The ftory of Ha riot Noel. obtain the favor of God promised to Chrifians are exprefsly declared. If this was not the cafe --- if things abfolutely necessary were not expreffly proclaimed to be fo, the gospel revelation would be no rule at all (1). 13. But it is time to tell my reader the ftory of the beautiful Harriot Noel, which I promised in my third memorandum. On (1) To the plain and fatisfactory method of feeking for the faith in the facred books, there are many adversaries and many objections raised. There are (fays a great man) a very numerous body of Chriftians who know no other guides but the living guides of the prefent church; and acknowledge no other faith, for the faith once delivered to the faints, but that which is now delivered to them by their prefent rulers, as fuch. To eftablifh this point, the greater part of thefe lay down the infallibility of the prefent church, and of every man of the paft ages, through whofe mouth, or by whofe hands, the prefent traditions of faith have defcended to them. And this, indeed, would be a very good method, if that fingle proof of infallibility could be proved. But this is a point fo grofs, and fo utterly void of all proof, that a great body of the Chriftian world, have broke loofe from the power of this monfter, and declared for the New Teftament itfelf, as the only guide or rule of faith; the only deliverer of the faith to us of later ages. When this comes however to be put in practice, too many of the fame perfons who fet the fcriptures up as the only guide, turn round on a fudden, and let us know that they mean by it, not thefe facred original writings themfelves, but the interpretations, or fense, put upon them by our fpiritual fuperiors, to which we are bound to fubmit, and put under an obligation to On the glorious first of August, before the beafts were roufed from their lodges, or the birds find that to be the truth which is taught by these leaders. But to this we reply with reafon, that though we ought to pay a regard of ferious attention to those whose bufinefs it is to find out and difpenfe the truth, and Thew the refpect of a due examination of what they affirm; yet we muft not yield the fubmiffion due only to infallibility. It is our glory not to fubmit to the voice of any man. We must reserve that regard, for God, and for Chrift, in matters of faith once delivered to the Saints. Others, again, of the reformed, tell us, that the furer way of knowing what was delivered near eighteen hundred years ago, is to take the original faith from the Councils and Fathers, grave and good men, who met and writ for the fettling of the faith. And to this we anfwer, that thefe wife and good men cannot give fo good an account of the faith contained in the original books as the books themselves which contain it. To give an example to the purpose. If we would know the doctrine of the Church of England at the reformation, it is not the writings of any particular divines, many years after that period, that we must confult; or any affembly of them; but the authentic acts, and declarations, and fermons, made and recorded at the time; for many of the doctrines thought effential at the reformation, have been fince changed by gradual alterations; by explainers ufing their own ftile and manner of expreffion, and introducing their own scheme of philofophy, and judgment in commenting, into the fcheme of doctrine to be explained. This produces great variation from what was once fettled. What was once esteemed fundamental is thereby altered. — Let this be applied to the firft Chriftian writers, after the Apostles were departed, and as their language and birds had foared upwards, to pour forth their morning harmony; while the mountains and the groves were overshadowed by a dun obfcurity, and the dawn ftill dappled the drowfy Eaft with fpots of grey; in fhort, before the fun was up, or, with his aufpicious prefence, began to animate inferior nature, I left my chamber, and with my gun and dog, went out to wander over a pleasant country. The different aspects and the various points of view were charming, as the light in fleecy rings encreafed; and when the whole flood of day defcended, the imbellished early fcene was a fine entertainment. Delighted with the beauties of this morning, I climbed up the mountains, and travelled through many a valley. The game was plenty, and for full five hours, I journeyed onward, without knowing where I was going, or thinking of a return to college. About nine o'clock however I began to grow very hungry, and was looking round to fee if I could difcover any proper habi philofophy were various, and they differed from one another, great variations must creep into the doctrines delivered by them. It follows then, that nothing but what is recorded in the firft original books themselves can be firm and ftable to us in points of faith. the original books only we can find the faith, without that confufion and darkness, which human explications and additions have brought in by way of light. In tation to my purpose, when I obferved in a valley, at fome distance, fomething that looked like a manfion. That way therefore I moved, and with no little difficulty, as I had a precipice to defcend, or must go a mile round, to arrive at the place I wanted: down therefore I marched, got a fall by the way that had like to have deftroyed me, and after all, found it to be a fhed for cattle. The bottom however was very beautiful, and the fides of the hills fweetly copsed with little woods. The valley is fo divided, that the rifing fun gilds it on the right hand, and when declining, warms it on the left. Veniens dextrum latus afpiciat Sol, Lævum difcedens curru fugiente vaporet. A pretty brook here likewise babbles along, and even Hebrus ftrays not round Thrace with a purer and cooler ftream. Fons etiam rivo dare nomen idoneus, ut nec In this sweet and delicious folitude, I crept A Country on for fome time, by the fide of the mur- Seat. muring ftream, and followed as it winded through the vale, till I came to a little harmonick building, that had every charm and pro proportion architecture could give it. It was fituated on a rifing ground in a broad part of the fruitful valley, and furrounded with a garden, that invited a penfive wanderer to roam in its delightful retreats, and walks amazingly beautiful. Every fide of this fine fpot was planted thick with underwood, and kept fo low, as not to prevent a profpect to every pleafing remote object. Finding one of the garden doors left open, I entred immediately, and to screen my self from the fcorching beams of the fun, got into an imbowered way, that led me to a large fountain, in a ring or circular opening, and from thence, by a gradual, easy, shady ascent, to a femicircular amphitheatre of ever-greens, that was quite charming. In this were feveral feats for ease, repast, or retirement; and at either end of it a rotunda or temple of the Ionick order. One of them was converted into a grotto or fhell-houfe, in which a politeness of fancy had produced and blended the greatest beauties of nature and decoration. The other was a library, filled with the finest books, and a vast variety of mathematical inftruments. Here I faw Mifs Noel fitting, and fo intent at writing, that she did not take any notice of me, as I ftood at the window, in aftonishment looking at the things before me, and especially at the amazing |