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advances on the mind; whereby, if you are not resolutely on your guard, you may be seduced finally, to forfeit the invaluable blessings which are so freely offered, and which have so long been set before you.

this fruit divine

Fair to the eye, inviting to the taste,

The woman saw that the tree was good for food; and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make them wise. Gen. iii. 6. Heav'n is high,

High, and remote to see from thence distinct

Yet they say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see? Psalms, civ. 7, 9.

835 But first low reverence done, as to the Power That dwelt therein,

Worshipped and served the creature, more than the Creator. Rom. i. 25. Let us give the most attentive heed, and be much upon our guard, against those vain and sophistical reasonings to which they who, knowing God, are ready to fly; lest we approve ourselves fools in proportion to the degree in which we profess to be wise, and provoke God to give us up to an injudicious mind, and to leave us to that reciprocal influence, which evil principles and evil actions have to render each other more inveterate and incurable. 996 She gave him of that fair enticing fruit With liberal hand:

She took of the fruit thereof and did eat, and

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gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat. Gen. iii. 6.

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Samson was a Danite: that is, one of the tribe of Dan, a judge: he was the twelfth of the Judges of Israel: he succeeded Abdon, and judged the people twenty years: Delilah was his mistress and betrayer. Judges, xvi. 4.

1103 In Malabar or Decan spreads her arms Branching so broad and long,

The Indian fig, likewise called the banyan and the wonder tree, is sometimes of an amazing size, as it is continually increasing, every branch proceeding from the trunk, throws out long fibres which take root in the ground, and shoot out new branches, which again throw out fibres, that take root and continue in this state of progression, as long as they find soil to nourish them, Malabar and Decan are places in the East Indies, where they flourish.

1115 Columbus found th' American so girt

With feather'd cincture,

Christopher Columbus, a native of Genoa, was the first who undertook to extend the boundaries of the world. He sailed from Spain, in the year 1492, with a fleet of three ships, after a voyage of thirty-three days, amidst the murmurs of a discontented mutinous crew he landed on one of those islands now called Bahamas, in a rich dress, and with a naked sword in his hand. His men followed, and, kneeling down, they kissed the ground which they had so long desired

to see, and returned thanks to God, for conducting their voyage to such a happy issue. They then took possession of the country, for the crown of Castile and Leon. The Spaniards, while thus employed, were surrounded by many of the natives, who gazed, in silent admiration, upon actions of which they could not foresee the consequence. The dress of the Spaniards, the whiteness of their skin, their beards, their arms, appeared strange and surprising. The vast machines, in which they had traversed the ocean, that seemed to move upon the waters with wings, and uttered a dreadful sound resembling thunder, accompanied with lightning and smoke, struck them with such terror, that they began to respect their guests as a superior order of beings, and concluded that they were children of the sun, who had descended to visit the earth. The Europeans were scarcely less amazed at the scene before them: every herb, and shrub, and tree, were different from those which flourished in Europe. The inhabitants appeared in the simple innocence of nature, entirely naked: their black hair, long and uncurled, floated upon their shoulders, or was bound in tresses around their heads: they had no beards, and every part of their body was smooth: their complexion was of a dusky copper colour; their features singular, rather than disagreeable; their aspect gentle and timid: their faces, and several parts of their body, were fantastically painted with glaring colours. They were shy at first through fear; but soon became familiar with the Spaniards, and, with transports

of joy, received from them glass beads and other baubles; in return for which, they gave them such provisions as they had, and some cotton yarn; the only commodity of value they could produce. Towards evening Columbus returned to his ships, accompanied by many islanders in their canoes, which, though rudely formed out of the trunk of a tree, they rowed with surprising dexterity. Thus, in the first interview between the inhabitants of the old and new worlds, every thing was conducted amicably, and to their mutual satisfaction: the one, enlightened and ambitious, formed already vast ideas, with respect to the advantages which they might derive from the regions that began to open to their view ; the other, simple and undiscerning, had no foresight of the calamities and desolation which were approaching their country.

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but not at rest or ease of mind, They sat them down to weep :

For thus saith the high and lofty One, that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy: I dwell in the high and holy place; with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Isaiah, lvii. 15.

END OF THE NINTH BOOK.

BOOK X.

36 Vicegerent Son! to thee I have transferr'd

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The Father judgeth no man; but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. John, v. 22. Nor is it to be wondered at that he should have so great power lodged in him; for the Father now, in his own person, judges no man; but has given the administration of all judgment to the Son, before whom all men are bound to appear, and by whom they are to be assigned to their final and eternal state.

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Mercy colleague with justice, sending thee

Truth shall spring out of the earth ; and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Psalms, lxxxv. 10.

But not creative power alone we praise;

The time must come, when, scorch'd with

ardent heat,

The elements shall melt: one dreadful blaze,

From nature's funeral pile, the eye shall greet; Both earth and heaven their destiny must meet, That awful hour which bids them cease to be:

Yet mercy shall o'erspread the judgment seat, In that dread hour, from doubt, from terror free. Redemption's glorious plan shall fix our hopes on B. B. W.

thee.

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