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time past, it will not be long till there will not be a word of religion in the mouths of the inhabitants of this isle. But, may this spiritual captivity be turned as suddenly as streams come rushing from the south hills, when there falls a heavy rain.

Such is the deplorable indifferency about divine things among the sons of men at this day. O! when will matters mend? when shall religion be openly avowed as an honour to the rational soul, and every one speak of God, and for his glory? Let the Spirit be poured out from on high, and the wilderness turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field rise into a statelier forest. And let Israel take root downward, and fill the world with fruit. Then shall iniquity, as ashamed, stop its mouth, and hide its head; then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. Such (O to see them!) should surely be some of the glorious days of the son of man.

MEDITATION XXXIII.

GOING TO A FAIR.

THE heavenly mind has this advantage, that it can

spiritualize every business, and moralize all occurrences of life. As, then, I am this day going to a fair, let me call to mind the camparisons, or the similitude betwixt this market and the market of grace.

1. From all quarters men come hither; so is it in the market of grace. 2. None are hindered to come here to merchandise; so is it in the market of grace. 3. All kinds of goods are to be found here; so is it

in the market of grace. 4. Parties meet here, bargains are made, and business done; so is it in the market of grace. 5. Numbers are to be found here, who cannot tell what brought them hither; so many attend the ordinances from custom, to see, or to be seen. 6. The fair is by public authority; so is the market of grace. 7. Some stand all day idle; so

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is it in the market of grace. 8. Some go home with large profits; so do all they that rightly improve the market of grace. 9. But some return immense losers; so must they that slight the market of grace. Thieves, tinkers, and pick-pockets, attend here to ruin honest folk; so satan, sin, and worldly cares often rob us of spiritual things in the market of grace, 11. Dealers, returning home, converse wholly on the course of their business through the day; so they who have found the true riches, the pearl of great price, in the market of grace, will speak, think, and meditate much thereon ever after. 12. This fair is but of one day; so the market of grace comes to an end, and people may outlive the day of grace; therefore, every one should embrace the present offer.

But how great the excellency of the one above the other! 1. All things here are for the body; there all things are for the soul. 2. Nothing here goes without money; but all things in the glorious market of grace are without money, and without price. 3. If I sit my market to-day, I shall repent to-morrow; but the market of grace is continued to many poor souls many years. 4. Without the one we may live; but wanting the other, we must die. 5. It is indifferent whether we buy or not here; but, in the market of grace, we must be dealers, or we dishonour God, and sin against our own souls. 6. To take goods here

without money, is dishonesty; but, to offer our pelf for the merchandise of heaven, is damnable. 7. We plead and press for commodities at a low price here; but God importunes, and presses us to buy the gold tried in the fire, that we may be eternally rich. But O how are the men of the world assiduous about the affairs of life, while they neglect the great concern! Well do we know what makes for our behoof, as to the things of time; but how careless are we with respect to the things of eternity! A shower will excuse from walking two miles to a sermon; but a very rainy day will not deter us from this place of business, though three times the distance. O corrupt nature ! that counts it a great deal of happiness to meet with merry companions, to drink, rove, ramble, see, and be seen. But how far beneath the dignity of the human soul, to forget itself amidst a hurry of trifling concerns for a transitory life!

It is, indeed, the duty of all men to attend to their business, and guide their affairs with discretion.They may meet, therefore, on days appointed for that purpose; but, when the mind gets a wrong set, by the vanities that are to be seen there, is infected with a roving disposition, and can trifle away time that is so precious, and must so punctually be accounted for ; when men continue till liquor inflame them, how far is this beneath the Christian character! It should be our constant care, then, wherever we go, whatever we do, to bear the omniscience of God in our mind, that, while we manage our business with discretion, we may serve our God with undistracted devotion.

WHAT

MEDITATION XXXIV.

AFTER SICKNESS.

HAT shall I render unto the Lord for all his kindness unto me! The sorrows of death compassed me about, the pains of the grave took hold on me ; my feeble joints were made to smite together; disease attacked every part, and rapidly prevailed.— Mine eyes, with languid looks, spoke forth mine inward trouble. My throbbing heart spread sense of pain through every member, and vexing dreams disturbed my night's repose. But what was all this to that confusion my sympathizing soul was in? No composure there. I could not meditate with calmness on my final change, that seemed to await me; nor could I inquire aright into the case of my soul, that I thought would soon be dislodged this body, and brought before the bar of God. Hence I learn, that health is the proper time to prepare for sickness, death, eternity. The new, the spiritual life, is too late in beginning, when the lamp of natural life is about to be blown out. Yet the men of the world postpone the most momentous business to their last moments. O! my soul, come not thou into their assembly; with their procrastination, mine honour, be not thou united!

But what shall I render to the Lord for adding to my days! I yet live, yea, and am well. The canopy of the heavens might have been converted into the crumbling clods, or covering worms; the light of the world into the shadow of death, and time into eternity; and my broken strains of praise into perpetual silence; for the living only can praise thee, as I do

this day. By how many ties am I thine? I am thine to all eternity, because redeemed from everlasting wrath; and thine while I dwell below, because redeemed from temporal death. Many times, before I could expect it, deliverance came, and mercy prevented me. Shall thy goodness be forgot, or thy love seem little in mine eye? No, for should not that life be spent to thy praise, that is preserved by thy power, restored in thy pitying mercy, lengthened out in thy love, and covered with thy protection? Death, with his malignant troops, is now again discharged the field, and I almost a prisoner of the grave, sét at liberty, before I was fast locked in the irons of corruption. Was my life precious in thine eyes, who am of so little moment among so many millions of beings dependent on thy throne? Would I have been missed among them, if removed? No; yet thy neverfailing kindness would not, as yet, let me drop among the congregation of the dead! How should my love live to thee, whose love to me is so active, exuberant, and full! With the recovery of my health, let every grace revive: and let my soul, as a watered garden, be put into a flourishing condition. And, if spared to old age, when others fade, may I bring forth fruit, be fat, and flourishing. Yea, in the last decline of nature, when my outward man decays, let my inward man be renewed day by day; may my views of his glory be more bright, my faith more active, my hope more fixed, my heart more established, my affections more purified, my desires more heavenly, my longing after complete fruition, and uninterrupted communion with God, increased, and my soul set on fire of love, and filled with heaven, till I, at last, am taken

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