to my Title; by Omitting Nothing, which may be thought neceffary, for the Instruction or Comfort of a Sick and Dying Perfon.

I have largely Examined the Great Point of Restitution. And have Particularly prefssed it upon the Confcience of the Sick Man. And if what I have faid on that Occafion shall not be pleasing, I cannot help it. I have this to support me against the sharpest Cenfures; I have been faithful in this Instance, and have done but my Duty. The Prayers are chiefly collected from the Publick Offices of our Church: Or else, from the Devotions of fuch Venerable Names, as fufficiently re

commend them to all Regular and Pious Chriftians.

The Texts of Scripture are Methodized with Care and Diligence. And I have endeavoured to Place them in their true Light; so as to strengthen and explain each other.

And that this Difcourse may be more useful, I must defire my Reader not to Mistake the Title: Or to fancy, That because it is Directed to fuch Perfons, that therefore none are concerned to look into it, or to take notice of this, or fuch like Difcourses, till they are Sick and Dying.

This, I doubt, is a common and fatal Mistake. For we are all too apt, to put far from us the evil Day.

And

And therefore to avoid this dangerous Rock, upon which too many have Split, and Shipwreck'd their Hopes of Hea'tis pertinent to Admonish That there is a Twofold Preparation for Death. Habitual, and Actual.

The Habitual Preparation, is Providing Oyl for our Lamps; or, Grace into our Souls. The Actual Preparation, is the Trimming of our Lamps, in the Exercise of those Graces.

3

The former of these is the Business of our whole Lives, in the Days of Health and Vigor. The latter is expected from us, in the Time of Sickness, and at the Flour of Death.....

And

And to be yet more plain and distinct, I express my Self thus. It is the Sick Man's Duty, To bear his Sickness with Patience. To Repent him truly of his Sins. To be in Charity with all the World. To have Faith and Trust in God. And to be willing to Die.

But now unless the Sick Man hath Practised these Duties in the Time of his Health; How can be expect the Comfort of them, when he comes to Die? To make this more Practical, I beg the freedom of the following Advice.

Since a frequent Meditation of Death, is the best Introducti

on to a due Preparation for it;

let

let the Pious Chriftian, at certain Periods, make Death the Subject of his Retirements.

And having Dyed, as it were, by Anticipation, and put himself into a Posture of Dying, let him then proceed to Practice : By Meditating and Improving the forementioned Duties and Graces, as the State of his Soul shall require.

That the following Treatise may be Serviceable to the Church of God; and may, through Divine Blessing, be Instrumental to the Salvation of Precious Immortal Souls; is the humble and hearty Prayer of its unworthy Author.

And