ing melted fire, extremes of heat and cold, and creatures of tremendous shape and size, and all in this small speck of creation, what must the numerous excellencies be of his kingdom, which is higher than the heavens! O the beauties on the other side creation! O the glories that beam in pure essential day! All things in time only improve us for one another in the things that are temporal; but there the improvement is for eternity, and the mind enlarged for God. O happy day! when I shall rove over the extent of paradise, lost in wonder, and ravished with delight, amidst his excellencies! O the innate beauty of his laws, the glory of his reign, the splendour of his throne, the mysteries of his being and subsistence, and the wonders of his love! O the comely proportion of the inhabitants of the better country! O the rivers of pleasures that water the true Canaan ! How pure the religion of the inner temple! What ecstacy and ravishment shall rise from beholding all these beatitudes, all these glories, as one interested in them all!

Travel, then, ye sons of fortune, towards every wind; rest not in the old world, but ransack the new : Let nothing pass unobserved, and be delighted with the productions of the fertile Arabia, or the teeming Indies Let the magnificence of the oppulent East attract your attention, and the curiosities of the learned West gain your regard: Not satisfied with the narrow appearance of this atom hung upon nothing, I wait for the dawning of celestial day, to commence an everlasting traveller through all the glories above. Surveying the perfections of God, I shall hold on my journey through unnumbered ages. In my tour, I shall find curiosities which could never enter into the

conception of travellers below. Let them talk of the magnificent structure, or pleasant situation of the metropolis of every kingdom, I shall see the city of the mighty King, whose foundations are precious stones, whose walls are jasper, whose gates are pearls, and the streets and city pure gold, like transparent glass; whose laws are love, and whose light is glory. I shall see the people that are immortal, and cannot die ;-a kingdom where every subject is a king, where every servant has a throne, and sways a sceptre. I shall see an assembly of worshippers, that are all priests, high-priests, and are admitted into the holy of holies for ever. I shall see the blessed effects of death, and the ecstacies of men that spring from the agonies of our incarnate God. I shall see finite and infinite dwelling in one person, children of wrath made heirs of life, and the family of heaven married to the family of earth, yea, to the heirs of hell! These are wonders to be wondered at, mysteries to be dwelt upon, divine curiosities to be recorded on the table of my heart, and mentioned in the grateful accents of my song. Then hasten, Lord, that day when I shall set out for eternity, and commence my journey, my immediate journey to thy throne, there to explore the adorable perfections of the Godhead, the mysteries of the Trinity, and all the glories of the upper world.

H 2

MEDITATION XXXII.

GRACE IN THE BLUSH, SIN NOT ASHAMED.

It is one of the most surprising things that I have

ever observed, That sanctity should be ashamed to look out, but iniquity show itself at noon. Hence it is one of the greatest blessings promised to the lower world, that "iniquity, as ashamed, shall stop her mouth;" which supposes, that in bad times she has an impudent loquacity, both a whore's forehead in refusing to be ashamed, and the tongue of a strumpet in scorning to be silenced. Hence the company of rakes over their bottle, are not shy to open to another the mystery of iniquity in their most abandoned actions, and to glory in their shame. But when do the saints of God in private conversations, to the praise of glorious grace, tell one another what the Lord hath done for their souls, and rejoice in his goodness? O deplorable degeneracy! shall iniquity not only rage, but reign; and righteousness, like the natives of a conquered kingdom, that dare not show their countenance among their new neighbours, lurk in secret? Is this, professors of piety, your kindness to your friend? Shall open rebellion against heaven be winked at by those that are maintained at the King's table? Shall the words of sinners be stout against God, and your words not stout against them? Who should be ashamed, if the sons of darkness are not? Who should face the broad day, if the abettors of virtue do not? Yet the one will avow the very practice of iniquity, the other hardly the profession of piety! The gentlemen of the army will dare, in defiance of the

laws, to swear by the sacred name, while the ambassador of Jesus is ashamed to own his office, or avow his message, in reproving the open breach of heaven's eternal law.

It is the most unpolite appearance one can make in company now-a-days, to speak any thing of religion, or let it be known that you are a Christian.Better reveal the secrets of necromancy, and the arts of magic, than to speak of the depravity of human nature, and the necessity of regeneration. If you speak one sentence in favour of godliness, the spiritual life, or heavenly-mindedness, it is hardly pardonable by the free-thinkers of the day. If you adventure to say any thing against the more prevailing and fashionable follies, every one will be on your top, and you will be set up as a scare-crow in the table-discourse of all your acquaintance, who will pity your frenzy, and pronounce you delirious. And if it comes abroad that you live near God, and above the vanities of time, you will forthwith be a gazingstock to all, who will stare at you as if you were come from another world, and were not a fellowcreature. But if you keep silence at sin, smile at their peccadillos, and live in concert with the madmen of the world, you will be the best company, and the most social man alive. Thus, by continual scoffing, sin is grown brazen-faced, and religion wears the blush. Yea, some well-meaning men are sinful temporizers, by keeping silence, through the fear of men, which brings a snare, when they ought to speak.

But remember, that they who are ashamed of the son of man before this adulterous and sinful generation, of them (and how will ye like that?) shall the

son of man be ashamed before his holy angels. Be bold, ye sons of virtue, then; maintain the rights of heaven against the troops of hell. Take courage to yourselves; the cause is good, and conquest shall crown the stout contender in the quarrel of God.Wherever sin, in the discourse of any, vilely vents itself, expose to shame the ugly monster. A consciousness of guilt is in it, and guilt is always interwoven with fear and shame so that it must surely blush; but, if their seared consciences flout at thee, pity them, and warn them of the fearful awakening that awaits the long and thoughtless slumberer. If thou live near God, live undisturbed, though the lips of malice exclaim against thee as an hypocrite, as one full of ostentation, or a brain-sick fanatic.

I know the cause of silence in many a pious soul is, lest they should be left to fall away from what they have so zealously espoused, to the dishonour of religion, and opening the mouths of enemies to blaspheme. But beware of circumscribing the grace of God, lest he measure to thee according to thine opinion of him. Never let the fear of falling into sin in some future time, drive thee from thy present duty; for, to neglect present duty is present sin. If thou shalt fall from the support of his declarative glory, he may cut off from thee the supplies of his grace, and make that which thou unjustly fearest, justly come upon thee. Be for God in thy day of integrity, and God shall be for thee in the day of temptation. Exercise thy grace for his praise, and his grace shall always be sufficient for thee.

Alas! after all that can be said, there is still room to complain; for, if this detestable taciturnity that prevails in our day, increase as it has done for some