Pebbles, but invites our Praife, or chides our Ingratitude. All the Claffes of Fruits depofit their Atteftation 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 also.

In fhort; the whole Creation is a Kind of magnificent 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 higheft Dignity; and to have Fel lowship with Him, is our only Felicity Pin, i

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 pro duced in various Ages, are an abundant Proof of his intellectual Capacity.-Have not the Seas been tra-) verfed, and the Skies measured? Has not the Earth been difemboweled of its choiceft Treasures; while its Surface is beautified with Towns, Cities, PaFaces, innumerable?What fine Arts are invented and exercised; and to what a Pitch of Perfection are they carried? Arts that feem, if not to exceed, at leaft to rival Nature. It was the Understanding, which formed all thefe great Defigns. It was the Understanding, which contrived the Means, and conducted the Execution.-And are not these unqueftionable Evidences of her very fuperior Abilities?

Ap. Then fhe is like fome great Emprefs, who conquers half the World, but is unable to rule Her

4

Self.

felf. Who extends her Regulations into foreign Climes, while her domeftic 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 disobey your Orders.-Rally the undisciplined Vagrants. Again they defert the Tafk.-Exert all your Power, and keep them close to their Bufinefs. Still they elude your Endeavours.

The other Day, I could not forbear smiling 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 Disappointment. The clofer He ftrove to grafp them, the more speedily they escaped 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 Regimen, this may convince Us both, that all is not according 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 Compofure. But Here We are not fufficient of Ourfelves, to think any Thing as of Ourfelves. All thofe holy Ideas, which create Reverence, or ftrengthen Faith, or quicken Love, come from the FATHER of Lights. Q2 Should

Should HE withdraw His Influence, all will be dull, and dark, and dead.-It may be, We are fomewhat enlivened in this facred Exercife; before We are aware, perhaps in the very Midst of the fo→ lemn Office, our Attention is diffipated; and not diffipated only, but scattered to the Ends of the Earth. The GOD of all Glory is forfaken, and the De→ votion paid to some senseless Foppery. A Malefac tor, begging his Life at the Knees of his Sovereign; and difcontinuing his Suit, in order to carefs a Lapdog, or purfue a Butterfly; is but a faint Image of the Vanity which attends our devotional Services. Reason, which ought to correct these Irregularities, is treated like the incredulous Lord; who, inftead of controuling the unruly Multitude, was overborne by their Impetuofity, and trodden 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 Constitution..

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

Afp. In temporal †, not in fpiritual Affairs.Your younger Brother, Theron, is a Merchant. We will fuppofe Him at the Sea-fide; within a fmall Distance of the Vessel, 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 ftrike upon the Rocks.-If he difcovers no Sign of Concern; calls in no Affistance from

2 Kings vii. 17.

+ Called therefore by the Apoftle, Flefbly Wisdom, and opposed to the Grace of GOD. 2 Cor. i. 12.

from the Country; makes no Effort to fave the Crew, and fecure the Cargo; would You not think him bereaved of his Understanding, or deprived of his Sight Could You conceive a more favourable Opinion of his Eyes or his Intellect? If, inftead of trying every Method to prevent a Shipwreck, He fhould amuse Himself with picking Shells from the Ocean, vor drawing Figures on the Sand ?

We, and every One of our Fellow-creatures, have an Interest in Jeopardy, unfpeakably more precious, than all the rich Lading of a thousand Fleets. Our Souls, our immortal Souls, are expofed, every Day, every Hour, to the Peril of everlasting Destruction. Every Temptation is threatening to their endless Welfare, as a Ridge of craggy Rocks to a Ship that drives before the strongest Gale.-Yet, how unconcerned are Mankind? Where is their holy Fear? Where their godly Jealoufy? Where their wakeful Circumfpection? Rather, what a gay Infenfibility is obfervable in their Behaviour? Or else, what a lifeless Formality prevails in their Supplications? Their Supplications to that Almighty BEING, who alone is able to fave and to deftroy.Was not the human Understanding both darkened and befotted, We fhould fee our Neighbours, We fhould feel Qurfelves awakened, into much the fame earnest Solicitude, as the Difciples expreffed; when, perceiving the Waves boistrous, and their Bark finking, they cried; LORD! Save Us! We perifh!`

But alas! in Things of an unfeen Nature, though of eternal Confequence, Intereft, that habitual Darling of every Heart, lofes its engaging Influence. Nay; when Eternity, all-important Eternity is at ftake, even Self-prefervation is fcarce any longer a governing

Q3

governing Principle.-What can be more deplorable? And, if We admit not the Doctrine of original Corruption, what fo unaccountable?

Ther. This, I muft confefs, is true, with regard to the unthinking Rabble. To them may be accommodated the Remark of Auguftus. Who, when he faw fome foreign Females, carrying Apes in their Arms instead of Infants, faid to one of his Courtiers; "Have the Women of thofe Countries no Children, "that they are so fond of fuch defpicable Ani"mals?"-The Vulgar are fo immersed in fecular Cares, that One might indeed be tempted to afk; "Have thofe People no Souls? that Buying and "Selling, Eating and Drinking, engross their "whole Concern ?"-But Perfons of Rank and Education, think in a more exalted Manner.

Afp. Do you then imagine, that an Elevation of Circumftances fets the Affections on Things above? Or, that it is the peculiar Infelicity of the Vulgar, to grovel in their Defires ?--Gold, I believe, is more likely to increase, than to diffipate, the Fog on the intellectual Faculties. Abundance of Poffeffions, instead of difengaging the Heart, faften it more infeparably to the Earth. Even fuperior Attainments in Learning, if not fanctified by Grace, ferve only to render the Owner fomewhat more refined in his Follies, or vainly to puff up his fleshly Mind *.-But Comparisons, between the various Claffes of Mankind, are as ufelefs as they are invidious. None, in either Condition, attend to the Things which make for their Peace, till they are awakened from their Lethargy, by the quickening SPIRIT of CHRIST. And even then We cannot but ob

* Col. ii. 18.

ferve