CHAP. XXIII.

Of evening prayer. Of the nature and necessity of examination. How we are to be particular in the confession of all our sins. How we are to fill our minds with a just horror and dread of all

sin.

I AM now come to six o'clock in the evening, which, according to the scripture account, is called the twelfth, or last hour of the day. This is a time so proper for devotion, that I suppose nothing need be said to recommend it as a season of prayer, to all people that profess any regard to piety. As the labour and action of every state of life is generally over at this hour, so this is the proper time for every one to call himself to account, and review all his behaviour, from the first action of the day. The necessity of this examination, is founded upon the necessity of repentance. For if it be necessary to repent of all our sins, if the guilt of unre pented sins still continues upon us, then it is necessary not only that our sins, but the particular circumstances and aggravations of them, be known and recollected, and brought to repentance. The scripture saith, If we con fess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John i. 9. Which is as much as to say, that then only our sins are forgiven, and we cleansed from the guilt and unrighteousness of them, when they are thus confessed and repented of.

There seems therefore to be the greatest necessity, that all our daily actions be constantly observed, and brought to account, lest by a negligence, we load ourselves with the guilt of unrepented sins. This examination therefore of ourselves every evening, is not only to be considered as a commendable rule, and fit for a wise man to observe ; but as something that is as necessary as a daily confession and repentance of our sins; because this daily repentance

is of very little significancy, and loses all its chief benefit, unless it be a particular confession and repentance of the sins of that day. This examination is necessary to repentance in the same manner as time is necessary ; you cannot repent or express your sorrow, unless you allow some time for it: nor can you repent, but so far as you know what it is that you are repenting of. So that when it is said, that it is necessary to examine and call your actions to account; it is only saying, that it is necessary to know what, and how many things you are to repent of.

You perhaps have hitherto only used yourself to confess yourself a sinner in general, and asked forgiveness in the gross, without any particular remembrance, or contrition for the particular sins of that day. And by this practice you are brought to believe, that the same short, general form of confession of sin in general, is a sufficient repentance for every day. Suppose another person should hold that a confession of our sins in general once at the end of every week was sufficient; and that it was as well to confess the sins of seven days altogether, as to have a particular repentance at the end of every day.

I know you sufficiently see the unreasonableness and impiety of this opinion, and that you think it is easy enough to shew the danger and folly of it. Yet you cannot bring one argument against such an opinion, but what will be as good an argument against such a daily repentance, as does not call the particular sins of that day to a strict account. For as you can bring no express text of scripture against such an opinion, but must take all your arguments from the nature of repentance, and the necessity of a particular repentance for particular sins; so every argument of that kind must as fully prove the necessity of being very particular in our repentance of the sins of every day. Since nothing can be justly said against leaving the sins of the whole week to be repented for in the gross, but what may as justly be said against a daily repentance, which considers the sins of that day only in the gross.

Would you tell such a man, that a daily confession was necessary to keep up an abhorrence of sin, that the mind would grow hardened and senseless of the guilt of

sin without it? And is not this as good a reason for requiring that your daily repentance be very express and particular for your daily sins? For if confession is to raise an abhorrence of sin, surely that confession which considers and lays open your particular sins, that brings them to light with all their circumstances and aggravations, that requires a particular sorrowful acknowledgment of every sin, must in a much greater degree fill the mind with an abhorrence of sin, than that which only in one and the same form of words, confesses you only to be a sinner in general. For as this is nothing but what the greatest saint may justly say of himself, so the daily repeating of only such a confession, has nothing in it to make you truly ashamed of your own way of life.

Again: Must you not tell such a man, that by leaving himself to such a weekly, general confession, he would be in great danger of forgetting a great many of his sins? But is there any sense or force in this argument, unless you suppose that our sins are all to be remembered, and brought to a particular repentance? And is it not as necessary, that our particular sins be not forgotten, but par ticularly remembered in your daily, as in a repentance at any other time? So that every argument for a daily confession and repentance, is the same argument for the confession and repentance of the particular sins of every day. Because daily confession has no other reason or necessity, but our daily sins; and therefore is nothing of what it should be, but so far as it is repentance and sorrowful acknowledgment of the sins of the day.

You would, I suppose, think yourself chargeable with great impiety, if you were to go to bed without confessing yourself to be a sinner, and asking pardon of God; you would not think it sufficient that you did so yesterday, and yet if without any regard to the present day, you only repeat the same form of words that you used yesterday, the sins of the present may justly be looked upon to have had no repentance. For if the sins of the present. day require a new confession, it must be such a new confession as is proper to itself. For it is the state and condition of every day, that is to determine the state and manner of your repentance in the evening; otherwise the same general form of words is rather an empty for

mality, that has the appearance of a duty; than such a true performance of it, as is necessary to make it truly useful to you.

Let it be supposed, that on a certain day you have been guilty of these sins; that you have told a vain lie upon yourself, ascribing something falsely to yourself through pride; that you have been guilty of detraction, and indulged yourself in some degree of intemperance. Let it be supposed, that on the next day you have lived in a contrary manner; that you have neglected no duty of devotion, and been the rest of the day innocently employed in your proper business. Let it be supposed, that on the evening of both these days you only use the same confession in general, considering it rather as a duty that is to be performed every night, than as a repentance that is to be suited to the particular state of the day. Can it with any reason be said, that each day has had its proper repentance? Is it not as good sense to say, there is no difference in the guilt of these days, as to say that there need be no different repentance at the end of them? Or how can each of them have its proper repentance, but by its having a repentance as large and extensive, and particular as the guilt of each day?

Again: Let it be supposed, that in that day, when you had been guilty of the three notorious sins abovementioned, that in your evening repentance, you had only called one of them to mind: Is it not plain, that the other two are unrepented of, and that therefore their guilt still abides upon you? So that you are then in the state of him who commits himself to the night without the repentance for such a day, as had betrayed him into two such great sins. Now these are not needless particulars, or such scrupulous niceties, as a man need not trouble himself about; but are such plain truths, as essentially concern the very life of piety. For if repentance is necessary, it is full as necessary that it might be rightly performed, and in due manner. And I have en

tered into all these particulars, only to shew you in the plainest manner, that examination, and a careful review of all the actions of the day, is not only to be looked upon as a good rule, but as something as necessary as repentançe itself

If a man is to account for his expenses at night, can it be thought a neediess exactness in him, to take notice of every particular expense in the day? And if a man is to repent of his sins at night, can it be thought too great a piece of scrupulosity in him, to know and call to mind what sins he is to repent of?

Farther: Though it should be granted, that a confession in general be a sufficient repentance for the end of such days, as have only the unavoidable frailties of our nature to lament; yet even this fully proves the absolute necessity of this self-examination for without this examination, who can know that he has gone through any day in this manner?

Again: An evening repentance, which thus brings all the actions of the day to account, is not only necessary to wipe off the guilt of sin, but is also the most certain way to amend and perfect our lives. For it is only such a repentance as this, that touches the heart, awakens the conscience, and leaves a horror and detestation of sin upon the mind. For instance: if it should happen that upon any particular evening, all that you could charge yourself with should be this, viz. a happy, negligent performance of your devotions, or too much time spent in an impertinent conversation; if the unreasonableness of these things were fully reflected upon, and acknowledged; if you was then to condemn yourself before God for them, and implore his pardon and assisting grace, what could be so likely a means to prevent your falling into the same faults the next day? Or if you should fall into them again the next day, yet if they were again brought to the same examination and condemnation in the presence of God, their happening again would be such a proof to you of your own folly and weakness, which cause such a pain and remorse in your mind, and fill you with such shame and confusion at yourself, as would in all probability make you exceedingly desirous of greater perfection.

Now in the case of repeated sins, this would be the certain benefit that we should receive from this examination and confession; the mind would thereby be made humble, full of sorrow and deep compunction, and by degrees forced into amendment.