ted victory? The conquest is mine; I shall pass in triumph through thy dark dominions, and through the grace of the Son of God, my divine leader, I shall appear there, not a captive, but a conqueror.

O king of terrors, where are thy formidable looks? I can see nothing dreadful in thy aspect. Thou appearest with no tokens of defiance, nor dost thou come with a summons from a severe judge; but gentle invitations from my blessed Redeemer, who has passed gloriously through thy territories, in his way to his throne.

Thrice welcome, thou kind messenger of my liberty and happiness! a thousand times more welcome than jubilee to the wretched slave, than pardon to a condemned malefactor: I am going from darkness and confinement, to immense light and perfect liberty from these tempestuous regions, to the soft and peaceful climes above; from pain and grief, to everlasting ease and tranquility. - For the toils of virtue, I shall immediately receive its vast rewards; for the reproach of fools, the honour and applause of angels. In a few minutes I shall be higher than yonder stars, and brighter far than they. I shall range the boundless ether, and breathe the balmy airs of paradise. I shall presently behold my glorious Maker, and sing halle-. lujahs to my exalted Saviour.

And now come, ye bright guardians of the just, conduct me through the unknown and trackless

ether, for you pass and repass this celestial road continually you have commission not to leave me till I arrive at mount Sion, the heavenly Jerusa❤ lem, the city of the living God: till I come to the innumerable company of angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect.

Hold out, faith and patience; it is but a little while, and your work will be at an end; but a few moments, and these sighs and groans shall be converted into everlasting hallelujahs; but a few weary steps, and the journey of life will be finished. One effort more, and I shall have gained the top of the everlasting hills, and from yonder bright summit shall presently look back on the dangers I have escaped in my travels through the wilderness.

Roll faster on, ye lingering minutes; the nearer my joys, the more impatient I am to see them : after these painful agonies, how greedily shall I drink in immortal ease and pleasure? Break away, ye thick clouds, begone ye envious shades, and let me behold the glories ye conceal: let me see the promised land, and survey the happy regions I am immediately to possses. How long will you interpose between me and my bright sun? between me and the unclouded face of God? Look up, my soul, see how sweetly those reviving beams break forth how they dispel the gloom, and gild the shades of death!

O blest eternity! with what a cheerful splendour

dost thou dawn on my soul! With thee comes liberty, and peace, and love, and endless felicity; but pain, and sorrow, and tumult, and death, and darkness vanish before thee for ever. I am just upon the shores of those happy realms, where uninterrupted day and eternal spring reside. Yonder are the delectable hills, and harmonious vales, which continually echo to the songs of angels. There the blissful fields extend their verdure, and, there the immortal groves ascend: but how dazzling is thy prospect, O city of God, of whom such glorious things are spoken! In thee there, shall be no more night, nor need of the sun or moon for the throne of God and of the Lamb is in the midst of thee, and the nations that are saved, shall walk in thy light, and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour into thee, and there the glorious Lord shall be to us a place of defence, a place of streams and broad rivers; and, the voice of joy, and the shout of triumph, shall, be heard in thee for ever.

There holy souls perpetual Sabbaths keep,

And never are concern'd for food or sleep :

There new-come saints with wreaths of light are crown'd, While iv'ry-harps and silver-trumpets sound;

There flaming seraphs sacred hymns begin.

And raptur'd cherubs loud responses sing.

My eyes shall there behold the King in his beau ty, and oh, how ravishing will the aspects of his

love be! What unutterable ecstasies shall I feel, when I meet those smiles which enlighten heaven, and exhilarate all the celestial regions? when I shall view the beatific glory without one interposing cloud to eternity? when I shall drink my fill at the fountains of joy, and in those rivers of pleasures that flow from his right hand for ever.

XXII. A devout resignation of self to the divine power and goodness.

My all-sufficient friend, " my shield, and my ex"ceeding great reward!" I have enough: unbounded avarice can covet nothing beyond thee the soul whom thou dost not suffice, deserves to be eternally poor. Thou art my supreme happiness, my voluntary choice: I took thy love alone for my treasure in that blessed day when I entered into covenant with thee, and became thine: I made no articles with thee for the friendships, the honours, and pleasures of the world; but solemnly. renounced them all, and chose thy favour for my. single inheritance, leaving the conduct of my life entirely to thee.

These were my vows, and these I have often renewed; and shall I now retract such sacred obligations, and alter a choice so just and reasonable ? Forbid it, gracious God! let me never be guilty of such madness.

The world has disappointed

my most confident expectations, but thou hast ne ver deceived me. In all my distress I have found thee a certain refuge, my "shield, my fortress, "my high tower, my deliverer, my rock, and he "in whom I trust." When there was none to save me, thy powerful hand has set me free; thou hast redressed my grievances, and dissipated my fears; thou hast brought me light out of obscurity, and turned my darkness into day.

When the world could afford me nothing but tempest and disorder, with thee I have found repose and undisturbed tranquillity. Thou hast been my long-experienced refuge, my unfailing confidence, and I stedfastly depend on thee for my future conduct. I cannot err when guided by infinite wisdom; I must be safe in the arms of eternal love, to which I humbly resign myself. Let me have riches or poverty, honour or contempt; whatever comes from thy hands, shall be thankfully received. I will hear no voice but thine, nor make a step but where I am following thee.

If thou wouldst leave me to choose for myself, I would resign the choice again to thee: I dread nothing more than the guidance of my own blind desires; I tremble at the thoughts of such fatal liberty; avert, gracious God, that miserable freedom. Thou foreseest all events, and at one single view dost look through eternal consequences; therefore do thou determine my circumstances,