III. lations to mankind has fo continually em- DISC. ployed it, that of serving as a picture, or representation of the world at present invifible? 66 Eye hath not feen," fays an Apostle," nor ear heard, neither hath it en"tered into the heart of man to conceive "the things that God hath prepared for "them that love him. But God hath re"vealed them unto us by his Spirit 2; and the Spirit, knowing our infirmities, and whereof we are made, hath revealed them, from the beginning, by external figns, fymbols, facraments, and a figurative language, fupplied by them. Upon this very principle it is, that another acknowleged master of style and compofition grounds the character of the facred writings, confidered in that view" Eloquence (fays he) is that which perfuades: "it perfuades by moving; it moves by things, and palpable ideas only and hence no eloquence is fo perfect as "that of the Scriptures; fince the most spiritual and metaphyfical things are σε VOL. I. 2 I Cor. ii. 9. "there In juftification of this remark, let the appeal, in the inftance now before us, be made to every one endued with fenfibility. The pofition to be laid down is, that, through the alone merits of the Redeemer, we now inherit eternal life. Is it poffible for all the art of man to convey this truth in terms so pleasing and informing, as those few used by St. John, with allufion to the fcenery in Eden?" And he fhewed me "a pure river of water of life, clear as "cryftal, proceeding out of the throne of "God, and of the Lamb. And in the "midft of the street of the new Jerufalem, 46 a ROLLIN, Belles Lettres,. ii. 360.-" To quarrel with our Maker about this way of proceeding, would be to "blame him for conveying truths to us in the most affect 66 ing and agreeable manner; or for creating us with thofe "faculties, which are fitted to receive truths, thus conveyed. For the most important truths, as we are framed at present, can make but a flight impreffion on the mind, "unless they enter firft, like a picture, into the imagina"tion, and from thence are stamped on the memory.' PETERS, Crit. Diff. on the Book of Job, Part 1. Se&t. x. " and III. " and of either fide of the river, was there DISC. "the Tree of Life, which bare twelve "manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; and the leaves of the Tree "were for the healing of the nations.". To whom, then, bleffed Lord Jefu, should we go? Thou haft the words of eternal life. Thou art the true Tree of Life, in the midst of the Paradife of God. For us men and for our falvation, thou didst condefcend to be planted, in a lowly form, upon the earth. But thy head foon reached to heaven, and thy branches to the ends of the earth. Thy head is crowned with glory, and thy branches are the branches of honour and grace. Medicinal are thy leaves to heal every malady, and thy fruits are all the bleffings of immortality. It is our hope, our fupport, our comfort, and all our joy, to reflect, that, wearied with the labours, and worn out with the cares and forrows of a fallen world, we fhall fit down under thy fhadow with great delight, and thy fruit shall be sweet to our taste ! G 2 + DISCOURSE IV. THE TREE OF KNOWLEGE. GENESIS II. 17. Of the Tree of the Knowlege of good and evil thou fbalt not eat. IV. HIS is the first and the only law DISC. in the ftate of man's innocence. |