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21. We are provided with men of the healing art to give assistance to the wounded and diseased; so have the saints a tender-hearted Physician, who binds up the broken heart, cures the painful wound, and pours in the healing balm.

22. We have a steward who gives us our provisions daily, and not all at once, yet we have no uneasiness, knowing there is plenty under his hand, and that he has orders not to let us starve; so the saints, either in respect of spiritual provision, or daily bread, need never be disquieted for futurity, since Jesus is appointed of the Father, a steward to all the children of God, since all the fulness of the Godhead is treasured up in him for their supply, and since, to their unspeakable profit, all their provision, of one or other kind, is not given to them at once, but kept in his hand.

23. We have persons among us of all nations, English, Scots, Irish, Dutch, Swedes, Danes, French, Spaniards, Germans, Swiss, Italians, Russians, Indians, &c. of all dispositions, of all employments, and of all ages; so the Catholic church is composed of all nations, people, and languages, and of young and old.

24. We are appareled in a different manner from the men on land; so Christians are covered, both with the justifying righteousness of Christ, and with the righteousness of saints.

25. Officers, men, boys, are allowed the same quantity of provisions in the same time; so the fulness of the covenant, the fatness of God's house, is alike free to all the members of Christ.

26. We have several officers here, without whom we could not be governed; so in the church, there are officers for the government of the whole body.

27. We are in the midst of dangers, and yet are preserved; so the church, like a lilly among thorns, grows and is not choaked; is a bush burning, but not consumed; sometimes persecuted of men, but never forsaken of God.

28. In a voyage, or on a cruise, we are cut off from all the world, and have no communication with any; so the church and the people of God shall dwell alone, not mingle with the people, nor be reckoned among the nations.

29. Every loss we sustain in an engagement is borne by government; but when we conquer, we divide the spoil, and share the prize-money among us; so God supports his people in their spiritual warfare, makes up every loss, enriches them with the spoils of their enemies, and at last puts palms in their hands, and crowns on their heads.

30. When the war is ended, and peace restored, we retire with all our acquisitions, to receive the congratulations of our friends, and enjoy ourselves in peace and tranquility as long as we shall live; even so, at death we trample on our last enemy, quit the field with triumph, go to the blessed society of saints and angels, receive a crown of immortal glory, and are happy beyond expression, beyond conception, in the enjoyment of God and the Lamb for evermore.

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MEDITATION LIII.

OUR SORROW FOR SIN TOO CONTRACTED.

July 22, 1758.

NOW to my grief I am among sinners; and it corrodes my spirits that they with whom I am concerned in one vessel and in one interest should so sin against God. Though there were no wickedness committed in this ship, yet how does it prevail through the whole British fleets with which I am connected; but though I were out of the navy, yet I am still concerned with Britain; or though out of Britain, I am still in the world, and therefore concerned with the whole inhabitants thereof. Now I see my sorrow for sin is not so universal as it ought to be; for while I lament great sins, gross abominations, and detestable crimes, I am apt to overlook mental corruptions, and natural depravity, which is the spring of all. Again, it is too con-tracted, in that I confine my grief to the wretches that are daily in my view; for though the crew here were all saints, yet how, through the whole fleet, have officers and men all corrupted their way! or though the whole fleet were innocent, yet how through Britain, by her armies, and men of all ranks, is the divine law broken with impunity But though Britain were as righteous as Israel in their purest times, yet what wickedness against the majesty of Heaven is committed through the world!

O contracted sorrow! to grieve for nothing but what I see; as if the glory of God were not alike dear to him in all places; or as if he were not offended at sin on every shore, in every land, and in every heart! Though what I see and hear deserves my first tears.

yet I should continue the flood, because iniquity overflows the universe, because the whole world lies in iniquity, and the earth groaneth under the inhabitants thereof. Though the enemies of God may not be always in my sight as now some of them are, yet they are always in the sight of Heaven; sinning against him who is every where present: my sorrow therefore should continually be before me, and the shame of my face ever cover me; and my unremitting request should be, and shall be, that the knowledge of the Lord may fill the earth, as the waters cover the sea.

MEDITATION LIV.

PRISONERS.

St. Helens, July 29, 1758.

THIS is a common affliction in war, that whoever conquer at last, in the mean time many on both sides loose their life, or suffer by imprisonment, as these poor men, who carry the effects of their long confinement, and short allowance, in their countenance. Their meagre looks tell they have not been upon the bounty of their own sovereign, under whose colours they fought. But now, when again possessed of liberty, they betake not themselves to a slothful, indolent, and easy life, but, with redoubled ardour, fly again to arms, eager to be revenged on their enemies, and take them prisoners whose prisoners they were. Even so the soldier, that in the Christian warfare (and all his life is one campaign) is taken captive by Satan, is cast down by some temptation, and overcome by some lust; who is imprisoned in carnality, whose iron gate is deadness, and its brazen bolt despair, and the chains and fetters

death, the last enemy, shall be destroyed for ever! Then thou shalt not only quit the field with safety and honor, 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 bloodthirsty foes, to dwell in peace, and walk at safety, to heighten his present happiness by the remembrance of his past danger, assured 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 spiritual 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 of grace, and the righteousness of Jesus, world without end.

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