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and friendly to one another; and to all they have any acquaintance with. They are vi fibly God's workmanship, created in Chrift Jefus. They live in a federal union with the Deity by Chrift their master.

But you may fay perhaps, is not this fervice too fhort and fimple for any christiansAnd, if it were fufficient, would it not render the priesthood unneceffary? These are queftions, Jewks, that I fhall not presume to answer. As to the clergy, I gave you my opinion of them in a note at the beginning of my letter, and have only to add, in relation to them, that fuch paftors as live intirely by the rule of the gofpel, as under God's eye now, and in view of a life to come; who have little or no concern with the things of this world, and make it the fole labor of their every day to reduce every object and precept of the faith to practice, and promote among mankind a confcientious walking with God.Such minifters, in my mind, are of high

In this manner does this great doctor treat true chriftians, and call them an infernal hoft, who appear for the peerlefs majefty of God, and the character of his chofen fervant, Jefus the Mediator. He would hang us and damn us, if he had a power equal to his malice. He would fink the New Teftament, if that was poffible, to advance the creed of Athanafius, and the fyftem of Hutchinfon.

In note 18, before referred to, you will find some obfervations on this divine's writings, The Chriftian Plan-and Elibu.

importance to fociety, and fhould by the commonwealth be enabled to live in peace, with contentment and tranquillity under their roof: But as fuch men, Heu res Chriftiana! are very few, and we are miferable under orthodox defenders, all-grafping teacher's, beauapofiles, and powdered-prigs, I cannot help thinking, that in the prefent deplorable ftate of christianity, we should be better than we afe, if we had no other minifters than fuch as every way would refemble the poor pious priest, who officiates among the innocent Scalpians. Paftors, like him, might prove more useful to the world than men who ma nifeft a difpofition to every thing but univer fal goodnels. It is poffible we might then fee, what will not be feen in my time, a reverential fear of God, and continued endeavours to do good, in all the intelligent creatures of this land.

As to the shortnefs of the Scalpian fervice, I fhall only fay, that it has a tendency to anfwer all the various particular occafions of the chriftian life. The Apoftles Creed is Creed enough for any chriftian but an orthodox fpirit. The Lord's Prayer is all that even the papifts could recover of Peter's Miffal. Nuda primo bac erant, et omnia fimpliciter tractabantur, Petrus ubi confecraverat, oratione Pater Nofter ufus eft: Thefe are the words of Platina. And as to the few connected

verfes,

verfes, from the Epiftle to the Galatians, repeated by the young people of Scalpa, they are a beautiful table of what we are to believe of God and his Christ; and of what we are to avoid and purfue, in going through life. They are a leffon more heavenly and excellent than the finest fermon I have ever heared.

The things which next engaged my attention in Scalpa, were fome very fine natural curiofities; and the moft extraordinary old woman in the world I believe, who is a native of this little ifland. She is past a hundred, and has a memory, a judgment, an eye-fight, and a quickness that are astonishing. But it is not in my power to defcribe these things at prefent, as my very postscript is already almoft out of measure. For the curiofities then, I muft refer you to note 19; and for the history of Mrs. Macmuirgein of Scalpa, to note 20. You will find them both at the end of my fecond letter.

All I have to add is, that after nine days confinement with thefe poor islanders, by the boisteroufnefs of the weather, we returned in fafety at laft to our friends in the Green Ifland, who were greatly rejoyced at our arrival, for they thought we had perifhed. Mrs. Schomberg must be at the bottom, they concluded, as one of the people of Scal-,

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Scalpa had been with them the day after we departed, and had seen no strangers in his country. We were indeed on the brink of destruction, and had as great a deliverance as ever mortals met with. Exclufive of a high wind at sea, a little after we set off in the leather skiff, there was no living many minutes in fuch a veffel, when night and a tempest came on, as they did juft af ter we were thrown by good fortune on the lone island we lay by in. This fpot of land in the ocean we had not the leaft notion of. We had no expectation of meeting with any fuch place till we drove upon the breakers that furround it. It was therefore a great favor of divine providence. It was the invifible arm alone that brought our boat into this fecure harbour. God is a deliverer of thofe who fear him. The fands upon the winding fhores are not fo numerous as the excellent mercies of the Lord.

The gracious hand of God does wonders The conmany a time for those who have received the clufion, fpirit of adoption, and under the influences of it are full of filial affection. If we manifeft upon all occafions a fiducial truft and relyance upon the fupreme power and goodnefs, that ever-glorious Being who governs and controuls all things, and makes all things fubfervient to his purposes, is often pleased to display his undeferved mercy in fa

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vor of his poor humble creatures; and freclufion. quently relcues the contrite ones from ruin, and the most dreadful dangers. He fhews himself a very present help in the time of trouble.

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Fewks, the cry is against religion, in this of modern heathenifm. But do you bravely dare to become obedient to the faith, and to fecure by a religious life the favor of the bleffed God. Then you may expect the fuccessful difpenfations of providence, if you traverse the ocean, or the wilds of Africa, in fearch of wisdom or on lawful business ; unless it be more profitable for you to taste the cup of affliction. It is religion that engages the mercy and goodness of the great difpofer of all things. The omnipotent protector, whofe dominion is univerfal, whose authority is incontrolable, will give his little flock falvation and deliverance: Or, being filled by religion with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, they are ftrengthened with all might, in the time of tribulation, unto all patience and fuffering with joyfulness. Happy fouls, who have religion! They are often fet free from occurring scenes of confufion, and delivered from impending storms of violence. They always enjoy the inftigation, direction, and powerful affiftance of the holy, blessed, and fanctifying spirit.

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