that Awe of God with that Humility Fervency and Intensness of Spirit as some times they were are you not more Negligent and unconcern'd before and after wither you find any thing of this or no your Desires weak your Hearts flat your Thoughts wandring your Spirits trifling so the work be done and the duty be over in how formal customary and careless a manner soever it be you consider it not you lay it not to Heart you reflect not upon it you bewail it not or at least are better contented and sooner quieted and take less notice of the frame of your Heart in such Duties then formerly Examine farther how 't is with you as to the great distinguishssing Duties of an upright Christian if performed as they ought to be I mean Secret Pra er and meditation Are you as strict and carefull constant and Conscientious frequent and abundant in these as formerly may not our Closets and places of Retirement witness against us our former humble and importunate Prayers joyfull Thanksgivings and sweet Contemplation of the Mysteries of Religion compared with our present dayly practice will testifie that we are declin'd and fallen Moreover consider the Evil of Sin and how your Heart stands affected to it Is not your Hatred of Sin and Zeal against it much decayed especially with respect to inward Spiritual sins such as the secret workings of unbelief and distrust pride envy uncharitableness c. Doe you bewail it shire against it and shun the occasions and fear the Temptations that may lead you unto Sin as once you did Have you not lost much of that tenderness and holy Jealousy over your heart and ways you formerly had Doe you not now make more bold with Temptation Are you not of oftner conquered and with less Reluctance and by small Temptations c. Are you not more Unserviceable Root and Fruit in a withering condition God less Honour'd and Others less profited and edifyed by your Example and Life doe you not adhere more to the world conform to it and comply with it in many things which formerly you durst not have done and are every day waxing worse Make a pause a while and bethink your self what this will come to at last even the little Good that remains is ready to dye May I not ask such Christians or desire them to ask themselves what is all ready the effect and consequence of this declension Is not God's Spirit removed and the Light of his Countenance Ecclipst yea as to many of them are they not under Sad apprehensions of God's displeasure do they not feel the terrors of the Lord do they not walk heavily from day to day they that could once converse with God on all occasions as a Friend and a Father do now think of God and are troubled thick Darkness doth incompass them round about they have lost the sence of his Love the comforts of his presence and their Song in the night and see no relief This is a more hopefull case however then theirs who are under great Backslidings and Desertion and hardly sensible of it To awaken and affist both Consider I beseech you whence you are fallen and what you have lost and what will be the issue of this if Sickness or some smart Affliction overtake you or if you should dye in this condition And inquire seriously and presently into the cause of all this Evil for a few transient thoughts will not affect the Heart and persuade to Action And do it presently because by every delay your work will be the harder your danger the greater and your Recovery the more difficult Reflect upon the Sinfullness as well as Affliction of this case know you have displeased God and run from him neglected his Presence and griev'd his Spirit and in what Instances you have done so that have made him weary of his dwelling what Ordinances you have slighted what Duties you have omitted what sins you have given way to in order to Repentance and deep Humiliation Can you contentedly sit still with this dismal State of Things while God hath somewhat yea a great deal indeed against you for having left your first Love will you not endeavor to remove that which hath made such a separation between God and you and brought you thus low what Communion with God what communications of his Grace what influences of his Spirit and Evidences of his favor have you lost and will you not acknowledg your Iniquity and abase your selves in the Dust and return to the Lord and doe your first works that he may heal your Backslidings and receive you graciously that you may againe take hold of his Covenant and be at Peace with him But to be at Peace with God is not the whole of your Concern you need not only a Pardon but a Physitian to heal you as doth a Malefactor that is not only liable to the Law but desperately sick Your State is sinfull and dangerous as well as troublesome From performing duties in such a manner as you now do you may quickly be Tempted to let them altogether alone God may be so far provok't to suffer Satan to make attempts upon you of that kind and he is forward enough to make use of such an opportunity to try all his Snares and Stratagems against you till he prevail with you to think hardly of God himself Vid. Mr. Gilpiu of Temptations p. 2. chap. 6. unthankfully to overlook all his former kindnesses to put the worst Interpretation that can be upon all his Providences to distrust and quarel with him as if his faithfullness had failed and his Mercy were clean gone for ever and there were no hope left for one in your case and so run into Desperation and thro the subtlely and violence of Satan's Temptations try the most foolish and unlawfull means for ease and cure either open Licentiousness or it may be self Murder Therfore speedy present Repentance is necessary to find out and mortifie every Corruption and that especially which Conscience tells you you have most indulg'd from whence your Distresse doth principally arise Confessing your sin freely fully and without reserve and waiting on God in the diligentuse of all means for the recovery of that which you have lost and Justifying God in his Righteousness Truth Wisdom Holiness in all his Rebukes That you may regaine a Spirit of Prayer and taste the sweetness vertue and efficacy of every duty and of every ordinance and God may give you the Garment of Praise for the Spirit of Heaviness and the Joy of the Lord may be your Strength for future service and suffering In the mean time do not cast away your Hope but tho you have too justly depriv'd your self of the Faith of Assurance yet indeavor to maintaine and exercise the Faith of Adherence Vid. Dr. Owen on 130 Ps 2. Say unto God that because there is Forgiveness with him therfore he is to be feared My sin is not too Great to be
do oblige to and enforce upon All who shall read them and therefore much more upon him self That they were penn'd at several times and in occasional retirements for Spiritual Exercises will with the difference of the subject be a sufficient excuse that some are larger and others shorter and that the stile is in some places more neglected then in others If I may hereby render any service to then Souls of men if any secure Sinner any self deceiving Hypocrite or backsliding Christian be hereby awaken'd or any serious Believer's Devotion be quicken'd and advanc'd I hope God will accept it To his Blessing I humbly recommend it for those Ends. THE CONTENTS THe Introduction From what Time the Jews reckon'd the Beginning of their Year The difference between their Sacred and Civil Account The feast of Trumpets on the first Day of the Year Its Institution nature and Design the Traditions and Customs of the Jews respecting that Day pag. 1 Section I. Of the Changeable State and Short Duration of Earthly Things especially of Man how little it is consider'd and believ'd how necessary it should be so p. 16 II. Of the Change in Mens Inclinations Opinions and Actions which one Year shows How observable it is in Others how much more discernable in our Selves Honour and Reputation c. how uncertainly preserv'd and how easily blasted p. 23 III. The Uncertainty of Living to the Period of Another Year The Vanity of this Life the Swiftness of Time and how it ought to be improv'd p. 30. IV. Of the seeming Difference between so many Years Past and the same number of Years consider'd as Future p. 36 V. The little Portion of our Time on Earth consider'd by a Computation of the Life of Man from the Number of Years and Hours p. 39 VI. Of the Redemption of Time how precious and valuable a Treasure it is and will be thought to be when 't is too-late p. 54 VII Of the Ordinances of Heaven Day and Night Winter and Summer Seed Time and Harvest their order and succession as establisht by God is the effect of Infinite Wisdom and Goodness What thy may teach us p. 48 VIII Of Evils to be Expected in this one Year the wisdom and Mercy of God in concealing from us the Knowledg of future Events p. 55 XI The Supposition of dying this Year should be improv'd the Consequence of Redeeming Time and providing for Eternity farther prest The Folly of Elder Persons is condemn'd and checkt from the Example of Children 'T is adviseable to familiarize the thoughts of Death and to imagine before hand what Apprehensions of Things we shall then have p. 60 X. The Brevity of Life considered as a Fruit of Sin. There are but three ways of leaving this World as Abel Adam or Enoch A diligent Improvement of Time farther prest and the neglect of it bewailed p. 68 XI Of the Expectation of Another Life The Vanity and Misery of Man in his Best Estate if there be none The Satisfactory removal of that Supposition by the thoughts of God and of Eternal Felicity in his Blessed Presence p. 73 XII The Consideration of the Death of Others especially of Relations Friends and Acquaintance how to be improv'd what Instructions we may learn by the sight of a Dead Corps or a Deaths-Head and the usual Motto on it and what by the Death of Holy Christians to quicken our Desires to be as They. p. 83 XIII What Influence the Consideration of ETERNITIE would have upon our Hearts and Lives if soundly believ'd Especially if the Supposition of DYing this Year be annexed to it p. 93 XIV How a Good Man may improve and encourage himself under the Supposition of Dying THIS YEAR even in the most uneasy and undesirable Circumstances p. 101 XV. Of Dying in a Forreign Country and of Dying Young Considerations proper to reconcile the mind to both p. 111 XVI The Contemplation of our Approaching Change may assist us to mortifie the Lusts of the Flesh the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life to cure Ambition and promote Contentment p. 119 XVII The same Argument consider'd farther as a dissuasive from Worldliness and Earthly mindedness and as proper to confute the Vanity of Long Projects and great Designs for this World. p. 125 XVIII The Consideration of the Certaine and near Approach of an EVERLASTING State amplifi'd and prest to enforce an Holy Life p. 131. XIX The Punishments of the Damned considered as Intolerable and EVERLASTING and unquestionably Certaine what the Reflection upon HEL-Torments may and ought to teach us p. 142 XX. The Eternal Blessedness of HEAVEN considered as the Perfection of Holiness to quicken our Desires and Endeavors after greater Meetness to possess it p. 159 XXI A devout Meditation upon the Psalm 73. v. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but Thee And there is none upon Earth that I desire besides Thee p. 180 XXII The Glorious Appearance of J. Christ to Judgment considered as Certaine The Terror and Astonishment Confusion and Despair of the Wicked to behold the Judge and hear his condemning Sentence to EVERLASTING Destruction p. 194 XXIII Meditations of the Glory of Christ in his Glorified Saints and of the Thankfull Admiration of Believers when he shall come againe from Heaven which shall be continued to all ETERNITY p. 205 XXIV Concerning the Examination of a Mans Heart and Life the Reasonableness Advantages and Necessity of it Some Directions and advice concerning the Time and Manner That we may know in what Preparedness we are for ETERNITY p. 223. XXV How Christians ought to examine their Decays of Grace and Piety The greatness of their Sin and of their Losse under such a Declension God's displeasure and departure from them consider'd to awaken present Endeavors of a Recory In what manner the Faith of Adherence may be acted by one who hath no Assurance p. 242 XXVI Confession of Sin Humiliation and Repentance must follow upon self-Examination Advice concerning Repentance of some particular Backsliding The great Perplexity and distress of a Penitent Sinner represented as a Caution against returning to Folly. p. 261. XXVII The Necessity of Christian Resolution to upright persevering Obedience how full and extensive it ought to be and yet humble By what means we may be assisted to Perform that which we Resolve p. 279 XXVIII The Import and obligation of our Baptismal Covenant The Renewal of it by a solemn Dedication of our selves to God the Father Son and H. Spirit exemplifi'd and recommended p. 289 XXIX Practical and Consolatory Reflexions on the preceding self-dedication or Covenant with God. p. 301 XXX Thanksgiving to God for his Innumerable Benefits and Mercies particularly in the Year Past With some directions and advice concerning it p. 314 THE INTRODUCTION From what Time the Jews reckoned the Beginning of their Year of the difference between their sacred civil account The Feast of Trumpets on the first day of the year its Institution nature design the
and yet how few do take the warning carefully to prevent the like unhappiness O Lord preserve those strong Convictions those serious thoughts those holy Resolutions those lively apprehensions of the Life to come of the Evill of sin and the Terrors of thy wrath which the Sight of dying persons hath at any time awakened in my soul O the Eloquence of a dying sinner to persuade to Repentance even when he hath lost his speech and lays gasping and trembling on a bed of sickness breathing out his last faint breath and passing into the other world to answer for the crimes and follies of a wicked Life Lord revive thes thoughts upon my soul and let me feel the power and influence of them in the hour of Temptation and in every time of need And let the consideration of the death of Believers the Blessedness they are thereby entred into and the Holiness they are to posses'd of quicken my desires and diligence to prepare to follow When I think where they are and what they are doing what is their work and what their state what their continual imployment and what their Injoyments and how different from ours I cannot but wish to be with them to be as they are and do as they do to know and love and praise God as they They are not hindred by such a clog as this body is to us or tempted by their senses appetite and fancy to sin against him they complaine not of a seducing flesh unruly passions low and disordered thoughts of Temporal afflictions spiritual desertions the snares of the world and the malice and subtility of the Devil we who are Pilgrims and Travellers are exposed to these difficulties and storms which they are freed from They are now rejoycing in the light of God's countenance and shall never question his love more while we are in Tears and sorrows groaning to be delivered But think o my soul that they were lately such as we are now They were members of the militant Church before they entred into joy and Triumph They had their conflicts and difficulties their hour of Temptation and time of trial as we have ours They were slandered and persecuted and sadned and disapointed as their Followers are They went to Heaven the same way and got the victory after the same manner by Repentance and Faith and humble persevering Obedience They were once imperfect as we are now and complained of the Body of Sin and Death and struglings of unmortified lust as we doe and were sometimes in the dark about their intrest in the promise and walkt heavily by the hiding of God's face and indured Temptation even as we And as we have nothing to doe or suffer but what they met with we have the same encouragement that administred to their support the same God and Saviour the same way and rule the same assistance by the aids of his H. Spirit offred us the same promises and the same rewards proposed which they injoyed first in faith and hope and afterwards in fruition Yea they pass'd thro the dark valley and so must we their Earthly Tabernacle was dissolved and so must ours be We must expect to goe the same way to Rest and Glory and wait God's Time for our admission We must finish first the work which God hath for us to doe and suffer and then all Tears shall be wipt from our eyes we shall grieve no more we shall sin no more but be as the Angels in Heaven or as the Spirits of the Just made Perfect XIII What Influence the consideration of Eternity would have upon our Hearts and Lives if soundly believed and considered Especially if the supposition of Dying this year be annexed to it WIth what Humility mortification and self denial what seriousness watchfulness and resolved constancy would every Christian live on Earth did he act allways under the influence and power of a confirmed Faith concerning the Life to come We should not then grudge at a little labor or boggle at a few difficulties in our way What tho I meet with injuries and affronts hardships and inconveniencies being now in a forreign country and every day I live one days journey nearer my Eternal Home Shall I not patiently bear momentany sorrows while I believe I am hastening to Eternal Joys Did I look more to the Everlasting World should I not make the pleasing of God in order to my Eternal welfare the great Business of my Life Should I not serve the Lord with more fervency of Spirit and be better fortified against the Fears of man who can but hurt and kill the Body nor that neither without the permission of God Should I not order all my affaires answer all Temptations mortifie in ward Lusts live in the Exercize of Grace and in circumspect persevering Obedience in order to it Should I not watch more over my Heart and Lips and Ways be more diligent to trim my Lamps more dead to this world more carefull to call my self frequently to an account to renew my Repentance Would not my converse be more usefull and edifying my discourses more savory and full of Religion my Prayers to God more humble and earnest my charity to men more unfeigned and extensive and my preparations every way more suitable to such a Faith and to such apprehensions of an Everlasting State Could we carry the thoughts of Eternity about with us every day and often admit them in our civil and secular affaires did we repeat it frequently to our selvs at least every morning as soon as we are awake that we are near Eternity this graine of Incense would perfume the whole Temple and be an Antidote against inward Lust and impure thoughts against the Infection and defilement of bad Company and the snares of worldly Business and do much to prevent vaine and sensual actions and to cure vaine affections Did we believe it and believe it near should we not take as much pains to secure Eternal life as we see men doe to get Riches Should we not use the same diligence care and circumspection the same prudent foresight watchfulness and perseverance to prevent Everlasting destruction as others doe to provide against Poverty and to live in Plenty a little while on Earth Should we not rejoyce as much in the promise and hopes of it as others do in the prospect and expectation of some Earthly Advantage Lord I confess and bewail the weakness of my faith How often have I concluded and said that Heaven alone is the place of Happiness and yet my carnal Heart is too much affected with Earthly ThÃngs How often have I resolved upon the conviction of the certainty of the Eternal world to mind this less and to affect and seek it no more as I have done and yet my foolish Heart is hankering after it still O crucifie my affections to things below and let the believing Thoughts of the next Life render me victorious over all the Temptations of this Pardon and
forgiven T is not the Vnpardonable Sin fer I desire to repent and am resolv'd to return I will still cleave to the Lord and wait upon him and follow hard after him and take no other course for Deliverance and comfort Mine is not a single Case I am not the only Soul that hath been so distress'd and yet found relief by seeking unto God. This therfore good for me to hope Lam. 3 c. 26. and quietly wait for the Salvation of God. I will draw near to God I will lay at his foot and continue in all ways of Worship and Duty wherin I may hope to meet with the quickning and comfort of his Spirit I will seek relief from no other I will keep as near him as I can wither els shall I goe he alone hath the words of Eternal Life he alone can create what is the fruit of his own lips Peace Peace I will encourage my self in the consideration of his General Grace Vid. Mr. Baxter's method for Peace of Conscience and the probabilities of his special Love I will recollect my former Experiences when I had some good hope thro Grace concerning my Adoption I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. If God will give me so much Grace as to continue waiting I will hope still and tho I walk in darkness and see little or no Light I will stay my self upon the Lord. And if by the want of sensible Consolation he will make me more humble and keep me in a greater Submission to his will I will bless his holy name and derive more comfortable hope from thence then from the most sweet and sensible Consolations I ever had and look upon Humility self denial Dependance on God Resignation to him and Hatred of sin as a better sign of his Love then the highest fervors of Affection in his service can be Oh that I had formerly done as much for Holiness as I have for Comfort by the joyment of the one I should have had more of the other the exercise of Grace would have discover'd the Truth of it Let me therfore accuse and condemn my self but still trust and love God and wait upon him Let me resolve never to choose a new Lord or Master Or take up with any Portion beneath God him self or any of Hope or Salvation but by J. Christ my only Saviour neither let me forsake the way of Faith and Holiness for all the hopes and Happiness of this world if put to my choice But be allways able to say Blessed be God I now can that I will return to my former Husband for then it was better with me then now I had peace and refreshment in my former ways I will return to them Lord forsake me not utterly keep not thine Anger for ever cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy H. Spirit from me Restore unto me the Joy of thy Salvation that my Heart may be in larged to prayse thy name and to run the way of thy Commandments XXVI Confession of Sin Humiliation and Repentante must follow upon Self-Examination Advice concerning Repentance of some particular Backsliding The great Perplexity and Distress of a Penitent Sinner represented as a Caution against returning to Folly. THat we may turn unto the Lord is the end of searching and trying our Ways Lord I have been searching my Heart and considering my ways but can find little or no good neither can I discover all that is evill in both But I find enough to make my own Heart condemn me and Thou who art greater then my Heart and knowest all things mayst much more condemn me I am altogether unclean polluted and abominable If I goe about to enumerate the Sins of my Thoughts words and actions in all the periods of my Life hitherto if I consider my omissions of Duty and dayly Crimes by actual commission if I reflect upon my Sins according to their respective objects as either against Thee o God and against my Neighbour and against my own Soul or compare my Heart and Life with thy strict and holy Law and think in how many Instances I have tansgrest every of thy Righteous Commandments I find they are more then the hairs on my head they can not be number'd who can tell how oft he hath offended many of my sins make little Impression on my Memory doe I observe them not I remember them not but this hinders not but they may make deep Impression on my Conscience which will one day be awake and set them in order before me and they are all written in thy book of Remembrance in order to my final Judgment All my sins are before thee but thou requirest my humble Confession of them in order to Repentance and as a part therof that I freely acknowledg their hainous aggravations to shame and humble my self the more before thee whom I have offended and provok't How long did I serve diverse Lusts and Pleasures with the neglect and forgetfullness of God How sad a prospect may I take of the far greatest part of my Life past especially of my younger years which have been trifl'd away in vanity and folly And since I have known the way of Truth how shamefully have I prevaricated with God I am confounded to consider how often I have despised the Commandment and rebelled against the Light against the Principles of education and the checks of Conscience frequent warnings from God and reproofs from Others contrary to my Profession and Experience contrary to the obligation of peculiar mercies solemn Promises Resolutions and Engagements and a nearer Relation to God then of many others which sins have more dishonor'd my Lord discredited his H. Gospel gratifi'd the Devil scandaliz'd the world and strengten'd the hands of the ungodly then the sins of others And alas How much of my precious Time is thus gone which if duely improv'd would now afford me comfort to review How much Guilt have I contracted every year particularly in this last I now begin another which will soon be gone as that which was concluded yesterday And shall I only advance in Age to increase the number of my sins and heigthen my Account against the Day of Reckoning In Temporal and Civil Affaires Day unto Day uttereth knowledg and Night unto Night teacheth Wisdom We are Taught by Experience many usefull lessons which we should not els have learnt to reform many Errors and mistakes to correct many rash and foolish Actions and Speeches c. And shall I not learn wisdom by the Experience of another year in what concerns my greatest my Eternal Interest shall not the reflexion on my past sins prevent my Commission of the like How many Years hath God vouchsaf't me to work out my salvation but how little have I done towards it had I dyed this last year how unprepar'd must I have made my Appearance before his Tribunal what opportunities of doing and receiving good have I let
me O most Blessed and Glorious TRINITY Father Son and H. Spirit Thy favor is my Life and thy Loving kindness is better then Life Thy Will should have been my Rule thy word my Law thy Glory my end to please thee my principal Business and to injoy thy Love and Presence my ultimate Felicity But I am one of thy revolted Creatures who have lost thine Image and rebell'd against thy Law slighted thy Authority and rejected thy Grace and deserve to be cast out of thy sight and banisht from thy Presence for ever Nevertheless O most mercifull God and Father upon thy gracious invitation and call I now return to thee my rightfull Lord acknowledging thee as my Allmighty Wise and Bountifull Creator my absolute Owner my Righteous Governour my End my Happiness and Chief Good. I now accept thine offer'd Mercy I now submit to the Scepter of thy Grace and give up my self to Thee as my King and my God to rule and sanctifie me now and be my Everlasting Portion I desire to be no longer my own but Thine to whom of right I belong and ought to be devoted I yeild my self to Thee O my Lord Accept and possess that which is thine own I lay my self at thy Foot at all Times and in all Conditions to be at thy dispose and in every thing to acquiesce in thy Good Pleasure Deliberately resolving with unfeigned and free consent of my Will to walk before Thee in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of my Life Hereby I consecrate and devote my self to be thy perpetual avowed Servant Lord I am thy servant I am thy servant the Son of thine Hand maid Tho other Lords have had dominion over me I will now make mention of thy Name and of thy Righteousness only by Jesus Christ O Blessed Jesus my All sufficient Saviour Thy dying Love infinite Condescention and matchless Grace hath at last overcome me and constrain'd me to resolve to be wholly Thine who hast redeem'd and bought me with thy most precious Bloud I now acknowledge and own Thee as my Lord and my Jesus my Prophet Priest and King my Sacrifice Surety and Ransom to satisfie for my sins and reconcile me unto God to instruct me in his will and teach me the Mysteries of his Kingdom and the way to the Father How often hast thou open'd thine arms and called me yea beseecht me to come unto thee and accept of Life but I refused to come I adore thy mercifull Condescention that yet thou wilt receive me on such easy Terms O thou Lord of life and glory now accept of an unworthy helpless Sinner who flies to Thee as his only Refuge and Hope who is convinc't that None but Christ None but Christ can make his Peace with God and save from wrath come I acknowledge thy Title to me and my obedience and to all I have by dying for me I desire to take thy yoke upon me for it is Easy and thy Burden which is Light. I desire to be intirely and for ever thine in an Everlasting Covenant never to be broken to take up the Crosse and follow thee whither so ever thou shalt lead me thro the straight Gate and the narrow way I will reserve no Lust refuse no Labor grudge at no suffering stick at no difficulty so I may please and honour thee and continue in thy Love. Os hed abroad more of thy Love in my Heart to make all Things easy for his sake who hath loved me and washed me from my Sins in his own Bloud O God the Holy Ghost I acknowledg Thee as my Great Teacher and Sanctifier and give up my self to Thee as the Author of all saving Knowledg and Holiness By Thee I have been convinc't of my Sin against the Law of God and the Gospel of Christ and of my necessity of his merit satisfaction and Righteousness to Justifie my guilty Soul by procuring the Forgiveness of Sin and my acceptance with God and of the freeness of his Love the Riches and all sufficiency of his Grace towards all who come unto God by Him. I adore Thee O most Blessed Spirit as proceeding and sent from the Father and the Son to renew all the Powers of my Soul and restore the divine Image there to enlighten my mind to know and receive the Truth as it is in Jesus and purifie my Heart and to sanctifie all the Members of my Body and make them Instruments of Righteousness unto Holiness which before were servants unto Sin and gradually to deliver me from the power the defilement and abode of Sin as from the Guilt and Punishment by the bloud of Jesus And as the Witness of God to the Truth of the H. Scriptures and as the Great Paraclete to comfort and establish the Hearts of Belivers sealing them up to the day of Redemption and giving them the Earnest of the Heavenly Inheritance O Blessed Spirit be thou my witness that tho I have violated the Law of God and defac't his Image and formerly undervalu'd the Love of Christ and the Grace of the Gospell yet by thine aid I now accept what I have so long neglected and thankfully devote my self hence forward to be the Lords in a Covenant Relation But fearing and distrusting my self I give up my self entirely to the conduct of thy Grace depending upon it for my establishment and perseverance O form my Heart into an obediential Frame that in every thing I may endeavor to answer the Ends and Obligations of this Devoted State. To this One God I have once againe dedicated and resign'd my self to serve and please and honour Thee in Thought Word and Act to the last moment of my Life in the Performance of all Duties even those whic I have been most averse from in the mortification of every Lust and the forsaking of every Sin even those which I was once most addicted to Resolving deliberately to allow my self in nothing great or little secret or open which I shall know or believe to be contrary to thy holy will making it my business to be fruitfull in good works to the praise of my Redeemer waiting in the use of all his apointed means for higher measures of Grace and Holiness to be more victorious over inward Lusts and outward temptations still pressing towards the mark for the prize of my high and holy Calling even eternal Life I call Heaven and Earth O Lord to witness this day that I own and avow this to be my Mind and the setled Prevailing Purpose of my Soul. This I againe ratifie and confirm with out any Clauses or Exceptions So help me O my God. Glory be to God the Father God the Son and God the H. Spirit XXIX Prastical and Consolatory Reflexions on the preceding Self-dedication or Covenant with God. I Have this day solemnly avouched the Lord to be my God Deut. 6. c. 17.18 to walk in his ways therby to fortifie my Resolutions that I and my House and All that I can