VIII a v ..7.T which helps to refleEt with profit : Whereas, when they poft through duty (to fpeak fo) and when they have done, know not what they have been doing ; how can they refle& ? A ad direEtion is, Ye would be much in laying out the particulars of your way before God in prayer ; ye would, not only be much in the petitory part of prayer, but alto much in confeffion, in reading over (as it were) the legend of your life to God ; heartily acknowleding his grace in that which is good and right, and humbly taking with that which is evil and wrong r For, when ye fludy to look over and review your way in prayer, it helps you to get the better and more im- partial fight of the particulars thereof in examination; and when ye do not dwell in a manner on the thoughts of your way in prayer, it makes it the more uncouth and confuted to you in examination : Thus, when the fab- bath comes, we would be particular in confeffing to God in prayer the fins that haunt us that day, and this would help to examination, and examination would help to be yet more particular in prayer. 3. As for other du- ties, fo for this, ye would have your let times of purpofe, fay, for this duty, as well as for prayer, and would let no other duty íhuffle it out of its own place and fea- fon ; for, when we live the time thereof at an uncertain- ty, we readily íhift and negle& it. As, in prayer, tho' we would obferve and take hold of all providential op- portunities for it, yet that doth not hinder but we have, and fhould have our particular let times for it ; fo ought it to be here : Therefore it is laid, Pfal. 4. Corn- ',tune with your hearts (or examine yourfelves) upon your beds. 4. This fet time would be, when perfons are molt fresh and fit for the duty, and have the fairefl opportuni- ty to info in, and to dwell on it, and to follow it till they he fuitably affe &ed with it, and till fomewhat of it be reached ; for,when we flraiten ourfelves, and take not fuch a time as is fit for the duty, we will not get it fol- lowed out to any purpofe, and get time alto for prayer and other duties ; and that caufeth overlinefs readily in all. We would therefore take fuch a time for this duty, that we may not (fo far as we can forecaft) be diverted and drawn away from it by forne other thing. 5. When fornc
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