DISCOURSE 1. 49 entreaties of a dying Saviour, hope is hastening to its period ; for this very angel will shortly swear, that this joyful sound shall be heard no longer. He comes now to the door of our hearts, he sues there for admittance, " open unto me and receive me as your Saviour and your Lord, give me and my gospel free admission, and I will come in and bestow upon you the riches of my grace and all my salvation : Open your hearts to me with the holy desires and humble submission of penitence, and receive the blessings of righteousness and pardon and eternal life." He now invites you to return to God, with an acknowledgment and renunciation of every sin, and-he offers to take you by the hand, and intro- since you into his Father's presence with comfort : This is a day Of hope for the vilest and most hateful criminals ; but if you continue to refuse, he will shortly swear in his wrath, you shall never enter into his kingdom, you shall never taste of the provi- sions of his grace, you shall never be partakers of the blessings purchased with his blood. Heb. iii. 11, 18. I sware in my wrath, saith the Lord, they shall not enter into my rest. Oh the dreadful state of sinful creatures who continue in such obstinacy, who waste away the means of grace and the sea- sons of hope week after week, and month after month, till the day of grace and hope is for -ever at an end with them ? Hope- less creatures ! Under the power and the plague of sin, under the wrath and curse of a- God, under the eternal displeasure of Jesus, who was once the minister of his Father's love, and they must abide under all this wretchedness through a long eternity, and in the land of everlasting despair. But I forbear that theme at present, and proceed. V. At the moment of our death " the time of our prepa- ration for the hour of judgment,- and for the insurance of hea- ven and happiness shall be no longer." Miserable creatures that are summoned to die thus unprepared! This life is the only time to prepare for dying, to get ready to stand before the Judge of the whole earth, and to secure our title to the hea- venly blessedness. Let my heart enquire, " Have I ever se- riously begun to prepare for a dying hour, and to appear before the Judge of all ?. Have I ever concerned myself in good earnest, to secure an interest in the heavenly inheritance, when this earthly tabernacle shall be dissolved ? Have I ever made interest for the favour of God, and a share of the inheritance of the saints by Jesus the great Mediator, while he afforded life and time ?" Death is daily and hourly hastening upon us : Death is the king of terrors, and will fulfil ail his naine to every soul that is unprepared. It is a piece of wisdom then for every one of us, since we must die, to search and feel whether death has lost its VOL. v t. D
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