through a powerful Redeemer and Advocate; seeing as a humble, penitent believer, I lie at his feet, and cast myself into his arms, and wait on his grace, and am resolved to keep his ways, and never to return to folly. I more desire to be sincere, than to know that I am so. The comfort and delight of being and doing good, I set not so much by, as the very being and doing good. To love God, and to be conformable to him, is that which I most of all desire. I will trust God in his ways. I will strive against an over-timorous solicitude about my salvation, and will commit myself to God, who is infinite goodness and love, and I will lie down and take my repose therein. I am grieved, when I observe, or hear of the scandals of some professors; and the disorders of those, that are in charity to be judged sin cere; and the follies and frailties of the more sincere and upright. And it humbles me, by causing me to reflect upon myself, and my own faultiness, and weakness, and proneness to offend: and it makes me more to desire the heavenly society, and to be among the spirits of just men made perfect. My My sins of sensuality in every kind and degree, I search out, and repent of. I am kept by grace, from gross sins of this sort. In the gratifications of sense, which are lawful in general, I scrupulously dread excess, and undueness of circumstances. How earnestly do I desire an absolute purity! All envy, unrighteousness, uncharitableness, hard-heartedness, undutifulness, and base selfishness, which is the root of all, I have seen, lamented, and abhorred. The motions and stirrings of mind, that way, are suppressed and dislodged: I will never give way thereunto. Self Self-applauding, self-seeking, in matter of praise and honour before men, I strive against. I desire to be as sincere to another's reputation, as to my own. I would not value others by their regard to me, but by their true worth. I would be contented to be little in the eyes of others. This I unfeignedly desire and endeavour, and I hope that I have it in some good degree. All my omissions and negligencies in the work of the ministry, in preaching, in personal, private application, I bewail, and heartily resolve upon more diligence and faithfulness. Enter Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord; but remember me, and spare me, according to thy great mercy in Christ Jesus, the great propitiation for sin, in whom I desire to be found, and under the covert of whose wings I stand, that I may be saved from thy wrath, and enjoy thy peace, and live in thy presence, where is fulness of joy, and pleasures for evermore! GOD |