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THE PRAYER.

O BLESSED Saviour, thou most word thy Judge eternal, fit and prepare me for the last Great Day! Cause me so effectually to think on it at present, as that I may not dread its Terrors hereafter; but be justified by thy Sentence, and cleared when I am judged. O that my Heart may pass that true Judgment, on its State and Condition in this World, which thou, O blessed Redeemer, wilt pass on it in the other; and if I find my Conscience condemn me, grant I may escape that Condemnation by a speedy Repentance; and always live as if I heard that Summons in my Ears, Arise ye Dead, and come to Judgment! Quicken me, O Lord, that I may daily prepare for this important Time, expect it with Hope, meet it with humble Assurance, and at length, through the Merits of Jesus Christ, my only Saviour and Advocate, I may rise from this Workd of Misery, to a Paradise of endless Bliss; where I shall live for ever in God's Presence, and where I shall praise my God to all Eternity.

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Third Meditation. On HEAVEN.

AFTER good Men shall, at the End of the World, have been tried, and given an Account of themselves, before the Judge of Mankind, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and been found worthy by him to be made eternally happy: All such shall then accordingly be invited to take Possession of the Kingdom of Heaven, in these most gracious Words, Come, yet blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World, Matt. xxv. 34. The pious Soul will be ever expressing its ardent Breathings after Heaven, in the Language of the devout Psalmist, Lord, I have loved the Habitation of thy House, and the Place where thine Honour dwel leth!' O joyful Seat, O delightful Palace, of the most high GoD, O happy Privilege of a blessed Immortality! When shall I inherit everlasting Life? That Life, which feels no Sorrow, which languishes under no Pain, is ruffled with no Passions, and lies at the Mercy of no Accidents. In Heaven will be no furious Enemies to assault us, no Temptations to seduce us; but we shall be out of the G 4 reach

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reach of all Evils, for ever and ever. There we shall see God Face to Face, and join in Concert with the blessed Angels, singing the Songs of Sion without ceasing. There alone it is, that we find what will answer our utmost Wishes. If we are pleased with Beauty, there the Righteous shine forth as the Sun. If Length of Days be our Heart's Desire, there is an immortal Duration; for the just shall live for ever. If musical Entertainments delight us, there the Angels never cease their melodious Praises. If Wisdom be an Excellence you long for, the most wise God shall then unlock his Treasures, and let you into the Knowledge of his own mysterious Nature. If Honour and Riches are alluring in your Eyes, be it remembered, that in the World above, God will make his faithful Servants Rulers over many Things. If a secure Continuance of all these Blessings be our Desire, we are assured that no part of our Happiness shall be ever taken away. Consider further, O pious Christian, that thy Father and Mother, thy Children, and Friends, who are as dear to thee as thy own Soul, may enjoy the same Happiness, provided they live soberly, righteously, and godly in this

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sent World. And this will double thy Joy, because you would be as glad for their Sakes, as for your own. Think, then, what Rejoicings. will be in Heaven, where Angels and Saints, and all our dear Friends that have departed hence in the Lord, will partake of this Happiness, and all most fervently love one another.

I cannot, either in Words or Thoughts, describe the Felicity and Excellence of that State, which is prepared for the Faithful in the other World. Gracious God, deny me what thou wilt of this Earth, give me but an Inheritance in Heaven. O my Soul, is such a glorious Kingdom set before thee, and wilt thou not press forward towards so glorious a Prize? Is this Heaven prepared for all the faithful Servants of Christ, and dost thou stupidly neglect it? Does not so rich an Inheritance stir thee up to make thy Calling sure? How unworthy art thou of eternal Life, who wilt not strive to obtain it! O my Soul, set before thy Eyes those bright Patterns of Heavenlymindedness which the primitive Saints have set you. These good Men despised the Pleasures of Sense, and kept their Hearts intent upon eternal Joys. These

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were their Hope, their Delight, and only Longings of their Souls.

THE PRAYER..

O ALMIGHTY and most merciful Lord God, who didst send thy dear Son our Saviour Jesus Christ into the World, to be made Man, that by shedding of his most precious Blood upon the Cross, he might atone for the Sins of Mankind, and purchase eternal Salvation in Heaven for us, grant that I may never forfeit that inestimable Blessing by leading a vicious and ungodly Life; but may daily endeavour, by the Assistance of thy Holy Spirit, to live so soberly, righteously, and godly in this present World, as may secure thy Favour to me, so long as thou shalt contínue me in this mortal State; that so when thou shalt please, in thy wise and good Providence, to put an End to my Being here, I may be prepared for that happy, glorious, and immortal one, which is above with thee in Heaven, where I may with thy Holy Angels and Saints, sing thy Praises to all Eternity. Grant this, O Heavenly Father, I most humbly beseech thee, for thine own infinite Compassion's Sake, and the infinite Merits of my dear Saviour, to whom with thee and

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