sting; and vanquished in the very act of conquering! Behold heaven commencing on earth; and faith triumphant over pain, disease and mortality! Wrapt in the thoughts of immortal life, he appears great even in the midst of distress, and suffers with all the majes-: ty of woe. How august in ruin! How immoveably. fixt on the rock of ages! what peace, passing understanding! what joy, what ineffable joy, in the Holy Ghost! O Death where is thy sting! O Grave where is thy victory!" This painting, we trust, is not too strong. Christianity has often afforded such scenes as these. To confirm this, I might exhibit an illustrious roll of worthies, who have fought the good fight; who have finished their course, and are gone to inherit their crown of glory. I might count up the saints and re-i formers, from the beginning of the Christian æra. I might follow the martyrs to the stake, or the Lord of righteousness to the cursed tree. There we should meet with such astonishing instances of the power and efficacy of the Christian faith, as would infallibly convince us, that it alone has taught men both to live and to die. On this subject, it would be unpardonable not to quote a beautiful passage from the present bishop of London*. "Go to your natural religion, says he. Lay before her Mahomet and his disciples, arrayed in blood, riding in triumph over the spoils of thousands and ten thousands: Shew her the cities, which he set on THE HERMIT, No. V. APRIL, 1758. On the Perfection and Efficacy of the Christian Religion. IT is an observation of the excellent Dr. Young, that "The chamber where the good man meets his fate, "Is privileg'd beyond the common walk of virtuous life, "Quite in the verge of heaven.” The death bed of the dying Christian is one of the grandest and most improving spectacles, within the compass of this earthly scene. It shews man, more than man, and almost become a God. A* gentleman of a neighbouring government, in a very elegant eulogium, on the late reverend Mr. Burr, speaking of the moments of his death, has the following noble apostrophe "Come, ye ministers of the Lord! behold a spectacle even to you of fruitful instruction. Behold the triumphs of grace, in the dissolution of nature! what patience, what resignation, what lively hope and divine affiance! See the king of terrors disarmed of his * William Livingston, Esq. of New-York. sting; and vanquished in the very act of conquering!! Behold heaven commencing on earth; and faith triumphant over pain, disease and mortality! Wrapt in the thoughts of immortal life, he appears great even in the midst of distress, and suffers with all the majesty of woe. How august in ruin! How immoveably fixt on the rock of ages! what peace, passing understanding! what joy, what ineffable joy, in the Holy Ghost! O Death where is thy sting! O Grave where is thy victory!" Το This painting, we trust, is not too strong. Christianity has often afforded such scenes as these. confirm this, I might exhibit an illustrious roll of worthies, who have fought the good fight; who have finished their course, and are gone to inherit their crown of glory. I might count up the saints and re-i formers, from the beginning of the Christian æra. I might follow the martyrs to the stake, or the Lord of righteousness to the cursed tree. There we should meet with such astonishing instances of the power and efficacy of the Christian faith, as would infallibly convince us, that it alone has taught men both to live and to die. On this subject, it would be unpardonable not to quote a beautiful passage from the present bishop of London*. "Go to your natural religion, says he. Lay be fore her Mahomet and his disciples, arrayed in blood, riding in triumph over the spoils of thousands and ten thousands: Shew her the cities, which he set on flames, the countries which he ravaged and destroyed; and the miserable distress of all the inhabitants of the earth. When she has viewed him in this scene, carry her into his retirements: Shew her the prophet's chamber, his concubines and his wives; let her see his adultery and hear him allege revelation and his divine commission to justify his lust and his oppression. "When she is tired with this prospect, then shew her the blessed Jesus, humble and meek, doing good to all the sons of men, patiently instructing both the ignorant and perverse. Let her see him in his most retired privacies: Let her follow him to the mount, and hear his devotions and supplications to God. Carry her to his table, to view his poor fare and hear his heavenly discourse. Let her see him injured but not provoked. Let her attend him to the tribunal, and consider the patience with which he endured the scoffs and reproaches of his enemies. Lead her to his cross, let her view him in the agony of death and hear his last prayer for his persecutors; father forgive them, for thy know not what they do. "When natural religion has viewed both, ask which is the prophet of God? But her answer we have already had, when she viewed part of this scene through the eyes of the centurion, who attended at the cross. By him she spoke and said, " truly this man was the son of God." Here, in all things, we see, the vast superiority of the Christian religion, and its glorious author. And should we go on to compare it with all the religions in the world, it would still gain by the parallel. It would appear like gold seven times tried, which comes brighter and purer from every assay. The religion of the world could even go but a short way in teaching men how to live; but it could not contribute a single jot in teaching them how to die. Before the Christian revelation, death was only a leap into the dark, a wrench from the precincts of day, at which the astonished soul shuddered and recoiled. But now, how is the case altered? The Gospel lifts our eye to immortal scenes. It opens eternity before us. It shews us a reconciled God, and Jesus the mediator seated at his right hand. It teaches us that, through his merits, the just shall live for ever, passing from one degree of glory to another, and entering deeper and deeper into the beatific vision, as their powers are continually enlarged and expanded. Supported with the hopes of this, the death of the very feeblest of true Christians, will excel even the courage and philosophy of the boasted Socrates. When all around is mourning and sorrow and wringing of hands, the dying Christians, on whom heaven and glory begin to open, will be superlatively raised above the general weakness. He will comfort even his comforters. Dr. Young has as grand an image on this subject, as ever entered into the thoughts of man, with which I shall conclude this number. As some tall tow'r, or lofty mountain's brow, With damps and darkness drown the spacious vale: |