It

my breakfast, but forgot my prayers. And as I have returned no praise, so thou mightest justly have afforded me no protection. Yet thou hast carefully kept me to the middle of this day, entrusted me with a new debt, before I have paid the old score. is now noon, too late for a morning, too soon for an evening sacrifice. My corrupt heart prompts me to put off my prayers till night; but I know it too well, or rather too ill to trust it. I fear, if till night I defer them, at night I shall forget them be pleased therefore now to accept them. Lord, let not a few hours the later make a breach: especially, seeing (being spoken not to excuse my negligence, but to implore thy pardon,) a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday. I promise hereafter, by thy assistance, to bring forth fruit in due season. See how I am ashamed the sun should shine on me, who now newly start in the race of my devotions, when he, like a giant, hath run more than half his course in the hea

vens.

XXII.

LORD,

THIS day casually I am fallen into a bad company, and know not how I can thi

ther,

ther, or how to get hence. Sure I am, not my improvidence hath run me, but thy Providence hath led me into this danger. I was not wandering in any base by-path, but walking in the high-way of my vocation : wherefore, Lord, thou that calledst me hither, keep me here. Stop their mouths that they speak no blasphemy, or stop my ears that I hear none; or open my mouth soberly to reprove what I hear. Give me to guard my myself; but, Lord, guard my guarding of myself. Let not the smoke of their badness put out mine eyes, but the shining of mine innocency lighten theirs. Let me give physic to them, and not take infection from them. Yea, make me the better for their badness: then shall their bad company be to me like the dirt of oysters, whose mud hath soap in it, and doth rather scour than defile.

LORD,

XXHI.

OFTEN have I thonght with myself, I will sin but this one sin more, and then I will repent of it, and of all the rest of my sins together; so foolish was I, and ignorant. As if I should be more able to pay my debts, when I owe more or as if I should say, I

will wound my friend once again, and then I will lovingly shake hands with him: but what if my friend will not shake hands with me? Besides, can one commit one sin more, and but one sin more? * Unclean creatures went by couples into the Ark. Grant, Lord, at this instant I may break off my badness, otherwise thou mayest justly make the last minute wherein I do sin on earth, to be the last minute wherein I shall sin on earth, and the first wherein thou mightest make me suffer in another place.

LORD,

XXIV.

THE Preacher this day came home to my heart. A left handed Gibeonite with this sling, hit not the mark more sure, than he my darling sins. I could find no fault with his sermon, save only that it had too much truth. But this I quarrelled at, that he went far from his text, to come close to me; and so was faulty himself in telling me of my faults. Thus they will creep out at small crannies, who have a mind to escape; and yet I cannot deny, but that that, which he spake, though nothing to that portion of

* Gen. vii. 2.

Judges xx. 16.

Scripture which he had for his text, was according to the proportion of Scripture. And is not thy, Word in general the text at large of every preacher? Yea, rather I should have concluded, that if he went from his text, thy goodness sent him to meet me : for without thy guidance it had been impos sible for him so truly to have traced the intricate turnings of my deceitful heart.

LORD,

XXV.

BE pleased to shake my clay cottage, before thou throwest it down. May it totter awhile, before it doth tumble. Let me be summoned before I am surprised. Deliver me from sudden death. Not from sudden death in respect of itself; for I care not how short my passage be, so it be safe. Never any weary traveller complained, that he came too soon to his journey's end. But let it not be sudden in respect of me. Make me always ready to receive death. Thus no guest comes unawares to him, who keeps a constant table.

SCRIPTURE