infenfibly draw you on to another, and those Trifles will fo fix themfelves in your Imagination, that when you would get rid of them, you will not be able: Befides they who give themselves up to the reading of Romances and amorous Poetry, which generally infinuate the greatest Concupifcence under the Notion of Love, are frequently fo bewitched by them, that it takes up a great deal of their Time, and no Arguments can prevail upon them to quit fuch an unjuftifiable Practice.

VIII. EXAMINATION. Never go to Bed before you have called yourself to an Account for all the Actions of the past Day; nothing will contribute to your fpiritual Advancement more, than this Method seriously and impartially performed. The Seeds of Vice will hereby be hindered from taking any deep Root in your Heart, and evil Habits will never be able to prevail upon you, or to ftrengthen and fortify themfelves. Recollect as much as you can the Thoughts, Words and Actions, that have entertained you the Day paft, whether you have not had vain, unclean or revengeful Thoughts? Whether you have neglected to refift them? Whether you have voluntarily indulged them; or whether you have confented to them?

As to your Words: Whether you have been guilty of Evil-fpeaking, of paffionate and angry Expreffions, of any Falfhood in im

pofing upon others, of any immodeft or provoking Speeches? Profane Curfing and Swearing, are never practifed by Chriftians that take any Care of their Lives.

As to your Actions: Whether you offered your firft Thoughts to God when you awaked? Whether you performed the Duties of the Clofet and Family, and with what Attention and Fervour of Mind? Whether you attended the Church Prayers, if you had the Command of Time? Whether you have been diligent and juft in your Calling? Whether you have offered your ordinary Actions to God, with a Defign to pleafe him? Whether, during your Bufinefs, you have had short Afpirations towards Heaven? Whether you have faid Grace before and after your Meals? And whether Modefty and Temperance has always accompanied them? Whether, in converfing you have avoided Vanity, Detraction and Pride? and whether you have taken Care to govern your Paffions, and endeavour to make your Difcourfe ufeful and profitable? Whether your Diverfions have been moderate? Whether they have been the Occafion of your offending God? If you have received any particular Mercies, Whether you have been thankful? If you have had Leifure, how you have employed your Time? Whether in doing Good to others or im proving yourfelf, by reading practical Books of Religion? Now thus by recollecting the whole

whole Time, and the Manner of spending it, from our rifing till our going to Bed, to which Purpose, a very few Minutes before our Evening Devotions will fuffice, we shall very easily be enabled to answer the preceding Questions; fo that we may heartily beg God's Pardon for thofe Sins we have been guilty of, take firm Refolutions of avoiding them for the Time to come, and fhew ourfelves thankful for thofe Bleffings he has bestowed upon us.

IX. EVENING PRAYER. After After you have called yourself to an Account, and have examined yourfelf, it will be proper to offer up your Evening Sacrifice of Prayer and Praife. Be fure never to go into your Bed till you have reconciled yourself to God by hearty Repentance, and expreffed your Sorrow if you have offended Him; till you have implored the Continuance of his Grace, and have recommended yourfelf to his divine Protection. This is your beft Security against the Perils and Dangers of the Night; and who can tell, whether you shall awake again in this World! The fame Reasons that prevailed upon you to call your Family together to worthip God in the Morning, are equally as ftrong for the performing it in the Evening; nay, the Conveniency of doing it seems to be greater; for then the Family is not fo much difperfed, and

they

they cannot pretend at that Time any Bufinefs for their not attending. Some Helps to Family and Clofet Devotion fhall be annexed under the Head of the Means of Religion.

As God was first,

X. GOING TO SLEEP. fo let Him be the laft in your Thoughts, when you compofe yourfelf to reft. To this End, the Evening Hymn I recommend to the Charge of your Memory, will be of admirable Ufe; for when our Spirits are drowsy, they are not fo fit for Invention, but we shall easily run over what lies ready in our Memories. If you awake in the Night, the Darknefs and Solitude of it should difpofe you to Serioufnefs, and then it will be proper to repeat the Midnight Hymn; which will have this good Effect, at least, that it will prevent trifling, loose and impertinent Thoughts from crowding in upon you, and deliver many from thofe terrifying Imaginations which are apt to feize them, when they fuffer their Minds to rove upon all poffible Dangers.

XI. SUNDAYS, and other FESTIVAL DAYS. The Lord's Day is obferved among Chriftians in Memory of our Saviour's Refurrection; and we thould diftinguish it by our Devotions, as much as it is by the Bleffings we commemorate: You must be fure to keep it holy, by abftaining from the Works of your ordinary

ordinary Calling; which become criminal, when God challenges the feventh Part of your Time for his immediate Service: by not allowing yourself in any worldly Affair of Recreation, which may hinder your Attendance upon the Worship of God, or defeat thofe ends for which the Day was fet. apart for common Ufes.

You must not think it enough, not to profane it by common Ufes, but your Time muft be employed in all fuch religious Exercifes as tend to the Glory of God, and the Salvation of your own Soul. You must never omit frequenting the public Places of God's Worship upon this Day; nothing but Sicknefs or abfolute Neceffity fhould excuse you; for this was one End of its Appointment, that we might openly profefs ourfelves Christians; and all agree that Sunday is profaned by the Neglect of it.

When you are prefent in the Church you muft take Care to behave yourself with all outward Decency, and to conform yourself to the Rules of the Church; by ftanding, fitting, and kneeling, as is enjoined; and you must ufe all thefe different Poftures with fuch Gravity and Serioufnefs, as may demonftrate how intent you are when engaged in God's peculiar Service, and yet without fuch Affectations and Particularities as are apt to disturb thofe that are near you, and may give Occafion to others to fufpect you as acting a

formal,