Where do our views centre? In this world we are in; or in that we are going to? If our hopes and joys centre here, it is a mortifying thought, that we are every day "departing from our happiness;" but if they are fixed above, it is a joy to think that we are every day drawing nearer to the object of our highest wishes.

Is our main care to appear great in the eye of man, or good in the eye of God? If the former, we expofe ourfelves to the pain of a perpetual disappointment; for it is much, if the envy of men do not rob us of a great deal of our juft praife, or if our vanity will be content with that they allow us. But if the latter be our main care; if our chief view is to be approved of God, we are laying up a fund of the moft lafting and folid fatisfactions. Not to fay that this is the trueft way to appear great in the eye of men, and to conciliate the esteem of all those whofe praise is worth our wish.

"Be this then, O my foul, thy wife "and steady purfuit; let this circum"fcribe and direct thy views; be this a "law to thee, from which account it a "fin to depart, whatever difrespect or contempt it may expofe thee to from 3

others;

"others; be this the character thou re"folveft to live up to, and at all times "to maintain both in public and pri

vate†, viz. a friend and lover of God; "in whofe favour thou centerest all thy "prefent and future hopes. Carry this "view with thee through life, and dare "not in any inftance to act inconfiftently "with it."

CHAP. XVIII.

How to know the true State of our Souls ; and whether we are fit to die.

"LA

ASTLY, the most important point "of felf-knowledge, after all, is, to "know the true state of our fouls towards "God, and in what condition we are to "die."

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bave one

Όσα προτίθεται, τέτοις ως νόμοις, και ως ασεβήσων αν παραβης τι τελων, εμμενε. Οτι δ' αν έφη τις περί σε μη 150. Epict. Enchir. cap. 74.—What you wifely propofed to flick to, as a law not to be violateď without guilt. And mind not what others fay of you.

+ Ταξον, τινα ηδη χαρακτηρα σε αύλω, και τυπου, οι φυλαξης επι τε σεαύτε ων, και ανθρωποις εντυγχάνων. Identi cap. 40.-Fix your character, and keep to it, whether lone or in company.

These two things are infeparably connected in their nature, and therefore I put them together. The knowledge of the former will determine the latter, and is the only thing that can determine it; for no man can tell whether he is fit for death, till he is acquainted with the true ftate of his own foul.

This now is a matter of fuch vaft moment, that it is amazing any considerate man, or any one who thinks what it is to die, fhould reft fatisfied with an uncertainty in it. Let us trace out this important point then with all poffible plainnefs, and fee if we cannot come to fome fatiffaction in it upon the most folid principles.

In order to know then whether we are fit to die, we must first know "what it is "that fits us for death." And the anfwer to this is very natural and easy; viz. that only fits us for death, "that fits us "for happiness after death."

This is certain. But the queftion returns. "What is it that fits us for hap"pinefs after death ?"

Now, in answer to this, there is a previous question neceffary to be determined, viz. "What that happiness is?"

It is not a fool's paradife, or a Turkish dream of fenfitive gratifications. It must be a happiness suited to the nature of the foul, and what it is capable of enjoying in a ftate of feparation from the body. And what can that be, but the enjoyment of God, the best of beings, and the author of ours?

The question then comes to this, "What "is that which fits us for the enjoyment "of God in the future ftate of feparate "fpirits?"

And methinks we may bring this matter to a very fure and fhort iffue, by faying, it is that which makes us like to "him now." This only is our proper qualification for the enjoyment of him after death, and therefore our only proper preparation for death. For how can they, who are unlike to God here, expect to enjoy him hereafter? And if they have no juft ground to hope that they fhall enjoy God in the other world, how are they fit to die?

So that the great question, "Am I fit 66 to die?" refolves itself into this, "Am "I like to God?" for it is this only that fits me for heaven; and that which fits me for heaven is the only thing that fits for death.

Let

Let this point then be well searched into, and examined very deliberately and impartially.

Moft certain it is, that God can take no real complacency in any but those that are like him; and it is as certain, that none but those that are like him can take pleasure in him.-But God is a most pure and holy being; a being of infinite love, mercy, and patience; whofe righteousness is invariable, whofe veracity inviolable, and whose wisdom unerring. These are the moral attributes of the Divine Being, in which he requires us to imitate him; the exprefs lineaments of the Divine Nature, in which all good men bear a resemblance to him, and for the fake of which only they are the objects of his delight: for God can love none but those that bear this impress of his own image on their fouls. Do we find then these visible traces of the divine image there? Can we make out our likeness to him in his holiness, goodness, mercy, righteousness, truth, and wifdom? If fo, it is certain we are capable of enjoying him, and are the proper objects of his love. By this we know we are fit to die, because by this we know we are fit for happinefs after death.

Thus then, if we are faithful to our

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con