many unguarded hours. But to St. John no hour could be fuch. He had finished the work which God. had given him to do. He had kept the faith, and preferved a conscience void of offence. He had done his duty, and waited daily and hourly, we may be fure, for his departure. He was now, therefore, called off from his ftation with honour, to quit the well-fought field for the palace of the Great King; to refresh himfelf, after the duft, and toil, and heat of the day, by bathing in the fountain of life and immortality; to exchange his blood-stained armour for a robe of glory, and to have his temporary labours rewarded with eternal reft; to fit down with Abraham, and Ifaac, and Jacob, in the king

dom

dom of God; and as the Friend of the Bridegroom, to enter into the joy of his Lord. From the darkness and confinement of a prifon he paffed to the liberty and light of heaven; and while malice was gratified with a fight of his head, and his body was carried by a few friends in filence to the grave, his immortal fpirit repaired to a court, where no Herod defires to have his brother's wife; where no Herodias thirfts after the blood of a prophet; where he who hath laboured, with fincerity and diligence, in the work of reformation, is fure to be well received; where holinefs, zeal, and conftancy "are "crowned and receive palms from "the Son of God, whom they con"feffed in the world*."

* 2 Efdr. ii. 45-47.

So

So finks the day-star in the ocean bed,
And yet anon uprears his drooping head,
And tricks his beams,and with new spangled ore,
Flames in the forehead of the morning fky-
He hears the unexpreffive nuptial fong
In the bleft kingdoms meek of joy and love.
There entertain him all the faints above,
In folemn troops, and sweet focieties,
That fing, and finging in their glory move,
And wipe the tears for ever from his eyes.
MILTON

THE END.

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