Puslapio vaizdai
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infignificant and despicable. Just as infigrificant and defpicable, with refpect to this great Transaction, as a wandering Spark would be, if appointed to diffuse Day amidst the Darknefs of Night, or produce Spring amidst the Depths of Winter.

Ther. These are alarming Hints, Afpafio, I must confefs. A Law, which requires an exact and univerfal Obedience, both in Heart and Life!-A GOD of fuch Majefty, Purity and Glory, that Men of the most approved Integrity, are overwhelmed with Confufion, in his Prefence?-I fhall confider them, at my Leifure, with the Attention they deserve.-At present, I believe, Opportunity is giving Us the Slip. Yonder Coach feems to be moving this Way, and the Livery looks like Philander's.

Afpafio, defirous to fix these Convictionswhich are of the laft Confequence to our Faith and Salvation-very defirous to fix them on his Friend's Mind, replied.

Afp. As your Vifitants are at a Distance, give me Leave to obferve; That the wifeft of Men, attending to the first of these Particulars, has poured Contempt upon all human Excellency; There is not a juft Man upon Earth, that doeth Good, and finneth not*. The Apostle of CHRIST takes Shame to Himself, on the fame Account;

Ecclef. vii. 20.

Account; and teaches all Mankind to ftrike the Sail of Self-Conceit; In many Things We offend all *.—David, confidering the latter of these Points, prays with the utmost Earneftnefs; Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant, O LORD! And affigns this humbling Reafon for his Petition; For, in thy Sight, fhall no Man living be justified †. This induced Nebemiah, who had been so nobly zealous for the Honour of his GOD, not to confide in his own valuable Services, but make Application to forgiving Goodness. Spare me, O LORD, according to thy great Mercy ‡.

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Had I fet before You the Example of the poor Publican, who fmote upon his Breaft; durft not lift up his Eyes to Heaven; but cried from the Bottom of a polluted Heart, GOD be merciful to me a Sinner || ! Self-Love, might poffibly have whispered; Surely, I am not to be ranked with that abominable "Wretch. I ftand upon fome better Footing, than fuch an infamous Offender.". With respect to the Enjoyment of eternal Life, We ftand upon no better, upon no other. And when low as that obnoxious defpifed Creature, We are upon the very fame Ground with the moft exalted Saints. They all appear before the MAJESTY of HEAVEN, in the fame Attitude of unfeigned Humiliation, and with

fam. iii. 2. Luke xviii. 13.

VOL. I.

+ Pfal. cxliii. 2.

D d

‡ Neh. xiii. 22.

with the fame Acknowledgments of utter Unworthiness.-For, it is a certain Truth, and admits of no Exception; That to justify Sinners, is not the Privilege of human Obedience, but the fole Prerogative of the LORD our Righteousness.

Ther. Is not the Practice of Hezekiah an Exception to your Rule? Thefe, if I recollect aright, are the Words of that holy King; I befeech Thee, O LORD, remember how I have walked before Thee in Truth, and with a perfect Heart, and have done that which is good in thy Sight*. You fee, He puts the Iffue of his Tryal before the everlafting GOD, upon his own Integrity and his own Obedience.

Afp. Thefe are his Words, but they are not used with this View. He humbly represents before the great SOVEREIGN of the World, how beneficial his former Life had been, and how serviceable his prolonged Life might be, to the beft Interefts of the Jewish Nation. He recurs to his Obedience, not that He may establish his Hope of eternal Happiness in Heaven; but that He may obtain a Reprieve from the Grave, and a Lengthening of his Tranquillity on Earth.Neither is this Obedience gloried in, by way of Merit; but only pleaded, by way of Argument: As though He had faid; "Remember, gracious "GOD, how I have exerted my royal Au"thority,

2 Kings xx. 3.

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thority, to fupprefs Idolatry, to extirpat Vice, and to promote thy true Religion. Confider, how greatly thy People stand in "need of such a vigilant and zealous Gover<c nor; and to what a miferable Condition "both Church and State may be reduced, if "Thou takest away thy Servant by this threat"ened but untimely Stroke. And, for the "Welfare of Judah, for the Honour of thy "Name, for the Support of thy own Worfhip, O fpare me a little!"

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Afpafio paused; expecting a Reply.—As Theron continued filent and musing, Afpafio, with a Smile of Benevolence, proceeded.Come, my Theron; why fo deep in Thought? Have You any Objection to the Evidences I have produced?They are fome of the most dignified Characters, and illuftrious Perfonages, that could be selected from all Ages: Kings, Princes, and Patriots; Priests, Saints, and Martyrs. Should these be deemed infufficient, I can exhibit a larger and nobler Cloud of Witneffes-larger, for they are a great Multitude, which no Man can number, of all Nations, and Kindreds, and People, and Tongues-nobler, for they ftand before the Throne, and before the LAMB, clothed with white Robes, and Palms in their Hands.Afk those shining Armies, Who they are, and Whence they came? Their Anfwer is comDd 2 prized

prized in one of my favourite Portions of Scripture: one of thofe delightful Texts, from which I hope to derive Confolation even in my last Moments. For which Reason, You will allow me to repeat it, though it may perhaps be mentioned in a former Converfation. We are they, who came out of great Tribulation; and have washed our Robes, and made them white in the Blocd of the LAMB: therefore are We before the Throne*.

Some of them laid down their Lives for the Sake of CHRIST; many of them were eminent for Works of Righteoufnefs; all of them were endued with real Holiness. Yet, none of these Qualifications conftituted their Paffport, into the Regions of endless Felicity. They had washed their Robes; had fled to the Atonement, and pleaded the Merits, of JESUS their SAVIOUR-Hereby they had made them white; this was the Cause of their Acquittance from Guilt, and their complete Juftification-And therefore, on this Account, their Perfons were accepted; they were prefented without Spot before the Throne; and admitted to that Fulnefs of Joy, which is at GOD's Right-hand for evermore.

Ther. I have no Objection to your Witneffes. But, methinks, your Doctrine is strangely debafing to human Nature.

Rev. vii. 14, 15.

Afp.

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