I come to die. Then shall I be always prepared; and when I cease to live with Men, I shall dwell with God, and converse with Saints and Angels in the Kingdom of Heaven.

THE PRAYER.

HOLY JESU! Lord of Life and Glory, who by thy Death hast overcome Death, make me often think on my latter End, that when I lie on my Death-Bed, I may look back with Comfort on a wellspent Life, and with an Eye of Faith behold a bright Prospect of Immortal Glory before me: That as my Strength decays, my Faith and Hope may become more vigorous and strong. How is it, Lord, that Men, who live in continual Hazard of dying, should yet demean themselves with such careless Security, as if they were to live for ever? Upon one Hour may depend their Happiness or Misery to Eternity, and yet they squander away their Days and Years in Folly and Vanity. Towards their latter End, all their worldly Pursuits, their Honours, their Riches, and Pleasures, will appear as a Dream; then will they wish they had been as careful for the Concerns of an immortal

State, as for the vain transitory Concerns of this World. Grant, Lord, that I may live in such a prepared State of Soul, as that I shall not be afraid to die; that when Death comes, I may lift up my Head with Joy, and feel within me longing Desires to be with thee, my dear Saviour, with Angels, and glorified Saints, in thy Father's Kingdom. Amen, Amen.

The second Meditation. On JUDGMENT.

AFTER we have passed through the Gates of Death, we shall be swiftly carried away to the Regions of departed Spirits, there to be reserved unto the Judgment of the great Day. Nor is this all, to dwell for a Time in a State of Separation: another Day will quickly come; a Day of public Accounts, and Restitution of all Things; when the Archangel shall sound his Trumpet, and proclaim aloud this universal Summons, "Arise, ye Dead, and "come to Judgment; arise, and appear "before the Throne of God." Then shall every Soul enter again into its proper Body; and be judged for the Things done in the Body, whether they be good or bad. All People, high and low, rich and poor, from the Days of Adam, to the very End

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of the World, shall be gathered together from every Corner of the Earth; there all must stand before the Judgment-Seat of Christ, and wait for their Doom! but oh! with how different Expectations!

The Just shall look up with Joy, and clad in the Garments of Salvation, shall triumphantly sing: "Let us rejoice, for now our Redemption draweth nigh:

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Behold, Christ cometh in the Clouds "of Heaven, and his Reward is with " him. Come, Lord Jesu, thou long “Desire of our Hearts; come quickly, "thou fall Delight of our Souls; come "and satisfy us with thy Mercy, that we may rejoice before thee all the Days of

Eternity." Look yonder, O ye Righteous, where he comes, high in Power and Majesty, attended with thousands of his holy Angels, who shall divide his Sheep from the Goats, and place them on his Right-hand, I beheld, methinks, the Righteous rising with Joy and Exultation in their Faces, as knowing that the Reward of all their pious Labours draweth near. I hear, methinks, the decisive Sentence of their eternal Happiness pronounced, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess the Kingdom prepared for you from the Beginning of the World. O the unutterable Joys their

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their Souls shall feel, when these heavenly Words shall sound in their Ears! Joys which the Thoughts of Man cannot conceive; Joys, which the Tongues of Angels cannot express! The Redeemed of the Lord receive this Sentence with transporting Thanks and Hallelujahs, and will be amazed at the Greatness of their Salvation, so far beyond all that they expected, or deserved. Must not the Grace of God be exceeding abundant towards them in rewarding their poor Services with an exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for begetting us again to this lively Hope, by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead.

But now I turn my Eyes and see, methinks, the Ungodly rising last, shaking and trembling at their approaching Doom. O with what dejected Eyes and trembling Hearts, do they stand, expecting their Judge? What shall they do, when whereever they look, they behold nothing but black Despair! Above, the justly offended Judge ready to condemn them: Below Hell gaping to devour them. In that Day a Book will be opened, and every one's Accusation read, Men's Consciences at the same Time bearing Witness, and

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accusing them in that fearful Judgment; Miserable and lost Souls! what shall they do when the terrible Voice of their Judge shall strike them suddenly down to the Bottom of Hell, with, Go ye cursed, into everlasting Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels! Once they had a Day of Grace, but they hardened their Hearts, and would not hear the Voice of God mercifully calling them to Amendment of Life. And now this is God's Day, when he shall speak in Terror, and punish ungodly Men for their evil Deeds. Then shall they suffer the Vengeance of eternal Fire, and live in Torments which will be without Intermission, without End! O my Soul, who art taught those dreadful Truths, as Things afar off, know, thou shalt then be present, and see them with thine Eyes, and be thyself concerned. Think now, O careless Sinner, what you would then give, if you had repented in Time. Therefore repent, and be converted, that Sins may be blotted out. Watch and pray, that you may die in the Peace of God, and live with him to all Eternity.

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