DISCOURSE III. 159 after. We in this world are travelling through a wilderness, cí dry land : Now to be neara sweet fountain, or rather to have a sweet stream flowingby us all the way, is a choice comfort ; while those that are afar off die for thirst, or go many a long hour with- out supply see Psal. lxüi. 1, 2. where David being afar off from the house of God, cries out aloud after him OGod, thou art my God, early will I seek thee; my soul thirsteth for thee, mÿ flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water' is; to see thy power, and thy glory, Vic. Happy those who dwell near the celebration of divine ordi- nances, for these are the persons who stand fair to obtain all ad- vantages of the house of God, and " to be satisfied with the goodness of his holy temple." Before I dismiss this second sense of the words, I shall make these two or three reflections: Reflection I. " How much do these fellow- creatures want our pity, and our prayers, whose station places them afar off from the courtsof God," and who are deprived'of all tle blessed ad- vantages that are to be enjoyed in the church ! Let us, whom divine providence has favoured with a nearer approach to God, fill his courts with the voice of joy and praise for our peculiar mercies ; and let our hearts at the same time feel a becoming compassion towards those who are afar off. O pity those who dwell in the lands of darkness and heathenism, and have nothing near them thatlooks like religion, but the courts of idolatry, and their abominable rites and"ceremonies ; filthy ceremonies, and fantastic or cruel rites with which they worship images of wood or stone, and their brazen or their golden gods. Pity the wretches who dwell under antichrislian tyranny, where every thing sacred is over-run with superstition, and the pareordinan- ces of the gospel are daubed over so thick with various painting, and so buried under a load of human inventions, as to diminish, if not utterly destroy,all their use and power... Pity the protes- tauts whose places of worship are demolished, and the sanctua- ries are thrown down all over their land., Pity the holy confes- sors that are banished from the courts of God and his beloved worship'; and those who are shut up in prisons; inclosed in dun- geons, under heavy bonds of iron ; and those also who groan in secret in their own houses, under the terror of watchful and ma- licious persecutors. Let us put our soulsin their soul's stead, and say then, " Would we not think ourselves fit objects for pity, And should we not desire the prayers of the saints of God " Think then, Christians, let you and I think with ourselves, who made the dreadful and the happydifference? Happy for us in- deed, but dreadful for our brethren, who endure these banish- ments, or heavy bonds ! IL lleco let us reflect again, ' how much more excellent is .thegospel- state, than that of the Levitical law ! And how much
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