Bates - BT766 B3 1699

428 Faciebat boo Sextius, ut con- fummata die antequam fe ad noíiurnam qui- etem recepiffet, interrogaret a- nzmum fuum, quad hodie ma- lum ? Cui vitio obfü- tiJli ? Rua par- te rnelìor es ? Quotidie apud me caufam di- co, Sen. de tra. Spiritual Per feC ion. to theall -feeing Eyes of God ? Men are apt to be .infenfible of Sins of omiffion, but there is no mere Sin of omìflìon for it proceeds from a diflike of the com- manded Duty, which expofes to Judg- ment. The more the Mind is mended and renewed, it difcovers the Sins that were undifcern'd. (3.) There muff be a fixed refolution to reform our. Lives , wherein we have been culpable. The Soul can never re- cover its lapfe from above, but by re- turning thither ; that is, by a real per- formance of the Duties of theLaw, that fully reprefent the Law -giver's Will and Soveraignty. Now the refleaing upon our Hearts and Lives, to improve the Good, and correE the Evil in them, is very ufeful for that end. (4.) It muff be frequent, left we be- come ignorant and forgetful of our felves. Some of the wifer Heathens made a fcrutiny of their Aaions every day. 'Tis related of Sextius a Philofápher, that in the end of the day, he throughly exa- min'd the Aaions of it, Who Evil have I curd ? JVrhat Vice have I reffled ? In what am I become better ? Seneca tells us it was his daily praaice, to give an ac- Count of his Aaions before the Judica- tory of Confcience. The Author of the Golden yerfes gives Counfel in order to pro-

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