A guide to eternal glory. Or, Brief directions to all Christians, how to attain to everlasting salvation. With several other brief tracts, and spiritual hymns. : [Four lines from I. Samuel]

A short DIRECTORY for the Great, Necessary, & Advantagious Duty of SELF EXAMINATION; whereby a serious Christian may every Evening Examine himself. Translated out of Low-Dutch, for the benefit of the English.

I. Questions relating to Religious Exercises.

1. HAve I had any sensible Com|munion with God in the Exercise? 2. Have I not neglected my Private, nor my Family-Duties▪ 3. Have I not omitted Reading the Word of God? 4. Have I not hol•• Meditations, 1st. concerning the Word Preached; 2ndly· concerning God; 3dly. concerning Christ;

concerning Sin; 5thly. Scriptures, the Word of God; 6thly. Providen|ces, the Works of God; 7thly. about my Duties; 8thly. about Death; 9thly. about the last Judgment; 10. about Hell; 11thly, about Heaven &c 5. Have I not been careless and for|mal in Prayer, either Private in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Closet, or in Family-prayers; and performed the same out of custom, and not out of love & affection to the duty? 6. Have I not been care|less & superficial in reading the word, but serious & zealous to pray for a blessing, for encrease of life & light by that duty? 7. Have I not for hast in worldly business, cut my Prayers short off, or lain upon my bed for idleness, when I should have been upon my knees? 8. Have I after du|ty, gone upon my Watch-tower, to look out, and watch for a blessing and the fruits of my duty?

II. Questions relating to Sins and Temptations.

1. Have I guarded against & feare•• Temptations, or have I heedlesly rushed among them? 2. What Temptations have I this day striven against and conquered? 3 Have 〈◊〉〈◊〉 this day done nothing against or contrary to my knowledge &c or have I not sinn'd with full pur|pose & resolution? 4. Do I not know|ingly live in a course of sin, either of omission or commission? 5. Have I carefully kept my self from my ini|quity, or have I again relapsed into it? 6. Have I given any man occasi|on o•• offence, or been offended un|justly by any this day? 7. Doth no sinly light upon my heart, so that the Gospel and Grace, Christ & the Promises are less sweet & precious to me? 8. When I fell into any sin

did I seriously without delay rise a|gain by repentance, & neither palli|ated or extenuated my sin?

III. Of Thoughts of the heart.

1. Have I kept my heart in a seri|ous, spiritual, and holy frame, so to be ready at all times for the exer|cise of holy duties, and so have gone from one duty to another? 2. Have I had the Lord always before my eyes, & especially, are my thoughts on him when I awake? 3. Hath E|ternity made any impressions on my heart, & have I set Death & Judg|ment, with the consequences thereof before my eyes? 4. Have I made conscience of vain, idle & wandring thoughts, and guarded against them? 5. Have I been serious & frequent in holy Ejaculations all the day and so walked with God in all my affairs? 6. Have I endeavoured when private

& solitary, to order and govern my thoughts holily?

IV. Questions about Eating & Drinking.

1. Have I seriously and zealously before meat craved a blessing, and after meat with the same devotion returned thanks; or have I done it out of custom and fashion only? 2. Have I eat and drank with fear, and to the glory of God; or did I sit down to table with no better design than the beasts of the field have, to satisfie hunger and thirst? 3. Have I not been immoderate in my eating & drinking, even to surfeiting, over-charging my stomack? 4. Have I not risen from Table without speaking of the Name of God, or of his Word yea, without once thinking thereo•• with delight?

V Questions about our Callings.

1. Have I this day, in the dutie

of my Calling, had respect to the Lord & served him? 2. Have I been diligent in it, or idle & lazy 3. Have I dealt justly and honestly in my Calling, have I cheated no man no manner of way, but done to every one as I would they should do unto me? 4. Have I not broken my pro|mise in my calling but been as good as my word? 5. Have I not over|laden and over charged my self with worldly affairs, & been immoderate|ly anxious, solicitous, and careful a|bout them, to the disadvantage and neglect of my Soul?

VI. Questions relating to our Carri|age among others.

1. Have I carried and behaved my self as a Christian ought to do in reference to Superiors and Inferi|ors, Juniors and Seniors, and my E|quals? 2. Have I not neglected some

Duties to them to whom I have a particular Relation, or have I done nothing contrary to my duty to such but duly and truly discharged it▪ 3. Have I (being a Father or Mo+ther) taken care, first for the Souls and then for the Bodies of my Chil|dren, and wrought for them? 4. Have I (being a Child) honoured my Fa|ther and Mother, have I loved, been obedient & thankful to them? 5. Have I (being a Husband) been careful for the Soul and Body of my Wife, and loved her? 6. Have I (being a Wife) loved, honoured and obeyed my Husband, and heartily cared for his and the Families good? 7. Have I (being a Master) been careful for the Souls & Bodies of my Servants, and given them good exhortations, reproofs and examples? 8. Have I (being a Servant) honoured and o|beyed

my Master, and been true and diligent in his concerns, as a Christi|an ought to do? 9. Have I (being a Ruler, either in Church or State) been conscientious to do the duties of my place? 10. Have I (being a Subject in the State, and a Member ••n the Church) carried my self as becomes a Christian towards the Magistrate, Minister highly respect|ing them, being subject and obedient to them, and praying for them?

VII. Questions relating to our Time and Opportunities.

1. Have I this day redeemed time for the good of my Soul, as esteem|ing it precious? 2 Have I not slept too long, and more than was neces|sary, so that my Exercises in Pri|vate or in the Family must be short|ned, or some necessary or profitable work omitted? 3. Have I not mis|pent

my time in idle, unnecessary or fruitless discourse, or with un+necessary and unreasonable reflecti|ons? 4. Have I not fed many idle and vain imaginations and thoughts which time might have been im+proved to the advantage of my Soul▪ 5. Have I not lost time with to much & long discourse about world+ly things, or by doing more about them than was necessary? 7. Have I diligently improved my time thi•• day for God, and for Eternal Sal|vation, striving to take Heaven b•• violence? 8. Have I not this day o+mitted some incumbent opportuni+ty, whereby I might have improved my talent, & done good to the Soul and Bodies of others, either by word or works, of civility or mercy? 9punc; Have I constantly observed ever•• opportunity to the good of my Soul

either to my instruction or reproof, or to excite to more diligence?

VIII. Questions relating to good Company.

1. Have I chosen good and holy people for my Companions, and that because they are such, & for a good end? 2. Have I endeavoured to ex|cite such by my example, and in spiritual conferences to Love and Good-works? 3. Have I carried my self towards them, as loving them with a hearty and brotherly affecti|on, and peaceably? 4. Have I de|lighted in their Company, and re|joyced in their Prosperity? 5. Have I born their infirmities and covered them, or done the contrary? 6. Have I been advantagious to them with admonitions, consolations, reproofs, counsels and other service, and have I sought the like advantage from them, & found it.

IX. Questions about bad Company.

1. Have I carried my self prudent|ly and wisely among the Ungodly, so that they have not been a snare to me, nor have they done me any damage? 2. Have I carried my self so holily, that I have not been a Stone of stumbling to any of them; but a good Example and Convicti|on{reversed ?} 3. Have 〈◊〉〈◊〉 been serious, courte|ous, & compassionate towards them, endeavouring to do them good by reproofs, instructions and admoni|tions{reversed ?} 4. Have I not been ashamed of the Word, Wayes and Children of Christ when among those tha•• hate and persecute them{reversed ?}

X. Questions relating to our carriag•• under v••its Providences.

1. Have I observed the particular Providences of God concerning my self and others{reversed ?} 2. Have I endea|voured

to discern the dealings of God with my Soul and Body from my Prayers{reversed ?} 3. Have I been thank|ful for the daily blessings & benefits received from God? 4. Have I born my cross this day willingly & chear|fully, & in adversity submitted to the hand and will of God?

XI. Questions relating to the Exer|cise of the principal Gifts and Graces.

1. Have I liv'd by Faith, depending constantly upon the Promises, & on Christ for help, strength, success, and acceptance with God? 2. Have I with diligence endeavoured to express my love to God, to men, & to my enemies themselves this day? 3. Have I denied my self this day, & curbed my passions & affections in all oc|currences, so behaving my self as ••ne that denies himself? 4. Have I walked the whole day in the fear of the

Lord, whether in company or alone in divine worship and service, or in worldly affairs; always guarded a|gainst sin? 5. Have I been humble and in all things eschewed & striven against Pride & High-mindedness? 6. Have I eschewed or shunned sinful anger, & carried my self meekly be|fore God and Men? 7. Have I been content with my state & condition in which the Lord by his Prvidence hath set me? 8. Have I been patient, not murmuring or repining when 〈◊〉〈◊〉 meet with difficulties from God & oppressions from men? 9. Have I in all things expressed & declared m•• uprightness and honesty, & shunne•• and striven against all deceit & hy+pocrisie? 10. Have I been heavenl•• minded, & delighted my self in God and striven against earthly minded+ness, and satisfaction in the vaniti•• thereof?

XII. Questions relating to Silence, and the use of the Tongue.

1. Have I bridled my Tongue from vain, unnecessary, angry & perverse words? 2. Have I not spoken evil of any man behind his back; or did the Lord call me by discovering the wickedness of another, to advance & further my neighbours interest? 3. Have I with Reverence used the Name & Word of God, and spoken thereof to the edification of others & my self, at home & abroad, at my rising up & lying down? 4. Have I always spoken the truth, & not some|times made lies or half-lies? 5. Have I been silent when the Lord called me to speak for his Glory & the Edifica|tion of others? 6. Have I spoken when I should have been silent?

XIII. An Epitome of the former Questions, when in the Evenings we

have little time or leasure to the Duty of Self-Examination.

1. Have I been serious & jealous in Secret & Family-religious exer|cises this day, & have had any sensi|ble Communion with God? 2. Have I striven against my temptations & guarded against my own inclinati|ons? 3. Have I been careful to keep my heart from duty to duty in a spiritual frame? 4. Have I not con|ceived vain thoughts, nor promove•• vain & idle discourse? 5. Have I had through the day many Ejaculatory Prayers & Sighs; 6. Have I thought & spoke much of the Word of God 7. Have I carried my self moderate|ly, Self-denyingly, & Spiritually in the use of the Creatures{reversed ?} 8. Have 〈◊〉〈◊〉 injur'd no man this day, neither i•• words nor works{reversed ?} 9. Have I been all th•• day diligent & careful on my wat••••

and guard; 10. Have I not neglect|ed my duty to those that I have par|ticular relation to, or have I per|formed it{reversed ?} 11. Have I not mispent my time, nor omitted any good op|portunity to do, or to receive Good; 12. Have I this day been seriously working for the Glory of GOD, and my Souls Salvation; 13. Have I not been immoderately pore-ing, and meditating on Earthly things; 14. Have I not given way to P•• sinful Anger, Discontento••ness, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Impatience? 15. Have I lived by Faith, and fetched all my strength from Christ? 16. Have I let my light shine among men, and been profi|table both to good & bad? 17. Have I had a right aim and end in all my doings? 18. Have I walked in Love both towards GOD and my Neigh|bour?