by that ufual, but most fearful fin of swearing? of which, with fhame and forrow I confefs, my younger years were fadly guilty; fince when, time and experience having added more light to my mind, but thou (O Lord) especially more grace to my heart, when I would have left it, to my great grief I could not; and had not that thy faving and preventing grace reftrained my depraved nature, this fin had doubtless been a fad memorial to my grave: fuch is the power of fin once grown habitual, O let my forrowful confeffion be the readers ufeful inftruction, that thou mayeft have the glory, I the shame of my mis-doing.

Lord, I have often finned against thee, by my wretched violation of the truth, in envious detractions from the good of my neighbour, vain-glorious aggravations of mine own abilities, cenforious, taxations of my brethrens infirmities, indulgent diminutions of mine own iniquities.

I have often grieved thy good fpirit, by which thou haft fealed me up unto the day of redemption, by my vain and idle communications, by my rash and finful exprobations, by my weak and froward objurgations, to the great difhonor of thee my God, to the continual grief of thy faints, to the fad difturbance of myself.

All this (to my heart's grief) have I often done, and by all this I may now plainly fee, how much I have hitherto been the fervant of fin and fatan, how great an enemy to thy glory, and to the good of mine own foul: but now, Lord, by thine affiftance, my fpecial care shall henceforth be, to allow myself no liberty of fpeech, but what is aiming at eternity; if my heart be heavenly, my words will be gracious, my actions holy, mine end happy; and that all this may be fo indeed (by thy grace, Lord) I will obferve with carefulness, and conftancy, thefe following cautions.

1. Before I fpeak, I will confider, that I am in thy bleffed prefence, that what is once spoken can never be recalled, but is recorded for eternity.

2. That each idle word must be accounted for, and that my whole life hitherto hath been little elfe but vain and empty difcourfe, tending much to thy dishonor, the hurt of my neighbour, and (without mercy in Chrift) the deftruction of my own foul.

3. That there is no truer teftmony of a graceless heart, than a licentious tongue; that if I be not holy in my discourse, I can never be happy in mine actions.

4. That it is impoffible for thofe prayers to be pleafing to God, which are offered up with that finful member, that is fo fhamefully defiled with evil and corrupt communications amongst

men.

5. That if I make a mock at Christianity, by having only a form of godliness in mine outward actions, but denying the power thereof in my ufual converfation, God will one day pay me home, by fhewing me the richness of his sufferings, but denying me the benefits thereof, and the fweet enjoyments thereby.

6. That without holinefs no man fhall fee the Lord; and that fuch as is my common and most accustomed difcourfe in my life, I may well fear will be my laft, and most unfortable expreffion at my death.

7. Unto all this I will add the fhortnefs, mifery, and uncertainty of a finful life; the horror. and amazement of a wretched death; the extremity and eternity of torments after death. Lord, when my heart is thus guarded by thy grace, my lips L truft will be ever open to thy praise.

Blessed God,

IF thy holy angel durft not give railing accufations against the devil; if thy faints in patience poffefs their own fouls, and their speeches be feafoned with salt, administering grace to the hearts of the hearers; if thou the bleffed Saviour of the world, when thou wert reviled, reviledft not again, but as a lamb before the fhearers fo openedst thou not thy mouth, with what comfort can I now appear before thee, with what confidence expect a bleffing from thee?

With grief and forrow I confefs, that my heart hath ever been full of corruption, and naughtiness, my mouth full of cursing and bitterness, my daily difcourfe full of folly and uncleanness, the whole difcourfe of my life full of mifery and wickedness.

O that my head were water, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night (that I might mourn continually) for mine own and others fins.

Lord, purify my heart, and rectify my tongue, that both may be accepted of thee, and now and ever graciously directed by thee.

Lord, I acknowledge my faults, and my fin is ever before me. O let the forrowful remembrance

of my fins invite thee to a sweet remembrance of thy mercies, that thou mayeft have praife, and I the comfort of thy gracious pardon.

Lord, let my heart be inflamed with thy love, and my mouth filled with thy praife, that I may facrifice my foul unto thee, that I may fanctify my foul before thee, by devout thoughts, by gracious words, and godly actions, that so I may with joyfulness appear in thy fight, not only all the day long, but even all my life long, that thou, my God, mayeft be glorified, the faints delighted, and my finful foul eternally comforted.AMEN.