etérnity? Are we candidates for the plaudit of the rátional creation? Are we formed to participate the supreme beatitude in communicating happiness? Are we destined to co-operate with God in advancing the order and perfection of his works? How sublime a creature then is man! 4. Can we believe a thinking being, that is in a perpetual progress of improvements, and travelling on from perfection to perfection, after having just looked abroad into the works of its creator, and made a few discoveries of his infinite goodness, wisdom, and power, must perish at her first setting out, and in the very beginning of her inquíries ? The following are examples of both question and answer. 5. Who are the persons that are most apt to fall into peevishness and dejection-that are continually complaining of the world, and see nothing but wretchedness around them? Are they those whom want compels to toil for their daily bread ?—who have no treasure but the labor of their hands--who rise, with the rising sun, to expose themselves to all the rigors of the seasons, unsheltered from the winter's cold, and unshaded from the summer's heat? No. The labors of such are the very blessings of their condition. 6. What, then, what was Cæsar's object? Do we select extortioners, to enforce the laws of équity? Do we make choice of profligates, to guard the morals of socíety? Do we depute atheists, to preside over the rites of relígion? I will not prèss the answer: I need not press the answer; the premises of my argument render it un necessary. What would content you? Tálent? No! Enterprise? No! Coúrage? No! Reputation? Nò! Vírtue? No! The men whom you would select, should possess, not one, but àll, of these. 7. Can the truth be discovered when the slaves of the prosecutor are brought as witnesses against the person accused? Let us hear now what kind of an examination this was. Call in Ruscio call in Casca. Did Clodius way-lay Milo? He dìd: Drag them instantly to execution. He did not: Let them have their liberty. What can be more satisfactory than this method of examnination? 8. Are you desirous that your talents and abilities may procure you respect? Display them not ostentatiously to public view.. Would you escape the envy which your ríches might excite? Let them not minister to pride, but adorn them with humility -There is not an evil incident to human nature for which the gospel doth not provide a remedy. Are you ignorant of many things which it highly concerns you to know?. The gospel offers you instruction. Have you deviated from the path of dúty? The gospel offers you forgiveness. Do temptations surround you? The gospel offers you the aid of heaven. Are you exposed to mísery?. It consòles you. Are you subject to death? It offers you immortality. 9. Oh how hast thou with jealousy infected t The sweetness of affiance! show men dútiful? Why so didst thou: or seem they grave and learned? Why so didst thou. 6.] Page 48. When (or) is used conjunctively, it has the same inflection before and after it. In some sentences the disjunctive and the conjunctive use of or are so intermingled as to require careful attention to distinguish them. 1. Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the fúrrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee? Wilt thou trust him because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to hím? Gavest thou the goodly wings. unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the óstrich? Canst thou draw out leviathan with a hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? Canst thou put a hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn? Wilt thou play with him as with a bírd ? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens? Canst thou fill his skin with barbed írons? or his head with fish spears? 2. But should these credulous infidels after all be in the right, and this pretended revelation be all a fable; from believing it what harm could ensue? would it render princes more tyrannical, or subjects more ungóvernable, the rich more ínsolent, or the poor more disorderly? Would it make worse parents or children, húsbands, or wíves; másters, or sérvants, fríends, or neighbours? or*, would it not make men more virtuous, and, consequently, more happy, in every situation? 7.] Page 49. Negation opposed to affirmation. 1. True charity is not a meteor, which occasionally * The last or is disjunctive. gláres; but a luminary, which, in its orderly and règular course, dispenses a benignant influence. 2. The humble do not necessarily regard themselves as the unworthiest of all with whom they are acquainted; but, while they acknowledge and admire in many, a degree of excellence which they have not attained, they perceive, even in those to whom they are in some respect superiors, much to praise, and much to imitate. 3. Think not, that the influence of devotion is confined to the retirement of the closet and the assemblies of the saints. Imagine not, that, unconnected with the duties of life, it is suited only to those enraptured souls, whose feelings, perhaps, you deride as romantic and vísionary. It is the guardian of innocence-it is the instrument of virtue-it is a mean by which every good affection may be formed and improved. 4. Cæsar, who would not wait the conclusion of the consul's speech, generously replied, that he came into Italy not to injuré the liberties of Rome and its citizens, but to restore them. 5. If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for óurs only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 6. It is not the business of virtue to extirpate the affections of the mind, but tò règulate them. 7. These things I say now, not to insult one who is fállen, but to render more secure those who stand; not to irritate the hearts of the wounded, but to preserve those who are not yet wounded, in sound health; not to submerge him who is tossed on the bíllows, but to instruct those sailing before a propitious breeze, that they may not be plunged beneath the waves. 8. But this is no time for a tribunal of jústice, but for showing mercy; not for accusation, but for philanthropy ; not for tríal, but for pardon; not for sentence and execútion, but compassion and kindness." 8.] Page 49. Comparison and contrast. 1. By hónor and dishonor, by évil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet trùe; as únknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chástened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as póor, yet making many rìch; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness ? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? A 2. The house of the wicked shall be overthrówn; but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness. wise man feareth, and departeth from évil; but the fool rageth, and is is confident. The wicked is driven away in his wickedness; but the righteous hath hope in his death. Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people. The king's favour is toward a wise servant ; but his wrath is against him that causeth shame. |