“Make thy score even with Christ every night.” || Lewis Bayly

At evening, when thou preparest thyself to take thy rest, meditate on these few points:—

1. That seeing thy days are numbered (Psal. xc.; Job xiv. 5), there is one more of thy number spent, and thou art now the nearer to thy end by a day.
2. Sit down a while before thou goest to bed, and consider with thyself what memorable thing thou hast seen, heard, or read that day, more than thou sawest, heardst, or knewest before, and make the best use of them; but especially call to mind what sin thou hast committed that day against God or man, and what good thou hast omitted, and humble thyself for both. If thou findest that thou hast done any goodness, acknowledge it to be God’s grace, and give him the glory; and count that day lost wherein thou hast not done some good.
   Heu perdidi diem!
3. If, by frailty or strong temptation, thou shalt perceive that thou hast committed any grievous sin or fault, presume not to sleep till thou have upon thy knees made a particular reconciliation with God in Christ, both by confessing the fault, and by fervently praying for pardon. Thus making thy score even with Christ every night, thou shalt have the less to account for when thou art to make thy final reckoning before his majesty in the judgment day.

Excerpted from The Practice of Piety by Lewis Bayly. Public domain.