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be rightly leveled, and might be ferviceable to Mankind. Whereas, to put all in the black Lift ; to mark all with the Villain's Brand; this can never be Chriftian Charity; this is unfufferable Cenforioufnefs.

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Afp. Let me befeech you, Theron, not to mifapprehend my Defign. I fpeak not as a malevolent Satirift, but would imitate the faithful Physician. I am opening the Sore, that it may admit the healing Balm and fhould I perform the Operation with an invenomed Inftrument? My Soul abhors the Thought. -I must intreat you likewise to remember the Diftinction, between a State of Nature, and a State of Grace. We are all naturally evil. Such we should for ever continue, did not a fupernatural Power intervene; making fome to differ, both from their original Selves, and from the Generality of their Neighbours. Are they refined in their Temper, and reformed in their Life? I grant it. But then it is the Influence of the fanctifying SPIRIT, which purges away their Drofs; yet not without leaving fome Alloy.

Ther. Here, Afpafio, you certainly strain the Bow, till it breaks. Since Scripture itself celebrates fome Perfons, as abfolutely perfect.-What fays Mofes, the infpired Hiftorian? Noah was perfect in his Generation.What fays the GOD of Mofes, who can neither deceive, nor be dèceived? Job was a perfect Man and an upright +.-Confequently, their Nature must be intirely cleanfed from this hereditary Defilement; and their Character confutes your derogatory Representations of Mankind.

Afp. Thofe eminent Saints were perfect. That is, they were fanctified throughout. Sanctified in all their Faculties. No one Grace of Religion was lacking. As in the new-born Infant, there is a hu

* Gen. vi. 9.

Job i. 1.:

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man Creature complete: no conftituent Part of the vital Frame is wanting: though each is tender; all are very feeble; and none arrived at the full Size.

They were upright. This Word feems to be explanatory of the preceding; and fignifies an unfeigned Defire, joined with a hearty Endeavour, to obey the whole Will of GOD: excluding, not all Defect, but all reigning Hypocrify, and wilful Remiffnefs.-The Interpretation, thus limited, is of a Piece with their Conduct. If ftretched to a higher Pitch, it is evidently inconfiftent with the Narrative of their Lives.

Pray, what was your Motive, for decorating the filvan Retirement, (which fheltered us Yesterday) with the Statue of Elijah?

Ther. Because I thought, his folitary Life, and gloomy Temper, fuited that fequeftered Bower. Because the memorable Adventure, there represented, is, with me, a favourite Portion of facred Hiftory.

Are we pleafed with fpirited and delicate Railery? Nothing exceeds his pungent Sarcafm, on the stupid and defpicable Dupes of Idolatry. Every Sentence is keen as a Razor, and pointed as a Dagger, yet wears the Appearance of the moft courtly Complaifance. We may truly fay, in the beautiful Language of the Pfalmift, His Words are fmoother than Oil, and yet be they very Swords *.

Are we delighted with Inftances of Magnanimity? A fingle Prophet, unfupported by any human Aid, maintains the Caufe of Truth, against the King, his Grandees, and Hundreds of the apoftate Priests. He ventures to stake all his Credit, to risk his very Life,

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* 1 Kings xviii. 27. And it came to pass at Noon, that Elijah mocked them, and faid; Gry aloud, for he is a God. Either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a Journey, or peradventure he fleepeth, and must be awaked.

and (what was dearer to him than perfonal Credit, or bodily Life,) the Honour of the true GOD, and Interefts of his holy Religion-to risk all on the immediate Interpofition of a moft furprising Miracle.

Do we admire the Triumphs of Faith? His Faith was, in a manner, omnipotent. He prays, and Torrents of Fire defcend from the Sky, to devour his Adverfaries *. He prays again, and the Sluices of Heaven are fout; there is neither Dew nor Rain for feveral Years +.-A third Time he prays, and the Windows from on high are opened; Abundance of Showers water the Earth t. On another Occafion he prefents his Supplications, and GOD makes his Feet like Harts Feet. Infomuch that an aged Prophet outruns the royal Chariot

Afp. I commend your Tafte, Theron; and am particularly pleafed with the Reafons of your Choice.But do not you remember, that even the WonderWorking Tifhbite failed in his Refignation, and failed in his Faith? Eminent as he was for Mortification, he gave way to unreasonable Difcontent; and, tho a Champion for the living GOD, he yielded to unbelieving Fear S.-The Man Mofes was very meek, above all the Men which were upon the Face of the VOL. II. Earth*:

* 2 Kings i. 1o.

17, 18.

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1 Kings xvii. I.. James v.

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1 Kings xviii. 46. Elias, or rather Elijah, was a Man fubject to like Pafions as we are, James v. 17. Upon which Paffage, an eminent Commentator makes the following Remark; "This probably is faid, with refpect to his Fear and Dif

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content, manifefted 1 Kings xix. 3, 4."-Oμoans muft, I think, imply a State, liable to the irregular Workings of Paffion; not free from the finful Infirmities of Nature. Otherwife, it is an Inftance foreign to the Purpofe; does by no means anfwer the End defigned; which is to encourage the Heart, and ftrengthen the Faith, even of frail, corrupt, offending Creatures. See Verf. 16.

Earth: Yet he, even he was provoked in his Spirit, and spake unadvifedly with his Lips +.-Was not Peter the Hero among our LORD's Followers? Yet he trembles, more than trembles, at the fhaking of a Leaf; he denies his divine MASTER, feared by the Voice of a Woman.

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Look where-ever we will, we find Proofs of human Depravity; reigning uncontrouled in fome, making frequent Infurrection in all. It is written on our Hearts, by the Pen of Experience; the Finger of Obfervation points it out, in the Practice of others. Even in the Practice of thofe, who have been Saints of the first Rank, and of the highest Endowments. Yet they were defective. Defective too, in that very Quality, which was their diftinguishing Gift; in which they particularly excelled. Ther. While we are talking, the Day has infenfibly ftole itself away, and left us furrounded with Twilight. Which is a Sort of Luftre intermingled with Darkness: no Part wholly lucid; no Part whol ly obfcure.-An Emblem, according to your Reprefentation, of the renewed Soul, and its imperfect Holiness.

Afp. A very juft one.-Even where the Gospel fhines, ftill there is an intercurrent Gloom of Corruption. Ignorance mixes itself with our Knowledge. Unbelief cleaves to our Faith. Nor is our Purity free from all Contamination.-The Prophet Zechariah, foretelling the Establishment of the Gofpel Kingdom, and defcribing the State of its fpiriaual Subjects, fays; It fhall come to pass in that Day, that the Light fhall not be clear, nor dark ‡. This,

*Numb. xii. 3.

+ Pfal. cvi. 33.

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Zech. xiv. 6. I Cor. xiii. 9. For we know in Part. Perhaps this Declaration of the Apostle may be à Key to the Prophet's Meaning. However, it is a fufficient Confirmation of Afpafio's Sentiment.

as to its literal Senfe, we now fee exemplified in the circumambient Atmosphere. With regard to its Spiritual Meaning, every true Believer feels it accomplished in his own breast.

Ther. While you are fo vehement, in decrying all human Attainments; confider, Afpafio, whether you do not check and difpirit us, in the Purfuit of exalted Virtue..

Afp. I fuppofe, you never expected to be fuch an Adept in Geometry as Archimedes, nor fo profound an Aftronomer as Newton; yet this did not check your Application to the Study of Mathematics, or the Contemplation of the Heavens.-Your Brother the Merchant, I prefume, has no Profpect of amaffing the Wealth of a Crafus, or the immenfe Treafures of a Kouli-Khan; yet this does not difpirit him in profecuting the Business, which brings him both Opulence and Honour..

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However, Theron, fo long as you deny the Imputation of CHRIST's Righteoufnefs, I must acknowledge, you act a confiftent Part, in being lous for the Perfection of perfonal Obedience. You ought either to acquire the one, or to accept the other. Therefore, I fhall produce no more Arguments for your Difcouragement; but thall comprize the whole of my Anfwer, in the Motto to an Irish Nobleman's Arms, TRY. Qr, if this be too concife, I will fubjoin, with a very little Alteration, the Words of a King; "When you have attained "what you purfue, bring me Word again, that I may "go, and poffefs it alfo *"

Ther. According to your Account, the most advanced and established Chriftians, are but like a Company of Invalids. Does not this extremely derogate from the Honour of our LORD, confidered as the Phyfician of Souls? It seems to make a mere Nothing

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* Matth. ii. 8...

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