affift me by thy Spirit, good Lord, that I may embrace them, and rightly apply them.

Owhen will the happy Time come, that I fhall be fet at Liberty from Sin and Corruption, from the Body and the World? When will the

Cares of this Life ceafe to trouble me, that I may repofe in God? His Love and Favour is the greatest 'Comfort in this World, that will make a Death-bed eafy, and dying Hours comfortable.

It is the great Mercy of God, that • hath fupported me under many Temptations; I have oft fallen, but 'through the Goodness of God I have 'rifen again I have been long troubled with Doubts and Fears, yet have not defpair'd of God's Mercy. 'Let not his Goodness encourage me to Prefumption or vain Hopes,

or

to think my own Cafe better than really it is, but put me upon ftriving to enter in at the ftrait Gate, and working out my Salvation with Fear and Trembling, that I may make my Calling and Election fure, "while it is call'd to Day, because the Night is very near, when I fhall • work

work no more. Lord, give me Grace, tho' I want Comfort.

It was fome Encouragement to him when he read the Lives of good Men, to find that they had the fame Exercifes, particularly that of Mr. Philip Henry; If fuch an eminent holy Man, (faid he) that liv'd a Life of Communion with God, yet complain'd of Wandrings and vain Thoughts in Duty, &c. I will not defpond, who have the fame Burdens to complain • of.

He also took Comfort from a Paffage he tranfcrib'd from the late Lord Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield, which was this; The ftrongest En'couragement of our Endeavours towards Heaven is, that all our Defects fhall be fupply'd by the infinite Merits of our Lord and Saviour, who knows the Infirmities of our Nature, takes the Will for the Deed, and admits honeft Endeavours in lieu of • perfect Obedience. The Goodness of God is infinite, and his Mercy is 6 over all his Works.

'I believe (faith he) that vain and 'groundless Hope of Salvation is the. Ruin of many, who fay, they hope. C 3

in

in Chrift, but keep not his Com• mandments; whereas it is not saying, Lord, Lord, that he will accept, but doing the Will of our Father; it is not my Prayers, nor my Reading good Books, nor writing good Things, that will bring me to Heaven, without Faith and Repentance, and ferving God in Sincerity.

V. His Self-examination and Evidences for Heaven.

'Were I capable (faith he) I would write fomething of the Hardness and • Deceitfulness of Man's Heart, fince I can fay fo much on that Subject by woful Experience, for it hath been a • continual Trouble to me most of my Days. The Heart (faith one) is that which the Eye of God is, and the Eye of a Chriftian ought to be chiefly fix'd upon. Many an earnest Prayer I have put up to God to foften this ftony Heart, and fix this 'wandring Mind. O that at length my Heart might be wrought into a right Frame. Could I win my Heart to God, and keep my Heart with God, I should think my felf a happy Man. I pray daily that God

'would

would create in me a clean Heart, and renew a right Spirit within me. O that I could obtain the Favour of God, ' and Communion with him, which I

value more than all the Riches of 'this World. The Light of his CounC tenance, an Intereft in Chrift, and the Affiftance of his holy Spirit, I defire above all worldly Treasures. 'Lord, Thou knoweft all the Secrets L of my Heart, and all my Thoughts <afar off, all my present Designs and Purposes, which, I hope, are well intended; but I want thine Af< fiftance: The Heart is deceitful, and doubtless mine as bad as any; how then fhall I judge of my fpiritual State, which moft judge too favourably of their own Cafe! If the Heart be fill'd with Sin, and fo continues with Delight, there is no Room or Habitation for God and Chrift in it. O that I could put away all the Evil of my Doings, and repent with that Repentance, which is not to be repented of. So far as I know my own Heart, these are my ' unfeigned Defires; help and affift me, O God, for thy Mercies fake; let thy Strength appear in my Weakness. C 4

'Let

'Let me not cenfure others (faith he) but begin at Home, and examine my own Confcience, and judge my ( own Heart. I am in the Sight and 'Prefence of God, whofe All-feeing • Eye beholds all my Thoughts, Words and Actions, and it is dan< gerous to diffemble with God, flatter my self.

or

Mr. Corbet's Enquiry into the State of his Saul, was of great Ufe to him in this Part of his Work. 'Doubts and Fears arife, (faith he) I feel many Con'flicts between Flefh and Spirit, and 'tho' the Flesh often prevails in fome particular Inftances, yet I truft, through Grace, the Spirit hath the predominant Power. Vain Thoughts, ( unruly Paffions, often intrude into my Heart, but they are unwelcome Guefts there, and foon turn'd out. I hope, I fhall never offend my God willingly, and that I do not delight or allow my felf in any known Sin.

Some of my weak imperfect Evidences for Heaven (faith he) are thefe: (1.) My hope is built purely upon the Mercy of God, and the Merits of Chrift. (2.) My Defigns, Endeavours, and Refolutions are fre

quently