of the Gospel, but a Battery erected against this Strong-hold of Satan? Ordained to caft down every bigh Imagination *.-Though that Remedy is often applied, though this Battery is continually playing; yet the peccant Humour is not entirely purged off, nor the Elatement of Spirit totally fubdued, till Mortality is fwallowed up of Life. Pride is the Sin, which most easily befets Us Who can fay, I have made my Heart clean + from this Iniquity? It defiles our Duties, and intermingles itfelf with our very Virtues. It fstarts up, I know not how, in our most folemn Hours, and our most sacred Employs. The good Hezekiah, whofe Prayers were more powerful than all the Forces of Sennacherib, was not Proof against the Wiles of this fubtle Sorcerefst. Even the holy Apoftle, who had been caught up into the third Heavens, was in Danger of being puffed up with Pride. In fuch great Danger, that it was neceffary to put a Lancet into the gathering Tumour; or, as He Himself expreffes it, to fix a Thorn in his Flesh, and permit the Meffenger of Satan to buffet Him. 2 Cor. x. 4, 5. xxxii. 25. How + Prov. xx. 9. 12 Chron. 2 Cor. xii. 7. This Thorn has given as much Perplexity to the Commentators, as it gave Pain to the Apostle. Some have found paralytic Symptoms in the Paflage, with ridiculous Distortions of the Countenance. Some have felt a violent Head-ach, or a grievous nephritic Disease. Others have been peftered with, or rather dreamt of, I know not what importunate Lufts. To me the Senfe is perfectly clear, and feems fully explained by the Apoftle Himself.-The Thorn was in the Fle; a Tribulation that affected, not his fpiritual, but his bodily State. It was inflicted by a Meffenger of Sa S 3 tans How pathetically is this Corruption lamented, and how truly defcribed, by "a fweet Singer of "our Ifrael!" But Pride, that busy Sin, Spoils all that I perform. Curs'd Pride! that creeps fecurely ingɔ tan; by perfecuting Zealots, who were the Emiffaries and Agents of Hell; whom Satan infligated to harrafs and torment this eminent Minifter of CHRIST.-In what it confifted, the tenth Verfe declares; in Reproaches, Neceffitics, Perfecutions, Diftreffes. Thefe were the Infir mities, thefe the Calamities, which, at the first Onfet, ftartled and fhocked the unexperienced Soldier: from which He thrice, or repeatedly, prayed to be delivered: but with which the Wifdom of GOD faw it proper, to have Him almoft continually exercifed. Thefe are what He means by (xohapin) the ignominious and painful Buffetings. In fhort; thefe both pointed the Thorn, and planted it in his Flesh. The illative Particles e, do, and the comparative Adverb par, I think, not only countenance, but require this Interpretation. q. d." Therefore, fince the divine Grace "will be fufficient for me; enable me to improve from, and triumph over, the sharpeft Trials: fince, in accomplishing this, the Strength and Power of CHRIST will be illuftrioufly difplayed: I will, henceforward, rather welcome than dread, rather acquiefce in than deprecate, the afflictive Circumftances.-Since this Thorn is made to bear Fruit fo advantageous to myfelf, and fo honourable to my SAVIOUR, it fhall "no longer be the Subject of my Complaint, but of my Complacency (Evenw;) and the Cause, not of my Re gret, but of my Glorying (xxuxnoopas.)” h The very Songs 1 frame, Are faithlefs to thy Cause; And freal the Honours of thy Name, Ther. Now, I prefume, You have given the last Touches to your distorted Pourtrait. Afp. There are other difagreeable and shocking Features. But those I shall caft into Shades, or hide under a Veil. One Particular You must allow me to add; which, like a fullen Air in the Countenance, throws aggravated Horror over the Whole. I mean, An Inclination to be fond of our Slavery.-Do You remember the Story of Demaratus, the Lacedemonian Prince? Ther. Being depofed by his Countrymen, and banished from Sparta, He was conftrained to feek Protection in the Perfian Court. For a while He might seem reconciled to his Vaffalage, and suppress the Spartan in his Breaft. But when He beheld Leonidas and his gallant Troops preparing to defend the Pafs of Thermopyla, He could disguise Himself no longer. The Tears trickled down his Cheeks. He bitterly lamented his difhonourable Situation. He extolled the Grecians to Xerxes's Face; and longed to join those brave Patrons of Liberty. But was detained, ftill detained, by his hard Circumftances, among the vile Stipendaries of Tyranny +. Afp. Yes; in this Inftance, and in others, the captive Exile hafteth to be loofed. But We alas! S 4 * WATT s's Hor. Lyr. We The generous Spirit, but calamitous Fate, of this royal Exile, are finely defcribed in Mr. GLOVER'S Leonidas, Book III. ↑ Ifai. li. 14. We prefer Bondage to Freedom, and are loth to eave our Prifon, Of this, our Backwardness to Self-examination, is both a Confequence and a Proof.-Self-examination, under the Agency of the bleffed SPIRIT, would open a Window in our Dungeon; would fhew Us our wretched Condition, and teach Us to figh for Deliverance. Why have We fuch a Diflike of Reproof? Because We hug our Chains, and choose Darkness rather than Light. Reproof is more grating than the harfheft Difcordi though it tends to diffolve the Enchantment, and ref cue Us from the Tyranny of Sin. While Flattery, which abets the Delufion, and ftrengthens the Spell, is Mufic to our Ears.-Is not our Reason, which fhould arraign and condemn every Irregularity, for ward to invent Excufes, and to fpare the favourite Folly? Reason, which fhould unfheath the Dagger, fuperinduces the Mafk; and, instead of striking at the Heart of our Vices, fcreens them under the Cover of fome plaufible Names. A wicked Habit is called a human Infirmity; infnaring Diversions pafs for innocent Amufements; a revengeful Difpofition is termed Spirit, Gallantry, and Honour. Thus our Reafon (if, when fo egregiously perverted, it deferves the Name) is ingenious to obftruct our Recovery; and rivets on the Shackles, which our Paffions have formed t. Cogitat. Nemo in fefe defcendere, Neme PERS. This Perhaps, this is what our LORD means, when developing the human Heart, and difcovering its latent Enormities, He clofes the dark Account with accoun Fecliferaft implying that Stupidity, which has no Senfe αφροσυνη, of This the eternal WISDOM forefaw, and therefore uttered that tender Expoftulation; How long Ye fimple Ones will Ye love Simplicity, and Scorners delight in their Scorning, and Fools hate Knowledge? Even the inestimably precious Knowledge of an allatoning and completely justifying SAVIOUR; who preaches, who has purchased, and who works Deliverance-preaches in his Word, has purchased by his Blood, and works by his SPIRIT, Deliverance for the Captives the wretched Captives of Ignorance, Sin, and Death *. This I take to be the most flagrant and deplorable Effect of human Depravityour Averfion to the Doctrine, the Privileges, the Grace of the Gofpel. Beware, my dear Friend, left You prove my Point by fhall I fpeak it? Would You fufpect it?-your own Practic. Zealous as I am for my Tenets, 1 fhould be forry, extremely forry, to have fuch a Demonftration of their Truth. Ther. You are highly obliging, Afpafio, to fingle me out for your Evidence. Yet why fhould the Honour be appropriated to myself? It belongs, upon the Foot of the preceding Calculation, not to your Friend only, but to the whole Species.-If You was aiming at None but the Licentious and Abandoned, You would have None to oppofe You, but Perfons of that Character. Your Arrows of Satire, would then 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 ne ver of its Mifery; that Perverfenefs, which has no Defire of a Recovery. Both which render all the other Evils far more inveterate. Mark vii. 22. * Luke iv. 18. |