of his salvation, as they are now chained, so shall never vex him more, but he shall sing the riches of grace, and the righteousness of Jesus, world without end.

MEDITATION LI.

THE NOBLE PRINCIPLE.

Spithead, July 19. 1758.

Now I am distant from all my religious acquaintance and civilized friends, who might be a check upon me; and, what is worse, I am out of the church, therefore out of the reach of her discipline; but, what is worst of all, I am where religion is a stranger, and is voted to have no interest on the element of water. Here it is social to be wicked, and profanity and impiety are supported at the expence of all that is sacred or valuable. Here shame is laid aside, brazen impudence is worn on every brow, and he that departs from iniquity becomes a prey to ridicule and scoff. Yet, for all this, how can I commit wickedness, and sin against God? Shall I not improve this opportunity put into my hand, to witness for religion against all their vileness, and to strike a terror into the most abandoned; as there is no conscience that slum. bers so securely, but there are now and then clamours rising within!

What thanks to me to be for God among his saints, where for very shame I dare not be against him? But surely it is commendable, when called in providence to be among those among whom Satan has his seat, not only to abstain from the sins

nal peace which shall take place when all thy foes shall fall before thee, and death, the last enemy, shall be destroyed for ever! Then thou shalt not only quit the field with safety and honour, but come off more than conqueror through him that loved thee!

Are men so fond to quit the martial plain, and taste the sweets of peace! What madness then by sin to rise in rebellion against Heaven, and maintain a war against God, to run on the thick bosses of his buckler, and defy Omnipotence himself, who can crush worlds with a frown, and punish the most stubborn offenders!

How pleasant for the man that has been often in danger and death, who has long heard the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war, who has been covered with wounds and blood, and been daily beset by cruel blood-thirsty foes, to dwell in peace, and walk at safety, to heighten his present happi ness by the remembrance of his past danger, as sured that he shall never more be in a state of war, but spend his days in peace and quiet. Even so, the soul that has been often in danger from spiri tual death, has long heard the sound of Sinai's trumpets, the curses of the fiery law, and war denounced from Jehovah's throne, has not only been sore buffeted and wounded, but accounted itself free among the dead, being daily beset by sin and its outbreakings, Satan and his temptations; how sweet for such a soul to be filled with peace and joy in believing, to have the intimation of pardoned sin, and acceptance through the Beloved; and, instead of storms and tempests from Sinai, to have the blessing out of Zion; in a word, to have the full assurance of unchangeable love, and endless felicity, and that, in a little, all the enemies

of his salvation, as they are now chained, so shall never vex him more, but he shall sing the riches grace, and the righteousness of Jesus, world without end.

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MEDITATION LI.

THE NOBLE PRINCIPLE.

Spithead, July 19. 1758.

Now I am distant from all my religious acquaintance and civilized friends, who might be a check upon me; and, what is worse, I am out of the church, therefore out of the reach of her discipline; but, what is worst of all, I am where religion is a stranger, and is voted to have no interest on the element of water. Here it is social to be wicked, and profanity and impiety are supported at the expence of all that is sacred or valuable. Here shame is laid aside, brazen impudence is worn on every brow, and he that departs from iniquity becomes a prey to ridicule and scoff. Yet, for all this, how can I commit wickedness, and sin against God? Shall I not improve this opportunity put into my hand, to witness for religion against all their vileness, and to strike a terror into the most abandoned; as there is no conscience that slumbers so securely, but there are now and then clamours rising within!

What thanks to me to be for God among his saints, where for very shame I dare not be against him? But surely it is commendable, when called in providence to be among those among whom Satan has his seat, not only to abstain from the sins

in which they revel, but to oppose, to reprove, to let my hatred of the vices which they admire be known, and not to drop my testimony against sin, though with sinners I prevail nothing; for though our diligence be not successful, our duty must not be slackened. The sinner mistakes the matter; for he thinks he has liberty to sin in one situation more than in another; but it mightily aggravates his wickedness, because he carries not the awe and belief of God's omnipresence every where. Were he at home, no man more civil than he. But the eye of man prevails more with him than the omniscience of God; for when he leaves his friends and native land, he leaves the fear of God also, (that is, the form of godliness, for he never knew the power thereof), and rushes into sin wherever he goes. Like the ignorant Syrians, he thinks that God is a God of the hills, but not of the vallies, a God of the land, but not of the sea; and thus, when he casts off men by distance, he sets God also at a distance, and the divine law at defiance; but, to his endless remorse, he shall know that God seeth, not only under the whole heaven, but through the whole heart; and filleth not only time, but eternity itself.

As no grateful soul could injure a generous friend, though he could never know it; so, for my part, I would not sin against God, even supposing that he could not know it. How should I forget thy tender mercies, thy love, thy compassion, thy kindness, and supporting grace! How should I sin against thy holiness, offend my best, my never-failing friend, wound my conscience, slay my soul, and trample on thy glory! Thou art ever in the heart that loves thee, and thou wilt bring them that willingly forget thee to a remem.

brance of thy omnipresence by the down-pouring of thy dreadful wrath. If nothing but the eye of man be on the mind, it will make but small im. pression, and the impression will be quickly gone; but I can never hide me from Heaven, nor conceal myself from my own conscience.

Moreover, I am bound to be for God by many ties. O how shall I honour him whom all dishcnour, and appear for him when all appear against him! In the time that I may appear alone for him, I should not lose the opportunity which may never be put into my hand again. How, then, should I love him whom the sons of men refuse to love; and hate sin the more that men hate it so little! Surely my zeal should be the warmer that men have lost all zeal for God and his glory. What can be more ungrateful than to sin against that God who has sent his Son to save me? than to offend him who defends me every day? than to cast off his fear, who has fed me all my life long; or join a multitude against him, who, passing by a multitude, has chosen me? I should have an eye to his glory, and his love should be always before me; his greatness should fill my mind with holy awe, and his goodness with gratitude and joy. But, ah! worthless I, how shall I hold up my face, when I fall so far short of my duty, and do so little for him who has done so much, who has done every thing for me!

K