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17. In all your intercourse with your neighbors in the day, let your affairs be wholly matter of business or civility, and always managed with justice and charity: neither let it be matter of curiosity or inquiry into the actions of others; always without censuring or rash judgment, without backbiting, slandering, or detraction: do it not yourself, neither converse with them that do. He or she that loves tale-bearers shall never be beloved, or be innocent. Resist the temptation to utter unkind. and sharp things for the sake of being amusing. Talk of others as you would have them speak of

you.

18. As often as it is convenient, or can be had, let the public prayers of the Church, or parts of them, or of others, be said publicly in the family, and let as many be present as you can. The same rule is to be observed for Sundays and holidays, for their going to church. Let no one servant be always detained, but relieved and provided for by changes.

19. Let your meal be temperate and wholesome, according to your quality and the season, begun and ended with prayer: and be sure that in the course of your meal, and before you rise, you recollect yourself, and send your heart up to God with some holy and short ejaculation; remembering your duty, fearing to offend, or desiring and sighing after the eternal supper of the Lamb.

20. After meal use what innocent recreation

time will allow, to refresh your mind or body; with these measures.

First, Let it not be too expensive of time. Second, Let it not hinder your devotion, nor your business. Third, Let it be always without violence or passion. Fourth, Let it not then wholly excite and engross you; but let your heart retire with some holy thoughts and sober recollections, lest your affections be carried off from better things. Here you may be refreshed, but take heed you neither dwell here, nor sin here. You may use recreation, and avoid sin, and that is the best temper. But if you cannot do both, be more careful of your soul than of your refreshment; and that is the best security. In what you find tends to sin, carefully avoid it, and change your refreshment to some other instance in which you can be more innocent.

21. Entertain no long discourse with any, without bringing in something to season it with religion. As God must be in all your thoughts, so, if it be possible, let him be in all your discourses, at least let him be at one end of it; and when you cannot speak of him, be sure you forget not to think of

him.

22. As early as practicable in the declining of the day, be sure to retire to your private devotions: read, meditate, and pray. In which I propound to you this method. On the Lord's day meditate of the glories of the creation and redemption, of the works of God, and all his benefits to mankind, and

to you in particular. Then let your devotion be, humbly upon your knees, and say over the 23d and 19th Psalms, and sometimes the 103d, with proper collects.

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On Friday recollect your sins that you have done that week, and all your life-time, and let your devotion be to recite humbly and devoutly some penitential litanies.

On Saturday, at the same time, meditate on the passion of our blessed Saviour and all the mysteries of our redemption.

Upon these two days and Sunday you may choose some portions out of The Life of Christ, to read and help your meditation, proper to the mysteries you are appointed to meditate, or any other devout books.

23. Read not much at a time; but meditate as much as your time, and capacity, and disposition, will give you leave; ever remembering, that little reading and much thinking, little speaking and much hearing, frequent and short prayers and great devotion, is the best way to be wise, to be holy, to be devout.

24. Before you go to bed, bethink yourself of the day past: if nothing extraordinary hath happened, your conscience is the sooner examined;

but if you have had any difference or disagreeing with any one, or a great feast, or great company, or a great joy, or a great sorrow, then recollect yourself with the more diligence; ask pardon for what is amiss; give God thanks for what was good. If you have omitted any duty, make amends next day; and yet if nothing be found that was amiss, be humbled still, and thankful, and pray God for pardon, if any thing be amiss that you know not of. If all these things be not in your offices, supply them with short ejaculations before you begin your last prayers, or at the end of them. Remember also and be sure to take notice of all the mercies and deliverances of yourself and your relatives that day.

25. As you are going to bed, as often as you are not hindered, meditate of death and the preparations to your grave. When you lie down, close your eyes with a short prayer, commit yourself into the hands of your faithful Creator: and when you have done, trust him with yourself, as you must do when you are dying.

26. If you awake in the night, fill up the intervals or spaces of your not sleeping by holy thoughts and aspirations, and remember the sins of your youth and that you shall soon die; and pray to God to send to you and all mankind mercy in the day of judgment.

27. Upon the holydays observe the same rules; only let the matter of your meditations be according to the mystery of the day.

28. Set apart one day for fasting once a week, if practicable, or once a fortnight, or once a month at least; but let it be with these cautions and

measures.

First, Do not choose a festival of the Church for your fasting day.

Second, Eat little till your afternoon devotions be done, if the health of your body will permit it: if not, take something which may be the least agreeable to your appetite and taste.

Third, When you eat your meal, let it be no more than ordinary, lest your fasting day end in an intemperate evening.

Fourth, Let the actions of all the day be proportionable to it; abstain from your usual recreations on that day, and from greater mirth.

Fifth, Be sure to design before-hand the purposes of your fast, either for repentance, or for mortification, or for the advantages of prayer; and let your devotions be accordingly. But be sure not to think fasting to consist in eating fish, and abstaining from meats, nor that eating nothing can of itself be pleasing to God, but as it serves to one of these purposes.

Sixth, Let some part of that day extraordinary be set apart for prayer, for the actions of repentance, for confession of sins, and for begging of those graces for whose sake you set apart that day.

Seventh, Be sure that on that day you set apart something for the poor; for fasting and alms are the

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