world, and all, that is in it, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life! O that I may make my calling and election sure, that I may die in peace, and in hope of a blessed resurrection, and of a favorable judgment at the great day!

May the consideration of a judgment to come oblige me to exmine, to try, and to judge myself, that I may prevent a severe judgment of God by true repentance, and lead a life, answerable to repentance, and that I may find mercy at the great day. John v. 28. All, that are in the graves, shall hear his voice, and come forth; they, that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they, that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

May this dreadful word oblige me to work out my salvation with fear and trembling, that through the merits of Jesus Christ I may escape that dreadful doom! and may the hope of Heaven and happiness sweeten all the troubles of this mortal life!

O Lord Jesus, who hast redeemed us with thy precious blood, make me to be numbered with thy saints in glory everlasting. O let my name be found in the Lamb's book of life at the great day.

I thank Thee, O Lord, for all the favors of my life, and especially that Thou hast vouchsafed me time and will to think of and prepare for death, while in my full strength; while I

may redeem my mispent time, and bring forth fruits, meet for repentance.

Let us consider death, as a punishment, to which, as sinners, we are justly condemned.

My God, I humbly submit to it, and to thy justice; and trust in thy mercy, and goodness, and promises, both now, and at the hour of death.

Death is inevitable; the time uncertain; the judgment, which follows, without appeal; and followed by an eternity of happiness or misery. Lord, grant that I may consider this, as I ought

to do.

Let me remember that I shall come forth out of the grave, just as I go in ; either the object of God's mercy, or of his wrath to all eternity. He lives to no purpose, who is not glorifying God.

Our greatest hope fhould lie beyond the grave.

No man can go to Heaven, when he dies, who has not sent his heart thither, while he lives.

Our greatest security is derived from duty, and our only confidence from the mercy of God through Jesus Christ.

Sickness, if you consider it, as painful to na ture, and not as a favor from God, will be a torment to you. To make it really comfortable, believe it to be ordered by a loving Father, a wise Physician; that it is the effect of his mercy for our salvation; that, being fas

tened to the cross, you become dearer to God, as being most like his own Son. God will loose you, when it is best for you.

We often hinder our recovery by trusting to physic more, than to God. Means succeed just as far, as God pleases. If he send diseases, as a remedy to cure the disorders of the soul, he only can cure them; while you are chastened, you are sure God loves you; you are not sure of that, when you are without chastisement.

Timely preparation for death frees us from the fear of death, and from all other fears. A true Christian is neither fond of life, nor weary of it.

The sting of death is sin; therefore a holy life is the only cure for the fear of death. We ought to fear sin more than death, because death cannot hurt us but by sin.

Phil. i. 21. To me to die is gain.

O that I may be able to say this, when I come to die; and so I shall, if I live, as becomes a Christian.

Holiness being a necessary qualification for happiness, it follows, that the holiest man will be the happiest, (for there are certainly degrees of glory) therefore a Christian should lose no time in gaining all the degrees of virtue and holiness, he possibly can; and he, that does not do so, is in a fair way of not being happy at all.

It concerns us more, than our life is worth,

to know, what will become of us, when we die.

Who will pretend to say, that he is not in a very few days to die?

The only happiness of this life, is to be secure of a blessed eternity.

Now is the time, in which we are to choose, where and what we are to be to all eternity; there is therefore no time to be lost in making this choice.

No kind of death is to be feared by him, who lives well.

If we consider death, as the night of that day, which is given us to work in, in which to work out our salvation; and that, when the night is come, no man can work; how frightful must death be to such, as are not prepared for it! If we consider it, as the beginning of eternity, it is still more dreadful. It is for this reason called the King of Terrors; and the Psalmist, when he would express the worst of evils, saith, The terrors of death are fallen upon

me.

Judges xiii. 23. If the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering at our hands, neither would he have showed us all these things.

This is the comfort of all God's servants; if he give them opportunities of renewing their vows, and a will to do them; if he accept their alms and their good deeds, that is, give them a heart to do such; if he touch their hearts with K

a sense of their unworthiness; if he chastise them with afflictions; if he visit them with his Holy Spirit, &c. All these are reasons for a christian to hope that these graces are not in vain, but that God will crown them with pardon, favor, and happiness eternal.

Matth. xxv. 6. And at midnight there was a cry made, behold, the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him.

A terrible voice to all such, as shall meet him, not as a bridegroom, but as an inexorable judge. Grant, O Lord, that I may not be of the number of those, who dread thy coming, who cannot but with regret submit to the necessity of dying, and have neglected to prepare for death, till the last hour.

Matth. xxv. 10.

And the door was shut. Death shuts the door. No more to be done. It is then too late to repent, to resolve, to promise, and to do any thing."

-13. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day, nor the hour, wherein the Son of Man cometh.

A person, whose life is full of good works, whose heart is devoted to God, whose faith and hope are pure and sincere, will never be surprised by death.

Matth. xxvii. 50. Jesus Christ yielded up the ghost. So his death was a voluntary sacrifice. Let mine be so, O blessed Jesus! Let thy death sanctify me; and let my spirit be receiv

ed with thine!