also, that he do believe it: But he can receive no good at all, if Christ did not die, if there be no resurrection, if his creed hath deceived him: Therefore all that he is to do, is to secure his hold, which he can do no way but by prayer and by his interest. And by this argument or instrument it was that Socrates refreshed the evil of his condition, when he was to drink his Aconite: "If the soul be immortal, and perpetual rewards be laid up for wise souls, then I lose nothing by my death: But if there be not, then I lose nothing by my opinion; for it supports my spirit in my passage, and the evil of being deceived cannot overtake me when I have no being." So it is with all that are tempted in their faith. If those articles be not true, then the men are nothing; if they be true, then they are happy: Ard if the articles fail, there can be no punishment for believing but if they be true, my not believing destroys all my portion in them, and possibility to receive the excellent things which they contain. By faith we quench the fiery darts of the devil: But if. our faith be quenched, wherewithal shall we be able to endure the assault? Therefore seize upon the article, and secure the great object and the great instrument; that is, the hopes of pardon and eternal life, through Jesus Christ; And do this by all means, and by any instrument artificial or inartificial, by argument or by stratagem, by perfect resolution or by discourse, by the hand and ears of promises or the foot of the conclusion, by right or by wrong, because

we understand it, or because we love it, super totam materiam, because I will and because I ought, because it is safe to do so, and because it is not safe to do otherwise because if I do, I may receive a good; and because if I do not, I am miserable: Either for that I shall have a portion of sorrows, or that I can have no portion of good things without it.

SECT. IV.

Acts of Faith, by way of Prayer and Fjaculation, to oe said by Sick Men in the Days of their Temptation.

(John vi. 69.) Lord, whither shau 1 go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

I believe in God the Father Almighty, and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, &c.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, &c

(Mat. ix. 24.) Lord, I velieve: Help thou my unbelief.

(Rom. xiv. 14, 7, 8.) I know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself: for whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we aie, we die unto the Lord; whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lord's.

(Rom. viii. 31-34.) If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all; how shall he not with him give us all things?

Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died; yea, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right-hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (1 John ii. 1, 2.) If any man sin, we have an advocate

with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins.

(1 Tim. i. 18.) › ›This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. O grant that I may obtain mercy; that in me Jesus Christ may shew forth all long suffering, that I may believe in him' to life everlasting.

(11 Thes. ii. 13, 14, 16, 17.) I am bound to give thanks unto God always, because God hath from the beginning chosen me to salvation, through sanctification of the spirit, and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called me by the gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God even our Father which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation, and good hope through grace, comfort my heart and stablish me in every good word and work.

(11 Thes. iii. 5.) The Lord direct my heart into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

(11 Thes. i. 11, 12.) O that our God would count me worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his good ́ness, and the work of faith with power. That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in me, and I in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

(1 Thes. v. 8-11.) Let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breast plate of faith and love; and for an hel met, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain, salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him. Wherefore, comfort yourselves together, and edify one another.

(Acts iv. 12. Acts iii. 23.) There is no name under heaven whereby we can be saved, but only the name of the Lord Jesus. And every soul which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.

(Gal. vi. 14. 1. Cor. ii. 2. Phil. i. 21.)

God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of Jesus Christ. I desire to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

(Isa. ii. 22. Heb. ii. 4.) Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of? But the just shall live by faith.

(John iv. 42. and xi. 25, 27, 40.) Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, the Saviour of the world, the resurrection and the life; and he that believeth in thee, though he were dead, yet shall he live. Jesus said unto her, Said I not to thee, that if thou wouldst believe, thou shouldst see the glory of God.

(1 Cor. xv. 55, 56, 57, 58.) O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, make me stedfust and unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord: For I know that my labour is not in vain in the Lord.

The Prayer for the Grace and Strengths of Faith.

O HOLY and Eternal Jesus, who didst die for me and for all mankind, abolishing our sin, reconciling us to God, adopting us into the portion of thine heritage, and establishing with us a covenant of faith and obedience, making our souls to rely upon spiritual. strengths, by the supports of a holy belief, and the expectation of rare promises, and the infallible truths of God: O let me for ever dwell upon the rock, leaning upon thy arm, believing thy word, trusting in thy promises, waiting for thy mercies, and

doing thy commandments; that the devil may not prevail upon me, and my own weaknesses may not abuse or unsettle my persuasions, nor my sins dis compose my just confidence in thee and thy eternal mercies. Let me always be thy servant and thy disciple, and die in the communion of thy church, of all faithful people. Lord, I renounce whatsoever is against thy truth; and if secretly I have or do believe any false proposition, I do it in the simplicity of my heart, and great weakness; and if I could discover it, would dash it in pieces by a solemn disclaiming it: For thou art the way, the truth, and the life. And I know that whatsoever thou hast declared, that is the truth of God: And I do firmly adhere to the religion thou hast taught, and glory in nothing so much as that I am a Christian, that thy name is called upon me. O my God, though I die, yet will I put my trust in thee. In thee, O Lord, have I trusted,

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SECT. V.

Of the Practice of the Grace of Repentance in the Time of Sickness.

MEN generally do very much dread sudden death, and pray against it passionately; and certainly it hath in it great inconveniences accidentally to men's estates, to the settlement of families, to the culture and

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