Whence ari

eft mirth and jollity. The libertine may flatter himself as he pleases; and think to deceive others, by putting on an air of gaiety and pleafantnefs; but, it is certain, his mind can never be long at reft, while he carries about him a faithful monitor, that will be continually upbraiding him for his folly and madnefs; representing before his eyes the dangers he is expofed to, and croffing him, as it were, in his way, while he is in full pursuit of his unlawful pleafures. 'Tis true, indeed, vice has its prefent pleasures as well as virtue: but then there is this difference between them; the pleasures of fin are weak, shortlived, and only varnished over; they begin and end almost in the fame moment, and can never be purchafed but at the expence of a deal of fucceeding trouble, fhame, and felf-condemnation. Yet, if we confider the reason why death is fo terrible to moft men, we thall find their unwillingfeth the de- nefs to leave this world occafioned by that great fire of long fondness and paffion, which the generality of manlife. kind retain for this prefent life; infomuch that, whatever glorious things they hear of a future state, they being of the earth, carthly, only like what they see; and not expecting to better their condition, chufe to stay in this life; fo that it is adouble death to thefe, when fnatch'd away from their darling pleasures. In fuch a cafe, nothing would be more effectual to moderate our defires for things of this nature, now we are alive and well, than feriously to reflect, in what light they will appear to us, juft at the article of death. No one can be more miserable than the men of the world, who feldom thought of any thing beyond it, when they are not to continue any longer in it. And, as it will be in vain to fet about to perfuade them, that the next world is a happier place than this, the best way will be to endeavour their converfion, by fetting before them the terrors of a future state, where the devil, his angels, and the unhappy fouls of unrepenting finners, departed this life, are confined for all eternity in lakes of fire and brimftone. Afk that mere worldling, what fhall it profit him to gain the whole world, and to lofe his own foul, or what can he give in exchange for his foul? In a word, drive fuch men on to dread and fear the confequences of amif-fpent life, till the fear of death cures their vicious paffions and thirst after this world; and then the fear

Its cure.

of

of death will by degrees cure itself of that irksomeness so common in human nature. And confequently they, who intend in good earneft to fet about the cure of this fear of death, should mortify all remains of love and affection for this world, and withdraw themselves as much as poffible from the converfation thereof, ufing it fparingly and with indifference, rather to fupply the wants, than to enjoy the pleasures of nature: and then they will find no more difficulty to leave this world for heaven, than a traveller does, when he leaves a foreign country, to return to his native land. Now,

VII. Whoever can thus meet death is arrived to the height and perfection of chriftian virtue; for this is the true The height mortification of the flesh, with its affections and of chriftian lufts. This is the way to die to this world, and to perfection. live unto God; and when we are dead to this world, the fear of dying and leaving it will cease: for what should a man do in this world, who is dead to it and all things therein? So, when we are alive to God, nothing can be fo defireable as to go to him for here we live only to God by faith and hope; whereas the place, where God dwells, is the proper place for this divine life. Behold then! I have laid before you the happy state of good men at the hour of death. The conscioufnefs of having in fome measure lived holily and unblameably will make a man look up with a chearful affurance to the great Supporter of his being, and inable him to fee through the darkeft clouds of forrow and affliction, and to behold with an eye of faith that heavenly country, whither he is travelling, and where he hopes fhortly to arrive. In the hour of death he confiders the pains of his diffolution to be nothing else but the breaking down of that partition, which ftands betwixt his foul and the fight of that Being who is always prefent with him, and is about to manifeft itself to him in fulness of joy: and he will look into eternity without terror; where, inftead of a court of juftice, he is to ap- to the joul of proach a throne of grace; inftead of a judge, rigo- a dy ng ferrous to mark what is done amifs, he will meet with Jon. an Advocate and a Saviour, who died for us, and has redeemed us at the price of his own blood: Such a foul as this casteth away fear, poffeffes a perfect calm and ferenity, and, tranfported with joy and triumph, magnifies the Lord, and

Its comfort

rejoices

rejoices in God its Saviour, who is ready to pronounce it bleffed, and to crown it with glory. This is the death of the righteous and God grant, that our latter end may be like his; that in the agonies of death, and in the very jaws of the grave, we may not be difcompofed with disturbing thoughts, nor diftracted with guilty fears; but that we may depart this life with all the joyful tokens of eternal reft. Therefore, fays the apoftle to the Corinthians, My beloved brethren, be ye ftedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; forafmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. And what a glorious incitement now is this to all men to live foberly, righteously, and godly in this prefent world! that no good action, that we do, shall be loft and fall to the ground; but that in a little time all our fervices will be infinitely rewarded; that every grace and virtue, which we exercised in this life, and every degree of them, fhall receive their juft recompence at the refurrection of the juft; and that if we believe in God, and ferve him faithfully and fincerely in this life, we may be affured, that through the tender mercies of our heavenly Father, and the merits of our Redeemer, we fhall be received into a place of everlasting reft and peace, where we shall adore and praise the author of our falvation, and contemplate the glorious perfections of his majesty, with a joy and fatisfaction infinitely exceeding all that we can now poffibly conceive! when mortality shall be swallowed up of life, and death and forrow fhall be no more! when we shall be eased of all our pains, and refolved of all our doubts, and be purged from all our fins, and be freed from all our fears, and be happy beyond our hopes, and have all this happiness fecured to us beyond the power of time and change! I fhall therefore conclude with my earnest request for the good of your foul, that you immediately enter upon the of putting practice of what you have read in this book, and off our turn- are taught to be your duty, and the duty of every ing to God. chriftian. Delays are dangerous, and efpecially in a matter of fo great importance, as the care of our fouls: and one moment of time may deprive us by unforeseen accidents of those means of grace, which now God has put into our hands: Make therefore no long tarrying to turn to the Lord, and put not off from day to day. Ecclefiafticus v. 7.

The danger

The End of the THIRD PART.

DEVOTIONS:

Containing

Directions and Prayers

FOR

MORNING and EVENING:

WITH

Occafional PRAYERS, fuited to various Circumftances of Life.

To which are added,

Prayers proper for Sick Perfons,

AND

For fuch as receive the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper; with HEADS of SelfExamination before receiving the fame:

ALSO

INSTRUCTIONS for the more profitable Reading of The HOLY SCRIPTURES.

The TWENTY-FOURTH EDITION.

The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him; yea, all fuch that will call upon him faithfully.

He also will bear

their cry, and will help them. Pf. cxlv. 18, 19.

LONDON:

Printed only for S. A. CUMBERLEGE, at the King's-Arms, Paternofler-Row.

M.DCC.LXXXIII.

H

To the READER.

Aving fhewn (in Sunday 7, of the NEW Whole Duty of Man) that Prayer is every Man's Duty; that the practice of it is Advantageous and Neceffary; and that the Objections ufually brought against it are very unreasonable and fallacious; I rather chufe to refer you to what I have there faid, than to trouble you with any farther Preface to these Devotions.

Notę, When the Prayers for Morning or Evening are to be used with a Family,

They whofe Time will not permit them to use all the Prayers, &c. directed to be faid every Morning and Evening, may content themfelves with the ufe of the Prayer for Morning on page 440, and the Prayer for Evening on page 447.