Consider every night, that possibly you may never see day-light again, till the morning of the resurrection. Consider, that when you are folded in the arms of sleep, perhaps you may never awake, till you hear the voice of the archangel, and the sound of the last trumpet; and that you may never lift up your head, till you see the Saviour of the world coming in the clouds with power, and great glory. Examine, therefore, carefully the thoughts, words, and actions of the past day. Return thanks to God for what you have done well, and be heartily sorry for what have done ill, and pray for grace that you may do so no more. Learn this safe and easy way of judging yourself, and then you will not be judged of the Lord. As prayer was the key to open the morning, so should it be the lock to shut in the evening: therefore fall down upon your knees, and pray. He is fool-hardy that dares to lie down to sleep, who knows he has offended God, and is not reconciled to him. Always sleep as if one whispered in your ears, saying, O remember you must die; this night shall thy soul be required of thee.

you

When you undress. Grant, Lord, that when I am unclothed of this body, I may be clothed upon with a house which is from heaven.

When you lie down in your bed. I will lay me down in peace to take my rest. O my God, under the shadow of thy wings make me to dwell in safety.

If you cannot sleep. Thou Lord, hast granted thy loving kindness in the day-time; and in the night season I will sing of thee, and make my prayer to the God of my life. In the night I

will lift up my hands towards thy sanctuary, and bless the Lord. O do thou give me grace to watch, and pray always, that at thy coming, thou mayest say to me, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord." Amen, blessed Lord, Amen.

When thinking upon the many transgressions and iniquities which you have committed against God. O remember not the sins of my youth, nor of my riper years, but receive me, O heavenly Father, into the arms of thy fatherly compassion, as thou didst the returning prodigal; and forgive me all my wickedness, for the merits of Jesus thy only well-beloved Son, my Saviour.

Consider often that the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and punishing them with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. Meditate on the day of the Lord, which St. Peter informs us will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for, and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Think often that you hear the last trumpet sounding, Arise ye dead and come to judgment. And may this

awaken all who are dead in sin to a life of right

eousness.

When thinking on these words of Christ, to the goats, i. e. the wicked, on the left hand, at the last great day, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. O God, who can think without fear and trembling on this certain punishment of all unrepenting sinners, to be shut out of heaven, to be cast into hell, where there is weeping, and gnashing of teeth, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched? Grant, Lord, that all unbelievers, as well as those who confess Christ with their tongues but renounce him in their lives, and deny him in their works, Christians outwardly, but heathens, and worse than heathens in their hearts and conversations, may consider their latter end, and pray for grace to repent, believe, and obey, that they may not be plucked away suddenly. From these bitter pains of eternal death, good Lord deliver us.

When thinking on Christ's words to the sheep, i. e. the good, on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. O comfortable words! O happiness which cannot be conceived, or sufficiently valued! what tears ought not this hope to wipe from our eyes? Hear, O my God; and breathe into my heart that spirit, which renews me after thine own image, in righteousness and true holiness. Set up thy kingdom, O Jesus, in my heart; for to become thy faithful servant is more to me than ten thousand worlds. O let me hear at last this joyful senence, these ravishing words, "Come, ye blessed

of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

As no hour passes by without some instance of God's bounty; so it is fit that none should pass without a zealous and constant love of so good a God, without a thankful remembrance of every good gift, which cometh down from above, from the Father of Lights. In every thing give thanks, says St. Paul; for this is the will of God. Every day's experience convinces us, that those who are continually taken up with the pleasures, business, and cares of life, forget their divine and spiritual nature, become like the beasts, wholly earthly and sensual. Let us often stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God, and thus raise our minds from earth to heaven. Consider this world as a great store-house of blessings, and look forward unto the other world; and trusting in your Saviour's merits, you may say-not one only, but both these worlds are mine; by virtue of my Redeemer's merit, I possess the comforts of this life; and on the same unshaken footing, I stand entitled to the unspeakable happiness of a better. As God hath made every thing beautiful; as the whole heaven and earth are rich with his goodness; so let our hearts and tongues be ever full of his praises. The soul is never touched with such joy, delight, and satisfaction, as when God is seen, and heard, enjoyed, and praised in all his works. The religious is the only wise man, and true lover of wisdom; and the pleasures of the mind and imagination have never their proper relish, till they are ripened by the exercise of devotion. May we all make the beauti

ful works, and various scenes of nature, a guide to grace, and a step to glory! God's tender mercies are over all his works. Who that has any faith, or even eyes to behold the wondrous works of the Almighty, can forbear crying out with an holy astonishment, with an ecstacy of praise, "O Lord God of Hosts, who is like unto thee! All thy works praise thee, O Lord, and thy saints give thanks unto thee. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are full of thy Glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord most high !" Holy minds have been ever wont to look through these bodily objects at spiritual and heavenly. But why should I seek any other authority than the Lord of life himself; who, upon the drawing of water, on the day of the feast of tabernacles, took occasion to speak of those living waters, which should flow from every true believer; (John vii. 37.) and upon occasion of a bodily feast, (Luke xiv.) entered into that divine discourse of God's gracious invitation of us to that spiritual food of grace and glory? Thus we should ascend in our thoughts from earth to heaven; and suffer no object to come in our way without some spiritual use and application. When we view the beauties of the creation, let us always consider to whom we stand indebted for all these entertainments of our senses; and who it is, that thus openeth his hands, and filleth the world with good. Such an habitual disposition of mind consecrates every field and wood; turns an ordinary walk into a morning or evening sacrifice. Let us make this heavenly use of all earthly enjoynents. Whatever is pleasurable, or charming