understand what could concern them. The same
Words Nazianzen uses at the exequies of his Sitter Gor-
gonia, and in the former inve&tive against Julian : But
this was upon another Reason ; even because it was
uncertain what the state of Separation was, and whe-
ther our Dead perceive any thing of us till we Mall
meet in the Day of Judgment. If it was uncertain
then, it is certain, since that time we have had no
new Revelation concerning it; but it is ten to one but
when we die we shall find the state of Affairs wholly
differing from all our Opinions here, and that no Man
or Se& hath guessed any thing at all of it as it is. Here
I intend not to dispute, but to persuade: And therefore
in the general, if it be probable that they know or feel
the Benefits done to them, though but by a reflex Re-
velation from God, or some under-Communication
from an Angel, or the stock of acquired notices here
below, it may the rather endear us to our Charities or
Duties to them respectively; fince our Virtues use not
to live upon Abitra&tions and metaphysical Perfe-
&tions or Inducements,
but then thrive when “Ηλθε δ' η ψυχή ΠαξοκλhΟ δειλοίο,
they have material Ar-

και μιν ασχός μυθον έειπεν,
guments,
9, such which, ou rukes me ale acto atidis, kaina Savoro.

Εύδεις, αυτας έμειο λελασμένα έπλου, Αχιλλές και are not too far from

Iliad. f. ř. 65, 69. Sense. However it be, it is certain they are not dead; and though we no more see the Souls of our dead Friends than we did when they were alive, yet we have reason to believe them to know more things and better : And if our Sleep be an Image of Death, we may also observe concerning it, that it is a state of Life so separate from Communications with the Body, that it is one of the ways of Oracle and Prophecy,, by which the Soul

i “Η και τα ανθρώπε ψυχή τότε δίπε θαcτάτη best declares her Immor. Xalapaire; aj Torte Tous les menutav Wessão tality, and the nobleness TÓTE, wis énixe ucnise end ep8]. Cyrus of her A&ions and Powers, apud Xenoph. lib. 8. Inftitut. if the cou'd get free from the Body, (as in the state of Separation) or a clear Dominion over it, (as in the Resurrection.) To which allo

103.

-- Tię "63 a, this Confideration may be added, that Men a long eiv aid zo do time live the Life of Sense; before they use their Rea

cidencv, d.- fon; until they have furnish'd their Heads with exs Tre ogivaç periments and notices of many Things, they cannot xx ive case peo at all discourse of any thing : But when they come to Iliad 4. x. use their Reason, all their knowledge is nothing but

Remembrance; and we know by Proportions, by Similitudes and Dislimilitudes, by Relations and Oppofitions, by Causes and Effe&s, by comparing Things with Things, all which are nothing but Operations of Understanding upon the ttock of former Notices, of fomething we knew before, nothing but Remembrances: All the Heads of Topicks, which are the stock of all Arguments and Sciences in the World, are a certain Demonftration of this; and he is the wiselt Man that remembers moft, and joins those Remembrances together to the best purposes of Discourse. From whence it may not be improbably gathered, that in the state of Separation, if there be any A &t of Understanding, that is, if the Understanding be alive, it must be relative to the notices it had in this World; and therefore the A&ts of it must be Discourses upon all the Parts and Persons of their Conversation and Relation, excepting only such new Revelations which may be communicated to it; concerning which we know nothing. But if by seeing Socrates I think upon Plato, and by feeing a Pi. Aure I remember a Man, and-by beholding two Friends I remember my own and my Friend's Need, (and he is wiselt that draws moft Lines from the fame Centre, and moft Discourfes from the fame Notices) it cannot but be very probable to believe, fince the separate Souls understand better, if they understand at all, that from the notices they carry'd from hence, and what they find there equal or unequal to thofe notices, they can better discover the things of their Friends than we can here by our Conjectures and craftieft Imaginations; and yet many Men here can guess Mrewdly at the Thoughts and Designs of such Men with whom they discourse, or of whom they have heard, or whose Characters they prudently have perceived. I have no other end in this Discourse, but

that

that we may be engaged to do our Duty to our Dead; left peradventure they fou'd perceive our Neglect, and be witnefles of our transient Affections and Forgetfulness. Dead Persons have Religion passed upon them, and a solemn Reverence : And if we think a Ghost beholds us, it may be we may have upon us the Impresfions likely to be made by Love, and Fear, and Religion. However, we are sure that God lees us, and the World sees us : And if it be matter of Duty towards our Dead, God will exact it; if it be matter of Kindness, the World will; and as Religion is the Band of that, fo Fame and Reputation is the Endearment of this.

It remains, that we who are alive should fo live, and by the A&tions of Religion attend the coming of the Day of the Lord, that we neither be surprized nor leave our Duties imperfect, nor our Sins uncanceld, nor our Persons unreconcil'd, nor God unappeased : But that when we descend to our Graves, we may rest in the Bofom of the Lord, till the Mansions be prepared where we shall ting and feast eternally. Amen.

1

THE
C Ο Ν Τ T E N T

S.

p. ibid.

A

CHAP. I. Reasons for a daily Examination,
General Preparation to- The Benefits of this Exercise, 45
wards' a holy and blef Sect. I11. Of exercising Charity
sed Death, by way of during our whole Life,

51
Confideration. pag. I Se&. IV. General Considerations,
Se&. I. Consideration of the va to inforce the former Practices,
nity and poortness of Man's

54
Life,

ibid. The Circumstances of a dying
Se&. II. The Confideration" re Man's Sorrow and Danger; 55
duced to Practice,

8
Se&. III. Rules and Spiritual CHĄ P. III.

Arts of lengthening our Days,
and to take off the Objection of Of the Temptations inci-

a foort Life,
Sect. IV. Consideration of the ness, with their proper Re-
- Miseries of Man's Life, 27 medies,

59
Sect. V. The Confideration re Se&. I. Of the State of Sickness,
duced Practice.
33

ibid.
Sect. II. Of Impatience, 62
CHAP. II. Se&. III. Constituent or integral

Parts of Patience,

65
A

General Preparation to Se&. IV. Remedies againft In-

wards a holy and blessed patience, by way of Considera-
Death, by way of Exercise, 37 tion,

67
Sect. I. Three Precepts prepara- Se&. V. Remedies against Im-

tory to a holy Death, to be pra patience, by way of Exercise,
etised in our whole Life, ibid.

75
Se&. II. Of daily Examination of Se&. VI. Advantages of Sickness,
bar Actions in the whole course

80
of our Health, preparatory to Three appendent Considerations,
Our Death-bed,

81, 82, 83

Sea,