of Green. Look wherever We will, all is a delightful Difplay of present Fertility, and a joyous Pledge of future Plenty. Now we experience what the royal Poet, in very delicate Imagery, defcribes: The Winter is paft; the Rain is over and gone. The Flowers appear on the Earth; the Time of the Singing of Birds is come; and the Voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land. The Fig-Tree putteth forth her green Figs; and the Vine with the tender Grapes give a good Smell *.

Afp.. Your Quotation and the Scene remind me of a Remark, which should have taken place in our laft Night's Difcourfe. When we were enumerat ing the Excellencies of the facred Writings, methinks, we might have added;-Are you fond of Paftoral, in all its flowery Graces, and blooming Honours? Never have ye feen fuch exquifite Touches of rural Painting, or fuch fweet Images of endeared Affection, as in the Song of Songs which is Solomon's. All the brilliant and amiable Appearances in Nature are employed, to delineate the Tendernefs of bis Heart, who is Love itfelf to pourtray the Beauty of his Perfon, who is The chiefeft among ten thousand and defcribe the Happiness of thofe Souls, whofe Fellowship is with the FATHER, and with his Son JESUS CHRIST +.

See! Theron, what the chearing Warmth, and the genial Showers, of Spring have done! The rough Tree foftens into Verdure. The ragged Thorn is robed with Beauty. Even the uncultivated Lanes teem with Herbage. Such a Change, fo pleafing and fo ennobling, the Gofpel of CHRIST introduces into the Soul.-Not a Day, scarce

Cant. ii. 11, 12, 13,

+ John i. 3.

scarce an Hour paffes, but this Seafon of univerfal Fecundity produces fomething new; fomething that improves the Afpect, and increafes the Riches of Nature. And is there any State or any Circumstance of Life, in which the Faith of CHRIST does not exert a fimilar Efficacy? Does not purify the Heart, and bring forth Fruit unto GOD?

This is fuppofed to be the spiritual Meaning of that fine defcriptive Picture *, which You have borrowed

* A fine Picture indeed! Moft judiciously planned; moft ftrongly contrafted; and executed in the most mafterly Manner. As it is produced to View, I will beg Leave to point out fome of the highly-finished Strokes.

The Winter is past, with all its howling Winds, and piercing Frofts.-The Rains are over, which deluged the Meadows; and the Clouds are gone, which darkened the Skies. All is Serenity and Splendour above. While all is Gaiety and Beauty below.

Flowers, of every graceful Form, and every gloffy Stain, appear on the Earth. Enamelling the Hills and Plains; embroidering the Robe of Spring; and diffufing Smiles over all the Face of Nature.

The Woodland

The Time of Singing of Birds is come. Choirs awake. Every green Bough, and every blooming Spray, refounds with Harmony. From all Quarters, the Ear is charmed with artless Strains; which are, at once, the Perfection of Mufic, and the very Language of Joy.

The Vine, with the tender Grapes, give a good Smell. In the Vineyard, the filken Gems burft, and the infant Clufters appear. They breathe Balm on the gentle Gales, and perfume the foft delicious Air. In every Garden and every Grove, the flowery Cafkets are un locked. They diffufe far and near thofe exquifite Odours, which regale the Smell, and rejoice the "Heart."

The Fig-Tree putteth forth her green Figs; forms the embryo Fruit; and excites the agreeable Idea of approaching Plenty. Adding to all the Entertainments of

the

borrowed from the Canticles. It displays the benign Agency of Grace and its Doctrines; efpecially, of our LORD's Satisfaction for Sin, and of his Righteoufnefs imputed to Sinners. The Bleffings operate, with much the fame favourable and happy Energy, both on our Morals and our Comforts; as the fweet Influences of the vernal Sun operate, on the fprouting Herbs, and opening Flowers.

Ther. If fuch were the Effects of your Doctrine, it would ftand the fairer Chance for general Acceptation. But there are feveral weighty Scruples to be removed, before Perfons of a liberal and enlarged Way of Thinking, can acquiefce in your Opinion. Who, for Indance, can perfuade Himfelf, that what You' call The Satisfaction of CHRIST, is confiftent with the Dictates of Reafon, or with the Perfections of the DEITY?

Afp. Let Gentlemen be candid in their Enquiries, and truly liberal in their Way of Thinking; then, I flatter myself, thefe Scruples may be removed, without much Difficulty.

GOD, the Almighty Creator, and fupreme Governor of the World, having made Man, gave Him a Law; with a Penalty annexed, in cafe of Difobedience. This facred Law our Fore-father Adam presumptuously broke; and We, his Pofterity, were involved in his Guilt. Or, fhould that Point be

con

the Eye and the Ear, the more pleafing, because the more important, Supports of Life and Health.

Here then the most diftinguishing and delicate Circumftances are felected. Whatever moft eminently and most amiably characterises the Seafon. All is heightened, by a Retrofpe&t on Winter and its Horrours, from which we are delivered. All is endeared, by a Profpect of autumnal Delights, for which Preparation is making,

controverted, We have undeniably made, by many perfonal Tranfgreffions, his Apoftacy our own.-Infomuch, that all have finned; have forfeited. their Happinefs, and are become obnoxious to Punishment.

4

Man being thus ruined, none could recover Him, except his injured MAKER. But fhall He be recovered, shall He be reftored, without fuffering the Punishment, due to his Crime, and threatened by his CREATOR? What then will become of the Justice of the Divine LAWGIVER? And how fhall the Honour of his Holy Law be maintained? At this rate, who would reverence its Au thority, or fear to violate its Precepts ?-Sinners might be emboldened to multiply their Tranfgreffions; and tempted to think, that the GOD of immaculate Holiness, the GOD of unchangeable Veracity, is altogether fuch an One as themselves *.

Does it not appear needful, that fome Expedient be devifed, in order to prevent these dishonourable and horrid Consequences?

Ther. Proceed to inform Us, what the Expedient is.

Afp. To afcertain the Dignity of the fupreme Administration, yet refcue Mankind from utter Deftruction, this admirable Purpofe was formed, and in the Fulness of Time executed. The fecond Perfon of the ever-bleffed TRINITY unites the human Nature to the Divine; fubmits Himfelf to

the

*This was actually the Cafe, as We are informed by the SEARCHER of Hearts, when, on a particular Occafion, Punishment was only retarded. How much more would fuch impious Opinions have prevailed, if, on this grand Act of Difobedience, Punishment had been intirely forborne Pfal. 1. 21.

the Obligations of his People; and becomes refponfible for all their Guilt. In this Capacity, He performs a perfect Obedience, and undergoes the Sentence of Death: makes a full Expiation of their Sins, and establishes their Title to Life.-By which Means, the Law is fatisfied; Juftice is magnified; and the richest Grace exercifed. Man enjoys a great Salvation, not to the Difcredit of any, but to the unspeakable Glory of all, the divine Attributes.

This is what We mean by CHRIST's Satiffaction. And this, I fhould imagine, wants no Recommendation to our unprejudiced Reafon; as, I am fure, it is moft delightfully accommodated to our diftreffed Condition. It is alfo confirmed by many exprefs Paffages of Scripture, and illuftrated by a Variety of very significant Images.

Ther. Pray, let me be favoured with some of your fcriptural Images. After which, We may enquire, whether your Doctrine will ftand the Teft of Reafon.

Alp. What is your Notion of a Ransom?

Ther. To ranfom, is to redeem any One from Captivity or Mifery, by Purchase, by Exchange, or fome other valuable Confideration.

Afp. When Priam ranfomed the dead Body of Hestor from the victorious Achilles, how was it done?

Ther. By paying a Price *.-Thus Fabius recovered the Captives, which were taken by Hannibal. He tranfmitted the Sum required, and they were discharged from their Confinement.

Φέρων τ' απερείσι' αποινα,

an infinitely rich Price. Hyperbolical this, as applied by Homer: ftrictly true, when referred to CHRIST.