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Afp. Nay, my Friend, You cannot suspect, that I have stretched, to an undue Extent, the Obligations of the divine Law. Since this Interpretation is established by an Authority, too great to be controverted; too clear to be misunderstood; even by the Authority of CHRIST Himself. Whofe Sermon upon the Mount is a profeffed Expofition of the Commandments, and maintains, in the moft explicit Manner, all that I have advanced.So that, if our LORD's Expofition is just, I think, it will be neither rash, nor uncharitable to fay, There is not a Man upon Earth, but has broke them all.

Ther. Are We all Idolaters then? All Adulterers? All Murderers? Shocking to imagine! Afp. It is fhocking, I confefs.But how much more fo, if fuch Delinquents expect Juftification by their own Deeds?

Ther. This is no Proof of your Affertion, my good Friend.

Afp. To be fond of Gold; to be enamoured with the World; to love any Creature more than the ever-bleffed CREATOR; are Inftances of Idolatry*, not quite so gross, but altogether as real, as to fet up Idols in our Temples, or pay Acts of Adoration to fenfelefs Images. Have You always been free from this Apoftacy of the Affections?

Col. iii. 5. Phil. iii. 19.

Our

Our infallible TEACHER has informed Us, That unreasonable Anger, contemptuous Language, and malevolent Wishes *, are each a Species of Murder; and not many Removes from the Affaffin's deadly Stab. Have You been always meek, always benevolent, and never chargeable with this mental Homicide?

We are farther affured, That the Indulgence of inordinate Defire is, in the impartial Eftimate of Heaven, as the Commiffion of the impure Deed. And evil Concupifcence of every Kind violates that facred Precept, Thou fhalt not covet. Has your Will been invaria

* Matt. v. 22.

+ Matt. v. 28.

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Rom. vii. 7. Afpafio's Obfervation brings to my Remembrance a remarkable Incident; which, as it is quite pertinent to our Purpose, the Reader will allow me to relate. It paffed between a Friend of mine, and a certain ingenious Stranger, into whofe Company He happened to fall.-The Gentleman was extolling, at an extravagant Rate, the Virtue of Honesty: what a Dignity it imparted to our Nature! How it recommended Us to the SUPREME BEING! He confirmed all by a celebrated Line from Mr. Pope,

An honeft Man's the nobleft Work of GOD.

Sir, replied my Friend, however excellent the Virtue of Honefty may be, I fear, there are very few Men in the World, that really poffefs it.-You furprise me! faid the Stranger.-Ignorant as I am of your Character, Sir, I fanfy, it would be no difficult Matter, to prove even You a difhoneft Man.-I defy You.-Will You give me Leave then, to ask You a Question or two; and promife not to be offended? -Ask your Questions, and welcome.-Have you never met with an Opportunity of getting Gain by fome unfair Means? -The Gentleman paufed.-I don't afk, Whether You made ufe of, but whether You have met with, fuch Oppor

tunity?

bly upright, and warped with no irregular Inclination? Are You wholly unpolluted with this Adultery of the Heart?

I wait not for a Reply. I have often heard You plead Guilty to all-yes, to all and every of thefe Charges refpectively.

Ther. Where, and when, Afpafio?

Afp. In the most facred Place, and on the moft folemn Occafion. And not You only, but a whole Multitude of felf-condemned Criminals. Our Church, You know, has ingrafted the Decalogue into her public Service; and taught all her Members to answer, after the Repetition of each Commandment; LORD, have Mercy upon Us, and incline our Hearts to keep this Law. Is not this an Acknowledgment of Difobedience in every Particular? Is not fuch the Meaning of our Response ?"We are verily guilty concerning this Thing. "And

tunity? I. for my Part, have; and, I believe, every Body elfe has.-Very probably I may.- How did You feel Your Mind affected, on fuch an Occafion? Had You no fecret Defire, not the least Inclination, to seize the Advantage that offered? Tell me, without any Evafion, and confiftently with the Character You admire ?-I muft acknowledge, I have not always been abfolutely free from every irregular Inclination, but-Hold, Sir; none of your Salvo's. You have confeffed enough. If You had the Defire, though You never proceeded to the Action, this fhews You was difhoneft in Heart. This is what the Scripture calls Concupifcence. It defiles the Soul. It is a Breach of that Law, which requireth Truth in the inner Parts. And, unless You are pardoned through the Blood of CHRIST, will be a juft Ground of your Con demnation, when GOD fhall judge the Secrets of Men.

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And we humbly implore, both pardoning Mercy for the past, and strengthening Grace " for the future."

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Give me Leave to urge my Question a little farther. Is there a fingle Day, in which You have not tranfgreffed, fome way or other, this facred Rule?

Ther. If the Law of GOD will dispense with no Deviation, not even in the first Starts of Thought, or the least Wanderings of Defire. But furely to affirm this, is to extend the Law beyond all reasonable Bounds. The Motions of evil Defire, if indulged, are undoubtedly criminal. But are they also, when reftrained, Breaches of Duty? I should rather imagine, that fuch Temptations are thrown in our Way, for the Trial of our Obedience: which, had they no Power over our Affections, would not be Tryals; and, when they are refolutely withstood, cannot be Faults.

Afp. What was the Judgment of our Reformers? And what is the Voice of our Church? We may find both in the Ninth Article. "Al

though there is no Condemnation for them that believe and are baptifed, yet the Apostle "doth confefs, That Concupifcence and "Luft hath of itself the Nature of Sin." It is not faid, Concupifcence hath then only the Nature of Sin, when it is ripened into Action; but of itself, and before it breaks out into the Commiffion of Iniquity.

Ther

Ther. This I can truly plead in my own Be half; That it has not been customary with me to offend; at least, not prefumptuously, or of deliberate Wickedness.

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Afp. My dear Theron, do not offer to palliate Guilt. Such an Opiate may stupify, but will not cure: or rather, like Opiates ill prepared, it will intoxicate the Mind, and counteract the Operation of every healing Medicine.-Besides, it is not only pernicious, but false and unreasonable. You know the Ufe of that folar Microscope, and are able to inform me of its Effects.

Ther. I ought to be pretty well acquainted with these Experiments; fince it has long been my favourite Diversion, to employ a few spare Hours in fuch agreeable Speculations.

Afp. You have feen the Body of an Infect, accommodated to the surprising Instrument. When, in this Situation, the Animal was pricked by a very fine Needle; your Eye, your naked Eye, juft perceived the Puncture; and discovered, perhaps, a Speck of Moisture oozing from the Orifice. But, in what Manner were they represented by the magnifying Inftrument?

Ther. The Puncture was widened into a frightful Gafb. The Speck of Moisture swelled into a copious Stream; and flowed, like a Torrent, from the gaping Wound. An Ox, under

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