from the Laws of Mortality, but hath made Death a neceffary Paffage to the Attainment of eternal Happiness.

Q. What ought then to be the great Concern of a ferious Chriftian?

A. To fit and prepare himself for a holy and happy Death, in which he ought to ufe the greater Care and Caution, because a Miftake in this Matter is irrecoverable, and never to be retrieved. We can die but once, and eternal Happiness or eternal Mifery must be the Confequence of it. And happy is that Man whofe Mind is fo well fortified, as to be able to meet the King of Terrors, not only without Fear, but with fome Degree of Comfort and Satisfaction.

Q. Wherein appears the Wisdom of preparing ourfelves for a happy Death?

A. In that it is fecuring the mighty and important Business for which we were fent into this World, in refpect of which all the other Labours of Life are mere Trifles. For to beftow our chief Care and Pains upon Matters of the greatest Confequence, was almost esteemed a main Point of Wisdom and Prudence, and a Neglect of this Kind is juftly branded with the Character of the utmoft Folly. Since therefore Death will certainly tranflate us to endless Joys, or confign us to everlafting Torments, nothing can be wifer than to take fuch Measures as may fecure the one and prevent the other. This Method will give the trueft Relish to all the Bleffings of Life, and prove the best Preservative against the Terrors and Apprehenfions of our great Change; the anxious Fears whereof proceed not fo much from Death itself, as from the Confequences of that unchangeable State in which it fixes us. And though Reafon may reconcile us to it as we are Men, yet Religion alone can make it comfortable to us as we are Chriftians.

Q. What

What is the best Preparation for Death? A. The conftant Exercife of Piety and Virtue in the whole Course of our Lives, is the only Armour that is Proof against the Attacks of that dreadful Enemy to Nature. And Men ftrangely delude themselves, that depend upon any other Method As xxiv. than that of keeping a Confcience void of Offence to

16.

wards God and towards Men.

Q. But fince the Practice of Religion confifts in feveral Particulars, what is the first Thing neceffary to prepare us for a happy Death?

A. In order to make Death fafe and happy, we muft reconcile ourselves to God by a fincere and hearty Repentance. The Sting of Death is Sin, and a Mind loaded with Guilt is not only incapable of the Happiness of the next World, but excluded from it by the folemn Declaration of God, who is Truth itself; fo that except we repent, we shall certainly perifh. Repentance, therefore myft be the first Step we fhould make, if ever we defign to die well; which we fhould immediately apply ourselves to, left Sickness and Death fhould overtake us, before we have accomplished fo neceffary a Work; for though a Death-bed may be a proper Season to renew our Repentance, and to trim our Lamp, yet it is the most unfit Time to begin it; and it then very rarely, if ever, takes Effect.

Q. What is farther necessary to prepare us for a happy Death?

A. To fet our Houfe in Order, by a prudent and -pious Difpofition of our worldly Concerns. Now that this may be done wifely, requires Time and Confideration, and therefore cannot fo well be difpatched in our laft Moments, when our Minds are difordered, our bodies oppreffed with Pain and Sicknefs, and when we run the Hazard of being impofed upon by those who, out of Intereft, offi

ciously

ciously attend us; and though we fhould in fome Measure be free from thefe Inconveniencies, yet the little Time we fhall then have to live, is too precious to be confumed about Trifles. So that, except we make our Wills in the Days of our Health, that Matter may poffibly never be performed, or after fuch an imperfect Manner, as to convey Strife and Contention to our Pofterity, and at beft to give great Trouble and Disorder to ourfelves, when we are leaft able to bear it. It requires Thought and Confideration to difpofe of our Eftates in a Chriftian Manner, to give Children their fitting Portions, to acknowledge the Kindness of our Friends, to reward the Services of our Dependants, and to make Diftributions for the Poor and Needy; and all this in fo clear a Manner, that no Differences or Law Suits may arife among thofe we leave behind us. To this purpofe the Church hath wifely directed the Minifter, when he attends The Ruthe fick Perfon, if he hath not difpofed of his the VifiGoods, to admonish him to make his Will, and to tation of declare his Debts, what he owes, and what is owing to him, for the better difcharging of his Confcience, and the Quietness of his Executors; withal acknowledging, that Men fhould often be put in Remembrance to take Order for the fettling their temporal Eftates whilst they are in Health.

Q. What is still farther neceffary to make us die with Comfort and Satisfaction?

A. To wean our Affections from the Things of this World; for our Sorrow and Concern to part with them will bear a Proportion to the Love and Esteem wherewith we have enjoyed them; and to be feparated from Objects, upon which we have fixed our Hearts, must be attended with great Uneafinefs. We fhould therefore accuftom ourselves to refign freely to God, what Death will fnatch from us by Force; and gently to untie those Knots which faften

brick in

the Sick.

1 Cor. xv. 31.

faften us to the World, that we may have lefs Pain' when they are entirely broken. The Practice whereof confifts in being lefs concerned for the Things of the Body, and all bodily Enjoyments; to expect, with Refignation to the Will of God, the Succefs of our Temporal Affairs; to fupprefs all ambitious and covetous Defires; to retrench fometimes the Ufe of lawful Pleafures; to abound in Works of Charity; to be ready to part with what we love moft, when God thinks fit, and to bear all Loffes and Afflictions without murmuring, that with St. Paul we may be able to fay, we die daily; not only because the Time of our Death is every Moment approaching, but also because we find daily lefst Fondnefs of Life, less Earneftnefs for Trifles, lefs Defire of Glory, lefs Eagernefs for Profit, and lefs Concern for whatever the World most esteems.

Q: What farther Care fhould we exercife about Preparation for Death?

A. We fhould ufe great Circumfpection about the fpending our Time, which is the precious Talent entrufted to us by God to fit and prepare our Souls for a happy Eternity; and ought not to be confumed in impertinent Vifits, nor to be squandered in vain Diverfions, nor to be loitered away in unaccountable Sloth, as if Mirth and doing nothing were the Bufinefs of Life. Wherefore, if we are fettled in a Calling, let us manage it with Justice and Diligence, always remembering we have a Chriftian Calling of greater Importance; if we are not engaged in the World, let us chufe fuch Circumftances as we fhall moft approve in a dying Hour; if we have great Eftates, and the Advantages of Power and Understanding, let us look upon ourselves as under greater Obligations to fpend our Time well; becaufe in fuch Circumftances there is greater Capacity and Leifure to attend the Good of others, as well as the Salvation of our

own

own Souls. In order to this, we fhould frequently reflect upon the great Bufinefs we have to do in this World, and the uncertain Time that is allotted to the Perfomance of it; fo that if we neglect what is in our Hands, we may never be trufted with another Opportunity; and let our Zeal be never fo great, when we come to die, we fhall wifh we had done more.

Q. What will give us particular Comfort upon a Death Bed?

A. Works of Mercy and Charity; because fuch Actions are the best Proof of our Sincerity in Religion, and are an Evidence that we can part with what is generally esteemed dearest in this World for the Sake of that God whom we worship. Shewing Mercy to the Poor, perfects our Repentance, and entitles us to the Mercy of God, when we shall stand most in Need of it. The Scrutiny at the Day of Judgment will be, Whether we have Mat.xxx. fed the Hungry, clothed the Naked, relieved the Stranger, and miniftered to the Sick, and thofe that are in Prifon? and what we in this Kind do to the poor members of Chrift, is reckoned as done to himself.

Q. Wherein confifts our immediate Preparation for Death?

A. In bearing our Sickness, that precedes it, with a true Chriftian Frame and Temper of Mind; with great Patience under our Sufferings, and Refignation of Mind to the Will of God; with a firm Truft and Dependance upon his infinite Wisdom and Goodness, and with thankful Acknowledgments of thofe Mercies with which he allays the Sorrows of our Distemper, and lightens the Burden we labour under. Which Acts of our Mind fhould be frequently expreffed in our Addreffes to God, whofe Grace and Affiftance we fhould conftantly

35, &c.