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which is directed by infinite wisdom. This is not soothing ourselves into any false content, or imaginary happiness; but is a satisfaction, grounded upon as great a certainty, as the being and attributes of God. For, if we are right in believing God to act over us with infinite wisdom and goodness; we cannot carry our conformity and resignation to the divine will too high; nor can we ever be deceived, by thinking, that to be best for us, which God has brought upon us. For the providence of God is not more concerned in the government of night and day, and the variety of seasons, than in the common course of events, that seem most to depend upon the will of men. So that it is as strictly right, to look upon all worldly changes, all the various alterations in your own life, to be as truly the effects of Divine Providence, as the rising and setting of the sun, or the alterations of the seasons of the year. As you are therefore, always to adore the wisdom of God in the direction of these things; so it is the same reasonable duty, always to magnify God as an equal director of every thing, that happens to you in the course of your own life. This holy resignation and conformity of your will to the will of God, being so much the true state of piety; I hope, you will think it proper to make this hour of prayer, a constant season of applying to God for so great a gift. That by thus constantly praying for it, your heart may be habitually disposed toward it, and always in a state of readiness to look at every thing as God's, and to consider him in every thing; that so every thing, that befals you, may be received in the spirit of piety, and inade a mean of exercising some virtue.

There is nothing, that so powerfully governs the heart, that so strongly excites us to wise and reasonable actions, as a true sense of God's presence.

But, as we cannot see, or apprehend the essence of God; so nothing will so constantly keep us under a lively sense of the presence of God, as this holy resignation, which attributes every thing to him, and receives every thing, as from him.

Could we see a miracle from God, how would our

thoughts be affected with a holy veneration of his presence! But, if we consider every thing, as God's doing, either by order or permission, we shall then be affected with common things, as they would be, who saw a miracle. For, as there is nothing to affect you in a miracle, but as it is the action of God, and bespeaks his presence; so, when you consider God, as acting in all things, and all events, then all things will become venerable to you, like miracles, and fill you with the same awful sentiments of the divine presence. Now you must not reserve the exercise of this pious temper, to any particular times or occasions, or fancy how resigned you will be to God, if such or such trials should happen. For this is amusing yourself with the idea of resignation instead of the virtue itself. Do not therefore please yourself with thinking, how piously you would submit to God, in a plague, a famine, or persecution; but be intent upon the perfection of the present day; and be assured, that the best way of showing true zeal, is to make little things the occasions of great piety.

Begin therefore in the smallest matters, and accustom your mind to the daily exercise of this pious temper, in the lowest occurrences of life. When contempt, a little injury, or disappointment, or the smallest events of every day, continually raise your mind to God in proper acts of resignation; then you may justly hope, that you shall be numbered among those, that are resigned and thankful to God in the greatest trials and afflictions.

CHAP. XXII.

Of evening prayer. Of the nature and necessity of examination. How we are to confess all our sins. How we are to fill our minds with a just horror of all sin.

THE evening is a time, so proper for devotion, that I suppose nothing need be said to recommend it, as a season of prayer, to all people, that profess any regard to piety. As the labor and action of every state of life is generally over at this hour; so this is the proper time for every one to call himself to account, and review his behaviour, from the first action of the day. The necessity of this examination is founded upon the necessity of repentance. For, if it be necessary to repent of our sins; if the guilt of unrepented sins still continues upon us; then it is necessary, not only that our sins, but the particular circumstances and aggravations of them, be recollected, and brought to repentance. The scripture saith, If we confess our sins; he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

There seems therefore to be the greatest necessity, that our daily actions be constantly observed, and brought to account; lest by negligence we load ourselves with the guilt of unrepented sins. This examination therefore every evening is not only to be considered, as a commendable rule, and fit for a wise man to observe; but, as something, that is as necessary, as daily confession and repentance of our sins; because this daily repentance loses its chief benefit, unless it be a particu

lar confession and repentance of the sins of that day. This examination is necessary to repentance in the same manner, as time is necessary; you cannot repent or express your sorrow, unless you allow some time for it; nor can you repent, but so far as you know, what it is, that you are repenting of. So that, when it is said, it is necessary to examine and call your actions to account; it is only saying, that it is necessary to know, what, and how many things you are to repent of.

You perhaps have hitherto only used yourself to confess yourself a sinner in general, and asked forgiveness in the gross, without any particular remembrance, or contrition for the particular sins of that day. By this practice you are brought to believe, that the same short, general form of confession of sin in general, is a sufficient repentance for every day. Suppose another person should hold that a confession of our sins in general once at the end of every week was sufficient; and that it was as well to confess the sins of seven days altogether, as to have a particular repentance at the end of every day. I know you sufficiently see the unreasonableness and impiety of this opinion, and that you think it is easy enough to show the danger and folly of it. Yet you cannot bring one argument against such an opinion, but what will be as good an argument against such daily repentance, as does not call the particular sins of that day to a strict account. For, as you can bring no express text of scripture against such an opinion; but must take all your arguments from the nature of repentance, and the necessity of a particular repentance for particular sins; so every argument of that kind must as fully prove the necessity of being very particular in our repentance of the sins of every day. Since nothing can be justly said against leaving the sins of the whole week, to be repented for in the gross, but what may as justly be said against a daily repentance, which considers the sins of that day only in the gross.

Would you tell such a man, that daily confession was necessary to keep up an abhorrence of sin; that the mind would grow hardened and senseless of the guilt of

sin without it? And is not this as good a reason for requiring, that your daily repentance be very express and particular for your daily sins? For, if confession is to raise an abhorrence of sin; surely that confession, which lays open your particular sins; that brings them to light with all their circumstances and aggravations; that requires a particular sorrowful acknowledgment of every sin; must in a much greater degree fill the mind with an abhorrence of sin, than that, which confesses you only to be a sinner in general. For, as this is nothing, but what the greatest saint may justly say of himself; so the daily repeating of such a confession has nothing in it, to make you truly ashamed of your own way of life.

Must you not tell such a man, that by leaving himself to such a weekly, general confession, he would be in great danger of forgetting a great many of his sins? But is there any force in this argument, unless you suppose that our sins are all to be remembered, and brought to a particular repentance? And is it not as necessary, that our particular sins be not forgotten, but particularly remembered in your daily, as in repentance at any other time? So that every argument for daily confession and repentance is the same argument for the confession and repentance of the particular sins of every day. Because daily confession has no other reason or necessity, but our daily sins; and therefore is nothing of what it should be, but so far as it is repentance and sorrowful acknowledgment of the sins of the day.

You would think yourself chargeable with great impiety; if you were to go to bed without confessing yourself to be a sinner, and asking pardon of God; you would not think it sufficient, that you did so yesterday; and yet, if without any regard to the present day, you only repeat the same form of words, you used yesterday; the sins of the present may justly be looked upon to have had no repentance. For, if the sins of the present day require a new confession; it must be such a new confession, as is proper to itself. For it is the" state and condition of every day, that is to determine

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