And what difpofition he is in for fo inestimable a blessing VI. Seeking earnestly to God for mercy Page 295 300 VII. Watching diligently against our grand enemy the devil 304 311 VIII. A perfect refignation to the Divine appointment whether to live or die The Sixth VISIT. They make their last visit The fick man's refignation to the Divine Will Their return home Their difcourfe by the way MEDITATIONS. 318 320 ibid. 321 327 328 ibid. I. ON the vanity, infufficiency, and tranfitoriness of all earthly enjoyments 337 II. On the relation we ftand in to Almighty God, the duty we owe him, and the knowledge he hath of all our actions 342 III. On the infinite mercy and goodness of God to finners 345 IV. On the covenant we entered into at baptism VIII. On the everlasting state whereto each one shall be 363 adjudged at the last day, according to his doings PRAYER S. A Confeffion of fin For pardon of it 13 14 For improvement in goodness, and a right preparation for a happy death 15 For frength against temptations, and improvement in virtue and goodness For heavenly-mindedness, and purity of heart Page 37 42 For grace to fulfil our good purposes and refolutions 65 For dependence upon God in all difficulties and trials 95 After having made one's will For the Divine protection For victory over fin For an intire fubmiffion to God's will For a due preparation for death For growth in grace 148 149 150 151 ibid. 154 For a right chriftian deportment in time of fickness 166 For direction and affiftance to pray aright For the good fuccefs of our prayers 181 182 For patience and refignation to the Divine Will 187 For a fanctified ufe of fickness ibid. Another to the fame purpose 188 For direction in order to a right judgment of ourselves 242 For victory over the world, and the attainment of God's For ability to perfect our repentance For a truly chriftian and saving faith in Chrift and his mediation For ability to pray with fervour and devotion 274 281. 289 299 303 For forgiveness of fin, and a preparation for a better Upon fending for the minister to visit him 373 374 For For one that has deferred his repentance For one that is duly grieved for his fins For a right ufe of the good things of this world T HE venerable author of the following treatife was a man who had no guile, and wanted no virtue and were he now at my elbow, he would dictate to me to fpeak of him in humble and fimple terms. Perhaps this may be interpreted as an excufe for a plain and unartful relation: but it belongs to them to fwell their notes, who cannot gain attention without founds or flakes. I do not intend then to raise or mufter any appearances of virtues imaginary, or diffemble any foibles: for which reafon, though I have little to tempt the curibus, I fhall have as little to offend the confcientious. As to the worldling or fenfualift, who abandons any or all of the commandments, or the baptized infidel, who renounces his creed in whole or in part; fhould any fuch glance upon this portrait, they are permitted to stop here, fince no viands are prepared for their ftrong or fine taste, no garlick or froth for their entertainment; and as they expect, at least wish, no after-reckoning, defirous to refemble the μspóliov, an infect which lives but one fingle day: they may, if they please, grow better œconomists of their time; and the one may ftroll on through all the scenes of voluptuoufnefs, and the other indulge the convulfive ftarts of his imagination; fince no fetters can be found ftrong enough to chain down the one, nor any understanding, not even the wisdom of GoD, deep and clear and confiftent enough to direct the other. There are a rank of beings who fear and tremble; they fear from what they know, and they tremble from what they feel and expect; not doubting that God's displeasure will more than equal their fear: might we not then prefume, that they who are void of fear and trembling, are punies in knowledge and fenfe? Nay, fhould they fpin out their own bowels, and roll up themselves in their own webs? A fine fum total of their existence ! But the good man, a fketch of whofe hiftory and character I here defign, was, as a perfon of fenfe and religion, quite different in make and frame. He held forth no indulgences or difpenfations for the direct breach or fly evafion of God's commandments. His known rule was, Then shall I not be ashamed, while I bave refpect unto all thy commandments. The Papifts in their machinery felt his hand heavy and often: The Sectaries he truly pitied as confifting of the weak, the worldly, and the wilful. The profane and profligate, who departed from their duty either by common fwearing, grofs perjury, or elegant diftinctions, had a share of his chaftifement; and the jefuit or fcribe was as obnoxious to him as the open finner. The papal difpenfations and jefuitical interpretations were to him both alike; and he thought that there were no more exceptions in the fecond or third than in the firft commandment. Indeed he had both a tender and awful fenfe of the authority of God, and of the eternal and unalterable reasons of good and evil; and this fixed his judgment: he depended that he had no more licence to detract, lie, fteal, or dishonour parents, than to commit whoredom or murder: He conftantly bore his teftimony against removing antient landmarks. And |