THE THE introduction, concerning this life's uncertainty To vifit the fick is a part of Chriftianity The happiness of not having our great work to do, when we come to languifh upon a fick-bed -And of being always prepared for death The danger of delaying our repentance The Second VISIT. Of Patience under Sicknefs, and other Afflictions: The vifitants meet The fick man's complaint For which he is justly reprehended Patience a necessary duty The way to enter into glory is by the cross And of poor Lazarus By the dottrine of the Pfalmift -And of St. Paul Our Saviour himself had a large share of them ينة -And fo must his difciples · Page 67 68 75 76 77 79 81 83 84 ibid. ibid. Sufferings a proper means of fitting us for the kingdom of Heaven bim 85 And God will turn all to the good of them that love The cafe of Jofeph in Egypt -Of David -Of Job The undutifulness of diftrufting God's providence 86 89 90 91 97 The unreasonableness of being diffatisfied at God's dealings with us A parabolical story Pardon promis'd to all true penitents Faith and repentance often mean the fame thing 99 103 110 112 ibid: The great fault of parishioners in not confulting their paftor in the affairs of their fouls: 116 Advice how to behave themselves in this cafe 118 The The Third VISIT. The good Man's Settlement of his temporal Concerns. Great benefit of having confulted the fpiritual phyfician Page 121 -And of having dealt clearly and openly with him 122 No danger of his divulging what is thus revealed to him 123 ibid. Nor of his having a worfe opinion of true penitents, for any freedom of this nature Anchithanes's fenfe of the advantage of having confulted his parish priest 125 The fault of not difpofing of a man's temporal estate in the time of his health The fick man makes his will -He bequeaths his foul to God 127 132 ibid. ·Begs pardon of any he has offended or injured, and forgives all that had offended or injured him -Makes profeffion of his faith -Difpofes of his body Orders bis funeral Gives bis eftate A fhort meditation upon the works of nature 133 135 ibid. 136 ibid. 140 Anchithanes's fatisfaction in baving made his will 148 Some directions out of Dr. Comber The Fourth VISIT. 155 How a Man may judge of his Interest in God's Favour, either here, or hereafter. Eufebius defires a request may be made to Theodorus 158 Which Anchithanes accordingly makes, for his direction in order to the forming a right judgment of one's felf, and and of his intereft in God's favour, either at prefent; or in relation to a future ftate Page 159 God's corrections no certain figns of his difpleasure ibid. The dangerous state of the profperous finner God's mercy to finners a good ground of comfort God requires us to call upon him, with hopes 160 163 165 168 170 175 176 of mercy 177 178 The wonderful effect of prayer in time of distress Temporal good things to be asked, with a conftant fubmiffion to the Divine Will 185 How to judge of our title to a better ftate hereafter 189 1. None to conclude himself in a fafe condition, because of fome good motions he feels in himself 2. Nor because of fome checks of his confcience 190 19i 3. Nor from fome advances towards a reformation 193 4. Nor from his love to the inftrumental duties of religion 5. Nor from his zeal for a feet or party 6. Nor from his regard for good men 194 196 199 7. Nor from his reliance upon Chrift for falvation ibid. 8. Nor because once in a state of grace 9. Nor because he is forry for his fins 202 204 10. Nor any other way than by a hearty obedience to the Divine Will 205 How to know when we may be truly faid to have obeyed this Divine Will 208 -The best way to know this, is by fuch an improvement in goodness, as we all profefs to aim at ibid: So long as a man allows himself in any known fin, his cafe is very bad Relapfes into fin are very dangerous ibid. 210 Sins of ignorance, and infirmity, or fudden furprize, not deftructive of falvation Which thefe fins are 214 218 What What Sins are wilful Under what head fins of omiffion are -And defects in the fervice of God The duty of felf-examination This is to be impartial The proper times for it -The fum of thefe directions Page 222 226 227 229 230 ibid. 235 Sincerity the best qualification for eternal happiness 236 -The figns of it The Fifth VISIT. 238 Of the more immediate Preparation for Death. Anchithanes's great concern to die well The duties particularly incumbent on the fick 243 244 ibid. 245 249 2. To fee that his temporal concerns be duly fettled 3. To examine the truth of his faith and repentance 251 4. To make confeffion of his fins 5. To remember the poor 252 ibid, 6. To bear his fickness with patience and fubmiffion ibid. Other duties incumbent alfo upon the fick man Į. A ferious confideration of death Whether as a feparation of the foul and body Or as to the pains of it Or as a quitting all worldly enjoyments Or as a deliverance from the troubles and misfortunes of this life Or as it is a paffage to eternity II. A care to wean ourselves from the world III. Perfecting our repentance IV. Arming ourselves against the fear of death V. Improving our faith in Chrift 254 ibid. ibid. 256 257 260 261 269 275 285 289 This the fick man is to do by confidering his own fad and forlorn condition 291 And the remedy God has graciously provided for him 292 And |