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Terror, and flashes Conviction: decides the momentous Controverfy, and clofes the auguft Drama, with all poffible Solemnity and Grandeur.

;

If We fometimes choose a plaintive Strain fuch as foftens the Mind, and fooths an agreeable Melancholy: are any of the antient Tragedies fuperior, in the Eloquence of Mourning, to David's pathetic Elegy on his beloved Jonathan*; to his moft paffionate and inconfolable Moan †, over the lovely but unhappy Abfalom;

*

2 Sam. i. 19, &c.

† 2 Sam. xviii. 33. The King was vehemently affected (1) and went up to the Chamber, and wept: and as He went, He faid; O my on Abfalom! my Son, my Son Abfalom! Would to GOD I had died for Thee! O Abfalom, my Son, my Son! - Such a Picture, and fo much Pathos; fo artless both, and both fo exquifite; I must acknowledge, I never met with, among all the Reprefentations of Dignity in Diftrefs.-The King's Troops had gained a fignal Victory. His Crown and his Life were refcued from the most imminent Danger. Yet all thefe joyful Tidings were obliterated by the over-whelming Impetuofity of his Griefs.-The News of Abfalom's Death, ftruck Him like a Dagger. He ftarts from his Seat. He haftens into Retirement, there to pour out his Soul in copious Lamentation. But his Anguifh is too impetuous, to bear a Moment's Restraint. He bursts immediately into a Flood of Tears; and cries, as He goes; O Abfalem, &c.

What fays Mezentius, when his Son is flain? When, to fharpen his Sorrow, the pale Corpfe, the miferable Spectacle, is before his Eyes, and within his Arms? The most pathetic Word He utters, is

Heu! nunc mifero mihi demum
Exilium infælix, nunc altè Vulnus ada&tum.

How languid is Virgil! How inexpreffive the Prince of Latin
Poetry! compared with the royal Mourner in Ifrael! Moft

evident,

Abfalom; or to that melodious Woe, which warbles and bleeds, in every Line of Jeremiah's Lamentations?

Would We be entertained with the daring Sublimity of Homer, or the correct Majesty of Virgil? With the expreffive Delicacy of Horace, or the rapid Excurfions of Pindar? Behold them joined, behold them excelled, in the Odes of Mofes, and the euchariftic Hymn of Deborab; in the exalted Devotion of the Pfalms, and the glorious Enthusiasm of the Prophets.

Afp. Only with this Difference, that the former are tuneful Triflers*, and amuse the Fancy with empty Fiction: the latter are Teachers fent from GOD, and make the Soul wife unto Salvation. The Bible, is not only the brightest Ornament, but the most invaluable Depofitum." On a right, a practical Knowledge of these lively Oracles, depends the present Comfort, and the endless Felicity of Mankind. Whatever, therefore, in Study or Conversation, has no Connection with their divine Contents; may be reckoned among the Toys of Literature, or the Cyphers of Discourse.

Ther. Here again the Book of Scripture, is fomewhat like the Magazine of Nature. What can We defire, for our Accommodation and De

light,

evident, from this and many other Inftances, is the Supe riority of the Scriptures, in copying Nature, and painting

the Paffions.

Ludit amabiliter.

light, which this Store-House of Conveniences does not afford? What can We wifh, for our Edification and Improvement, which that Fund of Knowledge does not fupply? Of these We may truly affirm, each, in its refpective Kind, is profitable unto all Things.

Are We Admirers of Antiquity?—Here, We are led back, beyond the universal Deluge, and far beyond the Date of any other Annals.We are introduced among the earliest Inhabitants of the Earth. We take a View of Mankind, in their undisguised primitive Plainness; when the Days of their Life were but little fhort of a thousand Years.-We are brought acquainted with the Original of Nations; with the Creation of the World; and with the Birth of Time itself.

Are We delighted with vaft Atchievements? -Where is any Thing comparable to the Miracles in Egypt, and the Wonders in the Field of Zoan? To the Memoirs of the Ifraelites, paffing through the Depths of the Sea; fojourning in the inhofpitable Defarts; and conquering the Kingdoms of Canaan ?—Where fhall We meet with Inftances of martial Bravery, equal to the prodigious Exploits of the Judges; or the adventurous Deeds of Jesse's valiant Son, and his matchlefs Band of Worthics?-Here, We behold the fundamental Laws of the Univerfe, fometimes fufpended,

fome

fometimes reversed: and not only the Current of Jordan, but the Course of Nature controuled. In fhort; when We enter the Field of Scripture, We tread-on enchanted, fhall I fay? rather-on confecrated Ground. Where Aftonishment and Awe are awakened, at every Turn. Where is all, more than all, the Marvelous of Romance*; connected with all the Precision and Sanctity of Truth.

If We want Maxims of Wisdom, or have a. Tafte for the Laconic Style; how copiously may our Wants be supplied, and how delicately our Taste gratified! Especially, in the Book of Proverbs, Ecclefiaftes, and some of the minor Prophets.-Here, are the most fage Leffons of Instruction; adapted to every Circumstance of Life; formed upon the Experience of all preceding Ages; and perfected by the unerring SPIRIT of Inspiration.These delivered, with fuch remarkable Concifenefs; that One might venture to say, every Word is a Sentence +. At least, every Sentence may be called an Apothegm; fparkling with Brightness of Thought, or weighty with Solidity of Senfe. The whole, like a Profufion

-Heroum Fabula veris

Vincitur Hiftoriis.

+ What Cicero faid of Thucidides, is more eminently true, concerning our royal Moralift, and his rich Collection of Ethics; concerning our evangelical Hiftorians, and their copious Variety of Facts. Eum adeo effe Rebus plenum refertumque, ut prope Verborum Numerum Numero Rerum æquet.

fion of Pearls-each containing, in a very small Compass, a Value almost immense

all heaped up (as an ingenious Critic speaks) with a confused Magnificence, above all Order.

If We look for the Strength of Reasoning, and the Warmth of Exhortation: the Infinuating Arts of genteel Address, or the manly Boldness of impartial Reproof: all the Thunder of the Orator, without any of his Oftentation; all the Politeness of the Courtier, without any of his Flattery:-let Us have Recourse to the Acts of the Apostles, and to the Epiftles of St. Paul*. These are a Specimen, or rather these are the Standard, of them all.

I do not wonder, therefore, that a Taste fo refined, and a Judgment fo correct as Milton's, should difcern higher Attractives in the Vo

lume

* Another very remarkable Inftance of Propriety in St. Paul's Writings, is, That though diffufe in the doctrinal, they are concife in the preceptive Parts. On the former, it was abfolutely neceffary to enlarge. On the latter, it is always judicious to be short. The celebrated Rule of Horace,

Quicquid præcipies, efto brevis,

Was never more exactly obferved, nor more finely exemplified, than by our Apoftolic Author. See that noble String of Precepts, 1 Theff. v. 16, 17, &'c.-See another choice Collection of the fame Kind, Rom. xii. 9, 10, &c. In which the Energy of the Diction is no lefs admirable, than the Concifenefs of the Sentence. Αποςυγόντες-κολλώμενοι - Φιλοσόργοι-ζεοντες-προσκαρτερευτες-διώκοντες—are fome of the most vigorous Words, that Language can furnifh; and form the most animated Meaning, that Imagination can conceive.

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