meaning? Or can any meaning be more directly opposite to the whole scape of your argumentation?

Asp. This I would say, Theron: The passages you quote, when detached from the context, may seem inconsistent with the declarations of another apostle; as a limb, when wrenched from its natural situation, appears with an air of disproportion. Whereas, reduce the dislocated part, and it will recover the symmetry of its shape, it will harmonize exactly with the animal system. Replace likewise these assertions, consider them in connexion with the whole paragraph, and they will be found, if not unisons, yet perfect concords, with the strain of St. Paul's teaching.

What is the point which St. James undertakes to illustrate? To distinquish a genuine from an insincere faith: "If a man say, he hath faith,” James ii. 14: this is mentioned as the boast of some hypocritical professor. So that the apostle is evidently dealing with a pretender to the precious gift, and therefore replies, "Shew me thy faith;" prove the reality of thy claim, prove it to me and to the church, to thy fellow-creatures and fellow Christians. If unproductive of righteous and godly works, we must pronounce it spurious, worthless, dead.

Having detected the counterfeit, he proceeds to describe the sterling. The grand characteristic of which is, a frame of mind, and a course of action, corresponding with the doctrine believed. By this touchstone, the faith of our renowned progenitor was tried, and being tried, was "found anto praise, and honour, and glory." "Was not Abraham our father justified by works?" Justified! How? As to acceptance with the supreme Judge? No: this was effected long before the patriarch offered up Isaac. But when he exercised that heroic act of self-denial, resignation and obedience, then his justification was evidenced to all his contemporaries and to all generations. "His faith was made perfect," answered its proper end, and appeared to be of the true, the triumphant, the scriptural kind, since it overcame the world, overcame self, and regarded God as all in all. Upon the whole, St. Paul speaks concerning the justification of our persons; St. James concerning the justification of our faith*. St. Paul describes the manner of being justified before the all-seeing God; St. James points out the proof† of a justified state, as it is visible to men. former proceeds from the immaculate righteousness of Christ, placed to our account; the latter consists in the fruits of righteousness adorning our life. Rightly understood, therefore, these passages are not in the least contradictory to the epistles of St. Paul, or to the scope of my argumentation; but are a seasonable caveat, and a proper preservative, against misunderstanding those, or perverting this.

The

Ther. I wish you would read that concise, but judicious abridgement of

That the expression used by St. James signifies this declarative justification, is plain from 1 Tim. iii. 16, where the apostle speaking of our Lord Jesus Christ, says, idinaon, He was justified in or by the Spirit; declared to be the true Son of God; manifested on earth, and recognised from heaven, as the undoubted Saviour of the world.

A very little reflection, I should imagine, must convince every unprejudiced reader, that St. James cannot possibly be stating the method of justification before the infinitely righteous God; because he never so much as mentions the death of Christ," who made his soul an offering for sin; to whom give all the prophets witness, that whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins; and besides whom, there is no other name given under heaven whereby we can be saved." Could an apostle so absolutely forget his Lord; and in a case where every other inspired writer acknowledges him, nay acknowledges him to be ALL IN ALL!

true religion, comprised in the fifteenth Psalm. The sacred penman, for his own, and for the information of all mankind, asks, "Lord, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle, or who shall rest upon thy holy hill?" To this most interesting inquiry the following verses are a full and satisfactory answer; the whole of which turns upon the discharge of moral duties; "walking uprightly, and working righteousness;" without a syllable, or a single hint, concerning the very superior excellence of faith, or the extreme necessity of a vicarious obedience.

Asp. I have often read, and I well remember, that beautiful, and instructive Psalm. And I beg leave to observe, once for all, with relation to such passages of the Old Testament, that they suppose the persons whom they describe to be convinced of their natural corruption, to be humbled under a sense of their actual guilt, and to live in a conscientious observance of the expiatory sacrifices; all which had an invariable reference to Christ, and derived their whole virtue from his mediation.

Would any of the Jewish saints, think you, have dared to advance a plea for eternal blessedness, upon the foot of their own conformity to such moral directions; neglecting at the same time the sacrifices of the three great festivals, or a believing improvement of the daily oblation? By no means. They were, and they would acknowledge themselves, deplorably defective; they would plead the promise of free grace, and fly to the blood which God himself had appointed to make an atonement for their souls. By such sentiments, and such a conduct, they reduced to practice the very essence of our doctrine; disavowing their own deeds, however virtuous or religious, and trusting in the strength of Israel, "the Lord our righteousness," who alone fulfilled all the precepts contained in this excellent formulary of duty; who was also the substance of every purifying and of every propitiatory rite.

Ther. Has not the sacred writer expressly said, at the close of the Psalm, "Whoso doth these things, shall never fall?"

Asp. He has; and this, I apprehend, is his meaning: "Persons of such a temper, and such a practice, bear the marks of God's children, and are meet for his glory. Accordingly, they shall never fall either into total apostacy here, or final condemnation hereafter. They are now heirs, and in due time shall be possessors, of his eternal kingdont."

But you will take notice, that all these duties and qualifications only characterise, not constitute, the inheritor of heaven. You will likewise advert to another very remarkable circumstance in the description: "He setteth not by himself, but is lowly in his own eyes*;" or, as the more expressive original speaks, he is despicable and vile in his own sight so far from aspiring to self-justification, that he even condemns and abhors himself, and falls down, as a most unworthy wretch, at the foot of infinitely free grace.

:

Ther. I cannot but think it is the current doctrine of Scripture, and I am sure it is one of the first principles which the light of nature teaches,— That the Most High God must necessarily love righteousness, and take pleasure in the righteous.

* Psal. xv. 4. Ny. I cannot say that I admire the Bible translation of this clause: "6 In whose eyes the vile person is contemptible." Methinks, it does not savour of the tender and benign spirit of our religion, which teaches us to honour all men, to despise no one's person, but only to detest the wickedness of the wicked.

Asp. If the light of nature was to publish a gospel, I believe it would be formed upon your plan: it would bestow favour only on the innocent, the virtuous, and the holy. But the gospel of Christ runs in a very different strain: this brings pardon for the condemned, and blessings for the accursed: this is health to the sick, and recovery to the ruined. "The Lord hath anointed me," saith its divine Author, "to preach good tidings to the meek*," who are humbled under a sense of their sinfulness. "He hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted," who are wounded with a conviction of their undone state;-" to proclaim liberty to the captives," the wretched captives of Satan; "and the opening of the prison to them that are bound," found in the chains of ignorance, impotence, and misery.

As I am myself a most unworthy sinner, you must not be displeased if I espouse the cause of those unhappy creatures. Yet though a friend of -inners, I am no enemy to the righteous. I entirely agree with my Theron in allowing, that the Most High God necessarily loves righteousness. Only I want to be informed where this admirable and lovely quality is to be found? Not among the Gentiles: they have swerved from the dictates of natural conscience. Not among the Jews: they have broken the holy commandment delivered on Mount Sinai. Not among Christians: for, if God should enter into judgment with us, we could not answer him one of a thousand. In the kingdom of Ethiopia, or in the country of the Moors, where will you find the native whites?

The Son of God found none among the race of Adam that were entitled to the character of righteous. He who gave himself a ransom for all, makes no application to such persons +. Why? Because he sullenly disesteemed personal goodness, or was unable to distinguish the excellency of inherent virtae? No; but because he knew, that, amiable as these qualifications are, they have no existence in the human heart, till the sinner, reconciled by his death, be sanctified also by his Spirit.

You remember, perhaps, that remarkable answer which the Spartans once returned to a threatening embassy from some of the neighbouring states? Nothing could be more concise; and I think nothing was ever more spirited and significant.

Ther. Those neighbours gave them to understand by their ambassadors, "That if they entered their territories, they would burn their towns, make the inhabitants prisoners, and spread destruction wherever they advanced.". To which insolent menace, the brave Lacedemonians made no other reply than -If. Is this the story to which you refer?

Asp. The very same. And when you are speaking of human righteousness, as the cause of our acceptance with the eternal God, I would borrow the language of a Spartan. If, shall be my reply.-If, seclusive of the obedience, and independent on the Spirit of Christ, you can furnish yourself with this endowment; or if you can carry your righteousness to that perfection, which may equal the purity of the law, and comport with the

Isa xi. 1. Upon this passage of Isaiah, I would beg leave to observe, that the word meek seems not to answer or convey the prophet's idea. The original y signifies, in this place, the afflicted; not so much those who are beautified with meekness, as those who are oppressed with misery, spiritual misery especially; not excepting even those who are slaves to their own unruly passions.

+ Matth. ix. 13. "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance,"

majesty of the Lawgiver; then trust in it-let it be the ground of your confidence, and seek no better foundation.

But whosoever shall in this manner seek for his recommendation to the favour of God, will act like the mistaken countryman in Horace, who, being unable to ford the river, took up a resolution to wait till the stream was all run by:

"At ille

Labitur, et labetur in omne volubilis ævum

Ther. Here, I fancy, we must take leave of your countryman. If he adheres to his resolution, we shall find him in the very same situation when breakfast is over; and may resume our subject, just where it is discontinued.

DIALOGUE VII.

Ther. To me, who have spent the greatest part of the winter in town, these scenes of the country are inexpressibly pleasing. Take who will the gilded saloon, and the silken settee, so long as I can shelter myself under the canopy of such a spreading beech, and use one of its coarse misshappen roots for my seat.

It is true we see no longer those splendid brocades, and elegant toupees, which distinguish the Park and the Mall: but we have full in our view a multitude of honest rustics, pursuing their cheerful labours in yonder meadow; some mowing the luxuriant herbage; some raising it into regular cocks; others loading their waggons with the hay, or clearing the ground with their rakes. The ground, cleared of its soft encumbrance, appears fresh and green, like another spring; while the exhalations of the tedded grass, floating in the air, give a rural perfume to the gale. And which, my Aspasio, which are the most valuable objects :-the little labourers of the hive, that enrich themselves, and regale their masters; or the gay flutterers of the garden, whose whole life is nothing but sport, and their highest character is, to be insignificantly pretty?

Asp. In this retirement we hear none of the wanton and corrupting airs of the opera; no, nor the majestic and ennobling melody of the oratorio †. But we have a band of music stationed in the grove, and a concert of native harmony warbling from the boughs. We are entertained with the music which charmed the human ear long before Jubal found out his instruments, Gen. iv. 21, and thousands of years before Handel composed his notes. The bulfinch, and a multitude of little tuneful throats, strike the key. The thrush below, and the sky-lark responsive from above, diversify and exalt the strain. The blackbird, somewhat like the solemn organ, with notes, perfectly mellow and gracefully sonorous, crowns the choir; while the

• Vain man, desist; such flattering hopes forego :

It flows, and flows, and will for ever flow.

+"Majestic and ennobling."-This I think, is the true character, and expresses the real tendency, of the oratorio. Nevertheless, it may not be improper to observe, that if we carry a trifling or irreligious spirit to the entertainment; if we attend to the musical airs, but disregard those sacred truths which enter into the composition; such a behaviour will be little better than a profanation of holy things. I fear it will be a species of taking God's adorable and glorious nar e in vain.

tartle's melancholy voice, and the murmuring water's plaintive tone, deepen and complete the universal symphony.

This is the music which constituted the first song of thanksgiving, and formed the first vocal praise, that the all-gracious Creator received from his new-made world. This is neither the parent of effeminacy, nor a pander for rice, but refines the affections, even while it amuses the imagination.

Ther. All the entertainments of nature are calculated to secure our innocence, as well as to gratify our fancy. And what is another very agreeable circumstance, those gratifications which afford the sublimest pleasure are exhibited gratis, while those which enervate the mind and debauch the affections must be dearly purchased. Every one cannot gain admittance into the boxes or the pit, when some celebrated tragedy is brought upon the stage; but every one may behold the beauteous exhibitions of spring, and the finished productions of autumn. All may contemplate the machinery of nature, and the wonders of creation; thereby enjoying a far more exquisite amusement, without any of the guilt or any of the danger.

The inhabitants of yonder villages have never beheld the splendid procession which solemnizes the coronation of a monarch, nor the gaudy illuminations which distinguish the anniversary of his birth. But they see, almost every morning, a much nobler spectacle displayed in the east. They see the great ruler of the day, or rather the envoy from day's eternal Sovereign, making his entry amidst the spaces of the sky. The heavens are strewed with colours, which outvie the pinks and carnations. The grass is decked with dew-drops, and every plant is strung, as it were, with pearls. All around, the darkness retires, and sweet refreshing gales arise. At length the magnificent luminary appears. And what is all the ostentatious pomp of kings, what is all the glitter of the most brilliant court, compared with his transcendent lustre? This spectacle we may behold without loss of time or prejudice to health. Nay, we cannot behold it without improving one and redeeming the other. So beneficial are even the pleasures which nature yields; so serviceable the very diversions to which she invites!

Asp. Thus gracious is the Almighty Maker in the constitution of material things. The substantial and the valuable are open to every one, are accessible by all. Only the tinsel and the trappings are the property of a few, the poor prerogative of wealth.

No less gracious is God in the disposal of spiritual favours. These are infinitely more excellent, and yet are equally free. We are invited to buy them "without money and without price," Isa. Iv. J. What do you give for the benefits of the rising sun, or the delights of this rural melody? The case is much the same with regard to the righteousness by which we are justified, and all the blessings of salvation.

Ther. This brings to our remembrance the countryman whom we left on the banks of the river. And for aught I can see, Theron and the rustic are pretty much upon a footing; the first as far from acceding to your notions, as the last is from gaining his point.

Ap. Have you any objection, Theron, to these gifts of nature, because they are neither purchased by your money nor produced by your own toil? Ther. But who can ever expect to obtain pardon, and acceptance, and eternal salvation, at so cheap a rate? It seems to be all delusion, Aspasio. Asp. So cheap! Then you would pay somewhat, I perceive, by way of