fure as is fuitable to my Christian Profes fion?

Have I been guilty of any Excess in Eating, or Drinking, or Sleep?

What Mercies have I received? How thankful have I been, and am I, for them? What Temptations have I refifted?

What Ground have I got of the Sin that doth most easily befet me?

How have I governed my Passions ? Have I not been too eafily provoked by little Accidents which daily happen?

What Opportunities have I had of doing Good? and how have I improved them?

What Opportunities have I had of difcouraging Evil, and how have I opposed it?

6

To these Questions, you may add fuch others as you find useful. If you recol•lect the whole Time of the Day from your rifing (for which a few Minutes be⚫fore your Evening Devotions will fuffice) 6 you will very easily be enabled to answer the preceding Queftions; and when you have done this, you must heartily beg • God's Pardon for any Sins you have been guilty of, and fhew yourself thankful for those Bleffings, refpecting either this or

6

⚫ another

another Life, which he hath bestowed on you.

Some have written down the Sins they have been guilty of, that they might again • humble themselves at the Time of their ⚫ more folemn Humiliation; which may be • farther useful: for by comparing one Time ⚫ with another, you will better discern the • Amendment of your Life, and Growth in Christian Virtue; but of the Usefulness and Expediency of this Method, every • Perfon is left to judge for himself!'

A Prayer for Sunday Evening.

O

MOST Great, moft Glorious, and Eternal God! Thou art the Sovereign Lord of Heaven and Earth; in whom we live, and move, and have our Being, and from whom are derived all the Comforts and Conveniences of this Life, and all our Hopes and Expectations of a better.

With what Awfulness and Humility, with what Fear and Reverence, ought I to appear before thee, when I confider the Greatness of thy Majefty,and the Purity of thy divine Nature; that thou haft no Pleafure in Wickednefs, but hatest all the Workers

Workers of Iniquity, and that fuch as be foolifh fhall not ftand in thy Sight.

O Lord! I acknowledge that I am not worthy to come into thy Prefence, nor to lift up my Eyes towards the Throne of thy Mercy-feat. My Sins and Tranfgreffions are many, and divers of them have been often repeated; the Corruption of my Heart, and the Sinfuluefs of my Thoughts are perfectly known to thee; and the Punishment due unto my Sins, is greater than I am able to bear.

I confefs, O Lord, that I have not loved thee with that Sincerity, nor ferved thee with that Faithfulness that I ought to have done. The Interests of this Life have been fo much my Care and Concern, as to make me negligent and remifs in the great and important Work of my Salvation.

How many Duties have I omitted, or performed with Coldnefs and Indevotion! How often have I been a Hearer of thy Word only, and not a Doer! How often, both in publick and private, have I prayed, when my Heart has been far from thee? This very Day, O Lord, thou haft given me an Opportunity of ferving Thee in thy House; but alas! my Services there have been accompanied with fo many Failings, fo

fo many Imperfections, that I have just Caufe to humble myself before Thee.

O Lord! if thou fhouldft deal with me as I have deserved, how juftly mayeft thou deprive me of all thofe Means of Grace, and Opportunities of working out my Salvation, which thou haft hitherto vouchfafed me! But, O merciful Father! Thou haft declared thyfelf to be a God merciful and gracious, forgiving Iniquity, Tranfgreffion, and Sin. My only Hope, therefore, is in thy tender Mercies, which have been ever of old; and in that Pity and Compaffion, which Thou haft fhewn to Mankind in the Redemption of the World, by the Death of thy dear Son. For thy Name's Sake then, O Lord, and for thy beloved Son's Sake, pardon, I most humbly beseech Thee, all my past Sins, and let not Iniquity be my Ruin. Forgive the Deadnefs of my Devotion; the Coldness of Affections; the Wanderings of my Prayers; and whatever else Thou haft feen amifs in me. O pity iny Weakneffes, and forgive my Infirmities, and lay not to my Charge the Imperfections of my religious Duties.

my

Enable me, O Lord, by the Affiftance of thy good Spirit, to amend whatever has en amifs, and to endeavour more and

more

more after the Attainment of all thofe Graces and good Difpofitions which are neceffary to render our Prayers and Praifes acceptable in thy Sight. B 5

Olet me never fall into a careless and unconcerned State of Mind; into a Coldnefs and Indifferency towards the Duties of Religion; but animate and enliven my fluggifh Heart, and cleanfe it from all its De filements: O! replenish my Soul with the Graces of thy Holy Spirit; that I may become vigorous and active in thy Service,. and fruitful in every good Work.

Give me, O Lord, fuch a lively Senfe and Conviction of the Shortnefs and Uncertainty of this Life, and of the momentous Concerns of Eternity, that I may not be fo foolish, as to waste my precious, Time in an eager Purfuit after the Things of this World; but grant that I may employ it in fuch a Manner as may beft promote Thy Honour and Glory, and fet forward mine own Salvation. O make me fo wife, as to fee, and know, and follow the Things that make for my Peace, left they be hid from mine Eyes, and all Opportunities of reconciling myfelf to thee, my offended God, be far from me.

E

Let