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DISC,
VIII.
A SOUL
PREPARED
FOR HEAVEN,
433
Thou hast treasured
up
food for
the
,
worm
that
never
dies,
for
the
eternal
anguish
of
conscience; thou
hast
made thyself
fit
fuel
by
indulgence
of
thy sinful
and
re-
bellious appetites
and passions, for the
fiery
indignation
of
God
;
and every day thou persistest
in this state,
thy
preparation
for
the
dark
regions
of
sin
and sorrow
is -in-
creased."
But
this
leads
me to
the last remark.
Remark IV.
"How
dangerous
a
thing it
is
for
a
sinner
to
continue a'day longer
in
a
state
so
unprepared
for the
heavenly
world."
Dost
thou not
know, whilst
we
are
inhabitants
in
these regions
of
mortality,
we
are
border-
ers
upon
death;
and
if
we
are unprepared
for heaven,
we
are
borderers
:upon
damnation
and
hell?
Oiw
life
is
but
a
vapour, and
the
next puff
may blow us away
in-
to the regions
of everlasting
darkness,
misery,
and de-
spair.
Alas
!
how
much
of
this divine
preparation
do
the
best
of
saints stand
in
need
of
for
an immediate en-
trance into
heaven
?
What
care
do
they take,
how
con-
stant are their
labours,
and how fervent their
prayers
to
increase
in
this
divine
fitness, in
these holy and heavenly
qualifications!
And dost
thou vainly imagine to
ex-
change
earth
for
heaven
at
once,
and
to
be
received
into
the
pure and
holy
mansions
of
paradise,
without
any
con-
formity to
God
or Christ, or
the
rest
of
the
inhabitants
of
that
world
?
Objection.
But
some idle
and slothful
creatures
will
be
ready to object and
say,
if
it
be
God
who
creates
his
people
anew,
according
to
his own image,
and
fits
them
for
heaven
;
if
we
must
be
wrought up
by his
power
and
grace for the
participation of
this glory,
what can
we
do
towards it ourselves?
Or
why
are
we
charged and ex-
horted
to
prepare
ourselves for heaven
?
Since
then
it
is
God must
do this
work, why
may
we
not
lie still,
and
wait
till his
grace shall
prepare
us
?
I
answer,
No,
by
no
means;
for
God
is
wont to
exert
his
grace
only while
creatures are
in
the
use
of
his
ap-
pointments, and
fulfil
their
duty.
This language
there-
fore,
and
these excuses, seem to be
the mere
cavils
of
a
carnal mind, or
the voice
of
sloth and
indolence.
Those
who have no
inclination to prepare
themselves for
the
joys of
the heavenly
state, may wait and
expect
divine