mer Cafe, they are like a Candle fet on a Candleftick; in the latter, they are like a Torch placed in the Thatch.

Ther. In what Refpects can they be pernicious?

Afp. I will mention two. We shall never be like the Church, who comes up from the Wilderness, leaning upon her Beloved *; fo long as We bolfter up Ourselves, with a Conceit of perfonal Righteousness. This was the Error, the fatal Error of the Pharifees. This the Film, which blinded the Eyes of their Mind; and fealed them up, under the Darkness of final Unbelief.

Befides, my dear Theron: If You expect to be faved by your own Duties, You will be loth to fee the worst of your Condition. To fee the worst of your Condition, will be a Dagger to your Hopes, and as Death to your Soul. You will therefore be inclined to daub with untempered Mortar +. Inftead of acknowledging the deep Depravity of your Nature, and the numberless Iniquities of your Life, You will invent a thousand Excuses, to palliate your Guilt. And, by this Means, erect a Wall of Partition, between your Soul and the Merits of your REDEEMER. Which will be a greater Inconvenience, a more deftructive Evil, than to cut off all Supply of Provifion from an Army encamped, or even to intercept the Sun-beams from vifiting the Earth.

Ther. Now you talk of Armies, I muft obferve; That, though I have scarce been able to keep my Ground, in this argumentative Action, I cannot allow You the Honour of a Victory. As a Retreat is very different from a Rout.

Afp. I would also remark, that my Friend has changed the intended Plan of our Operations. Has almost continually acted upon the Offensive. While my Part has been only to fuftain the Shock. At our next Encounter, You may expect to have the Order of Battle reversed. I fhall direct my Forces to begin the Charge. Put Yourself therefore in Readiness for a brisk Attack.

Ther. You act the fair Enemy, Afpafio, I must confefs; in thus giving the Alarm, before You make the Affault.

Afp. This Hoftility may appear fairer ftill, when I affure You, that my Weapons aim not at the Deftruction of your Comfort, or the Demolition of any valuable Intereft. Only they would be mighty, through GOD, to pull down the Strong-holds of Unbelief; and bring every felf-exalting, every rebellious Thought, captive unto CHRIST*. Captive, in a profeffed Submiffion to his Righteousness, as well as a dutiful Subjection to his Commands.—And, when fuch is the Tendency of the Campaign, it will be your greatest Advantage, to lose the Victory +. It will be better than a Triumph, to acknowledge Yourself vanquished.

DIALOGUE VIII.

THERON.

UR laft Converfation ended with a Challenge. To decline or delay the Acceptance of it, would look like Cowardice in me, and be a Piece of Injustice to You, Afpafio. Therefore, I am now ready to give You all the Satisfaction, which a Gentleman can demand.-Only as the Weather continues hazy, I believe, my Study must be the Place of Action.

Afp. A Challenge! Theron

Ther. What, Sir! Do You boggle? Would You eat your Words, and play the Poltroon?

Afp. Perhaps, I may have an Inclination to follow the Example of a Brother Hero; who ran away from the Field of Battle, juft as his Comrades were advancing to charge the Enemy. And when called to an Account for his Behaviour, right worthily alledged; That his Retreat proceeded, not from

*

any

* Retreat-Bengelius thinks, there is fuch an Air of Self-adulation, and vain Pretence, in the Word used by the

A a 4

any Timidity of Mind; no, but from a Concern for the public Good." For, quoth He, if they "had knocked my Brains out to-day, how should "I have been able to fight for my Country to"morrow?"

You smile, Theron, at my doughty Warrior, and his fage Maxim. But, fince You have glanced at a certain modish Custom, give me Leave very seriously to affure You; That, if the Affair was to be determined by Sword and Pistol, I should reckon such a Conduct, a refolute Refusal at least, not at all unmanly, but the truly wife and gallant Behaviour. For furely, it can never be an Inftance of Wisdom, to hazard my Life, at the mere Caprice of a turbulent Ruffian; who is a Stranger to all the Principles of Humanity and Generofity, but a Slave, an abandoned Slave, to his own ungovernable Paffions.-Surely, it can never be an Act of real Bravery, to expofe my Perfon; because some fool-hardy Practitioner in the Fencing-school, is defperate enough to risk his. -The Gentleman, the true Gentleman, fhould exert a becoming Dignity of Spirit; and scorn to set his Welfare on a Level, with that of an inconfiderate and barbarous Bully *.

Ther.

He could not brook the

the unclean Spirit, Matt. xii. 44. Enλbov, exivi. Sic loquitur, quafi non ejectum. Vide Superbiam! He fays not, I was caft out, but I came out. former Expreffion. His Pride was too great to confefs the Truth, or to declare the Thing as it is."

*

Afpafio calls the Perfon who gives the Challenge, a Bully. And fuch, notwithstanding all the Maxims of fantastical and falfe Honour, He will certainly be found, when tried at the Bar of Reason or Juftice. For, if the most impetuous, irrational, and brutal Barbarity is allowed to conftitute a Bully, He has an indifputable Title

to

Ther. But Honour, my Afpafio, Honour is at stake. Better to lofe our Life, than forfeit our Reputation. Better to be in a Grave, than to be the Jeft of every Coffee-houfe; and perhaps pointed at, as We pass the Streets, for mean-spirited, sneaking, or, as the Gentlemen of the Sword so elegantly speak, whitelivered Animals.

Afp. Forfeit our Reputation! Amongst whom, I befeech You?-A few rash and precipitate Creatures: The Pupils of La Mancha's Knight: The Sons of Chimera and Cruelty. Who, by affociating the Notion of Cowardice, with the Practice of forgiving Injuries; have attempted to bring into Difrepute, the most generous Act of the human Mind. Whofe Principles are, I fay not, a Departure from the Precepts of Religion, but a Difgrace to Reason, and the Reproach of common Sense. Whose Applause, therefore, is Infamy; and their Detraction the highest Praise they can bestow.

From every judicious and worthy Perfon, your Conduct will be fure to gain Approbation, and your Character Efteem. When Cæfar received a Challenge from Anthony, to engage Him in fingle Combat, He very calmly answered the Bearer of the Meffage; If Anthony is weary of Life, tell Him, there are other Ways to Death, befides the Point of my

Sword.

to the Character; who, on account of a mere Punctilio, or fome flight Affront, would deftroy a Life, which might be of Service to Society-might be a Bleffing to various Relatives and is intimately connected with a blissful or miferable Immortality.

* This Kind of Gentry are styled-in a Book, with which they have little or no Acquaintance; but whofe Maxims will be had in Reverence, when their Names are loft in Oblivion The Sons of Blufter, or The Children of Noife, Jer. xlviii. 45.

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