12 NORTHERN MEMOIRS. 



quietudes in ourselves, we labour and toil with 

 unprofitable anxiety,? 



Am. What but the curse anticipates the bless- 

 ing ? Man and the creation were made in time ; 

 and time was drawn out by the wisdom of God ; 

 but the understandings of most men, different- 

 ly discerning, differently distinguish, till time, 

 the harbinger of eternity, eats out his character, 

 so translates him to the shades of his silent se- 

 pulchre. 



Theoph. What infer you from this ? 



Arn. Solomon was a man inspir'd with wis- 

 dom, and endued with understanding ; and God 

 gave him eyes to foresee the vicissitude and re- 

 volution of times and states. 



Theoph. Solomon had a divine soul, incorpo- 

 rated with humane nature, whose ambition, (if 

 proper to say so,) coveted wisdom rather than 

 wealth, and God answered his desires. In that 

 day Solomon was the Jewish oracle ; but every 

 day is the Almighty's holy-day, and time arid the 

 world like a globe in his hand. Consider, there- 

 fore, the same excellency of spirit Solomon had 

 hovers still over us, like a glory about us, and, 

 by divine permission, over every generation. 

 But, because falling short of Solomon's know- 

 ledg (and divine speculation,) we do not, as So- 

 lomon, all alike discern. 



Arn. Grant the argument admits of no con- 



