nefs of thy Nation, that I may glory with thine Inheritance, Pfal. 106.

To conclude this Difcourfe, feeing that we have no lafting City here below, but that we feek for that which is to come, feeing that we know not the Hour when GOD fhall take us out of the World to introduce us into his Holy Jerufalem, Heb. 11. Luke 22. Let us take heed that our Hearts be not over-charg'd with Surfeiting and Drunkennefs,and with the Cares of this Life, left that Day furprize us unawares; and as the holy Apoftles left their Nets to follow JESUS CHRIST, Matth. 24. Let us alfo leave, the vain Cares, the ill-grounded Fears, and deceiving Hopes that intangle our Souls; that when it shall pleafe GOD to call us, we may be ready to answer his Heavenly Meffage. Let us accuftom ourselves betimes, to will what GOD willeth, and to obey Him without refiftance. Let us caft all our Cares upon GOD, and repose ourselves upon his Wife and Fatherly Providence, 1 Pet. 5. Let us look with Contempt upon the World, upon its vain Grandeur, and decaying Riches, efteem not any thing upon Earth, nor that which Man is able to promife, or to procure; but efteem and value the bleffed Advantages that we expect in Heaven, and that are depofed and intrufted in GOD's own Hands, 2 Tim. 1. Tit. 2. Let us prefer Job's Dunghil and Ashes, before the proud Throne and glorious Monarchy of Nebuchadnezzar. Let us fancy the Beggary of poor Lazarus more Happy, than the over-flowing Abundance of the rich Mifer. Imprint in your Minds that bleffed Saying of the Son of GOD,What will it profit a Man if he gains the whole World, if he destroy himself and lofeth his Soul? Luke 9. Let us have always before our Eyes the Image of that rich Worldling, who had gathered much Wealth for his Soul, but his Soul was not wealthy nor rich before GOD. Remember what he faith to his Soul, Soul, thou haft much goods gathered up for many Years, reft thyself, eat drink and be merry; but what fays GOD to him? Thou Fool, this very Night K

thy

thy Soul fhall be taken away from thee, and the Things that thou hast gathered, whofe shall they be? Inftead of studying how to inlarge our Barns and Cellars, and to increase our Revenues and Treasures, let us labour to fet fome bounds to our Defires, and let us be content with what we have at prefent. Seeing we have but a Breath in our Noftrils, and that we are cloath'd with a mortal Body, let us not entertain fuch vaft Designs, nor fuffer our Longings to be perpetual. Let us always in every Place, be ready to end our Life, to put the laft Stone to this Building, or rather let us be always in a Difpofition of diffolving this earthly Tabernacle. Let us willingly break all the Bands and Ties that faften us to this miferable Earth, that when Death fhall come, it may have nothing to do but to cut the laft String, by which our Soul is naturally joyn'd to this languishing Body. Settle and fix your ftrongeft Affections in Heaven, that where your Treafure is, your Heart may be there alfo. Let us not be lull'd asleep as the foolish Virgins, but having our Reins girded, our Candles lighted, let us be prepar'd at every Moment, to go to meet our Heavenly Spoufe, and follow him into the Marriage-Chamber. Let us be like a Ship at Anchor, ready to fet fail with the firft fair Wind, and as a Soldier intirely arm'd, that waits for the Day of Battle, and for the Signal to mount upon his Horse that he may appear in the Field at the found of the Trumpet. Let us fend before-hand, all our moft precious Jewels, into the most glorious Palace of Eternity; that our Bags and Baggage being ready prepar'd, we may have nothing to do, but to take our laft Farewel. If any Confideration of Flefh and Blood hinders us, let us break afunder all these Bands by the Strength of our Nazarite, that is, by the Virtue of GOD's Holy Spirit, which He hath been graciously pleas'd to grant unto us. And if the Perfons that we love and cherish, as tenderly as our Souls, or those whom we are to reverence and honour, labour to ftir up the Bowels of our Compaffion, and to im

pede

pede in us our holy Refolutions, by base and earthly confiderations; let us tell them,as our Saviour did Mary Magdelen, Touch me not; for I am going to my Father, John 20. Stop not my Courfe, for I hold already the Prize, and the Promifed Crown. In fhort, as Abrabam let the Ram loofe, whereof the Horns were ta C ken in a Thicket, and offer'd it up in Sacrifice to GOD, Gen. 21. So let us free our Minds from all worldly Cares and carnal Affections. Let us offer them up all to GOD, as a fweet fmelling Sacrifice, let us prefent them as a Burnt-Offering, confume them in the Flames of an holy Zeal and Love of his Divine Majefty. When the Chriftian fhall be thus prepar'd, he shall never ftand in fear of Death, he will fay to it with an affur'd Countenance, Come when thou wilt, O Death, I defire no Reprieve; for a long while ago I have fettled my Affairs, and wait for thee with Patience. The chief part of myself is not here below, my Heart is already ravifh'd into Heaven, where GOD expects me with open Arms. Therefore, notwithftanding thy fearful Darknefs, and the Defign that thou haft to destroy me, I will follow thee as couragiously and as joyfully as St. Peter did the Angel of Light, that open'd to him the Gates of his Prifon, and freed him from his Chains, Acts 12.

A Prayer and Meditation for fuch as prepare for Death, by a Renunciation of the World.

Infinite Lord of Heaven and Earth, who difpofeft of Good and Evil! by thy Divine Providence and admirable Wisdom, thou hast not fuffered us to have here an abiding City, that we might feek for that which is to Thou difcovereft before our Eyes the Vanity and Inconftancy of all Things under the Sun, that we might labour to attain to folid and everlasting Advantages. Thou haft placed and referved in Heaven inexhaustible Treafures of Riches, incorruptible Crowns of Glory, and

come.

K 2

Eternal

Eternal Triumphs, that thither we might transport our Hearts and Affections. The Source of Heavenly Pleafures is with thee, that we might always be a-thirst for the Strong and Living GOD; and that we might defire, with an boly Earnestness, to look upon thy Beautiful and Glorious Face. Moft Glorious Creator, feeing thou hast bestowed upon me an Immortal Soul, fuffer me not to be fo wretched, as to dote upon these perishing Vanities; and Seeing thou haft made it of a Spiritual and Heavenly Nature, fuffer me not to be so unhappy as to wallow in this miferable Duft of the Earth, or to cast myself into the puddle and dirt of Carnal Lufts. Give me Grace to Renounce the World, and all the Vanities that the World adores. Give me Grace to poffefs all these decaying Things, as not poffeffing them; that I may trample upon all the Pomp and Glory of the Age, that I may confider, that the Gold, the Silver, the precious Jewels, whereof the apparent Beauty deceives the Carnal Eyes of Man, is nothing else but concrete Earth, that will diffolve again into Duft; that I may remember, that after my Deceafe, all thefe Things will profit me no more than that Earth and Stone that shall cover my dead Corps, or the Wood or Lead which fhall be given to it for a Coffin. Give me Grace to defpife all the Honours and Dignities, after which the Men of the World run fo impatiently. For they are but like a Shadow that paffeth away, and like the Smoak that af cendeth up out of our reach. Pluck out of my Heart the Cares of this Life, and all Sollicitoufneß for the Earth, that Death may never furprize me unawares, and that there may be nothing to stop or hinder me from going to thee, when thou shalt be pleafed to call me, that my Soul being totally difingaged, and freed from all thefe Briars and Thorns, I may be always ready at every Moment, to be offered unto thee as a living and a burnt Sacrifice. The Children of Ifrael waited for thine Orders to pitch and move their Camp; Give me alfo Grace to be as ready prepar'd to live and die, to remain in this Tabernacle, and to depart out of it, when thou shalt fend thy Warrant. And as this People went over the River Jordan with a wonderful Fox,

to

to take Poffeffion of the Promised Land: O that I might alfo leave this miferable Wilderness with the like TranSports to enter into the Celestial Canaan, where the Milk and Honey of Divine Pleasures, and of Eternal Comforts flow, as in their natural Channel. O GOD, who art my Portion, and mine Inheritance, caft me not away with the Men of the World, whofe Portion is in this Life. Thou filleft their Paunch with thy good Things, fo that they are full, and leave fufficient for their Babes. But for me, all my Comforts is, That I shall behold thy Face in Righteoufness, and shall be fatisfied when I awake with thy Likeness. Amen.

The fifth Remedy against the Fears of Death, is to forfake Vice, and to apply our felves to the Practice of Piety and Sanctification.

G

OD is fo wonderful in all his Works, and He Governs all his Creatures in fuch a manner, that He draws from his very Enemies the acknowledgment of his Truth. You have an excellent Example in Balaam, who beholding the Tents of the Children of Ifrael, breaks out into this paffionate Wish, Let me die the Death of the Righteous, and let my last End be like his, Numb. 15. He was a wicked Varlet that loved the Wages of Iniquity, nevertheless he perceiv'd by that Prophetical Light, with which his Soul was inlightened, how sweet and comfortable Death was to fuch as addict themselves, in this Life, to the Service and Fear of Almighty GOD, and how different 'tis from the Death of the profane Worldlings, who give themselves over to their Lufts, and delight in the unlawful Pleafures of the Flesh. For as Drunkards fleep with a difturb'd and unquiet Fancy; likewife fuch as are Drunken and full with bafe and rotten Pleasures of