4. The Cadi difcourfed with him upon different fub. jects, among which he occafionally introduced, as oppor tunity prefented, the highest encomiums on the wifdom and knowledge of the Dervife. When he thought he had gained his confidence by praises and flattery, he informed him that he had fent for him in order to give him the moft convincing proof of his refpect and esteem.

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5. An affair," fays the Cadi, "obliges me to be ab. fent for a few months;, I cannot truft my flaves, and I am defirous of putting my treafures into the hands of a man who, like you, enjoys an unfpotted reputation. If you can take charge of them, without impeding your own oc cupations, I fhall fend you to-morrow night my most valuable effects; but as this affair requires great fecrecy, I fhall order the faithfullest of my flaves to deliver them to you as a prefent which I make you."

6. On these words an agreeable fmile was diffufed over the countenance of the treacherous Dervife. He made a thousand reverences to the Cadi, thanked him for the confidence repofed in him, affured him in the ftrongest terms that he would preferve his treasures as the apple of his eye, and returned, hugging himself with joy at the thoughts of being able to over-reach the judge.

7. Next morning the merchant returned to the Cadi, and informed him of the obftinacy of the Dervife "Go back," faid the judge, "and if he perfift in his refufal, threaten that you will complain to me. I think you will not have occafion to repeat your menace

8. The merchant immediately haftened to the house of his debtor, and no fooner had he mentioned the name of the Cadi, than the Dervife, who was afraid of lofing the treasure that was about to be entrusted to his care, rettored the purfe, and fmiling, faid, "my dear friend, why should you trouble the Cadi? Your money was perfectly fecure in my hands; my refufal was only a piece of pleafantry. I was defirous of feeing how you would bear difappoint

ment."

9. The merchant was, however, prudent enough not to believe what he had heard, and returned to the Cadi, to thank him for the generous affiftance which he had given him. Night approached, and the Dervife prepared to re

ceive the expected treafure; but the night paffed and no flaves appeared. As foon as it was morning the Dervife repaired to the judge's houfe. "I am come to know, Mr. Cadi," faid he, "why you have not fent the flaves accor ding to promife?""

10. "Because I have learned from a merchant," said the judge, "that thou art a perfidious wretch, whom juf tice will punish as thou deferveft if a second complaint of the fame nature is brought against thee!" The Dervise, ftruck with this reproof, made a profound reverence, and retired with precipitation, without offering a fingle word in his own vindication.

I.

CHAPTER LXXXVII.

OF THE SCRIPTURES, AS THE RULE OF LIFE.

A

Addreffed to the Young.

S you advance in years and understanding, you will be able to examine for yourselves the evidences of the Chriftian Religion; and you will be convinced on rational grounds, of its divine authority. At prefent, fuch inquiries would demand more study and greater powers of reafoning, than your age admits. It is your duty, therefore, till you are capable of understanding the proofs, to believe your parents and teachers, that the holy fcriptures are writings infpired by GoD, containing a true hiftory of facts, in which we are deeply conce ned.

2. They contain a true recital of the laws given by GoD to Mofes, and of the precepts of our bleffed Saviour, delivered from his own mouth to his difciples, and repeated and enlarged upon in the edifying epifiles of his apostles, who were men chofen from amongst those who had the

* Christianity being the only true and perfect religion, and as in proportion as mankind adopt its principles, and obey its precepts, they will be wife and happy; and as the bible contains the knowledge of this religion, the following thirteen chapters are defigned to afflift the fcholar in the attainment of that most important knowledge, to be drawn from the scriptures. May heaven direct you in ftudying this facred volume, and render it the means of making you wife unto salvation.

advantage of converfing with our Lord, to bear witness of his miracles and refurrection; and who, after his afcenfion, were affisted and inspired by the Holy Ghoft.

3. This facred volume must be the rule of your life. In it you will find all truths neceffary to be believed; and plain and eafy directions for the practice of every duty. Your bible, then, must be your chief study and delight; but as it contains many various kinds of writings; fome parts obfcure and difficult of interpretation, others plain and intelligible to the meanest capacity, I would recommend chiefly to your frequent perufal fuch parts of the facred writings, as are moft adapted to your understanding, and most necessary for your instruction

4. Our Saviour's precepts were spoken to the common people amongst the Jews, and were, therefore, given in a manner easy to be understood, and equally ftriking and inAtractive to the learned and unlearned; for the most ignorant may comprehend them, whilft the wifeft must be charmed and awed by the beautiful and majeftic fimplicity with which they are expreffed.

5. Of the fame kind are the ten commandments, delivered by God to Mofes; which, as they were defigned for univerfal laws, are worded in the most concife and fimple manner yet with a majefty which commands our utmost reverence. I think you will receive great pleasure, as well as improvement, from the hiftorical books of the Old Teftament, provided you read them as an hiftory, in a regular courfe. No hiftory is more wonderful, interefting, and affecting; none more fimple in its diction, and is of all the most authentic.

6. I fhall give you fome brief directions, concerning the method and courfe beft to be purfued, in reading the holy fcriptures. May you be enabled to make the beft ufe of this most precious gift of God; this facred treasure of knowledge! May you read the bible, not as a dull task, nor as the employment of that day only, in which you are forbidden more lively entertainments; but with a fincere and ardent defire of inftruction; with that love and delight in God's word, which the holy Pfalmift so pathetically felt and defcribed, and which is the natural conft quence of loving GoD and virtue.

7. The having of fome general notion of what you are to expect from each book, may poffibly help you to understand them, and will heighten your relish for them.

The time

and manner in which children usually read the bible, are very ill calculated to make them really acquainted with it; and too many people who have read, without understand. ing it, in their youth, fatiffy themselves that they know enough of it, and never afterwards study it with attention, when they come to a maturer age.

1.

CHAPTER LXXXVIII.

OF GENESIS The Dodrine of Refignation and Faith. ENESIS contains the moft grand, and, to us, the

Gmost interesting events, that ever happened in

the univerfe; the creation of the world, and of man; the deplorable fall of man, from his first state of excellence and blifs, to the diftreffed condition in which we fee all his defcendants continue; the fentence of death pronounced on Adam, and on all his race, with the reviving promise of that deliverance, which has fince been wrought for us by our bleffed Saviour; the account of the early ftate of the world; of the universal deluge; the divifion of mankind into different nations and languages.

2. The ftory of Abraham, the founder of the Jewish people; whofe unfhaken faith and obedience, under the fevere trials human nature could fuftain, obtained fuch favor in the fight of God, that he vouchsafed to style him his friend, and promised to make his pofterity a great nation, and that in his seed, that is, in one of his defcendants, all the kingdoms of the earth fhould be bleffed. This, you will eafily see, refers to the Meffiah, who was to be the bleffing and deliverance of all nations.

3. It is amazing, that the Jews, poffeffing this prophecy, among many others, fhould have been fo blinded by prejudice, as to have expected, from this great perfonage, only a temporal deliverance of their own nation from the fubjection to which they were reduced under the Romans. It is equally amazing, that fome Chriftians should, even now, confine the bleffed effects of his appearance upon

earth, to this or to that particular fect or profeffion, when he is fo clearly and emphatically defcribed as the Saviour of the whole world.

4. The story of Abraham's proceeding to facrifice his only fon, at the command of God, is affecting in the higheft degree; sets forth a pattern of unlimited refignation, that every one ought to imitate, in thofe trials of obedience under temptation, or of acquiefcence under afflicting dispenfations, which fall to their lot. Of this we may be asfured, that our trials will always be proportioned to the powers afforded us. If we have not Abraham's ftrength of mind, neiher fhall we be called upon to lift the bloody knife against an holy child; but if the almighty arm should be lifted up against him, we must be ready to refign him, and all we hold dear, to the divine will.

5. This action of Abraham has been cenfured by fome, who do not attend to the distinction between obedience to a fpecial command, and the deteftably cruel facrifices of the heathens, who fometimes voluntarily, and without any divine injunctions, offered up their own children, under the notion of appeafing the anger of their gods. An abfolute command from God himfelf, as in the cafe of Abraham, entirely alters the moral nature of the action; fince he, and he only, has a perfect right over the lives of his creatures, and may appoint whom he will, either angel or man, to be his inftrument of destruction.

6. That it was really the voice of God which pronounced the command, and not a delusion, might be made certain to Abraham's mind, by means we do not comprehend, but which we know to be within the power of Him, who made our fouls as well as bodies, and who can control and direct every faculty of the human mind. We may be asfured, that if he was pleafed to reveal himself so miraculoufly, he would not leave a poffibility of doubting whether it was a real or an imaginary revelation.

7. Thus the facrifice of Abraham appears to be clear of all fuperftition; and remains the nobleft inftance of religious faith and fubmiffion that was ever given by a mere man. We cannot wonder that the bleffings bestowed on him for it, fhould have been extended to his pofterity,