General Heads of Examination.

O MY Soul, enter into the Confideration of thine own State; fearch thy Heart to the Bottom; ask thyself, "What thou haft done, how haft thou "carried thyself fince the Time thou waft

by Baptifm firft admitted into Covenant "with God, or fince thou didst last renew "that Covenant with him? How haft "thou behaved thyfelf with refpect to the "Duties thou oweft to God, thy Neighbour, and thyfelf?"

I. Of our Duty towards God.

HAVE I loved God before and above all other Things?

Have I received the Scriptures, not as the Word of Men; but as they are in Truth, the Word of God?

Have the Promifes and Threatenings therein prevailed with me, to govern myfelf according to the holy and admirable Precepts therein delivered?

Have I not profaned the holy and dreadful Name of God, by Perjury or unlawful Oaths, or by cuftomary Swearing or Curfing in my common Conversation?

Have I not irreverently mentioned the Name of God in my common Conversation?

Have I honoured him by a reverent Ufage of whatfoever Things or Persons belong to him, and are dedicated to his Honour and Service?

Have I religiously obferved the Day fet apart for his more immediate Worship, in keeping it holy, to thofe Ends for which it was appointed; by attending the pub lic Service of the Church; in reading and hearing his holy Word; in Prayer and Meditation, and good Difcourfe?

Have I fo little regarded this holy Day, as to spend it in travelling, and taking unneceffary Journies thereupon, fuch as I might as well have gone on any other Day?

Have I spent and fquandered it away in ufelefs and unneceffary Vifits, in Recreations, or in wicked and unprofitable Converfation, or in following the Works of my Cailing?

Have I trusted in God, and acknowledged my Dependence upon him only?

Have I every Day duly prayed to him, and praised him for his Mercies ?

And when I have done it at Church or at Home in my Family, or in fecret by myself, hath it been only out of Custom or with fuch a Senfe of God, and fuch Serioufnefs, Fervency, and Affection, as he requires?

Have I used fuch Confiderations beforehand, as might enable me rightly to perform the fame?

Have I laboured to form fuch Apprehenhons of God as are worthy of his adorable Majefty, and to furnish my Mind with ufeful and neceffary Knowledge?

Have I (notwithstanding the Means of Grace, and the Light of the Gofpel) fuffered myself to live in Ignorance of him, and my Duty?

Hath the Confideration of his infinite Power made me fearful to offend him?

Have I feared Man more than God, by committing Sin, to avoid Difgrace or any temporal Evil?

Have I prefumptuoufly hoped for Salvation, whilst I continued to live in the wilful Commiffion of one or more Sins?

Have I not been fo foolish as to put off

my

my Repentance, thereby rendering myself lefs able to fet about it?

Have I refigned myself, and all my Concerns to the all-wife and good Providence of God?

Have I endeavoured to bear his afflicting Hand with Patience and Humility; confidering that the greatest Sufferings I can undergo in this World, are much less than the Defert of my Sins? Or have I not murmured, or been impatient under any Trouble that has befallen me ?

Have I grown better by Afflictions?

Have I frequented the Holy Sacrament ? Or have I not staid away through causeless Prejudice, or feigned Excufes, being unwilling to part with my Sins?

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If I have come to the bleffed Sacrament, have I not received it without Repentance and a ftedfast Purpose to lead a new Life? without a firm and lively Faith, a hearty and thankful Remembrance of the Love of Chrift, in giving himfelf to be a Sacrifice for my Sins; and without a fincere and univerfal Love and Good-will to all Mankind?

Have I made it my Care to live fuitably to my facramental Profeflion, and folemn Engagements?

Have I endeavoured to affect my Heart with a lively Senfe of the multiplied Mercies of God to me, both temporal and spiritual?

Have I seriously confidered that amazing Inftance of the Love of Chrift, in redeeming me from the Bondage and Dominion of Sin, and the Tyranny of the Devil?

Do I depend upon the Merits and Satiffaction of Chrift, and hope for Acceptance with God, only through him, and not for any Merit of my own?

Have I as a weak Creature, depended upon the Light, Grace, and Affiftance of the Holy Spirit, to further my Endeavours to guide and ftrengthen me in all my Performances, and to direct and comfort me in all my Temptations, Difficulties, and Troubles?

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II. Of our Duty towards our Neighbour.

"O MY Soul, feriously confider thy paft Actions! How haft thou discharged thy Duty to thy Neighbour? Haft thou confidered, that in the Senfe of the Gof"pel, not only the Perfon who dwells near "thee, but every Man is thy Neighbour?"