it will not pafs in a Difciple's Account, efpecially when the fum Total of his Life is nothing but Sin, and Sorrow, and fruitless Vows; for this is not that Holiness of Life which Chrift requires of his Difciples.

"

The ancient Difcipline of the Church was a plain Proof of this, that they thought a great deal more neceffary for a baptized Chriftian, than was required to qualify Men for Baptifm. In the Apoftles Days, they baptized both Jews and Heathens immediately upon their Profeffion of Faith in Chrift, and renouncing their former wicked Lives; but in cafe they fell into any grofs and fcandalous Sin after Baptifm, they were caft out of the Communion of the Church; and the Profesfion of Sorrow and Repentance for their Sins, and the moft folemn Vows of a new Life, were not thought fufficient to reftore them to the Peace of the Church, but they were kept under the Severities of Repentance, till they had made Satisfaction for the Scandal they had given to the Church, and given fufficient Teftimonies of the actual Reformation of their Lives. And in the Ages fucceeding the Apoftles, this State of Penitence, in fome Cafes, was continued many Years; in other Cafes, fuch Sinners were never reconciled to the Hour of Death. Now if they had thought, as many among us now do, that Sorrow for Sin, and the Vows of Obedience, do immediately obtain our Pardon from God, for Sins committed

committed after Baptifm, it is not imaginable why they fhould have impofed fuch a long and fevere Difcipline on Penitents. If they believed God had forgiven them, Why should not the Church forgive them, and receive them to her Communion, again, upon their Promifes of Amendment, without fuch a long Trial of their Reformation? But it is evident, they thought Sins after Baptifm not forgiven without actual Reformation, and therefore would not receive them to Communion again, without a tried and vifible Reformation of their Lives. We know what Disputes there were about this Matter in the Primitive Church; the ancient Discipline allowed but of one Repentance after Baptifm: And fome would not allow of that in the Cafe of Adultery, Murther, and Idolatry, but denied the Authority of the Church to receive fuch Sinners to Communion again. This was the Pretence of Novatus's Schifm; and Tertullian, after he turned Montanist, faid many bitter Things against the Catholicks upon this Argument, which feemeth to queftion the Validity of Repentance itself after Baptifm, tho it did reform Mens Lives. But tho' this was a great deal too much, and did both leffen the Grace of the Gofpel, and the Authority which Chrift hath given to his Church; yet it is evident, that all this Time they were very far from thinking that fome dying SorLows, or dying Vows after a wicked Life,

would

would carry Men to Heaven: And the Judgment of those first and pureft Ages of the Church, ought at leaft to make Men afraid of relying on fuch a Death-bed Repentance as they thought very ineffectual to fave Sin

ners.

CHA P. IV.

Concerning the Fear of DEATH, and the Remedies against it.

D

EATH is commonly and very truly called the King of Terrors, as being the most formidable Thing to human Nature, The Love of Life, and the natural Principle of Self-prefervation, begets in all Men a natural Averfion against Death; and this is the "natural Fear of dying. This is very much increased by a great Fondnefs and Paffion for this World, which makes fuch Men, efpecially while they are happy and profperous, very unwilling to leave it; and this is ftill increased by a Senfe of Guilt, and the Fear of Punishment in the next World. All these are of a distinct Nature, and require suitable Remedies, and therefore I fhall diftinctly confider them.

I. The natural Fear of Death refults from Self-prefervation, and the Love of our own Being: For light is fweet, and a pleasant thing

7.

it is for the Eyes to behold the fun, Eccl. xi. All Men love Life, and the neceffary Confequence of that is, to fear Death; tho' this is rather a natural Inftinct, than the Effect of Reason and Discourse.

There are great and wife Reasons why God should imprint this Averfion to Death on human Nature, because it obliges us to take care of ourselves, and to avoid every Thing which will deftroy or fhorten our Lives: This in many Cafes is a great Principle of Virtue,, as it preserves us from all fatal and destructive Vices; it is a great Instrument of Government, and makes Men afraid of committing fuch Villainies as the Laws of their Country have made capital. And therefore, fince the natural Fear of Death is of fuch great Advantage to us, we must be contented with it, though it makes the Thoughts of dying a little uneafy Efpecially if we confider, that when this natural Fear of Death is not increased by other Caufes, (of which more presently) it may be conquered or allayed by Reafon and wife Confideration: For this is not fo ftrong an Averfion, but it may be conquered. The Miseries and Calamities of this Life very often reconcile Men to Death, and make them paffionately defire it: Wherefore is light given to him that is in mifery, and life to the bitter in Joul? Which long for death, but it cometh not, and dig for it more than for hid treasures; which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad when they can find the grave,

T