whom the various occupations of life left but little leifure to form deductions of their own. But then they wanted a proper commiffion to enforce their precepts; they intermixed with them, through falfe reafoning, many grofs mistakes; and their unavoidable ignorance, in feveral important points, entangled them with doubts, which easily degenerated into pernicious errors. If there are others, who reject Chriftianity, from motives of diflike to its peculiar doctrines, they will fcarcely fail of entertaining more favourable impreffions of it, if they can be prevailed on, with impartiality, to compare the Holy Scriptures, from whence alone the chriftian religion is to be learned, with the ftoic writ. ings; and then fairly to confider, whether there is any thing to be met with in the difcoveries of our bleffed Saviour, in the writings of his apoftles, or even in the ubicureft parts of the prophetic books, by which, equitably interpreted, either their fenfes, or their reafon are contradicted, as tacy are by the paradoxes of thefe philophers and if not, whether notices from above, of things in which, though we compretend them but imperfectly, we are pobly much more interested, than at prefat we difcern, ought not to be received with implicit veneration; as ufeful exercies and trials of that duty, which finite understandings owe to infinite wisdom. : Mifs Carter. The more we read, the more we meditate on the Holy Scriptures, the more we all difcover in them an inexhauftible fource of light, and of all manner of intruction; that their language is not the language of men, nor the fubject a production of their ingenuity; that they have a character peculiar to themfelves, and different from the compofitions even of the greatest and befl men; that they are exempt from all vulgar paffions and interefts, and to the ordinary views of human prudence and forecast; in fine, that no man ever raised himself fo much above huma, Lity as to produce a work, in which all is lo fuperior to man. The most accurate of the Pagan authors are justly charged with errors, dark nefs, and uncertainties, with refpect both to facts and doctrine: but it became the wife and great Being, who inspired the facred penmen, to exempt their works from all fuch imputations; and, accordingly, he has favoured them with every argument of truth and perfuafion, adorned them with the graces of language and fentiment, lighted up and enlivened them with the brightest examples of virtue and fanctity, annexed to their study and meditation fuch helps and communications of his Holy Spirit as cannot be defcribed, and made the belief and practice of them the only foundation of true peace and happiness. Every one readily allows no fubject can be equal to the life of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift; that is, to the incarnation and birth; the miracles and doctrine; the fufferings and death; the refurrection and afcenfion of a God become man to reform and fave a finful and loft world: And whoever imagines this hiftory can be better wrote than it is by the Evangelifts, has it yet to learn. But though it becomes a Chriftian to be particularly converfant in this and the other writings of the New Teftament, yet there is not any part of the Old which does not furnish ample matter of inftruction. The book of Genefis, in the account it gives of the creation, of the fall and punishment of our firft parents, of the righteousness of Noah, of the deluge, of the wonderful obedience of Abraham, and the promise made by God and the providence of God over the pato reward it, of the deftruction of Sodom, triarch Jofeph, prefents to our minds the moft fuitable fubjects to fill them with every christian fentiment of reverence for the Supreme Being and his laws, love of his goodness, and dread of his justice. When we go on to Exodus, we see the wonders wrought by the Almighty in favour of his people, the impenitence of Pharaoh, and the various chaftifements by which the murmurings and idolatry of the Ifraelites in the defart were punished. Leviticus and Numbers fet forth the accuracy which God exacts in his worship: Deuteronomy, the fanctity of his laws; Joshua, the accomplishment of his promifes. In the book of Judges, we fee the strength and weaknefs of Sampfon; in that of Ruth, the plain-dealing and equity of Boaz; in thofe of Kings, the holiness of Samuel, of Elijah, of Elisha, and the other prophets; the reprobation of Saul; the fall and re pentance pentance of David, his mildnefs and pa in the Scriptures. One of the ftrongest and most affe&ting inftances of a faithful attachment to be met with in hiftory, occurs in the friendfhip which fubfifted between two females. The inftance alluded to, is recorded in the Jewish annals, and moft pathetically related by one of the facred pen-men. The reader need not be told, that this is the friendship of Naomi and Ruth Two very remarkable inftances of friendfhip occur, in the hiftory of our Saviour's life: it may not perhaps be altogether unneceffary to ftate them in all their ftriking circumftances. The Evangelift, in relating the miracles which Chrift performed at Bethany, by reftoring a perfon to life who had lain fome days in the grave, introduces his narrative by emphatically obferving, that "Jefus loved Lazarus;" intimating, it fould feem, that the fentiments which Chrift entertained of Lazarus, were a diftinâ and peculiar fpecies of that general benevolence with which he was actuated towards all mankind. Agreeably to this explication of the facred hiftorian's mean ing, when the fifters of Lazarus fent to acquaint Jefus with the ftate in which their brother lay; they did not even mention his name; but pointed him out by a more honourable and equally notorious defignation; the terms of their meffage were, tience; the wisdom and fin of Solomon; 209. Beautiful inftances of Fricadi the piety of Hezekiah and Jofiah. In Efdras, the zeal for the law of God; in Tobit, the conduct of a holy family; in Judith, the power of grace; in Efther, prudence; in Job, a pattern of admirable patience. The Maccabees afford fuch inflances of perfonal and national bravery; fuch an exalted and generous love of our country, and all this grounded on the true principles of valour and patriotifm, as the moft boafted atchievements in profane itory are perfect ftrangers to. The Proverbs and Ecclefiaftics, and the other two books which go under the title of the Wifdom of Solomon and of the Son of Sirach, teach a more useful and fublime philofophy than all the writings which Greece and Rome have published. The noble images and reflections, the profound reafonings on human actions, and excellent precepts for the government of life, fufficiently witnefs their infpired origin. This treafure, indeed, is thrown together in a confufed magnificence, above all order, that every one may collect and digeft futh obfervations as chiefly tend to his own particular inftruction. And though it behoves us to reverence the doctrine of the Holy Ghoft, rather than pretend to affign the reafons for his difpenfing it in this or that manner, yet, I think, we perceive the fitnefs of the method here taken, in fetting forth the nature, fubitance, and end of our obligations; and, without entering on minute difcuffions, in taking in the whole compafs of duty; for by this means the paths of life are not only pointed out to each individual, and his perfonal character formed; but the minds of mankind, in general, are furnished and enriched with the beauty, copiofaefs, and variety of all virtues. The Prophets announce not only the promifes, but allo the characteristic marks of the Meffiah, with the threats against finners, and thofe calamities which were to befal the Jews and other nations. The Pfalms unite in themfelves the chief fubjects, and all the different excellencies of the Old Testament. In a word, every thing in the Sacred Writings will appear, as it truly is, holy, grand, and profitable, provided it be read with fuitable difpofiPhillips. tions. behold! he whom thou loveft is fick!" Accordingly, when he informs his dilciples of the notice he had thus received, his expreffion is, "our friend Lazares fleepeth." Now that Chrift did not upon this occafion ufe the word friend in its loofe undiftinguishing acceptation, but in a reftrained and ftrictly appropriated fenfe; is not only manifeft from this plain account of the fact itfelf, but appears farther evident from the fequel. For, as he was advancing to the grave, accompanied with the relations of the deceafed, he discover. ed the fame emotions of grief as fwelled the bofoms of thofe with whom Lazares had been moft intimately connected; and fympathizing with their common forrow, he melted into tears. This circumstance was too remarkable to escape particular obfervation: and it drew from the fpectators, what one fhould think it muft neceffarily draw from every reader, this natural and and obvious reflection, "behold! how he loved him!" But in the concluding catastrophe of our Savicu.'s life, he gave a ftill more decifive proof, that fentiments of the ftrongest peronal attachment and friendship, were not Laworthy of being admitted into his facred bm. They were too deeply, indeed, isprefed, to be extinguished even by the not excruciating torments. In thofe dreadful moments, obferving among the afflicted witnefies of his painful and ignominious tufferings, that faithful follower, who is detcribed by the hiftorian as "the difciple whom he loved;" he diftinguished him by the moft convincing inftance of fuperior confidence, efteem, and affection that ever was exhibited to the admiration of mankind. For, under circumftances of the mot agonizing torments, when it might be thought impoffible for human nature to retain any other fenfibility but that of its cwn inexpreffible fufferings; he recommended to the care and protection of this his tried and approved friend, in terms of peculiar regard and endearment, the most ender and facred object of his private af. Set ons. But no language can reprefent this pathetic and affecting fcene, with a force and energy equal to the fublime fimpicity of the Evangelift's own narrative: "Now there flood by the cross of Jefus, his mother and his mother's fifter, and Mary Magdalene. When Jefas faw his mother, and the difciple by, whom he loved; he faith to his mother, Behold thy for! Then he faith to the difciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that diftiple took her to his own home." It may fafely be afferted, that among all thofe memorable examples of friendship which have been celebrated with the highet encomiums by the ancients; there cannot be produced a fingle inftance, in which the meft diftinguishing features of exalted amity are fo ftrongly difplayed, as in the foregoing relation. The only one, perhaps, that bears even a faint refemblance to it, is that famous tranfaction, recorded by Lucian in his dialogue intitled Toxaris. Eudamidas being on his death bed made his will, by which he bequeathed his aged mother to the care and protection of Aretheus; and his daughter to Charixenus, to be difpofed of in marriage according to his difcretion; injoining him, at the fame time, to give her as ample a portion as his circumftances would admit. He added, that in cafe either of the legatees fhould happen to die, he fubftituted the furvivor in his ftead. Charixenus died very foon after the teftator: in confequence of which, Aretheus took each of thele fingularly confidential legacies to himself; and celebrating the marriage of his only daughter and that of his friend, on the fame day, he divided his fortune equally between them. When the very different circumftances attending thefe refpective examples, are duly confidered; it must be acknowledg ed, that the former rifes as much above the latter in the proof it exhibits of fublime friendship, as it does in the dignity of the characters concerned. Upon the whole then it appears, that the divine founder of the Chriflian religion, as well by his own example, as by the fpirit of his moral doctrine, has not only encouraged but confecrated friendship. Melmoth, $210. Fine Morality of the Gospel. Is it bigotry to believe the fublime truths. of the Gospel with full affurance of faith? I glory in fuch bigotry: I would not part with it for a thoufand worlds; I congratulate the man who is poffeffed of it; for, amidst all the viciflitudes and calamities of the prefent ftate, that man enjoys an inexhauftible fund of confolation, of which it is not in the power of fortune to deprive him. There is not a book on earth fo favourable to all the kind, and all the sublime affections, or fo unfriendly to hatred and perfecution, to tyranny, injuftice, and every fort of malevolence as the Gofpel.--It breathes nothing throughout but mercy, benevolence, and peace.-. Poetry is fublime, when it awakens in the mind any great and good affection, as piety, or patriotifm. This is one of the nobleft effects of the heart. The Pfalms are remarkable, beyond all other writings, for their power of infpiring devout emotions. But it is not in this refpect only that they are fublime. Of the Divine nature they contain the moft magnificent defcriptions that the foul of man can comprehend. The hundred and fourth Pfalm, in particular, difplays the power and good-. nefs of Providence, in creating and preferving the world, and the various tribes of animals in it, with fuch majestic brevity and beauty, as it is vain to look for in any human compofition.- Such Such of the doctrines of the Gospel as are level to human capacity appear to be agreeable to the pureft truth and the found. eft morality. All the genius and learning of the Heathen world; all the penetration of Pythagoras, Socrates, and Ariftotie, had never been able to produce fuch a fyftem of moral duty, and fo rational an account of providence and of man, as is to be found in the New Teftament. Compared, indeed, to this, all other moral and theological wisdom Lofes discountenanced, and like folly fhews. $211. Beneficence to the poor more forcibly enjoined by the Gospel, than by any other avritings. The Chriftian Scriptures are more copious and explicit upon our obligation to bestow relief upon the poor than almost any other. The defcription which Chrift hath left us of the proceedings of the laft day, establishes the obligation of bounty, fo far as his authority can be depended upon, beyond controverfy. "When the Son of man fhall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then fhall he fit upon the throne of his glory, and before him fhall be gathered all nations; and he fhall feparate them one from another.-Then fhall the king fay unto them on his right hand, Come ye bleffed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirfly, and ye gave me drink: I was a ftranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was fick, and ye vifited ine: I was in prifon, and ye came unto me. And inafmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of thefe my brethren, ye have done it unto me." It is not neceflary to understand this paffage as a literal account of what will actually pass on that day. Suppofing it only a fcenical defcription of the rules and principles, by which the fupreme arbiter of our destiny will regulate his decifions, it conveys the fame leffon to us; it equally demonftrates of how great value and importance thefe duties in the fight of God are, and what stress will be laid upon them. The apostles alfo defcribe this virtue as propitiating the divine favour in an eminent degree: and thefe recommendations have produced their effect. It does not appear that before the times of Christianity, an hofpital, infirmary, or public charity of any kind, exifted in the world; whereas moft countries in Chriftendom have long abounded with thefe inftitutions. To which may be added, that a fpirit of private liberality feems to flourish amidst the decay of many other virtues: not to mention the legal provi fion for the poor, which obtains in this country, and which was unknown and unthought of by the moft polished nations of antiquity. Rev. W. Paley. § 212. The fimplicity of the Goffel gives it an air of fublimity. The graceful negligence of nature always pleafes beyond the trueft ornaments that art can devife. Indeed, they are then trueft, when they approach the nearest to this negligence. To attain it, is the very triumph of art. The wife artift, therefore, always compleats his ftudies in the great fchool of creation, where the forms of elegance lie fcattered in an endless variety: and the writer who wishes to poffels fone portion of that fovereign excellence, fimplicity, even though he were an infidel would have recourfe to the Scriptures, and make them his model.—— The pathetic and fublime fimplicity of our Saviour's whole description of the last judgment cannot be paralleled in any writ ing of any age. In the Gofpel we find no pompous difplays of reafoning; no laboured and difficult diftinctions; no long and learned enquiries concerning the nature and kinds of virtue; but virtue itself reprefented to the life; in examples, and precepts, which are level to the plaineft understandings; in familiar occurrences; in fhort and fimple narrations; in actions, or difcourfes, real or imagined. And perhaps, among other things, it is this unfyftematic form, this neglect of art and method, which produces that graceful ease, that venerable, majestic fimplicity, that air of truth and originality, which diftinguish the Scriptures from all human writings. Rev. J. Mainwaring. $213. The Bible, as a very curious and ancient hiftory, worthy our attention. Were the Bible but confidered impar tially and attentively, in its moft advantageous lights; as it contains all the written revelation of God's will now extant; as it is the bafis of our national religion," and gives vigour and fpirit to all our focial laws; as it is the most ancient, and con Lequently, fequently, curious collection of historical incidents, moral precepts, and political infitations; as the ftyle of it is, in fome places, nobly fublime and poetical, and in others, fweetly natural, plain, and unaffected in a word, as the being well acquainted with it is highly requifite, in oder to make men ufeful and ornamental in this life, to fay nothing of their happinets in the next, it is to be hoped, that a cool reflection or two of this fort, might induce the more ingenious and rational among them, to let the Bible take its turn, in their riper years, among thofe volumes which pafs through their hands either for errufement or inftruction. And fhould fach an entertainment once become fafionable, of what mighty fervice would it be to the intereft of religion, and confequently the happinefs of mankind! Rev. S. Croxall. 214 Excellence of the Sacred Writings. If we examine the Sacred Records, we hall find they confift of four different Ads, the poetic, oratorical, hiftorical, and actic forms. The poetic lies chiefly in the book of Pfalms, of Job, and feveral cetched paffages in the Prophets, particly of Ifaiah. They contain many ble efforts of unmixed poetry or pure in.tation; yet thefe, being all centered in on intention, that of extolling the works, d celebrating the power, wifdom, and odnefs of the Deity, do generally take of the character of eloquence, ing chiefly of the lyric kind. In all thefe, the great character of fimplicity is strongly predominant, that every attempt to embellish them, by adding the fupernumerary decorations of ityle in tranflation, bath ever been found to weaken and debafe As to the cratorical or pathetic parts, innumerable might be produced, equal, if not fuperior to any recorded by profane antiquity. In thefe, the leading character of fimplicity is no lefs remarkable. Our Saviour's parables and exhortations are generally admirable in this quality. Filled with unfeigned compaffion for the weakness and miferies of man, they breathe nothing but the pureft benevolence. St. Paul's bat conversation with his friends at Ephefas, on his departure for Jerufalem; his difcourfe on the refurrection, and on charity; his reproofs, his commendations, his apologies, especially that before Agrip pa, are wrote in the nobleft ftrain of fimplicity. And as a perfect model of this kind, we may give the story of Jofeph and his brethren, which for tenderness, true pathos, and unmixed fimplicity, is beyond compare, fuperior to any thing that appears in ancient story. The But as the most important part of Scripture lies in the hiftorical and preceptive part; efpecially in the New Testament, whence chiefly our idea of duty must be drawn; fo we find this uniform and fimple manner eminently prevailing throughout, in every precept and narration. hiftory is conveyed in that artless strain which alone could adapt it to the capacities of all mankind; the precepts delivered by our Saviour are drawn from the principles of common fenfe, improved by the most exalted love of God and man; and either expreffed in clear and direct terms, or couched under fuch images and allufions, as are every where to be found in nature, fuch as are, and muft ever be univerfally known, and familiar to all mankind; in which we may further obferve, his manner of teaching was greatly fuperior to the justly applauded Socrates, who, for the moft part, drew his images and allufions from the lefs known arts and manners of the city. Through all this variety of ftriking allufion and moral precept the flyle ever continues the fame, unadorned, fimple, vehement and majeftic; yet never drawing the reader's attention on itself, but on the divine fentiments it conveys. To this we may further add, that thefe feveral kinds of compofition are mixed and united with fuch propriety and force, as is fcarce to be equalled in any other writings. The poetical parts are heightened by the greatest ftrokes of eloquence and precept; the pathetic by the nobleft imagery and ftriételt morals; and the preceptive is ftrengthened and enforced by all the aids of poetry, eloquence, and parable; calculated at once to engage the imagination, to touch the paffions, and command the reafon of mankind. Rev. J. Brown. $215. Queen Anne's Prayer. Almighty and eternal God, the dif pofer of all the affairs in the world, there is nothing fo great as not to be fubject to thy power, nor fo fmall, but it comes within thy care; thy goodness and wifdom fhew themfelves through all thy works, |