934- THE END OF' TIME. [Disc. I. influences of the blessed Spirit? Have I such an interest in the covenant of grace as takes away the sting of death, as turns the curse into a blessing, and changes the dark scenes of death into the commencement of a new and . everlasting life ? This is that preparation for dying, for which our time of life was given us, and happy are those who are taught of God, to make this use of it. Judgment is making haste toward us; months and days of divine patience are flying swift away, and the last great day is just at hand: Then we must give an ac- count of " all that has been done in the body, whether it has been good or evil," z Cor. v. 10. And what adismal . anddistressing surprize will it be, to have the Judge come upon us in a blaze of glory and terror, while we have no good account to give at his demand ? And yet this is the very end and design of all our time, which is length- ened out to us on this side the grave, and of all the ad- vantages that we have enjoyed in this life, that we may be ready to render up our account, with joy to the Judgeof all the earth. Heaven is not ours by birth and inheritance, as lands and houses on earth descend to us from our earthly pa- rents. We, as well as they, areby nature unfit for heaven, and children of wrath; but we may be born again, we may be born of God, and become heirs of the heavenly inheritance through Jesus Christ: We may be renewed into the temper and spirit Of heaven ; and this life is the only season that is given us for this important change : Shall we let our days and years pass away, one after another in long succession, and continue the children of wrath still? Are we contented to go on this year as the last, without a title to heaven, without a divine 'temper, gird without any preparation for the business,, or the blessedness of that happy world ? VI. When this life comes to an end, "the time of all our earthly comforts and amusements shall be no more." We shall have none of these sensible things around us to employ or entertain our eyes or our ears, to gratify our appetites, to sooth our passions, or to support our spirits in distress. All the infinite variety of cares, labours and joys, which surround us here, shall be no more; life with all the busy scenes, and the pleasing satisfactions of it, dissolve and perish together..;
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