392 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS And, at death, your souls shall' go to Christ; and at the day of judgment, both soul and body shall be justified and glorified, and enter into your Master's joy. All this the poorest beggar of you that is converted shall certainly and endlessly enjoy. H. If you will be converted and saved, be much in secret, serious consideration. inconsiderateness undoes the world. Withdraw yourselves often into secrecy, and meditate on the end for which you were made ; on the life you have lived ; the time you have lost; the sins you have committed; on the love, and sufferings, and fullness, of Christ; on the danger you are in; on the nearness of death and judgment; and on the certainty and excellency of the joys of hea- ven ; and on the certainty and terror of the torments of hell, and eternity of both ; and on the necessity of conversion and a holy life. III. If you would be converted and saved, attend upon the word of God, which is the ordinary means. Read the scripture, or hear it read, and other holy writings, which do- apply to it, constantly ; and attend on the public preaching of the word. As God will lighten the world by the sun, and not by himself alone without it ; so will he convert and save men by his ministers, who are the lights of the world. When he has miraculously humbled Paul, he sends Ananias to him ; and when he has sent an, angel to Cornelius, it is but to bid him send for Peter, who must tell him what he is to believe and do. ÍV. Betake yourselves to God in a course of earn- est and constant prayer. Confess and lament your former lives, and beg his grace to illuminate and con- vert you. Beseech hint to pardon what is past, and to give you his spirit, and change your hearts arid lives, and lead you in his ways, and save you from temptation. And ply this work daily, and be not weary of it. V. Presently gi e over your `known and wilful sás. Make a stand, y i d; go that way no farther. 13v
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