at first, a strange task: thy inferior part will repine, and make many complaints, and thy body be sick, at such sudden checks and contradictions. But mind none of these, my son; smile at thy foolish sensitive part, for it does not understand that this is even for its eternal benefit. In a little time, this very denial will grow a pleasure, because it will have little of reluctance in it; and the pleasure of triumphing over thy own inclinations, will make the remaining trouble insensible. Then thou mayest advance to consider, what things of moment thou hast a mind to; and there apply thy discipline, and teach thy mind to obey; and in general, take this for a certain rule, 'To suspect thyself in whatever thou hast a strong inclination to.'

"Here's the great point of self-denial, to deny our thoughts, and turn them from objects to which they incline, to others. Our actions have something gross and perceptible in them; but our thoughts are refined; not to be observed but by nice application. This is the true source; get the mastery of these, and you command all the rest. It is in vain to think to deny ourselves in actions, if we cannot do it in thoughts; nor to command our passions, if we cannot govern our thoughts. Passion lives in the thoughts, and the effect of it is, to engage and determine our thoughts; but, if we have an habitual command of these, and use ourselves to deny them, to turn and wind them as we please; we shall easily govern our passions too, and avoid any actions we are prompted to by them. Why should it then seem hard to thee, O my soul, or a matter worthy to be once named ; to

deny thyself in trivial and indifferent concerns, that, thou mayest gain the mastery of thy will in greater? If thou standest in the presence of a prince, thou hast lost all thy will in these things. If thou hast a mind to see any thing particularly in the room; yet the will dies as soon as born; so much does a prince's presence awe thee. Is not thy chamber, O my soul, the presence-chamber of Almighty God? (O that thou wert more sensible, and more worthy of such an honour!) and yet here can thy will live, so much as to give thee the least shock, when thou deniest thyself an indifferent thing thou hast a mind to, that thou mayest, with the greater ease and cheerfulness, give up thyself to the will of God.

"Herein appears the admirable wisdom of God. God saw that the contempt of outward things, of the pleasures of sense, of riches, and glory, and the like, (which are the baits the devil lays for us, and whereby he drowns many souls in perdition,) was necessary for man, in order to his being restored to bliss; what course, therefore, did the Divine Wisdom take to embitter these things to man; and make their contraries, that is, chastity, poverty, humility, patience, and the contempt of the world, pleasing and easy? God himself came down from heaven, and taking upon him the form of a servant, did by his own example make this medicine, (so necessary to sick men, but withal so bitter and loathsome,) become so pleasing and delightful, that good men now love fasting, more than worldly men do excess; poverty, more than riches; and mortification, more than sensual pleasures."

But as Mr. Bonnell had noble and exalted thoughts

of God, and a flaming love to his Maker and Redeemer; as he was meek and lowly, mortified and patient; so these divine graces led him to all necessary acts of devotion. I shall, therefore, now consider, how he discharged the duty of prayer, both public and private: how constant and devout a guest he was at the Lord's table: how religiously he observed the Lord's-day, and the feasts and fasts of the church. As to the duty of prayer, it was his con- How he stant and daily work, and most delightfnl discharged entertainment; and he discharged every prayer. the duty of part of it in so exact and regular a way, that his private devotions were not omitted for the sake of the prayers of the church; nor did any constancy at the former, make him neglect being daily at these. His practice from his youth, was to begin the day with God, and consecrate to him his earliest thoughts, and in this he persevered all his life long: for the first thing he did in the morning, was repeating psalms proper for it, as the sixty-third, the latter part of the seventy-third, and others: and all his dressing and washing-time he repeated the 103d, 116th, and 145th psalms. In this part of his devotions it was his desire that his wife should bear her part: and when they were over, he at large offered up his own private prayers in his closet. The evening he consecrated to God, as well as the morning. His first exercise (as soon as he could get free from company) was repeating the Magnificat, and some other hymns of praise; his wife in these still joining with him. Then he usually retired into his closet, and with great exactness examined the state of his soul

and by reading and meditation, put himself into a right temper for prayer; which was then performed in the fullest and devoutest manner. And he concluded the day in the same manner that he began it; repeating the fourth, and other psalms, while he undressed. And when ready to step into bed, he kneeled down and offered up a short prayer, and then lay down in peace. This was his practice so constantly, that neither the coldness of the weather, nor any bodily indisposition of weariness, made him neglect it.

But it is from himself the reader must have the clearest view of the regular constancy of his private devotions: for writing to a religious friend, with whom he was very intimate, upon the subject of private prayer, and the most advantageous way of discharging that duty, he thus delivers himself:

"The first and the last of the day, is to May, 1692. me essentially necessary; and no other time of the day could supply the want of these. But I will not say so of others; since the condition of some is such, that they must take other times, or can get none at all: use and custom may make other times of the day as useful to them. But when I have done with the world, and before I begin with it, is the time when my mind is fittest for religious exercises; and perhaps you will find my rule necessary for yourself; not to let even the prayers of the church draw you out, unless you have had time first to discharge your private duties at large at home. I go out with pleasure and confidence, when I have done this; and public prayers are then more pleasing to me. At

nights I must get a little more time, to sit still, or read and write in, as well as pray. But sometimes it pleases God to call us to a larger attendance on himself, when he makes the world vile in our eyes; gives us clearer views of our future hopes, convinces us of the end for which we came into the world, and of the only thing necessary. Happy are we indeed, when he calls us to this, and gives us leisure for it. We may be sure it is to invigorate and fortify us for some farther work, which he has for us to do; or to bring us to consecrate ourselves, and all our powers, more entirely to his service. It is good to give way to this call, and to steal what time for it we can; and not slightly or easily to suffer ourselves to be diverted from it; that we may give way to the grace of God, to have its perfect work on our hearts. But this is not to be looked upon as a course to be taken up by us; or any vows or resolutions to be made to keep to it, longer than for the present heat; because it is not consistent with our civil duties in human life. The disciples were not long permitted to stay on Mount Tabor, but they must go down again to the multitude that waited for them.

"Let us then go bravely on in the way of piety, into which our good God has called us; and remember that we must go up hill, and down hill; sometimes see our journey's end, and sometimes lose sight of it: but while he permits us to see in our hearts, a desire to do nothing in this world, but please Him; and not to live, but that we might live to Him: let us comfort ourselves in his goodness, and not be disturbed at every disorder; and may his infinite