fome Vista, through the Gloom of the Grave; and opens a charming, a glorious Prospect of Immortality in the Heavens. Thefe, with many other Excellencies peculiar to the Scriptures, One would imagine more than fufficient, to engage every fenfible Heart in their Favour; and introduce them, with the highest Efteem, into every improved Converfation. They had fuch an Effect upon the fineft Genius, and most accomplished *Perfon, that former or latter Ages can boaft. Infomuch, that He made, while living, this public Declaration; and left it, when He died, upon everlafting Record-How fweet are thy Words unto my Tafte! *If we confider David, in the great Variety of his fine Qualificatións-The Ornaments of his Perfon, and the far more illuftrious Endowments of his Mind-The furprising Revolutions in his Fortune; fometimes, reduced to the lowest Ebb of Adverfity; fometimes, riding upon the highest Tide of Profperity-His fingular Dexterity, in extricating Himself from Difficulties; and peculiar Felicity, in accommodating Himself to all Circumftances The Prizes He won, as a youthful Champion; and the Victories He gained, as an experienced General His mafterly Hand upon the Harp, and his inimitable Talent for Poetry-The admirable Regulations of his royal Government, and the incomparable Ufefulness of his public Writings-The Depth of his Repentance, and the Height of his Devotion-The Vigour of his Faith in the Divine Promises, and the Ardour of his Love to the Divine MAJESTY-If We confider thefe, with feveral other Marks of Honour and Grace, which ennoble the Hiftory of his Life; We fhall fee fuch an Affemblage of fhining Qualities, as perhaps were never united in any other merely human Character. This Obfervation was expunged. But, upon maturer Thoughts, it is offered to the Public. In order to convince a polite Reader, That the Love of the Scriptures, and the Exercife of Devotion, are by no Means the low Peculiarities of a vulgar Mind. Tafle! Yea, fweeter than Honey unto my Mouth *. O! how I love thy Law! It is my Meditation all the Day +-Mine Eyes prevent the Night-watches, that I may be occupied in thy Precepts; and I will speak of thy Teftimonies even before Kings 1.-If David tafted To much Sweetnefs in a fmall, and that the least valuable, Part of the divine Word; how much richer is the Feast to Us! Since the Gofpel is added to the Law, and the Canon of Scripture completed! Since (to borrow the Words of a Prophet) the LORD GOD has, now fealed up the Sum; has put the laft Hand to his Work; and rendered it full of Wifdom, and perfect in Beauty | Ther. Another remarkable Peculiarity of the facred Writings, juft occurs to my Mind-The Method, of communicating Advice, or adminiftering Reproof, by Parables. A Method, which levels itfelf to the lowest Apprehenfion, without giving Offence to the most fupercilious Temper. Yet, is as much fuperior, to plain unornamented Precept; as the enlivened Scenes of a well-wrought Tragedy, are more impreffive and affecting, than a fimple Narration of the Plot. Our LORD was asked, by a Student of the Jewish Law, Who is my Neighbour? Which implied another Question, How is he to be loved?-The Enquirer was conceited of Himfelf; yet, ignorant of the Truth, and deficient in his Duty. Had the wife INSTRUCTOR of Mankind abruptly declared, You neither know the former, nor fulfil the latter. Pro Pfal. cxix. 103. Exix. 46. Pfal. cxix. 97. 1. bably, Pfal. bably, the Querift would have reddened with Indignation, and departed in a Rage. Therefore, to teach, and not difguft; to convince the Man of his Error, and not exafperate his Mind; the blessed JESUS frames a Reply, as amiable in the Manner, as it was pertinent to the Purpose. A certain Jew, going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, fell among Thieves *. They rifle Him of his Money; strip Him of his Clothes; wound Him with great Barbarity; then leave Him, expiring on the Road, Soon after this difaftrous Accident, a Traveler appears, and advances that Way. A Sight, inexpreffibly welcome to this afflicted Creature. What renders it more likely, that He shall receive Relief, this Traveler is one of the facred Order. One, who taught others the lovely Leffons of Humanity and Charity; and was, therefore, uns der the strongest Obligations, to exemplify them in his own Practice. He juft glances an Eye upon the deplorable Object; fees Him ftretched on the Ground, and weltering in his Blood. But takes no farther Notice. Nay, to avoid the Trouble of an Enquiry, turns out of the Road, and paffes by on the other Side. Scarce was He departed, when a Levite approaches. This Man comes nearer, and looks on the miferable Spectacle. He takes a leifurely and attentive Survey of the Cafe +. Though every Gash, and every Groan, plead for Compaflion; this Minister of the Sanctuary obferves all, with the coldeft Luke This feems to be the Import of snowid. Luke x. 32. This diverfifies the Conduct of the two unnatural Paffengers, and heightens the Defcription of Jewish, Inhumanity. coldeft Indifference. He neither moves a Hand to help Him; nor speaks a Word to comfort Him; but leaves the poor, naked, mangled Wretch to perish in his Calamity.-Laft comes a Samaritan *; one *If this was a Parable, we cannot but admire the Accuracy of our LORD, both in laying the Scene, and Selecting the Circumftances.-It is the Maxim of a great Critic, Ficta Voluptatis Causâ fint proxima veris. And how very apparent is the Air of Probability, in this facred Apologue!-The Way from Jerufalem to Jericho, lying through a Defart, was much infested by Thieves, and too commodious for their Purposes of Violence.What could be more likely to happen, than the Passage of a Prieft and Levite along that Road? Since Jericho was a City, appropriated to the Levitical Order; and contained no less than twelve thousand Attendants, on the Service of the Temple. How judiciously is the principal Figure circumftanced! -Had the Calamity befallen a Samaritan, it would have made but feeble Impreffions of Pity; and thofe, perhaps, immediately effaced by ftronger Emotions of Hatred. But, when it was a few, that lay bleeding to death the Reprefentation was fure to intereft the Hearer in the Diftrefs, and awaken a tender Concern.-Had the Relief been administered by a Jew, the Benevolence would have fhone, but in a much fainter Light. Whereas, when it came from the Hands of a Samaritan, whom all the Jews had agreed to execrate, and rank with the very Fiends of Hell, how bright was the Luftre of fuch Charity! It was most charmingly, and indeed irrefiftibly bright. fince it compelled a Jewish Lawyer, to acknowledge the fuperior Excellence of a defpifed and hated Samaritan. Nay, it compelled Him to acknowledge the Superiority of this hated Samaritan, not only to his Countrymen in general, but to those who bore the most venerable Character, and discharged the moft facred Office. Let the Reader confider the Temper, expreffed in that rancorous Reflection; Thou art a Samaritan, and haft a Devil, one of the abhorred Nation; whom the Jew hated with the most implacable Malignity. Though the Levite had neglected a bleeding Brother: though the Priest had with-held his Pity, from one of the LORD's peculiar People: the very Moment this Samaritan fees the unhappy Sufferer, He melts into Commiferation. He forgets the imbittered Foe, and confiders only the diftreffed Fellow-creature. He fprings from his Horfe, and refolves to intermit his Journey. The Oil and Wine, intended for his own Refreshment, He freely converts into healing Unguents. He binds up the Wounds; fets the difabled Stranger, upon his own Beaft; and with all the Affiduity of a Servant, with all the Tenderness of a Brother, conducts Him to an Inn.-There, He does all that can be contrived *, to foothe his present Sorrows, and to provide against his future Wants. He lays down, for his immediate Use, what Money He can spare charges the Hoft to omit nothing, that may promote the Recovery or Comfort Devil, John viii. 48.-Let Him compare that inveterate Malevolence, with the benign and compaffionate Spirit of our amiable Traveler. Then, let Him fay; Whether He ever beheld a finer or a bolder Contraft? Whether, upon the Whole, He ever faw the Ordonnance of defcriptive Painting, more justly defigned, or more happily executed? I would beg Leave to obferve farther, That the virulent Animofity of the Few difcovers itself, even in the Lawyer's Reply; He that hewed Mercy on Him. He will not fo much as name the Samaritan. Efpecially in a Case, where He could not be named, without an honourable Diftinction. So ftrongly marked, and fo exactly preferved, are the ra on, the Manners or diftinguishing QuaLities of each Perfon, in the facred Narrations! * Επεμελήθη αυλα |