every Sentence may be called an Apothegm; fparkling with Brightnefs of Thought, or weighty with Solidity of Senfe. The Whole, like a Profufion of Pearls-each containing, in a very fmall Compafs, a Value almoft immenfe all heaped up (as an ingenious Critic fpeaks) with a confused Magnificence, above the little Niceties of Order. If We look for the Strength of Reasoning, and the Warmth of Exhortation: the infinuating Arts of genteel Addrefs, or the manly Boldness of impartial Reproof; all the Thunder of the Orator, without any of his Oftentation; all the Politeness of the Courtier, without any of his Flattery Jet Us have Recourfe to the Acts of the Apoftles, and to the Epiftles of St. Paul *. These are a Specimen, or rather thefe are the Standard, of them all. I do not wonder, therefore, that a Tafte fo refined, and a Judgment fo correct as Milton's, fhould difcern higher Attractives in the Volume of Inspi ration, * Another very remarkable Inftance of Propriety in St. Paul's Writings, is, That though diffufe in the doctrinal, they are concife in the preceptive Parts. On the former, it was abfolutely neceflary to enlarge. On the latter, it is always judicious to be fhort. The celebrated Rule of Horace, Quicquid præcipies, efto brevis, was never more exactly observed, nor more finely exemplified; than by our Apoftolic Author. See that noble String of Precepts, 1 Theff. v. 16, 17, &c.-See another choice Collection of the fame Kind, Rom. xii. 9, 10, &c, In which the Energy of the Diction is no less admirable than the Concifeness of the Sentence, Amorufees-2022Wμείο φιλος ορος ξενίας-προσκαρτερινές διακονίες - are fome of the moft vigorous Words, that Language can furnish; and form the moft animated Meaning, that Imagination can conceive. ration, than in the most celebrated Authors of Greece and Rome. Yet not the more Geafe I to wander, where the Mufes haunt Afp. Another Recommendation of the Scriptures, is, That they afford the moft awful and moft amiable Manifeftations of the GODHEAD. His Glory fhines, and his Goodnefs fmiles, in thofe divine Pages, with unparalleled Luftre.-Here, We have a fatisfactory Explanation of our own State. The Origin of Evil is traced; the Cause of all our Misery difcovered; and the Remedy, the infallible Remedy, both clearly fhewn, and freely offered. The Merits of the bleeding JESUS, lay a firm Foundation for all our Hopes: while Gratitude for his dying Love, fuggefts the most winning Incitement to every Duty. -Morality, Theron, your (and let me add, my) admired Morality, is delineated in all its Branches. Is placed upon its proper Bafis, and raised to its higheft Elevation. The SPIRIT of GOD is promifed, to enlighten the Darknefs of our Une derstandings, and strengthen the Imbecility of ourT C 4 Wills. That is, "He ftill was pleafed to study the Beauties of the antient Poets; but his higheft Delight was in the Songs of Sion, in the holy Scriptures, and in thefe He meditated Day and Night." See Dr. Newton's Edit. Wills. What an ample-Can you indulge me, on this favourite Topic? Ther. It is, I affure You, equally pleafing to myself, Your Enlargements, therefore, need no Apology. Afp. What ample Provifion is made, by these bleffed Books, for all our fpiritual Wants! And, in this Refpect, how indifputable is their Superiority to all other Compofitions! Is any One convinced of Guilt, as provoking Heaven, and ruining the Soul-Let Him afk Reafon, to point out a Means of Reconciliation, and a Refuge of Safety. Reafon hefitates, as She replies; The DEITY may, perhaps, accept our "Supplications, and grant Forgiveness." But the Scriptures leave Us not to the fad Uncertainty of Conjecture. They fpeak the Language of clear Affurance, The Sentiment, fays an anonymous Writer, fhould have been thus worded; "Let the guilty Perfon ask his "Pride." It might have been obferved by this Writer, That the Words exprefs the faintest Degree of Hope rather than a real Perfuafion; a Thing ardently wished, rather than truly believed ;-hefitates-may-perhaps. However, I am willing to acknowledge fome Force and Propriety in the Remark. It is not Reafon, but Pride under the Mask of Reason, which dictates 'every fuch Notion, Reafon, unbiaffed and impartial, would pronounce the Condition of finful Man irremediable, That GOD, being infinitely holy, muft abhor the pol Tuted, and being infinitely juft, would in no wife fpare the guilty Creature. It is the Gofpel, the Gospel alone, which opens the Door of Hope. Opens it, from a most unexpected Quarter, the Redemption that is in CHRIST JESUS; and on poor forlorn Wretches, who fat in Darkness, and the Shadow of Death. Having no Gleam of Confolation, from all that their own Wifdom could devife, or their own Ability perform. g Affurance. GOD has fet forth a Propitiation *: He does forgive our Iniquities +: He will remember our Sins no more ‡. Are We affaulted by Temptation, or averfe to Duty?-Philofophy may attempt to parry the Thruft, or to ftir up the reluctant Mind; by difclofing the Deformity of Vice, and urging the Fitness of Things' Feeble Expedients! Juft as well calculated, to ace complish the Ends propofed; as the flimfy Fortifica→ tion of a Cobweb, to defend Us from the Ball of a Cannon; or, as the gentle Vibrations of a Lady's Fan, to make a Wind-bound Navy fail.The Bible recommends no fuch incompetent Succours. My Grace, fays its Almighty AUTHOR, is fufficient for Thee -Sin shall not have Dominion over You §.The great JEHOVAH, in whom is everlasting Strength, He worketh in Us, both to will, and to do, of his good Pleafure +. Should We be vifited with Sickness, or overtaken by any Calamity, the Confolation which Plato offers, js; That fuch Difpenfations coincide with the univerfal Plan of Divine Government. Virgil will tell Us, for our Relief; That afflictive Vifitants are, more or lefs, the unavoidable Lot of all Men. Another Moralist whispers in the dejected Sufferer's Ear, Impatience adds to the Load: whereas, a calm Submiffion renders it more fupportable."-Does the Word of Revelation dispense such spiritlefs and fugitive Cordials: No: Thofe facred Pages inform Us, That Tribulations are fatherly Chaftifements; Tokens of our MAKER's Love, and Fruits of his * Rom. iii. 25. || 2 Cor. xii. 9. Pfal. ciii, 3. § Rom. vi. 14. Heb. viii. 12. Phil. ii. 13. his Care. That they are intended to work in Us, the peaceable Fruits of Righteousness; and to work out for Us, an eternal Weight of Glory *. Should We, under the Summons of Death, have Recourse to the most celebrated Comforters in the Heathen World; they would increase our Apprehenfions, rather than mitigate our Dread. Death is represented, by the great Mafter of their Schools; as "The most formidable of all Evils." They were not able pafitively to determine, whether the Soul furvived; and never fo much as dreamt of the Refurrection of the Body.-Whereas, the Book of GOD ftrips the Monster of his Horrors, or turns Him into à Meflenger of Peace: gives Him an Angel's Face, and a Deliverer's Hand. Afcertaining to the Souls of the Righteous, an immediate Tranflation into the Regions of Bliss; and infuring to their Bodies, a most advantageous Revival, at the Reftoration of all Things. Invaluable Book! It heals the Maladies of Life, and fubdues the Fear of Death. It ftrikes a lightfome * 2 Cor. iv. 17. What are all the confolatory Expedients, prescribed in all the Volumes of Heathen Morality, compared with this one Recipe of Revelation? They are, in Point of chearing Efficacy, fomewhat like the Froth on the Conflux of a thousand Streams, compared with a fingle Draught of Homer's Nepenthe. Which, He tells Us, was Temper'd with Drugs of foreign Ufe t' afwage To clear the cloudy Front of wrinkled Care, Charm'd with that virtuous Draught, th' exalted Mind All-Senfe of Woe delivers to the Wind Odyff. IV. |