leave it intirely to Almighty God to choose for me! This I have heartily endeavoured, and do yet, and will endeavour, as long as breath is left in me; and will beg of God to help my infirmities, and enable me to do it as I ought; as likewife, that whenever he takes me hence, he will take me to himself.

A Prayer for an intire Refignation to the Divine Will.

GRANT me, O Lord, a ready and conftant fubmiffion to thy most boly, most just, and righteous Will, that whatever becomes of me, I may always look up to thee, as the Supreme Author of all events; may fee thy band in every thing that befals me; and may comfort myself to think, that, in all my troubles and difficulties, I bave yet a good and gracious God to take care of me. It is unspeakable love in thee, to concern. thyfelf for us poor mortals, finful duft and afbes: yet, fince thou dost not difdain to charge thy good Providence with us, and our affairs, never fuffer any of us, I befeech thee, to make fo ill use of thy condefcenfion, as to fhew ourselves diffatisfied at any of thy most adverse difpenfations towards us; but to believe they will certainly turn to our advantage, if we be difpofed to receive them as we ought. Be with me in particular, and fa guide and over-rule all my defires, that they may be intirely fubject to thy determination; that I may take patiently all thou layeft upon me; and whether thou defigneft me for life or death, this or the other world, I may reft affured, that thou knoweft how to chufe for me, far better than I can for myself; and may be eafy and contented in whatever condition, praying, after the example of our bleffed Lord, Not my will, but thine be done. Grant this, O Father, for the fake of the fame thy Son our Lord and Saviour, Amen.

Another,

Another, for an easy Departure hence.

ND may it feem good in thy fight, O gracious Lord, to foften the pains of my prefent fickness, and approaching agonies, and to grant me a gentle v paffage through the gate of death. Thou knowest the weakness and frailly of human nature: Oh, that it may pleafe thee to lay no heavier load upon me, than is necessary for me! but grant me a favourable and happy departure out of this miserable world, that I may die with a quiet mind, and a peaceful confcience, and no exceffive nor lafting bodily pains. This my own fears prefs me to beg of thee, and I do it accordingly; but yet with all fubmiffion to thy most boly Will, which I pray may be done, tho' thou shouldeft have determined otherwife concerning me. Only then I beseech thee to furnish me with patience, and support me with spiritual comforts, and not fuffer my ghoftly enemy to terrify and maleft me. And the nearer I come to my diffolution, the more plentifully do thou manifeft thy mercy towards me, through Jefus Chrift my dear Redeemer, and only Lord and Saviour. Amen.

Another, for a Tranflation into a better State. AND, when I take leave of this earthly body, receive

me, I beg, into thy favour. Give thy holy angels charge over me, to conduct me fafe into thy kingdom, and place me amongst the faints in light, in the bofom of Jefus. Watch over me for good; take my foul unto thyself, washed and cleanfed in the blood of Chrift. And grant, at length, to this decaying body, a blessed refurrection, and reunion to its former companion, that both foul and body may be glorified together; and that I may everlastingly praise and magnify thy boly Name, founding forth eternal ballelujahs, and faying with thofe in the Apocalypfe, BLESSING, AND HONOUR, AND GLORY, AND POWER, BE TO HIM THAT SITTETH UPON THE THRONE, AND TO THE LAMB, FOR EVER AND EVER. Amen.

Theoph.

Theoph. I make no queftion, Anchitbanes, but you really labour after the bleffed frame of mind, and the happy tranflation hence, you fo heartily pray for. But we must now take our leaves of you and I be feech Almighty God to fend you a quiet night, and to have you always in his protection, whether living or dying.

Eufeb. We ought, indeed, to be going; but that I fee Theodorus coming, and it will be fit to ftay and join with him in prayer for our worthy friend.

Anchith. I beg this piece of friendship of you both; for I have great need of the prayers of all my friends. Theod. Peace be to this boufe, and all that dwell in it. Theoph. We were juft leaving Anchithanes to his reft, having fufficiently tired him with a long vifit; but, feeing you coming, we refolved to tarry a little longer, and offer up our prayers with you on his behalf, for his recovery, if it feem good to the Divine Wisdom; or else for his admission into eternal happi nefs.

Theod. Then, if you please, we will begin.

Theoph. As foon as you pleafe, Theodorus; for it is more than time we were gone.

Theod. I will not keep you any longer.

Prayers being ended, the others withdraw, leaving Theodorus alone with Anchithanes; who, after a little feasonable and pious advice, left bim too.

The End of the Fifth VISIT.

The Sixth VISIT.

Eufeb.Imotheus and Philogeiton, you come very

T feasonably. I was juft going to call upon

Theophilus, that we might make good our promise to Anchithanes, at whofe house we expected to meet

you.

Timotheus.

Timotheus. We are ready to attend you.

Eufeb. Here Theophilus is coming, and another with him.

Theoph. Well met, Sirs. Here is a messenger from Anchithanes, to acquaint me, that he is much changed fince yesterday, and feems to be very near his end.

Timoth. Then, if you please, let us lofe no time, that we do not come too late.

Theoph. He was very weak, and his fpirits low and faint, yesterday; and, if he be much altered fince, he cannot be expected to laft long; fo that, if we would hope to do him any service, we ought to make what hafte we can.

Philog. Pray let us. And if we should not be able to do him any kindnefs, yet it will be a confiderable kindness to ourselves, to behold a fpectacle of mortality; that will naturally put us in mind of our own frailty, and the uncertainty of this tranfitory life.

Theoph. It is no fmall piece of wisdom to number our days aright. And nothing tends more to put us upon this, than to fee others, of the like frame and conftitution with ourselves, ftruggling for breath, and at length giving up the ghoft.

Timoth. This must put us upon reflecting what is like to become of us, when we leave this world, and follow them; and, by confequence, upon preparing for our change, wich may poffibly be much nearer to fome or all of us, than we apprehend.

Eufeb. We cannot be too fenfible of the reafon we all have to look forward to another life, and to get our fouls in a readiness for death, which is the only paffage into it; and which if it fhould feize us unprepared, we must look to have the door eternally fhut against us.

Serv. Will you please to walk in? My master is ex• tremely weak; and, if you had ftay'd a little longer, you would hardly have found him alive.

Theoph.

Theoph. We came to that end; and I pray God w may find him in a condition to be difcourfed with.

Serv. His understanding is found and well, bu his fpirits fink apace, so that it is but little you cai expect him to say.

Theoph. Anchithanes, we are come now as we pro mised. Pray how are you to-day?

Anchith. Weak, very weak.

Eufeb. God be thanked, you are yet alive; and lik to be happy, I trust, either in this, or the other world. Anchith. As it fhall please God. I am in his hand; and he orders all things, and knows what is beft for me and whatfoever he fhall determine concerning 'me, I fhall think beft.

Timoth. You judge, and fpeak, as becomes a goo Christian. What Almighty God does, being always the effect of infinite Wisdom and Goodness, is alway beft. And it is therefore by much a prudenter and fafer course, to give ourselves up to his disposal, that to chufe for ourselves, whatever the cafe be.

Anchith. I am abundantly fatisfied it is: and this makes me very easy. And, I thank God, I do mot heartily fay for myself, as Eli did, upon Samuel's heavy meffage to him; (t) It is the Lord: let bim do whe feemeth him good. I am coming, O my God: prepare me, I beseech thee, for the everlasting enjoyment o thee; that I may live with thee for ever, and eternally found forth thy praifes.

Philog. I truft in God you will.

Anchith. I would gladly take leave of my family. and leave some parting advice with them, before ! am taken from them; and, to that end, have fent for them in. But I find I muft reft awhile, I am fo much spent with that little I have now said.

Theoph. Very well moved! this being a time when fuch advice is like to make the deepeft impreffion upon them, and may, not improbably, be of everlafting advantage to them.