You believe that he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried.

Are you not then hereby convinced what a sad state man was in, when God could not be reconciled to him, till his own Son had suffered what man had deserved to suffer?

And do not you see, at the same time, that no true penitent need despair, since here is a sufficient price paid for our redemption?

Neither ought you to doubt, that God will deny us any thing, since he spared not his own Son, but gave him up for us all.

Do you therefore place all your hopes of mercy in Christ's death, and in the promises of God, for his sake, made to us?

Will you endeavour to follow the example of your Lord and Saviour, who bore with submission and patience whatever God thought fit to lay upon him?

And will you remember that he did so, though his very judge found no fault in him? But we suffer justly, for we receive the due rewards of our deeds.

And lastly, you will do well to remember the dying words of our Saviour; and when you come to die, commend your spirit into the hands of God.

You believe that Jesus Christ rose again the third day from the dead.

Why then you are sure that his sufferings and death were well pleasing to God, who otherwise would not have raised him to life again.

And though your soul, when you die, shall go into an unknown world; yet, if you die in the favour of God, you will have the same God to take care of you that Jesus Christ had.

And lastly, you are hereby assured that God, who raised Christ from the dead, will also quicken our mortal bodies; for so he hath declared in his word.

Since you believe that Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, you must conclude, that all power in heaven and in earth is committed unto him.

And can there be greater comfort for a sinner than this; that he who died for us is ever with God, pleading the cause of his poor creatures that come unto God by him?

Though therefore, for your own sake, you cannot look for favour, yet for Jesus' sake you may, who ever liveth to make intercession for us.

Will you therefore endeavour to set your heart above, where your Saviour is?

And that you may do so more earnestly, remember your Saviour's words when he was leaving the world: I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am, ye may be also. You believe, that Jesus Christ shall come to judge both the quick and the dead.

If you believe this so truly as you ought to do, you will take care to judge yourself beforehand, that you may not be condemned of the Lord, when he cometh to judge the world in righteousness.

Will you therefore examine your life, and see wherein you have offended, that you may repent, and make your peace with God, remembering, that as death leaves you, judgment will find you?

However, you have this to comfort your soul, if you are sincerely penitent, that he who knows our infirmities, he who died to redeem us, is to be our judge.

And God grant that you may find mercy in that great day.

You profess to believe in the Holy Ghost, to whom you were dedicated in baptism, and by which you were sealed to the day of redemption.

Now, if you have grieved this holy Spirit, and by wicked works have driven him from you, you must sadly repent of it, and earnestly pray God to restore him, without whose aid you can never be sanctified, never be happy.

And when you call yourself to an account, consider whether you have lived in obedience to those whom the Holy Ghost hath set over you; that is, the ministers of the gospel.

Do you propose to live and die in the communion of this church in which you were baptised?

Our Lord tells you what a blessing it is to be a member of that church, of which he is the head.

I am (saith he) the vine, ye are the branches; as the branches cannot bear fruit unless they abide in the vine, no more can ye, unless ye abide in me.

In short, a member of Christ's church has a right to the forgiveness of sins,-to the favour of God,-to the merits of Christ, to the assistance of the Holy Ghost,-and to the ministry of the holy angels :-blessings which you can never be sufficiently thankful for.

Do

you firmly believe that God, in consideration of

Christ's sufferings, will forgive all such as with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him?

But then you must consider, that forgiveness of sins is to be hoped for only in God's own way, that is, by the ministry of those to whom God has committed the word of reconciliation.

And that the promise of forgiveness of sin should be no pretence for continuing in sin in hopes of pardon.

Do you believe that we shall all rise again, some to everlasting happiness, and some to everlasting misery?

If this faith be in you of a truth, it will convince you of the vanity of this world, its profits, pleasures, honours, fame, and its idols; so that you will not, as unbelievers do, look for your portion here.

Do not you see what a mercy it is when God punisheth sinners in this life, since they whose punishment is deferred till the next must suffer everlastingly?

And if the difficulties of repentance and an holy life affright you, consider this one thing, Who can dwell with everlasting burnings?

Remember the words of Christ to the penitent thief,This day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Let the expectation of that happy day, and a faith and hope full of immortality, make you diligent to make your calling and election sure, and sweeten all the trouble and difficulties of doing it.

And may Almighty God strengthen and increase your faith, that you may die in this belief, and in the peace and communion of the church. Amen.

The sick Christian having thus professed his faith in God, the next thing necessary to be inquired into is, the truth of his repentance. The church therefore orders, that now the minister shall examine (not exhort him to it only) whether he repent him truly of all his sins.

And verily the church in this consulted the necessities of sick persons, who are not able to attend to long exhortations, and are too apt to forget what is said to them after that manner; and may be brought to know the true state of their souls by examining them, that is, by short, plain, and proper questions ; of which hereafter.

In the mean time a prudent pastor will find himself obliged (here) to consider more particularly the circumstances of the person with whom he has to do, that he may examine his repentance accordingly.

For instance, Christians are not always sensible of their own ailments.

First, Some are very ignorant, and know not why they live, or what will become of them when they die.

Secondly, Some are vainly confident, and must be humbled.

Thirdly, Some are too much dejected, and must be comforted.

Fourthly, Some are hardened, and must be awakened. Fifthly and lastly, Such as hope to recover will be apt to put off their repentance, and reject the counsel of God for their good.

Now, something in all these cases should be said, to dispose the sick to a sincere repentance.

1. To such as are very ignorant.

Such as are ignorant should be made sensible, that this life is a state of trial, and a passage only to another.

That God has given men reason and conscience, and has also given them laws to walk by.

That after this life we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, who will render to every man according to his deeds.

That such as have done good, shall go into life everlasting; and such as have done evil into everlasting misery. And that thus it will be, whether men lay these things to heart or not.

And the only comfort a sinner has is this, that God for Christ's sake will accept his sincere repentance.

I require you, therefore, as you value your soul, to make your peace with God speedily. And that you may know wherein you have offended, I will set before you the law of God, to the end you may judge yourself, and call on God for mercy, as often as I shall put you in mind of any sin you have been guilty of.

2. To such as are vainly confident.

Such as are confident of their own righteousness, or depend upon an outward profession of Christianity, should be put in mind of our Lord's words to the Pharisees k: Ye are they that justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts.

They should be told, that the publican who durst not

i Romans ii. 6.

Luke xvi. 15.

lift up his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful unto me a sinner, returned justified before him who thought too well of himself.

And that our Lord invited such only as were weary and heavy laden to come to him, because these only are prepared to become his true disciples.

Thou sayest that thou art rich, and hast need of nothing, (saith our Lord to the church of Laodicea,) and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked1.

You see how sad a thing it is to have too good an opinion of one's self.

And it is only because Christians do not consider the many duties that they have omitted, and the many sins they have been guilty of, that makes them speak peace to their souls.

In the laws of God, therefore, which I am going to set before you, you will see, as in a glass, the charge that is against you; and I require you to judge yourself, as you expect favour from God.

3. To such as want comfort, being dejected.

And first, if the sick person is under agonies of mind, on account of some great sin, or wickedness long lived in, a prudent pastor will not too hastily speak peace to him; he will rather endeavour that he may continue to sorrow after a godly sort: that is, not so much for having offended against a God who can destroy both body and soul in hell, but as having offended a gracious Father, a merciful Saviour, and an holy Spirit.

Such a sorrow as this will not lessen a Christian's horror for sin, but will make him more humble, more fearful of offending;-acknowledging God's justice and his own unworthiness, but yet resolving to lay hold of the promises of mercy, for Christ's sake, to penitent sinners.

But then, there being a sorrow that worketh death, making sinners impatient, doubting God's goodness, questioning his promises, neglecting repentance ;-such a sorrow is to be resisted and discouraged, as a temptation of the Devil, being the effect of pride, and of an unwillingness to submit to God.

But if the sick person's sorrow proceeds, as it too often does, from mistakes concerning God: the extent of Christ's sufferings; the unpardonableness of some sins, and some

Revelation iii, 17.
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