Be ye also ready: A METHOD AND ORDER Of Practice, To be always prepared for Death and Judgement; through the several Stages of Life.  
By the Author of the Method of PRIVATE DEVOTION.  Behold now— I know not the Day of my Death. Gen. XXVII. 2. 
LONDON, Printed for R. Bentley in Russel-street in Covent-Garden, and T. Bennet at the Half Moon in S. Paul's Church Yard. 1694.   


Gospel's Truth's  Psalm: 119 verse 59 I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies.   

The First Part Containing The First and shortest Course of Preparation, Fitted for Beginnings or sudden Exigents.  

Imprimatur:  
Octob. 6. 1693. Guil. Lancaster.    

AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER.  
IT pleased God, a very few years ago, to put, and (as it seemed) a considerable while to keep the Author of the ensuing Treatise, together with divers thousands of Protestants, ●n such a Condition, that they hourly expected to have been sacrificed: For they were, in humane appearance, at the pleasure of inveterate Enemies; nor can they, to this day, look upon it as much ●ess than a Miracle, that they survived those Years of Dread and Danger. Then perhaps most of them lived as people that really thought themselves mortal as to one part, and immortal as ●o the other: Then their great care was, not only ●o inquire, but to practise what might both make and keep them ever prepared for Death and judgement, which they saw perpetually at their Doors, even in their Chambers, and in all Places, and in all their Motions.  
In that juncture, a certain good Hospitable-Lady, being like Martha busied about many things, and concerned she was not better prepared to entertain some Friends brought into her House upon a Surprise, her nearest Friend (as a kind of easy Reprimand to her) put this Question at random to all, What should we do to be always prepared for Heaven? Somethings for the time the Author returned, but promised, as soon as he should come home, to put in writing, for that his Friend's sake (who was under some Infelicity as to his hearing) a fuller and more deliberate Answer to that Question of so important a Concernment, intending then only what might serve that season (or our then Case) and fill about a Sheet or two of Paper. But all intercourse, betwixt Protestants at a distance, being in those Parts soon precluded, the Author's Friend died, and never saw the Papers designed for him. However this gave occasion to the Author, with deeper and more settled Attention to weigh the Case in general.  
Which when he came to do, he could not satisfy himself with so narrow and perfunctory a Consideration of it, as was that which he had first taken: For he esteemed the same Preparations would not be sufficient, not only for all People, but even for the same Persons, in all Circumstances. Many Omissions of the Israelites were favourably by God over-looked, in their Wander through Wildernesses, and in the State of War ensuing, which were severely punished in Canaan, when the Lord had given his People rest: And the Preparations of the Sanctuary were undoubtedly more exact and Abundant, as well as more Glorious than those of the Tabernacle. In like manner, a more Tumultuary, and less distinct Repentance, with a kind of bold Resignation of themselves to God, and a constant Trust on his Mercy, through Christ Jesus, for pardon of Sin, together with Dependence upon his Power, Wisdom, and Goodness in all their Ways, even shutting their Eyes many times against Dread and Doubts, and still going on to commit themselves to God's good Pleasure, with sorrow indeed, as to multitudes of things, which being done, they could not undo, but never letting go their hold upon God's Mercy in Christ Jesus, might be, and certainly were a State of Preparation, accepted by God from most People in those Calamitous Days, when they had neither Opportunities of Privacy, Self-Examination, and quiet thought, much less of mature and Form Devotions, nor any of their usual Helps herein. We could not then think we had many Days, sometimes very few Hours, to prepare for our End. Almost every Person we met or saw spoke Death to us, and then, doing what to humane Frailty was feasible, was, in God's favourable Interpretation, doing what was sufficient. But now, that we are delivered from those Terrors, and apprehend not those (at least sudden) Dangers, now that we sit at Peace in our Houses, and sleep whole Nights quiet in our Beds, and have our Advantages of Retirement and Thought, (and possibly some of us are become more thoughtful than ever.) In these more happy Circumstances we cannot but esteem ourselves obliged to a Distincter, more Sedate, and Perfected Course of Repentance, Faith, Love, Good Works, Alms-deeds, Composedness. Heavenly-mindedness, and (upon our Experience of former things,) Contempt of this uncertain, insignificant World: And further, to the not suffering our Hearts again to cleave to the things that are seen. So far ought we to be from saying within ourselves, Surely the bitterness of Death is past; or from putting far from us (as the manner of incorrigible People is) the Evil Day, Rather will it become Persons in our Circumstances to make Death familiar to us, and however God may sweeten our Passage thereto, yet to be careful we never be so taken with any good fare in our Journey, as to be loath to go to our long home. Certainly in whomsoever an immoderate love of Life, an unwillingness to die, and unreasonable Fears of Death, may be by God excused, they will be least born with in those, who, either by the Discipline they have been under, might have overcome them, or perhaps once had: which is the Case of all such, who having been once in a good Measure prepared for Heaven, and thought themselves near it, have again returned to an Earthly sensual Conversation.  
The Consideration of these, God's different Expectations from Men, according to the Circumstances they are, or have been in, in reference to Death, caused the Author to cast his Thoughts upon the Case put to him, into the present Method or Model; and to suit to the several Conditions and Circumstances, into which Christian People generally fall, a distinct and proper Course of Prescriptions.  
Of which Prescriptions, here follow only the First Set; and that accommodated, primarily (and intentionally indeed) to such a State as the Author and others in the Days pointed at, were in; but withal (as is both intimated in the Title Page, and more particularly set forth Chap. II.) most proper, and for the main, necessary for all sorts to begin with; yea, if new to them, to be by all, and every one, speedily and carefully practised, lest any Accident, or unexpected Providence, should put a Period to Life, before the Possibility of a maturer Repentance: Not to say, that as to too many people in divers Emergencies, and unhappy Junctures, this Part contains a Summary of all Preparations to them Practicable.  
It may perhaps be convenient something were said here as to the Style of this Part, or the way of handling the Case put; which in this polite Age may to many seem mean, yea even contempible. But the Author hopes his Readers will be so prudent or favourable, as to remember, The Subject Matter here treated, is to be understood by the meanest and plainest people, and therefore to be made as plain as may be. The Study of such Plainness has many times occasioned more variety (and even Baldness) of Expressions for the same thing, than would have been otherwise pardonable; which varied Expressions are sometimes put in Parentheses, sometimes brought in by That is, or otherwise. And if the Author's Intention herein be understood, it will appear, this way of Explanation of a harder Word, or Form of Speech, by an easier, is several ways useful, and so to the generality of People far above Contempt. Instances hereof the Judicious Reader may observe almost in every Page. But to assign a few, Pag. 26. the Term, To redeem all time possible, is used. Now what the Author's meaning in that Phrase is, every poor plain Man or Woman may not perhaps understand; therefore in a Parenthesis it follows (that is to make use of all Opportunities and Advantages thou hast to prepare thyself for the other World.) Thus it is plain to all, what the Author there meant by redeeming of Time. Again, p. 22. lin. 11. Meditate, (that is, think and consider.) Meditation is nothing but Thought and Consideration. Sometimes again, the Particle Or is used to the same purpose, as That is. So, p. 47. Decalogue, or Ten Commandments. It is almost impossible to write, as our Language now stands, but now and then a hard or uncertain and dark Expression must drop: But such Explication or ascertaining it, as I have used, I hope makes amends for those Mishaps: and more needs not be said on this Point.  
A Word or Two may be needful to be added, touching the seeming Meanness, or even Baseness of divers Materials and Observations, which go to the making up this Piece: As to which Point no more shall be said, but that it is to be considered, sundry things herein are writ even for the meanest, poorest People that live, (for such the Author has had occasion to converse with; and such he is not ashamed to own that he many times visits,) People who live upon their daily Labours, nay possibly upon Alms. These poor Creatures have Souls to save, as precious in the Sight of God as Rich men's, and therefore are to be exhorted and encouraged to such good Works, as are incident to their Condition, or as they are capable of. They are also to be spoken to in Language befitting their Capacities and Circumstances. Now to such as these it is plain the Author had an Eye, as in other places, so especially in pag. 162, 163, etc. Let all People's Needs be considered, and each sort take their Share, and perhaps little will be found contemptible, or such which might have been spared. And thus much as to this First Part.  
The Second Part, fitted to Persons of more Proficiency, and who have leisure, and possibly a Prospect of more time before them than some miserable Creatures, that may be concerned in this First Part, is as good as finished, and shall (God willing) be published as this finds Acceptance with Serious and Devout Christians. From such the Author hopes he may gain some Intimations, both how he may amend this Part, and make the other more complete: And the number of such Souls may the God of all Grace daily increase; and both perfect all that are such already, and preserve them to his Heavenly Kingdom.  
Good Reader, make the same Prayer for thy true Well wisher, the Author.  
ER.   

ERRATA.  
PAge 10. Line 6. read Conscience: p. 14. l. 19 blot out they. p. 23. l. 21. r. thee in the Knowledge of. p. 30. l. 1. r. some others. p. 31. l. 17. r. in Persons of riper Years. p. 51. l. 2. r. fix. p. 61. l. 20. r. First Stage. p. 69. l. 7. r. submit to Truth. p. 80. l. 4. r. we meet with. p. 125. l. 11. r. Grace. p. 174. l. 2. r. resigning then. p. 175 l. 25. r. plodding. Escapes of some false Points and Accents are waved as less material.   

The CONTENTS of the several Chapters and Sections of the First Part.  
Quest. WHat Course people should take to be ready for Heaven? Or, (which is much the same) to be always prepared for Death and Judgement?  

CHAP I.  
§. 1. To be ready for Heaven, and to be always prepared for Death and Judgement, are the same.  
§. 2. Yet this Question contains two Questions in it.  
§. 3. This Question not where expressly out, or closely resolved in Scripture; and some probable Reasons why?  
§. 4. But Preparation, or being always ready for our Lord's Coming, frequently enjoined, and its Nature set forth, at large, throughout the whole Scripture.  
§. 5. The Design of this Treatise, and General Branches of the Preparation necessary.  
§. 6. The work of this preparation must not end but with our lives, yet is to be begun as early as may be.  
Matter and a Method for Devotions suitable to the First Chapter.   

CHAP. II. The first Duty advised to, Religion in good Earnest.  
§. 1. The first rank of people to be prepared for Death and Judgement, such who are perfectly to begin.  
§. 2. Provision for removing the Scruples of some.  
§. 3. What Death and Judgement are.  
§. 4. What generally makes Men afraid, unwilling and unfit to die.  
§. 5. Such Practices as will answer the three Intentions proposed, will be all the preparation necessary for persons within this Period.  
§. 6. The first Duty to be practised, giving the mind to Religion in good earnest.  
§. 7. This much wanting in the generality.  
§. 8. What is the meaning of giving a Man's mind to Religion.  
§. 9 Using one's self to think, a proper means to make the mind serious in Religion.  
§. 10. A particular Train of Thoughts to this purpose.  
§. 11. The whole Evidence summed up, and this Head concluded.  
Matter and a Method for Devotion suitable to the Second Chapter.   

CHAP. III. The second Duty advised to, making our Peace with God.  
§. 1. SEriousness in Religion puts a Man immediately upon making his Peace with God.  
§. 2. Peace or Reconciliation with God in what sense soever taken, effected by Repentance and Faith.  
§. 3. The proper notions of Repentance and Faith both in Common Language and Scripture.  
§. 4. In Scripture they are often put so as to comprise one another.  
§. 5. Yet is the joint practice of both of them absolutely necessary to make our Peace with God.  
§. 6. Four steps to a penitent State.  
§. 7. The first of them, a sight and sense of our own guilt, called by some conviction of Sin.  
§. 8. The Second, Contrition; the way to work it.  
§. 9 The third, Confession to God. What it is.  
§. 10. Confession to Man. When necessary.  
§. 11. The fourth, forsaking Sin: Two Branches thereof.  
§. 12. The necessity of both.  
§. 13. The Method of effecting both.  
§. 14. Of Faith, as more particularly concerned in making our Peace with God.  
§. 15. Of Prayer in this Case.  
§. 16. Of subsequent Care and Endeavours, and of the Lord's Supper, as the best Seal.  
Matter and a Method for Devotion suitable to the 3d Chapter.   

CHAP. IU. The Third Duty advised to, laying up our Treasure in Heaven.  
§. 1. THree Points necessary to be spoken to under this Head.  
§. 2. A short account what the Heavenly Happiness is, which we are to endeavour to secure.  
§. 3. It is no presumption in a faithful Soul to aim at, or seek after this Happiness, but in strictness a Duty.  
§. 4. Directions to secure it. Of choosing God for our Happiness.  
§. 5. Of being full of good Works.  
§. 6. Of good Works in a more special sense.  
§. 7. How Christians of all sorts may be rich in good Works.  
§. 8. Works of Liberality and Mercy (or of Bodily Charity) peculiarly accounted laying up a Treasure in Heaven.  
§. 9 Charity to Men's Souls no less.  
Matter and a Method for Devotion suitable to the Fourth Chapter.   

CHAP. V Of a Composed Estate both of Affairs and Mind.  
§. 1. DIsentangling ourselves from this World, a necessary Christian Duty.  
§. 2. The means thereto chief two, Putting our Affairs in order, and composing our Minds.  
§. 3. Particular Directions hereto. Setting bounds to our desires and designs of getting.  
§. 4. Putting and keeping our Estates (or Accounts) in such Order as to be just to all.  
§. 5. Of Restitution.  
§. 6. Of settling Children and Relations.  
§. 7. Care in making and keeping a Will.  
§. 8. Reconciliation to Mankind.  
§. 9 Advice to Relations, Secrets, etc.  
§. 10. Resigning all to God, and laying aside Soliicitude.  
§. 11. The Conclusion of this part.  
Matter and a Method for Devotion suitable to the Fifth Chapter.    

Be ye also ready. A METHOD OF Preparation for Death and Judgement.  
Quest. What Course People should take to be Ready for Heaven? Or (which is much the same) to be always prepared for Death and Judgement.  

PART I. Chap. 1.  
§. 1. To be Ready for Heaven, and to be always prepared for Death and Judgement are the same.  
§. 2. Yet this Question contains two Questions in it.  
§. 3. This Question not where expressly put, or closely resolved in Scripture, and some probable Reasons why.  
§. 4. But Preparation, or being always ready for our Lord's Coming, frequently enjoined, and its Nature set forth at large throughout the whole Scripture.  
§. 5. The Design of this Treatise, and general Branches of the Preparation necessary.  
§. 6. This Work must not end but with our Lives; yet is to be begun as early as may be.  
§. 1. THE Holy Ghost has assured us, That there is no Work, nor Device, nor Wisdom in the Grave, Eccles. 9 10. But that after Death only comes Judgement, Heb. 9 27. And, in the place where the Tree falleth there it shall be, Eccles. 11. 3. That is, say even the Jewish Masters, In the condition wherein Death finds us, God judgeth us: Immediately then upon the departure of the Soul out of the Body, the state of such dissolved Person is everlastingly and unchangeably determined, as to his future Weal or Woe; and a Gulf fixed between the Blessed and the Damned, so that they who would pass from one to the other, cannot, Luke 16. 26. Neither is there any return from either. Wherefore after Death, there being no preparation possible to be made for Judgement, it must unavoidably follow, Preparation for Death and Preparation for Judgement include one another, or are much the same; and he that is provided for one, is also provided for the other; for whoso is not prepared for Judgement before his Death, can never be provided for it; because after Death no Work is to be done, no Provision can be made. And finally, Inasmuch as whosoever goes out of this World in an estate well provided for Death and Judgement, shall most certainly rest from their Labours, their Works following them, Rev. 14. 13. receive at the last day that happy Sentence, Come ye blessed Children of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, Matt. 25. 34. Therefore whosoever is prepared for Death and Judgement, is also ready for Heaven. So that all these Questions are most evidently in effect one and the same.  
§. 2. Notwithstanding the Case of Conscience as above put (and 'tis indeed as weighty a Case of Conscienoe as well can be put) does really contain in it two Questions. First, What should a man do to prepare himself for Death? Secondly, What to maintain such prepared Temper? And accordingly must in the process of this Discourse receive in Justice a double Answer: For it is certain, many People may have been in some part of their days, for a while, both in their own sense, and in reality, tolerably prepared for Death, who yet through sundry entanglements in the World, and the general deceitfulness of Sin, may either totally or very dangerously relapse from this state; so dangerously without doubt, as that, though they may not perhaps, through the extraordinary Mercy of God to them, finally miss of eternal Salvation, yet shall they forfeit all Comfort in a dying hour, and go out of this World, both in their own and others apprehensions, as if bound over and consigned to everlasting Torments; a most dreadful degree of Misery this most certainly! Which Consideration should awaken all good People always to maintain, as well as at first endeavour to attain such a prepared state as we are at present about to consult of.  
§. 3. In the mean time, both these being Questions, whereto a full and distinct Resolution is one of the most necessary things imaginable, to People of whatsoever Rank, Sex or Age assignable, a man would wonder, that neither our Lord Jesus himself, nor any of his Apostles, have any where, (or in any one place of Holy Scripture) professedly and expressly delivered an entire and close Answer thereto; nay, that we find not so much as either of the Questions once directly and plainly put either to our Lord, or the Apostles, in all the Records of their Ministry.  
Indeed we have a Question which interpretatively may seem at first the same, or somewhat near it, put by some relenting persons, who were in a way to their Conversion (or as one may say, under the pangs of the New Birth) Acts 2. 37. Men and Brethren, what shall we do? And yet more nearly by the penitent Jailor, Acts 16. 30. Sirs, what must I do to be saved? But in both these Instances, the Persons who make the Enquiry, express no respect to Death or Judgement, nor seem at that time to have had immediately an eye on either: Those in the first Instance, being at that time by St. Peter's Sermon only under the first conviction of their Sin in crucifying the Lord of Life, seem merely to have designed by their Question, What shall we do to get this so great Sin pardoned? And in the second Instance the poor Jailor having seen a Truth, which the Devil spoke against his Will, (That the Apostles were the Servants of the most high God, and shown Men the way of Salvation, (v. 17.) Confirmed by a Miracle from Heaven, (v. 26.) Intended certainly by that his Question, as he expresses it plainly enough, What must I do to obtain that Salvation you preach? As did also that Ruler, Matth. 19 16. Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may inherit eternal Life? But none of these Questions, I say primarily or directly proceed upon preparation for Death, or express any immediate respect thereto. Rather do they infer an apprehension in the Proposers of them, that they had a great part of their days then to come, and that they had not an aim at, or looked not in those Questions to their Death, but at, and to the whole remainder of their Life (at that time) before them; so that I may confidently say, these two Questions named, are not where in Scripture expressly put; nor therefore in any one place, altogether or entirely and distinctly answered.  
One Reason of their not being answered, we may take to have been their not being put; But as to the Reason of their not being put, it is not easy to assign a better, than that perhaps the Conceit of People's being able in a few days, or (as some poor mistaken Wretches are apt to imagine) by a few hours Pains and Devotions, to prepare themselves for Death, and their appearance before the Seat of God's dreadful Judgement, had not yet entered into the world, or so generally seized and possessed men's minds, as now (God knows, and we poor Ministers find) it has. This may be one probable cause indeed, for which we may conceive this Question no where in Scripture to have been put.  
And that our Lord Jesus and his Apostles should not of their own accord start it, there is no wonder: For they well knowing and considering, that preparation for Death and Judgement needs to be the Work of a whole Life, and not of some small part, or of the Fagg-end of it, (as we may so speak) would never so far give occasion to such a Surmise, as professedly and closely to put together all that is necessary to be said to such a Question; but having in general terms first described the Duty, they enjoined its performance, and lastly shown the danger of its neglect, they left the Particulars of the Preparation required in a sort scattered through the whole Scriptures; as indeed the Duty itself, in its full Latitude or Compass, runs through all the Parts and Duties of our Lives.  
§. 4. In general, I say there are Terms which describe, express, or amply set forth to us the Duty of Preparation for Death and Judgement: There are many Commands, which directly enjoin, and such Warnings given of the danger of neglecting it, as lay it most intimately home upon all People's Consciences. Our Lord and his Apostles seldom or never treat of his coming to Judgement, but still the Application, as we may call it, (or the practical part of their Discourse) is of this nature. Thus, in the Whole four and five and twentieth Chapters of St. Matthew's Gospel, and in the parallel places of all the other Gospels; in St. Paul's first Epistle to the Thessalonians, chap. 5. 4, 5, 6, etc. In St. Peter's Second Epistle, ch. 3. 14, etc. In Rev. 3. 2, 3, etc. Chap. 16. 15. In all these, and other Places, the Christian World is taught, That the coming of our Lord will be as of a Thief in the night (and truly it is so very oft by Death, as well as to Judgement) unawares, upon men when they look not for him; and therefore all are called upon, and conjured to be always ready;— To watch;— As faithful and wise Servants, to be still doing their Lord's Work;— To keep Oil in their Vessels with their Lamps;— To trim their Lamps;— To have their Loins girded about, and their Lights burning, and to be as them that look for their Lord;— To take heed to themselves, lest at any time their hearts be overcharged with Surfeiting or Drunkenness; [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, even with the nauseous Qualms of a full Stomach, or of the Night's Intemperance,] or with the Cares of this world;— To be as Children of the Light;— Not to sleep, (that is, not to be idle, not to be secure, flattering themselves in any Sin, or suffering Gild to rest upon their Consciences) as do others; but to watch unto Prayer;— To be sober, to be vigilant;— To be diligent, that we may be found of him in peace, without spot or blemish;— To strengthen the things that are ready to die (that is, quicken, exercise, and by exercising ripen and confirm (stir up) the Grace of God in us;)— To hold fast till our Lord come;— To keep our Garments, lest we be found naked, (that is, to be careful we maintain a sanctified and justified Estate, the Righteousness of Faith, which is of God through Christ.) All these and sundry like Expressions both declare and press the Duty, and awaken Conscience thereto; but still, either in general or in figurative Terms; and these also, as beforesaid, dispersed and in distant places.  
§. 5. The Design therefore of this Treatise is to lay them all together, disposing them into as easy and natural an Order as may be, and representing or offering them in the plainest, but together, the most effectual manner we can; that so no sort of people, who shall read, or hear read this poor, plain, practical Discourse, may be ignorant either of the Matter or Obligation of their whole Duty in this great and most weighty Case.  
And for the better comprehending the whole body of Directions to be given, which must have compass enough to answer the Conditions of people of all sorts, or of each age, they may most fitly be divided by the several Distances, which by course of Nature, people may conceive themselves to stand in from Death; and so into three Classes or Stages, according to those Distances: The first shall be of those, who by course of Nature are at the longest distance, and who therefore now are perfectly to begin their Preparations: A Foundation must be laid, and a prepared State attained. The second of the middle Stage, the Foundation must be secured, and a prepared State maintained: And the third, nearest our End. For through the Vanity, and Self-flattery which attends all Men in this Life, at least while Death is at any tolerable distance, (Men being apt to think they have time enough before them,) divers defects there will be in all, even the most prepared Christians, when nearly approaching their End.  
And these, perhaps, we shall most clearly see, when Death being to us, as it were, above the Horizon, and in sight, dispels those Mists, under which we have formerly lain, and frees our Judgements from that partiality, wi●h which formerly we used to pass Sentence of things and persons, and especially of ourselves, our own Actions and Interests.  
§. 6. The Practice then of those Duties must not end, but with our Lives; and it will be likely to succeed the better, if it begin from the very present moment we read, or are warned of our concernment, because none, who are capable to understand the Duty, can be too young for the practice of it.  
They who would be ever ready to die, and appear (as they must unavoidably) at the Bar of Heaven, had need to remember their Creator in the days of their Youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh in which they shall say, they have no pleasure in them, Eccles. 12. 1. They will have little heart to work, when they have little heart to live; when they would perhaps be glad, if possible (but poor Creatures! that is impossible) not to be, to be nothing; which is the Case of all unprepared and impenitent men at death.  
But alas! Few of us have been so careful to begin as soon as it would have concerned us. Those are like to be happiest who begins soon. As to such who have been so unhappy as to pass the greatest part of their Age, either in Vanity, propounding to themselves no solid or certain end of Life, or in worldly business, and secular employs (for raising Estates, or Names, or Families) so that they have not minded Religion, or their Souls, these Persons, as soon as ever they come to be sensible of their Errors, and touched with the guilt of having lived so long without any regard to the great business of Life, should take the first time they can possibly, even the very hour they first feel this concernment, seriously to think of (and put themselves into) a state of provision for another world, unto which they do not know how near they are: To them the day is far gone already, and all the time they have lest (especially considering how much of it they must necessarily lose) or (which is much the same) spend in mean employments and businesses, which better not their Souls, which cannot be called living, is little enough to work out their Salvation, by perfecting Holiness in the fear of God. To day, whilst it is called to day, let them make haste, and delay not to attend their work, their great work, and (to them) the one thing necessary.  
[The Author hath not thought fit, upon Reasons not needful now to be expressed, but set down hereafter, (Part II. Chap. II.) to subjoin to the several Chapters of this Treatise strict and form Prayers; but instead thereof, he hath chosen a Course, which, he hopes may more secure the actual making such prepartions as he directs, than a mere Form of Prayer would have done, namely, such an Order of Devotion as must needs engage, or employ the Heart of each Person that practices it.]  

Matter, and a Method for Devotions, suitable to the First Chapter.  
First, Retire, get alone; and after some such short preparatory Prayer, with which thou commonly interest thy Closet, or beginnest thy Devotions there: being now serious and composed, examine Conscience as to the Case in hand; that is, put these Questions to thyself; Have I ever seriously thought of Death, Judgement, and the World to come?— What was the issue of those Thoughts?— What Preparations thereupon have I made for my future estate?— Consider of each Question, and make true Answer in thine own Breast: Take time thereto.  
Secondly, Meditate a while; (that is, think and consider) What a condition hadst thou now been in, hadst thou died such as thou hast lived? Nay, perhaps, shouldest thou die such as now thou art? So wicked, so guilty, so impenitent, and utterly unpardoned. Pause a while, and ponder this.  
Thirdly, Apply thyself to God accordingly in Prayer; that is, (being on thy knees, all this while) speak to God as thou canst, what thou thinkest. Tell him (though brokenly) thy Thoughts; and make freely to him thy Confessions.  
1. Lamenting, that thou hast lived so long, to so little purpose; That thou hast neglected so many warnings, and lost so many Opportunities, as thy Conscience accuses thee of; that is, as thou remember'st.  
2. Acknowledging God's Goodness, in his sparing thee so long, or suffering thee to live to this day; Giving thee the present warning, and touching thy heart with a sense of thy Danger, awakening thee thus to Repentance, when he might have justly taken thee off, and damned thee. Spend thought and time in this acknowledgement.  
3. Petitioning, or begging of him;  
I. To enlighten thee (that is, make thee understand more fully) thyself, and thy Condition; Him, and his Perfections; Thy own Duty and Concernment.  
II. To affect thy heart throughly with this Knowledge.  
III. To assist and enable thee to resolve particularly what is most sit and proper to thy Condition.  
iv To make thee able as well as willing to perform thy whole Duty in every particular.  
[Note all these Advices may most easily be turned into Confession, Praise, or Prayer, as occasion requires, after this sort. Suppose I begin at [1. Lamenting] and say thus, Lord, I lament that I have lived so long (Thirty, Forty, Fifty, or Sixty Tears, according as thy Age is) to so little purpose, That I have neglected, etc.  
I acknowledge thy Goodness in sparing me so long; In giving, etc.  
I humbly beseech thee to enlighten me more fully, in the knowledge of myself and of Thee, etc. And so in the rest.  
Now this kind of praying, though it may seem to some imperfect and broken, to be only more thought, and sighs, and groans, than words; yet I conceive will be sure to engage and affect thy heart more, than reading a very elegant and more complete Prayer would do; for it will put thy mind or heart to work of itself; and it is to be considered, in secret Prayer, Man is not to hear, but God; who understands the workings of the heart, and delights more therein, though broken, than in fine Speech. I choose to leave it to devout Persons discretion to enlarge, in their Prayers, more or less at pleasure.  
Lastly, After such Prayer, resolve (while before God on thy knees) upon such Particulars as thou thinkest in Conscience necessary, or most proper to thy Condition, whichsoever of the three mentioned States it is. I mean, whether, 1. Thou art now first to begin thy Preparations for Death; or, 2. To continue and maintain them; or, 3. To perfect them. Consider each, I say, and resolve what thou truly judgest most proper. As to every of these three States, it may not be inconvenient to resolve,  
1. To redeem all time possible (that is to make use of all Opportunities and Advantages thou hast) to prepare thyself for the other World.  
2. As not to delay, so neither to intermit, or discontinue such Preparations; but as far as thou art able to keep them still on foot, and endeavour to perfect and ripen them.  
And if thou see'st fit, 3. To prosecute the Method of Preparation, which is proposed in this Book, or any better that thou hast. [And so God prosper thy Work, and my Work, to us both.]    

CHAP. II. The First Duty Advised to; Religion in good earnest.  
§. 1. The first Rank of People to be prepared for Death and Judgement, such who are perfectly to begin.  
§. 2. Provision for removing the Scruples of some.  
§. 3. What Death and Judgement are.  
§. 4. What generally makes Men afraid, unwilling and unfit to die.  
§. 5. Such Practices as will answer the three Intentions proposed; will be all the Preparation necessary for Persons within this Period.  
§. 6. The first Duty to be practised; Giving the mind to Religion in good earnest.  
§. 7. This much wanting in the Generality.  
§. 8. What is the meaning of giving a Man's Mind to Religion.  
§. 9 Using one's self to think, a proper Means to make the Mind serious in Religion.  
§ 10. A particular Train of Thoughts to this purpose.  
§. 11. The whole Evidence summed up, and this Head concluded.  
§. 1. TO enter then upon our first Stage, namely, An Account of such Particulars in order to being prepared for Death, which concern those who are quite to begin this Work.  
Of these, we may reckon two sorts. First, Licentious, lose, ungodly People, be they young or old; who if they have thought at any time of Death, Judgement, or another World, it has been in a sort against their wills; at least they have generally thrust such thoughts out of their Minds, and put far from them the evil day, so that Repentance, Turning to God, and all good Conscience are strangers to them: These People sometimes Judgement overtakes in this Life▪ and they are likely to be carried off by Accidents, by violent means, or perhaps by the Hand of Justice, and then in a great deal of confusion of Mind, they think of preparing for Death. A second sort there are, more orderly persons, who live at the common rate of People amongst us, professing their Country Religion, but in good earnest minding little of any Religion to the purpose. They perhaps sometimes at Sermons, or by hearing or reading Holy Scriptures, or good Books, have been pricked in Conscience, and thought of repenting, and in such moods have prayed to God to forgive their Sins, and resolved to lead new Lives, but presently the Cares of this world, and the Deceitfulness of Riches, and the Lusts of other things, Mark 4. 19 entering, and seizing their hearts, have dashed those beginnings, and blasted any farther success of Grace; and although there may be some knowledge and sense of Duty remaining in them to work upon, yet they are perfectly to begin all through Repentance, and so all Preparation for Death. Now even these, as well as the former, though haply they may not as the others, come under the Lash of the Law to die by public Justice, yet are with them and all men obnoxious to Epidemical, or Acute Diseases, Plague, Fevers, Fluxes, etc. to Wars, and such overflowing Scourges, which sometimes sweep away the greatest part of a Nation; to private Accidents, such as Falls, Bruises, breaking of Bones, Wounds, loss of Blood, and a hundred like Occurrences, by which they may suddenly be brought to the Gates, or into the Chambers of Death; and, in these and like Cases, it will be necessary for them to begin and make up what present preparation they can for Death, and that as speedily as may be. If they survive their danger, they may mend or ripen their Preparations; if they do not, the Question is, What can be done on a sudden, or in a sew Months, or Weeks, to put such People in a likelihood of Salvation, that is, in a state any ways tolerably prepared  Death and Judgement? I said, in a few Months or Weeks; for as to a preparation to be made in a few Days (God knows, some poor People think of a few Hours) I do not pretend to any Methods or Directions touching such a Preparation; the thing is, if not impossible, yet not ordinarily to be effected. Now these Persons, perhaps many of them, according to course of Nature, may be at a long distance from the Grave; yet sigh they know not how soon they may drop or be hurried thither, it is the Interest and Duty of them, and of all, to make up the best preparation for Death they can even for the present, lest they should be surprised and taken totally unprepared. Nor will this part be only useful to such; for, though all may not be perfectly to begin, yet the Counsels to be given to Beginners, may supply some Defects in riper years of common Rank. The certainty of Death once, and the uncertainty of the time when (how soon, or by what means) makes as instant, sudden, and perfect preparation for Death as may be necessary even to all whatsoever. Never will any wise man think he can begin his Preparations too soon, and make them too perfect; nor is there any thing more common than men's bitter lamenting, and (alas!) finding themselves to have all cause to lament, that they begun too late, or have been too slighty and superficial in them. But when did we ever see or hear any repent, or who can be presumed ever to have had cause to repent that they were too early, or too mature and careful herein?  
Now that our way may be clear, I think fit to remove one stumbling Block.  
§. 2. It is not impossible, but that to some Beginners, (who may be grave Persons, exercised in Science and Business, more considerative, thoughtful, and of more comprehensive heads, and so seeing further than others) it is not impossible, I say, but to such this work at first may seem so long, and to consist of so great variety of Parts (so many things necessary to being duly prepared  Death and the Tribunal of an allseeing God) as that they may think none can be certain he knows, or any that he teaches, all points necessary in this case. Especially, it having been above confessed, that the Prescriptions or Directions proper hereto, are not where in Scripture put all together, but are diversely scattered almost through the Holy Canon: This Suspicion I have found in some. Now for delivering ourselves from under this Scruple, and for satisfying our Minds touching the sufficiency of the Advices which shall hereafter be given, let us in the beginning inquire what Death is, and what Judgement: And then what should make us any more unwilling or loath to die, than we are at night, when weary, after the Business of the day, to go to rest; or, than a Day-Labourer would be in the Evening to receive his Wages, and be dismissed. Which things when we have seen, we shall soon discern what we have to deliver ourselves from, and what to provide, and consequently all that can be necessary or profitable for us, according to our condition, to do, in order to an happy end.  
§. 3. First then, let us endeavour, as intimately as we can, to see what Death is; and at a distance narrowly look this Gorgon, or (to use a Scripture-term) the King of Terrors in the face, that from henceforth we may be able calmly to think of him, and live prepared to encounter him.  
The Heathens of old generally looked upon Death as a Destruction of the whole Man, and conceived the Soul either in the same instant with the Body to die, or at least, in some time to be dissipated and vanish. And even those of them who taught the Immortality of the 
Vltra enim ut progrediar, quam ut verisimilia videam non habeo. Cic. Tusc. Qu. l. 1.  Soul, rather held it as the more probable Conjecture of the two, than as a certain Truth. But the Holy Ghost has taught us Christians better. The Dust indeed returns to the Earth as it was, and the Spirit shall return unto God who gave it, Eccl. 12 7. And, All live unto him, Luke 20. 38. Nay, not only does the Soul live on, when the Body falls, but even the Body itself shall at the last day, by the Almighty hand of God be raised again. Both Dry Bones, and the very Dust of Bones shall live again, Ezek. 37. And there shall be a Resurrection of the dead, both of the Just and of the , Act. 24. 15. Wherefore if these things be true, as no Christian questions, Death can be nothing but a Temporary Separation of the Soul from the Body. There may be indeed, and in case of natural Deaths commonly there are, some foregoing pains, which we commonly call the Pangs of Death; but these are rather the most uneasy part of Life, than ingredients or parts of Death. And when the Paroxysm (or strength of the Pain) has once conquered Nature, the instant of Death is certainly no more painful than it is to fall asleep. Death puts an end to those Pains, and, at least for the sake of being rid of them, is to be wished for rather than dreaded. Besides, both Death itself and those its Harbingers, or foregoing pains, in ordinary Cases, are necessary and unavoidable to all Men; therefore it is most unreasonable and unworthy of considering Persons to fear them; rather does it become and concern us, to prepare to bear them as Christianity directs, and with as much ease, that is, as much patience as we can. So that in truth, upon the whole, it is more that which is conceived to follow Death, which makes people fear Death, than its own Nature.  
Of its followers, the closest, most immediate, and inseparable one, is Judgement. Now that Judgement, which immediately follows Death, is no doubt chief, if not only, the determining and ascertaining each dying persons future Condition: Whatsoever the Dreadful Pomp and Appearance of our Lord's Second Coming, and the Conslagration of the World has in it, that is not to take place till the last day: and I conceive it has been scarce ever found, that dying persons have been appalled, or dismayed, at the apprehensions of that. So that, as before said, that which must make Men afraid, or unwilling to die, must be something which is apprehended, attended to or in Men's eye, as immediately following Death.  
§. 4. Now the Sum of all the troublesome Consequents of Death, must either be Evils to ourselves, or to others, some way related to, or depending on us. And the Evils which can besal us, must affect either our persons in the other World; of which Nature can be nothing but either Loss, or Pain; or our Names and Memories, which may survive us in this World. And in case we be afraid or unfit to die, some or more of these we shall find and confess if we will be true to ourselves, to be the genuine Reasons. Either first we apprehend by Death we shall lose some Happiness, we are here possessed and perhaps too fond of; or we fear by Death some Evil, we are yet free from; or lastly, we have some Obligations or Ties upon us to some things or persons in this World, which we would not have yet loosed, or from which we cannot with Honour yet get free. We are entangled with this World, either in affection, or besides, in business (of our own or others) from which we judge it highly inconvenient for us yet to be dismissed.  
Now let us consider each of these. As to the first: Perfect Happiness is all we can wish: But Perfect Happiness no Man can say he is, or can be possessed of on Earth; only he has here some Enjoyments, which he sansies to be pretty Good, or little inslances of Happiness, and he is in hopes sometimes of some more; now these Death will bereave him of: But if a Man could obtain a perfect Happiness by, or after Death, it were reasonable to desire the exchange; for than he would have all he could wish, and by Death become Gainer. Now this we must find a way to do, if we will sufficiently prepare a Man for Death. Again, as to the state of Men in the other world, there never was, nor is, nor can be any thing ever thought of terrible after Death but Judgement, and the punishment of those Sins which we have committed in this life, or (so speak more properly perhaps according to the opinion of some) the disorders of mind, which these Sins have brought upon us, being heightened and continued. But it is plain, many punishments of our Sins, many disorders and inquietudes thence, we meet with, and shall lie under here, more or less, as long as we live. If therefore by, or after Death, we can be secure of a perfect release from all these punishments, and removal of all possible disorders and evils, we should by such security be provided against all we could fear by, or after Death. Now this also is to be done. There remains therefore nothing now to render a Man ready as well as willing to die, but disentangling himself from this World.  
§. 5. So that in sum, we have three Intentions before us, to which all the Advices (at least in this Period) to be given, are to be directed: and if these three be by any means attained, there is no question but such persons who have attained them are prepared for Death. For more evils or inconveniencies by Death, than those mentioned, we cannot conceive of; and therefore means sufficient to remove these, must be sufficient to prepare us for Death. And let a Man stand never so near the top of the Hill, how large a prospect soever he has to the Gulf he is to pass, he will find himself highly concerned, as to these three general Intentions.  
First he is to provide himself a Happiness to go to in the other World. For a Man cannot be in any measure prepared to part hence, who has no sore-sight of, nor can promise to himself, any good to be enjoyed hereafter.  
Secondly, He must provide against whatever he can fear in another World. For a Man cannot be happy where his Fears remain. And in the former Particular we have admitted, He who is prepared for Death must be provided of Happiness in the other World; therefore also provided against what he may fear there.  
Thirdly, He is to disentangle himself from this World, and all secular Concerns, that he may be able easily to part hence whensoever the appointed hour shall come. For it is certainly a great misery to be torn hence, instead of quietly and willingly yielding up all.  
These three Intentions whoso has obtained, is as well provided  Death, as at a distance a Man can be well conceived to be; nor is it easy to comprehend, at least I must confess I do not see, what can be in those of this Order required more. But for attaining these, there are sundry Counsels to be taken, and much Work to be done.  
§. 6. And first, above all things, such persons are to bend their minds to Religion in good Earnest, and really to make that their Business. Religion, of all Doctrines in the World, alone can pretend to bring a Man to the knowledge of his true Happiness. And of all Religions none does that, but the Christian. Our Lord Jesus has pronounced it, I am the Way, the Truth and the Light; that is, I alone have effectually brought to Light the true way to Life, 2 Tim. 1. 10. He hath abolished Death, and hath brought Life and Immortality to Light through the Gospel. Whosoever therefore thou art that wouldst provide to thyself a Happiness in another World, (which indeed is the only true Happiness, all else is but Spectres, mere Ghosts and Apparitions of Happiness) resolve on being Religious in good Earnest, and give thy mind thereto.  
§. 7. This the generality, even of them which profess Religion, do not do. Religion, God help us, is taken up by most of us as other Fashions of the Country are, merely of course, and in compliance with the multitude; and if Men perform some outward Exercises thereof (in the mean time not living very extravagantly bad) they are looked upon by their Neighbours as Religious Men. And as long as they do not believe contrary to the Doctrines of Christianity, but look upon them as things which perhaps may be true, and have been taken for Truths never doubted of time out of mind, they themselves esteem themselves to have a very tolerable Faith; and then, a few customary Formalities observed, will easily pass, in their savourable Judgement of themselves, for a Christian Practice. And thus, alas, we have many a current Christian without real Christianity; a religious Multitude without a grain of true Religion. For Christianity, or True Religion, consists in a changed heart and a changed life: But the generality of people rise not hereto; much less contents them. As to the getting into their hearts a solid and rational Persuasion of the being of a God, and of a World to come; as to affecting themselves with a sense of Sin, and putting themselves into a state of Pardon through the Blood of Christ, and then settling and maintaining in themselves a Love and Fear of God, Resolutions and Endeavours of Justice, Charity, Purity and Humility; and finally keeping to this Temper; these are things, which either they never thought of, or have put off the concerning themselves with them, till they have done what they account the business of Life, that is gotten a fair Estate, and in the end of their days may, as they hope, time enough have leisure and ease to consider of these Matters, and settle them to their hearts desire. This, as far as can be judged by ordinary Fruits, is the state and pitch of Religion with the Multitude: Nay there are many, touching whom it is a high degree of Charity to think even thus much. Now he who will be prepared for Death and Judgement, must be religious at another rate.  
§. 8. He must, first, look upon Religion, not merely as a thing probable, or which perhaps may be so as it is pretended, a possible Truth; but as indeed it is, actually the greatest Truth, and Matter of most pressing Concernment in the World. Whether this Employment, Trade and Way of Life, or whether that, be the surest and speediest Method for me to get an Estate, is uncertain: They are both probable, and perhaps there may be a third or fourth way as probable. And whether I ever be rich or no, the Matter is not of the greatest moment. Man's Life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he doth possess; many Men live happily, who have but from hand to mouth. But whether I be saved or damned, whether I be everlastingly blessed, or everlastingly tormented with the Devil and his Angels; this is a Matter of Concernment indeed. And then, that there is not Salvation in any other, but in the Crucified Jesus, nor any other name given under Heaven amongst men whereby we must be saved. (No Blessedness to be had but by true Religion) is a thing most certainly true; and 'tis most vain to think of any other course, but this which the Gospel has laid down.  
Now, to the end that a Man may be truly convinced of thus much, he must give his mind, first, to understand the Doctrine of Christian Religion (that is, in plain Terms, the Articles of our Christian Faith) he must read, if he be able, honest and easy Expositions of them, having before treasured up in his memory the Articles of Belief, and Rules of Life; and if he be not able to read, he must diligently hear, inquire particularly, of his Minister and Friends, touching any thing he understands not, which he conceives necessary to Salvation: He must not rest, till he has satisfied himself in some plain Notion or Conception of that whereof he is ignorant.  
This being done, in the next place he must attend unto the Reasons and Evidences, which there are of the Truth of such Doctrines. Why should I believe there is a God, and he Almighty, and the Maker of all things seen and unseen? My Reason (if I will but take the pains to think) tells me it must necessarily be so. For no Man, nor all Men together, could ever make this World, the visible Heaven and Earth, the Sun and Moon and Stars, and put them all into that orderly motion, in which they circled, rising, moving, setting, then hidden to us, but enlightening and cheering others. Nor can any stop the Heavens from moving, nor stir the Earth, or make it bring forth otherwise than in season. All the Powers we know cannot alter Spring or Harvest, Summer or Winter: They cannot make the Sun rise sooner, or set later. Theresore some Being of greater, and indeed of infinite Power, there must be; that is, the Almighty God must have made, and doth uphold and govern Heaven and Earth, and all therein.  
Again, Holy Scripture gives Account and farther Proof of all these things. There I read, or thence I may hear the whole History of the Creation; how all and every of these things were made, and how they have been governed ever since, and what God made them for, and what he will do with them: These, and the like Evidences of the Truths of Religion must such person search into; and when he has got any degree of satisfaction, carefully treasure up in his Mind (or Memory) what gave him that satisfaction, that he may be able to have recourse thereto at any time to reinforce Assent, and by virtue of what he believes, to satisfy and assure himself of other Truths, the persuasion of which he yet wants.  
And thus understanding, and being persuaded of the several Particulars of Religion, it remains such Person go on conscientiously to practise what he knows and believes. Having learned, and being convinced, that there is a God, who made, upholds and governs the World, he will soon believe that this God, as other Governors, has given to his Subjects, a Law, and that what we call the Decalogue, o● Ten Commandments, especially as expounded and improved by our Saviour, is that Law; and that thereby, as our same Lord has taught us, all Men shall be judged. Upon this, supposing such cordial Belief of all has been directed unto, it will follow through the Grace of God, that the man will live in the fear of God, withstand Temptations, break himself of evil Customs, etc. as one who shall be judged by this most Spiritual Law.  
And that he may so do, as taught, he will daily, and earnestly (with all his heart) pray to God; he will seriously, with real devotion and care, use all other Means, attend Sacraments, wait on the Ministry of the Word, conscientiously apply all he learns for his advance in Grace, and daily watching over himself, endeavour to grow better and wiser.  
Summarily, and in plain terms, this is, I say, being in good earnest, and serious in Religion, for People to give their hearts to the understanding, believing, and practising the Christian Doctrine and Precepts, and to perseverance and growth in such Practice: Or, more briesly, as said, to study constantly to be every day wiser and better God-wards. And those who really will not set themselves thus to do, must never think of being provided for another World. Nothing will sit a man for that without such general Religious Care.  
§. 9 Now to bring men thus to give their minds in good earnest to Religion, I can think of no other, at lest no shorter or properer way than to desire and conjure all sorts of People to accustom themselves to retire within themselves, and think that they have Souls, or an unseen part. It is most certain the greatest number of Mankind perish for want of consideration, and not exercising of those Faculties they have above Brutes. By our Bodies, we are Flesh and Blood, equal in a sort to the Beasts that perish; by our Souls, we are a part of the unseen, and indeed of the invisible World; we are Minds, or Understanding, reasoning Being's, nearly equalled to Angels, either good or bad ones. Now the Bane of most People is, that the Brute, or Beast-part alone lives, acts and governs; but the Angel-part, as it were, sleeps, is oppressed, drowned, or buried. And in the degree that this befalls men, they are more or less defective in Religion. Some men, who altogether follow their fleshly Desires, have no Religion at all; others, who govern them according to Rules of Civility, have perhaps the outward Mode (or Fashion) of their Country-Religion: So that to bring men, I say, to be in good earnest, and serious in Religion, I know nothing more likely to be effectual than persuading them to think, to converse more with themselves, and by using their Minds to bring themselves to feel that they have them, that there are in them Souls, or a spiritual, unseen, active Part. This, if they were well sensible of, they would conclude, that as they have an unseen part, so there may be an unseen world, according as they are told there is; and that as this their unseen part is truly the Man, and the most excellent part of them, so the unseen world is the most real, and of greatest worth and moment. That therefore these Souls of theirs should be looked after, and some provision made for them against they come to be stripped of their Bodies, and to pass naked into the World of Spirits. Further, by this means they would find, that it is their Bodies that eat, and drink, and sleep, and are pleased and satisfied therewith; and that when they have no Bodies, they shall do none of these: That therefore there must be otherguise satisfaction looked after for their Souls. In a word, I can hardly believe that a thinking person can fail in the End, to arrive at being serious in Religion; especially if he set out with any sober and certain Principles; one Thought will lead on another, till by the Grace of God, some divine Truth or other pierce or fix in his Heart, and make way for the final Victory of Faith.  
§. 10. We will take a further and more distinct instance of the Case in a particular Train of Thoughts. Suppose we then a man by himself, and either upon the importunity of Ministers, frequently rating People into seriousness, or upon the instigations of his own Conscience, some way awakened by God's secret Grace, (which one time or other is wanting to none under the Gospel: suppose we, I say, such a person) beginning to consider, whether there be any real necessity for him to trouble himself any further with Religion, than to be in the general fashion of the Country; and having cast away many things that have been urged upon him, either as false, or as uncertain, or of little moment, at length to bethink himself.  
1. Though all the other Particulars usually inculcated to persuade me to seriousness in Religion, should be false, and merely little Arts and Inventions to awe me; yet this is certain, die I must, sooner or later. Not one escapes this perpetual Law: Those who have thought themselves most exempted from the common Fate of all, have notwithstanding at length, whether they would believe it or no, felt it, and yielded thereto. Perhaps there may have been some, whom we have known or heard of in the World, so fond as to say, such an one died merely for want; such a one by fraud; such a one by the neglect or mistake of his Physician; such a one by his own ignorance or wilfulness: But I have Wealth enough, that I cannot want what is necessary to preserve me; Knowledge enough timely to discover any decay in me, and to prevent its prevalence (or growing too much upon me.) Temper enough to secure or deliver myself from many incurable Evils, which others run into; and Caution enough to keep myself out of Violence or Harms way, and therefore I shall not die: And yet this very person perhaps we know now to lie in his Grave. We may have observed others to fancy to themselves a kind of Immortality by piece-meal. This day they think they shall not die tomorrow; and when tomorrow comes, they cannot believe they shall die the next day; and when that is come, they are still persuaded they shall see another Sun; yet have we seen even these Men's Sun set, and their last day come. It is true then, that as those mistaken, fond self-flatterers have died, so must I, most certainly, most unavoidably die.  
2. And, I find (Secondly) by Observation of Multitudes, whom I have seen or heard of dying, that it is also a great Truth which I have been told, that Men's Thoughts, when dying, touching things of Life (namely touching Wealth, Pleasures, Mirth, etc.) nay generally touching all the Actions and States of Men, prove much different from what they are, in the gaiety and jollity of their days. Therein indeed they laugh at, and reproach, sober, devout, and mortified Men; but upon their Deathbeds they wish themselves in their Condition. Perhaps while in the way of Gain and Business, Men admire the splendour and value of Gold, and think a Bag of it one of the most Sovereign Goods in the World. They would venture Credit and Conscience, and even Life, to come by it. But give Gold to any of those, when dying, and he'll cry out, Why do you torment me? Alas! that has been my Ruin. Oh! that I could have but some ease of Conscience! Oh! that I had but reason to hope God would have mercy upon me! Oh! that I had minded Godliness as much as I have done Gain! my Condition now had been otherwise. Thus have we known it with people far (in humane Esteem) from being irreligious. Yea, take the lewdest and most debauched persons, whom in their health, nothing but Revelling, and Lust, and Hectoring and Profaneness would down with, who would curse you for the least good Advice you gave them, or even for beseeching God to have Mercy upon them: Come to these Men, when by God and a Disease, or by the Magistrate and Proceed at Law, under the Sentence of Death, and have they the same sense of their Bottles, and Frolicks, and Minions and mad Company? Will they brave it as formerly? Ask them which of the two you shall call to them, a pack of merry Boys and Hector's, or a Minister, and which will they choose? Will Oaths and Dammes, and Confound me Body and Soul, or even their lewd Songs, or but merry Stories be Music now in their ears? Far enough from it; Now nothing but the Prayers of all good people is called for; but too late for the most part, God knows. Thus much generally all Men are able to observe. And it is a certain Truth, if Men have their Senses, and are of sound memory and reason, Conscience is more awake, and speaks louder, and more impartially, when they are in sight of death than ever. They that choked and oppressed it before, hear and feel it then, whether they will or no. And this I cannot but acknowledge to be a constant, at least a general Truth.  
3. Nay, further, Thirdly, Even at present do I not find within my own Breast, and in my calm hours and true sense of things, a great difference, as well between good and evil Actions, as the Effects and Products thereof? Is Money unjustly gotten, by Cozenage, or Lying, or Dissembling (not to say worse) so comfortably laid up, as that which is the reward of my honest Pains and Industry? Or would I be as content to leave my Son an Estate, which I forced as out of the Fire, by Oppression, grinding the face of the Poor, Falseness, Subornations, etc. as one, which my Ancestors fairly jest me, or my own Frugality and honest Diligence acquired. And so in a thousand other Cases, Is not the like difference apparent? Is Riot and Roaring, and beastly prostituting my own and others Honour, so amiable, and yielding as much ease to the mind, as Sobriety, Gravity, and Purity? Nay even in others; Is it as comfortable to me to hear Men lie, and then swear to prove their Lies; to hear them curse and damn, or perhaps but even rail and rant at one another; as to be entertained with grave or wise Discourse, or overhear devout people assembled at their Prayers in the Fear of God, and with a decent Concord?  
Further, besides the inward Advantage of being virtuous and religious, do I not see daily, that Men by Virtue and Religion preserve themselves from a thousand Inconveniencies, which others run into. They keep (and increase perhaps) their Estates, their Credit, their Ease, their Quiet, their Health, the Love of their Neighbours, and a good Interest in their Country, with many more Felicities; whereas others by contrary practices forfeit all: So that a Man cannot but be sensible (supposing him thus to go on thinking and considering with himself) that Virtue and Religion give Men great advantage of others, not only when going out of the World, but even in the strength and vigour of their age; and that as well in regard of inward Peace, liking and approving or being at ease with themselves, as in many worldly respects.  
4. Now will an outward Demureness and Hypocrisy, a pretending that Religion or Virtue which Men have not, do all this? (And truly Professors of Religion, who are not religious in good Earnest, are no better than demure Hypocrites.) Will I say deceiving the World, and perhaps themselves too, with a pretence to that Integrity that they have not, administer Comfort to Men, when dying, or Content and Peace while in Life, at a distance from Death? Let me seriously consider of this, and there will nothing appear more plain to me, nor shall I be more sensible of any thing in the World, than that such Temper, as described, would be a dying Torment to me, a Hell beforehand, and that it is really a reproach to me, in my own sense of things at present, if I am such; I say, if I be guilty of it, my heart even now reproaches me for it.  
5. And after all these Thoughts, thus in a train and dependence upon one another, run through; after such a thread of Reason spun by my Soul, can I believe this Soul of mine is equal to that whereby Beasts live? Is it no nobler, of no longer duration, than the Spirit of a Dog, or of a Swine, or of such vile Creatures? Am I able to conceive, think, and put together all these things to no purpose? And have I the sense and prospect of a Life to come, an earnest desire too of Immortality, and all this in vain? Let me see; Is it so as to my other Faculties? Has God given me Eyes to see, and yet is there neither Light nor Colours? Has he given me Ears to hear, and are there no sounds? Has he given me a Mouth, and Palate, and provided a Stomach for reception of Meat, and put an Appetite into it, and parts and powers for digesting my Meat, yet are there no kinds of Food? Nothing fit to be tasted, eaten digested? Has he given me a Tongue to speak, and an Understanding to frame Thoughts, and direct that Tongue to utter them, and are there no people in the World for me to converse with? It is plain to me that none of my other Faculties are in vain: Therefore, Neither was I endued with the Apprehension, Sense, and Appetite after another Life in vain, but another Life after this there is. My Conceptions and Desires of Immortality were no more put into me in vain, than my Senses, or natural Appetites. That is, there is an Immortal State; that is, my Soul is Immortal, or capable of Immortality. We see now whither we are come merely by a little thinking.  
§. II. Let us then put all this together, and see what will be the Result: Whether it be tolerable or no, to be as vain and formal, and as mere Actors in Religion, as the World of Professors of it are? Or whether we are not most highly concerned to be herein, more than in any other practices in the World, or in any other part of Life, most sincere, serious and in good Earnest. The Sum is;  
I must die.  
Though I choke and oppress Conscience, and put tricks upon myself to gloss over foul Actions at present, I shall not be able to do so long, at least not at Death.  
Nay even now at present I have much ado to make many things palatable, which yet in practice I swallow; so that I must account that at my Death, if I am then in my Senses, they'll sting me with a witness, and in all probability not only in my departing, but eternally in that Immortal State.  
For I cannot persuade myself but there is a Life after this: I have so many Evidences of it within myself.  
And it is not an outside Demureness, or shadow of Religion, which will bear me out, or stand me in stead at Death and Judgement. Then the Vizor will fall off. Therefore it is my Concernment above all things, to be early serious in Religion. For I am sensible none die comfortably but virtuous Men: None else, when dying, have either ease, as to what is past, or a comfortable prospect of what is to come. So that the Conclusion of all is, If I will follow what in my own sense of things (and herein all good and wise Men, all that are not beside themselves, mad or vicious, agree with me) I must set myself to be serious in, and most intent upon Religion. And this is the first step of Preparation for Death and Judgement in our Stage.  
The Second will be, That we immediately go upon the reconciling ourselves to God, and endeavour to make our Peace with him; of which in the next Chapter.  

Matter and a Method for Devotions suitable to the Second Chapter.  
BEing retired seriously; First, Examine Conscience, How thou hast stood affected and concerned hitherto in Matter of Religion?  
1. Hast thou concerned thyself any more in it, or about it, than in other Customs and Usages of thy Country?  
2. In case thou hast, with more outward Concernment than the generality of people, espoused the Profession of Religion, yet as to the Virtue itself, Religion in the Soul; (1.) Is thy heart furnished with sound Knowledge? Hast thou reasonable Conceptions of the Doctrine and Precepts of Christianity: And, (2.) Art thou seriously in thy heart persuaded that Christian Religion is true, and the alone sure way to Happiness? Or else on the contrary, Art thou a mere, formal, external Professor, pretending to be zealous in this or that way; but designing by such pretence only other ends, than those of thy Soul in an unseen World. Consider the Matter seriously: For a multitude of mere worldly Bigots (of zealous outward Professors) are there in our World, who both with themselves and others pass for religious Men.  
Or, 3. Though thou hast been through the Grace of God enlightened, and art in some measure knowing and persuaded in thy Conscience, of the Truth of Religion; yet is it not thy Case (as it is many other religious people's) that thou art, as to Religion, really lukewarm, in love with the World and things that are seen? So that thou hast been very negligent in an holy, heavenly, conscientious Practice; and, by reason of this Indifferency, canst scarce say, thou hast been yet religious in good earnest. Deal honestly with thyself in sifting out the Truth, as near as able; It will be thine own another day.  
Secondly, After this Search, if thou findest thy Condition to be any of these three, pause a while, and consider particularly the guilt and sinfulness of it, whichsoever of the three it prove.  
As to the First; supposing that to be thy Case. Thou hast taken up thy Religion, just as thou hast done thy . All civilised people wear some ; English people this particular Fashion, and so thou wearest  of this Fashion, rather than of that of the Turks and Persians, etc. because thou art amongst the English, and an English Man. In like sort; all Nations have some Religion, Thy Country or thy Friends this, and therefore thou art of it. Thou hast been bred to it as they say. Good God what a monstrous profane thing is this, That one who has the use of Reason, should make no more matter of Religion, than of the fashion of a Suit of ! And perhaps not so much, as some vain wretches do, who are more concerned about their garb, than the state of their Souls. O dreadful!  
As to the Second, To pretend Zeal for God and Heaven, merely for the driving on a poor, worldly, or carnal Interest, when really I neither believe God or Heaven, or care for either, what abominable Hypocrisy is this? What incarnate Devils (white Devils as the people speak) are such Men?  
As to the Third; To be persuaded that there is no true Happiness but in God; that this World is but a Dream in comparison of that to come; at the utmost, that this Life is a state of Trial, according to my behaviour wherein, I am to be everlastingly happy or miserable, and yet to be indifferent and cool in my Affections, and pursuit of heavenly Goods; to be intent on, and ever busied about the things that are seen (all which perhaps I may part with tomorrow) and to be negligent of my Life and Actions, according to which I shall one day be justified or condemned (Matth. 12. 37.) and so eternally happy or miserable. What an inconsistent and an unreasonable thing is it? Am I not, while thus guilty, condemned and unexcusable, even in the sense of my own mind?  
Thirdly; According to thy Condition, now betake thyself to God by Prayer; (1.) Lifting up thine heart to him, and conceiving of him as a God that searcheth and knows thee, that possesseth thy Reins; and discerneth the thoughts and intents of the heart, who therefore most intimately sees whether thou dissemblest or no— That will be sanctified of all who draw near unto him, and has accursed all Hypocrites and double-hearted Men; who therefore will be content with nothing less than all thy heart, and mind, and soul. In the beginning of thy Prayers set God before thee as such; (2.) Confessing to him according as thou hast found the Sum of thy Gild. Either,  
Thy regardlessness of him and of thy Soul: Or Falseness and Hypocrisy; In truth, no better than profane Madness, in real mocking God with a mere outside all this while. Or,  
Thy abominable Lukewarmness towards God and Religion, but adhesion to the World and to the Pleasures of Sin. Those numberless neglects, which thou hast been guilty of, neglects of Prayer, of Self-Examination, of Repentance, etc. Those bold Transgressions— In thine Iniquity; perhaps more than one, etc.  
(3.) Petitioning for  
A serious, composed, thinking mind; Wisdom to consider thy latter end.— For  
4 hearty persuasion of the Being, and clearer Conceptions of the Nature of God, so that thou may'st together fear him and love him with all thine heart— Truth in the inward parts— For a sense of true Goods, and zeal for them; Contempt of the World, and all worldly Happiness; a deep concernment for thy Duty; Impartiality and Diligence therein— The perpetual Guard of God's Grace; and other things, as God shall move thy heart.  
Lastly, Resolve by God's help, to give thyself to be religious in good Earnest— To personate Godliness, and to double no more. And particularly,  
1. To give out every day some small part of time to Religious Duties; at least, to Thought and Prayer in secret. This, by God's Grace, will have a happy effect.  
2. When thou prayest (or when thou hearest or readest, etc.) to keep thy mind close to what thou art about; at least to endeavour such attention and fervour what thou canst.  
3. To submit to Christ, and treasure up whatsoever Light and Evidence thou receivest.  
4. To get serious and religious people about thee, or to affect the Company of such— And other like helps, as God shall direct thee.    

CHAP. III. The Second Duty advised to, Making our Peace with God.  
§. 1. Seriousness in Religion puts a man immediately upon making his Peace with God.  
§. 2. Peace or Reconciliation with God, in what sense soever taken, effected by Repentance and Faith.  
§. 3. The proper Notions of Repentance and Faith, both in common Language and Scripture.  
§. 4. In Scripture they are often put so, as to comprise one another.  
§. 5. Yet is the joint Practice of both of them absolutely necessary to make our peace with God.  
§. 6. Four Steps to a penitent State.  
§. 7. The first of them, a sight and sense of our own Gild, called by some Conviction of Sin.  
§. 8. The second, Contrition; The way to work it.  
§. 9 The third, Confession to God. What it is.  
§. 10. Confession to Man; when necessary.  
§. 11. The fourth, Forsaking Sin; Two Branches thereof.  
§. 12. The Necessity of both.  
§. 13. The Method of effecting both.  
§. 14. Of Faith, as more particularly concerned in making our Peace with God.  
§. 15. Of Prayer in this Case.  
§. 16. Of subsequent Care and Endeavours, and of the Lord's Supper, as the best Seal.  
§. 1. IT was good Counsel, though given by one who had more need himself to have taken it, than he to whom he gave it; Acquaint now thyself with God, and be at Peace, thereby good shall come unto thee, Job 22. 21. And whosoever is once serious in Religion, as before urged, will very tenderly feel himself concerned to endeavour such Acquainting himself with God, as may be a Method of Peace with him; nay, he will not be at ease with himself; he will scarce give Sleep to his Eyes, or Slumber to his Eyelids, till he has made some advance towards God for Mercy, and so for Peace. Supposing any Man now first to grow serious, and so never yet to have been reconciled to God; the sense of a vast load of Gild will soon oppress and almost sink his Soul; of no less a load than the whole Mass and Body of all his Omissions and Commissions ever since he came to any memory of his Actions; not one of all pardoned, for not one of all repent of: So that he will be crying out with David, Psal. 69. 1, 2. Save me O God, for the waters are come in unto my Soul; I sink in deep Mire, where there is no standing; I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. This will put him upon instant endeavours of Peace and Reconciliation.  
§. 2. Now there is, say some, a double Reconciliation of ourselves to God; a Reconciliation of the Person to him, and a Reconciliation of the Heart and Nature; a distinction, if at all proper, yet most certainly of such things as cannot be separated: For without this latter, namely the Reconciliation of the Mind (at least begun, and in a good measure accomplished) the person can never be reconciled. For if the Mind can never be separated from the Man, then cannot the person be reconciled, except the Mind be so also.  
But let there be as much in the distinction as there can; to effect both these kinds of Reconciliation, we are to set out, and proceed the same way. The Practice of Repentance from dead works, (in its full Latitude) and of Faith in Christ Jesus, effects both.  
§. 3. There are scarce any two Names in the World more frequently in the Mouths of Christians, than these two, Repentance and Faith; and there are perhaps no Duties of like importance less understood: For both of them being in several places of Scripture used in several, and very different Senses, many plain persons are confounded in their Notions, or in the understanding of them.  
To make all then as distinct and plain as I am able; The Word Repent (or Repentance) according to its proper import in usual Speech, is no more, than to be sorry for something which we have done amiss; that is, which we apprehend done to our own or others harm, disgrace, or prejudice, some way or other, which therefore we from our hearts wish undone, and would call back or undo, were it possible for us.  
And Faith also properly signifies only Belief, that is assenting or agreeing to any thing as true.  
This is the natural and full import of both these Words in common Language. But in Holy Scripture, and with Divines, though they retain this their general Notion, yet because they are for the most part applied, each of them to its certain proper Object (as Repentance to Sin, called by the Holy Ghost Dead Works) and Faith to the Doctrine of the Gospel, (and so to God and Christ its Authors) they receive from thence a determinate and restrained sense, and signify certain Christian Virtues, which are partly Gifts of God, (that is, wrought in us by his Grace, or by a supernatural Power) partly also our Duties, because they are (at least in the first beginnings of them) such Acts which God requires of us, and, by the Means and Aids which he has provided and affords us, has made, and makes, in our powers to exert or practise; and (in the progress, growth, or ripeness of them) Habits attained by these former Acts, to which he by his Grace hath excited and enabled us. Repentance then, as it is an Act of Christian Duty, is an endeavour of forsaking Sin, and of leading a new Life; or a Change of Manners for the better; it is a sorrow consisting not so much in grief, or transient Affection (though there is many times that too in it) as of settled Dissent and Dislike, and so of real Action; it is setting the Heart against Sin, and because it is impossible for us to undo the Ill we have done, a taking care we sin no more; whether by doing what we ought not, or the neglecting what we ought to do; and as it is an Habit, or State, it is a changed Heart and Life. For by frequent and constant endeavour of a new Life, the very frame and temper of our Hearts will be changed; and that changed Frame and Temper will have a constant influence upon our Actions, and so our Life will be changed. Thus as to the nature of Repentance.  
Now, as to Faith; The most general Act of Christian Duty so called, is, the Soul's agreeing or yielding that the Gospel (or the way to Heaven, which Christ Jesus and his Apostles taught) is true. It presupposes therefore the understanding of that Doctrine or Way. Now the particular Acts of it are as various as the Parts of the Gospel: And though, with many People, Use hath obtained that a Belief of the Promises, and (indeed of one part of them, of the promised Blessing, without the respect due to the other part, the Condition of that Blessing) and so a trust in God through Christ, is esteemed the great Act of Faith, yet is the assenting or agreeing to whatsoever is affirmed in the Gospel; [as that Christ died, rose again, now sits in Heaven, shall come to judge the World, etc.] as much (or more properly) an Act of true Christian Faith, as such Trust or Affiance, which in strictness, is a distinct Christian Virtue, grounded in Faith. In like manner also is the receiving this dreadful Threat, He that believeth (and so repenteth) not, shall be damned, a true Act of Faith, yet not of Trust. And to conclude, the Belief of all the Commands in the Gospel, not only that they came from God, are reasonable, and fit for us to observe; but that they are an effectual and certain way to everlasting happiness, (so that whosoever yields the obedience of Faith, shall be saved) is as much an Act (a necessary Act) of Christian Faith, as any of the rest. And the Habit of Faith is nothing else but a rooted persuasion of all these the several parts of the Gospel, by which the Soul is ready, as occasion offers, to exert any of these Acts; Thus as to the Nature of Repentance and Faith, when they signify, or are taken for Christian Virtues or Graces. And yet even when thus taken in Scripture (though they are not always, even in Scripture itself taken for Christian Virtues; yet, I say, when thus taken) they are each of them used in a very different extent.  
§. 4. Sometimes in a very ample and large sense (Synecdochically, as we speak) are they put not only for themselves, but what accompanies them. And thus the Scripture seems to make one while Repentance, one while Faith the whole Condition of the Covenant of Grace, or to put one of them for all that we, on our part, are by that Covenant bound to do, in order to our acceptance with God, or to the pardon of our Sin and Salvation. Thus not only when St. John the Baptist, and the Apostles, but when Christ himself first went out to preach the Kingdom of Heaven, or teach people the way thither, the Sum of their Doctrine is recorded to have been, Repent ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, Mat. 3. 2. and, 4. 17. Mark 6. 12. No doubt both our Lord and his Apostles preached Faith as well as Repentance all along; and St. Mark, in the beginning of his Gospel expressly brings in our Lord so preaching, ch. 1. 14, 15. Jesus came preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye, and believe the Gospel. Yet in the other places, Repentance is put alone, but with an intent, no question, that people should understand therewith its necessary Concomitant and Companion, Faith. And thus when our Lord instructs the Apostles in what they were to preach, he tells them, It behoved that he should suffer, and rise again, and that Repentance and Remission of Sin should be preached in his name among all Nations, Luke ult. 47. And as pursuant hereto, St. Peter, when he preaches to those who were pricked in their heart by the sense of their guilt in crucifying the Lord of Life; (who therefore had as much need of Faith in the blood of Jesus, for Remission, as any could have) When he preaches, I say, to them what they should do to obtain Pardon, he requires in express terms only, Repent, and be Baptised, Acts 2. 38. and, chap. 3. 10. to others of the same Nation, and under the same guilt, Repent ye, and be converted: In this last place indeed Repentance is more explained than before, but yet no mention made of Faith in any of these places, where yet the Design was to set down the Condition on which Sin might be pardoned, which, as will be soon evident, is Faith as well as Repentance.  
Again, in other places me meet with mention of Faith or believing alone, without any mention of Repentance. Thus in the promise annexed to the Apostle's Commission for preaching the Gospel, Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptised, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned. And when St. Paul teacheth the poor humble Jailor, what he should do to be saved, all he gives in Instruction is only, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved and thine House, Acts 16. 31. Here we see believing, or Faith alone, without any mention of Repentance, has Salvation promised to it; as if a Man were to do nothing to be saved, but believe the Gospel. Nay, St. Paul, in his Epistles, seems to go beyond what is asserted in any of these places, concluding from due Premises, Rom. 3. 28. Therefore a Man is justified by Faith, without the Deeds of the Law: That is, without a Jewish, Mosaical Righteousness. And the same he says in other places: The Reason hereof undoubtedly is, for that sincere believing the Gospel, or Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, doth most certainly involve, or carry with it Repentance. He that receives from his heart that Doctrine (or believes that way to Heaven,) which our Lord Christ taught, will seek Heaven by Repentance, or breaking off his Sin: Else, it is plain, he believes not what Christ preached at the very first; Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. And if he truly and Christianly repent, it is plain he believes in Christ, for he takes that very way to Salvation, to which Faith in Christ directs him.  
§. 5. Yet at another time when the Holy Ghost speaks more at large, distinctly and expressly, both Repentance and Faith are each (in terminis) set down and mentioned, as distinct parts of our Christianity, and so of that Condition of Pardon and Eternal Life, which the Gospel proposeth to us; thus in the Text of St. Mark already cited: Repent ye and believe the Gospel. And in Acts 20. 21. St. Paul protesting to the Ephesian Elders, that in his preaching he had kept back nothing that was profitable for them, reduces the sum of all he had showed them, and taught them either publicly, or from house to house (that is the whole way of Salvation) to these two Points: He had testified both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks Repentance towards God, and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. And agreeably hereto, the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews makes Repentance from dead Works, and Faith towards God, two Foundations or Principles of the Doctrine of Christ, Heb. 6. 12.  
Upon the whole then, being that all these Texts contain the undoubted Words of our Lord himself, or of his Apostles, or Persons inspired by him, for the instructing Mankind in the way to Pardon and Salvation, we must conclude, either that sometimes Repentance is so put as to comprise or understand in it Faith, and sometimes again Faith so put as to comprise Repentance; or else one of these Absurdities will follow: Either that, (1.) our Lord Christ, and the Apostles sometimes taught an insufficient way to Pardon and Salvation; or, (2.) that there are two or three ways to them, and 'tis no matter which we take. Neither of which Consectaries can be ever admitted; at least not by Protestants: Wherefore it is not reasonable to imagine the practice either of Repentance or of Faith, in order to our Peace with God, may be spared, because in some places only one of them is mentioned; for that those places, which make both necessary, evidently enforce us where one only is expressed there to understand the other: And besides that, we have seen the Nature of each of them is such, that they mutually infer one the other: that is, neither can be without the other.  
This will yet further appear, in the Account now to be given of the due Method of the practice of both, in order to make our Peace with God.  
The Son of Sirach spoke more like an experienced Christian, than a Jewish Apocryphal Author, when he said, Faith is the beginning of our cleaving unto God, Eccles. 25. 12. for one greater than he tells us, He that cometh unto God must believe that he is, and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him, Heb. 11. 6. But Repentance is a coming and turning unto God; 'tis a departing from, or putting away what he most hates, a wicked heart and life; therefore there can be no practice of it without Faith foregoing.  
And not only without such a Faith foregoing as that now mentioned out of the Author to the Hebrews, That God is, and that he is a Rewarder of them that seek him, which is only the Faith due by the Law of Nature: (for the Light of Nature will convince us of the Being of a God, and his just Government of the World) but even not without most of the Acts of Faith truly Christian, will Repentance ever be effected. We have therefore in the first place, and before any thing, advised and conjured, to be serious, intent, and in good Earnest in Religion; and that (as explained) imports the giving a Man's self honestly to understand, and by due Evidences to persuade himself of the truth of Christianity; so that we suppose him who is to practise Repentance, not only to know in general what his Duty is, what Sin is, what the Rewards belonging to Obedience, and what the Wrath and Curse of God belonging to Sin, but to be hearty persuaded of all these, as also, of the whole Covenant of Grace, and its Conditions; that God will as surely pardon and save every repenting and believing Sinner, as he will damn all impenitent & unbelieving wretches. The Belief of this certain Woe, if he go on in Sin, and certain Pardon and Blessedness, if he take up, is the foundation and inducement of all true Repentance. Thus a Faith, or a Belief of the Doctrines, Threats, Promises, and Commands of the Gospel, when hearty and real, moves, acts, and sets on the Soul, at the very first, to Repentance; nor is Repentance possible without such Christian Knowledge, or without the hearty persuasion of the truth of what we know and understand, as before set forth. Yet over and above all this, we shall anon see Faith farther concerned, than what has yet been said comes to, in making our Peace, or reconciling us to God.  
§. 6. In the mean while let us take a distinct view of the practice of Repentance, and do what we can particularly to see by what steps or acts we may arrive at a true penitent state, that is, a Heart and Life changed from a course of Sin, to the honest and steadfast endeavour of Holiness: For, no less than such a changed Heart and Life does true Repentance (or a penitent state) import. And the Steps are four.  
First, A particular sight and sense of Sin.  
Secondly, Contrition under it.  
Thirdly, Confession of it.  
Fourthly, Actual breaking off the course of Sin, both by the study of Mortification, and of a Holy and Virtuous Life. The due practice of Repentance includes, I say, all these four.  
He who writes this, is not ignorant a certain Church has made the Practice of Repentance a Sacrament, and calls it by the name of Penance, and tells us, thereof there are but three parts; Contrition, Confession, and Satisfaction; in to which they hedge in Priestly Absolution. And these indeed, after their way (or common road of Practice) are quickly dispatched. But they have herein disguised the Truth, and abominably corrupted the most necessary part of Christian Religion. The whole Truth, which really lies under this Disguise, we will endeavour faithfully and plainly to represent, by viewing particularly every one of the four forementioned Steps of Practice, which bring to this happy and peaceful state.  
§. 7. And the first of them is, a plain and particular sight and sense of our own Gild. A sense, I say, as well as sight; and I mean thereby, such a Consciousness of our being transgressors of God's Holy Commands, together with such a Persuasion both of the foulness of the Fact or Facts whereby we have transgressed, and the danger thereof, that we are as far from excusing, or thinking slightly of the Matter, as from denying it: We see ourselves guilty, vile, and loathsome, and without God's special Mercy, everlastingly miserable.  
Some Protestant People at present delight rather to call what we are now speaking of, Conviction, or (in the Plural Number) Convictions of Sin, than to give it the Name we do. And both they and we mean, I conceive, thereby much the same with what has been more anciently by others termed (from that Passage, as I suppose, touching those Converts mentioned Acts 2. 37.) Compunction. They were, says the Text, pricked at their hearts; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, compunged, point by point pricked and wounded. The like whereto is also recorded of David, 2 Sam. 24. 10. David's heart smote him after he had numbered the People. But the Name Conviction of Sin is taken out of St. John, chap. 16. 8. Where we read it to be a promised Work of the Holy Ghosts, that when he should come into the World, he should reprove (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) in the Margin of our Bibles, convince the World of Sin; wherefore there is no fault at all to be found with that Term, provided it be allowed, that that conviction of Sin, which leads to Contrition and Repentance, must consist in the Sinner's sight and sense, first, of his own particular Gild; secondly, of the real Evil of his Sin.  
1. Of a sight of Sin, that is, of our own particular Gild. We must not only see in general, that we are Sinners, Transgressor's of the Laws of God at random; but as to this or that kind, and in these or these instances, that we have offended against particular Commands. Namely, we have been, or are, either Covetous, or Drunkards, or Revilers, or Extortioners, or Unjust, or Swearers, or Blasphemers, or Lustful, and Unclean, or Proud, or Sinners in some of these, or like kinds, by divers particular Acts, notorious in such or such part, or parts of our Lives. Thus St. Paul of himself; who was, saith he, a Blasphemer, and a Persecuter, and Injurious, 1 Tim. 1. 13. And in the aforementioned place (the Original of this Phrase, Conviction of Sin) 'tis said, The Holy Ghost should convince the world of Sin, on that peculiar account, because they believed not on Christ Jesus.  
Now this part of the Conviction of Sin is nothing but a particular accusation of Conscience, which sometimes God in a great measure prevents us with, without any endeavours of our own, under the Ministry of his Word, as in the Case of those Converts before spoken of, Acts 2. Sometimes by the Holy Spirit's secret and more immediate quickening or awakening Conscience; as in the Case of David, already also mentioned. Or, otherwise by some surprising Affliction, or cross Providence; as in the Case of Joseph's Brethren, when they had been apprehended, and kept three days in durance, for being, as was pretended, Spies: We are, say they, verily guilty concerning our Brother, in that we saw the anguish of his Soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us, Gen. 42. 21. Or perhaps in some other Methods.  
But as for a full and due sight of all the Particulars of ones Gild, I conceive no person can attain to it, without a strict and long scrutiny, search or examination of Conscience; without very mature and considerate enquiry into his Heart, Life and Actions: Which therefore every one who would reconcile himself to God, must upon the first pricking or smiting of his heart (in whichsoever of the Methods  he feel it) immediately set upon. For where there is one Sin, undoubtedly there are more: God having therefore graciously shown us some, we being awakened thereby, should search after the rest. Convictions of Conscience from God, should put us upon stricter self-examination. No corner of our Heart (as I may so say) that is, no part or powers of our Soul should be left unsearched. An Enquiry after Sin should be made through all our Desires, Designs, Counsels, Business and Employments, and (if possible) through all the Actions and Parts of our Life. So as to have all our Sins, after some sort, in order before us, bare-faced and open.  
2. The other part of Conviction of Sin, is a sight and sense of the Evil of Sin; that it is not only foul and odious, disagreeable to the true Principles of our Nature (to what in our hearts we approve) and unworthy of the sense and understanding of a Man, making us brutish, loathsome in the eyes of God, and of all good and wise men, and even of ourselves, when we are truly ourselves, and judge of things as they really are; but also most mischievous and destructive; that it at first brought Death, and all temporal Miseries into the World; that it brings upon us at present the Wrath and Curse of God, Curses in our Persons, Estates and Names, Curses in our Families, Relations, and all our Concerns; Curses more than we can well comprehend; yet are all these present Curses nothing in comparison of what it will bring upon us without Repentance, a Portion with the Devil and his Angels, The Wrath to come, or the Vengeance of everlasting Fire.  
And this part of the Conviction of Sin, is nothing else but the Sentence or Doom of Conscience upon the former Convictions. Now with this also sometimes does God prevent us; either by the Ministry of the Word, or by secret Terrors immediately sent into the Conscience (flashing, as it were, Hell-fire in our faces) or by more moderate Afflictions, sealing instructions to our Ears. The Degrees wherein Holy Men are exercised herewith, as well have been, as are, and ever will be, very different. But it is surely the Duty as well as Interest of every one, who would be penitent and holy, either in Heart or Life to endeavour by a frequent consideration as well of the real shamefulness, vileness and detestable Nature of Sin, as of the Dangers thereby present and future, to Body and Soul, Person and all personal Concerns, to possess their hearts with a deep sense of its Evil. 'Tis as certain as God is true, that Mischief will hunt the wicked man to overthrow him, Psal. 140. 11. And, be sure your Sin will find you out, Numb. 32. 23. There is no possibility of flying from Gild, except a man could fly from himself; nor of flying, that is, escaping from punishment, except it were possible to fly from God. These things he should frequently and seriously think upon, whosoever would fix in his Heart a sight and sense of his Sin; the honest endeavour whereof is the first step to true Repentance.  
§. 8. A Second is Contrition, Brokenness of Heart (so named from Psal. 51. 17.) or sorrowing after a godly sort, (as the Apostle calls it, 2 Cor. 7. 11.) when looking upon our Sin, we really in heart are afflicted for it, and mourn over it. This ordinarily through the Grace of God, follows naturally upon the other, in the conversion of every Sinner; but in case we find it either always to have been much wanting, or at present decayed and lost (to our sense) in us, there is no such way to beget or raise it again, as to endeavour to heighten the sight and sense of our own Gild, and God's infinite Grace and Goodness. To this purpose the several aggravations of our Sins are to be considered. We, it may be, from our Cradle to our present Age, have all along been in such Circumstances, that all our Sins are exceeding sinful. What Mercies has God continually heaped upon us, and even laden us with? How early were we acquainted with his Will, and made sensible of our Duty and Obligations to him? What Aids have we received by Education? What Warnings by Ministers, by Parents, by Friends? Having even been hewed by the words of his Messengers, or Agents of all sorts? What quickening by his Spirit? Has not his Word (to allude to holy Jeremy's expression) been in our heart, as a burning fire shut up in our Bones? Yet have we suppressed or smothered all this warmth, and quenched the holy Spirit. Nor Conscience, nor Grace has prevailed to restrain us from Sin; we have trampled on both. We have heard again and again of the Blood of Jesus, shed for us, and been pressed with our duty thereto; yet in effect, have we accounted it an unholy thing, at least, made it to us hitherto very ineffectual, for Baseness or Trifles denying the Lord that bought us. And all this how often? how long? Are not in a manner all our Sins become habitual to us? A second Nature, by our own very Act? So that being accustomed (Learned, as the Original Word signifies, namely, by our own wicked practice) to do evil, we can now no more do good than the Aethiopian change his Skin, or the Leopard his Spots. Look, look, poor Soul, that canst not mourn for Sin, look upon thy sins, what an infinite number or heap is there of them, reaching up to Heaven? And all of them Crimson sins too, crying to God in heaven for vengeance upon thee. Look, I say as near as thou canst, on their Number and Nature, and look till thine Eyes affect thine Heart, and thine Heart dissolve in Tears. This is the readiest way to produce Contrition, or Godly Sorrow; the Endeavour of which is a second step to Repentance.  
§. 9 A third will be Confession of Sin, and indeed without this, especially to God, Contrition will be very faint: Our affections are not ordinarily moved without attended and continued thought; and thought will not well be kept attended without words: When therefore we say a sight and sense of Sin, together with Contrition for it, and Confession of it, are a first, second and third step to repent, this is not to be so taken as if they were disjoined, separate and practised perfectly apart from one another, or any of them without the other; they who would be true penitents must (seriously casting themselves before God in secret) Examine, Mourn and Confess, as new matter offers itself; and then Examine again for more matter, and Confess and Mourn again. All these run into one another, and lead one to the other (as I may say) backward and forward: And a Soul by honest endeavours of them before God in secret, will even by its own experience, and the dust or course of its own affections, find the due method, order and savoury practice of them, better than words can express, or any Casuist advise.  
Now by Confession of Sin we must not conceive to be meant a mere reciting of our Sins, or rehearsing before God our several Acts of Sin, (which yet God knows to do perfectly is impossible for the best of us) no nor giving account even of all the several kinds of our Sins (though both these are to be done as far as we are able) but a hearty affectionate charging and accusing ourselves before God, according to what we know, to the very full height of our guilt, acknowledging together that our Confessions, and Self-accusations come far short of the just account or sum of our Sins, whereof a vast multitude are unknown to us; owning ourselves therefore to have deserved eternally the Divine wrath and curse, and at present to lie at God's mercy. Thus at once not only accusing but condemning, and as it were passing Sentence on ourselves, and giving thereby glory to God, whatever becomes of us. This kind of reflections will certainly by God's grace bring us to deep remorse, and humiliation of Soul, abhorrence of ourselves, and admiring the goodness of God, who has born with us so long, and has never (all this time) taken advantage against us, while going on in the affronting his Justice, abusing his Grace, and by all ways provoking him to cut us off in the midst of our Days as well as midst of our Sins. And from hence our Confessions will lead us insensibly into deprecating that wrath, which we have owned ourselves to have deserved; to the begging mercy and pardon as earnestly as ever poor Malefactor, when about to receive Sentence, acknowledged what he had before endeavoured to hid, and cast himself upon mercy. Such affectionate work as this, I say, is that Confession of Sin before God, which leads to and together ever accompanies Repentance.  
§. 10. Some indeed make Confession (as it is a part of what they call Penance, and in the name of Penance, they would be content we should think they include all Repentance, or rather mean thereby the whole Method of reconciling Men to God) some, I say, would make Confession to be little (if any thing) else, but an unbosoming ourselves to a Priest, discovering to him all our most secret sins, which either are, or we suspect to be mortal, (as they speak) with their several Circumstances. But this Usurpation upon men's Consciences, and Oppression of Souls (without any Command in Scripture, introduced only into the Church declined in Purity, and serving merely to maintain an extravagant power in every Father Confessor (that is, generally in every Priest) our Church has most deservedly abrogated; and though there be some particular Cases, in which, with the Holy Scriptures, and Ancient Church, we teach the confessing our Sins to Man, to be expedient, if not necessary also to our Peace with God; yet out of these Cases is not confessing to man either required, or even always fit. The Cases wherein it is necessary, are but Three, as far as I am able to comprehend.  
The First, That of Public Scandal given to the Church by gross and open sin, whereby any person has forfeited his Christianity, or his Right and Title as well to Heaven (or the Church above) as to his Membership of the Church on Earth. It is very necessary such person take public shame to himself, and openly declare his Sin, to the end he may as openly declare, and give proof of his Repentance; and Christian People may be satisfied in communicating with him again. And this, if some will call a kind of satisfaction for sin, they may have their pleasure; provided they neither imagine, nor bear the World in hand it avails to make atonement for the guilt of Sin before God, in which behalf nothing was, or ever will be meritorious, but the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon the Cross.  
2. In case of having wronged any particular person by Word or Deed, it is requisite the Person who has done wrong, go to, or send for, meet, or otherwise apply to the party wronged, and confess the wrong he has done; if able, making also satisfaction; if not, acknowledging his fault, and desiring pardon and reconciliation. This is expressly our Lord's Doctrine, Matth. 5. 23, 24. Therefore if thou bring thy Gift to the Altar, and there remember'st that thy Brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy Gift before the Altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy Brother, and then come and offer thy Gift. And as far as this is any part of the satisfaction required in the Romish Church, under the same Caution as before, we not only contend not, but most readily admit it; yea, and require it.  
3. In case of the guilt of any particular Sin pressing the Conscience, and any doubts, fears, or disquiets of Mind, which private Christians are not able themselves to satisfy: Nay in case any suspect the weakness of their own Judgements, or proneness to flatter, and deal too favourably with themselves, (which Suspicions there are often great Reasons for) such persons may, and aught to have recourse to their spiritual Guide, who may direct them in truer, fuller, and more sufficient Methods of Repentance, instruct them in the Promises of Pardon, and pray with them, and for them, that they may obtain it. But in this Case we are now speaking to, Confession to a Minister stands in the Church, as an Act of Christian Discretion and free choice, not of absolute and perpetual necessity, much less is it in all Cases of mortal Sin, a Duty, as it is made by some.  
For even in this Case we are now treating of, one Christian Friend may most charitably and profitably confess his Sin to another, (though as we speak, a Lay-Person) and beg his Counsel, Assistance, and Prayers to God for Pardon; which is the true sense of St. James, chap. 5. ver. 16. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed; the effectual fervent Prayer of a righteous man availeth much. But all these are particular Cases (the two first also primarily and ordinarily necessary for reconciling ourselves to Men, rather than to God; though without them, where by particular Reasons requisite, and in our own power ' we cannot look upon ourselves reconciled to God;) and so none of these belong absolutely to Repentance in general, whereby in all kinds of Sin we make our peace with God, and which is under present consideration. And thus far of Confession whether to God or Man, as a third Step to, or Concomitant of Repentance.  
§. 11. A Fourth, and the most necessary of all, and, which of all yet mentioned, nearest approacheth to, or even enters the very nature of true Repentance, is forsaking Sin, that is, breaking off the Practice of it, and endeavouring to root out the Habit, Curstom, yea, and all Inclination thereto.  
Now, if we duly consider the great variety, or sad abundance of the Habits of Sins in us, we shall soon discern the breaking ourselves off them to be a larger Work, and of a far vaster scope and compass than we were at first ware of. For we have all of us Sins of Omission as well as of Commission, and no doubt, some Habits of both: Habits, I say, (most of us) of doing nothing, of Laziness putting off, and totally neglecting Duties, as well as Habits of doing Evil, Habits of common Sloth, and Habits of spiritual Sloth (or of being backward to, dull and slow in all holy Duties) as well as Habits of Excess in eating, drinking, apparel, sleep, etc. Habits too perhaps of Covetousness, of Voluptuousness, of Ambition, of Pride, with general inordinacy of Passions. All these, and other like, true Repentance breaks a man of; so that this our fourth Step will contain in it two Particulars, or a Negative and Positive Part, according to the Prophet; a ceasing to do evil, and learning to do well; or the abandoning the old conversation (all sinful Life and Practice,) and the Endeavour and Practice of such Virtues and Duties which we before neglected, or which are most contrary to our former Evils; in the Language of the Apostle (Ephes. 4. 22, 23.) Putting off concerning the former Conversation, the Old Man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful Lusts: And being renewed in the Spirit of our Mind. And indeed the Necessity and Method of Practising of both these Particulars, is one and the same.  
§. 12. First, As to the Necessity of them both: Without both these all Convictions, all the Contrition imaginable, all Confessions find not Mercy with God, nor avail to make our Peace. For the Promise of Mercy or Peace runs thus; Prov. 28. 13. Whoso confesseth and forsaketh his Sins shall find Mercy. And forsaking is clearly the more momentous Act, of much more weight and consequence than confession. For in case of wickedness persisted in, God has protested not to hearken to our Confessions, Cries, or Prayers. When ye spread forth your hands (saith he) I will hid mine eyes from you; when ye make many Prayers, I will not hear, Isa. 1. 15. But wash ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your doing from before mine eyes, cease to do evil, learn to do well, seek judgement, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow: Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your Sins be as Scarlet, they shall be white as Snow; though they be red as Crimson, they shall be as Wool. And to the same purpose speaketh the Holy Ghost by Ezekiel, chap. 18. 21, 22. Observe here also as before those two branches set distinctly, Turning from all Sins, and keeping all God's Statutes, or doing that which is lawful and right. The same have we over again as distinctly, chap. 33. 19 of the same Prophet: Nor is the Doctrine of the New Testament different. This is the genuine and true meaning of putting off the Old Man with his deeds, and putting on the New Man, (Coloss. 3. 9, 10.) as it is by command made a duty, or can possibly be an act of ours: Nothing else but Eschewing of evil, and doing good. (Habitually by constant endeavours and impartially) which St. Peter also tells us is the Course, all they who love life, must still take, 1 Peter 3. 10, 11. It is remarkable that when many of the Pharisees and People were Baptised of John, confessing their Sins, (thinking haply that Confession with the Baptism of so holy a person (greater than whom had not been born of Woman) might stand them in much stead God-wards) the Holy Baptist entertains this confessing multitude with no better a welcome, than, O Generation of Vipers, Think not to say with yourselves we have Abraham to our Father, etc. But bring forth fruits meet for Repentance. As if he had said, content not yourselves with these Confessions, nor this Baptism, act and live as becomes true Penitents: For the Axe is (now under the Gospel) laid unto the root of the Tree: Therefore every Tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the Fire. And to wave other no less express say both of our Lord and of his Apostles, St. Paul who at other times argues so earnestly for Justification by Faith (as to some seems alone, though that phrase or way of speaking be not where found in Scripture, St. Paul, I say) as if cautioning us against any licentious inferences from that Doctrine expressly tells us, In Christ Jesus nothing avails but a new Creature. Gal. 6. 15. which he calls chap. 5. 6. Faith working by Love, and explains his sense of both, (1 Cor. 7. 19) to be keeping the Commandments of God. In short no other is the scope of the whole Gospel, and to this effect run all the promises or assurances God any where gives us of peace with him. For there is no peace, saith my God to the wicked: Isai. 57 ult. Thus as to Promises and Commands to this purpose.  
And as to matter of Fact, that is perfectly agreeable hereto. It is very observable to this purpose, what is recorded of the body of the Jewish Nation of old, Judg. 10. 10. the Children of Israel having again and again done evil in the sight of the Lord, he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the Children of Ammon, and they vexed and oppressed them eighteen Years. In this time the Children of Israel cried unto the Lord saying, we have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God and also served Baalim. They cried, that is prayed earnestly, and as follows confessed particularly, (1) Their Neglects and Omissions: We have forsaken our God: (2) Their Commissions: We have served Baalim. To this their Confession and Humiliation, what answer does God return? ver. 11. etc. And the Lord said unto the Children of Israel, did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the Children of Ammon, and from the Philistines. The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Moabites did oppress you, and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand: Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other Gods: Wherefore I will deliver you no more: Go and cry unto the Gods which ye have chosen, let them deliver you in the time of your Tribulation. A sad answer to the prayer, as would seem, of a Penitent as well as distressed Nation. But alas! they were not yet penitent. Well, they begin again to better effect, ver. 15. And the Children of Israel said unto the Lord, we have sinned, do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee, deliver us only we pray thee this day. And they put away their strange Gods from among them, and served the Lord? Ay, now they repent in good earnest; for their Reformation is proportionable to their back sliding. They had served Baalim, that is, several Heathen Gods or Idols as they confessed, ver. 10. Now therefore they put away their strange Gods; plurally, as many as they had served: They had forsaken their God, now therefore they serve the Lord; in the Original Jehovah, their and the only true God. This practice God immediately adjudges real Repentance, and accordingly deals with them, And his Soul was grieved for the misery of Israel, and accordingly he forthwith sends them a deliverer. Answerably to this pattern must we model our Repentance, reforming actually according to all the instances wherein we have sinned, if we desire our Repentance, as theirs did, should make our peace with God. Like Repentance will have like success; that is, will reconcile God to us; but if we stop, as at first they did, at less than half way, we shall be sent away, as they were, and left, till we make through work, under the Divine dispeasure.  
Thus we see the necessity of both these Branches of forsaking Sin.  
§. 13. Now as to the Method of doing it, or the way of proceeding, and the several acts, by which we may break off our sinful course; (for God knows this Change is a longer work than to be done ordinarily at one act or in an instant) this hath two parts. The first consisting of such Gradual Acts as may be done for the present, and in one or some few Days. The second of such as require longer time and must be of great continuance.  
The former sort I conceive it best so to divide, or branch forth, as to make thereof three particulars.  
1. A general Resolution (from the bottom of our hearts) touching entire amendment, or reforming ourselves in all we now see, or shall at any time hereafter discover sinful in us.  
2. A Consultation or due considering with ourselves how we may effect such amendment and Reformation; and that especially as to such particular cases, wherein we find ourselves to have been most faulty.  
3. A particular Resolution, or (as occasion serves) Vow, touching the use of those means, which we have found properest to amend us; and touching such instances of our manners, which upon inquiry we have found to have most need of Reformation. And all these three must particularly go through both the former Branches.  
As to the First, namely, a general resolution of amendment and reformation, and that extending to all Acts and Habits, whether of Omission or Commission, in which upon examination we find ourselves to have been faulty. This was the subject and true import or meaning of holy Barnabas' exhortation to the People of Antioch in his Visit of them, Acts 11. 23. He exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. Now by this general Resolution, I mean, a considerate choice of, a steady, mature determination, or fixing the Will on impartial Holiness. The truth of the Matter is, if Men were duly sensible of the state of things, and convinced of those unchangeable Laws, by which God has resolved to govern and judge the World, there needed no long consideration in this Case. We have but a short scope for Choice; either amendment or eternal Torment; Holiness, or never expect to see the face of God, but as he will be a dreadful Judge to condemn impenitent Sinners to everlasting flames, and therein to the society of Devils. This very thought, one would think, should quickly awaken people to the choice and purpose we press. However, that this is a proper Method appears, for that such choice and purpose we find expressly avowed by Holy Men, that is, by true Penitents in their practice, in Scripture, Psal. 119. 30. I have chosen the way of Truth: Thy Judgements have I laid before me. And, ver. 57 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have said to keep, that is, I have determined, and resolved with myself to keep thy words. And ver. 112. I have inclined (or bowed down) my heart [in the old Translation well, I have applied my heart] to perform thy Statutes always to the end. And in Joshua, chap. 24. 15. As for me and my House, we will serve the Lord. These Precedents abundantly show how proper a step this Particular, which I called a general Resolution of entire amendment, is toward actual breaking off the course of sinful Life.  
As to the Second, namely, due Consideration, or entering, as it were, into a consultation with ourselves how we may effect the Reformation we have resolved on: Herein we must exercise real Care, Thought, and Study; and sometimes perhaps more care and thought than merely our own: For it is much easier generally to purpose, than in special to perform amendment; much easier indeed to resolve, as we think, upon a total reformation in all, than to bring our idle and deceitful hearts to it in any one particular Case: Here, therefore, I say, more and longer consideration must be employed, and many a Petition (mean while) put up to God for guidance.  
Particularly, the Soul entering deeply within its self, by serious reflections, must put such Questions as these to itself. First, What are the Sins which I have most lived in? What is mine Iniquity? Or the particular Sin or Sins that easily beset me? Then, what Remedies can I find against them? For instance, Suppose idle spending my time, or Intemperance be a Sin of mine; it soon appears evil Company is a common snare thereto. A Remedy therefore of it is, to avoid ill company; to harden my face, and my heart against many a gang of men that will thrust themselves upon me. For (1 Pet. 4. 4.) They will think it strange that I run not with them to the same excess of riot as formerly, speaking evil of me. And by the way, this is to be noted in general, that a constant and universal remedy against all or any Sin, is, avoiding the Temptations to them respectively. Consider therefore, what draws or betrays thee into such and such Sins, and avoid that. This in all Cases of Sin, or more than this, is most certainly our Duty. For we are commanded, (1 Thes. 5. 22.) to abstain from all appearance of evil. Now if Sin has any appearance, besides that of its actual being, it certainly appears in the Temptations to it.  
Again, Suppose unjust dealing be my Sin, what leads me to it? Probably immoderate Love of this World, 1 Tim. 6. 9 They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. No obstacle, difficulty or hardship, no danger, shame, labour or pains will stand before that man in his way to sin, who has set his heart on this World. Here therefore I must strike at the Root, and mortify this inordinate love of Mammon; I must consider, Man's Life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth, Luke 12. 15. And have I not enough to carry me tolerably through this World, and to leave sufficiently also to my Family for their support, provided they will be virtuous and industrious? If I have so, 'tis a great question whether without sin I can seek after a greater Estate: More would be only a load to me, and in all probability a snare too, both to Me and Mine. A Load, I say, by new and unnecessary Cares, which that More would bring. And is it not a wrong to myself to draw more Cares on myself than are consistent with my own Happiness and God's Glory? Again, more than enough would be a snare to me; for I should still thirst after more: For in all Cases we see where men's thirst or desire is not satisfied with that which is enough, that is, which is convenient, there it never will be satisfied. And it will be a snare also to those of mine to whom I leave it. For more than what will suffice them in a virtuous industrious Life, does but tempt them to cast aside Virtue and Industry. And to leave them wherewithal to support them in Vice and Idleness, I never shall be able, nor is it possible, if I should leave them a Kingdom. But yet if I could leave wherewith to support them in Vice or Idleness, yet I ought not. So that I say, it is most probable, men cannot propose to themselves vast and immoderate Estates (Estates beyond their degree) without Sin. Wherefore, having enough, as before said, I ought therein to acquiesce, and satisfy myself to enjoy it, and use it well, and lay aside so much dealing in the World as perhaps I grasp at; which if I will resolve upon, I shall soon break myself of unjust dealing.  
Secondly, The Soul, which would break itself particularly of its peculiar course of sinful Life, should in secret seriousness put also this Set of Questions to itself.  
What are the Duties I have most grossly neglected? And what has drawn me to such Neglect? And what Mean or Means will secure me against it, or quicken me to the performance of my Duty? Now whatsoever I find that or those Means to be, I must resolve thereupon.  
As suppose Prayer by myself, or Prayer in my Family, is one Duty I have grossly neglected; and shamefacedness, fear of being laughed at, or reputed a Precisian, or Fanatic, has betrayed me to this neglect; let me consider, Who are they I am ashamed of it to? Or whose Laughter is it I fear? My Friend's? My Family's? These I can admonish, check, and turn shame justly on them. Besides, it is but speaking of it to them beforehand, and this cures them of the Evil before it break out. Is it my Neighbour's reproach I fear? As to them, remember St. Paul, Acts 24. 14. This I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call Heresy, worship I the God of my Fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets. Did shame either hinder or drive these ancient Servants of God, in any point, from the due practice, and open profession of their Christianity? And may I then suffer myself to be thereby either hindered or driven from the same? At the Resurrection of the Dead, and the Day of Judgement shall I be ashamed either of having prayed in secret, or of having prayed in public? Will then either the memory of the Act, or the reward of it put me to the Blush? And why should it here? My Saviour was laughed at, publicly scoffed and scorned for my sake; reproached with the imputation of Falseness and Hypocrisy, as if he had only counterfeited himself to be the Son of God, and Saviour of the World: And all this while he was actually employed in the severest part of the Work of my Salvation. He was reproached of men and despised of the people. All that saw him laughed him to scorn; they shot out the lip, they shook the head, saying, He trusted in the Lord that he would deliver him; let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him, Psal. 22. 6, 7, 8. And, Matth. 27. 39, 40, 41. They that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, and saying, Thou that destroyedst the Temple and buildedst it in three days, save thyself; if thou be the Son of God, come down from the Cross. Likewise also the Chief Priests mocking him, with the Scribes and Elders, said, etc. He was then too hanging, and to hang upon the Cross for me, making his Soul an Offering for my Sin. After this, how can I think of neglecting him through any tenderness of face? Especially, when I am at present in so far better (that is, easier and more tolerable) Circumstances than he was; I perhaps am laughed at by some Fools, or Madmen, for obeying him; but I am otherwise at ease, and to have Heaven for the reward of overcoming this petty private affront. Shall then such inconsiderable Trifles make me wave or forgo my Duty▪ Farneze be it from me.  
In any other Case whatsoever, by like Consultations or Considerations, as in these Cases now set down, shall we, through God's Grace and Blessing upon our honest endeavour, find out particular means, and by such thought work our hearts to particular resolution for breaking ourselves of any other (or whatsoever) Sins we have found more peculiarly prevalent in us. And thus as to the second Step of this Head of Practice.  
The Third will be, A particular Resolution, or (as occasion serves) Vow, touching the use of those Means, which we have found most proper to amend us, and touching such instances of our Manners, which upon enquiry we have found most to need Reformation. All general Resolutions, we know, must be performed in particular instances of Life and Action, and therefore a particular Resolution touching those Means, which by consideration we have found proper to each Case, will be no less necessary than the general Resolution first proposed as to the main Body of the Work.  
As for example; Suppose avoiding ill Company be one Means I have found out, to keep me from Intemperance and Excess, or from loss of Time, etc. I'll immediately resolve not only against lose, but against vain Companions; I'll keep home more, abandon certain Familiars, estrange myself from such and such; I'll set myself certain employment; so much for such a time, etc.  
Suppose again, contenting myself with sufficient Provisions, (and abandoning a too peremptory Resolution I had taken up to be rich to such a degree) be the Means I have discovered proper for the remedying my unjust oppressive dealing, I'll resolve on that, and immediately order my Affairs accordingly.  
But in such Cases as these, perhaps single resolution will not suffice to hold our unstable Souls; sometimes therefore, but with much caution and deliberation, we may do well to add Vow. David, or whatever holy Man was the Author of that Psalm, did so, Psal. 119. 51. I have said, (that is, resolved with myself) to keep thy Words, and lest that should not do, ver. 106. I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous Judgements.  
Thus as to the first Part of the Method for breaking ourselves of Sin, by such Acts as are to be done for the present.  
Those which are to be continued are, the prosecution of these Resolutions or Vows by a constant study of Mortification, and by daily endeavours of proficiency in Holiness, through the whole following part of our Life. Now the treating hereof belongs not to this first Class of Advices, but is to be set down in the second Part.  
In the mean while we are to proceed with what yet remains for our present making our peace with God.  
§. 14. And now after this Practice of Repentance; Faith interposes again, and that not merely Faith towards God, or a belief of the Being, Nature, and Providence of God, as hitherto most insisted on, but Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, or Faith as called by the Apostle. Rom. 3. 25. Faith in his Blood. For him (as bleeding for us upon the Cross, as sacrificed upon that Altar) hath God set forth to be a propitiation, and it is by the Blood of his Cross that he made peace, Col. 1. 20. 'Tis the Blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God, that purges our Consciences from dead Works, to serve the living God, Heb. 9 14. 'Tis by that one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified, Heb. 10. 14. This is that Fountain set open to the House of David, and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for Sin and for Uncleanness, Zechar. 13. 1.  
Hither therefore after all Confessions, Contrition, Tears, Resolutions, Vows and endeavours of Reformation the faithful Soul comes; Here it exerts new Acts of Faith, that is Trust, Affiance and Dependence. And as the Holy persons (Matth. 28. 9) did corporally to our Saviour after his Resurrection, so must true Penitents, as it were catching the Crucified Jesus by the Feet, hold him fast after a spiritual sort, as their only hope and refuge, that only name given under Heaven, that Dear Jesus which redeemed us from the Wrath to come; and with Christ thus, not in their Arms but Heart, look up to the Eternal Father for pardon and peace, through the Son of his Loves. This distinct trust in Christ, as sacrificed for our Sins, in this Order (or thus in conjunction with such practice of Repentance as set down) exerted or exercised, I conceive of most essential and singular Force to the perfecting our Peace both with God, and in our own Consciences.  
§. 15. And now I see not any thing which remains (speaking as to a certain course of transient Acts) ordinarily to complete a Man's Reconciliation with God, except we should say, it is requisite to  all these Acts with serious and suitable Prayer. Prayer is that Christian Duty, which as I may say alone, as it were, giveth a body to all the Acts of Grace in the Soul; or (as one well observes) It is indeed that single Duty, wherein 
Dr. Owen, of the Spirit of Prayer.  every Geace is acted, every Sin opposed, every good thing obtained or impetrated of God. Without it Contrition, and Faith, and Resolution, are after a sort airy and volatile. This fixes them, and makes them substantial, mature and permanent; Nay, it raises and strengthens, or heightens them. Prayer is such an Office, as not only actuates, or draws out into Exercise all Christian Graces, but makes the Soul more earnest and zealous in the Actings of them? Having therefore proceeded, as above directed, towards making thy Peace with God, cast thyself in secret at the Throne of Grace in earnest and humble supplication, confessing and bewailing thy Sin, with the Exercise of all the Contrition thou canst excite; passing Sentence on thyself, acknowledging what thou hast deserved, but withal pleading the Sacrifice of the Death of Christ, the atonement made by the Blood of his Cross, and casting thyself upon God's mercy, through that great and alone true Propitiation; bringing indeed the heartiest Purposes, and making the firmest Resolutions thou canst, endeavouring to the utmost of thy Power to perform all that concerns thee on thy part by the Covenant of Grace; but after all acknowledging thyself an unprofitable servant, (Luke 17. 10.) disclaiming therefore any righteousness of thine own, and beseeching Pardon for thy very Repentance; begging to be sprinkled with the Blood of Jesus, and to be found in him. For he is the Lord our Righteousness: And thus in him, and through him, thou shalt find Peace.  
§. 16. Whoso has thus proceeded, may be presumed for the present (as to what can be effected by private Applications) to have made their Peace with God. Only they must be careful in the sequel or following part of their Life to bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance, and (as both has been suggested, and will be further given in directions) to pursue, or go on in Holiness, and to maintain this temper and state by all suitable Endeavours to their lives end.  
And it will be highly convenient, if any possible opportunity offer, to come solemnly to the Great Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Lord's Supper, the best Seal in this kind; and thither to bring our Resolutions and Vows, there to ratify them to God, and form them into a Covenant with him; publicly, before Men and Angels, devoting and consecrating ourselves to him, in the Union of his Church, through our Crucified Lord. And thus upon the whole, of a Man's present making his Peace with God: Which is a Second step in our First Stage of Preparation towards a happy Death.  

Matter and a Method for Devotion suitable to the Third Chapter.  
1. IN secret, having at least briefly prayed, and being composed, Examine Conscience: First, touching the more remarkable preventions of Grace, which through thy life, as well in thy younger, as especially in thy later Years, God has vouchsafed thee, and what effect they have had upon thee. That is,  
1. What Convictions or sense of particular Sins, (their guilt and danger) has God at such and such times affected thee with, or made thee feel? And didst thou yield thereto? Didst thou acknowledge thy Sin hateful, deserving God's Wrath and Curse, both here and Eternally. Thou couldst not, it may be, but be offrighted at the sense of thy danger. But notwithstanding thou sawest thy Sin thus provoking to God, and thus dangerous to thyself. Didst thou not then; nay, even now, dost thou not still love it as much as ever, if thou couldst but safely enjoy it? Didst thou, by what sins thou sawest in thyself, go on to inquire after other sins, of which thou mightest be ignorant, to search thy heart to the bottom, that thou mightest attain a full sight of all thy sins if possible, and so a full sense of thy sinful and miserable Estate? Or didst thou stifle these first impressions? divert them by Company, Pleasure, or other Employment? put them off to a convenient season? And though perhaps that season has come, didst thou ever yet resume or endeavour to recover and improve them? Answer each of these Questions faithfully to thyself.  
2. What Contrition, or Sorrow for Sin, upon such sight and sense of thy sin; as beforesaid, hast thou ever conceived by God's moving thy heart, even without any endeavours of thine? And when thou hast felt those melt of heart, and that mourning temper, hast thou cherished it, retired, or gone alone, and considered the particular grievousness of thy Sins, the vast multitude of them, the Mercy, Love and Goodness thou hast sinned against, etc. That by this means thy sorrow might bear, in some measure, a due proportion to thy guilt; or hast thou endeavoured to put off the melancholy mood (as thou hast accounted it) and returned to the commission of the same, or like Sins, as formerly?  
Further, Examine, In case thou hast made any improvements of the first workings of Grace, What has been thy progress? How far hast thou gone in the work of Repentance and making thy peace with God? That is,  
1. Hast thou endeavoured fully to confess thy sins before God? Not excusing this Act, or reserving and flattering thyself touching that beloved Practice, as if no Sin; but hearty and impartially before God accusing thyself of all; acknowledging thy full guilt, and condemning thyself; giving glory to God, and owning his Justice, whatever becomes of thee; yet together deprecating his Wrath, and supplicating for Pardon. And in case thy Sins have been such, which need Confession to men, hast thou been free herein, and faithful to thy own Soul? Or hast thou through tenderness of face concealed together thy shame and sore? Poor Soul! Consider, be faithful.  
2. Hast thou, upon such Confessions and Deprecations, really resolved on a new Life, and set thyself seriously to study it? Hast thou consulted of fit Methods of Amendment, and Means proper to thy Condition, for obviating the Wiles of the Devil, and the Course of Temptation, by which thou hast fallen? Hast thou then particularly resolved upon these Means and Methods, and endeavoured faithfully the Use and Practice of them!  
3. Hast thou then afterward by Faith betaken thyself to the Blood of Jesus, as having a Sentence of Death in thyself, lost and undone without that all-sufficient Sacrifice on the Cross, but casting thyself on God's Mercy, according to his Covenant of Grace, and resolving to abide by it?  
Lastly, What have thy solemn penitential Prayers been in this Case? What thy Vows? And hast thou been at the Lord's Table according to thy Duty? Hast thou used tolerable endeavours to perfect thy peace? Or in what part of the  practice of Repentance hast thou stuck? In what of these hast thou failed? Be faithful; remember, Matters of greater concernment to thee than are these, never did, never can fall into thine enquiry.  
Now secondly, As to fuller present Prayer, suitable to these Advices, and the Penitent's Condition, whosoever hath thus faithfully examined Conscience, cannot be at a loss, either,  
1. For Confession. Every Particular to which Conscience pleads guilty, is most easily, by accusing one's self of it before God, turned into proper and particular Confession. As for example, in the first point of Examination, If guilty, I accuse myself thus, I have not yielded to these Convictions of my particular Sins; [of my— of my— etc.] their guilt and danger; which yet thou, O Lord, hast affected me with, and made me feel; I did not acknowledge, or inwardly agree, that my Sin was so hateful, so deserving thy Wrath and Curse as I begun to see it, I could not indeed but be affrighted, etc. But if any should be so weak as that they cannot turn these, and like Materials into Confession, let them but again before God on their knees, read over the Questions, and putting them to their own Souls, make answer to them; This Answer I say, is true, proper and particular Confession; most certainly engaging the heart, made with understanding and attention, (as are not always some elegantly prepared and form Confessions.) For instance, as to this kind of Practice also, in the 〈…〉 part of Examination: 〈◊〉 Contrition, or sorrow for sin, upon such sight and sense of thy sin, as beforesaid, hast thou ever conceived, by God's moving thy heart without any endeavours of thine own? Answer. More, O God, than I have now: Or, more than I have improved, cherished, kept, or maintained.  
Again, Quest. When thou hast felt those melt of heart, and that mourning temper, hast thou cherished it, retired, or gone alone, and considered the particular grievousness of thy sins, the vast multitudes of them, the Mercy, Love and Goodness thou hast sinned against, etc. Answ. Lord, I have not: And so in others. This is most easy, and even this will be very profitable, and soon bring Christian people of all sorts, in secret freely to pour out their Souls before God. Nor,  
2. Can any such person after this practice, be well at a loss for Petition. The Soul seeing in particular, what it wants, cannot be presumed ignorant what to ask, or unable to ask it. At least, it is but looking over the Particulars again, and turning them into Petitions. Nay, even while confessing our Gild and our Wants, we can hardly forbear (at least we may both naturally and profitably proceed at the end of each Particular confessed) to add Petitions for pardon of Sin, and for supply of the Grace we need. As suppose in my examination of myself, I find I want a sight of my Sins, and have confessed so much to God; how can I forbear to add by way of Petition, Lord, show them to me; in which case, no one that reads Holy Scripture, can be so barren, as not many times to recollect sundry Petitions of Holy Men to like effect, which will be marvellously helpful and quickening: As particularly that, Psal. 19 12. Who can understand his Errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults: To which a Soul in the condition we suppose, will naturally add, And that I may be cleansed, show them me, O Lord, so as I may mourn over them duly, and throughly repent. The like I cannot but presume a little Practice will soon naturalise any to, in other points; and therefore forbear adding more in this Case.  
Lastly, As to Resolution; Though the Particulars requisite here, may be very different, according as People have been more or less guilty in resisting Grace, neglecting Repentance, and hardening their hearts, yet thus much may be of general behoof to resolve upon.  
1. To set apart for a while, daily or weekly some time for the particular survey of our whole Life, from our first memory of ourselves, and for the viewing as near as able, all the Sins of each part of our Age.  
2. Daily to particularise in our Confessions, and ever to go mourning over such sins wherein we have more grievously, or more frequently fallen.  
3. To be impartial in the practice of every particular Branch of Duty in the whole forementioned Method or Course of making our Peace with God. And whatever else God shall move thy heart to. For these are only Instances of some material Points, by way of Direction, to make pious Souls understand that practice, which a little Use, and God's Grace, will soon familiarize to them.    

CHAP. IU. The Third Duty advised to, Laying up our Treasure in Heaven.  
§. 1. THree Points necessary to be spoken to under this head.  
§. 2. A short account what the Heavenly happiness is, which we are to endeavour to secure.  
§. 3. It is no presumption in a faithful Soul to aim at, or seek after this happiness, but in strictness a duty.  
§. 4. Directions to secure it. Of choosing God for our happiness.  
§. 5. Of being full of Good Works.  
§. 6. Of Good Works in a more special sense.  
§. 7. How Christians of all sorts may be rich in Good Works.  
§. 8. Works of Liberality and Mercy, (or of bodily charity) peculiarly accounted laying up a Treasure in Heaven.  
§. 9 Charity to Men's Souls no less so.  
§. 1. HE who has been careful and conscientious in his endeavours to reconcile himself to God, as before directed, may through our Lord Christ, who is our Peace, come with an humble boldness to the Father: He may in his name ask of the Father whatsoever he can need, or finds himself at a loss for, and he shall receive it: He may in special ask of him everlasting life, and happiness in Heaven; Nay, he ought now to think of no happiness below Heaven; but there to place his heart, there to settle his affections, and in a word, as our Lord enjoins, to lay up his Treasure in Heaven, the doing which is the next advice or third step in this our first Stage.  
But for sinful Dust and Ashes to aim so high, may perhaps, at first seem to many poor dejected Souls as much a presumption, as to secure a happiness in Heaven seems to carnal Men impossible. Nay 'tis not improbable, many may be much at a loss, what conceptions to frame of any happiness there at all. We have been here so accustomed to live merely by sense, that we can conceive of little or nothing, which falls not under our senses. What the pleasures of Eating and Drinking are, what sleep and carnal joys, we know too well. But what happiness there can be in a World, where 'tis said there's none of these, we cannot easily apprehend. It will therefore be necessary here, First, to show what that Happiness is, which we are to propose to ourselves in Heaven. Secondly, to prove, in a few words, that for persons, who have made their peace with God, 'tis not presumption, but their Duty as well as Interest, to lay up their Treasure, or place their happiness in Heaven, and indeed in God himself. And Lastly, to assign such means whereby we may secure to ourselves the heavenly Happiness or Treasure.  
§. 2. And First, to give some account, what that happiness in Heaven is, which we are to propose to ourselves: Not at present so largely and distinctly, as in a fit place will be expedient to be given; but at least generally, and in the gross, so as may inflame our desires after it, and excite our diligence to fecure it.  
The happiness above then, is a State of fuller and more absolute blessedness and joy than here we are able to conceive of: A State wherein all our reasonable powers shall be made perfect, and perfectly employed on such things which will be most entirely suitable and satisfactory to them. And not only the Soul thus raised, but even the Body itself shall be exalted to such a degree of Purity, and Eternal Ease, as to have nothing in it or about it, which argues any imperfection in its kind; nothing which can hinder the mind in its noblest Actions, nothing which can affect the Man with any inconvenience. We shall see God as he is, face to face: See him I say, with the eyes of our mind, not these poor weak bodily ones. That is, we shall know him, even as we ourselves are known, (1 Cor. 13. 12.) not indirectly, or by a long compass about, as we now do, but intuitively by immediate Revelation, as it were looking strait upon him. The mind shall be so raised, as to be able to conceive truly and properly of the Being, Nature and Perfections of God. Our bodily Eyes indeed shall behold the Lord Jesus, for he has a body visibly to be beheld, and even this certainly will be a glorious and most ravishing sight.  
Besides we shall be fitted for the Conversation of pure Intelligences, that is of Holy Angels; and for enjoying the familiarity of all the Blessed Saints: We shall be with Saints and Angels, taken up in the admiration, love and praises of God and Christ. We shall then know too, what the Holy Ghost is, and be full thereof. We shall understand plainly what we at present see only (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) through a perspective Glass and in a Riddle, how those three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost are one. All the desires both of the Mind and of the Will, that is, all our desires after truth, good, and any agreeables, shall be at once infinitely satisfied, and yet, with satisfaction, Eternally flowing forth to that incomprehensible Fountain of all Truth and Good, the Eternal Infinite God: No Memory or Sense of any thing past, or of any thing here below remaining with us, any otherwise, than as such reflections may heighten our present transport or ravishment. And all this happiness is to be Everlasting, without End, without Intermission, without Alloy. This is for the main, such an account as here may suffice to be given of the Heavenly Happiness. But we must remember it is infinitely short of the full real Truth. For 1 Cor. 11. 9 Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of Man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.  
●3. Now, Secondly; as vast and infinite as this Happiness is, that it is no presumption in a faithful Soul (and such certainly are all who have so, as directed, made their peace with God) I say that it is no presumption in such a Soul to desire, pray for, aim at and pursue, this Happiness is evident, because God has offered it in the Gospel. The proposal of this, and of its means, together with the opening our way to it, was the Great Errand and business, on which Christ Jesus came into the World: God sent his Son into the World, not to condemn the World (to keep them under that Sentence of Condemnation and Death, which by Sin had taken place upon them) but that the World through him might be saved. For God, John 3. 16. so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And accordingly our Saviour Jesus Christ hath abolished Death, (2 Tim. 1. 10.) and brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel. The Gospel publishes the conditions, ways, or means, by which it is to be had (which we have seen in part and shall further see as we proceed) and requires us, thus to seek it, under pain of everlasting misery, if we do not. And that Men of all sorts and tempers might be invited thereunto, and prevailed with, our Lord Jesus has taken care it should be proposed under such various Notions and Characters as may comply with all men's tempers. To draw in Ambitious Men it is proposed as Honour and Glory, as a Crown, a Throne, a Kingdom, etc. To gain Men of pleasure, it is represented as a Banquet, a Supper, a Marriage Feast, fullness of Joy and Pleasures for evermore, etc. To allure Men that love Wealth, it is called a Treasure, a Treasure which neither Moth nor Rust can corrupt, nor Thiefs break through and steal, the true Riches, an Inheritance incorruptible, etc. And to be brief, to take with some others, it is perhaps called by other names: But in a word to take with all, forasmuch as all Men love Life, and most people Long Life, it is called, what it is most truly, Everlasting Life. Upon the whole, God is so desirous, that none should neglect it, that it is propounded to all I say in a way to suit each Man's Temper, Humour, and Inclination. The commands to pursue it are so many, that it is neither needful, nor indeed easy, to reckon them all up: The Encouragements so great, that it is not possible to add to them; witness that one Command, and Superlative Encouragement: Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you, Matth. 6. 33. What can be added to all things? Yet the Kingdom of God, and all things (that is all things good for them) shall they receive, who seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness.  
Thus than we see in some measure both what this Happiness is, and that it is in Strictness our Duty to seek after it, or endeavour to secure it.  
§ 4. It is now high time to inquire, thirdly, how or by what means we may secure it. How shall we convey Treasure thither? Or how is it possible, there to lay up our Treasure?  
In answer hereto, the Directions shall be few and easy; of which the first is,  
Whoever would have a Happiness in Heaven, must By Resolution and Prayer choose God for his Happiness; for it is the Enjoyment of him that makes both Heaven and Happiness, without Him is neither possible. And the Almighty God, all that he is, Infinite as he is, is content to be the Happiness of such poor Worms as are we mortal Men. He of old said unto Abraham, and in him the Father of the Faithful, to every (even the meanest) faithful Soul, Fear not, I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward, Gen. 15. 1. And he says the same at present to every disposed person, who reads or hears this. Take God then at his Word: And first resolve with thyself, and say inwardly in Spirit, God shall be the portion of my Soul. Let others please themselves in other Goods, in the Increase of Corn, and Wine, and Oil, in joining House to House, and Field to Field, in loading themselves with thick Clay, or laying up Treasure upon Earth for many years; for my part I will take up with none of these; the Almighty God shall be my portion. Our Lord Jesus himself (for of him prophetically is that Psalm to be interpreted) did, while in the Flesh, so resolve, Psal. 16. 5. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my Cup, thou maintainest my lot. Fear not then thou for whom Christ died, to the end thou mightest come to the Father by a new and living Way, through his blood: Fear not I say, neither forbear, thus to come, thus to resolve.  
And having thus inwardly resolved with thyself, Take with thee words, and apply thyself faithfully and humbly by Prayer to God; telling him, that thou art resolved to make the same Choice as thy Saviour, not only by his Doctrine, but by his Practice and Example taught thee. Tell him whatever Portion of things below he has given thee, or shall give thee, thou art resolved not to be put off with any, with all these; nothing below himself shall satisfy thee, for indeed nothing below him can. And to insure the Choice, that he may give himself to thee, tell him thou givest thyself to him (but be sure thou dost so.) Tell him thou wilt leave thy Heart, thy Soul and Affections with him at present, never again to be withdrawn; at least, thou desirest with all thy heart they never may be withdrawn: Beseech him that he will keep them to himself, and accept of thee; that he will vouchsafe to become thy Happiness, and make thee know he is so. Try him thus, and see if he will refuse thee. If he should, he must do that he never did yet; nay, he must do what he has said he never will do. John 6. 37. Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. Christ at least has said it; and Christ and his Father are one.  
Secondly, having once solemnly made this Choice, accustom thyself in thy daily Devotions to go to God, to look on him, and claim him as thy Portion. The Saints in Scripture often did so. David, when in the Cave forlorn and seemingly cast off, did so. Psal. 142. 5. I cried unto thee, O Lord; I said thou art my refuge, and my portion in the land of the living. Asaph did so, Psal. 73. 26. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. And whosoever was the Author of Psal. 119. at ver. 57 did so. Thou art my portion, O Lord, I have said, that I would keep thy words. And Jeremy did so, Lam. 3. 24. The Lord is my portion, saith my Soul, therefore will I hope in him. Nay, God himself seems to have delighted to be so called, Jer 10. 16. The portion of Jacob is not like them: that is, Jehovah the alone true God is not like the gods of the Nations. And again chap. 50. 19 to the same Effect. In both places this seems to be put as a Name no less peculiar to God, than his incommunicable Name Jehovah. Nay, it is more than this, if more can be: Deut. 32. 9 The Lord's portion is his people, Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. O infinite Condescension! God is his People's Portion, and they are his. Wherefore if thou canst make it out to thyself (that is, if thy Heart bear thee witness) that thou hast given thyself up to God to be his, and hast thus made Choice of God to be thy Happiness, doubt not to call him thine, thy portion, thy exceeding great reward, thy God, and make thy humble and frequent Claim to him as such. This will further ratify thy Choice, and as I may say, more endear thee to thy heavenly Father, and him to thee. This will fill thee, by degrees, with Joy and Peace in believing. This will give thee some taste of Heaven, and the Enjoyment of God beforehand.  
§. 5. Especially, if thou be diligent in (what is the next Direction) an Endeavour to be full of good Works; for by these we lay up Treasure in Heaven: By these we not only secure our right to Glory, but through the infinite Grace of God, according to his Method and Promise of rewarding, we add to that exceeding great and eternal weight of Glory reserved in Heaven for us. In the Gospel, the Servant, who by one pound committed to 
Luke 19 12. etc.  his management, had gained five pounds, was made ruler over five Cities; and he who had gained ten pounds, over ten Cities. There will be a Proportion between every Man's Reward and his Work; not indeed of commutative Justice, as if our good Works could properly merit, or bring God in Debt to us, but of Grace and liberal distributive Justice; God of his abundant Goodness approportioning the Recompense of Reward to the Degrees of men's Labours, Pains and Cost, whether in doing good, or suffering ill and hardship for his sake; both which kinds of Acts may in some Sense be called good Works.  
But it will be here necessary, that we look a little more closely into the Nature of good Works.  
Good Works than may be so called either in a general or special Sense.  
1. In a general one: As every Act (especially every outward Action) may be called a Work, so every good Action may be called a good Work. Accordingly as 1 John 3. 4, 8. Every one who committeth sin, that is, who transgresseth the Law, doth the works of the Devil. So he that Acts any thing in obedience to, and Congruity with the Law of God, does a good work, or the work of God.  
§ 6. But Use has obtained, that we call those chief, or eminently good works, which are good and profitable to Men, that is, to other Men, and the Public. Of which Nature is giving of Alms, building and endowing Almshouses, Hospitals, Schools, etc. But of these latter it is to be observed, that there is too great a Difference very often betwixt the Action and 
Ames de Conscientiâ Lib.  the Work: So that though the Work be good, the Action may be stark naught, or but very indifferent. As for Instance, the Pharisee gives Alms, but (Matth. 6.) he sounds a Trumpet, in pretence perhaps, to call together the Poor, but in reality to proclaim his Liberality. The relieving the Poor with his Alms is a good Work, but thus giving Alms is vain Glory and hypocritical Pride.  
Again a man going out of the World leaves Money to build and endow an Alms-House, or for some such public Good; but while he was alive, he sat hatching over all he had, and would not part with a Penny to any good Use, nor would he now haply, if he could keep it any longer; no nor give it to this Use, if he had Children of his own, or any whom he loved well enough to leave it to. Now suppose such Bequests or Foundations to be or to have been some other men's Acts at present deceased, I would neither myself censure, nor teach others to censure any deceased Person's Charity or bounty in his Will. But supposing it likely to be the Case of myself, or of any man living, I should think such Bequest scarce so much as indifferently or tolerably a good Work; for it would seem to me an Act of Necessity, more than of Charity. But better late than never, as they say, wherefore let such Actions pass as they shall. Notwithstanding it is to be said, and must be acknowledged touching all good works of this latter kind, these are good works, which only rich men can do; and so this is a Method wherein only one, and that far the smallest part of Christians, can lay up Treasure in Heaven.  
§. 7. But in the former sense, the poorest and meanest, as well as Richest sort, even all Christians of what degree soever, may be rich and aught to abound, in good works. And that we may particularly see how, we will take one instance in each kind of Duties. 1. In Duties towards God: Prayers and such kind of Devotions, in time of Leisure, Strength, and Vigour, sent up to Heaven, against a time of need, and especially against a dying hour, are Good Works: Even poor Widows, maintained by the Church, both may and (according to St. Paul's Sentiments) if Religious will, I am sure, aught to abound in these, 1 Tim. V 5. She that is a Widow indeed and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day. And it is certain, Prayers devoutly sent up to Heaven, though not speedily answered, are not lost, but are a Treasure laid up there against a time of need; answered sometimes even in this World, at a distance, but most certainly in another. In 1 King. 
See Doctor Lightfoot on the place.  ix. 1, 2, 3. Solomon has an answer to his Prayer, made in the Temple thirteen years before. This indeed was only for Hallowing an Earthly Temple: But the instance, Act. 10. 4. was of Prayers that sped for making a spiritual one. Cornelius his Prayers as well as his Alms, were come up for a Memorial before God; and they are answered by no less a blessing than the gift of the Holy Ghost (v. 44.) that was, even by a Heaven upon Earth; for the Holy Ghost in a Man's heart will turn Earth, or any thing here to Heaven. At least it most assuredly brings those in whom it dwells to Heaven.  
2. In Duties to ourselves: All acts of Sobriety, Purity, Self-denial and Mortification are good works; and in these or most of these, all sorts of Christians may abound. That they are good works, and even in the best Men perhaps (and most laborious in the other kinds of good works) necessary, is evident from that of St. Paul, 1 Cor. 9 ult. I keep under my body, saith he, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast away. From the close of which Text it appears also, that they are a means to preserve the best Men from miscarrying in their Christian course; and therefore conducing to the Heavenly Treasure, or Happiness hereafter. A Man would wonder to meet with an Heathen Poet (and him Epicurean enough) 
Horat. Ode, Inclusam Danaen.  avowing thus much: Quo quisque sibi plura negaverit, A Diis plura feret." The more any man has denied himself, the greater reward shall he receive from God. But it is justifiable from an infinitely better Authority, Mat. 19 29. Every one that hath forsaken houses or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name's sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life. And by Parity of Reason, who being not called to so eminent instances of self-denial, practice such lower degrees as are suitable to their present Circumstances, and thereby advance in Holiness, in contempt of this world, and in the love of God, shall receive a proportionable reward.  
Not one act then, wherein I have foregone my own will, appetite, or natural inclination, for God or my Duties sake, but God observes it, and it stands as if recorded before him, against the day of Recompenses. Every hour's sleep which at any time in my life I broke, or shall break, to pray or meditate, or examine Conscience, or for any other work of Devotion, or of Charity: Every Fast I have kept or shall keep; every day's pleasure or recreation, I have denied myself; every penny and farthing I have forborn to lay out upon myself or vanities, or shall spare from gratifying my humour, or tricking up my body (this pitiful house of clay, which I carry about) stealing it possibly into a poor Man's hands, or house, every of these acts, past or future, is and will be regarded by God, and so proves a Treasure laid up in Heaven. Now though I have not the opportunities, advantages, nor perhaps the substance, which others have, for sundry of the good works under other heads; yet as to these under this, I may be sufficiently qualified: Namely I may, many and many a time, Watch unto Prayer, or like Devotions and good Offices; I may fast, and steal alone by myself, to humble my soul before God, when others run to their sports; I may spare that money for a good purpose, which others of my degree vainly expend, beyond what becomes them; I may forbear many of those Cups which others drink, to cheer their hearts (as they say) or make them merry, but which perhaps make them mad; at least would make me so; I may refrain from pampering my body to feed my lusts.  
In such good works as these aught every one to abound, who minds the providing himself a happiness to go to after Death. For as wicked men by proceeding, or running on, impenitently in sin, and not minding that the forbearance and long suffering of God leads them to repentance, 
Rom. 11. 4.  do thereby treasure up unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous Judgement of God. So pious persons, complying with the Gospel, or with the Spirit of God, in taking up from the Liberties they have used, and retrenching themselves of many things, which they might have lawfully enjoyed in the days of their youth and vigour, while the Candle of the Lord shined upon their head, and they washed their steps in Butter, (to use Holy Job's Expressions) do hereby treasure up unto themselves mercy and grace against a time of need; and particularly against that great day, when the secrets of men's hearts, and all Men's practices shall be revealed; when that which has been done in the Closet shall be published as on the housetop, and every good man shall have praise of God, 1 Cor. 4. 5.  
3. In Duties to Men; Justice in a strict sense or honest dealing is certainly a good work. He whose constant care it is, in all his Deal and Actions, to do to all men as he would they should do unto him, shall not certainly lose his reward. He has treasured up what the righteous Judge who first commanded it, will not forget amply to recompense.  
Now in this kind also all sorts of Men may abound, and must too, if they expect to die with comfort, or rise with joy. Luk. 16. 11. If ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous (that is untrue) Mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches.  
§. 8. But, as we have above observed, in common speech (and indeed even in the usual language of Scripture) the term good works more peculiarly signifies works of Charity and Liberality; and the doing such is more especially (and even literally) said to be a laying up treasure in heaven. Luk. 12. 33, 34. Sell that ye have, and give Alms, provide yourselves bags, which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. And in 1 Tim. 6. 17, 18, 19 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us all things to enjoy. That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. Now though it may seem, at first, that in this kind of good works, namely those usually called works of Charity, only rich people are capable of laying up Treasure in Heaven, or providing themselves hereafter any measure of happiness; yet if we consider, there are many good Offices, or kind services, that even the meanest sort sometimes may perform to their Superiors, and that such services are of real value, we may and must account, that poor people endeavouring to do all the good they can to the Bodies, Souls, Estates, or good names of others, are as really charitable, and (if diligent to do such good) as abundant in the work of Charity, in their way, as the most magnificent public Benefactors in theirs; and consequently will be as surely and gloriously rewarded. He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man, in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man's reward: And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones, a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward, Mat. 10. 41, 42. In which surprising promise, and (as it were) excess of Divine grace and goodness, poor people ought, for their comfort, to take notice of three things, (1) How small matters from them, to whom little is given, God esteems as Alms: Even a Cup of cold water given to a fellow Christian, as such; or haply a little room or harbour, in a corner of the poor Cottage, to a weary or wet Passenger. (2) How largely God will reward it, with a righteous man's, or a Prophet's reward, according to the nature of the person we designed to do good to. (3) The sureness of the reward. Verily, I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward; that is, by an ordinary Figure, he shall most certainly receive it: Let no one then think, he cannot be Charitable or bountiful because he is not rich; but let him not fail to do all the good 
Luk. 12. 33.  to others that lies in his way: Hereby he provides himself Bags, which wax not old, a treasure in heaven that faileth not: That is, he makes a happy preparation for another world.  
§. 9 But there is one sort of good works, or of Charity to others, which transcends far all other Bounty; and that is Charity to the souls of Men, labour in instructing those, who are ignorant of God and of their Duty, in retrieving and delivering men from a lewd course of life, to being serious and strict in Religion; in bringing them home to Christ and his Church. This is a Charity as far surpassing that which is merely extended to men's bodies, as the soul in excellence surpasseth the body. He that can help a soul to Heaven before him, hath certainly sent an unvaluable treasure thither. For if any man err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his ways, shall save a soul from death, and shall hid a multitude of sins, James the last, 19, 20. Wherefore to conclude this Head touching good works, Let us be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as we know that our labour is not in vain in the Lord, 1 Cor. 15. ult.  
And thus as to the third Duty, in our first Period, of providing for ourselves a Happiness in another world against we leave this.  

Matter and a Method suitable for Devotion to the Fourth Chapter.  
FIrst Examine, Whether ever hitherto thou hast thought in good earnest of laying up treasure, or securing thyself a Happiness in Heaven? Shouldest thou die this moment, what reasonable hopes hast thou that thou shouldest be blessed in that other world, or after death rest from thy Labours. Particularly,  
1. Hast thou any sound, clear, or even tolerable conceptions and rational sense of the life or happiness of a soul abstract or separate from the body? Or art thou not as it were drowned in brutish Apprehensions, understanding none but a sensual life? And are not Spiritual and Heavenly things, in a manner, Dreams, Fables and Romances to thee?  
2. Hast thou looked upon it as thy Duty and Concernment above all things, to secure to thyself a happiness to come?  
3. Didst thou ever seriously set thyself by Resolution and Prayer to choose the Everlasting God for thy happiness? Does thy soul in any such measure cleave to him at present, as that thou canst with any probable hope claim him for thy Portion?  
4. Hast thou pursued this choice by an honest endeavour of holy life, and abounding in good works, according to thy quality and power? Or hast thou not been idle, a Loiterer, and secure flatterer of thyself, never really active herein? Or (what is worse, yet very frequent) dost thou not merely profess to know God, but in works deniest him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate? Tit. 1. vers. ult.  
Secondly, Having thus strictly examined thy Conscience, in the fear of God, by Serious Prayer, set thyself, First, to Confess thy particular guilt in this case, according to the true answer of thy Conscience. In which behalf, if thou hast practised the Devotional parts annexed to the foregoing Chapters, and especially the Directions of the last, thou canst not be at any loss. Accuse thyself sincerely, and unbosom thy heart before God, by going over again the Particulars. Remember, the Holy God loveth truth in the inward parts, and will be readier both to become thine, and make thee his, if he see thee to be cordial in the endeavour of making him thy choice.  
Further, proceeding in Prayer, 2dly, Look upon, Acknowledge and adore God as the only true Happiness of Man's Soul; as the Father of Spirits, who made thy Soul for himself, and put into it this property, that it can be satisfied with nothing below himself. And if thou findest an inward sense hereof in thy heart, immediately as another act of Prayer.  
3dly, Bless God for this Token of good (for such certainly it is to thee) a sign, that notwithstanding all thy neglects of God, notwithstanding all thy pursuits and wander after Airy bubbles of happiness in this World, he has not yet totally cast thee off, and left thee to thy own vain heart. Wherefore now  
4ly, By way of Petition, beg. of him that he will graciously through Christ Jesus vouchsafe to become thy Treasure and portion; As in the foregoing Chapter directed, offer him up thy heart, and beseech him to accept it, and both to make and keep it his. Lament thy wander and thy long alienation from thy alone true good. Acknowledge thy Disappointments of Happiness, and perpetual missing of satisfaction in the World; and beseech of God, again and again, that he will enable thee with purpose of heart to cleave unto himself.  
Thirdly, Pause now a while for Meditation, and due thought; that thy Resolutions in the end, may be the riper, more considerate and durable. And especially think with thyself, Is there not more solid joy and comfort in a few moments of such Address to God, as this thou hast now made, and in such converse with him, in well grounded hopes, and a reasonable prospect, that thou shalt hereafter have the perfect sight and eternal enjoyment of the glorious God, than in all the Contentments and pleasures thou ever yet tastedst in the World: Wherefore resolve,  
1. To quit all other Happiness but the Almighty God, and to take God alone for thy Portion, thy Shield and thy great Reward: Worldly Goods indeed thou mayst use in thy journey; but thou mayst not make them thine End, nor solace thyself, without looking up to God in them. Psal. 73. 25, 26, 24, 28. Whom have I in Heaven but thee? and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee? My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. Thou Lord shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory. It is good for me to draw near to God. I have put my trust in the Lord GOD that I may declare all his▪ works in Heaven everlastingly before him. Having thus resolved in thy heart proceed and resolve further.  
2. By all means possible to endeavour the securing God as thy Portion for ever.  
1. By good works in the general sense of the term, that is, by Universal and Impartial Obedience.  
2. By good works in a more particular sense (answerable to thy condition) as set down; By Liberality to the poor; By other works of Bodily mercy; By Charity to Men's Souls, or the like.  
3. By faith with Humility, daily to make and maintain claim to God as thy portion; And whatsoever else God shall direct thee. And may God direct thee, and be thy portion for ever. So prays the Author for thee whoever readest this; and so do thou pray for him while he lives.    

CHAP. V Of a Composed Estate, both of Affairs and Mind.  
§. 1. DIsentangling ourselves from this World, a necessary Christian Duty.  
§. 2. The means thereto chief Two, putting our Affairs in Order, and Composing our Minds.  
§. 3. Particular Directions hereto. Setting bounds to our desires and designs of getting.  
§. 4. Putting and keeping our Estates or Accounts in such order as to be just to all.  
§. 5. Of Restitution.  
§. 6. Of Settling Children and Relations.  
§. 7. Care in making and keeping a Will.  
§. 8. Reconciliation to Mankind.  
§. 9 Advice to Relations, Secrets, etc.  
§ 10. Resigning them all to God, and laying aside Solicitude.  
§. 11. The Conclusion of this Part.  
§. 1 THose who have practised the former Advices or Prescriptions, may be presumed to have secured to themselves a Happiness in the other World; wherefore, being that it is most sure they must shortly, and they know not how soon, depart hence, it now is both just and seasonable to move them to Disentangle themselves from this World.  
For the proving this to be all Christian People's both Duty and Interest, let it but be granted (what is above set forth and has been proved) that it is our Duty and Interest to be always ready, and this inavoidably follows, that it is our Duty to be disentangled. For is a Man ready for a Journey who has Fetters and Bolts on, or who is loaden with Chains and Irons, which it is not possible in a short time to knock off, or rid him from? No more is the Man who is involved in the cares and business, but especially in the Love of this World, fit or ready for his passage into that heavenly Country; a Country or State wherein we are to live at another rate, than we do here; and for the Purity and Liberty whereof, we must be somewhat prepared by a holy and abstract Life, before we can be capable of being blessed therein.  
Nor does it seem needful to enlarge in showing, how sinful as well as how unreasonable it is, for a Man to encumber himself or to remain encumbered, more than by his Duty necessitated, in worldly Affairs. There is nothing more commonly known than our Lord's reprimand or check to that busy good Woman, Luke 10. 41. Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things. The original terms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aptly express the Course and Nature of many of our Lives. They are nothing but a State of distraction and tumult; Nor can any thing be more plain than that the cares of this Life and love of this World, and busy ploding about it do put the Mind and Affections at as great a distance from God as do most of those Sins which are reputed the most scandalous, St. John affirms thus much; commanding (1 John 2. 15.) that we Love not the World, neither the things that are in the World. If any Man love the World, the love of the Father is not in him. And we have above had occasion to consider the sad truth of the Apostle St. Paul's observation touching Men that are resolved to be rich. 1 Tim. 6. 9, 10. They that will be rich, fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful Lusts, which drown Men in Destruction and Perdition. For the love of Money is the Root of all Evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the Faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. In a word, no wise Man will, no Christian Man can, look upon the best Condition, or most plentiful and firm settlement in this World, any otherwise than as a Good Inn to a Traveller. If we can get but convenient Refreshments and Necessaries to pass on with comfort, it is as much as we should look after. The way-faring Man, who turneth in to stay for a Night, would be esteemed a Mad Man if he should spend the time wherein he should eat, rest and sleep, in furnishing his Room, and laying in Stores of Provisions and Superfluities, as if he were to abide there for term of Life. And just so wise a Course is it for us, who have here no abiding place, but are only to pass on towards Heaven, to spend those Days and Years, which God has allotted us for Life, and furnishing our Souls with Knowledge, Grace and Virtue to qualify us for Heaven, merely in Earthly Cares and Labours, and in endless Perplexities about compassing Wealth, which we must leave behind us (for aught we know before to morrow morning) to him that comes next; and which will be our loss rather than advantage, when we come unto our true Home and Country. Good Works may follow us, but Money or Great Estates cannot, except it be to appear in Judgement against us; for coming unjustly by them, or setting our hearts too much upon them; and so, enslaving ourselves to them, and making mere Earthworms of our Souls.  
§. 2. But it is much more easy to demonstrate the sinfulness, unreasonable and mischievous consequents of worldly encumbrances, than to cast them off, or find our a proper way to be rid of them. And the mischief is, Men are usually unwilling to be delivered of this Evil. They are golden Chains which this World casts about us, and those Men think too precious to fling away.  
However, let me consider, have I a Treasure in Heaven? Is God my Happiness? Does this World only put me at enmity with God, at least keep me at a distance with him? Does it debase and enslave my Soul, as I cannot but be sensible? Shall I not then be willing to be free from business and slavery? To be in perfection and possessed of a blissful State? To behold God face to face? To love admire and enjoy him, rejoicing before him, and in him, Eternally? Without Weariness, without Satiety, nay even without Intermission or Alloy of the highest pleasure my Nature is capable of? Can I refrain desiring, at least consenting to be thus blessed? Can I choose but long for such Change, and to that purpose shall I not sit lose to any thing that shall hinder it? Now if I duly attend to my own daily Experience, my worldly Affairs, Cares, and Business, do much hinder any present Relish of, or Preparedness for these Joys; They take me off even from minding them, and if I suffer them still to possess my Thoughts and Affections, they will hinder me in my very passage to them; nay possibly obstruct it totally. Let me then resolve to put both myself and Affairs into such Order, as that I may at any time be ready to quit them, whensoever and howsoever my Lord shall Call. Let my mind be so composed, and my worldly Affairs so disposed, as that if God please suddenly to Call me hence, there may be nothing in my Affairs, which may much require my longer attendance on them, and I myself may be as willing to leave them, as they are fit to be left; which is the Fourth Duty in Order to a Happy Death, and what we are at present to consider more narrowly.  
Here indeed may seem to be Two distinct Duties put together under one Head. The Reducing our Worldly Affairs into such Order, and our Minds to such a frame, as that we may be ready for a sudden removal. But the main intention and effect aimed at being one and single, namely the Soul's disintanglement or freedom for its flight, and that not being to be obtained, but by these two joint means, and they too so interfering, as we shall see, there was reason thus to join or unite them. For supposing a Man's Worldly Affairs in confusion and disordered, it will be very hard for him, even upon the most evident and unavoidable approach of death, so to quiet himself as to be willing to go instantly out of this World, and leave them so. Again, suppose a Man's Affairs never so well modelled and settled, but yet his heart running out after the World, and fixing upon it, it will be impossible for him with ease to quit or bid adieu to what he desires so much, and so passionately delights in, or dotes upon. These two therefore in practice cannot and must not be separated, nor is there any disentanglement except both be effected. But suppose such care and practice as to both, as here directed, there will ensue a certain disentanglement from this World in the Soul which so practices.  
§. 3. Now for proper directions to this purpose the following particulars may be effectual. 1. Set bounds to thy own desires, and even to thy designs of getting: Consider with thyself what may suffice thee and thine, and resolve to acquiesce therein, not concerning thyself to be farther rich. And for adjusting and determining what may be sufficient; Consult not so much with the Cravings of unreasonable Appetite, or with Opinion, (I might say, Pride and Ambition) as with the Necessities and Conveniences of Nature; and of thy Degree, Station or Condition; Plain and Common People ought not to think of living equal to the Gentry; Gentlemen not of living like Nobles; and proportionably is it to be resolved touching Men of other Orders and Degrees. Now such measures being taken, and according to them Men propounding to themselves no more, than what may comfortably carry them, in such or such a rank, through the World, leaving to theirs what may also with Virtue and Industry, as beforesaid, support them like their Relatives; we shall find the generality of Men might most reasonably take up within much narrower bounds, than usually they do, and so make their Lives much happier, their Hopes of future blessedness much more assured, and their Deaths much more Comfortable than are the Lives, Hopes, and Deaths of most Common Christians. For such People can neither live happily, nor die comfortably, who still spend their whole time in getting, or in aiming at, more. There must be time to use, to enjoy, and then to dispose of, as well as to get, if we will have comfort either in Life or Death. And such times those can never have, who never think they have enough, but are still crying and designing More, More, and plodding for it. How soon might that Man be rich, who would satisfy himself with the Necessities, or even decent Conveniencies of Nature? And these certainly most People ought to satisfy themselves with: But what Man can ever be rich, who accustoms himself to esteem nothing to himself a superfluity, and so nothing enough? Alas, how little is it that Nature requires, and what a little more, with Frugality and Prudence, would supply or administer decent conveniencies; It is 
Si ad Naturam vives nunquam eris pauper: Si ad Opinionem, nunquam eris dives. Exiguum Natura desiderat, Opinio immensum. Epicurus:  Seneca Epist. 6.  still, I say, only Opinion that suffers not Men of Ordinary Estates to be rich, for Opinion indeed never will be satisfied. Those therefore, who will not set due bounds to their desires, with respect to the requisits of Nature, and the Condition of themselves and theirs, must in the greatest plenty, still be poor, unsatisfied, unquiet, in perpetual turmoil, and in most uneasy concernment; and consequently most unfit for Death. Indeed such Persons cannot be conceived in the greatest abundance to have either Mind or Estate settled. This therefore must be resolved on in the first place.  
Now to be short such competency either thou hast, or thou hast not. If thou hast, thy business is, as soon as may be, so to settle all as will presently be directed. If thou hast not, consider what way of living thou art in? Is it such, as therein thou hast a reasonable prospect before thee, that by industrious proceeding in thy Calling, or way of Life, thou shalt get what thou judgest may be a Competency? Or else, art thou a Person of an unsettled rambling Mind and Life, fixed in no Calling, living at large, or what is the same in effect, living besides or beyond thyself? If any of the latter, 'tis a hard, if not an impossible thing, for thee, shouldest thou go out of the World speedily, to settle thy Affairs or Mind, and consequently to be prepared for Death. All thou canst do is, to take the best advice thou may'st with serious and discreet Friends, amongst which some Spiritual Guide ought to be consulted, what can be done according to thy particular circumstances; for these may be so various, or so intricate, that no Man without thy imparting them, can give any pertinent advice as to thee or them. Suppose thou survivest this unsettled condition, thou must immediately fix or retrench, and then the case will soon alter with thee, and thou wilt come within the compass of some of the following Directions. If thou dost not survive, as to what can be done, the Directions now given are the sum.  
But if a Man, having not yet obtained a Competency, be in a good Calling and fair way of thriving, let him in the Name of God comfortably, contentedly, and industriously proceed in his business, seeking ever first the Kingdom of Heaven, and expecting with Faith and Submission God's Blessing upon his honest Industry. Such Person, if he be taken off in this course, need not disquiet his Mind touching his Worldly Concerns. God will proud for those, whom he vouchsafed not to the Pious Parent life to provide for. Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive, and let thy widows trust in me. Jer. 49. 11. In the mean while that such industrious hopeful thriving (though perhaps not rich) Men may leave their Affairs as settled, and so their Minds as quiet, as in their Condition is possible, should they suddenly be taken off, I would advise them instantly to do, what they would do, were it said to them as to Hezekiah, Isai. 36. Thou shalt forthwith die and not live, (I mean were they sure they should die within a few days) Consider with thyself, my serious hopeful Friend, what wouldst thou do in such Case? Even the very self same thing caeteris paribus, or for the main, that any honest rich Man should do. And what is the next Direction? Thou wouldst as far as thou art able be Just to all Men. Do this therefore, whether thou art Rich or Poor, in Order to the Disentangling thee from the World, and having thy Concerns and Mind in a settled posture; namely,  
§. 4. 2dly, Put thy Worldly Affairs into such Order, as to be to the uttermost of thy Power, Just to all. If thou art a dealer, set thy Books strait, and keep them well. If otherwise, and so that thou keepest no Books, let some faithful Friends know thy Estate and Fortunes; Take care not to keep all private to thyself: Remember St. Paul's Prescript to all Christian People, Rom. 13. 8. Own no Man any thing but to love one another. At least if necessity enforce thee that thou must owe, Contract not secret debts; Thou wilt forget them, and thy Heirs or Executors cannot be presumed to know the State of them. Have no account of long standing; let not old reckon lie unsettled. These things may be easily done in Health, Vigour, and Leisure; they are in a manner impossible to one on a Deathbed.  
Consider with thyself, thou art to be Just to all the World; Just to thine own, Just to Strangers; And he who is not Just to both, can scarce be Just to either: Now there is no such preparative to be just to both, as to be open, and all above-board in our Estates and Concerns. For where things are secret, the Covetousness of some will wrong the other, which plain free settling of things had prevented. The adjusting accounts only when People are going out of the World, besides that it is matter of miserable distraction and discomposure to the Dying Person, is generally imperfect (as being done in a hurry, with half attention and short Consideration) and many times leaves divers flaws, which are afterward matter of many Contentions and great Damage. This therefore by those, who would be always prepared for Death, must be done at some distance, and in time of leisure and composedness. It comes therefore justly in this place.  
§. 5. 3dly, If in this enquiry into, or, as I may call it Rummaging of thine estate, any part come to thy memory (or any considerable thing come to thy hand) which thou hast unjustly got, separate that from all the rest, and restore it to the true owner or owners; or, in case of their decease, to his or their Kindred or Heirs: Or finally, in case these cannot be found, or are at a distance and cannot be come at, give it or some better thing, (more worth than the true value of it, when first it came into thy possession) to the Poor. Leave not any thing unjustly gotten to thy Heirs. There is a strange unaccountable Canker through the just judgement of God, commonly attending all Goods, Estates, or parts of Estates dishonestly gotten; and 'tis better to leave a Man's posterity honestly poor, than unjustly rich; If any except against this Direction as too severe, and what may utterly impoverish many, let them remember the Frank and public Profession of a good Publican, when he resolved to be for Heaven, Luk. 19 8. Behold, if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the word signifies a peculiar abuse of his office (too long here to explain) and so the import of the Text is, If in my way of living I have wrongfully gotten any thing from any man, I am content to restore double to what the Levitical Law required of a Thief, Exod. 22. 2. Now that which we have pressed, is only simple restitution of the thing or value, at which no reasonable or conscientious person can except. And this if thou canst do at present, do so; if not at present, yet make such provision, that after thy decease it may be truly done.  
§. 6. 4thly, Standing thus fairly with all abroad, as to those nearer thee, who have dependence upon thee, put them into, or contrive for them, the best and readiest way of living thou canst. None should ever think of breeding, and therefore ought they to be careful not to leave a child to idleness; or which is much the same, to no Employment. Such who will not take to one thing, would do well at another. Let each have something to follow, if it be but to keep them from wasting too fast, what thou mayst leave them. But especially endeavour to secure them all in a Virtuous and Industrious way of living. Virtue and Industry are the most secure and lasting fortune in this world, and besides the fairest way to a better and eternal Inheritance. It is a very wholesome note if we duly 
In Isai. cap. 38.  time it, that Calvin has on Hezekiah's being commanded to set his house in Order: Our chiefest care, says he, herein should be, not so much touching Legacies and appointing Heirs and Executors, but to provide for 
Praecipua Cura esse debet, non legatorum & institutionis haeredis, sed ut eorum quos dominus Curae nostrae commisit saluti consulatur.  the salvation of those whom God has committed to our care. This I say, (and am content to think the Author supposed) ought to be practised at a convenient distance, as near as we can from death, and before we make our wills, for then commonly it is of the latest. However this leads to the next particular.  
§. 7. 5ly, If thou wouldst have thy mind in such frame, and thy worldly matters in such order as to be ever ready at thy Lord's call, Live not without a Will by thee, supposing thou hast any thing to dispose of. This is not only prudence, but ordinarily duty. For in case we should be suddenly taken away, how else can we be just to others; either to our neighbours abroad, or to those at home of our own Blood and Family? It was we know in express terms by God commanded to good Hezekiah as a preparative for Death, Isa. 38. 1. And we may observe some who have had little care of making any other preparation for Death, not to have been negligent in this behalf. Achitophel would set his house in order, though his next business was to hang himself. A dreadful instance of a worldly wise, but irreligious, desperate man: Notwithstanding, what may well mind us of our Lord's observation on Mammonists, The children of this world are in their generation wise than the children of light, Luk. 16. 8. Let us not then disdain to imitate any in whatsoever they do wisely, as long as it is consistent with good conscience. And such certainly is, what at present is urged.  
Now as concerning making our wills, let us consider, it is one of the solemnest and weightiest acts of our lives, and therefore to be done: (1) In the fear of God and with great consideration and conscience, without Passion and fond Partiality. For a Man's last Will and Testament is to survive him, (let it not therefore be a Monument of the Testator's folly, injustice or Vice) and the effects of it may be almost immortal. Wherefore (2.) it will not be amiss ordinarily to take advice not so much of Learned Lawyers (though in many cases that also is to be done) as of prudent and serious Christian Friends; by whose direction, if not on our own heads, we may insert into our wills some Tokens of our Faith and Christian Hope; some Injunctions, Provisoes or Conditions, which may oblige our posterity to what they perhaps would otherwise neglect; we may hereby be Benefactors to their souls a long time after our death. However certainly a Christian Man's Will should bespeak him seriously a Christian. And,  
Lastly, If we have wherewithal, let us not forget the Poor. It were better indeed to do that sooner, that we might have the Prayers of the Poor to accompany our departing souls, Luk. 16. 9 But whether we have been liberal before or not, something of this kind ought not to be omitted in any able persons last Will. The best of us commonly have some odd ends of Debts of Charity; if not of just recompense to the Poor, which it is needful we pay, when going our long journey.  
§. 8. 6thly, Besides this Charity in giving there may be also another part in forgiving, very necessary to the composing of most persons minds, especially when they are looking toward death, as well as otherwise requisire to the qualifying them for appearing before God. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses, Mat. 6. 14, 15. Reconcile therefore thyself, as far as possible, to Mankind, and take care to live so reconciled. As to making amends for any satisfiable wrong done by ourselves, as it is comprised in the nature of true repentance, so it has been there, and lately looked to and pressed; and is supposed already done. But we may also have suffered, as well as done wrong; and whether all men may have been just to us or no, we are as we have seen by the condition assigned by our Lord, for our very own pardon, obliged to be charitable to them. Let therefore no man's injustice embitter our spirits; for any revengeful inclination or affection will be doubly to our own injury, first in obstructing our pardon in the Court of Heaven; then in disturbing our peace within ourselves. The desire of revenge is very far from being in itself at any time an easy and tame passion, much less can it be matter of comfortable reflection to any one of good Conscience, or consisting with inward peace. And certainly we have need of all good Conscience, of all comforts and peace possible, to fortify us against death, that last Enemy.  
Nor will a good man only take care that his own heart be pacified, but he will have so much charity for others, who perhaps have been uncharitable enough to him, to endeavour the pacification of theirs also, before he go out of the world. If any man bear me a grudge, though without my fault, I cannot give a more Christian Testimony of my forgiving him, than by endeavouring to deliver him before I die from under that sin. And I ought to be the more careful herein, because I cannot tell but some sinful infirmities of mine own, may have more provoked him, and given him (in his opinion) juster cause of offence, than I am ware of; and what is just in his opinion, it is reasonable for him to adhere to, till he be convinced otherwise. Now what so happy way to bring such person to reason, as the melting addresses of a dying man, or of one who is as dying? The making up therefore of all quarrels betwixt us and others, yea though we are the injured, not the injurious party, is very requisite, where possible, to completing our peace both with God, and in ourselves. The Apostle's Rule is, If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, rather as to your part, else it seems a little Tautological] if it be possible, ON YOUR PART (says he) live peaceably with all men; and much more die so.  
§. 9 7thly, As to parting with Friends and Relations, as well as with persons more estranged from us, some consideration is to be had. But the larger Directions will be of another place. Mean while as to any Admonitions (and the words of dying men, or of men speaking as if upon their deathbed, sink deep and stick long) whatsoever serious counsels there are, which we should give to any of our Friends, were we now at point of death, nothing hinders, but at some convenient time, even in the state of health, we may gravely and affectionately give them these; Prefacing them in this, or such like manner: My Dear Child, [Friend, or otherwise as occasion requires] I must die, I know not how, nor how soon, but if I were now dying, and breathing out my last, with that last breath would I give thee this counsel [make this request, impose upon thee this command or otherwise, etc.] Take it therefore now lest thou and I should not have then opportunity for it, and remember it as the Counsel [Admonition or Command, etc.] of thy dying Father, [Friend, etc.] Then give thy Counsel, signify thy desire, etc. Counsel thus once given, and as occasion may offer, thus at convenient times ingeminated or repeated, may have the same weight, make the same impression, and will every whit as much serve to the discharging of our Conscience, and so for the composing our minds for death, as if it were given upon the Deathbed.  
The same may I say as to any secrets which we have to impart, and which it is expedient our Friends or Relations should know, convenient time in state of health and leisure, may be taken, and needful Prefaces used, so as to impart them even at a distance from our death. Or if the secrets be of such nature, as it is not expedient our Friends should know them when we are in health, or till we are going, or gone out of the world, a Letter may be writ, and put up sealed with our Will, to such person, to whom the secret does belong: Or in case we are not able to write, some faithful friend, with whom we can, or do, intrust the secrets of our Estate, may be entrusted herewith, to impart it to our Friends at or after our death. By these or like means, which common discretion will suggest, may a man before hand discharge his Conscience to his Friends, so as to have his mind, even in reference to them, composed and easy, and himself at a distance as ready for death, as if it were at hand.  
§. 10. Lastly, (whether of the main or subordinate Directions it matters not) having done thy best as has been before prescribed, with good Conscience to settle thy affairs and thy mind, though thou presumest thyself never at so great a distance from death, yet as fully and entirely as if thou wert now to die, and together, comfortably and quietly resign up thyself, and all thine, to God.  
Let him now from henceforth work his will, and dispose of thee and thine as he pleases. Do thou quietly await his good pleasure: Thine own person (soul and body) and the persons of all thy dear Relations or Friends, by Faith and Prayer commit to him, as into the hands of a faithful Creator, and do this daily as long as thou livest. Thy Estate and Goods give up according to his good pleasure, he being the most wise Disposer as well as the alone true Proprietor and Lord of all: Thou hast, as his Instrument, endeavoured to dispose of all as wisely and conscionably as thou canst; but when thou art gone, which way, in a short time, all will go, whether to thine, or to strangers, whether to a wise man or to a fool, thou 
Eccles. 2. 19  neither canst, nor shalt know; nor does it truly concern thee to presage or forebode. Much less shouldest thou disturb thy quiet about it, thy duty's done. Thy children may 
Job 14. 21.  come to Honour, and thou know it not; and they may be brought low, but thou perceive it not of them. Trouble not therefore thyself now as to what comes after thee.  
If thou considerately survivest these Preparations, thou mayst alter things, as in Christian prudence thou at leisure shalt see occasion: If not thy Province is discharged: God is at peace with thee, thou hast a happiness (Him for thy happiness) to go to. Happy man! set thy heart at rest, abandon Solicitude, address to what comes, with a Christian temper; and make the most Heavenly and Spiritual use thou canst of all that comes, bidding still all welcome as from God.  
§. 11. This is plainly a most easeful and blessed temper, able in a great measure to felicitate any person. Whosoever has thus practised, and continues in this state and practice, is plainly prepared for death. For the three aforementioned intentions (beyond which in this period we could see nothing necessary) are attained: He has a Happiness to go to (the infinite God is his Portion.) He has provided against all he can fear, sin and the wrath due to it. Sin he has forsaken, and endeavoured to extirpate, and the guilt of it (that is obligation to the wrath due) is done away; for he has made his peace with God in Christ; and he has disintangled himself from the world: He may therefore take up good old Simeon's Hymn, Lord now lettest thou thy servant departed in peace. And add thereto St. John's Response to the Church's Invitatory, Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.  
Only if his Lord delayeth his coming it will concern him to watch: To have his light burning, and to keep oil in his vessel with his lamp; that is to maintain this blessed temper; and to strengthen those things which are weak; to fill up what is defective, to take care his heart and his works be perfect before God, that is sincere; to hold fast, and be faithful to the end, that no man take his Crown.  
Of which Duties we are next to consider: In the mean time, Blessed is that servant whom his Lord at his coming shall find so doing.  

Matter and a Method for Devotions suitable to Chapter the Fifth.  
IN point of Examination or Inquiry into our condition, here will be Matter of a new nature, and different from what as yet came before us. For hitherto in our Devotional engagements, the inquiries we have still made, were touching disorders of heart, or our particular guilt, (Sins Habitual or Actual.) But now being engaged, as well to settle our worldly affairs, as to purge our Souls and quiet our minds, and the purging, disentangling and quieting ourselves depending so much on our outward circumstances. After such endeavours of a serious thoughtful temper and short Prayer, as usual at our entering into our privacy, we must look without, and set ourselves to consider in plain terms, What estate or worldly substance we have, and how it lies? What Relations also, and Dependants? Or what Dependencies we our selves have upon others? What Deal and Contracts we are engaged in? What our Debts and Credits? These questions▪ we must seriously put to ourselves, and endeavour true answers and accounts, in the fear of God, as really making matter of Conscience of such Inquest. For without this kind of practice a person that has had any thing to do in the world, or has lived any considerable time therein, cannot be just to the world, when he goes out of it. And for directing to such work as this, in quality of a matter of Conscience, and a work of secret or Closet-Devotion, I have great reason, in as much as good conscience, and our peace both with God and ourselves, is so intimately concerned in it. For 'tis most certain a man cannot die a good Christian, or with just hopes of Heaven, except he die, to his power, a just man. In plain English then,  
1. The first business here thou hast to do is, To make a true and plain Inventory of thy Estate, Debts and Credits. This however it may be too tedious to be done by thyself in secret, yet it must be here resolved upon, ordered to be done, and a general contrivance of it laid. At least, when done, it will be expedient in secret between God and thyself to View, Examine and Consider it.  
2. Next, being thou art upon Preparation for Death, which strips thee of all, thou must set thyself in good earnest to think of parting with all, and bidding adieu (at least in heart and affection, at the very present) to this world. To make thee serious in such thought, Possess thyself (by way of Meditation) of the following Points briefly.  
1. It is appointed for all men once to die, and this fate most certainly and unavoidably attends thee in particular. Thou must die; But thou knowest not (that is men in health and common Circumstances generally know not) How, (by what mean, in what condition, etc.) nor when, nor where, whether by a disease, or by accident as we speak? Whether in thy senses and with use of speech, etc. or not? Whether to morrow, or the next Day, or next Week, or Month; or even this night may thy soul be required of thee. Whether at home, in thy bed, or in the field, etc.  
2. Death deprives thee of the enjoyment of all things and persons here. No possible fruit to thee of any the least part of what thou hast after death.  
3. Is it not then much better, and more becoming a reasonable being (much more a wise discreet person, as we would be thought to be) to part with all, considerately, gravely, willingly and in good order, than by constraint, in a hurry to be snatched away, with both Mind and Estate all in confusion?  
4. Thou art no whit the nearer Death when a wise, creditable, Religious disposal of all is made than before: Only thou art readier for it, let it come how and when God pleases.  
A brief Meditation upon these reasonable Heads methinks should dispose a man to the practice of all the Directions delivered in the Body of the Chapter.  
3. As to point of Prayer; the matter hereof will be to several persons different, according to their different condition as to this world. Yet I think men of all conditions, rich and poor, may agree in the following Particulars as too commonly pertinent and seasonable enough unto all sorts.  
1. By way of Confession, setting forth and bewailing their adhesion to this world.  
2. By way of Petition, beging of God a disentangled heart, a mind content with such things as we have; Heavenly affections, true Christian contempt of this world, etc.  
But as to the differences of men's concerns in this Point. By the result of the first Point of Enquiry above mentioned, Particular persons will find themselves in different Conditions; namely either Rich or Poor, or in a middling condition. And it is to be remembered here, what has been above suggested, we must estimate ourselves Rich or Poor with Relation to our Degree or Rank. An ordinary person that is worth five hundred Pound is truly richer than a Person of Quality, or a Nobleman, that dies worth five thousand, perhaps fifty thousand.  
Now in case upon such Enquiry or Examination as above, we find ourselves rich, or considering our Quality not Poor, but in good middling condition. Here will be,  
(1) Matter of further Enquiry or Examination, whether this Estate was gotten by our own Industry, or left us. If the former, have we got it justly in a fair industrious way of following our Vocation? Or have we not oppressed some particular Persons or Families to enrich ourselves. In such case,  
(2) Here is Confession necessary in the first place (at least) to God. Then pursuant to the second Direction, in the Body of the Chapter must follow,  
(3) A Resolution of being just, and this cannot be in the present case without restitution to the injured person, according to Direction the third. In which behalf it will be necessary,  
(4) To take Advice; so that here there must be something of Confession to Man, at least to a Friend or Spiritual Guide. Which being done, or for the present honestly resolved upon,  
(5) Prayer and Supplication to God for pardon must succeed. The sin and its aggravations are to be considered; how long lived in? Against what light, what checks of Conscience? And accordingly our Prayers must be more earnest, and so in due method peace is to be made with God.  
On the other side, if the Body of the Estate we have were left us, yet here again will be (1) Matter of Enquiry, and Self-examination, What Stewards we have been? Have we increased our Patrimony, or been Prodigal? Have we been the better for being so early provided for? Have we more improved our Souls in Knowledge and in Virtue, by means of the liberal fortunes left us by our Ancestors, or of our liberal Education consequent to that, and of leisure consequent to all? Have we done good to our Poor Neighbours, Relations, etc. And in case we have increased our Paternal Estate, by what means did we so increase it? By just or unjust practices? According to all those, and possibly more differences which enquiry will suggest.  
(2) Suitable Confessions and Supplications are to be addressed to God.  
But admit all be found to be just, (or indeed whether it be or no) it will still concern all rich persons in Prayer, (1) To beg of God pardon for all unknown sins in way of enriching themselves, or but of keeping and maintaining what they have; for unknown sins all men have.  
(2) To give Praise and thanksgiving to that Bountiful God, whose blessing alone maketh rich, and who has not taken vengeance on them to blast their Estates.  
(3) To implore of God both Wisdom and Will to dispose of all, so as may turn to his Glory and their own future accounts.  
Again in the other case, suppose we find ourselves poor, or (which is little better) encumbered. Here will be fit matter of Self-Examination, whether our Poverty and Encumbrances be our fault (through some improvidence of our own) or only our misery and inselicity. If the former, such sin or sins of ours, which have occasioned our Poverty or Encumbrances are to be repent of, according to the Directions given for repenting of other sins. If the latter, we are to consider, No misery befalls man by chance (Afflictions come not out of the dust) but 
Lam. 3. 33.  from the hand of God. Nor does God afflict willingly (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mero motu) 〈◊〉 arbitrarily grieve the children of men. There is certainly in thee some reason of this thy Poverty. Search what it is. Humble thyself for what thou conjecturest it to be, and quietly submit thyself to his Wisdom and Will, acknowledging thyself to hae deserved worse; than thou hast received at his hand, and believing all is for thy good.  
But in such mean and poor condition to carry on the mind to as much Settlement, and so to as much preparedness for Death, as we can. Either we have a reasonable prospect of surviving these our present preparations or not. If we have, it will be meet,  
1. To consider how we may honestly put ourselves and ours into a better condition? How we may get rill of our Encumbrances? To this purpose review the Directions in the Chapter, consul Friends, etc.  
2. Resolve on what offers itself fittest, and practise it without distraction, and with as heavenly, calm, contented mind as thou canst.  
3. By Earnest Prayer, more largely as thou art able at present, and according to convenience in thy daily Devotions, beseech God, (1) To guide, assist and bless thee, even in thy very common affairs, throughout the remaining part of thy Pilgrimage, by his Providence leading thee into the meetest way of living, quickening thy industry, giving thee skill and prudence in thy business, (Isa. 28. 26.) giving success to thy endeavours.  
(2) By ways and means best known unto him to provide for thee and thine. And above all,  
(3) To give to thee and keep in thee a quiet, content, and heavenly mind all thy days, whatsoever thy portion here shall be.  
But if we have little or no hopes of longer continuance in this world, then according as directed, what can be done must be done to go honestly out of it. And when we have done our utmost to be honest, but not till then, we may, upon Repentance for our mismanagements, quiet ourselves through Faith and Hope, notwithstanding all our Poverty, and it will concern us in secret,  
(1.) To Resolve upon and actually endeavour such Quiet.  
(2.) To pray to God, that by his Spirit he will strengthen our Faith and Hope, and bestow upon us Peace.  
(3.) By Prayer to commit our helpless ones to him who seedeth the Ravens and clotheth the Lilies of the Field. We may well trust our Relations with him, with whom we trust our Souls.  
But whether rich or poor (supposing ourselves qualified) we must by no means neglect our Will. And this being an Act of Justice and Charity to the World, ought be thought on in secret before God.  
Being then thus prepared, we may proceed to the Practice of the next Directions of Disposing of our Families or Relations (if we have any) and making our Wills, which though they may take up more time, and need more Assistance than we can have in our Closet, yet here most conveniently shall we first consider and resolve thereon. Particular Ways or Methods may be thought of afterwards, and such Considerations which have been at first in private taken up, by Advice with Friends, meliorated or altered for the better.  
Touching making a Will, to the Directions given in the body of the Chapter, it may not be amiss to add here, as fit for our retired Thoughts,  
1. If by any thing in thy Life, the World have had Reason to suspect thy Religion; or if thou hast ever heard or understood thyself to have been a Person suspected in point of Religion, either as having none at all, or being corrupt therein. In the beginning of thy Will, put this Matter out of Question by making therein a short but pathetical Profession of thy Faith and Hope.  
2. From thence proceeding to dispose of what thou hast; Beware thou bequeath not any thing ill got to any but the Poor: Even to them it may not be bequeathed, if thou knowest how to restore it to those to whom of right it appertaineth. For God the Lord loves Judgement (that is Justice) and hates Robbery for a  offering. Isai. 61. 8. But in case the true owner cannot be come qt, the Poor are God's and their most proper Receivers.  
3. Consider and weigh diligently the different Condition, Temper, Humour and Manners of thy Relations or Dependants. Some haply may be of more easy Natures, less capable to bustle in the World: Others more able to help themselves or get their own. Some more improvident, and less Masters of themselves (I mean less apt to keep what they have:) Others more thrifty and apt to improve. Some have been sober, orderly, obedient and dutiful; others clear contrary. All these and the like Qualities or Circumstances ought to be maturely weighed, in the Fear of God, and as before him, to whom we must shortly give an Account of our Stewardship. And whatsoever there is of Legacies to each aught to be suited accordingly: The weak should not have any thing that is litigious or perplexed left them: The Improvident not trusted with too much in their own Hand, or not with all at once. The Dutiful should have a mark of Kindness set upon them; yet not so as to deprive the Firstborn of his Right. These Points require Thought before God, Prayer and Advice.  
4. Consider also, whether, through any oversight of thine or otherwise, there be any Flaw or Intanglement to which any part of what thou hast is obnoxious, and before thou goest out of the World, openly and candidly discover all to prudent Friends, or to the Persons concerned. A few Words from thyself, who must be supposed to know the State of thy Affairs better than Strangers, or those who come after thee, may clear, what, when thou art gone, would be mightily and Intricately involved.  
Lastly, Examine thyself, whether there be no Trusts reposed in thee, or no Secret deposited with thee; and in these, and any like Cases, provide for the discharge of a good Conscience.  
These Directions indeed belong chief to the richer and abler sort of People, though as to some Points they may not be unserviceable, in some Proportion, to most who have Families, or Relations in the World. Every one may and aught to consider, what their present Condition is in this world, what little they are possessed of, what they have to do with that little, and resolve to make the best of all for their safe dispatch to Heaven. There are indeed some Persons (and those sometime intelligent too, contemptible for nothing except Poverty▪) at▪ so low an Ebb, that instead of Legacies to those whom they leave behind them, they have only Counsels, Directions or Commands to bequeath to them. Or possibly they may have Christian Friends, to whose Care and Bounty they can be bold to commend their helpless Family. Such things ought. By those, who would be in this Condition prepared for Death, to be thought on betimes (even before God in secret) and Order taken, either using their own Endeavour, or advising with Persons proper, and especially with a spiritual Guide, if need be, for best managing and settling their poor Affairs. And thus of what we are to consider and examine ourselves of in private as to worldly Matters and Concerns.  
There remains now only Prayer and Resolution suitable to the last Direction, which no one can be at a loss for who considers how easily the body of the Direction runs either into Prayer or Resolution. As for Instance; Lord I have done my best to my Power, with good Conscience, to settle both my Affairs and my Mind. And now as fully and entirely as if I were at present to die, do I desire, with comfort and quiet, to resign myself and all mine to thee. From henceforth work thy will, O Lord, and dispose of me and mine as thou pleasest, etc.  
No understanding Person who has the Directions before him, and a Sense thereof, but will be able by the usual Assistances of God's grace, to proceed in a Way acceptable to God and comfortable to himself.    
FINIS.