unto God, being thrust into an inner prison, having their feet made fast in the stocks, Acts xvi. 24, 25. Neither the rending of their clothes, nor their stripes and bonds, could hinder them from it; nay, they did so much the more show their fervency toward the Lord. "I have remembered thy name, O Lord, in the night," says David, Psa. cxix. 55. The night presents us with many opportunities of deeper medi

tation.

Beware of plotting ill designs upon your beds. It is said of the wicked man, that "he deviseth mischief upon his bed," Psa. xxxvi. 4; he there employs his time of rest, and freedom from business, to devise wicked acts to execute the next day.

SECTION VIII.

WHEN THOU RISEST OUT OF THY BED IN THE MORNING.

THINK how Almighty God can as easily raise thee out of the grave in the morning of the resurrection, from the sleep and bed of death, as he hath awakened thee in thy bed, and raised thee up in health and safety this morning. When the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God, the sound of this trumpet shall be heard over all parts of the world, and with this trumpet shall he summon all nations to come to the general judgment. This is that fearful voice whereof Jerome speaks saying, "Whether I eat or drink, or whatsoever I do, I seem always to hear that voice sounding in my ears, Arise, ye dead, and come to judgment."

D

Oh, who shall appeal from this summons? Who shall be able to avoid this judgment? Whose heart shall not quake and tremble at the sound of this terrible voice? This voice shall take from death all her spoils, and cause her to restore again all that she hath taken from the world. The sea shall give up the dead which are in it, and death and hell deliver up the dead which are in them, Rev. xx. 13.

Think with thyself, O Christian, when thou art rising out of thy bed, what a wonderful sight that shall be, to see the sea and the earth bring forth, in all parts, such variety of bodies, and to behold so many huge armies rising out of their beds of death and darkness, and so many diversities of nations and people gathered and assembled together; to see the most mighty princes, and most powerful potentates of the earth, raised out of their tombs, and appearing with another manner of habit and behaviour, and with thoughts much differing from those they had in this life.

Think then with thyself, that all the children of Adam shall meet together, every one to give up an account of his own life, and to be judged according to his works; yet shall there be a great difference between the just and the unjust at the day of resurrection; some shall rise to everlasting life and glory, and some to shame and everlasting contempt, Dan.

xii. 2.

t

Consider what a joyful meeting there will be of the souls and bodies of the just at the general resurrection. With what joy shall the soul then embrace the body, and, as it were, say thus unto it: O my body, and faithful companion, that hast holpen me in obtaining this glorious crown, that has so often fasted, watched, and prayed, that hath suffered with

me the necessities of poverty, the cross of afflictions, the reproaches and contradictions of reviling tongues; how often hast thou stripped thyself of thine own raiment to clothe the naked! how often hast thou denied thyself, renounced thine own right and title, being unwilling to be at variance with thy neighbour! Wherefore it is meet that thou shouldst now be partaker with me of this my glory, as thou hast been my companion in all my labours and sufferings.' Think also with thyself of the grievous and woful meeting of the souls and bodies of the wicked, at the day of their resurrection. The soul of such an one shall then say to his vile body: "O cursed body, the cause of my woe and misery; now I take thee no more for my companion, but mine enemy; now art thou no more my helper, but my persecutor. O cursed taste, how dearly now do I pay for thy delights! O wretched flesh, how have I, by yielding to thy lusts and pleasures, plunged myself into these endless torments! Is this the body that scarcely would touch the ground, that would not endure the wind to blow upon it; that body which I spent so much time in dressing and adorning? Is this the flesh which I so often glutted and pampered? Were these the delights of this body, for which I cast away myself? Was it for this mass of corruption that I have lost for ever the kingdom of heaven? O ye infernal furies, rise up now against me, and tear me in pieces! Cursed be the day of my unfortunate birth, seeing for a few short pleasures I must suffer everlasting torments.”

These, and other more desperate words, thou mayst think, Christian reader, shall the miserable soul speak unto that body, which she loved so exceedingly in this transitory life. I will set down the

words of a devout man, as follows: "Tell me, O miserable soul, why dost thou now so much abhor that thing which heretofore thou lovedst so well? Is not this flesh thy dearly beloved? Is not this thy belly which thou madest thy god? Is not this the face which thou didst keep so carefully from wind and sun? Is not this the visage which thou didst paint with so many artificial colours? Are not these the arms and finger which glittered with rings of gold, bracelets and diamonds? Is not this the body, for whose sake search was made both by sea and land to furnish a table for it, with all delicate and dainty dishes; to have a soft and stately bed; to procure curious and sumptuous garments? Who hath now so changed thine affections? Who hath now made thy body to appear so horrible and deformed, which before seemed so amiable and beautiful?"

66 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the firs. resurrection on such the second death hath no power," Rev. xx. 6.

SECTION IX.

WHEN THOU ART SLUGGISH, AND LOTH TO RISE OUT OF THY BED.

THINK then with thyself, O Christian, that thou hearest the voice of St. Paul, saying to the Romans, "It is high time to awake out of sleep," Rom. xiii.

11.

"Awake to righteousness, and sin not," 1 Cor. xv. 34. It is not enough that you affect righteousness, and have the heart bent toward it in some neasure, but you must awake to it; as men's spirits are fresh and renewed, and made more quick and

active, when they awake out of sleep, awaken and quicken your souls to righteousness and holiness, as if you were to begin the work again, that so your spirits may be fresh, and your hearts active and lively in the service of God.

See how David stirreth up himself, Awake, psaltery and harp; I myself will awake early," Psal. cviii. 2. "Awake, psaltery and harp." Does David speak to these dead instruments? Does he not rather speak to his own affections, that they might be awakened and quickened, to make melody to the Lord in his heart, whilst he played with his hand upon the psaltery and harp? He knew that the harp, though ever so well tuned and managed, would make but dull and flat music in the ears of the living God, if the heart were not tuned, and the affections stirred up and quickened. Raise up thy heart to God, and the love of the world will little prevail with it, and the more able shalt thou be to discern the excellency of heavenly things. This is a special help against temptation, and a means to prevent it; and hereby thou shalt be fitted for a more free communion with the Lord, and the more able shalt thou be to feel the power of God in his ordinances, and shalt abound in every good work, and shalt find great delight in the service of God.

SECTION X.

WHEN THOU ART PUTTING ON THY CLOTHES.

1. CONSIDER, that our first parents, in innocency, had no garments. A garment is both the cover and the witness of man's perfidiousness and treachery