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lefs gracious Affiftance be vouchfafed from above, they will affuredly fpring up; over-run their Souls; and difhonour their Lives.

Ther. Let us leave the Children, and make Men the Subject of our Inquiry.

Afp. In this Refpect, Theron,

Men are but Children of a larger Growth.

We may leave the Veft or Hanging-fleeve Coat, but we fhall ftill find the Follies of the Child.- - In Youth, what low Ambition, and Fondness for defpicable Pleasures.-In Manhood, what a keen Pursuit of tranfitory Wealth; yet what a cold Inattention to GOD and Holiness! Men, and Men too of the greatest Abilities, whofe Penetration, on other Subjects, is piercing as the Eagle's Sight, are, on the most important Points, blind as the incaverned Mole.

Ther. What is the Understanding like the most dim-fighted Animal, when lodged in her darkest Retirement? That fublime Faculty of the Soul; which lends her Eye to all the reft; fits at the Helm, and directs their Motions!

Afp. You remember, I prefume, that beautiful Paffage in Milton *; which Mr. Addifon fo highly admires, and fo judiciously illuftrates. The Paffage I mean, where the Archangel Michael comes down,

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ous Seeds, which are lodged in this Nursery of all Evil, may fee a Sample of them in our LORD's Defcription, Mark vii. 20, 21, 22, 23. Where he characterizes the Heart, not barely of the hypocritical Pharifee, or the abandoned Publican, but of Mankind in general. — After fuch an Authority, fhall I mention the Testimony of Seneca? We are allowed to glean the Grapes, when the Vintage is gathered, In fuch a View I would introduce the Philofopher after the SAVIOUR. Omnia in omnibus Vitia funt; fed non omnia in Singulis extant. DE BENEF. Lib. IV.

* Book XI. 203, &c.

to advertise Adam of future Events, and to execute the Sentence of divine Juftice.

Ther. I remember it perfectly well.-In the Eaft, the great Light of Day lies under an Eclipfe. In the Weft a bright Cloud defcends; filled with an Hoft of Angels, and more luminous than the Sun itfelf. The whole Theatre of Nature is darkened, that this glorious Machine may appear in all its Magnificence and Beauty.-From this radiant Chariot, the Potentate of Heaven alights; and advances, with a majestic Statelinefs, to meet Adam.

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Afp. Should you fee fuch an auguft Perfonage, alighting from fuch a fplendid Chariot, and walking amidft the thronged Streets of a City? Should you behold every One intent upon his Bufinefs or Diverfi ons; ftruck with no Awe; paying no reverential Regard to this celeftial Vifitant; what would you think?

Ther. I fhould certainly fufpect, That fome fuperior Power had drawn a Veil over their Sight, and hid this wonderful Spectacle from their View..

Afp. Such is really the Cafe with all Mankind by Nature, and with the Generality of People, during their whole Life.-GOID, the infinitely great GOD, is in every. Place. Yet how Few advert to his Prefence! - All Nature exhibits Him to their Senfes yet, perhaps, he is not in any of their Thoughts.

The Sun, clothed in tranfcendent Brightnefs, moft illuftriously displays his MAKER's Glory. The Moon, tho' dreft in fainter Beams, has Luftre enough to fhew us the adorable DEITY, and his marvelous Perfections. The Stars, fixed as they are at an unmeasurable Distance, and leffened almoft to a Point, come in with their Evidence, and magnify their CREATOR to a gazing but unaffected World. The Air whispers his Clemency in the gentle, the refreshing Gales of Spring. If we take no Notice of this foft perfuafiye Addrefs, the Tone is elevated : VOL. II.

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the Majefty of JEHOVAH founds aloud, in roar. ing Winds, and rending Storms. Yet both Expedients fail. Man is like the deaf Adder, that ftoppeth her Lars. He refufeth to hear the Voice of the Charmérs, charm they never fo fweetly, never fo forcibly.

Each Flower, arrayed in Beauty, and breathing Perfume, courts our Affections for its infinitely ami able AUTHOR.Not a Bird that warbles, nor à Brook that murmurs, but invites our Praife, or chides our Ingratitude.-All the Claffes of Fruits depofit their Attestation on our Palates, yet feldom reach our Hearts. They give us a Proof, of the divine Benignity; a Proof, as undeniable as it is pleafing, and too often as ineffectual alfo.

In fhort; the whole Creation is a kind of mag. nificent Embaffy from its Almighty LORD; deputed to proclaim his Excellencies, and demand our Homage. Yet, who has not difregarded the former, and with-held the latter?-How Few walk, as feeing HIM that is invifible, or have Fellowship with the FATHER of Spirits? Though, to walk before Him, is our highest Dignity; and to have Fellowship with Him, is our only Felicity?

Ther. This is owing to Inattention, rather than to any Blindness or Defect in Man's Understanding. The many Works of Genius, which have been produced in various Ages, are an abundant Proof of his intellectual Capacity.-Have not the Seas been traverfed, and the Skies measured? Has not the Earth been difemboweled of its choiceft Treasures; while its Surface is beautified with Towns, Cities, Palaces innumerable? What fine Arts are invented and exercifed; and to what a Pitch of Perfection are they carried? Arts that feem, if not to exceed, at least to rival Nature.-It was the Understanding, which formed all these great Defigns. It was the Understanding, which contrived the Means, and con

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ducted

ducted the Execution.-And are not thefe unqueftionable Evidences of her very fuperior Abilites?

Afp. Then he is like fome great Emprefs, who conquers half the World, but is unable to rule herfelf. Who extends her Regulations into foreign Climes, while her domestic Affairs are involved in Confufion.-Do you doubt the Reality of this Remark? Set yourself to meditate upon the most interefting Truths. How defultory, how incoherent are your Thoughts?-Charge them to be collected.. They difobey your Orders.Rally the undisciplined Vagrants. Again, they defert the Tafk.-Exert all your Power, and keep them clofe to their Bufinefs. Still, they elude your Endeavours.

The other Day,, I could not forbear fmiling at a little Adventure of your youngest Son's. Some Quickfilver, which happened to be fpilt upon the Floor, parted into feveral Globules. The fhining Balls looked fo prettily, he longed to make them his own. But when he offered to take them up, they flipt from his Hand. As often as he renewed the Attempt, fo often he met with a Difappointment. The clofer he ftrove to grafp them, the more fpeedily they efcaped from his Fingers. He feemed, at first, to be amazed; then became quite angry, that the little Fugitives fhould fo conftantly baffle his repeated Efforts. Thus unmanageable I very often find my own Thoughts. If yours are under no better Regi men, this may convince us both, that all is not ac cording to the original Creation..

We apply ourselves to converse with the everlasting GOD in Prayer. Here, one would expect to have the Thoughts all Clearnefs, and all CompofureBut here we are not fufficient of our felves, to think any Thing as of ourselves. All thofe holy Ideas, which create Reverence, or ftrengthen Faith, or quicken

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* 2 Cor. iii. 5,

Love,

Love, come from the FATHER of Lights. Should HE withdraw his Influence, all will be dull, 'and dark, and dead.-It may be, we are fomewhat inlivened in this facred Exercife; before we are aware, perhaps in the very Midit of the folemn Of fice, our Attention is diffipated; and not diffipated only, but fcattered to the Ends of the Earth. The GOD of all Glory is forfaken, and the Devotion paid to fome fenfelefs Foppery. A Malefactor, beg. ging his Life at the Knees of his Sovereign; and dif continuing his Suit, in order to carefs a Lap-dog, or purfue a Butterfly; is but a faint Image of the Va nity which attends our devotional Services.-Reafon, which ought to correct thefe Irregularities, is treated like the incredulous Lord; who, inftead of controuling the unruly Multitude, was overborne by their Impetuofity, and troden under Foot *.

Since then the Reins are ftruck out of our Hands, and we have loft the Rule over our own Faculties; furely we are in a State different, very different, from our primitive Conftitution.

Ther. However infenfible to refined Speculation, the Understanding, when Interest is in the Cafe, is apprehenfive enough.

Afp. In temporalt, not in fpiritual Affairs. Your younger Brother, Theron, is a Merchant. We will fuppofe him at the Sea-fide; within a finall Distance of the Veffel, on which a confiderable Part of his Subftance is embarked.-We will fuppofe the Veffel in the utmost Diftrefs; ready to founder with her Leaks, or to strike upon the Rocks.-If he difcovers no Sign of Concern; calls in no Affiftance from the Country; makes no Effort to fave the Crew, and Jecure the Cargo; would you not think him berea

2 Kings vii. 17.

ved

Called therefore by the Apostle, Fleshly Wisdom, and opposed to the Grace of GOD, 2 Cor. i, 12.

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