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PRINTED BY J. MOIR, PATERSON'S COURT.
For J. DICKSON, J. OGLE, J. FAIRBAIRN, J. GUTHRIE, and S. CHEYNE,
Edinburgh G. PEATTIE, Leith :-M. OGLE, and J. IMRAY,
Glasgow:-G. MILNE, Dundee :-A. BROWN, Abera

deen -and J. FORSYTH, Elgin.

LE

THE

TO THE READER.

HE fubject of this book, however melancholy it may appear to fome, yet it is neceffary to all; feeing the word of God, and our own experience, do affure us, that "Man, who is born of a woman, is of few dayɛ, and full of trouble;" and that he "is born to troubles, as the fparks fly upwards." Nay, God's dearest children are not exempted from this common fate. We fee what is the character God giveth of his church, Isa. liv. 11. "O thou afflicted, and toffed with tempests, and not comforted."

If in this world, then, we must look for tribulation, it is highly neceffary for every man to seek direction how to provide for it, and behave under it, fo as he may glorify God, edify others, and attain to eternal happinefs at laft. The tribulations we have to look for here are manifold; but, among thofe that are outward, I know none about which men ought to be more thoughtful and concerned, than bodily fickness, that usual harbinger of death, and which ufhers the way to judgment.

This is a fubject not much handled in public fermons, which are delivered only to them that are in health, the fick being incapable to attend them. Wherefore, it feems the more neceffary to handle it in writing, that fo the afflicted may have a book in their hou fes, and at their bed-fides, as a monitor to preach to them in private, when they are restrained from hearing fermons in public.

And though fometimes minifters fermons may be very fuitable to the cafe of the fick and afflicted; yet, alas! the moft part are carelefs and forgetful hearers of these things, while they are in health and profperity, as reckoning the evil day at fome diftance from them. A book, then, fuch as the following Directory, being with them in time of ficknefs and affliction, may, by the divine bleffing, be useful to bring to their remem

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brance

brance those counfels and admonitions which they very much neglected in the time of their health.

Again, minifters of the gofpel, though never fo much inclined to attend the lick, yet, by reafon of difability and multiplicity of other work, cannot be always with them, to direct, refolve, and comfort them. But fuch a book as this, they may have ftill at hand to confult with.

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And, in regard the afflicted for the most part are out of cafe to read for themselves, it would be a most charitable work for friends or neighbours that attend them, to lay hold on proper feafons for reading fuch a book as this in their hearing; and especially fuch chapters or directions as they judge most suitable for them. Thus you might be helped in fome measure to exoner your confciences, and do your laft offices of kindness to your fick and dying friends, when you can ferve them no longer in this world.

I might have brought in and handled fome controverlies (had I been fond of them) in the enfuing treatife, about the adminiftration of the Lord's fupper to the fick, and about extreme unction, which fome alfo begin to plead for, and thence have taken occafion to touch at fome other new ufages, such as the middle ftate, prayers for the dead, and other Popish errors, that fome (called Proteftants) would have revived and introduced among us. But I have industriously fhunned what is controverfial, and kept close to what is practical and owned by all true Christians.

For preventing the growth of these and other errors, (from which this nation hath been much longer free than others) I wish all ranks among us would closely obferve the facred rule of faith, God's word, and remember the folemn and national engagements we of this land are under, to maintain the pure truths of God therein contained, in oppofition to all forts of errors, whether Popifh, Pelagian, Arian, Antinomian, &c. And, may we ever abhor the doctrine that would teach us to break these bands asunder !

Have we not ground this day to fufpect that Satan is carrying on a deep and fubtle plot for fhaking our

covenanted

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