fuddenly foever thou shalt be pleased to take me out of this World, 1 may be found ready and prepared for that great Account, which I must one Day give before the Judgment-feat of Chrift. Enable me, by the Affiftance of thy Grace and Holy Spirit, to fiinfh the great Work of my Salvation before the Night comes, when no Man can work, and to lay up a good Foundation of Hope and Comfort against the Hour of my Death; that, when the Time of my Departure fhall come, I may look back upon a well-spent Life with Joy and Comfort, and may meet Death without Fear.

Look upon me, O moft gracious God, when the Time of my Diffolution draws nigh, as a reconciled Father in Chrift Jefus. Speak Peace unto my Confcience, and say unto my Soul, I am the God of thy Sal

vation.' Let not the cruel Enemy of Souls affrighten me with his Terrors; but give. thy holy Angels charge over me, to keep me out of his Hands, and let the Comforts of thy Holy Spirit chear and refresh my Soul in its Paffage through this Vale of Tears and Mifery to a happy Eternity.

O Lord!

O Lord! leave me not to myself in that Time of Diftrefs, when I fhall ftand in fo much need of thee. Confirm my Faith; fupport me in my dying Agonies; and forfake me not, when my Strength faileth. Let thy merciful Ears, O God, be then open to my Prayers; and fpare me, O' Lord most holy, O God moft mighty, O holy and merciful Saviour, thou most worthy Judge eternal! fuffer me not at my laft Hour, through any Pains of Body, or Weakness of Mind, to renounce my Dependence upon thee. But grant, O merciful Father, that, with an humble Reliance on thy Mercies, and the infinite Merits of my dear Redeemer, and with an entire Submiffion to thy bleffed Will, I may chearfully refign up my Soul into thy Hands, and may be willing and even defirous to leave this Word, when thou, my God, in thy great Wifdom, fhalt fee it fitting.

O Lord! let me never be feparated from thee; but grant that my Soul may be fo united to thee, who art the Fulness of all Happiness, by the strongest Ties of Faith,

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Faith, Love, and Obedience, 'that, after a Life spent here in thy Service, I may dwell with thee in Life everlasting, and be received into thofe Manfions of Eternal Blifs and Glory, which thou haft prepared for them that truly love and fear thee; through the Merits, and for the fake, of thy beloved Son, Jefus Christ, our Lord and only Saviour. Amen!

THE

THE

GREAT IMPORTANCE

OF A

RELIGIOUS

LIFE.

H

CHA P. III.

ITHERTO I have confidered the great Advantages of Religion, as they refpect only our Well-being in this World, and our going comfortably out of it. But, as there are other Advantages attending a good Life, infinitely beyond all that have been mentioned; namely, that it will entitle us, through the Merits of Chrift Fefus, to an Inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away; I fhall endeavour to fhew, in the

laft Place, that a ferious and confcientious Obfervance of the Duties of Religion, will most certainly be rewarded with eternal Happiness in the Life to

come.

And here I fhall not prefume fo much as to aim at a Defcription of that exceeding Weight of Glory, which God has referved for those that truly love him. In the Scripture, indeed, the Glories of the other World are reprefented to us, in Condefcenfion to our weak Capacities, as a Kingdom, and a Crown; an eternal Kingdom, and a never-fading Crown; But the State of the other World is a State fo unknown to us, and fo much above our imperfect Conceptions, that we fhall never be able fully to comprehend it, till we arrive at the actual Enjoyment of it. For, though we know that we shall there fee God, and the Bleffed Jefus, who loved us and gave himself for us, and fhall to all Eternity enjoy Him who is the Source and Fountain of all Good; that we fhall there converfe with Saints and Angels, and for ever be finging Anthems of Praife to our great Creator and Redeemer;

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yet