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and a third at Newton Burhill, in
Devonshire; all these she left in
the hands of trustees, or to her ex-
ecutrix, for their original purpose.
She united with others also
in purchasing meetinghouses in
different parts of England. To
some able and faithful ministers,
whose congregations were in poor
circumstances, she paid the whole
of their salaries; to others, a stat-
ed annual sum in part; to many,
occasional donations, as she saw
them needful. She educated ma-
ny young men of piety for the ho-
ly ministry. Sensible that igno-
rance and irreligion, idleness and
vice, go together, she founded and
endowed schools, and set on foot
manufactories for the poor. In
private, the widow and the father-
less, the stranger and the distress-
ed, experienced her abundant be-
neficence. To enable her to
prosecute these schemes of be-
nevolence, she herself carefully
looked into all her affairs, and
studied the strictest economy;
and though her dress, her table,
her attendants, her equipage, al-
ways corresponded to her station,
vet she denied herself the splen-
dour which her fortune and rank
could well have afforded and ex-
́cused. She knew the world too
well, not to expect its hatred and
reproach for a zealous and consis-
tent profession of the gospel; but
her natural fortitude and great-
ness of soul, and the force of re-
ligion on her heart, rendered this
of small consequence in her esti-
mation: more than most christ-
ians, she gloried in the cross of
Christ. The falsehood and ill-na-
ture, which some time were prop-
agated against her, she made the
subject of the most refined and in-
nocent pleasantry. Full of plans
for the glory of God, and good of
men, and busy in the prosecution
of them, this excellent lady arriv-

ed in Edinburgh from Bath where
she had spent the winter, in the be-
ginning of the summer 1786. Her
friends observed, with concern, her
She
declining state of health.
spoke much to them of death, and
of her persuasion that, with her, it
was near; and uniformly express-
ed her satisfaction and joy at the
Her conversation was
prospect.

nevertheless as easy, pleasant and
cheerful, as ever. Religion, in
her, was not the production of
gloom, either during the progress,
or in the near views of the termi-
nation of life. Almost her last
words were, " if this is dying, it is
the easiest thing imaginable.'
Disease prevailed, and, not many
hours afterward she expired, on
Monday, the 17th July, 1786. Of
her it may be said with truth,
"Her path was as the shining
light, which shines brighter and
brighter to the perfect day."

Lady Glenorchy was interred, agreeably to her own request, in a vault in the centre of her chapel in Edinburgh. She left 50001. to the society in Scotland, for propagating christian knowledge; 50001. for the education of young men for the ministry in England, and other religious purposes; and the greater part of the rest of her fortune, which was considerable, for pious and charitable uses.

For the Panoplist.

SKETCHES FROM SCRIPTURE. "Seest thou this woman ?"

BLESSED are the tears of the contrite heart! They are not like those of the selfish and carnal, which only aggravate the disappointments by which they are occasioned. But they are tears unto life, which produce tranquillity, purify the soul, and prepare it to receive those consolations of the gospel, which are neither few nor small,

“She hath done what she could," said our blessed Saviour, with eyes beaming compassion and benevolence upon the woman. It was not much, but it was all she could do and all that Jesus required. She repented, and came to confess her sins, to mourn for them with huinility, love, and faith. The queen of Sheba could do no more. For the gold of Ophir could not make an atonement. Jesus only could pay the price of her redemption. Much was forgiven, for she loved much.*

This woman, perhaps, had been one of the fashionables of Jerusalem, and, in the opinion of the world, sustained an unblemished character. But the rule, by which the world judges, is not the law of God, and therefore it is commonly erroneous. She had been probably, one of the thoughtless, loquacious, giddy tribe, whose only pursuit is amusement, and who scek it, free from the restraints of moral principles. Her companions may have been those, who like herself were never less happy than when at home, nor ever more so, than when at shews and spectacles, or wherever a multitude were assembled. In her mind, actions were classed, not into virtuous and vicious, but like her garments, into fashionable and unfashionable. When reflection exercised her mind, her thoughts were of "changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins, the glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the veils."†

Or perhaps, more sedate and lofty in her carriage, disdaining vulgar vices, and viewing with con

The parable of which this is the appli

cation, (says Dr. Guise) planly shews that her Loving much is mentioned, not as the cause or reason, but as the effect and evidence of her

tempt the silly throng, she chose to sin in a more sober, retired, premeditated manner. Her companions were the free thinkers of the day, who said, there is no God, and with them she jeered at the solemn worship of the temple. With them she vied in magnificent entertainments and equipage, in the haughtiness of her demeanour, and cruelty of her heart. Or perhaps, she was a sinner of a less conspicuous and more common sort. Her understanding cultivated, her temper mild, an amiable daughter, sister and wife, and lacked only the one thing heedful. "God was not in all her thoughts." Religion never appeared to her a matter in which she had any concern. She beheld the smoke of the morning and evening sacrifices, as it rose to heaven, and she heard the songs of praise, which issued from the temple, yet her heart never glowed with devotion. Not like the holy Anna, who consecrated her days to God, she regarded passovers and sabbaths only as unwelcome interruptions of her household affairs. The law and the prophets were neglected, and her affections entirely engrossed by the world. Alas! where is the distinction between indifference and contempt; neglect of divine worship, and infidelity and profaneness? Is it not a heinous sin to be any thing less than wholly devoted to God?

Whatever may have been the peculiar traits in the character of this woman, it is certain she was a sinner, and Christ came to call every sinner to repentance. Behold the wandering sheep returning to the fold, and observe how kindly the benevolent shepherd greets her return! There are no chidings;

being forgiven, and of her apprehensions about nothing cold and repulsive in his

it. And in this manner the particle fur is often used. See Hosea ix. 15." Editor.

Isa. iii. 22, 23.

manner. The lost sheep is found and there is joy in heaven. She comes.

with humility, penetrated with fhame and forrow for her past life, confeffing her guilt, and ready to furrender herself to divine juftice. She comes with ardent love to God, adoring his character, and overwhelmed with gratitude for the mercy, which had fuffered her crimes fo long, and now fubmitting with all her heart and foul to his government. She comes with faith, believing that God is in Chrift reconciling the world to himfelf, and overpowered with the vaft idea of his condefcenfion and love to a fallen world, which is now unfolded to her mind. She haftens to cast herself at the feet of Jefus, whom he had fo long regarded with dislike, and glorying in repentance, fhe makes it as publick as her crimes. She enters the house of Simon, preffes through the crowd, kneels at his feet, washes them with ftreams of tears, kiffes them, wipes them with her difhevelled treffes, and pours on them the precious spikenard. "Ah Lord!" does fhe feem to fay, "My Lord, and my God! Against thee have I finned. Punifh me and I will not murmur. Because thy mercy is infinite, therefore it reaches to fuch a vile worm as I am. I will follow thee whitherfoever thou goeft, and to bear thy reproach fhall be sweeter than even the applause of the world was to me. Thofe who love thee fhall be my friends and companions. The world fhall have no more a share in my heart; Lord I give it all to thee; conde fcend to make it thine. O that my head were waters, and my eyes fountains of tears, that I might weep for my fins, as I have caufe to weep. O that 1-could forever fit at thy feet, that I might never more depart from thy prefence, for no where else fhall I find any

comfort." It is grace, that triumphs when the proud finner is fubdued, and brought a willing captive to the throne of mercy. Not like the conquerors of this world whofe trophies are the gory arms and garments of their flaughtered foes; the trophies of the Holy Spirit are the ferenity, the joy, and the holiness of the converted foul.

LA TRAPPE.

To the Editors of the Panoplist.

GENTLEMEN,

If the following Proofs of the Universal Delthorities, are deemed of sufficient merit for uge, taken from Bryant and various other anpublication, they are at your disposal PHILO.

THE certainty of the univerfal deluge is of great moment to the chriftian faith. Though the facred hiflory ftands ftrong on its own bafis, there are men, who converfe, and write more, than they read or think, exerting all their force to invalidate the teftimony of heaven. Their popular talents, their burning zeal in the caufe of ir.fidelity, fometimes gives currency to their fuperficial philofophy, and men of corrupt minds are perfuaded to deny one of the plaineft narratives of revelation. This renders it a facred duty for thofe, who have leifure, to collect the proofs of the Flood, found in the volumes of the learned, and to exhibit them to the publick. We will attempt, therefore, to establish the fact from the relig ious rites and ceremonies, the hie roglyphicks and traditions of gentile nations; from various phenomena of the globe, and finally from the authority of fcripture.

It may be reasonably fuppofed, that fo extraordinary an event as the univerfal deluge, would leave an awful impreffion on the minds

of the furvivors; that they would make it the fubject of their converfation; that the tradition would be long continued and far extended; that places would be named; that publick proceffions, facred rites, and folemn feftivals would be instituted, having reference to the amazing catastrophe; and that, if idolatry fucceeded, Noah and his family would be among the early objects of religious worfhip. If fuch events are numerous among ancient nations, they will be conclufive evidence of the flood; for why should there be inftitutions to commemorate a deluge, rather than a univerfal peftilence or conflagration? If there be not traces of fuch inftitutions, near the fcene of Noah's deliverance, the luftre of the Mofaick history will be clouded. We now proceed to the examination; but the limits of the Panoplift permit only a fmall portion of these facts to be brought to view.

The name of Noah was long preferved among the nations of the eaft. He was called Noas, Naus, and Nous. Suidas has preferved this tradition of him. "Nannaus," faith he, "forefeeing the deluge, collected every body together, and led them to a temple, where he offered up prayers for them with many tears." His name has often become unlike itfelf, being fathioned to the idiom of different nations; but the circumstances of his hiftory remain particular and precife. By the Greeks he was called Dionafus.

Cities and mountains bore the name of Noah or Nufa in Arabia, Ethiopia, Egypt Babylonia, Thrace, Theffaly, Cilicia, Libya, Lydia, Macedonia, and Naxos. Alfo on Caucafus and Pelicon, in Eubea, and India, were places called

Nufa. In all these countries, not only cities and mountains rofe in honour of the righteous patriarch, but the fame traditions of the flood were extended. In all these countries, befide other circumstances agreeing with fcripture, Noah is faid to have been preserved in an ark. Philo afferts that Deucalion and Noah were the fame. The Grecians, he fays, call the perfon Deucalion; but the Chaldeans ftile him Noe, in whose time was a great irruption of water. Jofephus fays the flood was mentioned in the writings of all, who treated of the firft ages. He mentions Berofus of Chaldea, Hieronymus of Egypt, Mnafeas, Abydenus, Melon, and Nicolaus Damafcenus.

Proceeding eastward we find the event becomes more certain, the tradition more particular, and more minutely conformable to the account of Mofes. From the records of Babylon and Media Abydenus quoted, "that the flood began on the fifteenth of Dafius, that Seithrus fent out birds to learn whether the flood had fubfided; that they returned; that the third time their feet were stained with mud; that he then quitted the ark." He fays, that the ark refted on a mountain of Armenia. Plutarch mentions the dove, fent forth by Noah. But the molt minute Pagan account is from Lucian. He was born on the banks of the Euphrates, where the traditions and religious rites, minutely reprefented the flood. Among other things, he fays, that the antediluvians were men of violence, inhofpitable, and unmerci ful, regardlefs of oaths and laws, for which they were deftroyed; that for this purpofe there was an eruption of water from the earth, with heavy rains from heaven.

The rivers fwelled; the fea overflowed, the whole earth was covered, and, excepting Deucalion, all fleth were drowned. Animals of every fpecies followed him into the ark by pairs.

Moft of thefe authors affert, that the remains of the ark were vifible in their time, on a mountain of Armenia. Abydenus fays, that the people used to carry pieces of the wood, as an amulet. Berofus fays, they fcraped off the afphaltus or pitch, as a charm. Some of the chriftian fathers infift, that the ark was in being in their time. Theophilus fays, its re. mains were visible on a mountain of Armenia. Chryfoftom speaks of the fact, as well known. "Do not," fays he, "thofe mountains of Armenia bear witnefs to the truth; thofe mountains where the ark firft rested; and are not the remains preferved there to this day?" So extenfive was the gentile hiftory of the flood, varied indeed according to the manners of different nations, yet retaining the material circumstances.

So deeply affected, fo devoutly impreffed were fucceeding generations, that, in commemoration of this terrible event, many particulars of it were incorporated with their religious folemnities. The priests of Amon, at particular feafons, carried in publick proceffion a boat, in which was an oracular farine, holden in great veneration. In Egypt was a fimilar cuftom. Thefe proceffions are carved in the temples of Upper Egypt. The fhip Ifis was a facred emblem among the Egyptians, in honour of which they had an annual festival; the rite was borrowed by the Romans. name of the fhips and fhrines was Baris, a remarkable circum

The

ftance; this being a name of the mountain, on which the ark rested, the fame as Ararat. There is a large mountain fays Nicolaus Damascenus, in Armenia, called Baris; and there is a tradition, that in the deluge one perfon floating in an ark, arrived at the fum. mit of this mountain.

It is faid, Sefoftris built a fhip of cedar, 280 cubits long, the outfide covered with gold, the infide with filver; that he dedicated it to Ofiris at Thebes, an inland city of Upper Egypt. It was doubtlefs a reprefentation of the ark. It was called Theba, as was the city. Theba was the very name of Noah's ark. He was ordered to build an ark; in Hebrew, Theba. In other countries an ark was among the mysteries of their religion, and carried about at their feftivals. At Erathra, in Ionia, the deity was represented upon a float, in a temple of the highest antiquity. At Athens, at Phalerus, at Olympia, a fhip was carried in proceffion with great reverence. Shrines were generally fhaped in the form of fhips; yea ships and temples received their names from this event, being ftiled Naus and Naos, and failors Nautai, in reference to the patriarch, Naos, Naus, or Noah. When referring to the deluge, the Greek writers always speak of an ark, and, though they often call the fame perfon by various names, they make all of them t● be preferved in an ark. Thus Ofiris, Comates, Deucalion, Perfeus, and Dionufus, were all prefer ved in an ark. These are fufficient proofs, that the deluge was well known in the gentile world.

Many colonies ftiled themfelves Thebeans, from Thebe, an ark. Hence many cities were called Theba, as in Egypt, Beotia, Cili

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