tion to himself, to be throughly reconciled to him by means of it, and to blot out all his tranfgreffions.. And indeed there is hardly any man, who is not either perfectly fenfelefs, or abandoned as to religion, and all that is good, that is not ready of himself to cry to God for help, when thus upon the borders of deftruction.

Eufeb. It is natural for those who had no fenfe of I duty to God at other times, nevertheless to make their prayers to him, when in any confiderable danger and diftrefs. It was not the cafe only of thofe mari. ners who failed in the fhip with the prophet Jonah, that when (a) there was a mighty tempeft in the fea, and the ship was like to be drowned, they cried every man unto his God for fafety; (b) but it has been the comnon practice all the world over, that fuch as had no reverence for God at other times, have not been able to refrain from calling upon him, when in apprehenfion of fome dreadful evil like to feize them. It is well known how that wicked city Nineveh humbled themfelves, and fafted, (c) and cried mightily unto God, to try, if poffibly they might prevent the fpeedy deftruc tion wherewith they were threatened. So wicked Akab, of whom it is recorded, that (d) there was none like him, who did fell himself to work wickedness in the fight of God; yet, upon the prophet Elijah's denunciation of deftruction to himself, and his family, (e) rent his cloaths, and put on fackcloth upon his fiefb, and fafted, and lay in fackcloth, and went foftly, atter the manner of mourners. (ƒ) Thus Cefar relates of the inhabitants of Marfeilles, That when C. Trebonius lay in fiege against them, all forts amongst them, the younger and lefs confiderate, as well as the elder and (a) Jonah i. 4, 5.

(b) Tum maximè Deus ex memoriâ hominum elabitur,cùm beneficiis ejus fruentes honorem dare divinæ indulgentiæ deberent. At verò fi neceffitas gravis prefferit, tum Deum recordantur, &c. Lactant. Inflit. 1. 2. c. 1.

(c) Jonah iii. 8, 9. (f) De Bell. Civ. 1. 2.

more ferious, their wives and children, and their very guards, fell to their devotions, to beg a deliverance. And fo fays God of his own obftinate people the Jews, that how negligent foever they were of him in their ease and profperity, their carriage would foon be changed when trouble came upon them, and they found themselves encompassed with forrows. (g) In their affliction they will feek me early. Sorrows and misfortunes awaken niens minds, and put them upon looking out for help; and, fince they know God is the only fure refuge for the diftreffed, they scarce need to be invited at fuch a time to addrefs themselves to him. Hence it is eafy to obferve thro' all ages, fo far as we have an account of them, how people have been wont to flock to the temples in times of diftrefs, to offer up their devo tions there, in hope of obtaining fome relief from their grievances, of whatever fort. And the fame method has been customary in times of imminent danger, as well as of present fufferings; all nations, whether heathens, Jews, or Chriftians, having conftantly practised it. And whofoever would hope for the divine favour and protection, must not fail to take this courfe, when under any preffure or calamity. But never is there fuch occafion for this duty, as when a man is feized with fome violent pain or fickness, that gives him juft reafon to expect a speedy translation into another world. When he finds almost no time left to do it in, this will be a cogent motive to him, to fet about it with all his might, and never to give over tii he has obtain'd a bleffing.

Theoph. For this reafon I fhall not stand to prefs the neceffity of what every one is naturally to prone to enter upon, in times of danger and difficulty; but only hall in few words beg of our good friend here, not to give over what he has fhewn himself fo ready to practife, ever fince he was taken ill; but that he will still go on to pray, and will beg of all (g) Hof, v. 15.

his friends and relations to pray for him, during his ftay in this world, that God will forgive his fins, will purify his heart, will mortify all the remainders of vice in him, will give him his Holy Spirit to ftrengthen and affift him, and will fend his holy angels to conduct him to glory. This is a course, my friend, that cannot fail of being highly advantageous to you; and which you are fure can never hurt you.

Anchith. To deal freely with you, good Theophilus, I must acquaint you, that I do spend a good part of my time in prayer to God, both by myself, and with others; and by the grace of God I fhall perfift in it, whilst I am able to speak, or can lift up my hands or eyes towards Heaven. And I do alfo beg of you here prefent, and of my other friends, to affift me with your charitable prayers to Almighty God, in my behalf.

A Prayer for Ability to pray with Fervour and Devotion.

OH most gracious God, do thou incline my heart more and more to call upon thee, that when I can de nothing else, I may yet pray to and praise thee. Infpire my foul with devout affections, fuitable to my prefent circumstances, that I may offer up my prayers from a truly bumble and penitent, a fincere and pious mind, and with fuch fervour and earnestness, as that thou mayeft not reject my petitions, nor with-bold thy mercy from me; but mayeft bear from Heaven thy habitation, and return me a gracious answer. Hear me, O Lord; for thy mercies are great bear me, and all that pray for me, and our Lord Jefus Chrift interceding for us all. And plenteously reward all those prayers that are put up to thee on mine account, from whomsoever they some, through the fame our Lord Jefus Chrift. Amen.

Another,

Another, for Forgiveness of Sin, and a Prepa ration for a better State.

IT is thy nature and property, O Lord, always to have mercy, and to forgive. To thee appertaineth to fbew pity to thofe who put their truft in thee. On whom canft thou more fuitably place thy compassion, than on me an unworthy finner, who am fhortly to give up my account at thy great tribunal? Shut not thine ear against me now in my extremity; neither caft me away in thy wrathful indignation: but fo turn thine anger from me, who meekly acknowledge my vileness, and truly repent me of my faults, and fo make hafte to help me in this world, to purge and purify me, and to perfect whatever is wanting in me, that I may ever live with thee in the world to come, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Theoph. VII. Another duty, highly necessary at all times, but more especially in time of ficknefs, and upon the appearance of death, is, To watch diligently against our grand enemy the devil, who is more especially induftrious and viligant, to do us a mischief at fuch a time as this. It is his conftant bufinefs to promote the ruin of mankind by all means in his power. Having involved himself in irrecoverable mifery, wherein he has long fuffer'd for his folly, and must be fure to do it through a lafting eternity; his continual study is, by all arts of fraud and treachery, to bring whomfoever he can into the fame woful and helpless condition with himself; and fo to get them under his dominion, that he may perpetually tyrannize over them. Hence the apostle St. Peter reprefents him, as (b) going about like a furious roaring lion, feeking whom he may devour; watching all opportunities to get people into his reach; ufing whatever means, either to affright or amaze, or to beguile and deceive them out of their duty.

(b) 1 Pet. v. 8.

Eufeb.

Eufeb. He once gave an account of himself, that he had been (i) walking to and fro in the earth, and going up and down in it. And the fame is ftill his conItant practice, to the end that he may work what evil he can to its inhabitants.

Theoph. He is ftyled by St. Paul, (k) the prince of the power of the air; to put us in mind of our danger from the legions of evil spirits he has at his command, as his ministers and fervants; by whom he procures the death of finners, as well as by his own more immediate devices, each way leading them on to perdition. And no wonder, if fo potent, and fo maliciously indefatigable an agent, be fadly prevalent over fuch as are not fufficiently provided against him. (1) Plutarch, in the life of Dion, notes it as a very antient tradition, that there a fort of wicked inchanting demons, which envy good men, and fet themselves to terrify them out of their regular and virtuous converfation; to the end that, parting with their integrity and innocence, they may not be in a better condition than themselves. Very agreeably to what the Holy Scriptures teach concerning this grand enemy of fouls, and his emiffaries and agents, (m) working in the children of difobedience, and leading them captive at his will.

Eufeb. It is his daily and hourly employment, to plant his engines, and lay his fnares, in all places, for obftructing our falvation; and should be ours to arm ourselves against him; and, as the apostle St. James directs, fo to (n) resist him, as that he may flee from us; and leave us to ourselves, to fulfil the duty required of us.

Theoph. And more especially when we come to draw near our latter end. Then our adversary looks upon himself to be, in a more peculiar manner, engag'd to try, if poffible, to fecure us to himself. He knows be bas then but a fhort time; and, if he can improve that to his purpose, his work is done, and we muit (i) Job i. 7. (4) Ephef. ii. 2. (1) P. 958. (m) Ephef. ii. z. 2 Tim. ii. 26. (n) James iv. 7.

Z

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