Afp. But still You cannot reconcile Yourself And no Wonder. For this Way of Salvation runs directly counter to the Stream of corrupt Nature. It puzzles our Reason, and offends, our Pride." What? fhalle "We, not work, but believe unto Righteoufnefs *&% Shall We receive all freely, and reckon Ourselves "no better than unprofitable Servants! Having no"thing, nothing whatsoever, that may recommends. "Us to our Maker!"-This is a Method, to which We fhould never fubmit; this is a Propofal, which We fhould always fpurn; were not our natural Sentiments rectified, and our high Imaginations abafed, by the Power of Grace. Let me remind You of a little Incident, which You must have read in the Grecian History. A certain Stranger came, one Day, to dine with fome Lacedemonians; who always fat down at a public Table, and were content with the plainest Food. The Gentleman, accuftomed to higher Eating, could not forbear expreffing his Difguft, at the homely Pro vifion. Sir, faid the Cook, You don't make ufe of the Sauce.-What do You mean? replied the Gueft. You don't use hard Exercise; nor habituate Yourself to long Abftinence; nor bring a fhar pened Appetite to the Meal. And You, my dear Friend, I am apprehenfive, have not the Sauce;" have not the proper Preparative for this falutary Doctrine; which is indeed the Bread of Life, and the very Marrow of the Gospel, M vad from Ther. What Preparative Did You not just now fay? That all was free; and nothing needful, but only to receive the Bleffing? .druge Jom) pamily A. True; nothing is needful, as inclining, GOD to give; but only as inclining Us to receive, Would You feek, would You folicit, would You fo much as accept, a Pardon from your Sovereign; unless You ftood convicted of fome capital Crime, or was apparently liable to Condemnation? Neither will finful Man feek, no nor accept the great Atonement, till He is made fenfible, that the Wrath of GOD and the Damnation of Helly are what He juftly deferves; and what, without the Propitiation of CHRIST, He muft unavoidably fuffer. This then is the Preparative-A Senfe of the horrible Filthiness of the leaft Sin in the Sight of GOD; of the innumerable Sins of our Heart and Life; and of our undone damnable State on this Account. While deftitute of thefe Convictions, our Souls will be like the full Stomach, that lothes even the Honey-comb.-So long as these Convictions are flight, and hover only in the Imagination; We fhall be like Gallio, liftlefs, indifferent, and caring. ari bailge for Acts xviii. 17. A late Commentator, of diftinguithed Eminence, has attempted to vindicate Gallio's Con du&tband would represent it, as an amiable Instance of Prudence and Moderation According to my Apprehenfion, this Roman Governor acted a Part, both irreligious and unjuft.-Irreligious, beacted a Part, both irreligious and caufe he refused to hear Apoftle's Defence; which was the most likely Means of his Converfion and Salvation. As one great End, why Providence permitted the Preachers of the Gofpel to be brought before Rulers and Kings, was, that fuch an Appearance might ferve is MapTopics alas, Matt. x. 18. for a Teftimony (not against, as We tranflate the Word, but) to them. That even the Potentates of the Earth, prejudiced and fupercilious as they were, might hereby have an Opportunity, of hearing for None of thefe Things. But when they are deep, and penetrate the Heart; then the Righteoufnefs of a REDEEMER will be sweet, tafteful, and inviting. Sweet as Myrrh and Frankincenfe to the Smell; tafteful as Milk and Honey to the Palate; inviting, as Gold and Treafures to the ruined Bankrupt. Ther. How are thefe Convictions wrought in the Soul?.. Afp. hearing the Chriftian Doctrine, and feeing its Efficacy on the Spirits of Men.-Unjust, becaufe He permitted Softbenes, then an innocent Perfon, afterwards a Difciple of CHRIST (1 Cor. i. 1.) to be fo illegally treated, and outrageously abufed, without interpofing for his Rescue. Here was evidently a Breach of the Peace; a manifest Violation of the Laws. Of this therefore, as a civil Magiftrate, He ought to have taken Cognizance. However He might fancy Himself discharged from the Obligation, of attending to the Gofpel, or protecting its Preachers: however He might imagine Himfelf authorized, to treat divine Truths with Contempt; and call the Striving for the Faith, a Wrangling about Words and Names.- Words and Names only!" Far otherwise, Gallio. The Queftion, concerning JESUS CHRIST and his Salvation, is pregnant with the Life of the World, and of greater Moment than all Things under the Sun. Befides; if the HOLY SPIRIT intended to fix a Mark of Approbation, rather than a Brand of Infamy, upon the Proconful's Behaviour; I cannot but think, it would have been expreffed in a Manner, different from και δεν τείων τω Γαλλιών, εμελεν. Which, if it be the Language of Applaufe, requires fome more than ordinary Skill in Criticifm, to understand it aright. But, if it be the Voice of Cenfure, is obvious and intelligible to every Reader.-Should farther Proof be wanted, We may this Incident with the Behaviour of Sergius Paucompare lus, on a like Occafion; and with the Encomium given Him, on that Account by unerring Wisdom. As xiii. 7. Con Afp. By the Law in the Knowledge of Sin. fequently, by the Law is the Conviction of our undone State. Let Us therefore endeavour to understand the Law of GOD: how pure, how extenfive, how sublimely perfect it is.-Then, judge of our fpiritual Condition, not from the flattering Suggestions of Self-love, nor from the defective Examples of our Fellow-creatures, but by this unerring Standard of the Sanctuary.-Above all, let Us befeech the GOD and FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, to fend his enlightening SPIRIT into our Hearts. For indeed, without the enlightening Influences of the SPIRIT, We may have the divine Law in our Hand; We may comprehend its grammatical Meaning; yet be like blind Bartimeus under the meridian Sun. It is the bleffed SPIRIT alone, who can rend the Veil of Ignorance from our Minds; and fhew Us, either "the wonderful Things of GOD's Law," or the glorious Myfteries of his Gofpel. In this Senfe, our polite Poet * speaks a Truth, as fingularly important, as it is elegantly expreffed : He from thick Films shall purge the visual Ray, Will You give me leave to propose another Expedient? Which, I believe, may be confiderably ferviceable in this particular Cafe. Which, I arn affured, will be greatly advantageous in many other Refpects. Ther. Mr. Pope, in his charming Poem, entitled The Meffiab. Ther. Backward as I am to adopt your Doctrine, I am no Enemy to my own Intereft. Therefore, fhall not only give You leave to propofe, but give You Thanks for communicating, fo valuable an Advice. Afp. It is, in reality, none of mine. It was long ago recommended by your old Acquaintance Horace *. It confifts in Keeping a Diary. Compile a fecret Hiftory of your Heart and Con duct. Take notice of the Manner, in which your Time is spent; and of the Strain, which runs through your Difcourfe. How often the former is loft in Trifles, how often the latter evaporates in Vanity. Attend to the Principle from which your Actions flow; whether from the fteady habitual Love of GOD, or from fome rambling Impulfe, and a customary Propenfity to please Yourfelf?-Minute down your Sins of Omiffion. How frequently You neglect to glorify your CREATOR; to edify your Fellow-creatures; and to improve Yourself in Knowledge and Holinefs.-Obferve the Frame of your Spirit in religious Duties. With what Reluc tance they are undertaken, and with what Indevotion performed; with how many Wanderings of Thought, and how much Dulnefs of Defire. How often, in transacting common Affairs, You feel the inordinate Sallies of Paffion, the Workings of evil Concupifcence, or the Intrufion of foolish Imaginations. Register DPOW Ille velut fidis Arcana Sodalibus olim neuanto à 313 Vita Senis. HORAT. Sat. |