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ceeding finful. You fin against the fulleft conviction; you reject the light of the gofpel in your understandings, and you act against it in your lives; and you fin on, when you are invited to forfake your fins and live. God fends his minifters to plead with you, but their counsel you reject with contempt. His good Spirit ftrives with you, but you refift and grieve him. You have the fcriptures in your hands, and you may there read the danger of your careless way of life, but the fcripture has no influence. If none of these motives can prevail, be affured, that your guilt will increase in proportion to the advantages you enjoy; and the more reason there was for your being prepared to meet your God, the heavier will the condemnation be, if he fhould come and find you unprepared. May you lay these things to heart, and by the grace of the holy Spirit, now refolve to prepare for the coming of our almighty God and Saviour.

any

And if defire to be prehave you pared, there is one motive which ought to have great weight with you, and it is taken from a matter of fact. There are, God be praised, many perfons in this city, several I hope in this Congregation, who have obtained the love and friendship of the fupreme Judge. Look into their lives, and examine them clofely. See how they are affected with the report of thefe judgments,

which

which are now in the earth. You will find no dread, or fear in their minds. They are not afraid of any evil tidings. The inward peace and joy, which arise from the fenfe of God's loving them in Chrift Jefus, are not leffened by any outward calamity. They know that he, who is the Lord of nature, will make all things work together for their good, and therefore their heart is established and will not fhrink, though the earth fhould quake from its very foundations, and the hills fhould be carried into the midst of the fea. If the whole course of nature should be difturbed, they have nothing to fear. God is their friend. They are kept by the arms of the Almighty, and if the heavens fhould pass away, and the earth, and all that is therein should be burnt up, yet ftill they are fafe. In life and death they can ftay their minds upon God in perfect peace. You cannot deny, that there are Chriftians in this fafe and happy ftate: for God has promised it them, and we declare that God is faithful and true. And if you believe it, how does it affect you? Do you find no defire to be as fafe and happy as they are. Does no wish arife in your hearts, that you might be under the protection of the almighty God, and that he would fet you on high out of the reach of publick calamity; fo that whenever he comes to vifit a finful people laden

with

994

with iniquity, and to be glorified in their deftruction, then you may rejoice and be exceeding glad, knowing affuredly that your eternal redemption is at hand.

Lay all these confiderations together, and they may ftrengthen your good refolutions. God is preparing to meet you in judgment, and eternity depends on your being prepared to meet him. You have no time to lofe. He may come this night. And you are not prepared. What would your condition be, if he Thould call you unprepared? Therefore as you love your fouls, apply to him this moment. Now go to the throne of grace for pardon, left you fhould be called before the throne of glory unpardoned. Cry aloud for mercy. The Judge may ftill be intreated. Oh plead with him then, and be importunate, until he become your friend. Remind him of his love to finners. Urge his bloody fweat, his bitter cross and paffion, his cruel mockings, buffetings, and fcourgings, endured all for finners. Plead thefe with him, and lay before him the torments and the shame of the crofs, and the piercing of his hands and feet, which are the engraving of his love to finners, and be affured that tender heart cannot want love for them, which bled to death for their falvation. Hold on this plea, until he be gracious. Place your whole truft and confidence in the fufferings and death of Jefus Chrift, and doubt not but he will hear

your

your plea, and will give you fuch a taste of his pardoning love, and fo fill you with his graces, you will be prepared to meet your God.

that

I hope he has heard my prayers for you this day, and if it be his bleffed will has difpofed you to feek an interest in the Judge of all the earth. He will come to judgment, and quickly. May the holy Spirit prepare us all to meet him. Oh! if he fhould come this night, how would he find you. Are you all ready? Is every one of you fit to die? Have you all got your lamps trimmed, and ye yourselves prepared; that if there should be a great cry made at midnight, Behold the bridegroom cometh, ye may be ready, and enter in with him to the marriage. And if he should call you by an earthquake, or by any other judgment, have you fo fure an interest in him, that sudden death would be welcome? Think what an awful thing it would be, if you were to enter upon the eternal world this night, where your state is unalterably fixed for ever. O what continual preparation fhould you be making for eternity? For if you die unprepared, all is loft. Hell and torments are your everlasting portion. And if you are not quite in love with mifery, now beg of God to shew you your danger, and to deliver you from it. The door of mercy is ftill open. Oh that you may find an entrance, and prefs for

wards

wards with an holy violence, until you receive grace to prepare you to meet your God. And let us all agree to look up to him for it, in that excellent form of prayer, which our Church has appointed for this day.. ́

Almighty God give us grace, that we may caft away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the "time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jefus Chrift came to vifit us in great hu"mility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and dead, we may (be prepared to meet him and may) rife to the "life immortal, through him who liveth " and reigneth with Thee and the Holy "Ghoft now and ever. Amen."

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FINI S.