_Particular questions relating to mortification._
1. Have I done any thing merely because it was pleasing?
2. Have I not only ♦not done what passion sollicited me to, but done just the contrary?
♦ “done” replaced with “not done” per Errata
3. Have I received the inconveniences I could not avoid, as means of mortification chosen for me by God?
4. Have I contrived pretences to avoid self-denial? In particular,
5. Have I thought any occasion of denying myself too small to be embraced?
6. Have I submitted my will to the will of every one that opposed it; except where the glory of God was concerned?
7. Have I set apart some time for endeavouring after a lively sense of the sufferings of _Christ_ and my own sins? For deprecating God’s judgment, and thinking how to amend?
O ALMIGHTY Lord of heaven and earth, I desire with fear and shame to cast myself down before thee, humbly confessing my manifold sins and unsufferable wickedness. I confess, O great God, that I have sinned grievously against thee by thought, word and deed (particularly this day). Thy words and thy laws, O God, are holy, and thy judgments are terrible! But I have broken all thy righteous laws, and incurred thy severest judgments; and where shall I appear when thou art angry?
But, O Lord my Judge, thou art also my Redeemer! I have sinned, but thou, O blessed Jesus, art my advocate! _Enter not into judgment with me_, lest I die; but spare me, gracious Lord, _spare thy servant, whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood_. O reserve not evil in store for me against the day of vengeance, but let thy mercy be magnified upon me. Deliver me from the power of sin, and preserve me from the punishment of it.
Thou whose mercy is without measure, whose goodness is ♦unspeakable, despise not thy returning servant, who earnestly begs for pardon and reconciliation. Grant me the forgiveness of what is past, and a perfect repentance of all my sins, that for the time to come I may with a pure spirit do thy will, O God, walking humbly with thee, conversing charitably with men, possessing my soul in resignation and holiness, and my body in sanctification and honour.
♦ “unspeakble” replaced with “unspeakable”
*_My Lord and my God_, I know that unless I am planted together with thee in the likeness of thy death, I cannot in the likeness of thy resurrection. O strengthen me, that by _denying myself and taking up my cross daily_, I may crucify the old man, and utterly destroy the whole body of sin. Give me grace to _mortify all my members which are upon earth_, all my works and affections which are according to corrupt nature. Let me be dead unto sin, unto every transgression of thy law, which is holy, merciful and perfect. Let me be dead unto the world, and all that is in the world, the _desires ♦of the flesh, the desire of the eye, and the pride of life_. Let me be dead unto pleasure, so far as it tendeth not to thee, and to those pleasures which are at thy right-hand for evermore. Let me be dead unto my own will, and alive only unto thine. I am not my own; thou hast _bought me with a price, with the price of thine own blood. And thou didst therefore die for all, that we should not henceforth live unto ourselves, but unto him that died for us._ Arm thou me _with this mind; circumcise my heart_ and make me a _new creature_. Let me no longer live to the desires of men, but to the will of God. Let thy holy Spirit enable me to say with thy blessed apostle, _I am crucified with_ Christ: _nevertheless I live, yet not I, but |Christ| liveth in me_.
♦ “of the flesh, the desire” added per Errata
O thou _great Shepherd of souls_, bring home unto thy fold all that are gone astray. Preserve thy church from all heresy and schism, from all that persecute or oppose the truth: and give unto thy ministers wisdom and holiness, and the powerful aid of thy blessed Spirit. Advance the just interests, and preserve the persons of all Christian princes, especially our sovereign: give to him and his royal family, and to all his subjects, in their several stations, particularly those that are in authority among them, grace to do thy will in this world, and eternal glory in the world to come.
Bless, O Lord, all our nurseries of piety and schools of learning, that they may devote all their studies to thy glory. Have mercy on all that are in affliction: remember the poor and needy, the widow and fatherless, the friendless and oppressed: heal the sick and languishing, give them a sanctified use of thy rod, and when thou seest it expedient for them, receive them into the number of thy departed saints, and with them into thine everlasting kingdom.