and Mr. Clifford, and I, and every body else, are reprobates. Tell the truth, Madam; is not that your sentiment?

I have no right, answered I, to say, that the greatest sinner on earth is a reprobate; since mercy is proclaimed in the gospel to the chief of sinners. Nor has any person on earth reason to conclude himself a reprobate, unless he have formed a settled resolution to trample under foot the blood of the Saviour; and even thousands, I am persuaded, of this description, have had their fetters knocked off, and have been brought into the glorious light and liberty of the sons of God. You perceive, Sir, I do not confine the number of those who will be saved, to myself and nine or ten more, as you say I do.

I beg, Mr. Barnwell, said Mr. Clifford, you will not interrupt us. You will oblige me, Madam, by resuming the subject.

I have told you, Sir, replied I, or I meant to tell you, that the whole of divine revelation is little more than an account of the methods which God has taken to accomplish his promise, that the seed of the woman should bruise the head of the serpent. Abraham was informed that this. seed, in which all the families of the earth were to be blessed, would descend from him. The sacrifices under the law, were the gospel preached to the Israelites. And all the prophets, though they lived in different ages, agreed in declaring, that a glorious Personage would arise for the deliverance of Israel and of the Gentiles: yet they seemed to damp the hopes of the Jews, by showing them that he would be a sufferer, as well as a lawgiver and deliverer. If that people had understood these prophecies, they would not have been fulfilled: but they almost universally expected that the Messiah would deliver them. from the Roman yoke, and make them a great and flourishing nation. These prejudices were not eradicated from the breasts of the disciples till after the resurrection of Christ. It is plain from the prophetic writings, examined without prejudice, that the Messiah came to destroy the kingdom of Satan; and that, though he was to exalt his followers, they were not to be great in the present world. The life, death, resurrection, and ascension of the Saviour, exactly correspond to the prophecies concerning him. If it be asked, why then the Jews did not believe? answer,

The prophet Isaiah had long before declared that the divine report would not be believed: that the Messiah would be despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and that his nation would hide their faces from, and despise him. Surely, says the same prophet, he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. It appears to me, Sir, continued I, that the world was created with no other view than that it might be the stage of this grand transaction, compared with which, the sun, moon, and stars, yea, heaven and earth, and angels and men, hide their diminished heads. Believe me, Sir, I would not, for one year only, be in that state of doubt and uncertainty wherein you are, if I might be made empress of the globe.

I believe you, said he, to be in earnest: but your years are nothing. The older you grow, the less able you will be to believe such things as shock your reason. Alas, my child, this earth is a mole-hill if compared with the sun, or with some of the planets which revolve around him: and what are they when compared with the universe! I have always thought it a very sublime expression of the prophet Isaiah, that in comparison of the Deity, the nations are as the drop of a bucket. Reason tells us, that you and I, and even our earth and all its inhabitants, are infinitely beneath his notice; yea, more so than the ants in a mole-hill are beneath ours.

We never run into greater errors, Sir, replied I, than when we measure the Almighty by ourselves. You think if you were so great, you would not condescend to regard things so small. Against such condescension your reason revolts. But reason itself became depraved, and unreasonable, at the fall of our first parents. They reasoned so badly as to imagine that they could hide themselves from the divine presence among the trees of the garden. But when

God has renewed us in the spirit of our mind, after his own image, then our reason and divine revelation begin to speak nearly the same language. I believe, therefore, nothing but what is agreeable to my reason. My reason tells me, that however I may disregard the ants in a mole-hill, their Maker does not disregard them, nor yet the smallest microscopic animalcule, shoals of which sport in a drop of water. He would not have created them unless to answer some valuable end, though we, perhaps, are unacquainted with it; nor would he otherwise continue to open his munificent hand, and to give them their meat in due season. With regard to mankind, the most High having given them ability to contemplate both himself and his works, it is reasonable to suppose that he intends to enlarge the number of the Angelic armies from the human race. As to the small spot which we inhabit, peradventure it is the nursery of the universe; and with respect to our weakness, and our wants, they teach us that we can never be above a state of humble dependence. Humility is a virtue of all others the best adapted for the benefit of society, and the best calculated to make us proper companions for him who is infinitely condescending, and who abhors the proud above all other sinners. The character of Jesus Christ was the character of the invisible Jehovah ; for he was the brightness of his glory, and the express moral image of his person. If, therefore, he became a descendant of David at a time when the posterity of that prince were reduced to low circumstances, and if he entered his dominions in a stable, we may cease to wonder that he condescended to visit so small a part of his works as this earth.

If I grant all this, answered Mr. Clifford, yet it is highly unreasonable to suppose, that the only-begotten and well-beloved Son of God should come into this world upon so unnecessary an errand as that of making an atonement for sins which had been, and which would be committed. Is it credible that a good and gracious Being would be so inexorable as not to pardon sinners upon repentance, except one suffered for their crimes, and he no less a person than his equal, God manifest in flesh, as Christians term hin, and, indeed, justly, if what they call revelation be true? This is to circumscribe the power of the Deity, and

to make it less than that of an earthly magistrate, who can pardon offenders upon the hopes of amendment.

I am persuaded, Sir, replied I, that Satan, when he had seduced our first parents, supposed that their ruin was inevitable, and that it was beyond the power of God to restore them to his favour. An earthly magistrate can, and frequently does pardon very atrocious crimes; however, when he does so, justice itself suffers. But our God cannot imitate his creatures in doing wrong; for a power to act improperly and unjustly would imply weakness and imperfection. Therefore, if God saved sinners, it was necessary he should do it in a way of justice; and as, in all his works with which we are acquainted, he has done every thing in the nearest as well as the best way, my reason tells me, that no cheaper remedy could have been provided for fallen creatures than the Redeemer's obeying and dying in their stead.

I confess, young lady, said he, that you have confuted me; but I am not convinced. For I have many times wished, and even prayed, that if I did wrong in rejecting Jesus of Nazareth, God would strike me with some heavy judgment, that I might be convinced of my crime, though I paid ever so dearly for it; but no judgment has been inflicted upon me.

An atheist, Sir, replied I, might argue in a similar manner, and might say, If there be a God, why does he not avenge himself upon me, seeing I deny his existence ? I will give the same answer to you which I should give to him. You must surely think yourself a person of considerable consequence, to suppose that the Creator of the world will go out of his way, to inflict a judgment upon you whenever you please to call for it. Be assured, Sir, that God will proceed in his own way, and that at a proper time he will call you to an account, although for the present he exercise forbearance towards you, and notwithstanding you abuse that forbearance to your greater destruction.

My friend, cried Mr. Barnwell, (looking at Mr. Clifford,) you may as well be silent. When did you ever

know a woman at a loss for words? I mind all that has been said just as much as I should a presbyterian sermon. And you, Miss Neville, had better spare your breath. you think to make a convert of this gentleman, you will

If

find yourself egregiously disappointed.

He is a very honest man already; and I do not know what he can be

more.

These ladies, said Mr. Clifford, are very able considering their years, to defend their sentiments: but I believe, friend Barnwell, it is too late in the day for you and me to think of altering for the better. However, ladies, I humbly thank you for the agreeable conversation you have been the occasion of.

Since I wrote the above, Mr. Pink and his daughters have drank tea here. Miss Pink, I could perceive, watched every opportunity to say something smart; and, to do her justice, she does not want that kind of wit which qualifies a person for shining in company. Your niece has since told me, that she once thought this character to be the summit of excellence, and imagined she had some pretensions to it herself. But, added she, I desire to value nothing now but as it contributes to promote the divine glory, and my own everlasting felicity.

Miss Barnwell and I, in dressing our heads, had not scrupulously adhered to the mode. I do not think it right to aim at singularity: at the same time I never intend to be a slave to fashion, especially so absurd a one as that of enlarging the head to twice its natural size.

Miss Pink could not avoid showing her wit at our expense. Once she asked if we had escaped out of some nunnery; at another time, if we intended to lead the fashion.. But, cried she archly, though you have lowered your top-sails, ladies, you will find it a difficult matter to move contrary to the wind.

I replied, that if we did not move contrary to the course of this world, we should be in danger of a greater shipwreck than she perhaps was aware of.

Whatever became of her, she said, she should like a good deal of company.

You have nothing to do then, replied I, but to keep straight forward in the path you seem to have taken.

My stay here, if God permit, will be eight or nine days more; in which time I hope to be favoured with a letter from my friend.

Dear Madam,

I am, with great esteem,

Your very humble servant,

EUSEBIA NEVILLE.