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A
SOUL
PREPARED
FOR HEAVEN.
[DISC.
Vm.
4.
The
great God not
only weans
our hearts
from
those
things
that are not
to
be
enjoyed
in
heaven,
but
he
gives
us
a holy
appetite and
relish,
suited
to
the provi-
sions
of
the heavenly world, and raises
our
desires and
tendencies
of
soul toward them.
By
nature
our
minds
are estranged
from
God, and
from
all
that
is
divine
and
holy
;
we
have no desires
after
his
love,
nor delight
in
the
thoughts
of
dwelling with
God
;
Put
when divine
grace
has effectually
touched the heart,
it
ever tends up-
wards
to
that
world
of
holiness and
peace.
So
the nee-
dle, when
it
is
touched
by
the
loa.dstone,
ever points to
the
beloved
polar
-star, and
seems
'Uneasy
when
it
is
di-
verted
from
it,
nor
will
it
rest
till
it
return thither
again.
Do
the sweet sensations
of
divine love
make up a
great part of
the heavenly
blessedness
?
The
soul
is
in
some measure
fitted for
it,
who can say with
David in
Ps.
iv.
6.
"
Lord,
lift thou up upon
me
the light
of
thy
countenance, and it
shall
rejoice
my
heart
more than
if
corn,
and
wine,
and
oil
abounded, and
all
earthly
bles-
sings
were
multiplied upon
me
;
for
in
thy love
is
the
life
of
my soul,
and
thy
loving kindness
is
better
than
life
;"
Ps.
lxiii.
3.
Is
the felicitating presence
of
God
to be
enjoyed in
the future
world, and
shall
we
see his
face
there
with
un-
speakable
delight
?
Then
these
souls are
prepared for
heaven,
who
can
say with the
Psalmist,
Ps.
xlii..2.
"
When
shall
I
come
and
appear
before God
?"
When
shall
I
have finished
my
travels through
this wilderness,
that
I
may
arrive
at
my
Father's
house
?
"
This
one
thing
have
I
desired,
that
I
may dwell in
the house
of
God
for
ever, to
behold the beauty
of
the
Lord there
;"
Ps.
xxvii.
4.
"
It
is
enough for
me
that
I
shall behold
thy
-face
in
righteousness,
and
I
shall
be
satisfied
when
I
awake
out of
the
dust with
thy likeness
;"
Ps.
xvii.
15.
"
With
my soul
have
I
desired
thee,
'.0
Lord,
in
the
night,
in
the darkness
of
this
desert
world
I
have longed
for the light
of
thy face,
and
with
my
spirit
within
me
I
will
seek thee early
;"
Is.
xxvi. 9.
"
Whom have
I
in
heaven
but
thee,
neither
is
there
any on
earth
that
I
de-
sire
beside.
thee
;"
Ps.
lxxiii. 25. O when shall
the day
come when
there
shall
be
no more
distance and estrange-
ment
of
my
heart
from
God,
but
I
shall
feel all my
powers
for ever
near
him