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fort of Abfolution, and a perfect Remiffion of all my Sins ; and to bring me unto Life everlafting, through Jefus Chrift. A

men.

T

L

HE Sick Person having thus made an Humble Confeffion, of his Sins; and moft earnefly begged Pardon, for the fake of Jefus Christ : Let him then make faithful Promifes, and firm Refolutions, That if God shall please to continue his Life, and reftore him to his Health,, he will amend and reform thofe wicked Practices; of which, upon a ftrict Examination, he doth acknowledge himself to be guilty; and for which he doth now, with the deepeft Sorrow, Condemn himfelf.

O

A Penitential Vow.

My Great and Glorious From God, I who am less than BP. Duppa. the Grain of Duft that hangs upon the Balance, profefs ferioufly, and with the remorfe of a wounded Spirit, that I am afhamed and confounded within my felf, that I have fo many ways finned against fo good a God, fo gracious a Father.

But what is past I cannot recall; tho' thy Mercy may for give: And I hope will forgive.

But for the time to come, I call all thy holy Angels to witnefs; that I this Day, this very Hour, facrifice my felf wholly to Thee refolving to break off from all finful Courfes, and fully purposing never to offend thee

more..

But

But because thou knowest my Failings, and my Weakness is not hid from thee; I beg of thee, O my God, to fhew thy ftrength in my weakness; and to confirm my infirm Mind in this holy Refolution.

That fo never repenting of this Repentance, nor wavering in thefe Purposes, which I have now by thy Grace fo deliberately made; I may go on confiantly in a pure and holy Life; till in the end of my Days I come to everlasting Joys, which thou haft prepared for them that love thee, through Jefus Chrift my Lord. Amen.

H

Aving proceeded thus far What can further be done by the Sick Perfon, to fatisfy Himself and Others of the Sincerity of his Repentance?

Indeed, as I hinted before, the fureft Evidence of the Truth and

Sincerity of Repentance, is Reformation and Amendment of Life. When a Man doth ceafe to do Evil; and doth no more allow himfelf in thofe wicked Practices, which he formerly indulged; then we truly fay, He doth Repent.

But to deal faithfully with the Dying Perfon, this Restraint from Sin is to be understood, with refpect to the time of his former Health and Vigour; and not to the prefent Confinement of a Sick Bed.

For whatever his Practice may have been in the former time of his Health, his prefent Weakness doth fufficiently convince him; That however his Inclination to fome Sins may continue, yet now that he is confined to a Sick Bed, he hath neither Ability nor Opportunity to commit them.

What the former Paffages of his Life have been; and how far in the time of his Health, he did amend

amend and reform, we must leave to God, and his own Soul. My present Design doth direct me to Examine; What is now to be done further by a Sick and Dying Perfon, to evidence the Truth and Sincerity of his Repentance.

And herein I fhall obferve the Direction of the Church of England.

In the Rubrick of the Order for the Vifitation of the Sick, The Minifter is to Examine ; Whether the Sick Perfon do Repent him truly of his Sins?

And as an Evidence of the Truth of his Repentance, he is to Admonish him, to be in Charity with all the World. And is then further to exhort him; ta express this Charity in the following Particulars.

1. In Forgiving from the Bottom of his Heart all Perfons that have Offended him.

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