cenes we are about to open,
and find this quiet gentleman tormenting himself and his lady by
watching for "certain _evident marks_ and _signs of an assurance_ for a
better life," with I know not how many distinct sorts of "Graces."

I give an extract from the manuscript diary:--

"I spent this day chiefly in _private fasting_, prayer, and other
religious exercises. This was the first time that I ever practised
this duty, having always before declined it, by reason of the
papists' superstitious abuses of it. I had partaken formerly of
_public fasts_, but never knew the use and benefit of the same duty
performed alone in secret, or with others of mine own family in
private. In these particulars, I had my knowledge much enlarged by
the religious converse I enjoyed at Albury Lodge, for there also I
shortly after entered upon _framing an evidence of marks and signs
for my assurance of a better life_.

"I found much benefit of my _secret fasting_, from a learned
discourse on fasting by Mr. Henry Mason, and observed his rule, that
Christians ought to sit sometimes apart for their ordinary
humiliation and fasting, and so intend to continue the same course as
long as my health will permit me. Yet did I vary the times and
duration of my fasting. At first, before I had finished _the marks
and signs of my assurance of a better life, which scrutiny and search
cost me some three-score days of fasting_, I performed it sometimes
twice in the space of five weeks, then once each month, or a little
sooner or later, and then also I sometimes ended the duties of the
day, and took some little food about three of the clock in the
afternoon. But for divers years last past, I constantly abstained
from all food the whole day. I fasted till supper-time, about six in
the evening, and spent ordinarily about eight or nine hours in the
performance of religious duties; one part of which was _prayer and
confession of sins_, to which end I wrote down _a catalogue of all my
known sins_, orderly. These were all sins of _infirmity_; for,
through God's grace, I was so far from allowing myself in the
practice and commission of any _actual_ sin, as I durst not take upon
me any _controversial sins_, as usury, carding, dicing, mixt dancing,
and the like, because I was in mine own judgment persuaded they were
unlawful. Till I had finished my _assurance_ first in Eng