throng of adorers, worshipping before the throne, with the eye of my soul fixed on him that sits thereon; and not one of the many thousands of eternity shall disturb my adorations. The eye of my mind, the flow of my affection, and the flame of my love, shall eternally fix on the divine object, from whom none shall draw one thought away. Here my circumstance is doubly calamitous; for, though the busy throng should not break in on me, there is a throng of base distracting thoughts already within me, that will not be at rest; but there, as nothing shall disturb without, so nothing shall distract within. Not one trespassing thought, not one trifling idea, not a moment lost, nor one expression unbecoming the sacred subject, but all wrapt to the sublimest height of ecstacy; and every adoration of God, who is a Spirit, shall be in spirit and in truth-shall be without intermission through an indefatigable immortality, without interruption through consummate perfection, without wearying through inconceivable joy and delight, and without end through an eternal dura

tion.

MEDITATION XCIII.

ON THE ARMOUR OF SOLDIERS.

Lying off Normandy, June 13. 1759.

WHEN I behold the warlike race, and their glittering arms, how well they are accoutred for the field of battle, at no less than royal expence; it puts me in mind of him who is the Prince of the kings of the earth, and has an army maintained

at much immenser cost, harnished with much di viner armour, engaged in a more bloody war, against more desperate foes, but, supported by Almighty strength, are assured of conquest and a crown at last.

How are these men burdened with instruments of war wherever they go, for a soldier is but a poor man without his arms! Even so the spiritual soldier must never be without his armour, for the better armed, he finds himself the stronger. Besides, this is the word of command by the Captain of the Lord's hosts, to his armies: "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil for ye wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickednesses in high places. Wherefore, take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breast-plate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; and take the helmit of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, and (not forgetting brothersoldiers) with supplication for all saints."

But one thing I see, these men are allowed to carry no toys or trifles with them, only their arms, ammunition, and necessaries; so "no man that warreth" against hell" entangleth himself with

the affairs of this life, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier."

Again, these men are only safe, in setting their face always against their foes, being naked behind; so there is not a promise in all the scripture for the saint that turns his back before the enemy; while, if they resist, even their grand enemy shall flee from them.

These poor privates, as well as their commanders, must be in the hottest battle, encounter all the dangers, and perhaps fall in the engagement; but the Captain of our salvation has for us both fought and foiled the foe, swept the field of battle of principalities and powers, so that we are only called to return to the spoil.

Finally, how happy are Christ's soldiers, in comparison of these military men! The one is wounded often to death, the other is made always to triumph; the one has a scanty allowance every day, the other has access to all the fulness of God. The one is disbanded at last, and sent, when least able, to beg his bread, and die in poverty; the other shall at last receive a crown, and be taken to dwell with the King eternal, immortal, invisible, for ever!

Let the potsherds of the earth strive with the potsherds of the earth for earthly things; but may I fight on the side of Heaven, against sin and hell, for a heavenly crown, a crown of glory, that fadeth not away!

crowns and thrones, kingdoms and dominions, yea, the goodly heritage of the hosts of nations, to every saint above?

This spoil, if it enrich the conquerors, impove rishes the conquered, and perhaps has cost many of them their lives; but Christ may, in all his of fices, relations, fulness, and glory, be the entire possession of every particular child of adoption, without diminution or injury, to any of their happy fellow-heirs.

Some who engaged the enemy fell down slain, and are now where a whole world of these trifles, which afford survivors so much joy, would not be accounted worthy of a wish or a glance for ever.

Henceforth, let me rejoice at thy word as one that findeth great store of spoil, and esteem the word of thy mouth better than thousands of gold and silver. I shall never be robbed of the hea venly treasure, which scatters my fears, dispels my despondencies, enriches my eternity, and ravishes my whole soul.

MEDITATION LXXXIX.

A DAILY CATECHISM FOR SEAMEN.

March 25. 1758.

1. How do I like the company of the wicked, and the converse of ungodly men?

2. Is their swearing as disagreeable to me as when I came first aboard? or am I more reconcil ed to their blasphemous talk?

3. Is my abhorrence of sin the greater, the more I see of sin? As a man's fears increase with the in

crease of his foes, so should my hatred of sin with the increase of my danger.

4. The more that I am beset with snares and sin, am I the more watchful against sins and snares? 5. Have I forgot to look into myself in the midst of this hurry and confusion? Reflection is a duty which no situation can loose me from.

6. Does the reaction of sin reiterate my grief and abhorrence of it? or, like a lion's keeper, venture I to sport with the destroyer, from which at first I started?

7. Do I resist the first appearance of sin? for sin, as well as strife, is like the letting out of waters, which at first appears a little spout, but as it passes along pushes on every side, till it spreads into an impetuous torrent, which nothing can resist, and therefore should be left off before it be meddled with.

8. Does the impiety of the company, or any other hindrance, prevent the performance of secret prayer, or reading the scriptures, as formerly?

9. Is the Sabbath still strictly observed by me, by my keeping not only from bad actions, but idle words and vain thoughts?

10. Am I careful to purge myself from all the sins which I have heard through the day, by reflecting on their vileness, protesting against them in mine own breast, dipping by faith in the blood of sprinkling, and praying, that wherein I have been guilty in a greater or less degree, I may be par

doned?

11. Am I studious to draw the more near to God, the more that all things would drive me from God? and to beg of him, that according to my days and demands for aid, so my strength from him may be?