The sinner's tears, in meditations and prayers. By Tho. Fettiplace. Dom: Pet: Cantab.

CHAP. 22. Upon the great neglect of reckoning daily with our consciences, and the benefits lost thereby.

COnsider, O my soul, how venomous the nature of sin is; if thou canst afford to sleep in small sins, thou wilt not stick to welcom greater. Sin is of an incroaching na∣ture; if thou suffer it to sleep in thy bosom, it will expect to dwell there: Little sins are har∣bingers to bigger ones; if thou lodgest these, those will challenge entertainment: Let each evening therefore take a strict accompt of that daies action, and where thou findest thy self fail∣ing, pray heartily for pardon.

In thine entrance upon this holy course, thou wilt surely find three potent oppositions: Sa∣tan will tell thee, that God requireth no such strictness at thy hands; the World will tell thee, thou hast this, or that employment to consider of; thine own Corruption will perswade thee, that nature will abhor this discontented course, that thy spirits will be too much dulled, and thy life will prove uncomfortable.

Alass my soul, these are delusions to betray thee to a greater mischief. As there are degrees of Sanctification, so there are of Pollution; no man becometh evill in an instant: from hence it is, that sometimes the soul can start even at the very thought of that sin, which by degrees it can digest without disturbance. If holy David had accounted with his conscience, after his lustfull looks on Bathsheba, doubtless those fear∣full

sins of his had never been committed. O let not any vain pretences deter thee from this task, but the blessed benefits allure thee; if the entrance be harsh, the progress will be safe, the continuance sweet, the end happy.

By this enquiry thou shalt see thy sins (those great disturbers of thy p••ace) arraigned, con∣victed, condemned, and by the mercy of thy Sa∣viour dayly dying in thee; Satan repulsed, the gifts and graces of Gods holy Spirit strengthen∣ed, thy mournings comforted, thine infirmities susteined, thy conscience quitted, thy rejoy∣cings exalted, the holy Angels delighted, and thy heavenly Father well pleased. O how truly blessed are these enjoyments! what soul can be now sad in this enquiry?

Lord, I now solemnly resolve upon this safe, this sweet, this blessed task; I willingly aban∣don all excuses that may hinder me, and joy∣fully embrace those happy duties which invite me nearer to thy heavenly presence; thy yoak is easie, and thy burthen light; when thy grace hath redeemed me from the bondage of sin, and restored me into the glorious liberty of thy chil∣d en, I shall then find (to my souls comfort) that thy service is perfect fre••dom••, from sin, from shame, from death, from hell; from all miseries here, from all torments here∣after.

Be warie therefore, O my soul, and carefull to remove all lets that may disable thee, but those especially that turn me from a Christian to a beast. Satan hath many wayes to couzen me; when he cannot beguile my judg••ment, he will betray mine affections, and lead me by a seeming good, in friendly society, to a•••• call evill in excess, and so when he cannot corrupt

my intentions, he will undoubtedly divert mine actions, as well knowing it is impossible for him to be devout, who is not temperate.

Lord, by how much Satan is more powerfull and malicious, by so much make me more wise and circumspect, that my intentions may be good, my words gracious, my actions vertuous, my life holy, my death happy.

Blessed God,

How large a portion of my little time have I bestowed on sin? how eager have I been of it? how negligent in asking pardon for it?

Lord pardon my unmindfulness of holy duties, make me more watchfull for the time to come, that I may constantly resolve upon amendment of my evill wayes, and willingly endure thy fatherly afflictions for them.

Forgive those sinfull houres that have unfit∣ted me for thy service; suffer me not, O Lord, to wander in the waies of wickedness, and when at any time the frailty of my wretched flesh shall tempt me to exceed those blessed bounds which thou hast set me, O let thy saving grace restrain me; let not this sinfull freedom captivate my precious soul, to thy dishonour, and mine own deserved shame; but let thy gladding Spirit be my joyfull comfort, to refresh me in life, and protect me in death.

Make me more zealous, more intent upon the wayes of godliness; Lord suffer not my pious resolutions to abate with any outward obstacles; let me not lean upon these broken reeds, but rest on thee the rock of my defence and safety.

Make me content to leave these earthly vani∣ties for thy sake, who wert willing to forgoe Thy heavenly Throne for mine; though the frailty

of my nature hath too often led me into the bon∣dage of sin, yet let the freedome of thy grace now guide me into the footsteps of sorrow, that this blessed sorrow may be turned into joy, and that this joy the world may not take from me.

Lord open mine eyes, that I may see the bles∣sednesse of goodnesse, the perfect freedome of thy service, the glorious liberty of thy children; so shall I willingly submit to thy commands, and joyfully partake of thy rewards.

Blessed God, with humblenesse of soul I offer up my self unto thee; Lord Jesus accept of me, and so assist me with thy grace, that I may wholly dedicate my self to thy glory. Amen.