by good men been thought prejudicial to the Church of Christ. On the contrary, Our best Divines recommend these things both from the Pulpit and the Press, as the best expedients to support and adorn our Reform Church, and tender it worthy of that venerable Name.  
2. THAT they do not well understand what the Objector means by refining upon our reformed Church. If it be meant; that they pretend to reform her Doctrine or quarrel with her Government: They utterly disclaim any such Practice. But if it be meant, that they desire to refine and reform themselves and others, so as to come nearer to her Purity of Doctrine in their Practice, than some others do, who shelter their profane Lives under the pretence of her Holy Communion: They own this, and must adhere to it; not doubting but they shall have the Prayers of all good People, that they may so do.  
UPON the whole matter therefore, they conclude: That since their Societies are neither against the Word of God, nor the Laws of Man; but manifestly conducive to God's Glory, the Salvation of Men, and the public Interest of our Church and Nation: And since they have proved very beneficial to the Souls of the Members, and are agreeable to the primitive Practice of the best Christians, and tend so directly to revive something of their primitive Purity, and Zeal for Religion; together with their Charity, and good works: They humbly crave, That these Societies may be encouraged by their Governors in Church and State, suitably to the Spiritual and National Benefits which may be reaped from them.    

Directions for Religious Conference, with PRAYERS for the use of Religious Societies, and upon other Occasions.  
I Premise, that it may be very expedient, and what would much promote the p●…ous Design of these Societies: That an Orthod●…x and ●…ious Minister should be chosen by each Society, as the Director and Visitor of it. Who may frequently be present at their Assemblies, to preserve Order, excite Zeal, and resolve Doubts.  
THIS would obviate many objections concerning them; and would greatly benefit, countenance, and recommend such Assemblies.  
THIS Director may be chosen every year (when the Stewards are) by Majority of Votes (no manner of Salary or Reward being to be allowed on this account) and when he is present, it will be his proper place to pray with the Society.  
THE Members of the Society are often to mind one another, to be very punctual to their Hour of Meeting: And to wave lesser Occasions that tend to divert them from coming to it. And when a competent Number of them are met; One of the Stewards, (if the Director be absent) or any other Person desired, may begin the Conference thus: All standing up.  
MY Brothers, we are commanded of God, that our Communication be such as tends to the 
Eph. 4. 29.  edifying of one another; and such as ministers Grace to the Hearers. And we found the Spirit of God commending the Education of Timothy, That from a Child he had known 
2 Tim. 3. 15.  the Holy Scriptures, which were able to make him wise unto salvation, through Fai●…h, which is in Jesus Christ. Let ●…s therefore endeavour at this time to edify one another in the things of God, with the greatest Humility of Mind, and the tenderest bowels of Christian Charity. For indeed, Wherewithal can a Youngman cleanse 
Psal. 119. 9  his way, but by taking heed thereto according to the Word of God? And that it may please God to instruct our minds therein at this time, and to direct our Hearts and Lives thereby: Let us now put up our Prayers to God, (who is the Giver of all Grace, and the Author of all Good) to accomplish this holy work in every one of us, by his Holy Spirit, for the sake of Jesus Christ his Son, Our Saviour.  Than the Steward may devoutly repeat these three Collects: All kneeling. 
Prevent us, OH Lord, in all our Do with thy most gracious Favour, and further us with thy continual Help; that in all our Works begun, continued, and ended in thee; we may Glorify thine Holy Name, and finally by thy mercy obtain everlasting Life, through Jesus Christ Our Lord  
[All. Amen.]  
OH Most Blessed Lord! who hast caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our Learning: Grant, that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them; that by Patience and Comfort of thy Holy Word we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed Hope of everlasting Life, which thou hast given us in thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.  
OH God for as much as without Thee, we are not able to please thee; Mercifully grant, that thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our Hearts, through Jesus Christ our Lord▪ Amen.  Than all rising, and seating themselves in their Places, the Steward may read one of the Chapters set down in the tenth Order; resting so long at the end of every Verse, that any one may have an Opportunity to make any serious Remark upon it. Or some part of an approved Exposition on the Holy Scripture, or on the Catechism, may be read. And in order to a more advised Conference upon the most important Duties of our holy Religion; the Steward (in the absence of the Director) may, at the close of every Weekly Assembly, propose one of the following Subjects, to be discoursed upon at their next Conference, viz. 

1. The Duty of Self-examination required, 2 Cor. 13. 5.  
2. THE Duty of Self-abasement, and Self-renouncing required, Mark ●…8, 34.  
3. Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, Mark 16. 16.  
4. Evangelical Repentance, 2 Cor. 7. 10.  
5. Effectual Conversion to God, Act. 26. 18.  
6. Trust in God, 1 Tim. 6. 17.  
7. Mortification, Rome 8. 13. Gal. 5. 24.  
8. Humility Eph. 3. 2.  
9 Christian Hope, 1 Pet. 1. 3  
10. Christian Charity, 1 Cor. 13. 1, & ●… Including the Love of God, Ma●… 12. 30. And the Love of Men, Verse 31. ●…  
11. Alm-deeds Matt. 6. 1, 2, 3, 4▪  
12. Contentment, Phil. 4. 11.  
13. Just dealing, 1 Thes. 4. 6.  
14. Government of the tongue, Mat▪ 12. 36, 37.  
15. Prayer & Praise, 1 Tim. 2. CITIZEN▪  
16. Chastity, Mat. 5. 27, 28.  
17. Temperance, 1 Cor. 9 25.  
18. Patience, 1 Pet. 2. 20. 21. etc. Meekness, Tit. 3. 2.  
19 The public Worship of God, Psalm 42. 2, 4.  
20. Heavenly-mindedness, Col. 3. 1, 2. And Contempt of the World, Gal. 6. 14.  
21. Of Christian Prudence, Matt. 10. 16.  
22. Family-Duties, Josh. 24. 15. Or, Religious Household Government, Acts 10. 2.  
23. Subjection to Magistrates, Titus ●…. 1.  
24. Peacemaking, Matt. 5. 9  
25. Of Reproof, Leu. 19 17.  
26. Sanctifying the Lord's Day, Num. ●…5. 32. etc.  
27. Growing in Grace, 2 Pet. 3. 18.  
28. Improvement of Opportunities of Doing and Receiving Good, Acts ●…0. 38.  
29. Duty of Parents, and Children, ●…owards each other, Eph. 6. 1, 2, 3, 4.  
30. Of the Husband and Wife, Eph. ●…5. 22, to the end.  
31. Of Masters and Servants, Eph. ●…6. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9  
32. Of People to their Pastors, Heb. 13. 17.  
33. Of preparing for, and watching in the Performance of all Religious Exercises, Heb. 12. 28, 29.  
34. The Duty of Chistians to Enemies, Rom. 12. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21.  
35. Of endeavouring the Conversion and Salvation of others, 1 Tim. 2. 3, 4.  
36. The Sense of God's Omnipresence, Psalm 139.  
37. Of reading the Holy Scriptures, Deut. 6. 6, 7, 8, 9 2 Tim. 3. 16.  
38. Of Meditation, 1 Tim. 4. 15.  
39 Of Circumspection, or Watchfulness, Matt. 24. 42, 43. etc.  
40. Of Perseverance, Reu. 2. 10. Judas, Verse 24.   
THESE are Duties of the greatest Importance, and are all suited to the Rules of these Societies. And I have kept to the number 40, that I might assign one distinct Subject of discourse for every weekly Conference in the year, reserving the Discourse of 12 of them to be spent upon the Subject of the Lords Supper, which every Member is obliged by the Orders of the Society to receive (where he may with conveniency) twelve times in the ●…ear.  
THUS every person knowing for a whole week before, what will be the Subject of the Discourse at the next Conference; may the better prepare for it by suitable Reading, Meditation and Prayer.  
AND thus the chiefest parts of ●●ristian Duty will be considered and ●…ne thorough every year, to the great ●…crease of Knowledge and Practice.  
Note, THAT every Person is cheif●… to bend his discourse to further the practise of every Duty, and to pro●…te Holiness of Life.  
AND it will be expedient, That ●… Person speak above 3 or 4 Senten●…, without a convenient Pause, to ●…e room to others to speak their ●…nd. And in case of Silence, he may ●●eed, but with the same Caution.  
AND at the time of Conference, ●…ne of the Stewards (in the absence of ●● Director) may propose the following ●…estions, for the sake of Method, and ●…t every one's discourse may be the ●…re directly practical, viz. When ●…e Duty to be spoken to, is named: ●…he Steward may say,  
I Qu●…st. Wherein consists the Na●…e of this Duty.  
II Quest. What Directions do you ●…opose in order to make the Practice ●…f it more sure and more easy?  
III What Discouragement do any o●… you found in the Practice of it?  
IU. What Motives may encourag●… our Practice of this Duty, and ou●… Perseverance in it?  
IF the time permits, such Motive as these may be touched upon, viz.  
1. The Authority of God commanding.  
2. The Goodness of God, promising both to assist and reward the Diligent  
3. The Terribleness of God's Threaten and the Examples of his Wrath sometimes seen upon Earth; and the dreadfulness of the everlasting Veng●…ance of an Almighty God in the fierceness of his Wrath in the other world.  
4. The Excellency of the Duty itself.  
5. The Examples of Good Men, who have go before us in the Ways of God.  
6. The Blessed Rest and Peace of a good Conscience; and the previous Hell of a bad one.  
These general Heads may be the Method of discourse upon any Duty a●… the weekly Conference.  
The Conference being ended: One of the Stewards may read some of the ●…ollowing Sentences and the Admonition; to raise up and engage every Soul ●● Faith and Fervency in Prayer.  

Sentences.  
GOD is greatly to be fear●…d in 
Psal. 89. 7.  the Assemblies of his Saints, ●…nd to be had in Reverence by ●…ll that are about him.  
GOD is a righteous Judge, 
Psal. 7. 12,  ●…rong and patiented, and God is ●…ovoked every day.  
GOD will bring every work 
Eccl. 12. 14.  ●…nto Judgement; with every ●…ecret thing, whether it be good, ●…r whether it be evil.  
HE that hideth his Sins shall 
Pro. 28. 13.  ●…ot prospero: But he that confes●…eth and forsaketh them, shall have mercy.  
IF any man sinneth, we have 
1 Jo. 2. 1, 2.  an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for o●● Sin's.  
OH Come, let us worship, and 
Psalm 95. 6.  fall down, and kneel before th●… Lord our Maker.   
The Admonition before Prayer, to be read by the Steward (in the Directors Absence) if the●… time will permit.  
MY Brethrens, since our gracious God has promised to be present where two or three are gathered 
Mat. 18. 20.  together in his Name: Let us duly consider what an awful thing it is to draw nigh un-God; even to him, who is able 
Luke 12. 5.  to save or destroy us for ever: To him, who sees our very Hearts and secret Thoughts, and who hath struck some People dead in the place, when they sought 
Lev, 10. 2 2 Sa. 6. 7. Nu. 16. 35. 1 Sam. 6. 19  him not in the due order. As Nadab and Abihu, Vzzah, Corah, and many others.  
BUT we have a perfect and ●…cceptable High Priest, the Lord 
Heb. 7. 26.  ●…esus Christ, who will perfect ●…nd present our Petitions to his ●…ather, and our Father, if we de●…outly 
Jo, 20. 17.  and sincerely serve him. ●…nd through this new and living 
Heb. 10. 19  ●…ay we may approach to the ●…hrone of Grace with an hum●●e Boldness. Wherhfore let 〈◊〉 gird up the Loins of our ●…lind, and rouse up our drow●● Affections, and watch over 
Ja. 1. 6.  ●●r deceitful Hearts. Let us ●…ay in Faith, and in Charity; ●…ith Fervency and Humility; 
1 Ti. 2. 8.  ●…onsidering that our present and ●…uture Happiness depends upon our prevailing in Prayer. Let ●…s therefore beseech God to as●●st us in this great Duty with 
Rom. 8. 26.  ●…is Holy Spirit, and thereby to ●…elp our Infirmities; and that ●…e would graciously accept our ●…nworthy People and Performances through his Son JESUS CHRIST, whom he ●…ath ordained to be an High 
Heb. 7. 25.  Priest for ever, to make Intercession for u●… Amen.  Let us pray. Than all devoutly kneeling, they m●… join in this Confession of Sin. 
ALMIGHTY God Fathe●… of our Lord Jesus Christ; Make●… of all things; Judge of all Men: W●… acknowledge and bewail Our manifol●… Sins and Wickedness; which we fro●… time to time, Most Greivously hav●… committed, in Thought, Word & Deed Against thy Divine Majesty: Provokin●… most justly thy Wrath and Indignatio●… against us. We do earnestly desire t●… Repent; and to be hearty Sorry so these Our Misdoing. The Remem●…brance of them is Grievous to us, th●… Burden of them is intolerable. Hav●… Mercy upon us, Have Mercy upon us Most Merciful Father! For thy So●… Our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, forgiv●… us all that is past. And grant that we may ever hereafter, serve and please thee in newness of Life: To the ●…onor and Glory of thy Name, through ●…esus Christ our Lord Amen.  
OUR Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy Name: Thy King●…m come: Thy Will be done on Earth ●…it is in Heaven: Give us this day ●● daily Bread: And forgive us our respasses as we forgive them that trepass ●…gainst us: And lead us not into Tempta●…n; But deliver us from Evil: For, ●●ne is the Kingdom, The Power, and ●…e Glory, for Ever & Ever. Amen.  
Than the Steward alone may say,  
ALMIGHTY & everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made; and doth forgive the Sins of all them that are penitent: Vouchsafe to treat & make in us new and contrite Hearts, that we duly lamenting our Sins, and acknowledging our Wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all Mercy, perfect remisson and forgiveness, through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen.  Here may follow, the Collect for the d●… And such other Collects in the Co●…mon Prayer as may be suitable. Than all rising. Stew. 
Glory be to the Father, & ●…  All. 
As it was in the, etc.  Stew. 
Praise ye the Lord  All. 
The Lord's Name be praised.  Than the Steward may read the following Admonition to the Praise of Go●… before the singing of a Psalm, ●● time will permit. 
LET us consider, my Brethrens; what cause we have t●… 
Psa. 100 3.  praise God. He is the Autho●… of our Being; The Fountain o●… our Mercies: The God of ou●… Life and of our Salvation. O●… Praise the infinite Goodness o●… God, who made us little lowe●… 
Psa. 8. 5.  than the Angels in the State o●… our Creation; yea, who hath shown to us fallen men, more Compassion than to the fallen Angels; for they are reserved in everlasting Chains of Darkness, to the 
Judas. 6.  Judgement of the great Day; whilst we have the offers of e●…ernal Redemption. And it pleases God to fit men daily ●…or his nearer presence in the 
2 Cor. 5. 5.  work of Sanctification, whilst Devils are wholly given up to ●…eir malicious perverseness.  
LET us consider, That Man ●…as made by God to be the ●…outh of the dumb Creatures ●● the Praises of their Creator: ●…an is to be the High Priest of 
Psa. 104.  ●…e lower Creation to offer up a ●…ine Service for the whole Con●…egation of Sublunary Being's.  
LET us remember, That 
Psa. 57 8.  ●…an's Tongue is his Glory, a very ●…onderful and peculiar Gift of ●…od to men. Let us say there●…re with the Holy Psalmist, I 
Psa. 109. 30.  ●…ll greatly praise the Lord with ●…y mouth; yea, I will praise him ●…ong the Multitude.  
LET us observe, with what▪ cheerfulness the very Birds tun●… their pleasant Notes to the Praise of their Maker, after their Capacity. They have no Store-House nor Barn, and know not 
Matt. 6. 26.  where they shall found the next mouthful of meat; yet how pleasant are they! And how voided of mummurs or ●…ullenness.  
FINALLY, Let us consider that by praising God now, we▪ learn how to praise God in Heaven. This will be the Work and Happiness of that State of 
Rev 19 1.  Glory. Let us therefore joyn●… our sincere Praises in the Church below to those more perfect hallelujahs of the Saints above. It is said, Reu. 14. 3. That none could▪ learn their Song, but those that were redeemed from the Earth: From which we may note, that true Holiness is that which will ●…it us for the Songs of Heaven.  
LET us therefore now strai●… up our Affections to the highest▪ ●…itch; and so sing the Praises of God ●● Heart and Spirit, Psa. 148. 2. that Angels and Saints may join with us now, ●…nd we with them for evermore.  
Amen.  Than a Psalm may be sung; all standing up in this exalted part of divine Worship. Than may they repeat the Apostles Creed. 
●… Believe in God the Father Allmighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth: ●…nd in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy ●…host: Born of the Virgin Mary: Suf●…red under Pontius Pilate, was Cruci●…i●…d, dead and buried: He descended in●…o Hell: The third day he arose again from the dead: He ascended into Hea●…en, and sitteth on the right Hand of God the Father Almighty: From thence he shall come to judge the quick ●…nd the dead.  
I Believe in the Holy Ghost; The Holy Catholic Church: The Comm●…nion of Saints, The forgiveness of Sin●… The Resurrection of the Body, and th●… Li●…e everlasting. Amen.  All. 
Lord, we believe; help thou c●●Vnbelief.  Than all kneeling. After the Colle●…●●r Trinity Sunday; the Stewar●… may proceed in Prayer for the Society, which may also be used in a private Family. 
OH Most Holy and Blessed God Th●… Creator, Governor and Judge o●… all: Who hatest Falshood and Hypocrisy, and wilt not accept the Praye●… of feigned Lips: But hast promised to show Mercy to such as turn unto the●… by true Faith and Repentance. Vouchsafe we pray thee to created in us clea●… and upright Hearts, through an unfeigned Faith in thy Son our Saviour. To us indeed belongeth Shame and Confusion of Face: We are not worthy to lift up our eyes or voice towards Heaven▪ Our Natures are depraved, an●… ●…ur Ways have been perverse before ●…hee. O! Let not thy wrath arise against us jest we be consumed in a mo●…ent: But let thy merciful Bowels ●…earn over us; and vouchsafe to puri●● and pardon us through thine all-suffici●…nt Grace and Mercy in our Lord Jesus Christ. Since it hath pleased thee to of●…er him up as a Sacrifice for Sinners, ●…ouchsafe we beseech thee to cleanse ●…s from all Iniquity through his Blood. We believe that he is able to save to ●…he uttermost those that come to th●…e ●● him, and we do earnestly desire to ●…mbrace him as our Prince and Saviour; O! Give us Repentance and Remissi●…n of sin through his Name. All we like ●…heep have go astray, every one in ●…is own way: Good Lord, reduce us ●…nto thy Fold through this great Shepherd of Souls; and be pleased to lay o●● him ●…he Iniquity of us all.  
AND as we have much to be forgi●…en, be pleased to incline our hearts ●…o love thee much who forgivest Iniqui●…y, Transgression and Sin. Give us ●…hat Faith which worketh by Love, and such Love as will constrain us to ha●… regard to all thy Commandemen●… And make us to look carefully to a●…●…ur ways, that we may never again 〈◊〉 any thing whereby thy Holy Name ma●… be blasphemed, or thine Authority d●…●…pised.  
GIVE us the deepest Humility without which we can never be accepted of thee our in●…initely condescending God. Make us continually to tread in th●… Steps of our blessed Lord and Saviou●… being of a meek and quiet Spirit, always influenced by the highest Love o●… thee our God, and by the most charitable Dispositions towards all men.  
VOUCHSAFE to endue us with the saving Knowledge of Spiritual things▪ that we may receive all thy Truths, in the love of them, in all Patience, Purity, Justice, Temperance, Godliness and Brotherly-kindness; that we may adorn our Holy Profession, and resemble the divine Goodness of thee our Heavenly Father.  
AND since we are not only weak and frail, but corrupt and sinful: Vouchsafe, OH Lord, to keep us by the power of thine Holy Spirit, that we ●…all not from our avowed Steadfastness ●…n all Christian Duty. Preserve us from all the Sin and Vanity to which our Age, Condition, and Nature is prove, and to which the Devil and this World may at any time tempt us.  
Glorify, Good God, thy Strength in our weakness, thy grace in our pollution, & thy Mercy in our Salvation. May our holy Religion be grounded and settled in our Hearts; that out of the good Treasure of a gracious Heart, our Speech may be savoury, and our Conversation exemplary; and that we may be fruitful in all good works even to our old Age, and to our last day.  
FIT us we pray thee for every state of Life into which thy Providence shall cast us, prospero our lawful Undertake, preserve us Night and Day; and prepare us for a hopeful Death, and a blessed Eternity.  
BE pleased, we beseech thee, to bless all those Societies, who in truth apply their Hearts to thy Service and Glory: We pray thee be pleased to strengthen, ●…stablish and settle both them and us in thy Faith, Fear, and Love.  
LET nothing in this world discourage us from the pursuit of those holy purposes, which thy Spirit has at any time put into our Hearts and Minds. But make us all faithful to thee our avowed God, and our desired Portion, even unto death; that we at last (with thy whole Church) may be partakers, of that eternal Life and perfect Bliss, which thou hast promised, through Jesus Christ thy only begotten Son, our only Mediator and Redeemer. Amen.  

A General Intercession.  
ALMIGHTY God, whose Kingdom and Power is universal; Vouchsafe we pray thee to defend and prospero thy whole Church; and so dispose the Heart of thy Servant King William, that he may ever seek thy Honour and Glory. And grant to his whole Council, and to all in Authority under him, that they may truly and indifferently minister Justice to the suppressing of those Vices which reign amongst us, and to the reviving of true Religion and Concord. And grant that all our Bishops and Inferior Pastors may be effectually illuminated by the Knowledge of thy Word, that by their Holy Lives and Sound Doctrine they may convert many to Righteousness.  
AND to all the People of these three Nations be pleased to give thine Heavenly Grace, that they may live in thy Faith and Fear, in Obedience to Authority, and in godly Love towards each other.  
FINALLY, we commend to thy fatherly Goodness all those that are afflicted in Mind, Body or Estate, especially such as suffer for Righteousness fake. OH Lord relieve them according to their several necessities, give them patience under their Sufferings, and a happy Issue out of all their Afflictions; All which we beg in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.   

A Thanksgiving.  
OH Most merciful God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the inexhaustible Fountain of Goodness, we humbly praise thy Name for all thy mercies vouchsafed to us. We praise thee, that thou madest us reasonable Creatures; That we were born in a Christian Land; and that we were early brought into thy gracious Covenant. We bless thee for all the Advantages of our Education; for all the Benefits of good Examples, and of seasonable Counsel and Reproof. For all the Comfort we have had in any Relation, Friend or Enjoyment, and for the comfortable Use of all thy good Creatures.  
WE praise thee for all the Benefits of Affliction; for thy merciful Support in Trouble; and thy gracious Deliverances from any Evil.  
WE bless thy Name for our present Health, for our necessary food, for our peaceable habitations, and for that measure of outward things which thy Bounty hath dispensed to us.  
BUT above all, we bless and praise thy Name now, (and desire to magnify thy Name for ever) for our Redemption by the Blood of thy beloved Son; and that thou hast ordained means of eternal Life through him.  
WE praise thee for thy Covenant of Life and Peace; for thy Word and Sacraments; for the Operations of thine holy Spirit, and for any Evidence or hope of thy Favour towards us who are lesle than the lest of thy mercies.  
WE bless thee, Good God, for thy Patience towards us, or thy Calls to us, and for thy great Pity and Compassion to such unworthy Creatures.  
SET home, we beseech thee, a due and constant Sense of these and all thy Mercies upon all our hearts, and make us to live to the Praise of thee (the God of our Mercies) all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee, & the Holy Ghost, be all Blessing, Honour, Glory and Power ascribed by Angels and Men for evermore. Amen.   
Than all standing up, The following Exhortation to Humility may be read. 
MY Brethrens, since the Great God doth often assure us in his Holy Word; That he will resist 
Ja. 4. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 5.  the Proud, but give Grace to the Humble. Let us consider; that our Undertake, though never so good, will fail and come to naught, except we be truly and 
Luk. 14. 11.  deeply humble. Indeed it can not be otherwise, because the proud Person quits his Reliance on God, to rest in himself, which is to exchange a Rock for a Reed.  
ALAS! what are we, poor empty Nothings! yea, what is 
Gen. 32. 10.  worse, condemned perishing Sinners? We have perhaps Understanding now, but God can soon turn it into Madness. We 
Dan. 4. 32.  may have some Attainments in Grace, but spiritual Pride will whither all, and soon reduce us to a very profligate and wretched 
Isa. 66. 2.  state: Such as we have seen others tumble into, who have begun in the Spirit, and ended in the Flesh. What have we 
1 Cor. 4. 7.  that we have not received? And which, he that gave it, may not as soon take away?  
WE that are young in years, 
1 Tim. 3. 6.  and younger in Grace; are in danger of Self-conceit, and of being puffed up; which is a Quick Sand in which thousands have been swallowed up and perished. It is not in vain, that the Apostle requires; That 
Pro. 16. 18.  Youngmen be exhorted to be sober-minded, Tit. 2. 6. which he elsewhere explains, when he says; Let no man think of himself 
Isa. 14. 12, 13.  more highly than he aught to think, but to think soberly, Rom. 12. 3.  
BY pride the Angels fell 
1 Tim. 3. 6.  from Heaven: And if ever we climb up to those blessed Seats from which they are fallen, it must be by the gracious steps of Humility and Lowliness of Mind. Wherhfore let him that 
Luk. 18. 14.  thinketh he standeth, take heed jest he fall. Let us walk humbly 
1 Co. 10. 12.  with our God, and with all men; and ever have lowly Thoughts of our vile selves, and of our 
Rom. 11. 20.  poor Attainments, and of our defective Performances. And with St. Paul, (who was in nothing 
2 Cor. 12. 11.  behind the very chiefest Apostles) let us always say, I am Nothing.  
Let us therefore now sing to the Praise of God, to whom alone Praise is due.   
Here sing a Psalm: After which the Steward may say. 
IT is very meet and right, and our bounden Duty, that we should at all times, and in all Places, give thanks unto thee, OH most blessed and bountiful God, in whose hands our breath is, and from whom cometh our Salvation.  All. 
Therefore with Angels and Arch▪ Angels, and with all the Company of Heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious Name, evermore praising thee, and saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts! Heaven and Earth are full of thy Glory: Glory be to thee OH Lord most High. Amen.  Stew. 
May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God, and the Fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.  
At the Request of some under my Ministry, the following Prayers are added.  
And let it be noted, That the foregoing Forms of Prayer and Praise may be properly used in Private Families. And the prefaces to both may be usefully read in Families now and than, to excite zealous Affections, and an awful dread of God in our approaches to him.  
And to the end, That the daily Worship of God may be set and kept up in every Family. Let it never be forgotten, that the Spirit of God has denounced a most dreadful Curse upon all prayerless Families. Jer. 10. 25. Four out thy Fury upon the Heathen that know thee not, and upon the Families that call not upon thy Name.  
And, as I have often in my Sermons, so I here again solemnly charge those that own my Ministry, even in the Presence, and by the Authority of the Almighty God, that they pull not this denounced Curse upon themselves and Families. And I again mind them to read the word of God daily, and to Catechise their Children and Servants in a serious and effectual Manner: And that they Remember the Lords Day to keep it Holy; even the whole day, and that they suffer not their Children or Servants to pollute any part of it, or trifle it away by unnecessary worldly business or vain discourse, or diversion.  
These things are necessary to your Peace with God, and your dying in Hope.   

A Prayer for a Family in the Morning.  
OH Most Holy and Blessed God who fillest all places with thy Presence, and art a searcher of all Hearts: With ●…hee is Terrible Majesty to confounded ●…hine Enemies, but infinite Mercy to ●…uc●…or the humble & contrite Soul; we pray ●…hee meet us not at this time in thy just ●…engeance as a consuming Fire; but ●…e pleased to accept us graciously through ●…hy Mercy in our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our Hope.  
WE have indeed lived too long as without God in the World: We have wickedly followed our own corrupt Desires and Devices: And have not ●…uely owned thy Sovereignty and Do●…inion over us. We have broken our ●…ows, and stifled our Consciences, and ●…xceedingly defiled ourselves, and of●…ended thee, setting at naught the Pro●…ises and Threaten of thy Book, & hating to be reform. Lord, we lament our Impenitency, and Unbelief, and all the sinful first-fruits of our filthy & ungodly Hearts, Lips, and Lives. And we earnestly beseech thee, that thou wouldst not give us up to our own filthiness, and folly, and hardness of Heart: But that thou wouldst graciously reduce us into thy Fold & Favour, by the Power of thine Holy Spirit, and to accept and pardon us through the merit of our Lord Jesus Christ.  
AND, OH Lord, vouchsafe to cleanse and sanctify us in Soul and Body: And make us to glorify thy Name on Earth, and to do the work thou hast given us to do. Be pleased to subdue our Corruptions, and to mortify every inordinate Affection and unruly Passion: And make us entirely resigned to thy Will, and subservient to thy Praise, now and Ever.  
KEEP us, we beseech thee, from the Snares of worldly Pleasures and Enjoyments, and make us to set our Hearts on things above: And bring all the Powers of our Souls and Bodies' into a willing subjection to thy Rule and Government. And save us from all carnal Ignorance and Unbelief, and from all Ungodliness, and Sinful indulgence of the Flesh.  
VOUCHSAFE, Good God, to pity our weakness and imperfection: And to secure us in all our Temptations: And to support us in all our Sorrows & Afflictions: And grant us a happy end of all our Sorrows at last in thine eternal Kingdom.  
MAKE us ever mindful of the End for which we were made; and the chief work we have to do; and the uncertainty of this present Life; and affect us duly by the forethought of that unchangeable Eternity to which we are hastening.  
AND let thy Faith and Fear ever devil in our hearts; that it may be our continual Exercise to keep our Consciences voided of Offence both towards thee, our God, and towards all Men.  
SUFFER us not to spend the Day of our Salvation idly and unprofitably: But make us to work out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling, through thy grace and spirit: And make us to stand always upon our Watch; prepared for our Master's Call: That whensoever thou shall put an end to this mortal Life, it may be the beginning of a Blessed Immortality.  
VOUCHSAFE, OH Lord, to Bless all our Governors in Church and State; and grant that they may be thy Ministers to us for Good: And that we may never be guilty of any sinful disobedience towards them. And give to all the people of this Nation thy grace to live in Unity and Godly Love, and to further each others present and eternal welfare.  
BE pleased to bless all our Relations and Friends; and multiply thy mercies upon them in the Blessings of this and of the other World. And vouchsafe to succour all that lie under any Sorrow or Affliction, and be near unto them in all they call upon thee for.  
MANIFEST thine especial Love and Favour, we pray thee, to this Family: Vouchsafe to provide for us, and defend us by thy good providence. Preserve us from all Evil thro'out this day; prospero us in our lawful Affairs; let no variance nor ill-will prevail amongst us, but keep us in Peace and Christian Love to our life's end.  
FINALLY, We praise thy great and glorious Name for all thy mercies towards us. For the Rest and Safety of the last Night; for the renewed comforts of this present day, and all the good Providences of our past Life.  
MORE especially, for the means of grace, the motions of thy spirit, and for thy great patience & long-suffering suffering towards us. But above all, for the Merits and Mediation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who ever liveth to make Intercession for us; for whose sake we beseech thee to hear us, accept us, and pardon us; together with these our unworthy Praye●…s, in whose most holy Nameand Words we further pray:  
OUR Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed 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 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. Amen.   

A Prayer for a Family in the Evening.  
OH Eternal God Infinite in all Perfection, and worthy of all Praise! who wilt be glorified in or upon every Creature which thou hast made: It is meet, that with Fear and Trembling we consider thy holy and righteous Attributes, and our own polluted Natures and sinful Lives.  
OH Lord! we have sinfully forgotten thee our Creator in the days of our Youth; and vainly misspent our precious time in Sin and Folly. Alas! with what diligence have we served the Flesh, and the Devil, and this present World! and how little have we minded the Concerns of our Salvation and eternal Life! We have not glorified thee the God that madest us, and in whose hands our Breath is: But have lived as if we had been made only for this world, and to please ourselves.  
O! how justly mayest thou Snatch away our Breath from us, since we have so much abused it in idle and ●…ngodly speeches; and call us speedily into an other World, since we have so persumptuously built our Hopes of Happiness in this! And should this be thy Pleasure and our ●…ortion; OH Lord, how could we ap●…ear before thee in the Gild of Thousand of unpardoned Sins! or how ●…ould we endure to devil with ever●…asting Burn!  
BUT with thee, OH Blessed God, there is Infinite Mercy and plenteous Redemption. Thou so lovedst the world as to give thine only begot●…en Son, that whosoever believes on him should not perish, but have ever●…asting Life. Lord, we desire to be●…ieve on him, help us we pray thee against our Unbelief. Enable us to submit all the Powers of our Soul to him in his saving Offices, and grant that we may so believe on him, that we may obtain Eternal Life through his Name.  
BE pleased to take away all impurity and hypocrisy, all insensibleness and perverseness from us: And make us thy willing and obedient Servants for ever. We know, that without Holiness, none can enter into thy Kingdom: OH Lord, make us Holy through the effectual Regeneration and Sanctification of thine Holy Spirit: That we may love thee with all our Heart and Soul; and serve thee with all our Might and Strength. And may delight to do thy Will, and to deny ourselves for thy sake.  
AND since we have too long neglected that great Salvation which was purchased for us by the Blood of thy Son: A waken us, we pray thee, to improve the remaining space of our Days with all possible care, giving all diligence to make our calling and Election sure.  
ENABLE us to break lose from the Snares of this present World, and from all the sinful entanglements of the Flesh, and from the seducements of wicked and dissolute men: That we may run with speed that Race which thou hast set before us, and may persevere in it to the Death, that we may in the end attain everlasting Life.  
TO this end, make us habitually mindful of the shortness and uncertainty of this mortal Life, & the unprofitableness of all Earthly things in the hour of Death, and in the other World. And make us now to choose thy Favour as our chiefest Good, thy Son as our Prince and Saviour, and thy Kingdom as our Portion. And when our Souls shall be summoned to leave this earthly Tabernacle, vouchsafe, Good God, to receive us into those everlasting Mansions which our Blessed Saviour has Prepared for those that love Him.  
FOR whose sake, we Pray thee, Bless these three Nations with Plenty, Peace, and Safety, and with the Increase of all that's good. And sand Peace and Truth amongst all Nations.  
BE pleased to bless and direct all that are set in Authority over us; And gran●… that they may Govern us, and we obey them, in the Fear of thee our God. Vouchsa●…e to secure all that are objects of Misery, whether they labour under spiritual or temporal afflictions: And be pleased to administer to them as their Necessities of Soul or Body require.  
BE gracious to all our Relations and Friends, preserve them from all Evil, & bind up their Souls in the bundle of Life.  
BE more particularly gracious, we pray thee, to this Family, and to every particular person in it. Be pleased to devil with us, and rule over us. Preserve us in Peace and Safety; and let thy Spirit rule in every one of our Hearts, that we may faithfully discharge our respective Duties one to another, and may live in Christian Union and Peace. Vouchsafe, OH thou that never slumberest nor sleepest! to grant us thy Protection this Night: Give thine Holy Angels charge concerning us: Preserve us from danger by Fire, and Tempest; and from the violence of unreasonable men: And suffer no Evil to befall any of us, nor any Plague to come nigh our dwellings.  
AND for as much as we know not whether we shall see the light of another day, be pleased, Good God, now to seal to every Soul of us the Pardon of all our Sins through the Blood of the New Testament: That when we come to lie down upon our Death▪ Beds, we may rest in hope of a blessed Resurrection.  
FINALLY, we la●…d and magnify thine Holy Name, OH Lord, for thy goodness in our Creation, and daily Preservation: For our Health, Ease, Peace, Friends, Food, Raiment, Deliverances, & all the comforts of this present Life: And for all the means of attaining everlasting Happiness: For the price which our Ld. Jesus Christ has paid for our Redemption, for thy blessed Gospel, thine Holy Ordinances, and all the Motions of thy Good Spirit: Humbly imploring thy Grace, that we may so live to thy Praise here on Earth, that we may at last be joined with Glorified Saints & Holy Angels, to Praise thy Name for ever. All which we humbly beg for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, in whose prevailing Name, and comprehensive Words, we conclude our unworthy Prayers. Our Father, etc.   

A Prayer for a Person at Sea.  
OH INVISIBLE and Omnipresent God the Almighty Creator and absolute Governor of the whole World! Thou holdest the Winds in thy fist, and givest Laws to the Sea which it cannot pass. My whole dependence is on thee, from whom cometh my present safety, and my eternal Salvation. I humbly beseech thee, for the sake of Jesus Christ thy Son, that thy Grace and Mercy may be with me all my days.  
I have indeed dishonoured thy Name, despised thy Government, and broken thy Laws; I have often ind●…lged my sinful Lusts and wrathful Passions, contrary to my Vows and Covenant made with thee, and thy word revealed to us.  
BUT OH Lord, for Christ's sake, (who is our Passover, slain for the Salvation of Sinners) be merciful unto me, and pardon my Sins. Let not thy wrath cut me of in my pollution, as I have deserved; but let thy Mercy abound towards me for Ever.  
AND vouchsafe, OH Lord, to keep me by thy Grace from the Sins to which I am daily exposed by temptation, and my own sinful Heart. And let thy good Providence preserve me from the dangers wherewith I am encompassed.  
WE behold, OH Lord, thy Wonders in the deep: Wonders of thy Goodness, as well as of thy Wisdom and Power: OH Lord, give me Grace to admire and praise thine infinite Perfections; and grant that my Lips may never blaspheme thy Great and Glorious Name, nor ever curse Men who are made after thine Image and likeness.  
OUR times, OH Lord, are in thi●…e hand; how soon mightest thou make this Sea a Common Grave to us all? If but a Plank burst, or give way, or a Rock, or a Heap of Sand lie in our way, how oon shall we be swallowed up in the Deep, and be wa●…ted into our endless and unchangeable Estate?  
BUT thy good Providence is a sure Defence: I pray thee, vouchsafe it to me, and to all that Sail with me, in order to our continual direction and defence. And vouchsafe to carry us in safety to the place of our Habitation, and to preserve all our Relations and Friends in their several Dwellings, that we may behold each others Faces again with Comfort.  
AND fit us all for that Place of Rest and Peace which thou hast promised to thy faithful Servants, and give us thy Grace to make us meet for that eternal Inheritance amongst thy Saints, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, in whose Holy Name and Words we further pray. Our Father, etc.   

In a Storm.  
OH LORD our God the Father of Mercies, the God of all Power and Might! Who commandest the Winds and the Seas, and they obey thee. We, OH Lord, thy dependant Creatures, do sand up our Cry unto thee in our Distress. O! let the voice of our Prayers, and not the Cry of our Sins come before thee: Hear, we pray thee, the Intercession of thy Son for Sinners, and for his sake sand us Relief.  
THERE is no Power in the whole Creation to help us. Lord, Save us or we perish. Manifest, we pray thee, the greatness of thy Power in our Succour and Comfort, in the dark and deep Calamity wherewith we are distressed. The Winds and Waters know their Maker's Voice: And though they are now in their Rage, yet if thine Almighty Voice speaks the word, they will soon calm and be still. OH Lord, be pleased to arise for our Help▪ that we may live to speak of thy Mercy, and tell of all thy wondrous Works.  
AND, we pray thee, give us Grace that we may never forget nor abuse thy Mercy: But incline and enable us to live Holy, Righteous, & sober Lives, to the Praise of thee, our God, through Jesus Christ our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen, Amen.   

A Thanksgiving after a Storm.  
OH LORD! Thou art the God of our Mercies, and the God of our Praise. I humbly present unto thee, OH thou Preserver of Men! all possible Praise and Thankfulness for thy merciful ●…nd seasonable appearance for us in our late Distress. We said, We are cut of from the living, and all our earthly Hopes are withered away; but thy good Providence appeared for us, and the Hand of our God brought us Deliverance from the Jaws of Death. Good Lord, enable us to comply with the end of thy Patience and Bounty towards us, and make thy present Mercy to us an inviolable Band of future Obedience to thee, and an Earnest of thine everlasting Mercy to us, through Jesus Christ, our Blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen.   

A Thanksgiving when safely Arrived at any Port.  
OH INFINITELY Great and Good God by whose good Providence I am brought in safety to my desired Haven! I humbly ascribe the whole of my Preservation and Success to thy Conduct and Blessing. It is not in the Power of Man to preserve himself, or to prospero his best Endeavours: but it is by thy Goodness that we live, and in which we hope. OH Lord! give●… me thy Grace, that as I live by thee, I may live to thee, and may never more dishonour thy Name, or abuse thy Mercy; but may live such a Life of Praise to thee on Earth, as may be an introduction to that state of perfect Bliss and Glory above, where Holy Angels and Saints extol and praise thy Glorious Name for ever, through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen.   

A Prayer for a Young Person.  
MOST Glorious and Blessed God The Life of our Life, and the God of our Salvation! I look up unto thee, the Fountain of Goodness, (through the Lord Jesus Christ, whom thou hast ordained to be our Mediator) with humble Thankfulness for all the Mercies of this present Life, and for any Hope of everlasting Happiness.  
IT is of thy great goodness, that I was born in a Christian Land: And of thine infinite Mercy, that I was early brought into thy Covenant; thy Covenant of Life and Peace, through the blood of the New Testament.  
OH my God I desire to embrace the Engagements, as well as to enjoy the Blessings, of this thy gracious Covenant: Earnestly imploring thy Grace, that I may live suitably to my holy profession. That so I may never, never dishonour thine Holy Name; nor in any Thought, Word or Deed deny the Lord that bought me.  
SAND thine holy Spirit, I beseech thee, into my Soul: Vouchsafe to regenerate and make me born anew of the Holy Ghost: Baptise me, OH Lord, with that divine Fire which may at once consume my sinful Lusts, and en●…lame my soul with divine Love.  
LORD make me to know thee, & Jesus Christ whom thou ●…ast sent; Prepare my Soul to receive him sincerely in all his saving Offices; And make him effectually to me a Prince and a Saviour to give me Repentance and forgiveness of Sin. Through Him, OH Lord, forgive my natural Corruption, and heal my leaperous Soul. And for his sake, forgive all my actual Sins; all the transgressions of my Youth; my sins after Vows, contrary to Knowledge, and against thine infinite Goodness. OH Lord! for the sake of my Crucified Saviour, ●…e merciful to my Unrighteousness, and remember my iniquity not more.  
And that I may not more commit the same or other Offences. Vouchsafe, OH Lord, to keep me by thy Grace from every sinful way, and lead me in the way ever●…asting. Preserve me from the Pollutions of youthful Lusts; and harden me against the Solicitations and evil Examples of impudent and daring Sinners. Be pleased to show me the vileness of sensual Pleasures, the emptiness of worldly possessions, and the Folly of getting any thing on Earth by the loss of thy Favour. Bless me, OH Lord, with an early Conversion, with an unblameable Life, with a hopeful Death, and a blessed Eternity.  
Give me, Good God, thy Peace which passeth understanding; and so preserve me from the Corruptions of this world, that I may inherit the Glory of thine undefiled Kingdom.  
And whereas there are Legions of in●…ernal Powers who seek to hinder my entrance into that Rest; OH Lord, leave me not to their Malice, nor my own Frailty; but ever secure me with thine especial Grace and peculiar Providence; and make me as ready to help, and to forgive others, as to desire help and forgiveness of thee, my God.  
Make me to lead my Life in thy Fear, and in the sense of thy Favour, and to grow in Grace as I advance in years, ever mindful of my Creator, my Mortality, and my future Account. That living here to thy Glory, I may for ever praise thee in thy glorious Kingdom. through Jesus Christ, who is my Hope; to whom with thee, OH Father, and the eternal Spirit, One God, be all Honour and Glory ascribed by Angels and Men for evermore. Amen.    

 

  

   

ADVERTISEMENT.  
BY the Procurement of these Societies, the following Lectures are constantly preached at Five in the Evening, on the Lord's Days after mentioned. viz.  
On every first Lord's Day in the month. at St. Laurence Jewry, St. Clements Danes, St. Michael Woodstreet, St. Olaves Southwark.  
On the second Lord's Day in the Month, at St. Bride's Fleet-street, St. Alban Wood-street, St. Buttolph Aldgate.  
On the third Lord's Day in the Month, at St. Martin's in the Fields; at six in the Morning, St. Giles Cripplegate.  
On the last Lord's Day in the Month, at St. Giles Cripplegate, St. Marry White-chappel, St. John Wapping.  
Every Lord's Day, at St. Ann's near Alders-gate, at 5 in the Evening; with public Catechising.