inspired account gives the Christian a more perfect knowledge and striking view of his sufferings, than all the master-pieces of the best painters. But when they give but a faint view of bodily sufferings, what can set forth the agonies of our Saviour's soul, which, like wax before the fire, was melted in the midst of his bowels, and was poured out like water? Can they paint the strokes of divine vengeance which he bore for us, or depict the hidings of his Father's countenance, which gave so deepa wound? These are things for faith, not for sense; and it is the excellency of faith that it can and may intermeddle with divine things, while sense must stand at a distance.

As images strike our fancy, and impressions of them abide with us, a dumb image stands before us, when we adore the living God; so that in effect we are praying to an idol, rather than to the Searcher of hearts. The idolators of old represented God by an ox, calf, fire, sun, man, and such-like, with which he was displeased; and the idolators of late represent the incarnate God, as a scourged, bleeding, suffering creature, with which he is no less displeased. But I must form no idea of God, that gives figure, limits, or bounds to him, because he is infinite; my soul must go out in my prayers, in the immensity of his perfections, and I must make my plea the meritorious sufferings of Jesus, which no art of man can set forth, as the Spirit of God can to the eye of faith in the renewed soul.

W

MEDITATION LXXVIII.

IN A HOT CLIMATE.

Gibraltar Bay, May 18, 1759.

WHAT frail creatures are we the sons of men ! yet how madly bold, that dare contend with God, when heat or cold, increased but a few degrees, becomes intolerable! Here, in this southern clime, how scorching is the noon-day sun! the earth receives so many solar sparks of fire, that sand and stones almost burn the naked skin that touches them. Now, if it is so hot so many degrees from the meridian, what must it be there, by the sun darting down his direct beams? and if carried nearer the sun still, how must the heat increase, till approaching the burning orb, we find it all one material fire, one substantial flame?

Now, saints and sinners are like the inhabitants of the world, some dwelling in a mild, some in a scorching climate. O miserable condition of the wicked, who change from ill to worse, till their misery can admit almost of no increase, but in the eternity of it! Here his anger scorches, and hereafter his wrath consumes them. O! who knows the power of his wrath? Now they can put up with their case through stupidity, tho they know no inward solid comfort; but how will they stand when oceans of boiling vengeance will roll over them for ever? when they shall be set under the burning beams of inexorable justice, and fiery indignation? Our sun, even at his surface or centre, is mild compared to his displeasure who kindled that sun, and set it in the firmament.

Just now my head is pained with the beating of the sun-beams, and all my members lifeless; every pore

pours out my strength, and every fibre of my tongue pants for the cold spring; but there a rock presents itself, whose friendly height takes off the scorching beams, and hides me from the heat.-Now that I am arrived, how refreshful to stand in the shadow here, while all is parched and scorched around me. So, and vastly more, desirable is Christ to the soul that is scorched with Sinai's fiery flames, and stands panting under the burning wrath of an offended God. The God-man "is an hiding-place from the wind, a covert from the tempest, as rivers of waters in a dry place, and the shadow of a great rock," which neither melts before the heat, nor transmits it on the fainting pilgrim "in a weary land." My body is sensible of this covert from the heat; may my soul be as sensible of thy diviner shadow! Some rocks are parched with drought, but the Rock of ages has the fountain of salvation flowing from him. I must leave this rock, though refreshful, otherwise I cannot pursue my intended journey; but in the shadow of the everlasting Rock, I must rest for ever, else I shall not be able to reach the end of my journey, the land of promise. To my comfort I find refreshing in the Rock of salvation, even all that is needful in my passage heavenward, till I arrive at glory, become an inhabitant of the Rock for ever, and shout mine everlasting song from the top of the mountains of bliss.

MEDITATION LXXIX.

FISHERS.

Gibraltar Mole, May 31, 1759.

HERE, on the shore of this vast sea, where innumerable creatures are, I stand, and am entertained to see the various methods fishers try to entangle the finny tribe; some with the hook and bate suspended on the water, others with the bait sunk quite to the bottom; some use the insignificant earth-worm, and succeed therewith, and what they catch with it they make a bait for larger fish; others use all sorts of nets, and spread the sail, and ply the oar in pursuit of the prey, and thus catch some of all kinds.

The ocean is the world, where all the sons of men swim, every one pursuing his own game; and it holds truer of them than of the scaly family, that though they too often devour one another, yet they have their common enemy, the old serpent, the blood-thirsty dragon. Now, of those whom satan makes a prey, some are taken with baits of pleasure, others in the snares and nets of temptation, at first as it were against their will, through the reproofs of a natural conscience, or the effects of a religious education, but in a little are taken captive by him at his will. Again, how does satan make use of one man to ensnare another, and draw him to hell! How often do evil communications corrupt good manners, and companions of fools are destroyed! Therefore how careful should we be to shun the company of the wicked, for no sooner has satan made a prey of one soul, than he makes him a bait for others; and whomsoever this old serpent stings, he

s such a poison into them, that they can do no

thing but sting others to death,though they themselves be mortally wounded. This may look strange, because some men, though they have no religion, appear very sober,but attend them a little,and you will find nothing but carnality, deadness, earthly-mindedness, breathe through all they do and say.

At shore and at sea fishers are busy to unpeople the waters, fowls from above feed on them, and fishes through the whole deep prey upon one another; but man's condition is still worse, for, though he has enemies behind and before, dangers on every hand, and satan watching at all points, he is also his own enemy.

But, on the other hand, O that the waters that issue out of the sanctuary would come into the great sea, to heal the waters, whither the curse has already come, that every thing might live. Let the gospel, that contains this flood of life, spread through the world with healing to every creature; and let men of all ranks and conditions be taken in the net of the gospel. Let the fishers stand all along the banks, and be successful in catching souls, and winning them to Christ, out of every tribe and tongue under heaven.

MEDITATION LXXX.

IN A SOUTHERN CLIMATE.

THESE southern climates certainly, as to fruitfulness, have the better of our northern isles; and when the traveller tells the entertaining account of spreading vines, and shady fig-trees, the beautiful pomegranate, and nourishing almond, the fragrant orange, and cooling lemon, with every other rare and useful produc