Ther. Let me recollect-Thou receivedft Gifts not for fallen Angels, but for Men—And not for thy Friends, but for thy Enemies—yea, for the Rebellious alfo *.- Merciful Heaven! What a Word is this! And does it come from the GOD of Truth? - - Gifts! Divine Gifts! Gifts of unspeakable Value, and eternal Duration! And these to be conferred on Enemies, on the Rebellious! Wretches who were deftitute of all gracious Qualifications; who deferved not the least Favour; but had Reason to expect the Frowns of Indignation, and the Sword of Vengeance!

Afp. Thus it is written, in those facred Conftitutions; which are far more stedfast and unalterable, than the Law of the Medes and Perfians. Thus it is spoken, by the Mouth of that almighty BEING; with whom there is no Variableness, nor the least Shadow of Turning.—Let Us not, my dear Friend, by unreafonable Unbelief, fruftrate all these Promises, and reject our own Mercies. Let us not, by an evil Heart of Unbelief, make GOD a Lyar; and make Ourfelves, of all Creatures, most miferable.

But fee! The Clouds, that hung their agreeable Sables, to damp the Ardour, and abate the Glare of Day, are departing. The

Pfal. Ixviii, 18.

Sun

Sun has been colouring their fleecy Skirts, and spreading over the floating Screen a Variety of interchangeable Hues. Now He begins to edge them with Gold, and fhine them into Silver. A fure Indication, that (like the glittering, but tranfitory Toys, they reprefent) they will foon be fwept from the Horizon, and feen no more.

The bright Orb, while We are speaking, bursts the Veil; and, from a voluminous Pomp of parting Clouds, pours a Flood of Splendor over all the Face of Nature.-We shall quickly perceive this open Situation, too hot to confist with Pleasure: and must be obliged to feek for Shelter, in the fhady Apartments of the House.

Will you admit me, Theron, into those shady Apartments? May I hope to obtain this Fa

vour?

Ther. Hope to obtain! Aspasio!—I am furprised at your Question. I thought You had known me better: and am forry, it should be needful to affure You, that my House is as much your own, as it is mine. The more freely You command it, the more highly you will oblige me.

Afp. May I believe You, Theron? Do you fpeak from your Heart? Or muft I conclude, that You plaufibly profefs, what You have no Intention to perform? Would you be pleased, if I fhould obftinately perfist in these VOL. III. difho

X

dishonourable Sufpicions, notwithstanding all your friendly Protestations?

Ther. My dear Afpafio, I fee your Design. I fee, and am ashamed. Ashamed to think, that I fhould fanfy myself more punctual in my Profeffions, than GOD is true to his Word. LORD, I believe. Help Thou mine Unbelief!

DIALOGUE XVI.

UR Friends had agreed upon making a Visit to Philenor. They rode through a fine, open, fruitful Country. Which was covered with Crops of ripened Corn; and occupied by feveral Parties of Ruftics, gathering in the copious Harveft.

The Rye, white and hoary as it were with Age, waved its bearded Billows, and gave a dry husky Ruftle before the Breeze. The Wheat, laden with Plenty, and beautifully brown, hung the heavy Head; and invited, by its bending Pofture, the Reaper's Hand. Platts of Barley, and Acres of Oats, stood white or whitening in the Sun. Upright, and perfectly even, as though the Gardener's Shears had clipped them at the Top, they gratified the Spectator's Eye, but gladdened the Farmer's Heart.

X 2

Heart.- Beans, partly clad in native Green, partly transformed and tawny with the parching Ray, were preparing the last Employ for the crooked Weapon.-Some of the Grain lay flat, in regular Rows, on the new-made Stubble. Some was erected, in graceful Shocks, along the briftly Ridges. Some, conveyed homewards on the loaded Waggon, nodded over the groaning Axle.

The Villages feemed to be empty, and all their Inhabitants poured into the Plains. Here were Perfons of each Sex, and of every Age.The lufty Youths, stooping to their Work, plied the Sickle; or fwept, with their Scythes, the falling Ranks. The buxom Laffes followed, binding the Handfuls into Sheaves, or piling the Swarths into hafty Cocks. Dispersed up and down were the Children of the Needy, gleaning the scattered Ears, and picking their scanty Harvest. Nor were the old People abfent; but crawling into the Sun, or fitting on a fhady Eminence, they beheld the Toils-the pleasing Toils they once fuftained.

This is the most joyful Period of the Countryman's Life; the long expected Crown of all his Labours. For this, He broke the stubborn Glebe, and manured the impoverished Soil. For this, He bore the fultry Beams of Summer, and fhrunk not from the pinching Blasts of Winter. For this, He toiled away

the