the world, and to make his life comfortable and happy-

We may be convinced of this truth, not only from the

testimony of Scripture, but from the reason and nature of

things-None more likely to obtain the blessing of health

than the religious man-By the practice of religion a man.

obtains a cheerful and contented mind, which is another

great blessing of life-The religious man has the justest

claim to peace, another great blessing highly conducive to

the happiness of life-A man whose mind is always dis-

cordant and out of tune may perhaps possess a plentiful share

of the good things of this world, but can have very little

enjoyment-A good man has much more reason to expect

and hope for dutiful and obedient children than a wicked

man-It is a great encouragement to parents to be very

careful in the education of their children, that they are

making provision for their own happiness, at the same time

that they are endeavouring to secure that of their children

-Should parents be disappointed in these their pious en-

deavours, they are laying up in store a good foundation of

comfort to themselves at least against the day of trouble

pp. 41-72

A PRAYER

pp. 72, 73

CHAPTER II.-The most which a life of sin and wickedness

promises its votaries, is to regale their senses for a little

time; it gives them no hopes beyond the grave, nor aims

at any thing further than a short-lived happiness-To a

good man Death is not the Great King of Terrors-The

hopes and expectations of glory, honour, and immortality

fortify the mind of a good Christian, and give him a courage

and resolution which even death itself is not able to shake

-Religion has been the support of good men in all ages-

Whoever leans upon any thing else will find that he trusts

to a broken reed, which will bend under him-A good life

is the sure pledge of a happy death-The miserable con-

dition of a wicked man when death approaches-The author

supposes the life of a dying person not to have been so

flagrant and vicious as to fill his mind with black and de-

spairing thoughts-Dreadful concern which such person

will labour under when he considers that he is leaving this

world, and going he knows not whither-What wise man

would not rather submit to the worst that could befal him

here in a short life, than run the least risk of going out of

this world under the terrors of a guilty conscience-What-

ever those, who are carried away by their lusts and pas-

sions, may think to the contrary, it is the utmost wisdom

of man to prepare for his latter end, by conducting him-

self according to the will of his great Creator-Death-

bed repentance Who can tell whether a man may

have time for repentance in the hour of death-Remember

that though you are now perhaps in health and strength, in

the prime and vigour of your years, surrounded with the

pleasures of a great and splendid fortune, yet the time is

coming, and (whether you think it or not) is speedily

approaching, when you must take your leave of all that is
desirable upon earth-Remarkable expressions uttered by
Mr. Kettlewell when he was near his death-End of a
good man-A wicked man in the hour of his dissolution

pp. 74-86

pp. 86-88

A PRAYER

CHAPTER III.-The state of the other world is a state so un-

known to us, and so much above our imperfect conceptions,

that we shall never be able fully to comprehend it till we

arrive at the actual enjoyment of it-All curious enquiries

into the precise nature of the happiness of the next life will

be of small use to us; they may fill our heads with fine

speculations, but will signify little to direct our practice-

There are some who would have us believe that, when we

leave this world, there is an end of us; upon enquiry these

will be found to be such who first live as if there was no

God, and then endeavour to persuade themselves and others

that there really is none-We are not left to the light of

nature to find out the weighty truth, not only that God is,

but that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him

-Whatever dark or imperfect notions the Jews as well as

Gentiles had of a future state, it is certain that life and

immortality is now brought to light by the Gospel-The

resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting, two great

articles of the Christian religion-The redemption of man-

kind was thought a design worthy of the Son of God-The

words of Archbishop Tillotson-Time itself is short, and the

time of mankind much shorter-Eternity has neither end

nor change, and every man is hastening to an eternal and

invariable state-What wise man would not rather submit

to the worst that could befal him here in this short life, than

run the least risk of offending Him on whom his welfare and

happiness must depend hereafter as well as at present, not

only in this life, but through all eternity-Many men are

so inflamed by their lusts and passions that they are seldom

cool enough for sober reflections-Vast disproportion be-

twixt time and eternity-The pleasures of sin at best are

but for a season, whereas its punishment is endless and in-

tolerable-Every one entreated frequently and seriously to

think upon the tremendous day of judgment, and that great
account they must then give; to consider with themselves
how their accounts stand with respect to another life-
Those who in pursuit of their unlawful pleasures have
plunged themselves in sensuality and wickedness en-
treated to pause a moment, and consider whither they are
going

A PRAYER

pp. 89-110

pp. 110-112

A MORNING PRAYER FOR A PERSON IN PRIVATE pp. 121-125

AN EVENING PRAYER FOR A PERSON IN PRIVATE

pp. 125-129

A PRAYER WHICH MAY Be added to THE DAILY EVEN-

ING PRAYER ON THE LORD'S DAY ..

A MORNING PRAYER FOR A YOUNG PERSON

pp. 130, 131

AN EVENING PRAYER FOR A YOUNG PERSON ..

APPENDIX A.-MISCELLANEOUS NOTES

pp. 141-159

Contents of this Appendix, p. 139.

APPENDIX B.-REMARKABLE PERSONS BURIED IN THE CLOIS-

ter under LINCOLN'S INN CHAPEL

Contents of this Appendix, pp. 161, 162.

pp. 163-191

APPENDIX C.-SHORT NOTICES OF PRELATES AND EMINENT

DIVINES WHO HAVE BEEN PREACHERS TO THE SOCIETY

OF LINCOLN'S INN

..

Contents of this Appendix, pp. 193-198.

pp. 197-291

APPENDIX D.-SERMONS PREACHED AT THE WARBURTONIAN

LECTURE IN LINCOLN'S INN CHAPEL WHICH HAVE BEEN

The Index in great part consists of matters not noticed in the Con-
tents of the different Appendices. Some of those matters are infor-
mation obtained whilst the sheets of the Appendices were passing
through the press.

17

MEMOIR OF WILLIAM MELMOTH,

THE AUTHOR OF THE GREAT IMPORTANCE OF A
RELIGIOUS LIFE CONSIDERED.

THERE is no kind of historical composition more instructive than those memoirs which record the virtues of departed merit, as they adorned the public, or the private, paths of civil society. The excellent person, who is the subject of the following essay, was eminently distinguished in both; and it is the purpose of the present attempt to delineate a sketch of his exemplary character.

The philosopher's wish, that he had a window in his breast, is, in a certain sense, realized on the present occasion; for, by a singular concurrence of circumstances, this good man may be traced into the most secret recesses of his closet, and the silent meditations of his mind laid open to the reader's inspection. Melmoth was accustomed from early youth to practise that tise that admirable preadmirable precept of the sacred writers, to ers, to commune with commune with our own heart; and it appears from an anonymous letter, found among his private papers, that he performed

B

Melmoth accustomed from his youth to prac

cept of the sacred writ

our own heart.