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MEDITATION CXII.

THE THREEFOLD STATE.

Gulph of Lyons, July 8, 1759.

THREE changes go over the natural world, the

black and dark night, the fair and beauteous moonshine, and the bright and noon-day beams: The same also prevail in the rational world; there is the black and dark night of a natural state, in which the unconverted nations sit; and there is the fair moonlight of grace, in which the saints walk till admitted into the eternal sunshine of glory in the highest heavens. Night sat on the face of the deep at first, till God said, " Let there be light," and scattered the eternal darkness with his manifesting ray. So every soul is not only in darkness, but darkness itself, till made light in the Lord; and this darkness would be eternal, did not the divine beams break in upon the soul, and dispel the awful gloom.

There is a vast disproportion betwixt those nights which are overcast with thick and heavy clouds, when the moon shines not, and not a star appears, but the angry heavens open in tremendous. thunders, as if about to convey our destruction from the chambers of the sky, while the glaring lightnings, only like so many torches, flash, to make our funeral more solemnly dismal, and those nights when not a star is hid, but in the beauty of the fuil-faced moon, which sheds a day in comparison of the former night, through the serene æther, on the silent earth, where not the least breath of wind is felt, nor the least confusion heard. But the disproportion is still greater

between those that remain in their natural state, and those that are renewed in the spirit of their mind.For the poor sinner is in perpetual fear of being consumed by the angry thunders, and devoured by the wrath of the Almighty; nor is his case less deplorable by his insensibility, for he shall at last be awakened with a vengeance, when he shall find his misery consummate, without any possibility of redemption.— But the happy saint has a whole heaven shining on him, all the divine perfections smiling in his face, every thing around him quiet, and every thing within tranquil; nor can afflictions of any kind, or of any quantity, or any continuance, deprive him of this peace that passeth understanding.

Now, we have this pleasant moon-light properly from the sun, being part of his emanations received by her, and reflected on us: So all the beauties and excellencies of grace are like so much divine glory seen through a glass, or reflected on us from the word of truth, the ordinances, and sacraments, by the operation and blessing of the Spirit of all grace.

Again, if we only enjoyed nights, beauteous by the unclouded moon and transparent sky, and knew that this light was from the sun, how would we long for day, to be delighted with beholding that bright orb! Yet I very much question if we could conceive of the sun according to that transcendent brightness whereby he illuminates the extensive sky. We might conceive him to be beauteous like the moon, and a vast deal larger, but could never form any just idea of his fiery beams, insufferable rays, and sparkling effulgence, too bright to be beheld by our weak eyes. Even so, while so many excellencies, and so much beauty, are to be found in sacred things, in religion,

in the ordinances, in the sacraments, in the church, and in the saints of God, here in this day of grace, which is all but a part of Immanuel's glory reflected, how divinely bright must the Sun of Righteousness shine above! What amiable beauty! what assimilating beams! what adorable perfections! what august emanations! what entrancing delights! what majesty and splendour shall pour from him above! Our thoughts recoil on us, and our apprehensions fail, when we think on his infinite glory. This created sun, which we so much admire, would disappear in the presence of one of his remotest rays, as happened when Paul was converted.

What brightness, what effulgence, what emanations, where he sheds around all his glory! No cloud, no eclipse, no mist, no decline, no setting, to lessen his eternal blaze! Surely, now our thoughts are in the dark about this Sun of Righteousness, and Fountain of Glory. When admitted to perfect vision, we shall find, that our clearest apprehensions and brightest uptakings of him below, differed but a degree from ignorance. How ineffably, how unconceivably glorious must he shine above! when on the blessed beholders round the throne, life descends in every ray, assimilation in every beam, transport and delight in the eternal emanations of all his divine perfections!

How is it, then, that when I have seen something of the beauty of grace, I have not more desire to see all the excellencies of glory?—to turn about from the reflective glass, and see him face to face?-to scale the wall behind which he stands, and see him as he is? to change the transient glance into an eternal intuition of him in his glory?-How is it that I do not watch with more anxiety for the morning-light,

and look out more eagerly for the dawning of eternal day? Is night to be preferred to noon? or created joys to the pleasures that overflow in the divine presence? Finish, then, thy work with me, and glorify thyself by me, before I go hence and be no more. Then, through the same grace shall I say, and with the same sincerity as it was at first spoken, "I have a desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, which is far better."

MEDITATION CXIII.

CORRUPTION.

Gulph of Lyons, July 9, 1759.

HAPPY they who have put off, not only mortality,

but sin, and have put on, not only immortality, but perfection, and, in triumph, trample on the neck of all their enemies, having neither foe without, nor foe within. But my daily complaint may be, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Satan watches and way-lays me; temptation attacks without, and corruption rises up within, and, alas! too often I offend him who is all love, mercy, and goodness. O for the happy day, when I shall cease to sin, and to offend the best of friends, the Saviour of my soul! when my whole soul shall be pure and holy, and not one seed of sin be left within; when satan shall tempt no more, and I yield no more to the temptation; when my bitter complaint against corruption and sin, shall be converted into sweet encomiums on redeeming grace: "To him that loved me, and washed me from my

sins in his own blood, be glory, and honour,, might, and dominion, for ever and ever."

In view of that blessed day will I rejoice; and, confiding in all-sufficient grace, I will travel to the mount of God with courage; and, leaning on my Beloved, I will journey up through the wilderness undismayed. For it is when I go in mine own strength, or walk alone, that I stumble into sin, to rectify my mistaken notions, spoil my vain confidence, and make me depend on God alone.

MEDITATION CXIV.

GRACE.

Gulph of Lyons, July, 1759.

HEAVENLY grace implanted in the soul, is the

divine philosopher's stone, that turns every thing in Your possession into a more excellent nature, and greater value. It is storied of the one, that it turns iron into silver, and silver into gold. But it is true of the other, that for "brass it brings gold; and for iron, silver; and for wood, brass; and for stones, iron." Shedding divine contentment through the soul, it turns our water into wine, our pennies into pounds, our poor cottages into splendid palaces, bare supply into abundant plenty, and every thing into sufficiency, because our satisfaction is the same in this, as if possessed of that. It diminishes distress, magnifies mercies, lessens grief, enlarges love, contemns vanities, breaths after future bliss, rectifies our desires, subdues our corruptions, regulates our inclinations, restrains our ambition, raises and refines our affections,

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