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MEDITATION XCI.

ON A GREAT STORM OF THUNDER, LIGHTNING,

AND RAIN.

Lying off France, June 9, 1758.

DARK is the night, but dismal the flash that scatters the darkness. At times the whole heavens seems in a blaze, while material streams of fire twinkle in our astonished eye, and dart across the skies; then tremendous thunder roars, and whole clouds descend in heavy rain, while the noisy wind blows with impetuous force. Now, durst the atheist yet deny a God! Would not his conscience answer to the flames of fire, his troubled thoughts agree to the language of the thunder, that there is a Power above, that rules events below? When the night is so dark, the lightning so dreadful, the thunders so loud, and the rain so incessant, can any ascribe all to blind chance? Nay, the atheist himself must confess and tremble?

But, O sad effets of sin! what fills the pious soul with fear, and a secret sense of the power and greatness of God, drives the wicked into sin. They fear, but they swear; they are troubled, but they transgress. How terrible, then, will that day be, when the Judge shall come in flaming fire,to take vengeance on his foes! when flames shall dwell in ether, the skies be kindled, and cities, kingdoms and continents, be cast into the burning embrace! when thunders bursting from every cloud, around the whole sky, admit of no interval, but with one continued roar terrify all the nations, till silenced and lost in the sound of the last trumpet, which the dead, hitherto undisturbed, shall hear !

When fire and water in contention or elements at war are so terrible, how much more terrible must the God of nature be, when, arrayed in awful majesty, he comes to take vengeance on his enemies? Lest we forget his greatness, nature preaches to us, raging tempests and rending winds turn our remembrancers, flames of fire unfold our lesson before our eyes, and roaring thunders awaken our meditations. As in his temple every one talks of his glory, so in his tent (for which he has stretched out the heavens) every thing shews forth his power. Fire, rain, vapour, stormy wind, lightning, hail, snow, and thunder, praise him. Then, since in all things, I may see God, may my soul ever go out after him, and above all things see him in the face of Jesus, as reconciled, and speaking peace to me!

MEDITATION XCII.

ON BEING INTERRUPTED IN SECRET PRAYER.

Lying off France, June 13, 1758.

NOTHING can still the agitation of my spirit, but the fore-thoughts of perfect and eternal liberty, into which the sons of God shall shortly be delivered. Little needs the world without, disturb our retired moments; there is enough within to distract our meditations. But, O thrice happy day, which is approaching on the out-stretched wings of the promise when I shall stand among a numerous 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 truthshall 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 duration.

MEDITATION XCIII.

ON THE ARMOUR OF SOLDIERS.

Lying off Normandy, June 13, 1758.

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 Prince of the kings of the earth, and has an army maintained at much immenser cost, harnished with much diviner armour, engaged in a more bloody war, against more depserate 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 armor, 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 66 : Put on the whole armor 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 wickedness in high places. Wherefore, take unto you the whole armor 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 helmet 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 brother-soldiers) with supplication for all saints."

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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 shail 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 !

MEDITATION XCIV.

ALL THINGS MADE UP IN CHRIST.

Quiberon Bay, May 11, 1760.

EVERY one is subject to so many losses here, that, unless he has a share in the bank of bliss, he may soon become impoverished of all his enjoyments, and be a bankrupt as to felicity. But what an enriching privilege is an interest in Jesus, whereby I am insured against all losses, and furnished for all misfortunes! for though in the world I may have tribulation, yet in him who overcame the world, shall I have joy. It is

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