racked with acute, nor wafted with lingering Diftempers. Here, they receive a final Release from Pain, and an everlasting Discharge from Sorrow.

us ferious and attentive in Hearing; earnest and importunate in Praying?

As for the Fitnefs of the Ufage, it seems perfectly fuitable to the Design of those facred Edifices. They are set apart for GoD; not only to receive his Worshippers, but to preferve the Furniture for holy Miniftrations, and what is, in a peculiar Manner, appropriated to the Divine Majefly. Are not the Bodies of the Saints the Almighty's Property? Were they not once the Objects of his tender Love? Are they not ftill the Subjects of his fpecial Care? Has he not given Commandment concerning the Bones of his Elect; and charged the Ocean, and injoined the Grave, to keep them until that Day? When Rocks bright with Gems, or Mountains rich with Mines, are abandoned to the devouring Flames; will not these be refcued from the fiery Ruin? Will not these be tranflated into JEHOVAH'S Kingdom, and, conjointly with the Soul, made his Jewels ;" made his peculiar Treafure; made to fhine as the Brightnefs of the Firmament, and as the Stars for Ever and Ever?

Is not CHRIST the LORD of our Bodies? Are they not bought with a Price? Bought, not with corruptible Things, Silver and Gold, but with his divinely precious Blood. And, if the blessed JE S u s obtained the Redemption of our Bodies, at fo infinitely dear a Rate; can it enter into our Hearts to conceive, that he fhould diflike to have them repofed, under his own Habitation? Once more; Are not the Bodies of the Faithful, Temples of the Holy Ghoft? And is there not, upon this Suppofition, an apparent Propriety, rather

than

Sorrow. Here, Danger never threatens them, with her terrifying Alarms; but Tranquillity foftens their Couch, and Safety guards their Repose. Reft then, ye precious Relics, within this hofpitable Gloom. Reft in gentle Slumbers, till the last Trumpet fhall give the welcome Signal; and sound aloud, through all your filent Manfions, "Arife; fhine; for your Light is come, and the Glory of the Lord is rifen upon You*."

66

66

To these, how calm was the Evening of Life! In what a smiling Serenity, did their Sun go down! When their Flesh and their Heart failed, how reviving was the Remembrance of an all

fuf

than the leaft Indecorum; in remitting thefe Temples of Flesh to the Temples made with Hands? They are Vesfels of Honour; Inftruments of Righteoufnefs; and, even when broken by Death, like the Fragments of a golden Bowl, are valuable; are worthy to be laid up in the fafeft, moft honourable Repofitories.

Upon the Whole, fince the LORD JESUS has purchafed them, at the Expence of his Blood; and the bleffed Spirit has honoured them, with his in-dwelling Prefence; fince they are right dear in the Sight of the adorable Trinity, and undoubted Heirs of a glorious Immortality: Why fhould it be thought a Thing improper, to admit them to a tranfient Reft, in their Heavenly Father's Houfe? Why may they not lie down and fleep, in the outer Courts; fince they are foon to be introduced, into the inmoft Manfions of everlasting Honour and Joy?

* Ifa. lx. 1.

fufficient Redeemer; once dying for their Sins, now risen again for their Juftification! How chearing the well-grounded Hope of pardon for their Tranfgreffions, and Peace with Gon, through JESUS CHRIST Our LORD' How did this affwage the Agonies, and fweeten the Bitternefs of Death.-Where now is Wealth, with all her golden Mountains? Where is Honour, with her proud Trophies of Renown? Where are all the vain Pomps of a deluded World? Can they inspire fuch Comfort; can they administer any Support, in this last Extremity? Can they compofe the affrighted Thoughts; or buoy up the departing Soul, amidst all the Pangs of Diffolution?—The Followers of the Lamb feem pleased and triumphant, even at their last Gafp. "GOD's everlafting Arms are underneath*" their fainting Heads. His Spirit whispers Peace and Confolation to their Confciences. In the Strength of these heavenly Succours, they quit the Field, not Captives, but Conquerors; with Hopes full of Immortality."

AND now they are gone.-The Struggles of reluctant Nature are over. The Body fleeps in Death: the Soul launches into the invifible State. But, who can imagine the delightful Surprise, when they find themselves furrounded by guardian Angels, instead of weeping Friends? How fecurely do they wing their Way, and pass

* Deut. xxxiii. 27.

through

through unknown Worlds, under the Conduct of those celeftial Guides!-The Vale of Tears is quite loft. Farewel, for Ever, the Realms of Woe, and Range of malignant Beings! They arrive on the Frontiers of inexpreffible Felicity. They "are come to the City of the Living Gon:" while a Voice, fweeter than Mufic in her fofteft Strains; sweet as the Harmony of hymning Seraphim; congratulates their Arrival, and bespeaks their Admiffion: Lift up your Heads, O ye Gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting Doors; that the Heirs of Glory may enter in.

HERE, then, let us leave the Spirits and Souls of the Righteous; escaped from an entangling Wilderness, and received into a Paradife of Delights! Efcaped from the Territories of Difquietude, and fettled in Regions of unmolested Security! Here, they fit down with Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdom of their Father. Here, they mingle with an innumerable Company of Angels, and rejoice around the Throne of the Lamb: rejoice in the Fruition of present Felicity, and in the affured Expectation of an inconceivable Addition to their Blifs: when GOD fhall call the Heavens from above, and the Earth, that he may judge his People*.

FOOLS

* Seneca's Reflections upon the State of holy Souls, delivered from the Burden of the Flesh, are fparkling and fine; yet very indiftinct and empty, compared with the Particulars mentioned above, and with many others

that

FOOLS accounted their Life Madness, and their End to be without Honour: but, they are numbered among the Children of GOD; and their Lot, their diftinguished and eternal Lot, is among the Saints! However, therefore, an undifcerning. World may defpife, and a profane World vilify, the truly Religious; be this the supreme, the invariable Defire of my Heart! "Let me "live the Life, and die the Death, of the Righ"teous. Oh! let my latter End, and future "State, be like theirs!"

WHAT Figure is That, which strikes my Eye, from an eminent Part of the Wall? It is not only placed in a more elevated Situation, than the reft; but carries a more fplendid and fumptuous Air, than ordinary. Swords and Spears; murdering Engines, and Inftruments of Slaughter; adorn the Stone with a formidable Magnificence. It proves to be the Monument of a noble Warrior.

Is fuch Refpect, thought I, paid to the Memory of this brave Soldier, for facrificing hist

Life

that might be collected from Scripture. In hoc tam procellofo, & in omnes Tempeftates expofito navigantibus Mari, nullus Portus, nifi Mortis eft. Ne itaque invideris Fratri tuo; quiefcit. Tandem liber, tandem tutus, tandem æternus eft. Fruitur nunc aperto & libero Calo; ex humili & deprefSo, in eum emicuit Locum, qui folutas Vinculis Animas beato recipit Sinu; & nunc omnia Rerum Natura Bona cum fumma Voluptate percipit. SEN. ad Polyb.

* Wisdom v. 4. 5.