the Honour of thy Name, the Credit of my Christian Profession, and the Peace and Comfort of my Soul, here and hereafter, in the Day of the Lord.

If you have offended by sinful Thoughts, say,

O ETERNAL SPIRIT, be present with my Spirit, that I may never quench the holy Thoughts thou dost at any Time kindle in my Breast. Create in me a clean Heart; Lord, say to my Sin-defiled Soul, as thou didst to the Leper, I will, be thou clean. Happy is that Breast which is honoured with so glorious, so divine a Guest. O come, thou Purger of inward Pollutions, and burn up all the Dross of my sinful Affections; guide and comfort me with thy holy Inspirations, that my whole Spirit, Soul, and Body, may be preserved blameless unto the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

If your Words have not been blameless, express your Sorrow thus:

WOE, 'woe unto me, that I have opened my Ears to the light, vain, and sinful Discourse of wicked Men. O Lord, lay not to my Charge the innumerable Slips and Transgressions of my Tongue: and let no corrupt Commu

nication

nication henceforth proceed out of my Mouth. I know that for every idle Word that Men shall speak, they shall give an they shall give an Account at the Day of Judgment. Õ therefore give me Grace, that hereafter I may take Heed to my Ways; that I offend not with my Tongue; but use my Speech to instruct my Neighbour, to soften the Pains of the Afflicted, and to shew forth my Maker's Praise, then shall it be my sweet Employment, with Angels and ArchAngels, and all the Company of Heaven, to laud and magnify thy glorious Name for ever and ever.

Condemn your sinful Deeds thus:

I AM grieved, O my God, I am grieved that I, the Work of thy Hands, have dared to sin against thee, my Father, my Maker, and my Judge; I humble myself, before thee, O Almighty God, for all the unrighteous Actions of my Life, wherein I have grievously offended thee, either this Day, or at any other Time.

For these, and for all those other Sins, O most righteous Lord, which either mine own Heart, or thou who knowest better than mine Heart, seest me to be guilty of, I am sorry at my very Soul, and here humbly confess them before thee, with

Shame

Shame and a broken Spirit, and with steadfast Resolutions by thy Grace, to watch and strive against them for the Time to come. Where I have wickedly broken thy Statutes, my Study shall be religiously to keep them. And where I have done Wrong to any Person, I am ready and willing, according to the utmost of my Power, to repair the same. Lord, I repent, increase my Repentance, and pardon me, a poor returning Sinner, for Jesus Christ his Sake.

After this, you may innocently recreate your wearied Spirits; and in the Evening, a little before you go to Bed, take a view of your Actious the Day past; consider what Good you have done, what Snares you have avoided, what Mercies you have received. Learn that safe and easy Method of judging yourself, that you may not be condemned by God. Every Night sit as an impartial Judge upon yourself, and carefully examine the Thoughts, Words and Actions of the past Day. And first, examine your Thoughts. Say, have I in my Mind bee contriving Ways to gratify my Revenge, or fulfil the Lust of the Flesh? Have I entertained blasphemous Thoughts of God? Any Illwill against my Neighbour? Have 1 endeavoured to keep off evil Thoughts of all Kinds, and not consent unto them? Secoudly, look to your Words. Scripture says, By thy Words thou shalt be justified; and by thy Words thou shalt be condemned. Though the Tongue be called an unruly Member, yet you must answer for not governing it.. Ask your Heart thenHave I been guilty of speaking against God, his Providence against my Parents, or Governors in Church or State? Have I in my Passion uttered injurious Words? Have I been guilty of profane Swearing or

4

The

Cursing?

Cursing? Have I given false Evidence, or shamefully concealed the Truth to the Hurt of my Brother? Have any obscene Words, such as may debauch innocent Minds, proceeded out of my Mouth? Thirdly, see what your Actions have been. Did I this Morning dedicate my Soul and Body to God? Have I diligenly I followed the Business of my Calling? Have I been sober in the Use of God's Creatures, and thankful for all his Mercies? Let this be your constant Practice at Night. Commune with your Heart in your Chamber, and be still. Implore the Divine Forgiveness for all that is past, and devoutly pray to God for his Grace, to keep you from all Sin and Wickedness for the 'Fime What can contribute to your spiritual Advancement more than this Practice? The Seeds of Vice hereby will be hindered from taking deep Root in your Heart, and evil Habits cannot get Strength. If you thus, once a Day, seriously inquire into the State of your Soul, and let not the Sun go down on any unrepented Sin, you may sweetly lay down your wearied. Head to sleep, and God, who hath dealt with you all the Day, will watch over you all the Night, giving you such convenient Refreshment as the Neces. sities of your frail Nature want. Then beg Protection. from Heaven, for your Soul, your Body, your Relations and Friends, by

to come.

EVENING PRAYER.

ETERNAL and Almighty God, I a wretched Sinner, the sinful Offspring of our disobedient first Parents, humbly prostrate my Soul and Body before the Throne of thy adorable Majesty, to condemn myself with true and hearty Sorrow

for

for all the Sins of my Life, especially for those I have committed this Day, by Thought, Word, and Deed, [Here stop a little, consider, and name what you have done amiss] provoking most justly thy Wrath and Indignation against me. I confess them all with Shame and Confusion of Face before thee, humbly beseeching thee to have Compassion upon me: And according to the Multitude of thy tender Mercies, to blot out my many and great Transgressions. Forgive my Sins, O Lord, of what Kind or Degree soever they be. My Sins of Omission, and my Sins of Commission; [Here stop awhile, and name what they have been] the Sins of my Soul, and the Sins of my Body; my Sins of Ignorance or Surprize; and my more deliberate and presumptuous Sins: forgive them, O Lord, forgive them all, for his Sake who died for my Sins, and rose again for my Justification, and now sits at thy Right-hand to make Intercession for me, Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Vouchsafe me, O Lord, the Assistance of thy Holy Spirit, that I may continually be given to all good Works; and with a pure Heart and Mind follow thee, the only God; and so among the sundry and manifold Changes of the World, my Heart

may