THE

PREFACE.

T

HE Defign of the following Treatife is, to awaken in the Minds of unthinking Men, a ferious Senfe of Religion and a true Concern for the Intereft of their immortal Souls: a Defign, at all Times feasonable and neceffary, but more especially at this Time, when we fee fuch Numbers of Perfons carried away with the Love of Pleafure, and fuch Arts invented and Methods used to gratify their corrupt and vicious Tafte.

Whoever reflects, with a due Concern, upon the Exceffes and Debaucheries which have overspread this Nation, and has any Regard for the Honour of God, and the Intereft of that Holy Religion which Chrift Jefus came down from Heaven to eftablish upon the Earth, will eafily be perfuaded to think, that all Endeavours poffible ought to be used, to stem the

Torrent

Torrent of Wickedness that is broken in upon us, and to prevent the mischievous Effects of the public Diversions, which the Generality of People are grown fo fond of; I mean the Masquerades and Plays: thofe Seminaries of Vice and Irreligion, where every Thing is contrived to inflame the Paffions and corrupt the tender Minds of young Perfons; and which, I am perfuaded, have greatly contributed to that general Neglect of God and Religion, which is fo vifible amongst us.

Whether any Thing that is here offered, will be effectual to draw Men off from the Love of those deceitful Varities, I cannot fay: but fure I am (if the Scripture is to be the Rule of our Practice, as moft undoubtedly it is), it must be the Duty of every one, not only to take care that he give no Encouragement by his Example, to thefe licentious and ensnaring Entertainments (to which I doubt not but many owe their fatal Miscarriages), but to do what in him lies, to diffuade others, especially those under his Care, from reforting to Places of fo much Danger and Infection.

It must be confeffed, that it is no eafy Matter to prevail on those who are carried away by the falfe Maxims and Practice of a corrupt and debauched

I

debauched World, to renounce their fenfual Gratifications, for the more refined Pleafures of Virtue and Religion: However, the difficulty of the Work bould not difcourage any one from attempting it. I have therefore endeavoured, according to my Ability, to lay before the Reader, in the following pages, the Ad vantages attending a good Life; in Hope, that whoever feriously confiders what is there urged, will be convinced, there is no Pleafure to be compared with that of a good Confcience; and that Religion really is, what it was defigned by the great Author of it to be, the only folid Foundation of our prefent, as well as future, Happiness.

I am fenfible that what is there offered, hath been with much greater Advantage inculcated in many of thofe excellent Difcourfes, which are already extant: yet, when I confider how much Good has been done by thofe Small Traits, which have been printed and dif perfed of late Years, I am encouraged to hope that this little Treatife may be of fome Service; as a check at least, to that prodigious Thirst after fenfual Pleafures, which feems to be the Disease of the present Age, and which muft undoubtedly defroy the Love of God wherever it prevails.

I have

1 bave added fome Prayers at the End of this Book, not with an Intention to prescribe to any one, but to affift those who are not furnifhed with better Helps; well knowing how important a Duty Prayer is, and how highly neceffary it is for every good Chriftian to be frequent in bis Addreffes to the Throne of Grace, if ever be expects the Favour of God, and hopes to find GRACE to help him in Time of Need.

May God of his great Goodness give a Bleffing to thefe weak Endeavours, and make them inftrumental to His Glory, and the Good of Souls!

THE

GREAT IMPORTANCE

FA

RELIGIOUS LIFE.

W

CHA P. I.

HAT muft I do to be faved? was a Question, which the trembling and aftonished Jailer put to Paul and Silas, when he faw the Prifon-Doors opened in a miraculous Manner: a Question of the utmost Moment and Importance, and which it nearly concerns us all to be well refolved in. For, if there be a Life after this, and we do not die like the Beasts that perish; if Death does not put a final Period to our Beings; but when this fhort Life is ended, we enter upon the Regions of Eternity, and fhall be for ever happy or miferable, according