tion, it kindles a desire in others to possess them, and makes them bless the inhabitants of such fine and fruitful countries. But were the relation full, and the account faithful to every particular, it would make them bless their situation in a land, where the mountains are sometimes covered with snow, and the waters concealed in ice. Did they rehearse the dangers and difficultics found there, where the lion roars after his prey, where bears and tygers range for blood, where scorpions instil torment with their poison, and serpents sting to death; yea, where, though free from all these misfortunes, the scorching sun fatigues even to faintness, and the beautiful day by extreme heat becomes a burden; I say, were the delights weighed with the dangers, the fatal incumbrances with the fruitful productions, it would cast out ambition, bring in contentment,and make us settle with pleasure in what we might call the barren spot. This is a real truth,and an interesting inference may be drawn from it, whereby we may regulate our wrong notions and blind opinions of rich and great men. Like the fruitful countries, they are only happy in our esteem, because they seem to lie under the meridian of worldly felicity, and sun-shine of prosperity; yea, we are confirmed in this opinion,, because the better part of their condition only is told us, as travellers do of the fine, but foreign fields. With them, however, it too often fares as with these fertile lands; for worldly grandeur has the roaring lion of unbridled lust often let loose on it, with all the train (more destructive than the tyger, bear, and other beasts of prey) of unruly passions, besides the unnumbered swarms of poisonous thoughts crawling over all the powers of mind. Now, though prosperity of itself brings not forth sins, any more than the heat of these climates creates hurtful creatures, yet there they grow,

and find large pasture; while sanctified affliction, like a cold and northern climate, has none of these incumbrances.

Were the life of great men, to their secret thoughts, laid before us, they would appear far from being so happy as we suppose. Their ambition, their emulation, their jealousies, their projects, their disappointments, their cares, their company and confusion, hinder them to enjoy themselves as men; yea, should all these remove, the abundance of their wealth will not suffer them to sleep; and, take them in the general, whatever they may be in this world, they are, a few excepted, far from being happy with respect to the world to come.

The world, then, is like a great body which God has made, and tempered so that there should be no schism in it. He has lessened the pleasures of the sweetest climes by some real disadvantages, and sweetened the most disagreeable spots by some noble accommodations; that man, who is but a pilgrim, may be pleased with every place where God may cast his lot, and neither boast of his own country, nor despise the native places of others.

Again, the same is in the world of mankind, the rational body, that there should be no schism there. Hence the poorest man has as much sweetness in his condition (bodily health, exercise of reason, peace of mind, obedient children, &c.) as blunts his grief; and the greatest man has as much gall, (corroding anxiety, insatiable appetites, broken constitution, pensive thoughts, peevish temper, inward disquiet, &c.) as acidulates, or embitters his joys. This should render men content with that station God has placed them in, and not to expect perfect felicity below; for every man thinks happiness is in another, not in himself, which

proves that there is not one possessed of it on earth; but he comes nearest it who is most content with his own condition and present circumstances in every respect, not either murmuring at crosses when they come upon himself, or envying others who seem to be exempted from them; and keeps his mind on the better country, where all glorious beatitudes shall be enjoyed without any thing to lessen the felicity, or abate the bliss.

MEDITATION LXXXI.

ON A COURT-MARTIAL.

Gibraltar Bay, August 8, 1759.

EVERY law is made to restrain from vice, and bind to duty, and every nation has its own code of laws, military and civil. The martial law is accounted severe; and there is a necessity for it, because mutiny and disobedience to orders, cowardice in the time of action, and desertion to the enemy, would have the most fatal effects. But whatever be the offence, a few considerations would not be improper at such a time for the members of the court-martial.

1. To do to the pannels, in their circumstances, as they would wish to be done to themselves if in these very circumstances.

2. To mind that an example and admonition to others is costly when at the life of an individual.

3. To pass no other sentence on the meanest than they would do on the highest for the same fault.

4. To consult how they can answer to their conscience and to God, for their decisions, deaf to every thing but justice and humanity.

5. To incline rather to the side of mercy than severity; and thus to imitate God in his most amiable perfection.

6. To reflect, if they are as strict in punishing sins against God, as desertion against their Sovereign, and offences against themselves; and to consider whose honour should be most attended to. And,

7. To fix it in their mind, that in a little they must stand before the tremendous bar of God, where all distinctions cease. No more the sovereign and the subject, the admiral and seaman, the captain and the soldier, the judge and the pannel.

But from the proceedings of these courts I may learn instruction; for if earthly kings so punish deserters, will not the King of glory deal awfully with the backsliders in heart? Those he has vouchsafed to know, and taken into his honourable service, shall suffer severely, if they fall away from him. Sinners in the Christian world shall have the hottest hell; and of all sinners, those who once tasted of the powers of the world to come, shall suffer the most excruciating torments.

Again, this may remind me of that day when not only actions shall be tried, but even my inmost thoughts examined, and not one concealed. The sentence of this court only respects the body, and must be executed in time, though in the execution thereof, it should finish time to the criminal; but the sentence of that tribunal reaches my soul in all her powers, and stands in force, and is put in execution, through the endless ages of eternity. O that it may be a sentence of absolution and peace!

MEDITATION LXXXII.

ON SOME WHO WERE BURNT BY A QUANTITY OF GUNPOWDER CATCHING FIRE, IN TIME OF AN ENGAGEMENT.*

Under sail, August 29, 1759.

MATERIAL fire sometimes in its effects is terrible. What can be quicker, and more transient than the explosion of gun-powder; yet what direful effects has it had on these poor men whom it only seemed to touch as it flew along! So dismal, that even those who have lost their limbs are objects of delight in comparison of them whose visage is blacker than a coal; whose beauty is marred, and whose countenance cannot be known; whose skin is parched, and falleth off from their flesh; and, to sum up the whole, whose pain, though external, has kindled such a fever within, that the frame of nature suffers; they rave and pine away, till the scene is finished in death.

Now, can I look on these miserable patients without - letting my reflections shoot away, and fix on the world' of spirits, on such of them as are suffering the vengeance of eternal fire? Ah! what a shocking sight is a tormented soul, and what miserable spectacles will the damned be, when soul and body are united to suffer in the fire that shall not be quenched, and by the worm that never dies! the most lovely person will be a loathing, and the most beautiful an abhorring to all flesh. When a passing flame, that goes but skindeep, produces such dismal effects, what soul can apprehend the torment of those that are sentenced to

* Six men were miserably burnt at one gun during the engagement, August 17, some of whom died.