His Soliloquy.

Он, what a judgment is here! How terrible! How full of execution! The plague the extract of all diseases! none so mortal; none so comfortless. It makes our house a prison, our friends strangers; no comfort but in the expectation of the month's end. Ay, but this judgment excludes that comfort too! "The plague shall never depart from the house of the swearer." What, never? Death will give it a period. No, but it shall be entailed upon his house, his family. O detestable, O destructive sin! that leaves a cross upon the doors of generations, and lays whole families upon the dust; a sin, whereto neither profit incites, nor pleasure allures, nor necessity compels, nor inclination of nature persuades; a mere voluntary; begun with a malignant imitation, and

continued with an habitual presumption. Consider, O my soul, every oath hath been a nail to wound that Saviour, whose blood (O mercy above expression!) must save thee. Be sensible of thy actions and his sufferings. Abhor thyself in dust and ashes, and magnify his mercy that hath turned this judgment from thee. Go, wash those wounds which thou hast made, with tears; and humble thyself with prayer, and true repentance.

His Prayer.

ETERNAL and omnipotent God! before whose glorious name angels and archangels bow, and hide their faces; to which the blessed spirits, and saints of thy triumphant church, sing forth perpetual hallelujahs! I, a poor child of disobedient Adam, do here make bold to take that holy name into my sin-pol

luted lips. I have heinously sinned, O God, against thee, and against it; I have disparaged it in my thoughts, dishonoured it in my words, profaned it in my actions; and I know thou art a jealous God, and a consuming fire; as faithful in thy promises, so, fearful in thy judgments. I therefore fly. from the dreadful name of Jehovah, which I have abused, to that gracious name of Jesus, wherein thou art well pleased. In that most sacred name, O God, I fall before thee; and for his beloved sake, O Lord, I come unto thee. Cleanse thou my heart, O God, and then my tongue shall praise thee. Wash thou my soul, O Lord, and then my lips shall bless thee. Work in my heart a fear of thy displeasure, and give me an awful reverence of thy name. Set thou a watch before my lips, that I offend not with my tongue. Let no motives entice me to be an instrument of thy dishonour; and let thy attributes be

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precious in mine eyes. Teach me the way of thy precepts, O Lord, and make me sensible of all my offences. Let not sinful custom in sinning against thy name, take from my guilty soul the sense of my sin. Give me a respect unto all thy commandments, but especially preserve me from the danger of this my bosom sin. Mollify my heart at the rebukes of thy servants, and strike into my inward parts a fear of thy judgments. Let all my communication be ordered as in thy presence, and let the words of my mouth be governed by thy Spirit. Avert those judgments from me which thy word hath threatened, and my sin hath deserved, and strengthen my resolution for the time to come. Work in me a true godly sorrow, that it may bring forth in me a newness of life. Sanctify my thoughts with the continual meditation of thy commandments, and mortify those passions which pro

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voke me to offend thee. Let not the examples of others induce me to this sin, nor let the frailties of my flesh seek fig-leaves to cover it. Seal in my heart the full assurance of thy reconciliation, and look upon me in the bowels of compassion, that, crowning my weak desires with thy all-sufficient power, I may escape this judgment which thy justice hath threatened here, and obtain that happiness thy mercy hath promised hereafter.

THE PROCRASTINATOR.

His Delay.

TELL me no more of fasting, prayer, and death; they fill my thoughts with dumps of melancholy. These are no subjects for a youthful ear; no contemplations for an active soul. Let them,