_General questions which a serious Christian may propose to himself, before he begins his evening devotions._
1. With what degree of attention and fervour did I use my morning prayers, public or private?
2. Have I done any thing without a present, or at least a previous perception of its direct, or remote tendency to the glory of God?
3. Did I in the morning consider, what particular virtue I was to exercise, and what business I had to do in the day?
4. Have I been zealous to undertake, and active in doing what good I could?
5. Have I interested myself any farther in the affairs of others, than charity required?
6. Have I, before I visited, or was visited, considered how I might thereby give or receive improvement?
7. Have I mentioned any failing or fault of any man, when it was not necessary for the good of another?
8. Have I ♦unnecessarily grieved any one by word or deed?
♦ “necessarily” replaced with “unnecessarily” per Errata
9. Have I before, or in every action considered, how it might be a means of improving in the virtue of the day?
_Particular questions relative to the love of GOD_.
1. Have I set apart some of this day, to think upon his perfections and mercies?
2. Have I laboured to make this day, a day of heavenly rest, sacred to divine love?
3. Have I employed those parts of it in works of necessity and mercy, which were not employed in prayer, reading, and meditation?
O MY Father, my God, I am in thy hand; and may I rejoice above all things in being so: do with me what seemeth good in thy sight: only let me love thee with all my mind, soul, and strength.
I magnify thee for granting me to be born in thy church, and of religious parents; for washing me in thy baptism, and instructing me in thy doctrine of truth and holiness; for sustaining me by thy gracious providence, and guiding me by thy blessed Spirit; for admitting me, with the rest of my Christian brethren, to wait on thee at thy public worship: and for so often feeding my soul with thy most precious body and blood, those pledges of love, and sure conveyances of strength and comfort. O be gracious unto all of us, whom thou hast this day [_or at any time_] admitted to thy holy table. Strengthen our hearts in thy ways against all our temptations, and make us _more than conquerors_ in thy love.
O my Father, my God, deliver me, I beseech thee, from all violent passions: I know how greatly obstructive these are, both of the knowledge and love of thee; O let none of them find a way into my heart, but let me ever possess my soul in meekness. O my God, I desire to fear them more than death; let me not serve these cruel tyrants; but do thou reign in my breast; let me ever be thy servant and love thee with all my heart.
Deliver me, O God, from too intense an application to even necessary business. I know how this dissipates my thoughts from the one end of all my business, and impairs that lively perception I would ever retain of thee standing at my right-hand. I know the narrowness of my heart, and that an eager attention to earthly things leaves it no room for the things of heaven. O teach me to go through all my employments with so truly disengaged a heart, that I may still see thee in all things, and see thee therein as continually looking upon me, and searching my reins; and that I may never impair that liberty of spirit, which is necessary for the love of thee.
Deliver me, O God, from a slothful mind, from all lukewarmness, and all dejection of spirit: I know these cannot but deaden my love to thee; mercifully free my heart from them, and give me a lively, zealous, active and chearful spirit; that I may vigorously perform whatever thou commandest, thankfully suffer whatever thou chusest for me, and be ever ardent to obey in all things thy holy love.
Deliver me, O God, from all idolatrous love of any creature. I know infinite numbers have been lost to thee, by loving those creatures for their own sake, which thou permittest, nay, even commandest to love subordinately to thee. Preserve me, I beseech thee, from all such blind affection: be thou a guard to all my desires, that they fix on no creature any farther than the love of it tends to build me up in the love of thee. Thou requirest me to love thee with all my heart: Undertake for me, I beseech thee, and be thou my security, that I may never open my heart to any thing, but out of love to thee.