Alas my foul! these are delusions to betray thee to a greater mischief. As there are degrees of fanctification, so there are of pollution; no man becometh evil in an inftant! from-hence it is, that fometime the foul can start even at the very thought of that fin, which by degrees it can digest without disturbance. If holy David had accounted with his conscience, after his luftful looks on Bathsheba, doubtless those fearful fins of his, had never been commited. O, let not any vain pretences deter thee from this tefk, but the bleffed benefits allure thee; if the entrance be harsh, the progrefs will be fafe, the continuance sweet, the end happy.

By this enquiry, thou fhalt fee thy fins (those great disturbers of thy peace,) arraigned, convicted, condemned, and by the mercy of thy Saviour daily dying in thee; fatan repulsed, the gifts and graces of God's holy spirit ftrengthened, thy mourning comforted, thine infirmities fuftained, thy confcience quieted, thy rejoicings exalted, the holy angels delighted, and thy heavenly Father well pleased. O how truly bleffed are thefe enjoyments! what foul can be now fad in this enquiry?

Lord, I now folemnly refolve upon this fafe, this sweet, this bleffed tafk; I willingly abandon all excuses that may hinder me, and joyfully embrace those happy duties which invite me nearer to thy heavenly presence; thy yoke is eafy, and thy bur

den light, when thy grace hath redeemed me from the bondage of fin, and restored me into the glorious liberty of thy children; I fhall then find (to my foul's comfor) that thy fervice is perfect freedom, from fin, from fhame, from death, from hell; from all miferies here, from all torments hereafter.

Be wary therefore, O my foul, and careful to remove all letts that may disable thee, but those especially that turn me from a christian to a beast. Satan hath many ways to cozen me; when he cannot beguile my judgment, he will betray mine affections, and lead thee by a feeming good, in friendly fociety, to a real evil in excefs; and fo when he cannot corrupt my intentions, he will undoubtedly divert mine actions, as well knowing it is impoffible for him. to be devout, who is not temperate.

Lord, by how much fatan is more powerful and malicious, by so much make me more wife and circumfpect, that my intentions may be good, my words gracious, my actions virtuous, my life holy, my death happy.

Blessed God,

HOW large a portion of my little time have I bestowed on fin? how eager have I been of it? how negligent in asking pardon for it ?

L

Lord pardon my unmindfulness of holy duties; make me more watchful for the time to come, that I may conftantly refolve upon amendment of my evil ways, and willingly endure thy fatherly afflictions for them.

Forgive those finful hours that have unfitted me for thy fervice; suffer me not, O Lord, to wander in the ways of wickedness, and when at any time the frailty of my wretched flefh fhell tempt me to exceed thofe bleffed bounds which thou haft set me, O let thy faving grace reftrain me; let not this fimple freedom captivate my precious foul, to thy difhonor, and mine own deserved fhame; but let thy glading fpirit be my joyful comfort, to refresh me in life, and protect me in death.

Make me more zealous, more intent upon the ways of godlinefs; Lord fuffer not my pious refolutions to abate with any outward obftacles; let me not lean upon these broken reeds, but reft on thee, the rock of my defence and fafety.

Make me content to leave these earthly vanities for thy fake, who were willing to forego thy heavenly throne for mine; though frailty of my nature hath too often led me into the bondage of fin, yet let the freedom of thy grace now guide me into the footsteps of forrow, that this bleffed forrow may be turned into joy, and that this joy the world may not take from me.

Lord open mine eyes, that I may fee the bleffedness of goodness, the perfect freedom of the service, the glorious liberty of thy children; fo fhall I willingly submit to thy commands, and joyfully partake of thy rewards.

Bleffed God, with humbleness of foul, I offer up myself unto thee; Lord Jefus accept of me, and› fo affift me with thy grace, that I may wholly dedicate myself to thy glory.AMEN.

CHAP. XXIII.

UPON UNCHRISTIAN-LIKE DULNESS IN

AFFLICTION.

LORD,

I CANNOT live without croffes, unless I can live wthout fin; when they come, therefore I will bid them welcome for thy fake, from whom they are fent; not one of them can afflict me without thy leave, who haft directed their courfe, limited their power; let me not repine at that which I have juftly deserved; let me rather rejoice, that thou vouchafeft me this favor; if I was not thy child, I should not be under thy rod; if thou Lord didit not love me, thou wouldst not scourge me; no outward thing can fo well affure me of thy favor, as the fellowship of thy fufferings; for if I fuffer with thee, I fhalí affuredly be glorified together with thee.

Holy David was in trouble, and it was good for him: O let not that which was good for him, be evilfor me. Lord, if thy phyfic be bitter, yet it is wholesome; if it make me heart-fick now, it will make me healthful hereafter; if I disturb it not by mine impatience, it will work in me the quiet, and the happy fruits of true repentance, and amendment