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holy souls are there in joy, while we are here in fears and cares: they have passed through a world of trials, and were compassed with such infirmities as ours, and passed through death as we must do. We go not an untrodden path, but are "followers of them who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises.'

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Think how much better it is with them, than with us; how they are freed from all our sins and sufferings, doubts and fears, O think what it is for a perfected, holy soul, to see the glorified Redeemer, and all the holy company of saints and angels. To see the glory of God, and to have the knowledge of his glorious works-to feel his love poured out on us, and to be swallowed up in love and praise. Think of your holy acquaintance that are gone before you, and frequently take, as it were, a walk in the streets of the city of God. Suppose you saw their glory, and heard their concordant praises of their Creator, their Redeemer, and Sanctifier. Let such thoughts as these be your daily work and pleasure, and the conversation of your minds with God above and because your heart will be backward, you must drive it on, and preach as it were to yourself. Let heaven be your subject, convince your heart with evidence, urge it with heavenly motives, solace it

with heavenly comforts, and when it is dull turn your thoughts by petition to God, and beg his help. Sometimes speak to yourselves, and sometimes reverently to God, and thus keep a holy communion and familiarity above, and this will make heaven desirable to you in a dying hour. If you can but keep the sensible apprehensions of God's love continually upon your heart, it will make heaven desirable to you, and the drawings of God's love will overcome the fears of death.

Think much of the infinite perfection of God: remember his goodness is equal to his greatness, and what that is look up to the heavens and see. He is called love itselfand shall it be hard for a soul that desires to please God, to believe that love itself loves him, and that infinite goodness will be pleased with him in Christ Jesus.

The Son of God, incarnate, in his whole work of redemption, is a wonderful glass to reveal the love of God to man. The greatest proof of friendship cannot more convince us of the love of our friend.

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The remembring all the great mercies of your lives, to your souls and bodies, in every place, and state, and company, will help to convince you, that he that hath done all this for you, loveth you; and you may trust that

PREPARATION FOR DEATH.

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MY FRIENDS,

You cannot live a comfortable life, till you are prepared for a comfortable death; but if you are ready to die well, you are ready to live well, and ready to suffer, and ready for any thing! The man who hopes to be for ever with the Lord, has little to fear. How quietly may he sleep how easily may he suffer-how joyfully may he live! Give me leave then to assist and direct you in this great work.

1. Be sure that you repent of every known sin: there is nothing makes death so terrible to us as guilt. The sting of death is sin. It is sin that makes us hide ourselves from our God; and it is sin that hides his face from us. So great is his mercy, that nothing but our sin could separate us from his love. Spare not Search it to the very bottom sin, therefore. of your hearts, you will find it has taken deep root, there, and requires deep repentance: and when you have found out all its secret places in your hearts, confess it plainly but you must go still further, and forsake it resolute

ly: a half repentance will not afford you comfort in life, or hope in death.

That repentance which is unto life, is a turning unto God; a new heart, and a right spirit; a putting off the old man, and putting on the new; it is ceasing to do evil, and learn ing to do well; it is a death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness.

2. Put your souls into the hands of Jesus, to be pardoned, to be sanctified, and saved. Are you afraid of guilt, and the law, and the wrath of God, and hell? Remember he is "the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world." "He was made sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." Fly to this refuge. Lay hold on this hope set before you, and you will find strong consolation. Jesus, your High Priest, has made atonement for you here on earth, and is passed into heaven, where he ever liveth to make intercession for you. "Come therefore boldly to the throne. of grace, that you may obtain nercy, and find grace to help in every time of need."

3. Devote yourself entirely to God; and make it the business of your life to please him, and to do good to all around you. O that I could persuade you, my friends, how much a

God of love at death, who hath filled up your lives with the benefits of his love.

Make praise and thanksgiving a part of your devotion every day; and if you thus employ your heart and tongue in this exercise of love to God, it will keep on your soul a sweet sense of his love to you, and make both health and sickness easy.

To live in the sense of God's love, and in the exercise of it by praise, and holy desires, and good works, is the very first fruits and foretaste of heaven upon earth; and is a fruit of believing more excellent than faith itself. It comforts and draws the soul by the most powerful ways, even by experimental taste of his love and goodness; and he will most easily believe that there is a heaven for him, who has the beginning and foretastes of it already.

Instructions to dying Christians.

Now, my friends, let every anxious thought be dismissed, and deliver up your souls with humble, but cheerful confidence, into the hands of your Father and your Redeemer. Will you not trust the God and Father of your spirits, who is love itself? Will you not trust your Saviour, who hath saved you so

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