The General Thanksgiving. Minifter. LORD God, our heavenly Father, we, thine unworthy fervants, praise thee for every instance of thy goodness and loving kindness, to us and to all men. We thank thee for bringing us into existence; for enduing us with the powers of reason, and forming us for future happiness. We adore thee for that watchful providence by which our lives have been preserved, that by thee we have been defended amidst all those evils and dangers which we could neither forefee nor prevent, and that we are permitted at this time to join together in focial worship. We acknowledge ourselves indebted to thy goodness for all the advantages we have enjoyed in youth or in riper years; for the provisions thou haft made for the fupply of our various wants; for the advantages of fociety and friendship, and for every circumftance which has contributed to the comfort of our lives. People. Bleffed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits; even the God of our falvation. Minifter. Above all, we blefs thy name for thy grace and mercy, in the redemption of mankind, by our Lord Jefus Christ. We thank thee for the perfect pattern of piety and virtue which he hath fet before us; for the excellent precepts which he delivered; for the full and animating affurance which he hath given us of life and immortality ; and for the promised aid of thy holy Spirit to all those who fincerely endeavour to do thy will. We praise thee that he confirmed the truth of his religion by his death and refurrection; that he is now exalted at thy right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, and that he will come again the fecond time to judge the world in righteousness, and to be glorified in all them who believe. People. People. We praife thee, O Lord, for the means of grace, and the hope of glory through Jefus Christ. Let the Minifter read the Second Lesson, taken out of the New Teftament; after which a Pfalm or Hymn may be fung, and then the Service to proceed as follows: Minifter. DEARLY beloved brethren, the God whom we worship is a being of unspotted purity; but we are imperfect and finful creatures, and have rendered ourselves liable to his juft difpleasure. It becomes us therefore humbly to confefs our fins before almighty God. The General Confeffion; the People kneeling. IN the multitude of thy mercies, hear us, heavenly Father! thy degenerate and guilty creatures. With humble and penitent hearts, we confefs our manifold tranfgreffions of thy holy commandments. We have made thee ungrateful returns for all thy favours. We have not rightly improved our religious privileges. Be not ftrict to mark our fins, nor severe to punish them. Our truft is in thy mercy; in thy mercy haft thou encouraged us to hope. Pardon us, thy penitent children, according to the abundant goodnefs of thy nature, and the gracious declarations of thy word. Grant us, we beseech thee, the aids of thy Spirit, that we may forsake our fins, and serve and please thee in newness of life, to the glory of thy holy name. Amen. Then let the Minister read the following Prayers, the People ftill kneeling. MERCIFUL God, the father of lights, and the giver of every good gift, enlighten our minds, we beseech thee, with the knowledge of thy truth: may it fink deep into our hearts, regulate our affections, and influence our conduct. May thy grace and mercy to mankind, by Jefus Chrift, excite us to due returns of love and obedience. Forgetting thofe things which are behind, and reaching forth to those which are before, may we prefs towards the mark for the prize of the high-calling of God in Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. ASSIST us, gracious God, in the discharge of all focial and relative duties. May we be honest in our dealings, fincere in our profeffions, and faithful to our engagements. Inspire us with the pure and benevolent spirit of thy gofpel. May we delight in doing good, be ready to relieve the poor, and to fhew compaffion to all who are in diftrefs. Difpofe us to be grateful to our friends and benefactors; freely to forgive our enemies, and always to do unto others as we would they fhould do unto us. Amen. PROFESSING ourselves the difciples of Jefus Chrift, may we endeavour to imitate his pure and holy example. By thine affiftance, O moft merciful Father, and the hope of that life and immortality which he hath brought to light, may our virtue be fupported, E 4 |