66 66 " a Time approaching, when this Body shall be carried out upon the Bier, and configned "to its clay-cold Bed? While fome kind Acquaintance, perhaps, may drop one parting Tear; and cry, Alafs! my Brother!-Is the "Time approaching?"-Nothing is more certain. A Decree, much furer than the Law of the Medes and Perfians, has irrevocably determined the Doom. 66 SHOULD One of these ghaftly Figures, burst from his Confinement; and start up, in frightful Deformity, before me-should the haggard Skeleton, lift a clattering Hand; and point it full in my View-fhould it open the ftiffened Jaws; and, with a hoarfe tremendous Murmur, break this profound Silence-should it accoft me, as Samuel's Apparition addressed the trembling King-"The LORD fhall deliver Thee alfo into the Hands of Death. Yet a little while, and Thou shalt be with me."-The 46 * And think, as foft and fad I tread Above the venerable Dead, Time was, like me, they Life poffefs'd`; "And Time will be, when I fhall reft." PARNEL. 1 Sam. xxviii. 19. On this Place, the Dutch Tranflator of the Meditations has added a Note; to correct, very probably, what he fuppofesa Miftake. On the fame Suppofition, I prefume, the Compilers of our Rubric ordered the laft Verfe of Ecclus. xlvi. to be omitted, in the daily Service of the Church. But that the Sentiment, hinted above, is ftrictly true; that it was folemn Warning, delivered in fo ftriking a Manner, muft ftrongly imprefs my Imagination. A Meffage in Thunder, would fcarce fink deeper. Yet, there is abundantly greater Reason to be alarmed, by that exprefs Declaration of the LORD GOD Almighty, "Thou shalt furely die." ---Well then, fince Sentence is paffed; fince I am a condemned Man; and know not, when the Dead Warrant may arrive: let me die to Sin; and die to the World; before I die beneath the Stroke of a Righteous Go D. Let me employ the little uncertain Interval of Respite from Execution; in preparing for a happier State, and a better Life. That, when the fatal Moment comes, and I am commanded to shut my Eyes, upon all Things here below; I may open them again, to see my Saviour in the Manfions above. SINCE this Body, which is so fearfully and wonderfully made, muft fall to Pieces in the Grave; fince I must foon refign all my bodily Powers to Darkness, Inactivity and Corruption : let it be my conftant Care to use them well, while was [he is Samuel] Samuel himself, (not an infernal Spirit, perfonating the Prophet) who appeared to the Female Necromancer at Endor; appeared, not in Compliance with any diabolical Incantation, but in Pursuance of the divine Commiffion; this, I think, is fully proved in the Hiftorical Account of the Life of David. Vol. I. Chap. 23. while I poffefs them!--Let my Hands be ftretched out to relieve the Needy; and always be more "ready to give, than to receive."-Let my Knees bend, in deepest Humiliation, before the Throne of Grace: while my Eyes are caft down to the Earth, in penitential Confufion; or devoutly looking up to Heaven, for pardoning Mercy!-In every friendly Interview, let the "Law of Kindness dwell on my Lips;" or rather, if the Serioufnefs of my Acquaintance permits, let the Gospel of Peace flow from my Tongue. O! that I might be enabled, in every public Concourse, to lift up my Voice like a Trumpet; and pour abroad a more joyful Sound, than its moft melodious Accents, in proclaiming the glad Tidings of free Salvation!Be fhut, my Ears, refolutely fhut, against the malevolent Whifpers of Slander, and the contagious Breath of filthy Talking. But be swift to hear the Inftructions of Wisdom; be ye all Attention, when your REDEEMER fpeaks; imbibe the precious Truths; and convey them carefully to the Heart.-Carry me, my Feet, to the Temple of the LORD; to the Beds of the Sick; and Houfes of the Poor.-May all my Members, devoted intirely to my divine Mafter, be the willing Inftruments of promoting his Glory! THEN, ye Embalmers, you may fpare your Pains. Thefe Works of Faith, and Labours of Love; these fhall be my Spices and Perfumes. Enwrapped in thefe, I would lay me gently down, and fleep fweetly in the bleffed JESUS; hoping, that GoD will" give Commandment "concerning my Bones;" and one Day fetch them up from the Duft, as Silver from the Furnace, purified, “I fay not, feven times, but feventy times feven." 26 of my HERE, my Contemplation took Wing; and, in an Instant, alighted in the Garden, adjoining to Mount Calvary. Having viewed the Abode deceased Fellow-Creatures; methought, I longed to see the Place, where our LORD lay. --And, O! what a marvellous Spectacle was once exhibited, in this memorable Sepulchre ! He, "who cloaths Himself with Light, as with "a Garment; and walks upon the Wings of the Wind*;" HE was pleased to wear the Habi liments *The Scriptures, fpeaking of the Supreme Being, fay-He walketh upon the Waves of the Sea; to denote his uncontroulable Power, Job ix. 8.-He walketh in the Circuit of Heaven; to exprefs the Immenfity of his Prefence, Job xxii. 14.-He walketh upon the Wings of the Wind; to fignify the amazing Swiftnefs of his Operations, Pfal. civ. 3.-In which laft Phrafe, there is, I think, an Elegance and Emphafis, not taken notice of by our Commentators, yet unequalled in any Writer. -Not, He flieth; He runneth ; but, He walketh: and that, on the very Wings of the Wind; on the most impetuous of Elements, roufed into its utmoft Rage, and fweeping along with inconceivable Rapidity.-A Tu mult liments of Mortality, and dwelt among the proftrate Dead. Who can repeat the wondrous. Truth, too often? Who can dwell upon the tranfporting Theme, too long? HE, who fits inthroned in Glory, and diffufes Blifs among all the Heavenly Hofts; HE was once a pale and bloody Corpse, and pressed this little Spot. O DEATH! how great was thy Triumph in that Hour! Never did thy gloomy Realms contain fuch a Prisoner before.-Prisoner, did I fay? No; He was more than Conqueror. He arofe, far more mightily than Sampfon, from a tranfient Slumber; broke down the Gates, and demolished the Strong-holds, of those dark Dominions.—And this, O Mortals, This is your only Confolation and Security. JESUS hastrod the dreadful Path, and fmoothed it for your Paffage.-JESUs, fleeping in the Chambers of the Tomb, has brightened the difmal Manfion; and left an inviting Odour in those Beds of Duft. mult in Nature, not to be defcribed, is the compofed and fedate Work of the DEITY. A Speed, not to be meafured, is (with Reverence I ufe the Expreffion, and to comport with our low Methods of Conception) the folemn and majestic Foot-pace of JEHOVAH.-How flat are the following Lines, even in the great Mafter of Lyric Song, Ocyor Cervis,& agente Nimboc when compared with this inimitable Stroke of divine Poetry! He walketh upon the Wings of the Wind. |