The works of George Swinnock, M.A

SECT. V.

Fifthly, Call thy self to an account at evening. Take a review of thy carriage the whole day, how thou didst behave thy self. Begin with the morning, consider whether thou didst awake with God, what was the frame of thy Spirit in; closet and family duties in company, and solitude; Reflect upon thy actions, thy passions, thy speech, thy silence, thy behaviour at table, in thy shop, whether thy affections were heavenly above the world, when thy actions were earthly about the world, whether thou wast righteous in thy particular calling, and didst set upon it out of conscience to Gods precept, and with an eye to his glory; whether thou didst not lose an opportunity of advantaging thy brothers soul, and doing thy God service; whether thou hast not failed in thy thoughts, or words, or deeds, in thy demeanour towards thy relations, or neighbours, or strangers; whether thou didst in all walk according to that rule which thy God hath prescribed thee. This is the way to make the day more pious, and the night more pleasant. Conscience will be the more faithful all day, when ⟨p. 524⟩it knoweth before-hand that it shall be called to an account at night; and the more conscientious we are in the day, the more cheerful we shall be at night. Seneca reports of Sextius the Roman Philosopher,¹ that every night before he took his rest, he would examine his soul;² Quod hodie malum sanasti? Cui vitio obstitisti? In qua parte melior es? What evil hast thou this day healed? what vice hast thou resisted? in what part art thou bettered? and then he addeth, how sweet is the sleep which ensueth upon such a review!

FIfthly, Call thy self to an accauut at evening. Take a review of thy carriage the whole day, how thou didst behave thy self. Begin with the morning, consider whether thou didst awake with God, what was the frame of thy Spirit in; closet and family duties in company, and solitude; Reflect upon thy actions, thy passions, thy speech, thy silence, thy behaviour at table, in thy shop, whether thy affections were heavenly above the world, when thy actions were earthly about the world, whether thou wast righteous in thy particular calling, and didst set upon it out of conscience to Gods precept, and with an eye to his glory; whether thou didst not lose an opportunity of advantaging thy brothers soul, and doing thy God service; whether thou hast not failed in thy thoughts, or words, or deeds, in thy demeanour towards thy relations, or neighbours, or strangers; whether thou didst in all walk according to that rule which thy God hath prescribed thee. This is the way to make the day more pious, and the night more pleasant. Conscience will be the more faithful all day, when