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Christ; and what in our conduct or dependence, excludes us from the tokens of his love, in which others rejoice; and still with greater earnestness to use the means of grace, to watch against the approach of sin, to attend to our duty; yet still to grow more jealous of our hearts, lest we should trust in any thing but free mercy through Christ alone. When the soul is thus humbled, and weaned from other dependences, and prepared to make a good use of encouragement: favour will be bestowed, and then the believer, "abounding in hope through the power of the Holy "Ghost," learns to rejoice in forgiveness of sins.

Other kinds of experience, and faith, and confi. dence, and joy, may be separated from the "meet"ness of the inheritance of the saints in light;" but this cannot. They who despise spiritual blessings, and have an aversion to spiritual occupations and holy company, cannot be fit for the society and employment of heaven. The proud and ambitious, the luxurious, and dissipated, and covetous, the envious and malicious, could find nothing there suited to their disposition, or capable of affording them satisfaction: They are not only condemned, but they are also "vessels of wrath, fitted for destruction." "Ye "must be born again."-But when, through this gracious change, we become capable of perceiving the glory, loving the excellency, and relishing the pleasure to be found in spiritual things: when spiritual blessings are supremely valued, spiritual exercises delighted in, religious society sought after: when sin is abhorred, the world despised, Christ become precious, righteousness hungered and thirsted after; the hum

bling salvation of the Gospel cordially approved and embraced, and its holy precepts chosen, and the whole glory given unto the Lord; then we are evidently fitted for the society, worship, and employments of those holy spirits, who with exalted love and gratitude, are giving glory to God and to the Lamb for

ever.

But even of these very persons, who "have been "thus turned from darkness unto light, and from the

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power of Satan unto God;" who "have received

forgiveness of sins," and are both entitled to, and "meet for an inheritance amongst all them who are "sanctified," some live in a more strict and constant course of consequent preparation than others; and the same persons more at one season than at another.

There are seasons when in some measure we are all too anxious about worldly things, and entangled by them; when we are betrayed into wrong tempers, or inexpedient indulgences; when we are compara tively unwatchful, lifeless, and negligent in our attendance upon publick ordinances, or secret devotion.—At such times, though, as believers, we habitually possess a readiness; yet in another sense we are not ready, "our loins are not girded," "we are not "as servants waiting for the coming of our LORD:" and his approach would startle us, excite perplexing doubts and gloomy apprehensions, and fill us with perplexity and remorse.

Contrasted with this unwatchfulness, is that tenour of conduct and frame of spirit, which forms our actual readiness. When the believer daily examines himself both respecting his state, conduct, growth in

grace, and victory over sinful habits and passions; when he constantly and impartially reviews whatever occupies his thoughts, or engages his affections; whatever relates to the regulation of his appetites and passions, his tempers and conversation; whatever passes in publick or in private, in his closet or family, in his business, in company, or in the house of God; when he judges himself and scrutinizes his own conduct with scrupulous exactness, keeps his heart with all diligence, and without reserve confesses humbly before God every thing that he but suspects hath been amiss; seeking forgiveness expressly through the blood of Christ: when in the exercise of repentance and faith, by continual earnest prayer, seeking the invigorating influences of the Holy Spirit, he is daily employed in striving against sin; in mortifying the deeds of the body; in opposing especially his strongest enemy, his own constitutional or customary iniquity; and in aspiring after a more entire victory over the world, an increase of spiritual affections, and a conversation more becoming the Gospel of Christ.When a Christian is actually thus "setting his affec"tions on things above, not on things on the earth," in a believing prospect of approaching dissolution, and its important consequences, he is indeed "ready for "the coming of his expected Lord."

"The Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his "servants, and to every man his work."*-Every Christian is the servant of Jesus Christ: Every ser

Mark xiii. 34.

vant has his place, his work, his talents. In filling up that place, doing that work, and improving those talents, wisely, faithfully, and diligently, do we approve ourselves his servants, and best prepare for his coming. The minister's work is to "preach the word "instant in season and out of season." A few (like David, Daniel, and Nehemiah) are called to serve God and their generation, in the exercise of civil power and authority. These are doing their work, when they assiduously and conscientiously improve their exalted station, for the promotion of religion, the welfare of society, and the happiness of mankind. The employment of the rich is to do good with their abundance, by alleviating the miseries, increasing the comforts, and discountenancing the wickedness, of all around them, as much as possible.-Those who have not such abundance, may find their work in less expensive, but more self-denying and not less acceptable, instances of kindness to the distressed, (as Tabitha, in "making coats and garments for the poor.") The poor themselves may serve Christ by diligence, frugality, honesty, cheerful contentment, and a humble respectful deportment to their superiors. The man who is employed in commercial dealings, will find his proper service to our common Lord, in a line of conduct strongly marked with integrity, removed at a distance from the appearance and plausible suspicion of avarice, fraud, and oppression; by "render

ing to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's, and to "God the things that are God's;" and by laying out upon the needy, according as God hath prospered him.In short, every situation in society, or in re

ghost, and the blackness of darkness bounds the dreary prospect for ever. Surely we have reason enough to prepare for a decision, which may take place this hour; which once passed can never be reversed; and on which the interests of eternity depend. Assuredly it would be irrational to run the hazard of a miscarriage for one moment, though in that moment we could secure the empire of the universe? "For what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"-Yet are not some present convicted of their own consciences, that they are hazarding all these irreversible and awful consequences, by procrastinating in the concerns of their souls from month to month, and year to year, for the sake of such things as are most trifling and transitory? And is this the conduct of rational creatures!

4. Were that happiness, or misery, which the Bible reveals, though eternal, yet imperfect and mixed; this might somewhat account for the infatuation of leaving the event in suspense, till some craving lust was gratified. But the whole extent and force of human language is employed, and labours, and is exhausted, in representing the absolute and unmixed felicity of heaven, and misery of hell. All that man is, or ever shall become, capable of enjoying, and consequently all that God can bestow upon him: and all that his powerful wrath can inflict on the immortal spirit and incorruptible body to eternity, are now depending: the important decision is at hand.-Need I say, Be ready? I need not, if men's eyes were not blinded by the god of this world.

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