[ 1106] Daily Examination of our selves, the comfort of it.
SEneca tells of a* 1.1 Roman, that kept his soul as clean, as the best housewife keeps her house, every night sweeping out the dust, and washing all the vessells, examining his own soul, Quod malum hodie sanâsti? qua parte melior es? What infirmity hast thou healed? what fault haste thou done and not repented? in what degree art thou bettered? Then would he lie down with, O quàm gratus somnus, quàm tranquillus! With how welcome sleep, and how quiet rest, do I entertain the night!* 1.2 And it were to be wished, that all men would do the like, to keep a day-book of all their actions and transactions in the world; to commune with their own hearts, and not to sum up all their words and works in the day passed, with an Omnia bene, (as Church-wardens were wont to do, when they gave up their presentments) then would their nights rest be quiet, and then might they lie down in safety, for God himself would keep them.