puted for fuch a particular Administration. Nor in your praying for them, as if they were in Purga tory, as in a State of Danger or Mifery, in which they needed your Prayers. But you must acknowledge your Relation to them, and efteem it Part of your daily Employment to converfe with them by Faith. You must love them better than the Godly upon Earth, because they are better, and love God more, and are more beloved by him. You must efpecially rejoice that God is glorified in and by them, as the more illuftrious Reprefentatives of his divine Perfections. You must look with Complacency upon their Felicity and Glory, as if it was your own; and entertain a grateful Senfe of their Love to you; and blefs God that Angels are ap. pointed to be your miniftring Spirits. You must defire to be like them, as far as that is poffible here upon Earth; and you must defire to be with them, that you may be perfect as they are perfect. You muft enquire what Religion beft refembles that in Heaven, and be ambitious of attaining to it. You must look back likewife to their Temper and Conduct while they were upon Earth, and blefs God for making them fuch Inftruments of his Glory in their Day and Generation.

§ 12. In the next Place endeavour to know in what confifts your Imitation of their Example while they were upon Earth. Certainly not in committing their Sins; or indulging any of their Infirmities; or extenuating your own Sins, becaufe they were guilty of the fame; nor in imitating them in Things peculiar to the Dispensation under which they lived, or in Things indifferent and accidental, which were never intended for Imitation; nor in pretending to

of

or expecting their extraordinary Revelations, Infpirations or Miracles; nor in making their greatest Excellencies a Standard for all that fhall be faved, or a Rule for Church-Communion. But the true Imitation of the Saints is, to aim at the Glory of God, and eternal Happinefs above all Things, as they did; to have the fame Regard to Chrift, to the Spirit, and to the Gospel, as they had; to live upon the fame Truths, be influenced by the fame Motives, avoid the fame Sins, have Recourfe to the fame kind of Company, and Means of Grace, refift and overcome the fame Temptations, and per fevere in the fame Courfe of Faith, Hope, and Patience, even to the End.

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§ 13. Converse with Men upon Earth, fo as never to forget that you have a more noble Converfe to cultivate with the heavenly Society. Let your Faith go along with the Souls of your departed Friends into Glory. Be not more negligent of the heavenly Inhabitants than the Rich Man in Hell-Torments was, who thought one from the Dead, tho' it had been but a Beggar, would have been fo reverenced, as to perfuade his voluptuous Brethren to true Repentance. Even a dead Man's Skull is often a more profitable Companion than moft you can converfe with in common Society. The Dust of your departed Friends is often a good Eye-Salve for thofe that are blinded with worldly Vanities. Much more fhould you keep up your Acquaintance with their Souls, which may be more useful to you now, than when they were in the Flefh. Chrift's Difciples looked fedfaítly toward Heaven, as he went up.' And alfo Stephen looked up ftedfastly into Heaven, and faw the Glory of God, and

< Jefus

• Jefus ftanding on the right Hand of God (i).' But how feldom, how flightly do most Profeffors of the Gofpel look up, either to Jefus, to his Angels, or his Saints! You have not done with your pious Friends, when you have buried their Flesh. They have left you their holy Examples. They are entered before you into Reft. You are haftening after them, if you are fincere Believers. Therefore fee them every Day by Faith.. When you look to Chrift, look to them, as the beloved Friends he entertains in his Glory. When you look up to Heaven, remember that they are there. When you think of getting to Heaven, remember that you muft meet them there. Love and honour them more, and rejoice more in their Happiness, than you did whilft they were upon Earth, in the firmest Perfuafion that Blefled are the Dead which die in the Lord, for they reft from their Labours,' and are with Chrift in Paradise (k).’

(i) Acts i, 10. vii. $5.

(h) Rev. xiv. 13. Luke xxiii. 43.

CHAP.

CHA P. X.

How to die in Faith; with the Conclu fion of the Work.

1-3. Particular Directions how to die in Faith § 4, 5. A folemn Warning to impenitent and unbelieving Sinners. § 6, 7. A Word of Confolation - to fincere Believers. § 8-11. The Author's concluding Prayer.

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S the concluding Scene in the Life of Faith, let us now confider the Influence which it ought to have in the Expectation, or the near Approach of Death.' And here let it be fufficient to fay, Learn how to die in Faith, before Sickness comes. Be firmly perfuaded of the Reality of a future immortal Life, that your Faith may not fail. Seriously expect Death all your Life, as those who are fure to die, but never fure to live a Moment longer; and as foreseeing of what eternal Confequence it is to die in Safety and Comfort. Ever accuftom youffelves to entertain the most enlarged and delightful Thoughts of the infinite Goodness and Love of God, to whom you go at Death, and with whom you hope to live for ever. Be much engaged

in

in the Contemplations of a crucified and a glorified Chrift, who must be the Foundation of your Hope in Life and Death. Conftantly maintain every Grace in its Life, Activity, and Increafe, that you may have clear Evidences of your Title to Chrift, and to all his Promifes. Often contemplate the Poffeffion which your human Nature has (as it were) of Heaven already in Chrift's glorified Body, how it is there advanced, how near your Relation to Christ is, how ftrong his Affection to his meanest Members upon Earth; and that as feparate glorified Spirits defire to have their Bodies fhare in their Blef fedness, fo does the Lord Jefus as to his Body the Church. Look to the heavenly Hoft, and especial ly to that Part of it which you have ever known in the Flesh, that the Thoughts of Heaven may be familiar to you. Improve all Afflictions, yea the Plague of Sin itself, to make you weary of this World, and willing to go to Chrift. Intimately converfe with God in Prayer, Meditation, and other Heart-raising Duties; and dare not to live in any wilful Sin, or Neglect of any Duty; that Guilt may not breed Terror, and make you defire to fly from your Judge. Do all the good you can in the World, and live as totally devoted to God, and as having no other Intereft to ferve but his; for fuch a fruitful Life is a bleffed Preparation for Death. Live more upon the Comforts of approaching Glory, than upon any earthly Pleafures or Hopes; and prize the Knowledge and Love of God in Christ, as the Beginning and Foretafte of Heaven; that you may chearfully die, and enter upon the full Poffeffion.

§2. Learn how to die in Faith, in the very Seafon of Sickness and Death. When God feems to

be