to turn, a blow from the tail, fends it about; but if the tail ftrikes both ways, then the motion is progreffive. [To be continued.] EXTRACTS from LOCKE on HUMAN UNDERSTANDING; with fhort REMARKS. "Sect. 49. Of POWER. [Continued from Vol. V. page 648.] IF F we look upon thofe fuperior Beings above us, who enjoy perfect happiness, we shall have reafon to judge, that they are more fleadily determined in their choice of good, than we; and yet we have no reason to think they are lefs happy, or lefs free, than we are. And if it were fit for fuch poor finite creatures as we are, to pronounce what infinite Wifdom and Goodness could do, I think, we might fay, that God himself cannot chufe what is not good; the freedom of the Almighty hinders not his being determined by what is beft. "Sect. 50. But to give a right view of this mistaken part of Liberty, let me afk, Would any one be a changeling, because he is lefs determined by wife confiderations, than a wife man? Is it worth the name of Freedom to be at liberty to play the Fool, and draw fhame and misery upon a man's felf? If to break loofe from the conduct of Reason, and to want that refraint of examination and judgment, which keeps us from chuling or doing the worfe, be Liberty, true Liberty, then Mad-men, and Fools are the only Free-men: but yet I think, no body would chufe to be mad for the fake. of fuch Liberty, but he that is mad already. The constant defire of happinefs, and the conflraint it puts upon us to act for for it, no body, I think, accounts an abridgment of Liberty, or at least an abridgment of Liberty to be complained of. God Almighty himself is under the neceflity of being happy; and the more any intelligent being is fo, the nearer is its approach to infinite perfection and happiness. That in this ftate of ignorance we fhort-fighted creatures might not miftake true felicity, we are endowed with a power to suspend any particular defire, and keep it from determining the will, and engaging us in action. This is ftanding fill, where we are not fufficiently affured of the way: examination is confulting a Guide. The determination of the will, upon enquiry, is following the direction of that Guide: and he that has a power to act, or not to act according as fuch determination directs, is a free agent; such determination abridges not that power wherein Liberty confifls. He that has his chains knocked off, and the prifon-doors fet open to him, is perfectly at Liberty, because he may either go or flay, as he beft likes; though his preference be determined to stay, by the darkness of the night, or illness of the weather, or want of other lodging. He ceafes not to be free; though the defire of fome convenience to be had there, abfolutely determines his preference, and makes him stay in his prifon. [To be continued.] བཟུལ་ཕུལ་ཆུས་འ An Account of the PASSIONS, or NATURAL AFFECTIONS: extracted from Dr. Watts. 24. I UNIVERSAL DIRECTIONS about the PASSIONS. [Concluded from Vol. V. page 651.] "1. Never Proceed now to the religious Directions. and danger of any of your vicious Paffions, till your nature be be renewed by divine grace, till there be a thorough and univerfal change wrought in you, till you have obtained firm inward principles of univerfal holiness. If you would have the fruit good, it is in vain to break off irregular buds or lop the branches; but the Tree itself must be made good, in order to bear good Fruit. "2. Give yourself no reft till the love of God has gained the fupreme place in your heart. Love is the ruling passion, and if that be fixt upon the beft object, it will keep all the other paffions in due order and subjection. "3. Keep your Confcience tender: maintain a holy jealoufy of yourselves, and a constant fear of offending God: by this means your fpirit will be perpetually awakened and alarmed, when an evil paffion begins to ftir, or when you are near the place or moment of danger, or within the reach of temptation. "4. Set God always before you in his majefty and mercy. Let an awful and comfortable fenfe of his immediate prefence at all times, and in all places, be a fovereign guard upon all the unruly motions of your fpirit. This will suppress rifing Pride and Envy, Anger and Malice: this will be a fure defence against the tyranny of foolish or finful Fear, as well as a sweet support under heavy Sorrows, and an affectual means to restrain them from excefs. "5. Commit your foul, with all its powers and paffions, to the keeping of Christ, in this state of infirmity and union to flesh and blood. He knows what it is to wear a body of flesh, what its various ferments and emotions, though in him these were all pure and innocent. He is a compaffionate HighPrieft, who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, having himself been tempted in all things like us, as far as innocence would permit; and he is exalted and ordained of God to take care of feeble man, wrestling with strong temptations. "6. When 68 6. Whenever you feel a Paffion arife, and are doubtful whether it be fit to be indulged or no, make a trial of it in prayer, by appealing to God concerning it: fee whether it will bear that teft, even the test of a tender Conscience near the throne of God. "7. Make every irregular Paffion a matter of humble mourning before the mercy-feat: pray earnestly for fupplies of daily ftrength against the irregular efforts of nature; cry for help from above, whenever you are combating with your unruly Affections. God has promifed fufficient aid. His grace can enable you both to conquer, and to bear vaftly beyond the feeble powers of your own nature. Reason and Refolution will do much; but Religion is a divine fpring of ftrength and victory." [To be continued.] [From the Title of the following Effay, one might be inclined to think, that it was only an ingenious trifle, a matter of mere amusement. But upon a ferious and attentive confideration, it will appear to be far otherwise. It is a vindication of the wisdom and goodness of God, in an instance that few advert to, that even pious perfons fuffer to pass unnoticed, if they are not rather prejudiced against it. But whoever calmly and impartially weighs what is here advanced, will foon lay aside those prejudices. Truth will break through the mifts of vulgar Errors, and fhine clear as the noon-day.] An Extract from a Book entitled, FREE THOUGHTS on the BRUTE CREATION. [By JOHN HILLDROP, D. D.] 1. THE Apostle tells us, by Faith we underfland that the things which are feen (this whole vifible world, with all its various inhabitants and productions) were made out of VOL. VI. E things things which are not feen. By the infinite wisdom, goodness, and power of the Almighty, the world with all its inhabitants, was produced; all the fubjects of the animal and vegetable kingdoms, and all the innumerable fpecies, and families of birds, beafts, and fifhes, reptiles, and infects, all that live upon the earth, fly through the air, or sport themselves in the great Abyfs, from Behemoth and Leviathan to the fmallest insect. The very leaft and meaneft, as well as the greateft, are all the work of God, formed by infinite wifdom and power. 2. Mofes defcribes the creation of the fishes and fowls out of the waters, as the work of the fourth day. Gen. i. 20, 21, 22, God faid, let the waters bring forth abundantly, the moving creature that hath life, or (as it is more truly rendered in the margin) a foul; and fowls that may fly above the earth, in the open firmament of heaven; and God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly after their kind, and every winged foul after his kind and God faw that it was good. The beafts and reptiles produced out of the earth, were the work of the fifth day, ver. 24. And God faid, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was fo. And God made the beaft of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God Jaw that it was good. They were all pronounced to be good, yea, very good, being the productions of infinite wisdom and goodness, of the most exquifite beauty, the most delicate proportion, without defect, without fuperfluity, exactly fitted and enabled to answer the various purposes of their creation, to execute the will of their Creator, to minifter to the delight and fervice of man, and contribute to the beauty and harmony of the universal system. 3. Thele were the first inhabitants of Paradife, in which they were fettled by their Maker with a special bleffing to increafe |