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all attacks, a terror to, and hated of every nation. Even so, he that sets out with a fair profession of religion, and on the way to heaven, but turns a black apostate, spues out malice against the ways of God, becomes the bitterest of all enemies, the most profligate of all offenders, and is hated of saint and sinner.

When a mutiny takes place, it is sometimes requisite for the safety of the ship, and for the honour of government, to cut off some otherwise very useful hands. Just so, we are to cut off lusts, though dear to us as our right eye, or useful as our right hand, that we perish not for ever.

Again, our being provided with what enables us to defend ourselves, and to distress our foes, has sometimes been the ruin of ships, while the fatal spark makes a terrible explosion, tears the vessel to pieces, and scatters the lifeless crew on the deep: So the best of blessings, the choicest privileges, when not improved, entail the bitterest curses. Thus Judas, who sat in his divine Master's presence, heard his sermons, and witnessed his miracles, not improving these golden opportunities, turned traitor, and hanged himself in the anguish of despair. And Capernaum, that in privileges was exalted to heaven, is threatened to be thrust down to hell.

When war is over, peace proclaimed, ships on foreign service called home, prize-money received, ships paid off, and laid up, and the crews discharged, and set at liberty; how is all mirth and jocundity, festivity and joy! But, what tongue can tell the transports, the joy, the rapture, and delight, which the Christian shall feel when his warfare is finished, and he translated to the mansions of glory, to the presence of God!

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Some poor creatures, who, though weary of the war, yet not knowing how to support themselves, or where to go after discharged from the ship, ' would be content to continue still in the service. And this minds me of some saints, who, not being free of doubts with respect to their state in a future world, notwithstanding of all their toils in life, and struggles against sin, cling to life, and startle at the thoughts of death.

But, there are some provident persons who have saved a little in the course of the war; and some so happy as to get on the half-pay list, or obtain a pension from their prince; These chearfully retire to live on their money, repeat their dangers, recount their conquests, and commend their king. Just so, the souls that are enriched by the King eternal, and blessed with the full assurance of celestial felicity, go triumphant, at the hour of death, to dwell in the courts of God, on the treasures of glory, through an endless evermore.

MEDITATION XIX.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE RIGHTEOUS
AND THE GUILTY.

Lying off Normandy, June 14. 1758.

THOUGH, with respect to the outward man there is no difference, as one Creator has fashioned them both alike in the womb; yet, with respect to the inner man, there is an amazing dissimilitude. In the darkest night, there are some rays of light; but, in these sons of vice, there is not the least vestige of holiness. Yea, that modesty, which one would

think was inseparable from the human nature, they have eradicated by a long practice of sinning. They seem to have stabbed their conscience, bound it hand and foot, and carried it forth to be buried, like a dead corpse, in the deep-dug grave of oblivion, from whence it shall come forth upon them in a terrible resurrection.

What a wide difference, then, between the shining examples of piety, and the sons of profanity! The affections of the one are refined, and their de sires exalted; but the inclinations of the other are corrupt, and their desires grovelling. Sin has but a tottering standing, and a momentary stay in those; but has fixed his throne, and taken up his eternal residence, (if grace prevent not), in these. In the one, grace and sin struggle for sovereignty; in the other, sin domineers, and there is no disturbance. The one is wise for a world to come, the other minds not that there is a future state. The discourse of the one is always seasoned with salt; of the other, insipid and vain. The one has his hope fixed in God, the other has no fear of God before his eyes. Those use the world without abusing it; but these, in using the world, abuse beth themselves and it. The one confesses a God in his daily conversation, and rejoices with his whole heart in him; the other says in his practice, there is, and wishes in his heart, there were no God. The one adores the Creator above all, the other worships the creature more than the Creator, though he be God over all, blessed for ever. The one names the name of God with profoundest reverence, and departs from iniquity; the other profanes it with impudent loquacity, and adds iniquity to sin. The one redeems common time, and sanctifies that which is sacred; the other trifles away the

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one, and sins away the other. The one studies his duty in obedience to all, the other shakes himself loose of every law. This forgives his foes, that lays a snare for his friends. The one commits it to God to plead his cause, and avenge his wrong; the other, fiery and tumultuous, threatens duels and death. The one loveth chastity in all things, the other wallows in uncleanness. The one injures himself rather than his neighbour; the other, the whole world rather than himself. The one is content with his condition, the other covets all the day long. The one is all glorious within, the heart of the other is like a cage full of unclean birds. The one walks at liberty in the ways of God, the other is the servant and slave of sin. In this dwells the Spirit of God; in that rules the god of this world. The one has his conversation in heaven; the other, in hell.

But, as there is a wide difference in their principles and practice, so in their privileges. The one is under the blessing of love, the other under the curse of the law. The one is a child of adoption, the other the prey of the terrible one. He is faithful that hath promised felicity to the saints, and threatened vengeance to the wicked. The one is allowed with joy to draw water out of the wells of salvation, the other shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty. To the one pertain all the exceeding great and precious promises, to the other all the threatenings of God. "The righteous hath hope in his death, but the wicked is driven away in his wickedness." The one shall enter into the joy of his Lord, but the anguish of his enemies shall prey on the other for ever. Heaven shall be the palace of those, hell the prison of these: And, while the one shall dwell through eternity with

God, the other shall be driven away into everlasting darkness.

Thus, the righteous and wicked are separated in their life, and divided in their death; divided in their principles and practices, in their choice and joys, in their meditations and privileges, in their company and in their converse in their fears and in their expectations, in their death, and through eternity itself.

Then, how much more excellent than this neigh bour is the righteous! and how are the sons of Zion comparable to fine gold! As only among them, of all the human race, I can expect to spend eternity; so only among them, to spend the remainder of my time, in every tie and relation, is all the happiness of society that I desire below.

MEDITATION XX.

THE JUDGEMENT OF SWEARERS ACCORDING TO EQUITY.

Lying off Normandy, June 15. 1759.

How justly will God, the righteous Judge, mea. sure the purport of their imprecations into the bosoms of these blasphemers! They swear by God, and so they own the divinity they offend; but they profane the sacred name, and so offend the Deity they own. They damn the whole man, their soul, their blood, their eyes; and every part, even the whole man, shall be tormented. They sow the wind, for there is neither pleasure nor profit in any sense in swearing; and they shall reap the whirl.

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