I will therefore hear what the Lord will say to me; what He meaneth by this visitation. And your first care must be to see wherein you have offended God, that you may ask His pardon, and obtain His favour, without which, whether you live or die, you will be miserable. For consider what a fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God, who can destroy both body and soul in hell, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. You may indeed strive to put these thoughts out of your mind; but death will come, and a judgment will follow, and you will be for ever miserable, whether you think of these things or not, if you die in your sins unrepented of. And therefore for your soul's sake, be advised to consider your ways while you have life and health; and if ever you have been guilty of adultery, or fornication, or uncleanness, or hatred, or wrath, or strife, or sedition, or drunkenness; remember what the Scripture saith, They who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God1. Judge therefore yourself, that you may not be condemned of the Lord. Cry to God for pardon, resolve to amend where you have done amiss, to live more carefully, to avoid temptations, and to pray constantly to God for grace to overcome them. And if you have wronged any man by deceit, by hard bargains, by force, or taking advantage of the necessities of your poor brother, this is the time to make him amends, if it is in your power: or else hope for no favour from God2. And as you expect favour from Him, be ready to forgive all that have injured you. If you have tempted others to sin, do what you can to persuade them to repentance; tell them how much you are afflicted for your sins, and that this will be their own case, unless they die suddenly, or are hardened through the deceitfulness of sin; both which are dreadful judgments indeed. If you have neglected the means of grace, by not going constantly to God's house to hear His word, to receive the holy Sacrament, to pray for His blessing, and to give Him thanks for His mercies; confess your offences, and resolve if you live to become a New Man. 1 Gal. v. 19. 21 Thess. iv. 6. But whether you live or die, endeavour by all means to make your peace with God; and consider what a mercy it is that you have time and warning to do so; and this will help you to take your affliction patiently; for the severest pains are not so terrible to a sinner as a sudden death'. Let neither the greatness nor the number of your offences make you despair of mercy; for if you turn to God with all 1 John vi. your heart, He will receive you 1. 87. Consider that no man on earth can expect pardon for his own sake, but only for the sake of Jesus Christ, who came into the world to save sinners, even the greatest of sinners. And there is joy in the presence of God over one sinner that repenteth. So that you may say with Job, Though He kill me, 2 Job xiii. yet will I trust in Him 2. 15. Only be very careful that you do not trust in God's mercy without a true sorrow for your sins, and a sincere purpose of amendment. And do not think that you are safe because the world knoweth no ill of you, for God knoweth the heart. Pray therefore to Him to give you a true sense of your errors, and grace to repent of them, and faith in Jesus Christ, that for His sake your sins may be forgiven, and your pardon sealed in heaven, before you go hence, and be no more seen. Pray for yourself, and remember the promise of God, Call upon Me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou 3 Ps. 1. 15. shalt glorify Me3. And be sure to send for the minister of God, that he may pray for and instruct you. This is the Apostle's advice; and you may look for a blessing upon his prayers. If God hath blessed you with goods honestly gotten, shew your thankfulness to Him, by giving cheerfully, and according to your ability, to the poor. When you make your will, let the laws and a good conscience direct you, that after your death there may be as little strife as possible amongst your relations. If you are poor, and leave a poor family behind you, let not that afflict you; but remember, that although you die, yet the goodness of God endureth for ever. Only pray both for yourself and them, that God may give you the blessings y [Add, "i. e. A death which a man is not provided for."] of the next life, though He thinks fit to deny you the good things of this. If your affliction should continue long, do not however send to the devil for help; that is, to such as make use of charms. Rather think with yourself, that God knoweth best how long to chasten you; and that it is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord1. If God shall think fit to restore you to health, do not grow careless as you begin to recover; do not forget the terrors of your sick bed, nor the good purposes you then made; but remember that it was God that afflicted you, and He can in one moment bring you into the same condition, or to the grave, without the gracious warnings you have had before. Therefore be most earnest with God for grace, that you may for the time to come live a sober, a righteous, and a godly life. To this end put on holy resolutions of praying daily for grace and strength; of observing the Lord's Day; of obeying the good motions of God's Spirit; of never going against your conscience, or the known laws of God; of striving against those sins which you have formerly been guilty of, and of repenting speedily of those sins which through frailty you shall fall into. And then whenever God shall call for you, you may hope for a happy death, and expect with assurance a blessed resurrection. 1 Lan. iii. 26. A Prayer in Time of Affliction. a ALMIGHTY GOD, the author of life and death, I do submit my will to Thine, stedfastly believing that all Thy corrections are the effects of Thy love, by which we are convinced that nothing in heaven or on earth can save usb besides Thee. Grant, O Lord, that what I now suffer may help forward my salvation. Help me to know mine offences, to confess my sins unto Thee, to abhor the evil of my ways, and to resolve 2 ["I do desire and beg that I may be able to submit my will to Thine."] a [Add, "help and."] 128 PLAIN AND SHORT DIRECTIONS AND PRAYERS. upon a new life, that Thou mayest have mercy upon me, and save my soul. Lord, increase my faith, that I may believe Thy promise of pardon and peace to penitent sinners; confirm my love to Thee and to all mankind, that when I die, I may die in perfect charity; deal with me in this mine affliction, as to Thee seems most meet, only deliver me not into the bitter pains of eternal death, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. [Memoranda.] Infinit are the number of such as are ruin'd for want of Conscientious Parents. Religion as necessary for every one who wd be saved as meat and drink for one who would not be starved to death. Grace before meat and after. Have a care of eating that meat wch God has not blessed. THE KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE OF CHRISTIANITY MADE EASY TO THE MEANEST CAPACITIES: OR, AN ESSAY TOWARDS AN INSTRUCTION FOR THE INDIANS. WHICH WILL LIKEWISE BE OF USE TO ALL SUCH CHRISTIANS AS HAVE NOT WELL CONSIDERED THE MEANING OF THE RELIGION THEY PROFESS; OR, WHO PROFESS TO KNOW GOD, BUT IN WORKS DO DENY HIM. IN NINETEEN DIALOGUES. TOGETHER WITH Directions and Prayers FOR THE HEATHEN WORLD, MISSIONARIES, CATECHUMENS, PRIVATE PERSONS, FAMILIES, OF PARENTS FOR THEIR CHILDREN, FOR SUNDAYS, &c. WILSON. BY THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, THOMAS, LORD BISHOP OF SODOR AND MAN. K |