PREFACE.

IT has been very forcibly observed by the Author of "Holy Living and Dying," that "the consideration of Death is of great usefulness and great necessity to many purposes of Wisdom and the Spirit. All the successions of time, all the changes in nature, all the varieties in light and darkness, the thousand thousands of accidents in the world, and every contingency to every man, and to every creature, doth preach our funeral sermon, and calls us to look and see how the old sexton, Time, throws up the earth, and digs a grave, where we must lay our sins or our sorrows, and sow our bodies, till they arise again in a fair or in an intolerable eternity'."

Death is looked upon by many persons as the greatest of evils; and, indeed, it is so, to those of the rich who, like the foolish man in the Gospel,

1 Bishop Jeremy Taylor's Holy Living and Dying.

think of nothing but how to increase their worldly store, regardless of the shortness and uncertainty of life, and unprepared for that solemn account which they must one day give at the judgmentseat of Christ. Nor is it otherwise to those among the poor, whose only care is to provide for the things of the morrow, what they shall eat, what they shall drink, and wherewithal they shall be clothed. To the sons and daughters of pleasure, death is an evil; for it changes the notes of the harp and the viol, the tabret and pipe of their feasts, into the saddest sounds of mourning and woe. Indeed, to a very great portion of mankind, "living without God in the world," "minding earthly things," and dying in unprepared death is an evil; for it takes them away from those objects in which alone they delighted, and consigns them to that fearful state in which anguish and vexation of spirit must be their eternal portion.

"Death came into the world by sin;" but thanks be to God, life and immortality were brought to light by Jesus Christ our Lord, who, in his last discourse to his disciples, said, "Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me." But as "flesh

1 John xvii. 24.

and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption "," it was appointed, that these our frail and sinful bodies should be dissolved by death, that so at the resurrection they might be made "like unto Christ's glorious body, according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself." No longer, therefore, let death be dreaded as an evil by those sincere Christians who are about to put off this corruptible for incorruption, and this mortal for immortality, and who then exchange the pains and afflictions, the miseries and vexations, the infirmities, temptations, and sins of this present world, for an eternally fixed state of perfect peace, purity, and happiness in a glorified existence. Was death an evil, or was it not the greatest good to such Christians as Hooker, Herbert, Hall, Sancroft, and Usher? Every disciple of Christ, however humble his condition, may now rejoice in the assurance, "Thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers." While death is, therefore, the greatest of all evils to those who, being enemies to God, are consigned to an eternity of sorrow, it is the highest good to all those Christians who are meet for heaven, seeing that it

21 Cor. xv. 50.

translates them to their inheritance with the saints in light. What makes the difference between the two classes thus described? Why is death to one part of mankind the greatest of blessings, to the other the greatest of evils? It is because the former are prepared, the latter unprepared for death. Is it not of the greatest importance, that we immediately ascertain what is the nature of that preparation so necessary to a happy death? We will therefore suppose, that you are anxiously desiring to know what are some of those rules which may guide you in the performance of a work which, under the Divine blessing, may lead you to a happy death, and a glorious resurrection.

The first rule to be observed in the preparation for a happy death is, that we have a lively faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and in the efficacy of his atonement. Every one who feels that he has greatly offended God and entertains a sincere repentance for past sins, will earnestly desire forgiveness. The soul oppressed with a sense of sin will accept with gratitude the offer of pardon on condition of putting her trust in One who is mighty to save. This faith, which appears most necessary, and to many most difficult, will, no doubt, be more easily attained by those who have not been strangers to the tears of penitence. An established faith in

God the Saviour will convey comfort in sorrow, patience under tribulation, and resignation to the will of God: it will also supply motives to duty, and arguments for perseverance. The trials and temptations of the last hour are frequently very great, and we ought not to expect to be "more than conquerors" in our own power: it is only by Him who has said, "My grace is sufficient for thee," that "strength is made perfect in weakIf we build up ourselves on our most holy faith, in "the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting," our Saviour's words will become to us a reality: "the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not for it was founded upon a rock "."

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The second rule necessary to a prudent and safe preparation for a better world is, that we show the sincerity of our faith by the endeavour to lead a life of holiness while we have time and opportunity. We endeavour to lead a life of holiness when we strive to bring our motives, thoughts, words, and actions, into unison with the precepts and doctrines of God's holy word. No one has any just reason to expect that he shall"die the death of the righteous" who con

32 Cor. xii, 9.

* Jude 20.

5 Matt. vii. 25.