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sun cannot be seen, but by its own light. And as the sun, when seen with our bodily eyes, displays our bodily deformity, so, when illuminated by the Sun of Righteousness, we see at once our own insignificance, as well as the divine goodness; and of course, are filled both with humility and gratitude. Man, without the spirit of God, is like a coal out of which the fire is extinguished; or, like a bird whose wings are clipped, so that it cannot fly to its place of rest. The divine love is the fire of the soul, and the spirit of God the wings of the soul, as well as its light. Hence the apostle declares, categorically, that, "unless we have the spirit of Christ, we are none of his." And this spirit is always the same, in all nations, pagan and Christian; and striveth with all men, of every kind and kindred, in order that they may come to the knowledge of the truth, and be saved. For God calls, invites, and strives with all; but many shut their eyes against the light, and basely insult their own understandings, and

remain in wilful ignorance; yet the light of the spirit, from time to time shines into their hearts, which causes them to palpitate with horror, at the misery and danger of their situation. But when death approaches a soul without the spirit of God, and of course in spiritual darkness, then, and not till then, will its ten-fold misery appear! which even the tragic muse cannot delineate.

"The vale of death! that hush'd Cimmerian vale,
Where Darkness brooding o'er unfinish'd Fates,
With raven wing incumbent, waits the day
(Dread day!) that interdicts all future change!
That subterranean world, that land of ruin!
Fit walk, Lorenzo, for proud human thought!
There let my thought expatiate, and explore
Balsamic truths and healing sentiments,

Of all most wanted, and most welcome, here.
For gay Lorenzo's sake, and for thy own,
My soul! The fruits of dying friends survey;
Expose the vain of life; weigh life and death;
'Give death his eulogy; thy fear subdue;
And labour that first palm of noble minds,
A manly scorn of terror from the tomb.'
'Is death then guiltless? How he marks his way
With dreadful waste of what deserves to shine;
Art, genius fortune, elevated power!

With various lustres these light up the world,
'Which Death puts out, and darkens human race.'
I grant Lorenzo! this indictment just:

in particular, professed to be guided by an inward monitor, which he called his

places. It is not different now from what it was formerly. The same immortal law is a rule to all nations, because it has no author but the one only God, who brought it forth and promulged it." Such were the reasonings of Cicero when he consulted natural light, and was not carried away by a fondness of shewing his wit, in defending the doctrine of the Sceptics

The next is Seneca the Stoic. He was Nero's tutor, and lived in an age when Christianity was not in credit enough, to engage the heathens to borrow any philosophical principles from thence."Tis of very little consequence, (says he) by what name you call the first nature, and the divine reason that presides over the universe and fills all the parts of it. He is still the same God. He is called Jupiter Stator, not as historians say, because he stopped the Roman armies as they were flying, but because he is the constant support of all beings. They may call him Fate, because he is the first cause on which all others depend. We Stoics sometimes call him Father Bacohus, because he is the universal light that animates nature; Hercules, because his power is invincible. Mercury, because he is the eternal reason, order and wisdom. You may give him as many names as you please, provided you allow but one sole principle, every where present."

Agreeably to Plato's notions, he considered the divine understanding as comprehending in itself the model of all things, which he styles the immutable and almighty ideas "Every workman, (says he) hath a model by which he forms his work. It signifies nothing whether this model exists outwardly and before his eyes, or be formed within him by the strength of his own genius: so God produces within himself that perfect model, which is the proportion, the order, and the

good Genii, (but which I call the good spirit of God) and though a heathen, was a martyr for the truth: and who dare say, Socrates is in hell? I answer none but the ungenerous; (I will call them by the mildest name) and such are they, who believe, and boldly assert, that infants of a span long are in hell!!

We can never appreciate the infinitude of the divine goodness, or in any manner recognize the immensity of the sovereign beauty, but by the light of the divine Spirit. The same, as the

beauty of all beings. The ancients (says he in another place) did not think Jove such a being, as we represent him in the capitol, and in our other buildings. But by Jove they meant the guardian and governor of the universe, the understanding, and the mind, the master and the architect of this great machine. All names belong to him. You are not in the wrong, if you call him Fate; for he is the cause of causes, and every thing depends on him. Would you call him Providence; you fall into no mistake, it is by his wisdom that this world is governed. Would you call him Nature; you would not offend in doing so it is from him that all beings derive their origin; it is by him that they live and breathe."

There is no reading the works of Epictetus, of Arrian his disciple, and of Marcus Antonius, without admiration. We find in them rules of morality worthy of Christianity,

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sun cannot be seen, but by its own light. And as the sun, when seen with our bodily eyes, displays our bodily deformity, so, when illuminated by the Sun of Righteousness, we see at once our own insignificance, as well as the divine goodness; and of course, are filled both with humility and gratitude. Man, without the spirit of God, is like a coal out of which the fire is extinguished; or, like a bird whose wings are clipped, so that it cannot fly to its place of rest. The divine love is the fire of the soul, and the spirit of God the wings of the soul, as well as its light. Hence the apostle declares, categorically, that, "unless we have the spirit of Christ, we are none of his.” And this spirit is always the same, in all nations, pagan and Christian; and striveth with all men, of every kind and kindred, in order that they may come to the knowledge of the truth, and be saved. For God calls, invites, and strives with all; but many shut their eyes against the light, and basely insult their own understandings, and

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