4E6 .A SOUL PREPARED FOR HEAVEN. [DISC.. VII% and heaven. Commit thy soul, guilty 'and defiled as it is, into the hands of Jesus the Mediator ; entrust 'thy cause with hinr as an all-sufficient Saviour ; entreat that he wouldcleanse thee from all thy guilt and pollution, by the blood of his sacrifice, and the grace of his spirit; that blood of atonement which has procured for sinners pardon and peace with God, and those operations of his grace which may sanctify, thy sinful nature. Address thyself to the exalted Saviour for healing influences from his hand to cureall themaladies of thy soul, to form thee after his image, and to make thee a son of God. Pray with holy importunity for this necessary and divine bless- ing, wait on God in secret and in; public ; give him no rest night or day;. till hehas renewed thy soul, and trans- formed thee into a new creature, and given thee a:relish of theheavenly enjoynients : Dwell at the throne of grace till thou feelest.thyheart drawn upward andheavenward, and watch against every thing that would defile thy soul anew, or make thee unfit to enter into the company of the blessed. Permit me here to dwell a little upon those motives that should awaken thee to bethink thyself ere it be too late, before the grave has shut its mouth upon thee, and thou art consigned to the place ofeternal. misery. Awake, awake, O impenitent sinners, who are asyet.unprepared for the business and blessedness of the heavenly state; awake and exert your souls in warmest reflections on matters of infinite importance. 1. Think with yourselves how much the great God has done towards the preparation of sinful men for this heaven; think seriously of his long-suffering goodness, and his sparing mercy, which should have led you long ago to a melting sense of your own folly, and brought you back unto him by humble repentance. For what reason were his patience and his long-sufferingexercised towards you if not for this very purpose ?. Rom. u. 4. Think of the blessings of nature with which he has sur- rounded you, and the comforts of this life wherewith he has furnished you, in order to allure your thoughts to- wards hire, who is the spring ofall goodness ; and to raise your desires towards him: It is he invites you, ..who will be the everlasting portion and happiness of his people, and in whose favour consists life and felicity ; and dare
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