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hold without Abhorrence *.-Such is Man by Nature! People must have Eyes very different from mine, to discern any Dignity in this Draught.

Ther. As to innate Dignity, We will let it pass. But this I must insist upon, and several Writers of the firft Repute are on my Side-That We enter the Stage of Life, in a State of Indifference either to Good or Evil-That the Affections are like a Balance, nicely poifed, and preponderating neither one Way nor the other.-The whole Soul, like a Sheet of fair Paper, is equally fufceptible of strait or crooked Lines; and will as readily receive the amiable Features of an Angel, as the hideous Deformity of a Devil.

Afp. With regard to your firft Illuftration.-The Simile, I think, confutes the Sentiment. For, to be in Sufpenfe, whether We fhall love the LORD our GOD, the Giver of all Good, and the Source of all Perfection; thi, furely, must be condemned as an irreligious Temper.-This is a criminal Halting between GOD and Baal.—A Neutrality, which is no better than Hoftility.

I fear, the Writers You mention, pay but little Deference to the infpired Volume. Our Efcutcheon is very differently blazoned, in that Office of spiritual Heraldry. A Tranfgreffor from the Womb †, is one

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The original Words are in-One is used to fignify that abominable Practice, which the Egyptians could not bear to view. Exod. viii. ver. 22. Heb. Bib. ver. 26. Engl. Bib.-The other denotes an Object, too Jqualid to be viewed without lothing.

↑ Ifai. xlviii. 8. A Truth fo apparent and undeniable, that Seneca could not but difcern it, though He was

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of our hereditary Titles. Tranfgreffors We are, by ftrong internal Propenfity; even before We tranfgrefs, in outward Act.

Obferve the young Hawthorn Plants, which have unfolded their green Leaves, in yonder Nurfery; but have fcarce learned to fpread the gay Bloffom. Is there in thofe Plants an equal Aptitude, to produce the luscious juicy Grape, or their own coarse and husky Berry? By no means. They will (unlefs grafted with fome generous Cyon) certainly, univerfally, conftantly bear the fame harfh Fruit, with their parent Tree.-So certainly will the human Mind, if not renewed by the SPIRIT of CHRIST, branch out into ungodly Tempers, and bring forth wicked Practices.

Ther. The Nobleman, mentioned by Xenophon when overcome by an alluring Temptation, devised for his Excufe the Notion of two Souls; one, that inclined Him to Vice; another, that prompted Him to Virtue. This was a moderate Caricatura †, compared with my Friend's. He will allow nothing regular or graceful in the human Heart. You have metamorphofed the Mafter-piece of the Creation, into fuch a deformed Object; as may justly render Him a Terror to Himfelf. Can there be a groffer Libel upon the CREATOR, or a greater Difcouragement to our Fellow-creatures?

Afp.

an uninlightened Heathen: could not but acknowledge it, attached as He was to the proud Stoic Sect. Hac Conditione nati fumus. Animalia obnoxia non paucioribus Animi quam Corporis Morbis. De Ira. Lib. I. c. 9.

Cyropæd. Lib. VI,

+ A Term ufed by the Italian Painters, to fignify a Refemblance horrid or ridiculous.

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Afp. If this be a deformed Piece, what will You call the following Description? GOD saw that the Wickedness of Man was great upon the Earth; and that every Imagination of the Thoughts of his Heart was only evil continually *. This, perhaps, may be reckoned a more monftrous Drawing ftill. Yet it came from that Hand, which painted the Canopy of the Skies, and touched all the Pictures of Nature into fuch inimitable Perfection.

Pray, let us examine the most distinguishing Features in this Draught.-Not barely the Works of his Hand, or the Words of his Tongue, but the Imaginations of his Heart, are evil. The Contagion has spread itself through the inner Man. It has tainted the Seat of his Principles, and the Source of his Actions +.Is there not, You will fay, fome Mixture of Good? No; they are only Evil. There is no hopeful Tendency. Not fo much as a little Leaven of Piety; that may have a Chance to diffuse itself, and meliorate the whole Lump.-But are there no lucid Intervals? No happy Moments, when Virtue gains the Afcendency? None: He is only

Gen. vi. 5.

The Original is very exact in its Structure, as well. as very emphatical in its Meaning.- The Heart, or grand Principle- The Thoughts of the Heart, or the various A&tings of that Principle- The Imagination of the Thoughts, or the Produce and Refult of thofe A&tings; namely, Defires and Affections, Counfels and Purposes. Of which, not one, a few only, or the greateft Part, but all these are evil.-Somewhat like this, is St. Paul's Analyfis of the intellectual Oeconomy; es, vonja, oficuor. All which He reprefents, as in a State of Enmity againft CHRIST. As Forts or Bulwarks, erected to maintain a Siege, against the Knowledge and Obedience of his Gospel. 2 Cor. x. 5.

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only evil continually. The Ufurpation of Sin is total, and its Tyranny perpetual.

What I have advanced, therefore, is no Libel upon the CREATOR's Benignity. Because, it is the very Echo of his own Determination.-Neither is it fo properly difcouraging, as humbling and alarming to our Fellow-creatures.-Humbling, to make Us fenfible of our Ruin: Alarming, to make Us defirous of a Recovery.

Ther. Is not the Defcription, which You have produced, peculiar to the Men of that wicked Generation? Whofe Guilt was as unparalleled, as their Puniment?

Ap. It is applicable both to them and their Succeffors. The Wisdom of GOD repeats the Charge, and fixes it upon the Race, which furvived the Flood *., The Depravity of human Nature continued, nor could the Waters of an univerfal Deluge purge it away. So deep alas! is the Stain, and fo incorrigible the Virulency, of original Corruption; that it will yield to nothing-to nothing will it yield, but to the Washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the HOLY GHOST +.

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Gen. viii. 21. Where, I think, the Particle ufed in the adverfative, not the caufal Signification; and fhould be rendered though, rather than for.-Where, it may be pleafing, if not fo directly pertinent, to obferve; that the Forbearance of the righteous GOD, is afcribed to the great Atonement; typefied by Noah's Burnt-offerings, and fpecified by St. Paul in his Epiftle to the Ephefians; who probably alludes to this Paffage. The LORD fmelled a fweet Savour, and the LORD faid in his Heart, I will not again curfe the Earth any more for Man's Sake, though the Imagination of Man's Heart be evil from bis Youth. See Epb. v. 2. Tit. iii. 5.

Till this takes place, every Heart of Man must wear the Prophet's ftigmatizing Motto, Deceitful above all Things, and defperately wicked.

Ther. This Paffage, I am informed, is not rightly translated; especially, in the last Expreffion. The Hebrew Original does not bear fo hard upon the human Character, as the English Version.

Afp. You allow then, that the Heart is deceitful. And of this We have a glaring Proof, in the Conduct of Hazael. He thought it impoffible, that He fhould ever perpetrate fuch horrid Barbarities, as the Prophet forefaw. Is thy Servant a Dog, that He fhould do this great Thing*? Yes, Hazael; however Thou mayeft imagine Thyfelf gentle as a Lamb, thou art fierce as a Dog, and favage as a Tyger. Which was most terribly demonftrated by the Event +.

Suppofe, we tranflate the other Word fomewhat more accurately. The little Alteration will be of lefs Service to your Caufe. Inftead of defperately wicked, You may, if You please, read deplorably dif ordered. This is the exact Import of the Phrase.— It is a Metaphor, derived from a very diftempered Body. In which, the whole Head is fick, and the whole Heart faint. From the Crown of whose Head,

* 2 Kings viii. 13.

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This felf-fame Hazael, murdered his royal Master, and ufurped the Throne of Syria; burnt the Cities of Ifrael, and flew their Inhabitants with the Sword; dashed the Infants in Pieces, and ripped up the Women with Child. Thus cruelly did He haraís the Ifraelites, till He crushed their Strength; broke their Spirits; ruined their Nation; or, as the facred Hiftorian fpeaks mot emphatically, He made them like the Duft by Threshing. 2 Kings xiii. 7.

Jer. xvii. 9. WIN

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