Finery. Nay, wert thou decked like fome illuftrious Princefs, on her Coronation-Day, in all the Splendor of Royal Apparel; couldst thou equal even Solomon, in the Height of his Magnificence and Glory; yet would the meanest among the floweryPopulace outshine thee: Every difcerning Eye would give the Preference to these Beauties of the * Ground, Scorn then *to borrow thy Recommendations from a neat Difpofition of Threads, and a curious Arrangement of Colours. Affume a becoming Greatness of Temper: Let thy Endowments be of the immortal Kind: Study to be all-glorious within: Be cloathed with Humility: Wear the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit. To fay all in a Word, Put on the LORD JESUS CHRIST: Let His Blood be fprinkled upon thy Confcience, and it fhall be whiter than the Virgin Snows: Let His Righteousness, like a fpotless Robe, adorn thy inner Man, and thou shalt be amiable, even in the most diftinguishing Eye of GOD. Let His Blessed Spirit dwell in thy Heart; and, under His fanctifying Mr. Cowley, with his ufual Brilliancy of Imagi nation, Riles them Stars of Earth. fanctifying Operations, thou fhalt be made Partaker of a Divine Nature. THESE are real Excellencies; truly noble Accomplishments these. In this manner be arrayed, be beautified; and thou wilt not find a Rival in the Feathers of a Peacock, or the Foliation of a Tulip. These will exalt thee far above the low Pretenfions of Lace and Embroidery. Thefe will prepare thee to ftand in the beatifick Prefence," and to take thy Seat among the Angels of Light. WHAT an inchanting Situation is this! One can scarce be melancholy within the Atmosphere of Flowers: Such lively Hues, and delicious Odours, not only addrefs themselves agreeably to the Senfes, but touch, with a furprising a furprising Delicacy, the fweeteft Movements of the Mind; To the Heart inspiring Vernal Delight and Joy. MILT. How often have I felt them diffipate the Gloom of Thought, and transfufe a fudden Gaiety through the dejected Spirit! I cannot wonder, wonder, that Kings defcend from their Thrones, to walk amidst blooming Ivory and Gold; or retire from the moft fumptuous Feafts, to be recreated with the most refined Sweets of the Garden: I cannot wonder, that Queens forego, for awhile, the Compliments of a Nation, to receive the Tribute of the Parterre; or withdraw from all the Glitter of a Court, to be attended with the much more fplendid Equipage of a Bed of Flowers. But if this be fo pleafing, what transporting Pleasure muft arife, from the Fruition of uncreated Excellency O, what unknown Delight, to enter into thy immediate Prefence, moft Bleffed LORD GOD! To fee Thee, Thou King of Heaven, and LORD of Glory, no longer through a Glass darkly, but Face to Face!" To have all thy Goodness,, all thy Greatnefs, fhine before us; and be made glad for ever with the brightest Discovery of thy Perfections, with the ineffable Joy of thy Countenance *! THIS "I would have my Reader endeavour to MORA"LIZE this natural Pleasure of the Soul, and to im prove this vernal Delight, as Milton calls it, into a "Chriftian Virtue. When we find ourselves inspired "with this pleafing Inftinct, this fecret Satisfaction and "Complacency, arifing from the Beauties of the Cre "ation, let us confider, to Whom we stand indebted H " for THIS we cannot bear in our present imperfect State. The Effulgence of unveiled Divinity would dazle a mortal Sight. Our feeble Faculties could not but be overwhelmed with fuch a Fulness of Bliss, and must lie oppreffed under fuch" an exceeding great, eternal Weight of Glory." But when "this Corruptible hath put on In corruption," the Powers of the Soul will be all invigorated, and these earthly Tabernacles "transformed into a Likeness with "CHRIST's glorious Body." Then, tho' "the Moon fhall be confounded, and the "Sun afhamed," when the LORD of Hofts is revealed from Heaven, yet fhall his faithful People be enabled to fee Him as He is. HERE then, my Wishes, here, be fixed: Be this your determined and invariable Aim: Here give a Loofe to your whole Ardour: Cry out, All that is within me, in the Language of Infpiration, This one Thing have I de for all these Entertainments of Sense; and Who it "is that thus opens his Hand, and fills the World with * Good. Such an habitual Difpofition of Mind ❝ confecrates every Field and Wood; turns an ordi"nary Walk into a Morning or Evening Sacrifice; and will improve thofe tranfient Gleams of Joy, I defired of the LORD; which, with inceffant Earneftnefs I will require, that I may dwell in the celeftial House of the LORD all the Days of my future Life, to behold the fair Beauty of the LORD, and to contemplate, with Wonder and Adoration, all the Attributes of the incompre.. henfible Godhead. ་ SOLOMON, a moft penetrating Judge of human Nature, knowing how much Mankind is charmed with the fine Qualities of Flowers, has figured out the bleffed JESUS, that " faireft among Ten thoufand," by these lovely Reprefentatives. He ftiles Him The Rofe of Sharon, and the Lily of the Vallies; like the one, fullof Delights and communicable Graces ;like the other, exalted in Majefty, and complete in Beauty. In that facred Paftoral, he ranges the Creation, borrows its most finished Forms, and dips his Pencil in its choicest Dyes, to prefent us with a Sketch of the Amiableness of his Perfon : His Amiableness, who is the Light of the * Cant. ii. I. Malus ut arboribus decori eft, ut vitibus uvæ, Sic CHRISTUS decus omne fuis. H 2 World; |