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forrow, because he hath no need to use them as the cafe now ftands, being provided for with the provifions of an Angel,and the manner of eternity. However, the fons and the parents, friends and relatives are in the world like hours, and minutes to a day. The hour comes and must pass; and fome stay but minutes, and they alfo pafs, and fhall never return again. But let it be confidered, that from the time in which a man is conceived, from that time forward to Eternity he thall never ceafe to be: and let him die young or old, ftill he hath an immortal Soul, and hath laid down his body only for a time, as that which was the inftrument of his trouble and forrow, and the scene of fickneffes and difeafes. But he is in a more noble manner of being after death than he can be here: and the child may with more reafon be allowed to cry for leaving his Mother's Womb for this World, than a Man can for changing this World for another.

Sudden death or violent.

Others are yet troubled at the manner of their child's or friend's death. He was drowned, or loft his head, or died of the plague; and this is a new fpring of forrow. But no man can give a fenfible account, how it fhall be worfe for a child to die with drowning in half an hour, than to endure a fever of one and twenty days. And if my friend loft his Head, fo he did not lofe his Conftancy and his Religion, he died with huge advantage,

Being Childless.

But by this means I am left without an Heir. Well, fuppofe that: thou haft no Heir, and I have no Inheritance: and there are many Kings and Emperours that have died childlefs, many Royal Lines are extinguifhed: and Auguftus Cafar was forced to adopt his Wife's Son to inherit all the Roman Greatness. And there are many wife perfons that never married: and

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we read no where that any of the Children of the Apoftles did furvive their Fathers: and all that inherit any thing of Chrift's kingdom come to it by adoption, not by natural Inheritance: and to die without a natural heir is no intolerable evil, fince it was fanctified in the perfon of Jefus, who died a Virgin.

Evil or unfortunate Children.

And by this means we are freed from the greater forrows of having a fool, a fwine, or a goat to rule after us in our families: and yet even this condition admits of comfort. For all the wild Americans are fup- Kpar pofed to be the Sons of Dodanim; and the Sons of TD. * xx Jacob are now the moft fcattered and defpifed people odors. in the whole world. The Son of Solomon was but a Epic. filly weak man; and the Son of Hezekiah was wicked and all the fools and barbarous people, all the thieves and pirates,all the flaves and miferable men and women in the world are the Sons and Daughters of Noah: and we must not look to be exempted from that portion of forrow which God gave to Noah and Adam, to Abraham, to Ifaac and to Facob: I pray God fend ag us into the lot of Abraham. But if any thing happens worse to us, it is enough for us that we bear it evenly.

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Our own Death.

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And how if you were to die your felf? you know you muft. Only be ready for it, by the preparations, ad fines of a good life; and then it is the greatest good that cùm perveever happened to thee: elfe there is nothing that can vertito, Py comfort you. But if you have ferved God in a holy life, tag. fend away the women and the weepers, tell them it is as much intemperance to weep too much as to laugh too much, and when thou art alone, or with fitting company, die as thou fhouldft, but do not die impatiently, and like a fox catched in a trap. For if you fear death, you fhall never the more avoid it, but you make it miferable. Fannius that killed himself

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for fear of Death died as certainly as Porcia, that are burning Coals, or Cato, that cut his own Throat. To die is neceffary and natural, and it may be honourable; but to die poorly, and bafely, and finfully, that alone is it that can make a man unfortunate. No man can be a Slave, but he that fears Pain, or fears to die. To fuch a man nothing but chance and peaceable times can fecure his Duty, and he depends upon things without for his Felicity; and fo is well but during the pleasure of his Enemy, or a Thief, or a Tyrant, or it may be of a Dog, or a wild Bull.

Prayers for the feveral Graces and Parts
of Chriftian Sobriety.

A Prayer against fenfuality.

Eternal Father, thou that fitteft in Heaven, invefted with effential Glories and Divine perfections, fill my foul with fo deep a fenfe of the excellencies of fpiritual and heavenly things, that my affections being weaned from the pleasures of the world, and the false allurements of fun, I may with great feverity and the prudence of a holy discipline and strict defires, with clear refolutions and a free fpirit, have my converfation in Heaven and heavenly employment; that being in affections as in my condition a Pilgrim and a ftranger here, I may covet after and labour for an abiding City, and at last may enter into and for ever dwell in the Celestial Jerufalem, which is the mother of us all, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For Temperance.

Almighty God and gracious Father of Men and Angels, who openest thy hand and filleft all things with plenty, and haft provided for thy fervant fufficient to fatisfie all my needs; teach me to use thy creatures foberly and temperately, that I may not with

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loads of meat or drink make the temptations of my enemy to prevail upon me, or my fpirit unapt for the performance of my duty, or my body healthlefs, or my affections fenfual and unholy. O my God, never fuffer that the bleffings which thou givest me may either minifter to fin or fickness, but to health and holiness and thanksgiving, that in the ftrength of thy provifions I may chearfully and actively and diligently ferve thee, that I may worthily feaft at thy table here, and be accounted worthy, through thy grace to be admitted to thy table hereafter at the eternal fupper of the Lamb, to fing an Hallelujah to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft, for ever and ever. Amen.

For Chastity: to be faid efpecially by unmar-
ried perfons.

ALmighty God, our most holy and eternal Father,

who art of pure eyes, and canft behold no uncleannefs; let thy gracious and holy Spirit defcend upon thy fervant, and reprove the Spirit of Fornication and Uncleannefs, and caft him out, that my Body may be a holy Temple, and my Soul a Sanctuary to entertain the PRINCE of Purities, the holy and eternal Spirit of God. Olet no impure thoughts pollute that Soul which God hath fanctified; no unclean words pollute that tongue which God hath commanded to be an Organ of his praises; no unholy and unchaft action rend the veil of that Temple which the holy Jefus hath been pleased to enter, and hath chofen for his habitation: but feal up all my fenfes from all vain objects, and let them be entirely poffeffed with Religion, and fortified with prudence, watchfulness and mortification; that I, poffeffing my vessel in holiness, may lay it down with a holy hope, and receive it again in a joyful refurrection, through Jefus Christ our Lord.:

A Prayer

A Prayer for the Love of God, to be faid by Virgins and Widows, profeffed or refolved fo to live: and may be used by any one.

Holy and pureft Jefus, who wert pleafed to e fpoufe every holy Soul, and join it to thee with a holy Union and mysterious Inftruments of religious Society and Communications; O fill my Soul with Religion and defires, holy as the Thoughts of Cheru bim, paffionate beyond the love of Women; that İ may love thee as much as ever any Creature loved thee, even with all my Soul, and all my Faculties, and al the Degrees of every Faculty: Let me know no loves but those of Duty and Charity, Obedience and Devo tion; that I may for ever run after thee, who art the King of Virgins, and with whom whole Kingdoms are in love, and for whofe fake Queens have died, and at whofe Feet Kings with joy have laid their Crowns and Scepters. My Soul is thine, O dearest Jefs, thou art my Lord, and haft bound up my Eyes and Heart from all ftranger Affections; give me for my Dowry Purity and Humility, Modefty and De votion, Charity and Patience, and at laft bring mé into the Bridechamber to partake of the felicities, and to lie in the Bofom of the Bridegroom to eter nal Ages, O holy and sweetest Saviour Jefus. Amen. A Prayer to be faid by Married Perfons, in behalf of themselves and each other.

Eternal and gracious Father, who haft confecra

ted the holy Eftate of Marriage to become my fterious, and to reprefent the Union of Chrift and his Church, let thy holy Spirit fo guide me in the doing the Duties of this State, that it may not become a fin unto me; nor that Liberty which thou hast hallowed by the holy Jefus, become an occafion of licentiousnels by my own Weakness and Sensuality: and do thou for give all thofe irregularities, and too fenfual Applica tions which may have in any degree difcompofed my

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