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My foul fhall more delight itself with the matter, than my ears with the melody of thy facred notes: church-mufic will be then truly fweet unto me, when mine outward joy is fubfervient to mine inward.

Man's finful weakness fhall not make me flight thy holy ordinances: if my paftor have failings, I will pity, and pray for him, but not defpife him. If I look into my own foul, I fhall there find work enough to repair mine own ruins. This, Lord, shall rather move me to extol thy mercy, in upholding mine own steps, to lament the fadness of my brother's mifery, Lord, let me never think myself better than another, because I know not how soon I may become worse.

I fhall willingly continue in that fold where thou haft placed me, and hope to remain there with comfort, till thou fhalt lead me out with safety. While I am at thy feeding, I am happy; one of thy morfels well digefted with humility and thankfulness, will yield me better nourishment than that other food of mine own finding. The very meaneft of thy minifters may afford me patience, and that heavenly grace, with thy bleffing to boot, is a great advantage. If I receive thy facred word with cheerfulness, with earneftness of heart, my obedience shall be accepted, my zeal rewarded.

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While I am within thy walls, I fhall account that gefture moft decent, that is moft humble, and those ceremonies most neceffary, that are moft fuitable to obedience; all matters of doctrine (which are neceffary to falvation) ought to be guided by the facred word, which is the only rule of faith; all matters of difcipline (which are neceffary only to obedience) are therefore left to the churches care; that as thou art one, fo thy church may be one in that blessed union of love, which is the bond of peace.

AND now, O Lord, if thou fhalt call me to a ftri&t account for all the misdemeanors in thy facred worship, with what confufion of face muft I needs appear before thee?

How many evil fuggeftions? how many idle imaginations? how many finful objects have I often entertained, to divert my thoughts from thy fervice.?

I have too often finned in abfenting thy house, but more often and more grievoufly in frequenting it, by coming carelessly and out of cuftom, by unbefeeming geftures, cold prayers, heartlefs hearing, prophane fcoffing, curious cenfuring, and even in the best of my performances, by ferving thee my God by halves; all this I heartily bewail, and earnestly defire thy pardon and forgiveness for it.

Lord, let this day's reft of my body, bring to my remembrance, that eternal rest of my foul; let me not now think mine own thoughts, fpeak mine own words, do mine own actions, but come before thee with a fanctified and humble foul, with a wounded and contrite fpirit.

Repel all evil fuggeftions, remove all idle imaginations, divert all finful objects, enlighten mine understanding, rectify my will, ftrengthen my memory, subdue mine affections, that I may rejoice in thy love, delight in thy law, long for thy prefence, rely on thy promise, thirst for thy grace, and be for ever bleffed in thy glory.AMEN.

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CHAP. VI.

UPON OUR RETURNING FROM GOD'S HOUSE, AND

LORD,

THE NEGLECT OF PRIVATE DUTIES.

HE that knoweth thee, will undoubtedly delight to ferve thee; if I call thy fabbath a delight, my thoughts in this day will be pure, my words gracious, mine actions holy. That foul which cannot joyfully familiarize itfelf with thee in this life, may well be fearful to be feen of thee in that to

come.

When I seriously confider what a rich favor I enjoy, how great a distance I am at from thee my God, how fweet a mercy thou affordeft me to speak unto thee, I cannot but confefs mine own unworthiness, if I regard not what I hear, if I rejoice not to recal thy bleffed words to my remembrance.

How dreadful was that voice that spake in thunder! and how fevere the words that then were spoken! how bleffed is this ftill mufic of the gospel! and how delightful to my wounded spirit! Lord let this raise my foul above the reach of earthly vanities, let this encourage me to heavenly cheerfulness, in heavenly duties, to be joyful in reading, fervent in prayer, frequent in meditation, conftant

in all. That knowledge will make woefully wife, which teacheth me to know, and not to do thy will. Meditation is the life of hearing. Practice the life of meditation, and a fincere heart the life of practice..

When I look into my life paft, I find it to be all fin; when I confider of my life prefent, I cannot but confess it to be all shame; I am still so far from growing better, that I am become much worie; this is that blessed day which concerneth my peace, if I embrace not this happy opportunity, I may juftly fear these gracious offers will be hid for ever. from mine eyes, each word, that I heard this day, is of weight; if I become not more holy by my heavenly improvements by it, I fhall certainly become finful by my careless neglecting of it. Thy work, O Lord, will have its end, and this end (either to my happiness or ruin) shall affuredly promote thy glory;: there is no vacuity in nature, with thee, the God of. nature, there can be none..

Think therefore, O my foul, that this day's in-) ftruction may be thy laft (as thou hopeft) for heaven, let it not pass thee without fome profit: confider seriously, how many millions of worlds one loft foul would give to be reftored to thy condition, that to-morrow thou mayest be as one of them, and then judge how great will be thy folly, how woeful}

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