be intolerably flat; unless You will except this one Profeffion, that I am, with the moft cordial Sin

IF You write with fuch a View, and from fuch a Motive, as are mentioned in your last, expect no more free-will Offerings from my Pen. In this one Inftance, I fhall think it my Duty to be covetous. I fhall act the Mifer out of Principle; and hardly perfuade myself to part with a single Line, till it is become an undeniable Debt. I must turn your own Artifice on Yourself; and lay You under a Neceffity of obliging, entertaining, and edifying me by your Correfpondence.

For, give me Leave to affure You, that I am always delighted, and always improved by your Epiftles. They fhew me a Multitude of Beauties in the Creation, which I fhould not otherwife have difcerned. They point out the infinite Power, the unfearchable Wisdom, and the charmingly rich Goodness of the glorious MAKER. Such a Philofophy

4

Philofophy turns all Nature into a School of Instruction, and is no contemptible Handmaid to true Religion. It makes every Object a Step, better than a golden Step, to raise both our Knowledge and our Affections to the adorable and immortal CAUSE of all. Engaged in fuch Speculations, We cry out with the Pfalmift; O LORD our Governor, how excellent is thy Name in all the Earth * !

There is but one Circumftance wanting, to complete the Pleasure, which I receive from your Obfervations.-The Sun, You took Notice, is the grand Ornament of this magnificent System. That which gives Colour and Form, the comely Afpect and graceful Distinction, to all material Objects. This the bodily Eye perceives and acknowledges. But to the intellectual and believing Eye, the Sun of Righteoufness is a much grander, and no less neceffary Ornament. This adorns the Universe, and communicates a Glory to every Object; as it manifefts, in the clearest brightest Manner, all the Perfections of the GODHEAD. But, to this

lower World, it gives a very peculiar Luftre.-A poor Peafant reckons it the highest Honour to his Cottage, that it has once lodged a Prince, or accommodated a Monarch. With infinitely greater Reafon may thefe elementary Abodes glory, that they have accommodated, not for a fingle Night, but for many Years, the LORD of Heaven. That the KING of Kings was their Tenant even from his Birth in the Stable, to his Death on the Cross. Yes, Theron; it is the greatest Glory of this Air, that it furnished IMMANUEL with Breath, Yonder Sun may boaft, that it fhone upon his Foot

* Pfal. viii. 9.

Foot-fteps. That Ground, cumbrous as it is, might even leap for Joy, that it bore fo divine a Gueft. And all the Elements may clap their Hands, that they had the Privilege of adminiftring to his Nourishment.-As to Us Men, it is our most honourable Diftinction, and fhould be our continual Triumph, that HE lived and died amongst Us; yea, lived and died for Us. That, having united our Nature to Himfelf, He has carried it into the Heaven of Heavens. Where it fhines, with transcendent Majefty and Beauty, as the eternal Ornament of the Creation of GOD.-Methinks, therefore, this noble and delightful Confideration, fhould intermingle itself with all our Contemplations, on the Works of Nature. Juft as the Beams of the Sun intermingle their Light, with all the Regions of the Firmament; and diffufe their Heat, over all the Face of the Earth.

While I am roving heedlefly along, your Remarks often interpose, like some intelligent faithful Monitor, who claps his Hand upon my Breaft, and fays; Stand fill, and confider the wondrous Works of GOD *.-Willingly I obey the Admonition. The Chriftian may, with peculiar Complacency, confider this grand Theatre of Wonders, this copious Magázine of Bleffings. Because, conscious of an Intereft in JESUS, He has a Right to call them alļ his own. He may look round upon prefent Things; He may look forward unto future Things; and, trusting in his SAVIOUR's Merit, may confidently fay" Not one only, but both thefe Worlds

+ 1 Cor. iii. 2 CHRIST's.

* Job xxxvii. 14.

66 are

All Things are yours; because re are

"are mine. By virtue of my REDEEMER's "Righteousness, I have a Covenant-right to the "neceffary Accommodations of this Life; and, "on the fame unfhaken Footing, I ftand intitled "to the inconceivable Felicity of a better."

..

Surely then it must be as pleafing an Employ, to examine the Validity of our Title to future Things, as to estimate the Value of our prefent Poffeffions. You have executed the one. Let me attempt the other.-An Attempt, never unfeasonable, now particularly proper. Since it is exprefly required by your Pen, and fuggefted by the very Subject of your Epiftle. Especially, as I look upon the justifying Righteousness, to be no less the peculiar Workmanfhip and Gift of GOD, than the Scenes of Creation and the Productions of Nature. And as I would fain have every Thing that is beautiful, every Thing that is magnificent in this vifible Syftem, ferve as a Foil to our REDEEMER's Glory; to the Glory of his Perfon, and the Importance of that Service, which He has performed for Sinners.

You have furveyed material Nature. It appears to be a fair and ftately Manfion. For the Purposes, which it is intended to answer, completely furnished, and completely finished. Is not our SAVIOUR's Obedience, the Provifion made for indigent and guilty Souls, equally rich and equally perfect?-Since this is everlasting and immutable; fince the other is tranfient and perishable; doubtless We may argue with the judicious Apostle: If that which is to be done away, which will foon be configned over to Diffolution, is glorious; much more that which re

maineth,

maineth, whofe bleffed Effects continue to eternal Ages, is glorious *.

We are, every One, as an unclean Thing +. Our very Nature is contaminated. Even Sanctification, though it deftroys the reigning, does not wholly fuperfede the polluting Power of Iniquity. So that whatever Graces We exercife, whatever Duties We perform (like Rays of Light transmitted through coloured Glafs, or like generous Wine ftreaming from a defiled Cafk) they receive fome improper Tinge, or contract fome debafing Taint. But CHRIST was entirely free from this innate Contagion. He had no corrupt Bias upon his Will, nor any irregular Tendency in his Affections.

Being thus free from briginal Corruption, He did no Sin, neither was Guile found in his Mouth. Not one vain Imagination passed through his Mind, nor breathed the flightest Stain upon his Thoughts. All his Words were irreproachable, and every Action blameless. The most accomplished among the Children of Men, when furprised in fome unguarded Moment, or affaulted on fome weak Side, have been betrayed into Error, or hurried into Sin. Even Mofes fpake unadvisedly with his Lips; and Aaron, the Saint of the LORD, warped to idolatrous Practices. They were like fome ftagnating Lake; in which, the Dregs being fubfided, the Waters appear clean; but when stirred by Temptation, or agitated by Affliction, the Sediment rifes, and the Pool is difcoloured. Whereas, CHRIST may be compared to a Fountain, that is all Tranfparency, and pure to the very Bottom: which, however fhaken,

2 Cor. iii. 11. + Ifai. Ixiv. 6. ‡ 1 Pet. ii. 22.