DIALOGUE

VII.

That we should rather part with all than Chrift. Preachers and people fhould be zealous. They are prevailed with to tarry and dine. The usefulness of finging in christian converfation. An hymn. A walk into the garden or fields propofed. A collection of heads. Divines. The battle of Culloden. The happy effects of that battle. Encomium on his majefty. The ftate of the world more endangered by fin. Chrift the captain of our falvation. The happy effects of redemption. A walk into the orchard. An arbor described. On the happy feat of innocence. The more happy state of believers in Chrift. The fruit-trees re mind of the trees of righteousness. The pleasure of a country life. A little with the bleffing of God is abundance. Industry recommended. On a graff. Believers are graffs in Chrift. All our fulness in him. On the corn-ricks. Largenefs of the crop. An increase of worldly fubftance is a treafure to be laid out for God. On covetoufnefs amongst profeffors. Men in trade are to forward the interests of religion. On the dignified clergy. They walk into the stable. On the manger. The free falvation of Chrift. His great humility. Duty is a debt. An effectual way of relieving the poor. A call to dinner. Dinner ended they fing. An Hymn. Take leave of Philoxenus. Ride home, and part.

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I.

HE public bufinefs of the day being difpatched, Amyntas as his cuftom was, withdrew from the croud and noife of the town, like that illuftrious heir of the promise, to meditate in the fields,* withdrew from men to converfe with that glorious being who makes the out

*Ifaac went out to meditate in the field, Gen. xxiv. 63. (fuach) fignifies not only to meditate, but to fpeak the thoughts of the heart, or to pray, and fo befpeaks the exercife of a gracious foul. The LXX. reads anal to exercife himself, which also comprehendeth both meditation and prayer. And this interpretation reflects honour upon the character of Ifaac, concerning whofe life and piety, the fcriptures fpeak fo fparingly, yet here we fee him engaged in fome of the fublimeft exercises of religion, meditation, and prayer. The happiest moments a gra

goings of the evening, and the morning to rejoice. Every thing confpired to enkindle devotion in a pious mind, and excite divine rapture in a foul capable of feeling thofe pleafing fenfations, which true religion only can inspire..

The fair fource of light just ready to hide his lucid body beyond the western mountains, and as it were to fup with the fea, fhot forth his distant rays to the fummit of the neighbouring hills, whofe filver tops feemed tenacious of the distinguishing honour, and with a kind of reluctance fubmitted to the loss of the beautifying beams. On the left was a rivulet, whofe interrupted ftreams called forth a foft and dying echo from the adjacent hills, and in it's hoarfe murmur, did as it were bear a part in the vocal concert of a neighbouring grove; where the woody chorifters with one confent, each fung the part dame nature had affigned. The Thrush and Blackbird each with thrilling note, like the loud trumpet's pierc

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cious foul experiences here below, are fuch as are paft in these devotional and heavenly exercifes; herein are tafted thofe drops of heaven, the Lord Jefus favours his faints with while yet on earth.

ing found, feemed to command the fong. The Goldfinch and the Linnet ftrained their little throats, and in foft fwelling trills compleated the harmony, and rendered the whole fcene delightful.

Amyntas being now come forth into the open country, furveyed the fcene delighted. Sometimes he looked to the gilded mountains, and faw in the tranfitory and precarious honour with which they were distinguished, an emblem of fublunary glory, and the vain oftentation of worldly grandeur. Then looking to the declining fun, whofe rays would be quickly intercepted, and who in his diurnal courfe would leave our hemifphere for a feafon enwrapped in darkness; the inftructive leffon was fuggested to his mind of the fhortness of human life, the dark fhades of the approaching night of death, and the neceffity of preparing for that folemn feafon while it is called to day. Again, liftening to the warbling notes of the feathered tribes, who in their vefpers feemed to vie with each other, he was led to reflect on what John faw and heard in his apocalyptic vifion, when

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all that were on the earth, and under the earth, and fuch as are in the fea, and all that are in them, afcribed bleffing and honour, and glory, and power, unto him that fitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

Amyntas exceedingly delighted with the beautiful fcenes of nature exhibited before his eyes, and yet more tranfported in meditating on the wonderful difcoveries the God of nature has been pleafed to make of himself, in his written word, with foft and pleafing steps purfued his way. When fuddenly lifting up his eyes he was most agreeably furprized to fee his dear friend Philetus, whom the abfence of three years and upwards, now rendered more endearing. Philetus not finding Amyntas at home, had purfued his enquiry for him, into an evening's walk, he knew him formerly to frequent. To whom Amyntas, after a fhort paufe, occafioned by the furprize of fo unexpected a fight, faid, my dear Philetus! or do my eyes deceive me? where? whence how came you hither?

Philetus

*Nature is finely painted in the description virgil has given of the furprize and confternation An