A Rational Method OF Daily RELIGION: Consisting of Four New Offices of Ordinary Devotion; AND A Practical Directory Concerning the Reasonableness and Use of them.  
By a Divine of the Church of England.  
LONDON: Printed for percival Gilbourne, at the George in Chancery-Lane, near Fleetstreet. 1697.   

TO THE READER.  
CHRISTIAN READER,  
THE DIRECTORY discharging the part both of Preface and Commentary; the only favour I have now to desire of thee is to peruse the whole, or none at all; since both parts of the Book have a necessary dependence one upon the other.  
I have ventured to publish this small part of the whole Work (if I do not flatter myself) fo● swaying Reasons; by itself, fo● a Trial of the World's reception of the Design; and sooner than ● once intended, in obedience to ● particular Motion of Divine Providence.  
Whilst I was composing it my great Master's Honour was al● along in my Eye, and it has been, and still is my own earnest Request to God, that his Spiri● might breathe kindly on my Attempt; and I hope too it has been the Request of many others, who if their visible Demeanour be the Transcript of their Hearts, can't but reasonably be supposed to have Interest at the Court of Heaven.  
Nevertheless I am no stranger to the Bias of the Age, or the Magic of old plausible popular Titles, and admired Names, or the Moral Necessity of the co-operation of free Agents, with even the immediate good Motions of God's Spirit, before they can attain their End; much more, with external succours that are tendered by sinful Creatures, in order to make God's Blessing on a work of this Nature truly complete, by its proving thoroughly effectual with those who use it. And therefore, though the honest measures I have taken in this Undertaking encourages me to hope for success, with Souls; yet, at the same time I have took care to be prepared aforehand for a defeat. My best (though weak) endeavour is my part; Success and Disappointment, Honour and Dishonour are of God's disposal, and either of them in this World, should be cheerfully submitted to by a Christian.  
The truth of it is, some Assaults must be expected from the Grand Adversary of Mankind, whatever be the Event of this Assay. But that God, whom I serve and trust in, is both mighty and good, and will not suffer a poor Christian that flies to him for Succour to be the Caitiff, either of Vanity, or Despondence; or his good intention to miss of its Aim, with respect to himself, if he does not neglect other Branches of Duty, and Perseveres in a Course of entire Fidelity to Christ unto the End, remembering that the proper Rewards of a Christian are not those of this State, but such as will abundantly recompense the cheerful patience of a short Life.  
If in some places the stubbornness of the Subject, or haste in the Composure of the expressive parts of the Directory (for to deal justly by the matter; that has been well studied) has occasioned me to be tedious, and rough in my Sentences: I now desire thee to take first a rough View of the whole Chapter you are reading, and always not to read the Parentheses, if they be so noted by these Marks () till you have read to a full Period.  
By this means upon a second reading over the Chapter, the most illiterate Reader may understand it, and so digest it the better: so also if a hard word occur, that's taken out of another, Language, because more expressive than any in ours; the Connection, if a Man be attended will explain it.  
The parts unfinished are,  
I. Large penitential Offices of solemn Repentance framed according to St. Paul's Apostolical Model of the several Gradations of Repentance.  
II. Large Prose, Eucharistical Offices in Honour to the several Attributes of God, and for the most signal Works and Providences of God with others suited to the most remarkable Feasts of the Church.  
III. Variety of occasional Offices for Sabbaths, New-Tears-Birth-Baptism-Ordination-Wedding, & Anniversary Fast-Days, and Days of Mourning for the Dead, with Prayers proper to be used at Visitations of the Sick, and the like, with an ejaculatory Office.  
iv A large gratulatory Office with Triumphs of Faith, Hope and Charity by way of Anticipation of the Beatific Vision, and Everlasting Jubilee, as also large intercessive Offices adapted to most possible Relations and Stations of a Christian in this Life.  
V A large Deetical Office of Vigilance, Deprecations and Petitions for Graces.  
VI A large Office of Abstraction adapted to the different and inmost Self-Consciousnesses of Men in this State with Glances on Death, the separate State, the future Judgement, and the two Eternal States.  
VII. An Office of Sacramental Devotions, os which there has been great Numbers, and such as under the Titles of Weekly and Monthly, and such like stinted formal Preparations have betrayed many to a profanation of it, and filled the Age with unworthy confused Notions of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.  
VIII. Large Offices of social Devotion fitted for occasion of two or more Persons conjoin Exercise of social Repentance for sins committed together, as also for the Exercise of social Gratitude for the same Mercy, as also for Families, Religious Societies, or Fraternities, and the like.  
To each of which are to be added suitable Directories by way of Appendix, with suitable Discourses as shall be found most proper, prefixed before each, concerning solemn Repentance, [solitary or social] Birth, Regeneration, Solitude, Divine Gratitude, Gratulation, Fraternal Confession, Heaven, the separate State, Vows, Scope, Contingencies, God, Angels, Heaven, Devils, Eternity, Hell, Self-Penetration, Charity, Poverty of Spirit, Family-Religion, Hope, Religious Societies, Heavenly Aspiration, and the like.  
Which will be done if God permit; the furtherance of thy Prayers is humbly desired.  
Reader, Farewell.   

THE Morning Office OF GRATITUDE.  

CLASS. I. Expressions of Holy Dread and Filial Confidence, intermixed.  
GReat and Glorious Sovereign of Heaven and Earth, with the Gratitude of a Creature, and the Shame of a Sinner, I own thy Works to be full of Wonder and Love, tho' my ways have been full of Vanity and Perverseness.  

2.  
But tho' I cannot offer the Tribute of a Cherub, nor pay the Gratitude of Paradise to my great Creator; yet since so vast is thy Mercy, that thou sentest thy Son to take hol● of fallen Man; and in his Name Creatures uncreatured by Apostasy, may find access to the Throne of Grace and tremendous Brightness and fo5 seeking be recreatured by his Grace and Spirit. Be not, O Lord▪ I beseech thee incensed, if sinful Dust and Ashes dare in the Name of the Mighty Jesus to bow before 〈◊〉 most High God.   

3.  
〈…〉 and Judge of An 〈…〉 d, I blush to present the Homage of a Worm; much more the Praise of a Rebel: But tho' I blush to present it, yet I dare not withhold it: I am drawn to thee by the irresistible violence of that Love and that Blood which has paved a new and living way to God for all who withstand not thy tender of that Peace which is a Pearl of such great Price. Verily, Verily, my Lord and my God, now I may, and aught, and will laud and address thee, tho' it be with Trembling and Confusion: For as Dread belongs unto Creatures and Sinners; so doth Confidence belong unto the Immaculate, the Eternal, and only Begotten Son of God.    

CLASS II. Expressions of Praise both by way of Recital and Address.  

1.  
GLory therefore be to God, Condescension to his Creatures, Grace and Mercy, Peace and Purgation, Redemption and Forgiveness to me a Sinner: May the Good God, who pardoneth Iniquity, Transgression, and Sin, accept the Incense of a lowly Heart.   

2.  
Great is the Lord and marvellous, worthy to be praised; there there are no bounds of his Greatness.   

3.  
He is Wonderful in Counsel, Mighty in Working, Glorious in Holiness, Fearful in Praises: He dwells in inaccessible Light: The Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him: His Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom: His Dominion lasteth longer than Ages: Ten thousand times ten thousand, and Thousands of thousands of Glorious Spirits are the awful Retinue of the Lord God.   

4.  
The Heavens declare the Glory of God; the Firmament shows his Handiwork: One Day tells another, and one Night certi●●es another.   

5.  
Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the Cornerstone of the Earth, when the Morning-Stars sang together, and all the Sons of God shouted for Joy: All the Beasts of the Forest are thine, and so are the  on a thousand Hills.   

6.  
Fearfully and Wonderfully hast thou made Man; and O that my Soul did ponder it well! Thine Eyes did see my Substance when I was yet imperfect; and in thy Everlasting Book were all my Members written; Day after Day were they a fashioning: To this Day are they preserved by thy hand.   

7.  
Every Morning thy Loving Kindness is renewed: I laid me down and slept, and risen again, for the Lord sustained me: O how dear are thy Counsels unto me, O God, O how great is the sum of them? 
* Here particular Mercies may be inserted.    

8.  
How should I count them? They are more in number than I can conceive: Whenever I awake they are present with me. Have I not for this reason remembered thee on my Bed, and thought upon thee when I was waking? Now do I sing and always will sing of thy Mercies betimes in the Morning, even unto thee, O my strength; for thou art my Refuge, and my merciful God.    

CLASS IU. The Dedicatory.  
THis Day I dedicate myself, Spirit, Soul and Body to thy Spirit, Honour and Service; and do resign all my Care and Concerns to the Direction and Influence of thy Providence; and am disposed cheerfully to embrace all the Dispensations of thy Fatherly Goodness. Thus will I by thy Grace and Assistance, throughout my whole Life, wait upon thee in Holiness, that I may at last behold thy Power and Glory everlasting.  

2.  
I hate and abhor all my past evil ways, and from the depth of my Soul do renounce mine own Wickedness. 
* Here you may confess your Constitution Sin, or other Sins.   
O that I may obtain Victory over my whole Body of Sin, and live! Then shall Jesus be my Jesus indeed, and say, Soul, Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee; and, at the Great Day, declare before Angels and Saints, and Devils, and the Desperate, Thy monstrous iniquities are blotted out; They shall not be thy ruin. Thou shalt live; for I died for the penitent.   

3.  
Hence 'tis, O Lord, that my Soul hangs upon thee: To this purpose with extreme Thirst of Soul I seek thy Strength, and thy Face▪ O therefore do thou, who delight'st not in the Desolation, but divine Resurrection of Humane Spirits, cheer and replenish me with the Light of thy Countenance; for without thee we must needs be desolate.    

CLASS. V Acts of Daily Petition for God's Protection and Blessing.  
LORD, I have dedicated my Judgement to thee, O show me the way that I should walk in. I lift up my Soul unto thee, Lord, sanctify it; I have devoted my Spirit, Lord separate the Light from the Darkness thereof, and refine it with the fiery Baptism of the Holy Ghost, that thy Will may be the Magnet of mine. Lord, I beseech thee, set a Watch over my Heart and Lips, that my Words and Meditations may please thee.  

2.  
O that all my Actions, and Intentions, and Discourses, may be begun, and governed, and ended in thy Fear! so shall the Lord prosper my Handiwork; so shall my Studies thrive under his Blessing, and all my Resolutions be established: O that the Disposals of my Heavenly Father (be they grateful or ungrateful to Flesh and Blood) may find their Ends answered by my Demeanour under and use of them!   

3.  
Arm me, I beseech thee, with the Armour of God, that no presumptuous Sin may ever again get the Dominion over me; Array my Soul with a competent Conformity of Mind to the Image of thy Son, that I may grow in Grace and heavenly Experience; that so this, and every remaining Day of my short stay here, may be reflected on with less Sorrow, and more spiritual Joy in the Lord, than the foregoing▪ O may thy Loving Spirit lead me in the ways of Evangelical Righteousness! so shall the Land of Righteousness be mine Inheritance; and the God of Righteousness my Portion for ever.    

CLASS VI A Catholic Conclusion.  
LOrd, I beseech thee, of thine infinite Compassion, overlook my numerous Infirmities, accept of this imperfect Sacrifice, and of the following Expression of my Delight in the Joys of the Church Triumphant, and of my Commiseration of all the Perils, Straits, and Necessities of thy Israel Militant here on Earth, in the powerful Name and Words of thine only Son, and Man's only Saviour JESUS CHRIST:  
Our Father, etc.    

Noon-Office OF VIGILANCE AND CHARITY.  

CLASS I. Vigilance excited, by Expressions of a sense of Man's and the World's Vanity.  

1.  
VAnity of Vanities, all is Vanity and Vexation of Spirit.   

2.  
God made Man upright; little lower than the Angels, and placed all sublunary Things under him: But Man hath sought out many foolish Inventions, and lets some Creature or other lord it over his Heart, tho' they were all put under his feet.   

3.  
For the Lord looked down from Heaven on the Children of Men, to see if there were any seeking after God: But oh, how are they gone out of the way! Destruction and unhappiness is in their ways: The way to Reconciliation and Glory they neither see, nor seek   

4.  
Nay, the humble Soul and his Care for Eternity is had in derision by them; numerous are those Wretches which combine with the disorderly Tendencies of Birth, and the Princes of Darkness to pluck him from his God.    

CLASS II. Expressions of Trust in God and Holy Resolution.  

1.  
BUt my Soul shall not run any more after Idols, neither shall their Scoffs make me draw back; for I will seek the Kingdom of God, and Christ, and the Righteousness thereof.   

2.  
Seek, seek, I say, O my Soul, the Lord and his Strength; seek his Face evermore: All other things when weighed in the Balance, are found wanting: God alone can be the Marrow and real Plenitude of a Spirit; whose are infinite Worlds, and all the Fullness of the same; He, and He alone, can be an Enjoyment adequate to a Will.   

3.  
O theresore Love the Lord, who is the Heaven of Angels: He is my stony Rock, and my Defence, my Saviour, my God, and my Might, in whom I will trust; my Buckler, the Horn also of my Salvation: I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so wall I be safe from mine Enemies: For whoso dwelleth under his Defence, doth abide under the Shadow of the Almighty.    

CLASS III. An Address to God for Spiritual Strength, and Christian Violence in general.  
GReat Creator of the Universe, Benefactor of Angels, Humbler of Devils, and Restorer of Man: Marvellous for Strength, marvellous for Wisdom, and marvellous for Goodness: Thou hast promised to hear them that call upon thee faithfully in time of Trouble; O do thou now say unto my Soul, in this state of Difficulty, I am thy Salvation. Pity, O Lord, my darkened Mind; cleanse a Heart stained with Sin. Terrible Hosts thou seest, O Lord, do encompass my poor Soul; Thousands fall beside me, and thousands behind me, and ten thousands round about me: Thrones and Principalities plot against us, and those whom we are too apt (because of Sense) to reckon our Best Friends, do ensnare and betray us. But alas! tho' we are belepered with Gild, tho' we are near the Portals of Death, and the Talons of Hell, how apt are we to put the evil Day far from us? Wherefore, I beseech thee, do thou, by a Divine Power, make me constantly sensible of Death and Judgement, and the Tortures of the Damned; invest my Soul with that Noble Violence wherewith the Kingdom of Heaven must be taken. O my God, I know thy Grace, and that only is sufficient for me; work in me therefore, I beseech thee, effectually in the inner Man by thy Spirit, that I may habitually will and do according to thy goo● Pleasure; so shall I be strong indeed, even in the Lord, and th● Power of his Might, and be mor● than Conqueror through Christ, an● hold out to the end; so shall I no● be dismayed for any Terror by Night, nor for the Pestilence tha● invisibly wounds at Noon; so shal● I triumph the Triumphs of thy Saints, and trample upon Dangers, Death, and Devils, and keep a perpetual Jubilee with my God and his Christ.   

CLASS IV. Prayers for particular Graces, collected out of our Blessed Lord's Sermon on the Mount, and St. Paul.  
AND to the end, O Lord, I may be found in the Blessed Number of those who are Christ's Disciples indeed, make me, I beseech thee, poor in Spirit, a godly Mourner, meek, hungry, and thirsty after Righteousness, merciful, pure in Heart, disposed to promote Peace and Unity, ready to be persecuted for Righteousness sake, and to rejoice when I am reviled, instead of reviling again. O suffer no worldly Emulation to sway in my Heart, and to taint my Fast and Prayers. Give me a Heavenly Prudence, that my Light may shine before Men, and I may nevertheless do many Good Works secretly, looking for my Praise and Reward from thee: Give me courage to pluck out my scandalous Eye, and to cut off the scandalous Hand of my corrupt Nature, and all Superfluity of Tongue and Thought for the mean Concerns of this Life. O may thy Name never be uttered without Reverence by me▪ Suffer me not so to be angry with my Brother, as to sin, or to be a Judge, but rather a Doer of thy Law. Make me so mindful of my own Ingratitude, and of that great Goodness which has nevertheless been continued by thee to me, that in imitation of this thy great Perfection, I may forgive, bless, and pray for mine Enemies. Drive earthly Solicitude out of my Mind, that (my Distributions to the Necessities of the Saints laying up for me a Treasure in Heaven) my Heart may be there also▪ O illuminate my Mind, that that Faculty which thou hast planted in me to be my Light, may not by being dark itself, overwhelm me all over with horrible Darkness. I earnestly entreat thee to lay a deep Foundation of Faith within me, that like a wise Builder I may build upon the Rock, and be proof against Storms, and Waves, and Tempests; always striving more and more earnestly to enter in at the straight Gate, that I may bring forth the excellent Fruits of a Mind thoroughly changed, and with diligence and trembling do those things which my Lord commands: O that when my Lord comes, when Death seizes me, I may be found so doing! O subject my Body to my Soul, and my Soul entirely unto thee, and erect and enlarge the Kingdom of God in it, that it may be filled with an equitable Disposition of behaving it self so towards God and God Man▪ Angels and Devils, its Fellow Creatures and the whole subordinate Creation, as becomes a Christian and so be filled with Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost. Finally, O Lord since thou hast promised it to those who ask it of thee with Faith and Purity, Importunateness and Humility; give me, I beseech thee, all Celestial Favours, and truly valuable Bounties in that inestimable Gift of Gifts, thy Holy Spirit. Lord▪ how shall our Souls be nursed for Heaven, without the support of this Manna of the Seraphim? Give me therefore thy Spirit, I do again and again beseech thee, else I perish to all Eternity: Lord, I trust in thee, O let me not be confounded.  

2.  
O my God, thy Mercies towards me are ineffable; wherefore I present my Body (which is daily fed and preserved by thy Bounty) before thee: O do thou so renew my Mind, that it may be transformed from the World to thy Likeness, and make my Body and all my Actions in their Station (wherein I am, or hereafter may be placed by thy Providence) a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto thee; and I may experimentally prove what is that good and acceptable Will of God.   

3.  
Awe me, I beseech thee, with a sense of thy Greatness and my own Meanness, that I may not think of myself more highly than I ought to think; supply me with Grace to have my Conversation in Heaven, an● with all Men, in all godly simplicity▪ to love without dissimulation, to abhor that which is evil, and to stand fast in the Lord; to prefer others in Honour before myself; not to be slothful in Business; to be fervent in Spirit; to rejoice in the Hope; to be patiented in Tribulation, and instant in Prayer; to rejoice with them that rejoice; to weep with them that weep▪ in indifferent things, to be of the same mind with others; not to min● high things, but to condescend; not to be wise in my own Conceit; not be overcome of evil, but to overcome evi● with good.  
For Christ his sake, O my Father and his Father, grant these Petitions.   

4.  
Give me Grace, O Father of Lights, to add to my Faith, Fortitude; and to Fortitude, Temperance; and to Temperance, Piety; and to Piety, Lowliness; and to Lowliness, Charity: To be subject to the higher Powers; to render to all their Deuce; to esteem the Laborers in thy Vineyard for their Works sake; to live up to my Light, and to walk honestly as in the day; to please my Neighbour to Edification; to bear the Infirmities of the Weak, and the Reproaches of the Wicked; to resist the Devil, mortify the Body, and be one Spirit with the Lord.  
This I beg for the sake of Christ Jesus; hear me therefore, O my God.   

5.  
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and all thy Soul, and all thy Mind, and all thy Strength.  
This is the First and Great Commandment; and I cannot but own, my God, that it is most Holy, and Just, and Good.  
Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thyself.  
This is the next, and like unto it.   

6.  
But, Lord, who is sufficient for these things? Where is the Man that liveth and transgresseth not these Laws? O therefore, Lord, enter not into Judgement with me; but for Christ's sake pardon my manifold Violations of thy Laws; and for the future, I beseech thee fortify me with a plentiful Portion of thy Grace and Spirit: Henceforward I will not receive the former in vain, nor quench the latter; but will love my God with a Supreme Love entirely and constantly, and my Neighbour as myself, and myself according as my Love of God shall recommend me▪ So help my God.    

CLASS V Office of Charity,  

PART I. The Gratulatory of the Church Triumphant.  
HAppy are those Spirits that wait on God's Throne, and do continually minister with hallelujahs to the Holy, Holy, Holy God, and the Lamb for ever and ever.  
Happy and Blessed are those Saints, who live in the Regions of inaccessible Light, where neither Moral nor Natural Death hath any place.  
Happy indeed are they that are made eternal Priests and Kings to God, and are above the need of Care and Watching; gratulated be their Joy May it be mine, and mine theirs, in the eternal Salvation of my Soul.  

2.  

A Heavenly Aspiration.  
My Soul is a thirst for the Living God: This is the Communion which my Soul is inflamed with Long after: O that I had Wings like a Dove! then should I flee away and be at rest: When shall I gratulate, and be gratulated there! O that I may be united to my God When shall my Exile be at an end! When shall I see and know him, as I am seen and known! O that I were certified that I am a true Son and Servant of God, that I might long to be dissolved, and say, How long, Lord, how long holy and true?   

The Submission.  
But be this as the Lord will, whose it is to appoint the number of the Days of his Servant, if so be that while Days do not commence Eternity, I may number them and be wise, and fit myself for my great Change.  
This is my Desire, Lord, regard it; this shall be my Endeavour, Lord, further it.     

PART II. Intercession for the Church Militant.  

1.  
MAy the Creator of all Universes, both visible and invisible, visit the dark parts of the Earth with the glorious Beams of the Sun of Righteousness, that the Knowledge of Christ crucified may fill the Earth, as the Waters cover the Sea: Let the People praise thee, O God, yea, let all People's, Nations and Languages praise thee.   

2.  
And oh that those Countries which enjoy the Gospel, may not slander it so shamefully by the black and blasphemous Lives of its Professors! Lord, grant that the Power of thy Gospel may display the Lustre of its native Brightness, Simplicity, and Purity, in our Lives.   

3.  
Restore, I beseech thee, Beauty and Discipline, Soundness of Faith, genuine Ordinances, and Decency and Perfection of Worship to all Ecclesiastical Bodies professing Christianity: And to this end, give to them such true Christian Ingenuity, as that they may all severally and unanimously own, lament, and reform their different Excesses and Defects, that as there is but one true Christ, and but one true Christianity, which can secure a Soul of Happiness; so we may all glorify thee the same God and Father of us all, with one Mind, and with one Mouth.   

4.  
Look down, O Lord, I beseech thee, from the Habitation of thy Glory, with a special Eye of Favour on this Church and Kingdom, which thou hast so long blessed with many signal Mercies, and preserved in such amazing and endearing Methods of Providence: Pardon our great and crying Abuses of the same; and wherein soever all Orders of Men amongst us, in our own and the days of our Forefathers, have fallen short of the Glory of God; let it not any longer, I pray thee, be laid to our charge: Put a stop to that Latitude of Life and Opinion which divides and corrupts us: O Lord, reform us if we are still reformable, that we may not be delivered over into the Will of our Enemies, whose Mercies are cruel.   

5.  
Guard with the Guardianship of thy Holy Angels, the Sacred Person of William our King; grant that all his Designs and Undertake may be so truly Christian and Honourable, that they may prove in the end successful: Let no Weapon formed against him prosper; and whensoever the number of his Days on Earth shall be fulfilled, grant that he may be found such a Conqueror of all his spiritual and temporal Enemies, as may make Death to him a kind Translation of his Soul into a World of glorious Spirits: Bless him in his Royal Relatives, and especially Catherine the Queen-Dowager, her Royal Highness the Princess Ann of Denmark: Counsel, O Lord, our Counsellors, and teach our Senators true Wisdom. Plant a true Affection for the Welfare of true Piety and these Kingdoms in all the Nobility, Judges, and Inferior Magistrates, that Righteousness may run down like a mighty Stream, and there may be no Complaints of Oppression in our Streets.   

6.  
Shower down a very liberal Portion of thy Spirit on all that are separated to wait at thine Altar; give them all a commanding Sense of their own Insufficiency of themselves (and Sufficiency in and by Christ) to turn many to Righteousness; of the great Dignity of their Office; of the infinite Value of Souls, and that Blood which was shed for them; and of the Greatness of their Trust; and of that Account which at the last Day will be exacted from them. Inflame them with a genuine Zeal from above for thy Glory, that their Loins may be always girt for every good Enterprise which may promote the Plantation of New Colonies of Souls in Heaven. Adorn them with Meekness and Prudence, Circumspection and Humility, that they may be burning and shining Lights in this perverse Generation; that so they may recover the drooping Credit of their Sacred Function, and manifest it to be no less Honourable in the sight of God and Angels, than 'tis slighted by Men of scornful and licentious Minds and Manners. Sublimate their Minds with a noble Degree of Sincerity, that they may divide the Word without deceit, and without reserve. Set their Faces like a Flint against the reigning Impudence of the Age, and against the unjust Reproaches of unreasonable and disorderly Men; and in what respect soever they may sometimes happen to be partly too Just, may they thereby be provoked to an Holy Jealousy over themselves. O fortify them with the Courage of a Baptist, that they may denounce the Terrors of the Lord against all Impiety, without partiality or respect of Persons, rebuking Vice boldly, both in season and out of season, with that spiritual Majesty and Authority, and that degree of Faith and Faithfulness, which becomes the Ambassadors of Christ, and the Stewards of the Mysteries of the Gospel. O send skilful and laborious Husbandmen into thy Vineyard, in the midst of our great distress. Furnish all Bishops with a wise and discerning Spirit, that they may lay hands suddenly on no Man; but stock the Church with such Holy and Judicious, such Active and Orthodox Priests, as may honourably and manfully employ the Power of the Keys; put to shame and silene all Gainsayers, and win many Strangers, nay, even professed Enemies, over to Christ, that so having cultivated the Seeds of Heaven in themselves and others, they may stand with great Joy before Christ's Tribunal, and save both their own and the Souls of them who are committed to their Care. Lord, of thy abundant and unbounded Goodness, do thou hasten this Enlargement of thy true Invisible Church: O how long, how long, O our God, shall it be before the great Affairs of Eternity prosper in their hands!   

7.  
Do thou so prosper the Education of our Youth in our Universities, and other Seminaries of Learning, that the Public Spiritedness, Profound Learning, and Generous Piety of our Posterity, may shame the Selfishness, conceited Ignorance, and Degeneracy of this present Generation.   

8.  
Give to Children, Servants, and all Inferiors, Docility and Submission; and to all Parents, Masters, and Benefactors, the Gift of wise Inspection and Conduct, that their Management of those that are under them, may not fail of thy Blessing, and the making them prove Blessings to themselves and the whole Community in their several Stations, Vocations, and Relations.   

9  
Reward all that have done me good, with the Rewards of the better sort: Pardon and pacify all that have wronged or slandered me: Blast all malicious Intrigues, and breathe kindly on all laudable Endeavours.   

10.  
Sanctify all Afflictions to all afflicted Persons; and as soon as the ends of thy Fatherly Goodness have been answered, do thou speedily deliver them.   

11.  
Finally, I laud and magnify thy Holy Name, in the behalf of my Country, for all thy Mercies conferred on me in my National Capacity.   

12.  
Lord, pardon my manifold Infirmities, and accept of this poor Tribute of Worship, in the Mighty Name of Christ, and concluded with that complete Form of Prayer which he himself hath taught us:  
Our Father, etc.      

Evening Offices OF Daily Repentance.  

CLASS I. A PRAYER, Proper to be used before the Evening Office of Selfreflection.  

1.  
INcomprehensible Sovereign of the World, thou art encircled with Light; with thee there can be no Darkness; for the Dahkness and Light to thee are both alike: The highest Heights and the deepest Depths; even Angels and Devils; Heaven and Hell are naked before thee; How much more than the Hearts of the Children of Men.?   

2.  
The Great and Good God print a firm and lively Sense of this All-searchingness of his Nature on my Mind, that by being always mindful of the piercing Consciousness of him with whom I have to do, I may always act and speak and intent, as in the Presence of the Highest, and by a profound Reverence of thy unspotted Purity and unlimited Presence, I may be excited to make it the great Business of my Life, to cleanse myself daily more and more from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit.   

3.  
Particularly I entreat God at this time to enlarge my Conscience with the Presence of that Spirit which searcheth the very Depths of God, that I may dexterously apply the Maxims of my Blessed Lord to the state of my Soul, and pass an impartial Sentence upon my Behaviour this day: O place me in a clear Light to myself; O enable me to  to my Memory all the Actions, Words, and Thoughts, that not the least Rebellion may be overlooked: I know, O Lord, to what a gracious and wonderful Being I offer this Request; all Natures lie dissected in thy infinite Mind; how therefore should any Crevise of my Soul be hid from thee? Universal Knowledge is the Lord's, and to Him alone it does belong: Such Knowledge is too wonderful for Man, What Creature is there that can attain unto it? The Knowledge of myself, Lord, is the subject o● my Petition; a Knowledge which is most necessary for, and which (with thy Blessing) is attainable by me: O Witness of all my Ways, thy Wisdom can impart to me this Gift; thy Goodness will not suffer thee to let such an useful Pursuit go without a Blessing: O therefore, I beseech thee, make the Method of my Pursuit acceptable in thy sight, and so prosper it; whatever things thou thinkest fit to keep secret, suffer not any wilful sin to lie hidden from me; and if my present Recollection discovers any wilful Sin, or Sins, that has been hitherto undiscerned by me; do thou direct and enable me so to bewail and lament it (or them) and whatsoever new Gild of this Day may be charged upon me by my Conscience as never to sink under the everlasting Terror of the Flame, or the Horror of the Dark, where there is endless Weeping and gnashing of Teeth: O bow down thine Ear to this humble Desire, even for Jesus Christ his sake; to whom with thee, Father, and the Holy Ghost, all Honour, Praise, and Glory, as by Might's and Thrones, Principalities and Dominions, Angels and Archangels, and all the Triumphant Host above; so by me be ascribed for ever and ever.  
Amen.    

CLASS II.  
After the careful Application of that daily Method of Self-Examination, prescribed in the Directory; if your Conscience accuses you of any wilful Sin, or Sins committed the Day past; or brings to memory any Sin, or Sins, of a longer Date, which you never solemnly unsinned by Repentance, use this following Form.  

THE First Evening Office OF Daily Repentance for Deliberate Sin.  

1.  
GReat and Terrible God the Sceptre of thy Kingdom is a Sceptre of Equity; for thou art of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity with delight: Thy Wrath is insupportable, and tames the most Haughty of Apostate Spirits. Who can withstand the Judgement, who can grapple with the extreme Justice of the Most High?   

2.  
And yet, sottish and ungrateful Wretch that I am! I have departed from my God, and lived as tho' I could escape his eyes; In spite of the Supreme Mercy of the Supreme Majesty, manifested in the Death and Resurrection of his Son, I have deliberately in many Instances committed Impiety against my God and Saviour; [Iniquity against his Creation, and Impurity against my own Soul and Body] 
* Here you may confess particular Sins; as, I have at such a time, and under such and such circumstances. : Yea, this very day have I provoked the Lord to Jealousy by the addition of a new Sin (or Sins) to my former crying Offences; so like a Brute so like a Devil; nay worse than either Brute or Devi● have I been before thee: For n● Brute ever spurned at Conscience, nor did ever any Devil trample upon Redemption: Sinful Man alone is that Monster of Ingratitude, that fights both against Light and a Jesus at once.   

3.  
Wrath and Vengeance, Shame and Confusion; ineffable Anguish and Bitterness of Soul; Blackness and Darkness for ever; Communion with Devils and all the Damned; unquenchable Flames and disregarded Cries; even the ever-gnawing and never consuming Envy of a Judas and lapsed Angels, is, O Lord, I must acknowledge the true Portion of my corrupted Nature, and the just Reward of this (or these) and all my other sinful Deeds: All this I must own, O Lord, and all the known and unknown terrible Ingredients of Hell belongs to all who have forgot God, and Crucify'd the Son of God afresh; and therefore also unto me, O God, who have thus again sinned with so high a hand against thee; and after all thy long-suffering and condescension, have still presumed, by new Sins, to make myself a Derision to Devils, a Burden to myself, a Traitor to Christ, and a noisome Spectacle to God and Holy Angels; nay, for aught that I know, the Dregs of thy Fury ought to be drunk by so vile and villainous a Soul, if thou wert extreme to mark what has been done amiss.   

4.  
But tho' to me belongeth Damnation; yet, to the Lord belongs Compassion; for the Lord is God, and not Man; and as is his Majesty, such is his Mercy: For doubtless were thy Ways as our Ways, or thy Thoughts like our Thoughts; doubtless, were not the Bowels of God larger in extent than the wide and deep Sea; doubtless, were it it impossible for fallen Man to find a favourable access to the Throne of Grace, and to be reconciled to his offended Maker, thou wouldst never have sent thy eternal Begotten Son into this disorderly Portion of thy World: For, wherefore, O Lord, did he shed his infinitely precious Blood, if Blood, and Vapour, and Smoke, if showers of fierce and flaming Brimstone, if eternal exile of Spirit, Soul, and Body from thee, be the irreversible Fate of poor Man, and he be not capable of a repentance, which is more acceptable than the Repentance of Devil, and those Souls who are departed this Life; even a Repentance unto everlasting Life, which is never to be repent of.   

5.  
Wherefore, Heavenly Father, since I make use of the Name of no less a Person than the Christ of God and the Jesus of Men; since he is as mighty to soften and save, as thou art to destroy▪ since his Merits are as charming to thy Goodness, as thy Rage is formidable to us; let not the Dread Majesty of the Heavens and Earth, and all that are therein, take up the Weapons of his Anger against me, tho' a vain Man, which has not showed himself a Man, venture to expostulate with his Maker and his Judge, and to take unto himself Words, and say, Wilt thou enter into Controversy with a Worm? Is there no difference betwixt the Strength of a Devil and a Man? Is not Christ a potent Saviour? Shall not thy Mercy have its Triumphs as well as thy Justice? O Lord, harken; O Lord, be gracious; O Lord, forgive; Lord, hid not thy face from me, but from my Sins; O Lord most Holy, O God most Mighty, most Merciful God and Saviour, suffer me not to fall into the bitter Pains of eternal Death: O Preserver of Men, do thou draw nigh unto me; for as I have sinned, so I return and draw nigh unto God: I know now that 'tis not in vain still to repent, and therefore I humble myself, and supplicate thee for thy Pardon; I levelly myself with the Worms of the Earth, under the Sceptre of thy Grace; I confess and grieve, and hid myself in the Rock Christ Jesus, for fear of the Lord, and the Glory of his Majesty: I come not, Lord, of mine own head, or in mine own Name, but by the Direction, and in the Name of the great High Priest, I beseech thee forgive me; O speak peace to my Soul; say to the Mempest within me, Be still. O do thou so wonderfully bless and be merciful unto me, as to show me the light of thy Countenance: O that my Soul could hear thee saying, I am reconciled; thy Prayers, and thy Tears are regarded my n●e. Can I but believe in the Lord Jesus, and repent effectually, there would be no room for doubt; for surely those Words are the Motto of that Cross on which Jesus Christ gave up the Ghost.   

6.  
O therefore, I beseech thee, do thou spare me a while, till my Soul has through Christ recovered that Strength, which by my Sin I have lost: 'Tis not for the sake of living here that I desire a continuance of Life; but that I may have an opportunity once more of enrobing myself with Divine Graces, that I may be a Partaker of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light, to look on the Lamb of God that was slain for returning Sinners; hear the Sighs of a broken Heart; supply me with a practical Faith; work in my Mind an effectual Change from all Unrighteousness, to a steady, flourishing, fruitful Habit of universal Holiness; make me truly lowly in Heart, a zealous Imitator of Christ; fight my Battles against the Hosts of Hell, and bring me at last, I entreat thee, to thy everlasting Kingdom.   

7.  
With this Hope, I will labour to purify myself, and do commit myself, with all my Fellow-Creatures, especially my particular Friends and Enemies, to the kind Influences of thy Grace, and thy protection this Night. Grant that my Sleep may be wholesome and temperate, that I may rise early the next Morning to renew my Thanks to thee for thy continued forbearance, and to offer my Vows of Gratitude in all sincerity. Let not my being now inspired with this soft Temper of Soul puff me up, or make me less ware of the deceitfulness of Sin: But may the Grace, Mercy, and Peace which I enjoy now from God the Father through Christ, by being husbanded with Vigilance and Humility, usher me into the Regions of Glory. Amen, Amen; so be it for Christ his sake:  
In his Name and Words I conclude my Address, together with my Thanks to thee for all thy Mercies; Our Father, etc.     

CLASS III. THE Wary Christian's EVENING OFFICE OF Daily Repentance for Sins of Infirmity.  

1.  
MY Lord, and my God, Glory be to thy Grace that I have not to my Knowledge boldly provoked thee in any respect this day; for to thy Grace alone is this Honour due. I know nothing of my self; yet am I not hereby justified: 'Tis thy Sentence must make or undo me for ever. O God, thou art greater than our Hearts, and knowest all things; if therefore my State is still dangerous; if any pestilential Habit still cleaves to my Soul; if any Mortal Act, or Word, or Thought, hath escaped my Memory in my Examination; enlighten me, I beseech thee, and suggest it to my remembrance, that I may mingle my Tears with thy Mercy and Christ his Blood, before I dare to slumber: O suffer me not to lean on a delusive Peace: But if it be otherwise, praised be thy Goodness, as for all thy Mercies, so especially for this Gift of Innocence: Keep me from being highminded on this or any other account, and give me true Sobriety of Mind, that I may not through Giddiness and future Neglects fall after all from Favour.   

3.  
Glory be to thy Grace and the Merits of Christ, that those many latent Deficiencies from thy Law, which cleave even to the sanctified in this state will not shut me out of thy Kingdom; may by degrees be lessened more and more here, and will be wholly removed hereafter: O cleanse me from all my secret Faults; be they blotted out by the Blood of thy Son; and grant that by great Advances in Grace, an entrance may be vouchsafed me into the glorious Kingdom of God.   

4.  
With this comfortable Faith, I rely this Night on thy Providence, for convenient Repose and Defence both of Mind and Body. In the Name of Christ, I beseech thee do thou accept this imperfect Sacrifice of Prayer and Praise; in his comprehensive Form, I also crave pardon for the Wander and Imperfections thereof, and do testify my Charity to thy Creation.  
Our Father, etc.     

THE Midnight Office OF ABSTRACTION.  

1.  
O My Soul, now thou art secret unto Men, but thou art not so unto God, nor for all that thou knowest, unto many good and bad Angels, who often behold thee as well as thy Creator, when thou neither seest nor thinkest of them: Now therefore that thy Eyes are bound by the Darkness of the Night, let thy Mind also be turned inwards by the profound silence of thy internal Powers, that the Darkness of external Sense may increase the Vigour of my intellectual Sight.   

2.  
Commune now with thine own Spirit; O search and see whether it be fit for Communion with God; which may be easily known, if thou knowst whether Light or Darkness be the predominant Principle therein. Call to remembrance thy Sins; call to remembrance the Mercies of God; dive deep into thyself; and then say, if thou canst, that there is not something in the centre of thy Frame, which is not perishable like the Efforts of thy Blood. Do not be like the captive Multitude of Sense, who through neglect of Abstraction, are a secret to themselves: Turn thy Nature over and over in thy Thoughts, and especially view the better part thereof, and observe wherein thou hast defaced or improved it.   

3.  
Think till thou art thoroughly convinced; and when thou art so, do thou frequently consider that thou carry'st Immortality in Embryo always within thee: 'Tis true the Soul rather believes than sees, whilst 'tis thus imprisoned in the Womb. But when its Mortal Part is ripe for the Grave (which may be long before even the Autumn of Man's life) 'twill make its entrance upon the immortal Stage.   

4.  
Think therefore of thy great Change in time, before thou art forced to launch into the Ocean of Eternity, lest the unexpected and unprepar'd-for sight of the invisible World surprise thee with another-guess Dread than that which the Faithful do find then. Remember that the State of Man here on Earth is like the old Probationary State of Fallen Angels, before they degenerated into Devils, and like the State which all the Impenitent who are gone before thee once enjoyed, a State of Time and Opportunity, a State of Work and Preparation for that State which is unalterable. But the State of Saints and Fiends, the State of Loyal and Apostate Angels, the State of Angels and Men, who have been acquitted and condemned before the last Tribunal, is a State of exact Judgement, Reward, and Eternity.   

5.  
Then be thy Recompense Glory or Vengeance, it will never expire, there will be no escape from the one or loss of the other; it will indeed have a beginning, but its end will never be found: Since therefore Eternity will find and keep thee such as Time leaves thee, and Eternity is inestimable, how canst thou value Time at too high a Rate? Let the Time passed suffice thee to have served Pride, Envy, and Concupiscence: Now be thou entirely a Servant of Christ, and a Subject of Divine Zeal and Charity, that an ample Prospect of Heaven may ennoble and enlarge thee.   

6.  
Make the Agonies of the Tormented in Hell, and the Joys of the Blessed above familiar to the Mind by Meditation, that it may supplant the enchanting intimacy, which sense will otherwise find in thy Soul, as it does mostly in the Souls of the MANY▪ Fancy thy Spirit to be taking leave of this Cottage of Flesh; for this Custom tends greatly to the purgation of the Heart, and the weaning of thy Affections from all its darling Idols: It makes bare the Vanity of the World, stabs the Love of an Earthly Life to the Heart, and cherishes divine Love in the Soul: Awake therefore, O my Soul, strive to be clothed with new Strength, and to regain Paradise: Meditate, and abstract thyself, whilst Sense is tame and quiet, and does not hinder the orderly Peace of the Mind; check every wanton Sally of Imagination, beawed with a sense of the Divine Omnipresence; prostrate thy Thoughts of thyself, and consider, and say,  
Great was the Rebellion and the Overthrow of the Apostate Inhabitants of Heaven.  
Great was, and is their Envy against us, and the Fall of all Mankind in Adam.  
Great is the Mercy of our affronted God, and the Redemption that is tendered by the Lord Jesus.  
Great is our Blindness and Obstinacy, deep and strong are our ill Habits, mighty indeed are our Ghostly Enemies.  
Mightier and more are the Angels that are for us; wonderful is the Courtesy, powerful are the strive of the supreme Spirit with Man.  
Sharp is the Edge of Conscience, even sharper than a Two edged Sword, and so great is the Peace of a good Man, that it alone might satisfy, and every one but himself is a stranger to his Joy.  
Amazingly great is the change of Death; so terrible also is the Day of the Lord, and the Universal Judgement of Angels and Men.  
Who can dwell in Everlasting Burn? Are we stronger than God? Who can conceive the Pleasures of Heaven? What Mortal hath ever feasted upon God?   

7.  
And cannot all this provoke that aspiring Principle within me, which was made for the Enjoyment of a God, to discipline its Thoughts? To be choice in the Motions of my Will? To make the Body know its original distance from the Soul? To resist the Faction of Hell? To be always on its Guard, when it converses with its frail and treacherous Fellow-creatures? To be a wise Steward of Time? To have a mean Opinion of myself and this flowing State? To keep close and constant correspondence with Heaven, by frequent Prayer and Praise, and holy Hungring and Thirsting after the Beatific Vision? And, in a word, to use its utmost skill, and all possible care, to file, and burnish, and enrobe my Soul with all those beauteous Fruits of the Spirit, which are the groundwork of the Happiness of a Man? That so it may be conquered throughout endless Ages by the Brightness and Love of God, and obtain a Place among the innumerable, the eternal, and inconceivably glorious Conquerors, and Kings, and Priests of God.  
With this Hope return to thy Rest, O my Soul: The Lord guide, the Lord strengthen thee, and bring thee to the Haven where thou wouldst be. Amen, for Christ his Sake.    

A Practical Directory.  

CHAP. I. Modestly defending, clearly explaining, and affectionately pressing the regular use of this New Method of Daily Devotion.  
IT being very fitting that the Reasonableness of a Daily Method of Devotion, which professes to be entirely new after so many Volumes of this Nature, should be demonstrated: It being likewise as fitting that those who mean well, tho' they know little, should not only be furnished with suitable helps to Devotion, but also with a clear Explanation of pious helps by any person who offers them such Assistance, that they may not pray only with Cheerfulness and Affection, but also with that clear Understanding, which is a valuable Gift of the Spirit, and recommendation of our Addresses to God, as well as the other two: And lastly, it being very fitting that the faint hands and hearts should be animated and lifted up, which the best disposed persons may sometimes stand in need of, I have thought fit by the Adviee of some good Christians, and my own Commiseration of the Ignorance of some illiterate, and mine own and others Sluggishness (now I have by God's Blessing finished this small part of a large Body of Devotions) to add a practical Directory, wherein, by God's help, I shall,  
I. Give a short and clear Account concerning daily growth in Grace.  
II. I shall consider how Closet-Devotion contributes to it.  
III. What Method of daily Closet-Devotion contributes most liberally to it, therein showing the Reasonableness of this new Method of Devotion in general.  
iv I shall lay open the Structure of each particular Office, and the Reasonableness of it.  
V I shall add two or three necessary Cautions.  
VI I shall conclude with some suitable Practical Exhortations.   

CHAP. II. Of Daily Growth in Grace.  
SInce the Real Christian's daily Religion of the end, is to grow in Grace, 'tis necessary, in the first place, to speak something concerning Growth in Grace: I will therefore, first, show what Growth in Grace is; and, secondly, how a Man may know whether he grows in Grace.  
Grace is any Degree of Beauty and Strength of Soul which is more than natural. There are Degrees of Knowledge, and Liberty of Will, which we enjoy by Nature; and are essential to the bare existence of a Nature which is partly spiritual. These Degrees are the Gift of God and such as our Souls cannot lose, unless they cease to be. In short, they are such Degrees of Light and Liberty, which are consistent with a spiritual Nature's being in a state of Vncreatur'dness, tho' not of Vncreatedness. Now the Death of Adam and Devils, not consisting in a cessation from being, but a deprivation of so much Light and vigorous Rectitude of Will, as is necessary to make a spiritual Creature happy; Man may be and is born with certain Portions of Light and Vigour of Will, which we call natural, and are the issue of God's bare willing our Existence, and yet nevertheless be in a state of Damnation. Consequently this being consistent with the Enmity of God (who willed by an eternal Decree, whether we will or no our Existence, and the Existence of all spiritual Natures, to be eternal, but not to be eternally happy, by an unconditional Decree of the same extent) that which is eminently called the Grace of God, is his Tender to us, by and through Christ, of that more than natural Degree of Light, and Rectitude of Will, whereby a Man is placed in a state of Evangelical Fitness for the eternal Complacency of God, in the said Nature improved.  
This Complacency of God, in the said Nature improved, arising from the said Degrees of Knowledge and Rectitude of Will, is that real Immortality which Lucifer lost in Heaven, and Adam forfeited in Paradise. Hence 'tis that both the General Capableness of human Nature's receiving this degree of Light and Liberty by Christ; and also the more wise and industrious individual Partakers of the said redeemable Nature their Acquisition thereof, are both called Grace; because, 'tis extraordinary Compassion and Gift, a greater than the Gift of a Creator only; the Gift of such a degree of Light is called Illumination, because the former degree of Light is Darkness in comparison with this; and the latter degree of Scope of Will, is called the Liberty of the Sons of God; because the narrow degree of its natural Scope is a Prison, when compared with supernatural Scope: For a Devil and a mere natural Man, have both of them some degrees of Knowledge and Scope, and consequently of Light and Liberty; otherwise they would cease to be susceptible of a Hell, for 'tis Heaven discerned in themselves, according to their primitive Capacity, that causes that Anguish and Envy, which arises from their Reflection on their foolish and ungrateful abuse of Opportunity. So then a state of Grace, as 'tis used in the New Testament, is a state of supernatural Light in the Soul of Man, together with at least as much Rectitude of Will, as is necessary to recover the Favour of God. Now growth in this Grace is as essential to the flourishing Condition of the Divine supernatural Life of a Christian Soul, (during its continuance here (it being an Human Soul's state of Adolescence, as growth in height and bulk of Body is essential to the thriving Condition of the Animal Life till the Body has commenced Manhood. And this growth in Grace, is the Soul's increasing in Faith, Magnanimity, Heavenly-mindedness, Humility, Purity, Charity, and all suchlike Divine Principles, and internal Habits, that are proper to regenerate Souls, and are exerted in the external Exercises of forgiving Injuries, prudent Provision for our Bodies and Dependants, oral Prayer and Praise, and the like external Subjects of the Gospel-Precepts.  
From this account of Growth in Grace, we may easily know, secondly, when we grow in Grace: For since Grace is a state of universal Rectitude of Soul, and is divided into several Parts of Purity, Charity, and the like, according to the different Relations wherein we stand placed, with respect ro the Creator and his Creation, and which do severally display themselves in our Lives, at those Seasons which Divine Providence allows for each; 'Tis not a Christian's business to be solicitous, as to his particular external Exercises (provided they be lawful and laudable in the Judgement of the Gospel, and those be preferred, if two or more such stand in competition, which Providence and the Gospel prefer) but his solicitude must be vigorously to exercise and improve within himself, during every exercise of Virtue, the particular part of universal Grace (which is the Blood and Life of a renewed Soul) that is peculiar to, and mostly ornamental of every present external Exercise.  
Hence it is, that a poor, honest Mechanic Christian may thrive as much in Grace in his Shop, as a Priest by the daily use of the Altar, provided he prefers his honest Work before the Sacrament; because Providence has so preferred it in him. Tho receiving the Sacrament, as to the external Solemnity of it, and the intrinsic Worth of the Exercise itself, is more preferrible to him and all pious Souls in itself, when it does not stand in competition with that degree of secular Industry, which Justice and moderate Care for a Family requires.  
Hence also it comes to pass, that as the thriving Mechanic Christian is better every Sunday, or Sacrament-Day, than he was the Day before; because that intentness of Spirit (which is the peculiar, ornamental, internal Exercise of the conjoined Worship both of Soul and Body, especially when offered with the Memorials of the Mediator's Passion) exceeds the degree of his contented submission and heavenly-mindedness (which is the greatest internal Ornament of a Christian then) during his last external Exercise of his secular Calling: So also the next Day after the said Sunday, or last Sacrament-Day, if he thrives, he is better than he was then, because his Heavenly-mindedness, during the Exercise of his secular Calling, exceeds the intent Fervour of his Spirit, during his last Exercise of the most solemn Worship on the last Lord's Day, if Allowances in the Examination be made for the different Natures of both the external Exercises. For though one external Exercise has more Religious Splendour in itself than another, yet the Religious internal Splendour of the Spirit of a Christian, may be diffusing itself with a daily increase, both of extent and power, under both alike, in case they are all used in their Seasons; and those that are the more immediately Charitable and Religious, are hearty preferred all Opportunities.  
Wherefore a Christian that would daily know, whether or no he grows in Grace either, first, considers daily the Chain of his lawful external Exercises the day past; and then considers what particular Concomitant Divine Tempers of Mind are the peculiar ornamental Tempers of a Christian during each Exercise; and after that, takes the height of its advance in each Divine Temper during each Exercise; and so by deep abstraction of Thought, sees whether the progress of the Soul, in the different Divine Temper, which is ornamental of each subsequent Exercise, exceeded its progress in the particular internal Divine Temper of each foregoing different Exercise. In which procedure of practical Abstraction, it always also compares the proportionable or disproportionable Advantages and Disadvantages of Divine Assistance, Temptations, Place, Time, State of Body, and the different Natures of the external Exercises, and the like. Or, secondly, the Soul takes an account of its Carriage at different times, during similar Exercises, and compares the different Improvements of the similar Tempers of each similar or like Exercises at different times, with the Circumstances of Assistance and Temptation, and the like, during each time of Exercise.  
This, in short, seems to me to be what St. Peter exhorts us to, when he exhorts the Christians to grow in Grace, and to give all diligence to add to our Faith Virtue, etc. for if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barnen, nor unfruitful in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things, is blind. From which latter Words, 'tis evident the Apostle does not suppose any Man in a State of Grace, who has not all these Virtues always ready within him, to be elicited and vigorously exerted at different Times. A Man must have the Seeds of Grace within him, to be in an infant-state of Grace, and must be growing in all, if he is a real, thriving, adult Christian. But the Contents of this Chapter may he clearly discussed, if God grant me Life, in a particular Discourse concerning Birth. May this suffice for the present purpose.   

CHAP. III. Of Closet-Devotion's furtherance of daily Growth in Grace; and the Reasonableness of the Method of this New daily Method of Devotion in general.  
WHatever external Exercises of Religion may be only Providentially, or tho' constantly, yet but at some set Times necessary, I presume 'tis agreed by all, That the Exercises of the United Devotion of our Hearts and Tongues, with reverend Postures of Body in our Closets, if Health and opportunity of Retirement will allow it, is constantly the daily Duty of a Christian, be he in the state of Infancy or Perfection. He that wholly omits the Duty of Prayer and Piety, lives without God. He that omits it in secret, is a Pharisee (perhaps worse) in a Congregation. He that performs, but always performs it only in his Mind, is to be commended so far for doing that, which in a lower or higher Degree, is the perpetual Duty and Employ of a wakeful Christian, whose continual sense of God's Presence and Goodness, joined with God's Grace and Spirit, is the very Sôul of a supernatural Life. But nevertheless; he cannot be commended for forgetting that he is a compounded Creature; and I cannot but think it my Duty Friendly to inform him, That as humble Gestures of Body, without a sprightly Awe of God in the Mind, are the Skeleton of (not real) Worship; since 'tis not only imperfect, but lifeless: So the bare elation of the Soul to God, if it be never accompanied, with Reverence of Body is not the complete Worship of a Man. Why should we part the Body and Spirit which God has joined together; Dost thou not believe the Resurrection of the Body? If God designs to glorify thy Body to all eternity, (i. e) in case thou hollow it by the Purity of thy Soul, why shouldst thou deny it the Honour of joining sometimes with thy Soul, to do all the Honour it can to thy God? Or dost thou think that thy solitary mental Homage, is equal to the Homage of a simple Spirit, who darest to refuse solemnly sometimes, according to St. Paul's Exhortation, to present and bow thy Body before God, whilst thou canst present it a living Sacrifice on Earth?  
By this united Devotion of Spirit, Soul, and Body, in our Closets, we make our Senses do Obeisance to Faith, and give an irresistible Evidence of our sense of God's Omnipresence to our own Consciences: By this we keep our Souls intent on the other World; and we see how far the things of the World do, and how far they do not, make deep Impression on our Affections. But because the happy Trial of the constant Observance of this Religious Practice, recommends it more than the Tongue even of an Angel can; I resign those who neglect it, to the Discipline of that Mighty Spirit of God, whose methods of bringing Souls to God, surpass our comprehension; and will proceed to show what method makes this Religious Exercise contribute most to a Soul's growth in Grace.  
And since I have given a Specimen of the most advantageous daily Method of Ordinary Devotion that I know of, this may be done as well as I can do it, by a clear and brief Representation of the Reasonableness of this Method in general.  
As for the Seasons of the Day, the Three first of them were the set Seasons of those two great Masters of Address to God, DAVID and DANIEL; and the Fourth Season sometimes is mentioned by the former of them, and was famous in the Infancy of the Christian Religion.  
The different Natures of the several Parts of Addresses to God, and those particular holy Tempers of Soul that are peculiarly ornamental of each Part, and the Propriety of each Part, to the Season herein allotted for it, together with the Reasons of the different Structures of each Office, shall, God willing, be laid open in the next Chapter.  
Wherefore the only thing which remains to be accounted for, in the defence of the General Structure of the whole Daily Office, is our allotment of a distinct Season, fo● each principal different Part of Address to God.  
It is agreed by all devout Persons, be the Nature of our Address to God what it will, That Humility, an awful Sense of God, and Faith, are necessary Recommendations of it; because these are general Essential Ingredients of all acceptable Address to God, and therefore peculiar to none: accordingly I took particular care to contrive▪ that a Vein of these run through every one of the Offices.  
'Tis, I presume, also agreed, that Petitionary, Penitential, Eucharistical, and Intercessive Addresses to God, have each of them, besides those already-mentioned Qualifications that are common to them all, their certain, peculiar, ornamental, holy Tempers of Spirit, which differ very much, with respect to the natural Modifications of Sense which attend them; tho' as they are sanctified, they all conspire to the same end; as, Grief for our Sins, a sense of our Wants, and a joyful sweet sense of God's Mercies, and the like.  
Consequently these different postures or Spirit, with respect to the different Modifications of Soul, wherewith they are necessarily attended in this state (tho' they are very reconcilable at different times, or at the same time in very low degrees, since as they are sanctified, they carry on the same end, and are but the same universal holy Frame of Spirit, differently modifying the Soul at different Seasons upon different Occasions) cannot be all together at the same time, each in their Zenith, or immediately in succession so. The consequence of which is, that those different parts of pious Addresses to God, which require the said different holy Tempers of Mind cannot be all so solemnly performed together, as at different Seasons o● the Day; tho' every part may b● implicitly in each, and yet each Office require the vigorous exertion of but one holy Modification of Soul.  
Wherefore, whereas the usual Method of using every sort of Devotion thrice a day, distinctly and explicitly, either makes the solemn use of each part of Address wholly impracticable, which betrays into Lukewarmness; or else makes it impracticable, without a great deal of time and trouble to change so many different Postures of Soul immediately, one after another; which inconvenience induce Tediousness, and often betrays in to frequent omission of Closet Devotion to God: On the contrary, the Method of Distinction i● this Book, makes Devotion be more pleasantly and intently performed in all its parts, and with less expense of Time, and hindrance of our social Duties: For the Soul by this means, agit quod agit, does what it does to the purpose; because it has but one posture of Soul at a time to provide; and yet by the use of the Lord's Prayer (which of itself is a complete Office of mixed Devotion) it uses all together every Season, with due Reverence, though not with the utmost height of every Passion. Thus in all the inspired Psalms, be they Penitential or Eucharistical, or of any other kind, 'tis easy to observe, that though here and there a sprinkling of some other part of Devotion, be incidently inserted, yet the solemn use of it, require but one reigning Cardinal Posture of Soul.   

CHAP. IU. A View of the particular Structure of every Office.  
OUr Sprightliness after the Refreshment of sound and temperate Sleep, being a lively Image of the future Resurrection of our Bodies, and naturally disposing our Minds to be brisk and cheerful, I could not but think the Morning the properest time for the pleasant Exercise of Religious Gratitude.  
This Office is divided into Five Classes.  
The First is preparatory to the due Exercise of Gratitude. The two First Sections may be used before any Address to God, it being only an Acknowledgement of the Apostasy of our Nature, and our unworthiness to approach to God, in order to engage us to Reverence and Humility in our Addresses, and also a Remembrance of our Saviour's purchasing the Favour of Access, and a Capableness of Regeneration, in order to maintain within us a modest Faith and Confidence. But the Third Section must be appropriated to this Office, it being an express Resolution to praise God, from the Consideration of our Liberty under the Gospel, and Obligation thereto, and especially upon the account of Christ's shedding his Blood for us; which being here mentioned by the way of Eminence, it is not mentioned in the next Class.  
This Second Class gins with Glory therefore, putting in execution what was resolved upon before. By Recital is meant, speaking of God in the Third Person HE; and by address in the Second as THOU. The former is almost as frequent in the Psalter, as the latter. The Second Section Commemorates God's Infinite and Incomprehensibleness in general; the Third, His Attributes and splendid Attendance; the Fourth, the Beauty and Order of the Inanimate Worlds; the Fifth and Sixth the Works of Creation and Providence, and particularly the Preservation of Human Nature by Birth, which is a very Instructive Subject to the Thoughtful, and excites wonderful Thoughts of God, for our last Night's particular Preservation. At last, the Soul perceiving God's Mercies too many to be numbered, concludes in an holy Amaze.  
Therefore the Soul, after oral Gratitude, prostrates the Body to the Ground, and uses the Dedicatory of the Third Class, and dedicates itself without the least reserve to God's Spirit, whose Temples St. Paul hath told us good Christians are. This Custom obliges us daily to remember our Baptismal Vow; and till we have renounced this, I do not see why this may not be an ordinary practice: For our Baptismal Vow is not made the less Obligatory by our neglect of the laudable practice of the daily recognition of it. Therefore I desire the Reader to say daily, This Day I again dedicate, etc. This being done, it immediately resigns itself to Providence, which is another essential part of Gratitude to God. And now it says, I am thine, O save me, 'tis but fitting that the Soul being wholly God's, it should quite abandon the World, the Flesh, and the Devil; as it does in the Second Section of this Class, and long for the Victory over its predominant Constitution-Corruptions, which is the main Victory of a Christian. And because he is supposed the Night before to have made his Peace with God, a prudent Glance upon this need not hinder, but rather enhance its Gratitude, by the consideration of his Compassion and Long-suffering with such noisome Creatures. The third and last Section is a modest Dependence upon God for his Grace: And indeed if we can rely on God for our Bodies, much more should we for our Souls.  
In the Fourth Class, the Soul having discharged its part of Gratitude to God, assumes the Boldness of Petition for spiritual Favours, and vents its holy trembling and solicitude to perform its Vows. The Fifth Class minds us that the Lord's Prayer is a sufficient joining of the Will with the Choir of Heaven, in their Praises of the Divine Majesty, and an expression of our sympathy with all who are yet left in a state of Trial; and therefore 'tis called a Catholic, (i. e.) an universal Conclusion; we do thereby extend our Benevolence to all Creatures that are actually happy, or still capable of Happiness, and make them Partners of our Petitionary Addresses.  

II. Of the Noon-Office.  
IN the midst of the Day, the Soul is surrounded with Temptations, and most in danger of being plunged in the mean Solicitudes and Thoughts of this Life; and therefore I cannot but think that at this time Exercises of Vigilance are a very necessary Antidote against the Infections of Darkness. This first Part may be used before Dinner: And lest the pleasing of Sense should abate our Expectation of the noble Enjoyment of Heaven, we have allotted a Gratulatory Office to raise our Affections upwards; and because the use of Food does naturally suggest to serious and wise Men, the close social Dependence of all God's Works one upon the other; which Consideration is a great Friend to Charity: We have also allotted for afterdinner, an Office of Intercession for the Church Militant.  
In the Office of Vigilance, the Soul first complains of the unsatisfactoriness of all earthly Things; and in the second Section, strives to enlarge itself, and reach after God Himself, who is a real, and really Noble Enjoyment, and more than commensurate to the Capacity of a spiritual Nature; after this in the other Class (Sect. 1.) to bring itself to a firm habit of Seriousness, through the consideration of the difficulty of being saved, and the greatness of natural Weakness, and the vastness of the Strength, and Number of its Enemies, it earnestly prays for the Power of being acceptably obedient unto death. And because our Saviour has assured us, that if we seek the Kingdom of God, and the Righteousness thereof, all things shall be added to us and that God best knows whether Plenty or Poverty, Honour or Dishonour in this World be best; one for this, another for that Person; and one at one time, and another at another time, for the same Christian; and therefore that we should equally be prepared for both, the Soul does not trouble itself to make particular Prayers in the Dark for temporal Uncertainties; but goes the next Class to acquaint God particularly with what it unfeignedly desires, by turning the great Sermon on the Mount into a Prayer, because it knows that Poverty of Spirit, and Purity of Heart, and the other Dispositions therein inculcated, are absolutely necessary for a Man that would be eternally happy. Different Circumstances of Life here may be of a very different Nature to different Persons; but these are certain and necessary for every wise Petitioner; he that gets these, and he only, is a true Favourite of Heaven.  
Tho' 'tis unlawful to Worship Angels, yet 'tis a great part of Charity (which teaches to Rejoice with them that Rejoice;) to gratulate them and their happy state; and helps very much towards the sublimating the Affections.  
In the Intercessive Part of Charity, I have offered a very long Prayer for the Clergy; being very well satisfied, that if the Laity were moved, by our great Defects, to pray as affectionately and constantly for us, as they slight and rail against us (not considering that our Office is still as Venerable as ever) God would restore Christian Discipline some way or other, and raise up many Faithful Pastors amongst us, tho' it were at the expense of a second miraculous effusion of his Spirit. Good Lord, increase our Faith in the use of this Prayer.   

Of the Structure of the Evening Office.  
The End of the Day being ordinarily the time of the greatest leisure, the good Christian takes an opportunity to converse with himself, and to see whether he has kept himself unspotted from the World, in the pursuit of his Business. Perhaps it may be thought improper to use Prayer of such a length daily before this Exercise; but if we consider, that the Falsehood or Soundness of Internal Peace, depends upon the right management of this Exercise, and what a Mystery of Treachery our Hearts are, a Man can never too solemnly set about it, or think himself above the need of a peculiar Assistance from God in it, 'Tis an easy thing to know, whether we are externally innocent; but not so easy to know, according to the true Rules of daily Growth in Grace already laid down, whether or no we are in a growing or improving state of Grace, which is an internal Habit. The observance of the said Two Rules, after we have compared our Carriage, and examined from Hour to Hour, with the Sermon on the Mount, is the usefullest way of examining ourselves that I can prescribe. This Method will be tedious to those who are not used to abstract themselves; but by use it will grow as familiar and compendious, as 'tis certain and safe.  
The abuse of the same General or Particular Confession of Sins, howsoever the Day has been spent, is very obvious to Men of but very little Judgement, it making Confession itself to be slightly used; nay, sometimes sinful, when Men are taught to live always in a tepid state, by making the same Confession to our Lives end (which can be only proper in case of a Man's sinning and repenting in a circle, but never repenting so, as not to repent of his deceitful Repentance) and perhaps sometimes to charge ourselves with the Faults we never committed; as if those Faults which the best Men stand actually guilty of, were not sufficient, with the help of Thought, to make them humble enough. Therefore I suppose the reason of this Division of the Evening Offices will be obvious to the meanest Capacities at first sight. For a right Judgement to be made between Mortal Sins, and Sins of Infirmity, I refer the Reader to the Reverend Doctor Lucas' incomparable Treatise concerning Religious Perfection. The Office of Abstraction, so called from its abstracting or taking the Mind off from Objects of external Sensation, explains and exhorts for itself; and therefore I will be frugal of my room, and desist from making Remarks.    

CHAP. IU. Necessary Cautions.  
BUt notwithstanding all that I have said concerning the Composure of these New Offices, the Ignorance of some, and the Censoriousness of others, will still oblige me to declare that the Design of this Tract is not to give a New Account, either of the Nature of Devotion in general, or to propose any new sorts of Devotion, but to offer a more Convenient Method of Ordinary Closet-Piety of the Means: A Contrivance of this Nature is not the Result of deep Learning, or an acute Philosophical Genius, but of the honest Principles of Simplicity of Heart and Christian Prudence, which consists in a regular Appointment of the modal Process and Seasons of external Duties. Since therefore 'tis a Discovery that cannot make the Author more valuable in the World, I do not see how any charitable Christian can impute the Author's Publication of this Treatise to a Principle of Desire of Fame, or Self-conceit, or any other secular Emulation, whatever Weakness he may be conscious of to himself.  
Neither am I so  to my own Method, as to detract from the Labours of others. I own my Soul and my Book to be a Debtor to many Books of Common Methods in a great measure. This Method is not asserted here to be Matter of Duty when known: If the Reasons already given for the Conveniency of it, cannot prevail with the Reader to make a Trial, (which a wary Christian in a Matter of this Moment should not methinks deny) I have done my part, and can be content with the secret Approbation of my own, and my Friend's Experience, after an Intimacy with both Methods.  
As for the Forms themselves, they were not composed to confine myself, or any others to the use of them; but however 'twas convenient to compose some for a more lively Explication of the Method; which may be observed, without adhering to them wholly, or in part, as to the Expression. This I think may resolve all Cavils at any Expressions of Address; if I use them improperly to thee, I don't use them so to God Thou may'st add, or contract, as Conscience directs, and yet gain benefit by the Book too: Our Method of Closet-Devotion should ordinarily be exact, for the Solemnity of the Employment requires it; but our Expressions need not be so in this Exercise, in case our Affections be but clean and polite; and therefore constant Forms of Expression are no less needless in private upon the account of God's consciousness to our meaning, than they are needful in public, where the Invisibleness of our Hearts may make those hasty Expressions improper for their Obscurity or Abuse; and therefore culpable to Men be the Thoughts, which they are intended to represent, never so grateful to the Searcher of Hearts.  
And farther, tho' we must not habitually neglect the Worship of our Tongue in private, yet sometimes when (as 'tis oft with devout Persons) the Workings of our Mind soar above Expression: Mental Prayer alone is no omission, but rather the more laudable. But when 'tis otherwise, and we are dry of sprightly Ideas at Seasons of Address, an affecting Form of Scripture-Expressions may do well to be at hand, since they may in part assist the drowsy Soul, tho' they may not wholly satisfy the Person whose Mind is awakened and enlarged by them.   

CHAP. V Suitable Advice and Exhortations.  
LEt me now, Dear Christian, in the Behalf of thy Soul, entreat thee to use thy diligence in turning thy Heart to God; if it be possible, never venture to omit the solemn Duty of thy Closet, but be a constant Attendant on the King of Heaven; and be sure before you venture to speak, consider and compose thy Mind to an awful Frame, and bend thy Body thrice down to the ground in Honour to the Blessed Trinity.  

2.  
In a Morning meditate on God, and let his Excellency and Mercies force thee to say, It is a good thing to tell of God's Loving Kindness in the Morning, and of his Veracity in the night Season. Let this be thy Employment, which is the Employment of Angels and Stars innumerable. Shall every thing but Devils and damned Men praise God; and Man, who is a redeemable Sinner, neglect to give Thanks for his unspeakable Gift, his own, his eternal, his begotten, his only Son? The dull and dumb Ass knows how to reproach silence on such a Theme; for he knows his Owner as well at his Crib: Certainly were thy Soul clad with that Gratitude, which is the Purple of Angels; certainly didst thou feel God enlarging thy Soul; certainly were thy Powers within ' girt ready for Eternity, the bent of thy Soul this way would be so irresistible, that thou couldst never refrain not only from venting thy Praise, but also dedicating thy whole Man daily to God: Withstand the Violence of all Charms but those of Gratitude, which the glorious Inhabitants above can't resist: The splendid Prospect of a Christian, and his vigorous sense of the Love of Christ constrains him to praise God, and God-man: Incessant Hallelujahs for Ghostly Victories, and incessant Dedication and Resignation of himself to the Supreme Monarch of all the Glorified Universes, will be the Everlasting Royalty and Priesthood of a Christian, and is the End of his being made at first, and of his being ransomed and sanctified after he had been uncreatured. Let all Souls therefore laud the Lord: Let those praise the Lord whom he has redeemed.   

3.  
Remember, I beseech thee, th● great Worth of eternal Happiness and if it be possible never fail o● securing thyself some retirement in the heat of the Day, lest the heat of worldly Business burn and lay waste that Heart which was intended to glow, and to be solaced with the Love of God. Now it is tha● the World is too apt to sway th● best, unless they habit themselves to the exercise of Vigilance. Now we had need fly to our Closets for sanctuary, that we may be convinced that Man, [the mere Natural Man] disquiets himself in vain▪ and searches after Fullness and Satisfaction in those Honours and Possessions, which prove in the end but Wombs of Vexation of Spirit to all their deluded Courtiers. Many and mean Enjoyments may cloy, but the true, the supreme Enjoyment only can fill an intellectual ●nd voluntary Creature. Let this Consideration constantly find room in thy Thoughts, and let this make thee wise in the choice of the Sub●ect matter of thy Application to ●he Throne of Grace. Let the carnal Soul pray for Long Life ●ere, for Wealth and Dignity ●n this Stage of a World, and the Philosopher for Natural Knowledge; but let a Christian pray for an Eternal Kingdom, and all those Qualifications which will secure thy Investiture in it. In the use of these Petitions, thou canst not be too earnest, or too particular; and that thou may'st pray with the greater largeness of Soul, frequently meditate on the Scriptures, especially on our Saviour's Sermon on the Mount, and the Parables of our Lord, with the 12th and 13th Chapters of St. Paul to the Romans, and some parts of St. Peter's and St. James', and the other Epistles of St. Paul, which are more useful for the Generality, tha● reading the Historical Scriptures i● order; tho' 'tis very useful in Ecclesiastical Assemblies; for every thing which becomes an Assembly▪ is not so convenient for private Persons of all Circumstances in their Closets. Many Persons have little Leisure, and perhaps less Judgement, and therefore may be the worse for too inquisitive an use of some parts of Scripture▪ and therefore their precious Time should be spent in Thoughtfulness on the plainest and most moving Scriptures, that their Souls may thrive in Grace and Divine Love. Do thou therefore daily use some of the Portions appointed by our Church for Epistles and Gospels; and before thou readest, and after thou hast read, both ponder and pray that that which was intended for a Savour of Life, may not prove a Savour of Death by Irreverence or Negligence. God's Spirit will be an Interpreter to those who consult him with Simplicity, and an ingenuous readiness of Mind to receive the Truth, be it kind to their Temporal Interest or not; and when we read the Scriptures thus, we should trust firmly and boldly in God, that if we are patiented and humble in the use of this Method, he will inform us clearly of all those Truths, which his infinite Wisdom knows to be convenient to be known by us, in our present Circumstances. 'Tis Men's Deficience more or less, in these Tempers and Methods of handling the Scriptures, together with their daring Neglect of not endeavouring to keep pace in their Lives with their Light, that causes the different Irregularities of their different Creeds. Wherefore, Fellow Christian, when thou usest the Prayer taken out of the Sermon on the Mount, take care to fix thy Mind so, that i● may be the Prayer of thy Spirit and the Epitome of thy Conversation: The Favours we request in it are the greatest we can ask, and are the Fruits of a large Thirst and an assiduous Vigilance; do not therefore only ask, but seek and knock too, that thy Soul may be sealed with that (no counterfeit) Arrhabon, which will be a Key to the Kingdom of Heaven. Open therefore thy Soul; and if thou canst not yet perceive what it is to be poor in Spirit, and pure in Heart, the Bounty of God shall give thee this Knowledge with the Gifts themselves.  
If the Clause concerning Distributions does not suit thy Circumstances, thou may'st understand it of Spiritual Charity; or altar it thus: Lift up my Thoughts from the Earth, and fix my Heart upon Heavenly Things.   

4.  
And now having endeavoured to conduct thee safe through the Temptations of the Day, let me entreat thee in the Evening to look into thyself, and to consider what Company thou hast been in; what Time has been allotted for external Religious Duties: what Time for Industry in thy Human Calling, and to exact a strict Account of the Use of the Whole Day's Time. And do not pass thy Sentence according to some external Wariness, or Unwariness, but according to the Bias of thy Mind. Outward Wariness, without the Renovation of the Mind, signifies nothing: Let this be truly rectified, and 'tis morally impossible that a Man should be guilty of any imputable Degrees of Incircumspection. Be not over rash in judging of thyself, lest thou be found at last among that Generation, who are pure in their own eyes, tho' they are not cleansed from their Filthiness. There are Three sorts of unclean Men in the World: Some that are so unclean and wicked, that, tho' the Consideration of the state of their Souls has no dwelling in their Thoughts, yet cannot but know their own Uncleanness; these know it, but lay it not so truly to heart, as is necessary for their Purification. Others there are, who labour under Degrees of voluntary Uncleanness, which cannot be consistent with a state of Salvation, even according to the gracious Covenant of the Gospel. But this is a Secret to them, because they have not examined themselves so carefully as they ought. Others again there are, who notwithstanding strict Catechizing of Conscience, are unclean in certain Degrees in the Eyes of God, but not of God-Man, of the Conscience under the Law, but not of Faith under the Gospel; which they know in general, and therefore ascribe Righteousness to their Maker, and Him only; but that cannot explain Particulars; so mysteriously deep is the Corruption of our Human Nature! This Uncleanness would exclude from Heaven, were it not for Christ's Death. But now it shall not exclude those that are truly humble & industrious to be at peace with God; for such are unclean in the Creator's sight, but not in the Mediator's. All of these always were and are still unclean, but the last alone daily become less so: They are all unclean, but not in the same degree, nor alike sensible of, nor affected to it: One neither reputes of known nor secret Impurity; the other reputes of known Impurity, but knows not as much as he might, were he very diligent in search; and therefore is guilty of his secret Sins: But the other is not guilty of known or secret Uncleanness; for the known is savingly repent of, and the Secret is secret only because it can't be yet known by the Soul, altho' it searcheth daily and diligently. Whatever degree of Uncleanness is not owing to obstinate Self-negligence, is washed away by the Blood of Jesus, if there be but a general Repentance for them. Here then is encouragement for a Soul to labour to be as clean as i● can; for then all secret Degrees o● Uncleanness will be remitted fo● humble Deprecation, and wholly removed in another World. If we are of the first sort, we have the great Work of Repentance to begin; and yet 'tis much more difficult, after it has been begun, to be completed: No Devotions are assigned for them; for they, whils● such, will use none. If we are o● the second, we must probe our Hearts with severe Cancinations of Conscience, that we may know more of ourselves, and loath and despise ourselves more, as we deserve. The First Evening Office of Repentance for deliberate Sins may clasp with their case. If we are of the Third, we are wary Christians; only let us be thankful, and be kept humble and watchful by our secret Faults, and it shall be well with us indeed.   

5.  
But tho' in the Embryo of Repentance, the Penitent may close the Day with the First Evening Office, yet something more solemnly, if Life last, must be performed with speed; for which purpose, there is a large distinct Penitential Office designed. Till that is published, I shall content myself with this Address to the Impenitent: Why will ye trample on Opportunity, and fight with wonderful Mercy? Are ye stronger than God? Is his Hand shortened that he cannot punish, because his Compassion has hitherto been prolonged to you? Wherefore do ye spend your Money, for that which is not Bread, and your Labour for that which satisfies not? Incline your Ears and bow your necks to Christ, and your Souls shall live. Then there will be no need, as now, to skip from Attempt to Attempt; for the Grace of God completed in the Soul will give satisfaction that wants no change, nor new uncertain Trials. O seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; forsake all your wicked Ways and unrighteous Thoughts; return unto the Lord, and he shall return unto you, for such he will abundantly pardon; for his Thoughts are not as the Thoughts of Men, nor his Ways as our Ways; for as the Rain comes down and the Snow from the Clouds, and returns not thither, but watereth the Earth, and wakes it bud and bring forth, so that it gives Seed to the Sour, and that Bread to the Eater; so shall his Word that goes forth concerning a tender, contrite, lowly, hungry, relenting Soul; not return unto him void, but shall accomplish that Paradise of Graces, which was intended: Instead of a Curse, and that flaming Sword of a terrible Cherub within, [an horrible Expectation of Vengeance] there shall arise a prospect of an eternal Kingdom: Instead of the Thorns shall the Firr-tree come forth, and instead of Briars the Myrtle: Where Scepticism and Infidelity, where Doubts and Darkness had tyrannised before; Light and Alacrity, Faith and Hope, Charity and Purity, shall banquet the Soul with Divine Refreshments. Be wise therefore, ye thoughtless; be changed, ye impenitent; let the time passed suffice every one of you to have spoke, and thought, and understood, and acted as a Child: Why will ye die, O Children of Men, and not try to become the Children of God? How is it that ye can thus sottishly be contented to hug Ruin, and to sprawl in your Blood? Or can you conceive nothing beyond this state? Nay, my Brethren, if God and a future Judgement be quite out of your Thoughts, or Damnation, tho' in your Thoughts, can't wake you, 'tis not for me to pretend to raise the Dead; you are passed the help of the hands of Man, and therefore I surrender you into the hands of God, whose ways are unsearchable, and like the great Deep. He is the Lord of Possibility, and spans Eternity with a Glance. He of old said, Hosts of Angels exist; and behold they were; Let there be Light, and there was Light; and who will say, Come forth ye Dead, at the signal Catastrophe of Time and Opportunity, and they shall arise. This same God of Might, let him but say to a hardened Soul, Receive the original Sensations of a Soul, be alive once more, as holy Angels and Saints are alive; and instead of a Temple in heaps, the Divine Spirit of the Man in less than three moments shall be rebuilt, and become a Palace fit for the Spirit to reside in, and Angels to gaze on with wonder and delight. All this may be done, and at the last Gasp too; and perhaps has been done for a Confessor of Christ, after he was forsaken by Disciples, when ridiculed by Multitudes on a Cross, and before the supposed Imposture risen from the dead; all this, I say, may be done for the first (strictly speaking) Disciple of the Crucify'd Jesus, and may perhaps still be done for some Persons in peculiar Circumstances, foreseen only by God. But is this thy case? Is it likely to be such? Hast thou not the general Rule, This do, and live, before thee? and wilt thou presume to defer thy Repentance presumptuously, relying on a Miracle of Grace, which is not certain to thee, tho' possible to God? What God may do for any daring Sinner who may read this, I know not; but this I know and dare affirm, That, setting aside miraculous Changes of Soul; Abuse of Opportunity, continued to a dying Hour, is sowing the Wind, and will reap the Whirlwind of the everlasting Vengeance of the Almighty.   

6.  
And now, true and faithful Disciples of Christ, those little ones whom Angels honour, Devil's envy, and a perverse Generation opposes and derides, I cannot conclude till I have said, I gratulate your Souls, those eden's of God; yea, from my Heart I gratulate their Conversion, their Passage from Darkness and Bondage, to the marvellous Light and Liberty of the Sons of God: And do ye gratulate and emulate each others Virtues: Be courteous to all Men; excel yourselves, and consort much together; unite your Love and Force, against united Malice, Dangers, and Temptations: Be patiented and watchful, if it be possible, allowing the Polity of Darkness no advantage by thoughtlessness, or immoderate thoughts of yourselves, or contempt of others: Let no Terror, no Flattery, cause you to do that which will disturb your Peace, and grieve ●hat great Spirit, whose select Vessels ye ●re. Remember the Promises of God are ●ot Yea and Nay. Quit yourselves Manfully in the Day of Battle; die Conqueror's, and enter into your Great Masters' ●oy, when he shall come in his Fathers, and ●he Glory of his Holy Angels.  
And since he is the Author of all Reconciliation, Affiance, Perseverance, and Plerophory in Man; since by no other Name lost Man is become capable of Salvation; since without him no Design can prosper, I commit you, with myself, to his Conduct, and my poor Endeavour to promote Souls to his Acceptance and Blessing.  
In him let us trust; to him with holy Triumph of Soul ascribe we: O let us be glad and rejoice, and give Honour unto him, and say, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive Glory, and Honour and Power; for thou hast created a●● things; and for thy pleasure they ar● and were created: Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Power, and Riches, and Wisdom, and Strength▪ and Honour, and Glory, and Blessing▪ For thou wast slain, and hast redeeme● us unto God, by thy Blood, out of ever● Kindred, and Tongue, and People, an● Nation.  
Blessing, Honour, Glory, and Power be unto him that sitteth on the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever.  
Glory be to the Father, and to t●● Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is no● and ever shall be, World without end. Amen.    
FINIS.