Comfort of his Gueft; and promifes, to defray the whole Expence of his Lodging, his Maintenance, and his Cure.

What a lively Picture this, of the most disinterested and active Benevolence! A Benevolence, which excludes no Perfons, not even Strangers or Enemies, from its tender Regards. Which difdains no Condefcenfion, grudges no Coft, in its Labours of Love. -Could any Method of Conviction have been more forcible, and at the fame Time more pleafing, than the Interrogatory, propofed by our LORD, and deduced from the Story? Which now of thefe Threes thinkeft Thou, was Neighbour unto Him, that fell among the Thieves?Or, can there be an Advice, more fuitable to the Occafion; more important in its Nature; and expreffed with a more fententious Energy, than Go Thou, and do likewife?-In this Cafe, the Learner inftructs, the Delinquent condemns *, Himself. Bigotry hears away its Prejudice; and Pride (when the Moral fo fweetly, fo imperceptibly infinuates) even Pride itself lends a willing Ear to Admonition.

Afp. This Eloquence of Similitudes, is at once affecting to the Wife, and intelligible to the Ignarant. It fhews †, rather than relates, the Point to be illuftrated; and often makes, as in the fine Instance You have felected, the Feelings of the Heart overcome the Prejudices of the Understanding.It has always been admired, by the best Judges of human Nature, and polite Literature. But, never was carried to its higheft Perfection, till our LORD spoke

2 Sam. xii. 5.

+ Difcentem, fays Seneca upon the Subject, & audientem in rem prefentem adducunt. Epift. lix.

spoke the Parable of the Prodigal *.-Which has a Beauty, that no Paraphrase can heighten: a Perfpicuity, that renders all Interpretation needlefs :. and a Force, which every Reader, not totally infenfible, muft feel +.

Ther. The Condefcenfion and Goodness of GOD are, every where, confpicuous.-In the Productions of the Bough, He conveys to Us the moft valuable Fruits, by the Intervention of the lovelieft Bloffoms. Though the Present is, in itself, extremely acceptable; He has given it an additional Endearment, by the Beauties which array it, or the Perfumes which furround it.—In the Pages of Revelation, He has communicated to Us the Truths of Heaven, adorned with all the Graces of Compofition. Such as may polish the Man of Genius, and improve the Man of Worth. Such as gratify and captivate our Imagination, even while they cultivate and refine our Morals.-So that they really are, as one of their divine Authors very elegantly speaks; Like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver 1.

VOL. I.

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* Luke xv. 11, &c.

Afp.

+ If the Reader should be diffatisfied with this Method of extolling the Parable in general, without Speci fying its particular Beauties; He may find something of the latter Kind attempted, in Contemplations on the Starry Heavens, Pag. 181, &c.

Prov. xx. 11.-Theron follows the received Tranflation. I should prefer the Expofition of Glaffius; who fuppofes now to fignify, Retiacula argentea, in quibus Oculi funt minutiffimi, penetrabiles tamen Vifu. `According to this Interpretation, the Paffage will present Us with Apples of Gold in Net-work, or Lattice-work, of Silver. Where the fine Fruit receives a new Charm, by fhewing itself through the elegant Apertures of the Basket.

Afp. Who then would not gladly receive that gracious Exhortation? Let the Word of CHRIST dwell in You richly *. Who would not willingly obey that benign Command? Thou shalt talk of it, when thou fittest in thine Houfe, and when thou walkest by the Way; when thou lieft down, and when thou rifeft up. Since, in this Cafe, Duty is evidently inlaid with Delight.

When I confider the Language of the Scriptures, and fometimes experience their Energy on my Soul; I am inclined to fay- Other Writings, though. "polished with the niceft Touches of Art, only tinkle on the Ear, or affect Us like the Shepherd's Reed. But these, even amidst all their Simplicity and Negligence, ftrike—alarm-transport Us "fomewhat like the Voice of Thunder, or the "Archangel's Trampet."

When I confider the Contents of the Scriptures; and believe myself interested, in the Promises they exhibit, and the Privileges they confer; I am induced to cry out" What are all the other Books "in the World, compared with thefe ineftimable "Volumes? No more than an entertaining No"vel, or a few prudential Rules for domeftic Oeconomy, compared with a Parent's Will; a royal Charter;

Col. iii. 16. The Word of CHRIST; fo the Apoftle entitles the whole infpired Writings, and thereby afferts the Divinity of his MASTER-Dwell; not make a fhort Stay, or an occafional Vifit, but take up a fixed and ftated Refidence-Richly; in the largest Measure, and with the greatest Efficacy; fo as to fill the Memory; fway the Will; and actuate all the Affections.

+ Deut. vi. 7.

Charter * ; or an imperial Grant of Titles and

Manors."

I faid, Promifes and Privileges. For, thefe I look upon as imparting the moft fovereign Worth to the Scriptures. Agreeably to our LORD's Teftimony, Search the Scriptures. Why? What recommends them to our attentive Regard? Becaufe they give the nobleft Display of the divine Perfections, and the trueft Eftimate of human Nature? Becaufe they open the invisible World, and discover the Secrets of Eternity? Prefent Us with the moft refined Rule of Duty, and press upon Us the most forcible Motives to Obedience?-All this they unquestionably do. Yet this is not their most diftinguishing Excellence. Search them, fays our' bleffed LORD, with a clofe, an exact, an unwearied Affiduity; becaufe, they teftify of ME. Of my all-furpaffing Dignity, and infinite Merits. Of free Juftification through my Blood, and everlafting Life through my Righteoufnefs. This is their crowning Perfection. From hence they derive the most exalted Merit.

The Contents of the Scripture are called, by the wife Man, Prov. viii. 6. Excellent Things, royal Truths, princely Sentiments. Teftifying of Meffiah the Prince, his Perfon, Righteoufnefs, and Salvation.-Exceeding all the Works and Writings of the Learned, as much as Solomon Himself, when feated on his Throne of Ivory and Gold; furrounded with all the Splendour of his brilliant Court; and delivering the Dictates of Infpiration, to liftening Sagesas much as that magnificent Monarch, in fuch Circumftances of Dignity, and amidft fuch Displays of Wisdom, exceeded the Populace of Ifrael.

All these Circumftances remind me of a very emphatical Atteftation, bore to the exalted Merit of the BIBLE. Which, though quite artless, is, I think, abundantly more expreffive, than the mostlaboured Efforts of Panegyric.-It came from the Lips of a Martyr. Who, being condemned to die, for his inviolable Adherence to the Doctrines of Scripture; when he arrived at the Stake, and had compofed Himfelf for Execution, took his final Leave in these affecting Words: "Farewel Sun "and Moon! Farewel all the Beauties of Crea❝tion, and Comforts of Life! Farewel my ho"noured Friends! Farewel my beloved Relations! "And farewel thou precious, precious Book of "GOD!"

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Afpafio had fcarce uttered the laft Sentence, when a Servant came to let them know; "Supper was upon the Table."-Very opportunely, said Theron, has our Repaft waited, till our Conference is ended. We have fhewed, what a large Field of delightful Speculation, the Scriptures open; and what ample Materials for the most refined Difcourse, they afford. As nothing can be more ungraceful, than to neglect in our own Conduct,

what

* Should the ferious Reader want any farther Perfuafives, to this moft beneficial Practice; He may feeHow particularly our Divine MASTER obferves the Strain of our Converfation; Luke xxiv. 17.-How exprefly He has commanded fuch focial Communications, as may tend to the Use of Edifying, Eph. iv. 29.-And what an Evidence will arife from this Article, either for our Acquittal or Condemnation, at the Day of everlaíting Judgment, Matt. xii. 36, 37

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