Favours confined to the Upper Regions; but diftributed unto the deepest Receffes of Creation. It penetrates the Beds of Metal, and finds its Way to the Place of the Sapphires. It tinctures the Seeds of Gold, that are ripening into Ore; and throws a Brilliancy into the Water of the Diamond, that is hardening on its Rock. In fhort; the beneficial Agency of this magnificent Luminary, is inexpreffible. It beautifies, and impregnates, univerfal Na"There is nothing hid from the Heat

ture.

"thereof."

JUST in the fame Manner, were the rational World dead in Trefpaffes and Sins, without the reviving Energy of JESUS CHRIST. He is

the Refurrection and the Life:" The overflowing Fountain of the one, and the allpowerful Caufe of the other. The fecond Adam is a quickening Spirit, and all his Saints live through Him. He fhines upon their Affections; and they fhoot forth into Heavenly Graces, and abound in the Fruits of Righteoufnefs. Faith unfeigned, and Love undif fembled, thofe nobleft Productions of the renewed Nature, are the Effect of his Operation on the Mind. Not fo much as one divine Difpofition could fpread itself, not one Chriftian Habit unfold and flourish, without the kindly Influences of his Grace.

As

As there is no Fruitfulness, fo likewife no Chearfulness, without the Sun.-When that aufpicious Sovereign of the Day, diffuses the Mildness of his morning Splendor, He creates an universal Feftival. Millions of glittering Infects awake into Existence, and baik in his Rays. The Birds start from their Slumbers, and pour their delighted Souls, in Harmony. The Flocks, with bleating Accents, hail the welcome Bleffing. The Valleys ring with rural Mufic; the Hills echo back the artlefs Strains. All that is vocal, joins in the general Choir : All that has Breath, exults in the chearing Influence. Whereas; was that radiant Orb extinguished, a tremendous Gloom would enfue, and Horror infupportable. Nay; let it only be eclipsed for a few Minutes; and all Nature affumes an Air of Sadness. The Heavens are wrapt in Sables, and put on a kind of Mourning. The moft fprightly Animals hang down their dejected Heads. The Songfters of the Grove are ftruck dumb.

Howl

ing Beasts roam abroad for Prey: Ominous Birds come forth and screech: The Heart of Man fails, or a fudden Pang feizes the foreboding

"The Sun, which is as the great Soul of the Univerfe, and produces all the Neceffaries of Life, has a particular Influence in chearing the Mind of Man, and making the Heart glad." Spect. Vol. V. No..

boding Mind. So, when CHRIST hides away his Face; when Faith lofes Sight of that Confolation of Ifrael; how gloomy are the Profpects of the Soul! Our GoD seems to be a confuming Fire, and our Sins cry loudly for Vengeance. The Thoughts bleed inwardly; the Chriftian walks heavily. All without is irksome; all within is difconfolate.-Lift up then, moft gracious JESUS, thou nobler DaySpring from on high! O lift up the Light of thy Countenance, upon thy People! Reveal the Fulness of thy mediatorial Sufficiency; make clear our Title to this great Salvation; and thereby impart

What nothing earthly gives, or can deftroy,
The Soul's calm Sun-fhine, and the Heart-feit
Joy*.

IN one Instance more, let me pursue the Similitude. The Sun, I observe, pours his Luftre all around; to every Distance, and in every Direction. Profufely liberal of his Gifts, He illuminates and chears all the Ends of the Earth, and the whole Compass of the Skies. The East reddens, with his rifing Radiance; and the western Hills, are gilded with his ftreaming Splendors. The chilly Regions of the North, are cherished by his genial Warmth; while

POPE'S Eth. Ep.

the

the fouthern Tracts, glow with his Fire.Thus, are the Influences of the Sun of Righteousnefs, diffufive and unconfined. The Generations of old felt them; and Generations yet unborn, will rejoice in them. The Merits of his precious Death extended to the firft, and will be propagated to the laft, Ages of Mankind.-May they, ere long, vifit the remotest Climates, and darkeft Corners of the Earth! Command thy Gofpel, bleffed JESUS, thy everlasting Gofpel, to take the Wings of the Morning, and travel with yonder Sun. Let it fly upon ftrong Pinions among every People, Nation, and Language. That, where the Heat fcorches, and the Cold freezes, Thou mayeft be known, confeffed, and adored! That Strangers to thy Name, and Enemies to thy Doctrine, may be enlightened with the Knowledge, and won to the Love, of thy Truth! O! may that beft of Eras come; that wifhed for Period advance; when All the Ends of the World fhall remember themselves, and be turned unto the LORD; and all the Kindreds of the Nations worship before him*.

FROM the Heavens, we retire to the Earth.Here, the Drops of Dew, like fo many liquid Crystalst, fparkle upon the Eye. How brilliant,

* Pfal. xxii. 27.

and

Now Morn, her rofy Steps in th' Eastern Glime
Advancing, fow'd the Earth with orient Pearl.

and unfullied, is their Luftre! How little inferior to the proud Stone, which irradiates a Monarch's Crown! They want nothing but Solidity and Permanency; to equal them with the finest Treafures of the Jeweller's Cafket.-Here, it must be confeffed, they are greatly deficient ; fhort-lived Ornaments; poffeffed of little more, than a momentary Radiance. The Sun that lights them up, will foon melt them into Air, or exhale them into Vapours. Within another Hour, we may "look for their Place, and they shall "be away."-O! may every good Refolution of mine, and of my Flocks; may our united Breathings after Go D, not be like thefe tranfient Decorations of the Morning; but like the fubftantial Glory of the growing Day! The one shines more and more, with augmented Splendors; while the other, having glittered gayly for a few Moments, disappear and are loft.

How fenfibly has this Dew refreshed the vegetable Kingdoms! The fervent Heat of Yefterday's Sun, had almost parched the Face, and exhaufted the Sweets, of Nature. But what a fovereign Restorative, are these cooling Diftillations of the Night! How they gladden, and invigorate, the languifhing Herbs! Sprinkled with these reviving Drops, their Verdure deepens; their Bloom is new flufhed; their Fragrance, faint or intermitted, becomes potent and copious. Thus does the ever-bleffed