GOD's unerring Word, to guide Us; GOD's ever-watchful Eye, to overfee Us GOD's fovereign Command, to rule and quicken Us. Notwithstanding all thefe Motives, is not the Speech of the Sluggard, the very Language of our Conduct? A little more Sleep, a little more Slumber, a little more Folding of the Hands to fleep*. The moft fupine Indifference, where all poffible Diligence is but juft fufficient!-This, You must allow, is the true Character of Mankind in general. And does this demonftrate the Rectitude of their Will. Ther. The Understanding may be faid to carry the Torch, the Will to hold the Balance. Now, the Perfection of a Balance confifts, in being fo nicely poifed, as to incline at the leaft Touch, and preponderate with the flighteft Weight. This Property belongs, without all Difpute, to the human Will... Afp. What? If one of your Scales fhould defcend to the Ground, though charged with Trifles, that are light as Air? If the other fhould kick the Beam, though its Contents be weighter, than Talents of Gold?-Is not this an exact Representation of our Will, *There is, if I mistake not, a nice Gradation, in this Speech of the Sluggard; fuch as very naturally mimics the Manner of that lazy Creature. He pleads, first, for fome confiderable Degree of Indulgence, A little Sleep.If that is too much to be granted, He craves fome smaller Toleration of his Sloth; A little Slumber.-If the Tafkmafter ftill rings in his Ear; ftill goads his Side; one almoft fees the dull Wretch, rubbing his heavy Eyes, and yawning out his laft Requeft; A little Folding of the Hands at leaft to lie down, a pan Prov. vi, 10.-When fuch is our Conduct with regard to eternal Interests, how justly may We apply that fpirited Expoftulation of the Poet; Tantamne Rem tam negligenter! Will, when the fleeting Pleasures of Senfe, or the puny Interefts of Time, excite our Wifhes; even while the folid Delights of Religion, and the immenfely rich Treasures of Immortality, can hardly obtain our Attention ?However, let Us quit the Metaphor, and examine Fact. Suppose, I make it appear, that, inftead of choofing the most eligible Objects, the Will is fo deplorably vitiated, as to lothe what is falutary, and be fond of what is baneful. Ther. If You prove this to be univerfally the Cafe, You will prove your favourite Point with a witnefs. Afp. When Providence is pleased to thwart our Measures, or defeat our Endeavours; to bring Us under the Cloud of Difgrace, or lay upon Us the Rod of Affliction? what is our Behaviour?-Do We bow our Heads in humble Refignation? Do We open our Mouths in thankful Acknowledgments?— Obferve the Waters in that elegant octangular Bafon. They affimilate themfelves, with the utmost Readiness, and with equal Exactness, to the Veffel which contains them. So would the human Will, if it were not extremely froward and foolish, conform itself to the divine: which is unerringly wife, and, of all poffible Contingencies, incomparably the beft *.-Yet, how apt are We to fret with Difquietude; This feems to be the Meaning of the Prophet, Down pay? m Ifai. xxvi. 7. Not-The Way of the Juft is Uprightness-A Senfe, which the Conftruction of the Words will but difficultly admit; which, in the prefent Connection, is hardly confiftent with Humility; and by no means proper, to introduce a devotional Addrefs to the great JEHOVAH. Rather-GOD's Way to the Juft is Uprightness; or, ftill more emphatically, Uprightneffes. Is in all Refpects irreprovable, excellent, admirable; fuited, perfectly fuited, to every facred Attribute of Wisdom, Goodness, and Truth. quietude; and struggle under afflictive Difpenfations, as a wild Bull in a Net! Ther. This is a very imperfect Proof, Afpafio, and correfponds with only Part of your Accufation. We may dislike what is wholesome, especially if it be unpalatable, yet not be fond of our Bane. Afp. Should You see a Perfon, who thirfts after the putrid Lake, but difrelishes the clear running Fountain; who longs for the impoifoned Berries of the Nightfhade, but abhors the delicious Fruit of the Orchard, would You applaud the Regularity of his Appetite?-I don't wait for your Answer. But I more than fufpect, this is a true Picture of all unregenerate People. See! how they affect Drefs and external Ornament; but are unwilling, rather than defirous, to be clothed with Humility, and to put on CHRIST +! Amusement will engage, Play animate, and Diverfion fire them: but as to the Worship of the living GOD, O! what a Wearinefs is it! Frothy Novels, and flatulent Wit, regale their Tafte; while the Marrow and Fatnefs of the divine Word, are " as their forrowful Meat |." Flatter them; and, though your Speech is a luscious Poifon S, their Eyes fparkle with Delight. Ad * 1 Pet. v. 5. Job vi. 7. Meat of my Sickness. monifh + Rom. xiii. 14. + Mal. i. 13. Sicut Cibi Languorum, As the For which We have no Appetite; in which We find no Relifh, and which We frequently loath. § Mr. Bonnel, in one of his Evening Examinations, recollecting that He had heard Himfelf praised; and being conscious, that He heard it with Delight-taking Honour to Himself, and not giving GOD the Glory, Acts xii. 23.-Made this Memorandum in his Diary; "To-day, I have been bathing my Soul in Poison." monish them; and though your Service is an excellent Oil*, Diffatisfaction lours on their Brow.—i What is all this, but to lothe the Salutary, and long for the Baneful *Pfal, cxli. 5. Let † Would the Reader fee this unhappy Contraft drawn in the strongest Colours, and by the most rhetorical Accumulation of Words? He may compare the royal Preacher, and the mourning Prophet.-Because I have called, and Ye refused; I have ftretched out my Hand, and no Man regarded: But ye have fet at nought all my Counfel, and would none of my Reproof. What a Croud of fimilar Ideas! Emphatically declaring the moft incorrigible Perverfenefs; which is Proof against every Method of Reformation; against all the Arts even of divine Perfuafion. Prov. i. 24, 25.-The Hoft of Heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have fought, and whom they have worshipped. What a Heap of fynonimous Expreffions! Significantly defcribing the most impetuous Ardour and Avidity, in the Ways of Sin; an Ardour, which no Prohibitions can reftrain; and an Avidity, which never knows when to fay," It is enough." Jer. viii. 2. If I beg Leave to add another Example of this Kind, it is chiefly for the Sake of clearing up an obfcure Paffage in the Pfalms; which feems to have been mistaken by the Authors of both our Verfions.-David, to fet forth the barbarous Affiduity of his Perfecutors, fays; They wander up and down. They pry into every Corner; they fearch the City, and examine the Country; not for Meat; (which, in this Connection, is a Senfe quite foreign to the Subject, and very jejune indeed) but to devour. To devour me the deftined Victim of their Rage. And if they are not satisfied, if they cannot compass their Defign by Day, they will grudge? No; but they will continue all Night, in the Profecution of their Purpose. Neither Cold nor Darkness can retard them; neither Hardships nor Dangers can- deter them; but their Attempts are as indefatigable, as their Malice is implacable. Pfal. lix. 15. Let me, from the fame Comparison, propose one Queftion more; which may be applicable both to the Will and to the Understanding.-Should You hear of another Perfon, the State of whofe Stomach was so disposed, that it turned the most nourishing Food into Phlegm; and derived Matter of Disease, from the most sovereign Supports of Health; what would You think of his Conftitution? Ther. I fhould certainly think it very much distempered. Afp. Without the Grace of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, our Souls turn every Occurrence into an Increase of their finful Depravity *. Our very Table is a Snare; and inftead of exciting Us to Gratitude, is a Provocative to Gluttony.-How difficult is it, when We flow in Plenty, not to be elated; when We are preffed with Poverty, not to repine!-Have We Bufinefs in the World? It cumbers our Thoughts, or tempts Us to Avarice. Have We no Bufinefs to manage? We fink into Sloth, and fettle on the Lees of Voluptuoufnefs.-If our Schemes are profperous, it is odds but they attach Us to the Interefts of Time. If they prove unfuccessful, We too often are chagrined with the Dif appointment, and fin against Meeknefs.-Even the holy Commandment, instead of restraining Sin, o5 producing Obedience, irritates the inbred Depravity; and renders it more reftlefs, more impetuous, more ungovernable +.-Those very Things, which Should have been for our Welfare (fo malignant and raging is our Corruption!) are converted into an Occafion of falling. Quodcunque infundis acefcit. Ther. HOR. |