of their feathered Inhabitants.-And not only fpoke their Joy, but fpread an additional Charm over all the Lanfcape. For, amidst fuch Strains of native Harmony, the breathing Perfumes fmell more fweet; the ftreaming Rills fhine more clear; and the univerfal Prospect looks more gay.

Then was experienced, what Milton fo delicately defcribes ;

If chance the radiant. Sun with farewel Sweet Extend his Evening Beam, the Fields revive, The Birds their Notes renew, and bleating Herds Atteft their Foy, that Hill and Valley rings.

With Wonder and Delight our Friends obferved, both the exquifite Beauty, and the immenfe Magnificence of Things.-They were ftruck with the most profound Veneration of that Almighty MAJESTY; who hung the Sun in Vaults of Azure, and clothed his Orb with Robes of Luftre. Whofe Right-hand Spanneth the Heavens *, and stretcheth them out as a Tent, for innumerable Creatures, Worlds, Systems to dwell in t.-Charmed they were, at the Confideration of the CREATOR's boundless Beneficence. Who lifts up the Light of his Countenance, and Joy is fhed; who opens his munificent Hand, and Plenty is poured, throughout all the Regions of the Univerfe. Infomuch, that even inanimate Beings seem to fmile under a Senfe of the Bleflings: and though they find not a Tongue to praife, yet fpeak their Acclamations by their gladdened Looks.

Ther. How very different, Afpafio, is this delightful Appearance of Things, from your ill-favoured Doctrine of original Guilt, and original Depravity! Your Doctrine is a Contradiction to the Language of Nature. Nature fays, through all her Works, "That GOD is good, and Men are made to be

* Ifai. xlviii. 13.

† Ifai. xl. 22.

"happy.".

"happy." Whereas, your Opinion would turn the whole World into a vaft Hofpital, and make every individual Perfon, a Leper or a Lazarus.

Afp. I join with my Theron, and with univerfal Nature, in bearing witnefs to the Goodness of our GOD. And nothing, I am perfuaded, difplays it more, nothing manifefts fo much, as the Doctrine of our Fall in Adam, connected with our Recovery in CHRIST.—Only in one Particular I am obliged to diflent. It is not my Opinion that would make, but the Sin of our Forefather, which has made, the whole World an Infirmary, and every individual Per. fon a Leper.

Ther. At this Rate, you would croud into that fingle Ace of Difobedience, Evils more numerous, and more fatal, than the Plagues which were lodged in Pandora's Box, or the Troops which were ftowed: in the Trojan Horfe.

Afp. Far more numerous, and infinitely more per nicious. The Fable of Pandora's Box feems to have been a Shred of the Doctrine, picked up by the Heathen Wits, and fashioned according to their fportive Fancy. This would, if there was any Occafion for fuch weak Affiftance, bring in the Pagan Theology, as a fubfidiary Evidence to our Caufe. The Trojan Horfe poured Ruin upon a fingle City; but the primitive Tranfgreffion intailed Mifery upon all Generations.

Ther. You have advanced this heavy Charge pretty ftrenuously, I must confefs. But without defcending to Facts, or appealing to Experience. All the Invectives are general and declamatory, none pointing and particular.

Afp. It is eafy, my dear Friend, too easy to draw up a particular Bill of Indictment; and not only to Specify the Facts, but to demonftrate the Charge. Experience, fad Experience will furnish us with a Cloud

of Witneffes, and prove my Remonftrances to be more than Invectives.

Were we to diffect human Nature, as, in our laft Conference, you treated the animal Syftem, we fhould find the Leprofy of Corruption, spreading itfelf through our whole Frame. For which Realon, it is ftyled, by an inspired Writer, "The old Man*." -Old; becaufe in its Commencement, it was early as the Fall; and, in its Communication to Individuals, is coeval with their Being.-Man; becaufe it has tainted the Body, infected the Soul, and difordered the whole Perfon.

St. Paul, defcribing a profligate Conversation, fpeaks in this remarkable Manner; fulfilling the Defires of the Flesh, and of the Mind +. By the Defires of the Flesh, he means thofe irregular Inclina-. tions, which correfpond with the animal Part of our Conftitution. By the Defires of the Mind, he denotes thofe evil Propenfities, which are more immediately feated in the intellectual Faculties. And by both, he very strongly expreffes the total Depravation of our Nature.

Ther. What you call evil Propenfities, I am apt to think, are not really finful, but appointed for the Tryal of our Virtue.-Nay, fince they are confeffedly natural, they cannot be in themfelves evil. Becaufe, upon this Suppofition, GOD, who is the Author of our Nature, would be the Author alfo of our Sin.

Afp. Then you imagine, that Propenfities to Evil, are void of Guilt. This is the Popish Notion, but neither the Mofaic nor the Apoftolic Doctrine.-In the Law of Mofes it is written, Thou shalt not covet *. The divine LEGISLATOR prohibits, not only the iniquitous Practice, but the evil Defire.-The Apoftle gives it in charge to the Coloffians, Mortify your Members, which are upon the Earth; Fornication,

* Rom. vi. 6... † Eph. i. 3. + Exod. xx. 17.

tion, Uncleanness, inordinate Affection, and, which is the Source of all, evil Concupifcence *. Now, can that be free from Guilt, which we are commanded to mortify? Which, if not mortified, denominates us Children of Difobedience, and fubjects us to the Wrath of GOD?

Though thefe Propenfities are confeffedly natural, they may be evil notwithstanding. The facred Writers oppose what is natural, to what is fpiritual. Inftead of commending it, as innocent; they condemn it, as foolifht, bafe, and criminal §.-Neither does this make the AUTHOR of our Nature, the Author of our Sin. But it proves, that our Nature has fuftained a deplorable Lofs: that it is quite different from its original State: that, what is fpoken of the Ifraelitif People, is applicable to the human Race; I planted thee a noble Vine, wholly a right Seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate Plant of a strange Vine ¶?

However, let us obferve your Propofal: dwell no longer on general Hints, but defcend to a particular Examination. As our Examination will chiefly refpect the Soul, let me inquire, What are her principal Faculties?

Ther. The Understanding, the Will, and the Affec tions. Thefe are the most diftinguishing Powers, which that Queen of the human Oeconomy retains in her Service.-Thefe, like the several Distributions of fome ample River, run through the whole Man; to quicken, fertilize, and enrich all his Converfation. But you reprefent them bitter, as the Waters of Marah; unwholesome, as the Streams of fericho; noxious as the Pottage prepared for the Sons of the Prophets.

Afp. Nor is this a Mifreprefentation. For, fuch A 3.

they

+1 Cor. ii. 14. ¶ Jer. ii. 21.

they really are; till divine Grace, like Mofes's Wood+, like Elifha's Salt ‡, or the Meal || caft in by that holy Man of GOD, fweeten them, heal them, and render their Operations falutary.

The Understanding claims our firft Regard. This, however qualified to ferve the Purposes of civil Life, is unable to difcover the Truths, in which Wifdom confifts; or to form the Tempers, from which Happiness flows.

Let us take take our Specimen, not from the uncultivated Savages of Afric, but from the politeft Na. tion in Europe.-The Grecians piqued themselves on their intellectual Accomplishments. They termed all the rest of Mankind Barbarians. Yet, even thefe Sons of Science, profeffing themfelves wife, were, in Fact, egregious Fools. Not to enumerate the fhocking Immoralities, which the Poets afcribed to their Deities. Not to infift upon the grofs IdoTatries, which the common People practifed in their Worship. Even their Philofophers, the most improved and penetrating Geniuses, were unacquainted with the very firft Principle of true Religion. Even they could not pronounce, with an unfaultering Tonguet, 86. That GOD is ONE.'

Ther. With regard to the Philofophers, the Prejudices of a wrong Education, might pervert their Judg.

*Rom. i. 22.

ment;

2 Kings ii. 21, 22.

+ Exod. xv. 25.2 Kings iv. 41. + The first of all the Commandments is, Hear, Olfrael, The LORD our GOD is ONE LORD; and thou shalt love the LORD, &c. Mark xii. 29. From which it appears, that the Unity of the. GODHEAD, is the Foundation of all the divine Commandments, and of all human Worship.

Unfaultering-For though, in Plato's Book of Laws, we meet with •☺☺- 78. 1856 Osor again and again;

yet