felt their diforder. Thefe complain much of frequent palpitations of the heart, are much troubled with faintings, being brought very weak, partly by their diforders, and partly by taking feveral fevere dofes of a purgative mixture; but although they have feveral heavy complaints, I hope they are paft all danger. Others, when I was there, feemed juft upon the turn, fo that it was hard to fay how things would iffue, as to them. To clofe this dreary narrative, I may inform you, that I underftand, the inhabitants of the town at this very time (a very few excepted) are fuppofed to be all dead. But I am credibly informed that feveral that were even dead, have been brought to life again, by the pecular kill of a foreign phyfician, who it feems has paid the town a vifit out of mere compaffion. I converfed with fome of thofe, who told me how matters were with them when they were dead, and the manner of the dead's converfing with each other, which they can well remember. Again, another thing I obferved there, which indeed is not another, and which feems quite fupernatural, namely, that the fpirits of fome who are really dead, appear and converse about various fubjects. Though thefe fpirits have a different manner of converfing now, than they had when alive. Yet they do not appear in any frightful forms, except to thofe who fee them in the dark, who are often alarmed by them. These first mentioned, want much to fee you, and converfe with you, as they have been informed you know how to talk and deal with fuch fpirits, having heard you were once dead yourfelf. Nay, the fouls that appear and act in the fame manner, as aforefaid, want much to commune with your fpirit, having had intelligence that you are now really dead, as they are. Thefe fay the Lord has fo limited them that they cannot pay you a vifit, but believe their God and yours, grants you a greater latitude, so that they hope ere long to enjoy your company. Some that feemed to be dying want much to fee you, having heard your fpirit had been emploved in directing others in their way to the other world. The phyfician before mentioned has fent them, (I mean the afflicted people,) a valuable receipt, but as they have not been accustomed to read fuch writing, they cannot well make it out; and as they hear you are acquainted with his hand, they earneftly defire to fee you as foon as poffible. They understand the ingredients are to be differently compounded, according as their complaints are, and they are afraid they thould make fome

VOL. VI.

P

blunders

blunders that way, as they do not fully underftand the terms by which they are diftinguithed, which you know are hard, being often technical; befides which they complain of great weakness of fight, for you must know, that whenever any perfon begins to mend of the aforefaid diforders, they find their eyes very weak and tender. They are fo dim, that without more than common light, they cannot read at all. And yet when the fun fhines, their eyes water, and frequently run much. Before the diforder takes a favourable turn, they are quite blind, owing to a thick dry fcale that grows over the fight. But when the eyes begin to water much, it is counted rather a hopeful symptom. Well fo it is that they not being able to read properly the faid receipt, and hearing you understand fuch things, are defirous you will fpeedily pay them a vifit.

Put all thefe things, dear brother, in the balance together, and I hope they will preponderate in favour of a visit to

HE introduction of fin has not only deftroyed the friend

alfo laid the foundation of difcord in nations and families. Hence, man who fhould be the counfellor and helper of his brother man, rifes up against him to defame, injure, and deftroy. The page of hittory is full of the most calamitous proofs of this remark; or has experience, obtained at the expence of much treafure and blood, yet inftructed human governments in the true policy by which they ought to be guided.

The demon of war, which has fpread defolation and ruin over the moft fertile plains of Europe, will, perhaps, continue to exhibit thefe awful fcenes in the world until that glorious and long predicted period, fo beautifully defcribed by the Prophet,They thall beat their fwords into ploughfhares, and their fpears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up fword againft nation, neither fhall they learn war

any more *.”

The trife and difcord which agitate the great world, is feen alfo upon a finaller fcale in too many families, in which

"The

almoft every day furnishes a proof of that fcripture, father thall be divided against the fon, and the fon against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." The paffions, prejudices, and interests of perfons belonging to the fame family, often predominate above reafon and judgment, and hurry them into intemperate difcuffions and reproachful recriminations, which deftroy the friendship and harmony of thofe whom the laws of nature and the ties of common intereft fhould unite in indiffoluble bonds.

This is not much to be wondered at in families where the religion of Jefus Chrift is neither known nor profeffed. But alas! it is a melancholy truth, that the remark applies to too many profeffors of religion. Yes, there are families who are called by the name, and profefs the gofpel of Jefus Chrift, who fit down at the table of the Lord together, and offer the facrifice of prayer upon the fame family altar, and yet, (O fhame!) there are among these " Debates, envyings, wraths, ftrifes, backbitings, whisperings, fwellings, tumults."

The genius of the Chriftian religion is mild and gentle : its natural tendency is to fubdue the unruly paffions of the human heart, and hold them under a powerful and conftant reftraint. Ofcourfe every Chriftian family fhould fo underftand the doctrine of Jefus, and act under its influence, as to be an epitome of that glorious place above, where all is harmony and concord. Strife and difcord are odious in their nature; they come from beneath, and ought not fo much as to be named among Chriftians; but peace and unity are beautiful, and come down from the Father of lights, who is the God of peace, and the God of order.

"Be

David draws a beautiful picture of that family, and of that church, over which peace extends her balmy wings. hold how good and how pleafant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, that went down to the fkirts of his garment: as the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that defcended upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the bleffing, even life for evermore . "Jofeph's parting injunction to his

† Luke xii. 53.

2 Cor. xii. 20.

P 2

Pfalm cxxxiii.

brethren

brethren when they were going to fetch Jacob into Egypt, was, "See that ye fall not out by the way §."

He that would preserve peace and harmony in his family muft cautiously guard againft all occafions of ftrife and fhould the hydra-headed monfter appear, he muft ftrangle it while in its infancy. Thus did Abraham; he no fooner faw the feeds of divifion fpringing up between his own fervants and thofe of his nephew, than he flew to Lot, with all the meeknefs and dignity of a true faint, and breathed forth this requeft," Let there be no ftrife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdfmen and thy herdfmen, for we be brethren ." He enjoyed peace in his own foul, and walked in friendship with God, and that led him to follow peace with all men, but more efpecially with all the branches of his own family.

There is nothing feigned in this address of Abraham to Lot. He proves the integrity of his mind, and the ardour with which he defired to perpetuate their friendship by the facrifice he is willing to make. He might have claimed precedence on many accounts, but he waves them all; he is neither tenacious of his own opinion, nor governed by any regard to his worldly intereft. Peace is his eftimation, a jewel of fuch immenfe value as abundantly to repay the lofs of any other advantage. Hear his language on this occafion: "If thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou wilt depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left*" Abraham's pacific difpofition is adopted, and they part in friendfhip; nor does either of their minds appear to be tinctured with the fecret leaven of prejudice. The truth of the laft remark is peculiarly obfervable in the conduct of Abraham towards Lot: for when he hears the awful doom pronounced against Sodom, and that Lot is thereby expofed to lofs and danger, inftead of feeling any of that malicious fatisfaction which too often arifes in the breaft, from a view of the diftrefs of any who have differed with us: he is alive to all the feelings of genuine friendthip, and becomes a ftrenuous advocate with God for the prefervation of that guilty place; and among the many motives by which Abraham might be influenced on fuch a prayer, we may naturally conclude that regard to his rela

tion was one.

Who can but admire fuch a temper of mind? Who can

§ Gen. xlv. 24.

Gen. xiii. 8.

* Gen. xiii. 9.

but

but commend fuch a line of conduct as that pursued by Abraham and with what propriety may the writer and the reader charge it upon their own fouls to go and do likewife? If the temper and difpofition of the Father of the faithful was more univerfally cherished in all Christian families, how much ftrife and contention would be prevented. But alas! there is in fome profeffors fuch a tenaciousness of their own opinion, fo much felf will, and fo great a regard to every thing which concerns either their imaginary honour, or their worldly intereft, that they would rather facrifice the peace of the family for years, than yield one iota of their pretenfions.

Chriftian reader, permit me to deal faithfully with you. Are you at variance with any branch, or with the whole of your family? I urge it upon you to examine your own heart, if you have not kindled this unhallowed fire? or at least whether you have not enlarged and encreased it? iffo, be the first to make reparation for the mifchief you have done, by acknowledging your error, and making fuch conceffions as will tend to feal the divifion which has difturbed the tranquillity of your domeftic circle. Let neither pride nor fhame deter you from this neceffary line of conduct : it will be as profitable as it is praife worthy.

The peace and friendship of a family once deftroyed, there is fo much to blame on all fides, that it is difficult to afcertain on whom to fix the crime of having firft violated that great Chriftian doctrine," Be at peace among yourfelves." Nor is it lefs difficult to root out this bitter weed of contention, though it both defiles and destroys, seeing all the parties involved in the diffention generally contend they were not the aggreffors, and confequently are neither bound to propofe, or make conceffions in order to produce a reconciliation. Real Chriftians ought not to reafon in this manner. They may, or they may not be the first aggreffors in domeftic broils, but they are fure to be right; yea, they affume the most honourable poft, if they ftand forward as the reftorers of peace and unity. Let Chriftians look to the doctrine and example of their heavenly Mafter. He never faw any figns of a hafty or quarrelfome difpofition in his difciples, but he checked and reproved them in fuch language as this "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of 1." Remember alfo that wife and beneficial maxim of Luke ix. 55.

† 1 Theff. v. 13.

the