;o~ Direflio_m IJI<rp I~ prepare- for Death. State IV , pared for death, and it will be the 'more eafy to him., A heart dif~ngaged from the world i:s an heavenly one:– and then we are ready for heaven, when our heart iJ then before us, Matth.vi.-:21. Fourthly, Be,diligent in gathering and laying up evi-. dences of your title to heaven, for yonr fupport and,com– fort at the· hour ef death. The neglect hereof mari the joy and cmifolation whichfome Chrifiians might otherwife have at their death. Wllerefore examine yourfelves fre"\. quently as to your 'fpiritual fiate, that evidenqes, which: lie hid and unobferved , may be brought to light and taken notice of. And if you would manage this wotk fuccefsful- , l,Y. 1 make fol'emn ferious work oLit. Set apart fome time for it. And, after earn.eft prayer to God, through Jefu~Chrifi:, for the enlightning influences of the Holy Spirit, whereby ye may be enabled to underlbind his own word,. and to difcern h.is own work in your fou1s ;. fifi:.yourfelves,. before th,e tribunal of your confciences, that ye may judge– ')':OUrfelves in this weighty matter~ And in the firft place, let the marks of a regenerate fiate· be fixed~ £rom the Lord's word; and have recourfe to fome· • particular text for that purpofe, fuch as, Prov. viii. 17 . l' lovr:'them· tlfat love me. Compare Luke xiv..26. If any man 10me to me, and hate not biJ father and mother.,.. and wife . - ana childrm, and brethren, and jijler.r, yea, and hiJ ow.n' life ttlfo , he cannot be my difciple. Pfal. cxix. 6. Then}hall[ not be ajhamed, when I have refpdl unto all thy cqm– mandmmts. Pial, xvi ii . 2 3. I was aljo upright before him ·: and I kept my!el(.from mine iniquity. Compare Rom. vii.22, .23. For 1delight in the law of God, after the inwardman: Gu.t l foe anotheF. /:arw .in my m~mben warring againfl the· law ofmy mind, &c 1 Joho iii, 3· And·everyman that hatli> thiJ hfJpe in him~ purifieth himfolf, even as he is pure . Mat~ y. 3,_.Biejfod are the poor in ,f}irit-, (or theirs is the kingdom.< ofheaven. Phi} iii ,3. For we are the c~rcumcijion whichwar· jhip (or forve) God in the fpirit, and rejoice in Chriji Je• pu, and-have no cCJnjidrmcc in t~e flefo. The fum of the ·e-· vidence arifing from thefe texts, lies here. A real Chrif– tian .is one who loves God for himfelf, as well as for his; benefits ; and that with a fu.preme love, above all perfons·. ;,.;ud, all thi~1~~ ;. he.h~i .a.n. awful~ aijQ impartial regard tcv . - G~~ I " •
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