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presented, with a noble solicitude in various ways devoted all their powers to the welfare and improvement of their brethren in the respective countries to which they belonged. The state of the age, however, in which they lived, and the mode of thinking then prevalent, restricted them to narrow limits, and unhappily induced those spirits which were the most capable of bold undertakings, to confine their attention to plans, which savored more of warlike courage and strength, and a disposition to conquer others, than of rational benevolence and gentle goodness of heart. Benevolent views extending to all, and plans intended for the good of mankind at large, were unheard of in antiquity. The standard which people then possessed, was a standard for estimating a greatness of mind entirely different from that boundless wisdom and goodness, which grasp at the world, and are wholly engaged in the universal diffusion of knowledge, virtue and happiness.

As, therefore, there is no instance of such a man to be met with in history, so, as a general consideration, it is very probable, that we shall search even in the poetical world in vain for a hero, who ever attained to such greatness. Indeed, it is a matter of fact, that no ancient poet ever set up before himself such an ideal perfection. Homer, that inimitable master at sketching and portraying human character, that exquisite painter of the morals of his age, never conceived of such a thing. His heroes think and act as the limited knowledge of those times and the dispositions and feelings of men, almost in a state of total barbarity, required them to do. The descriptions which he gives of his very gods are destitute of every trace of real greatness and exaltation. He who has been educated in any measure agreeably to the principles which Jesus undertook to make universal, would be ashamed to think and act like the gods of Homer. The discerning philosophers of antiquity itself discovered his faults and censured them, in this respect. Though Virgil exhibits the superior learning and refinement of his age, yet he is by no means so happy in his moral descriptions as Homer, nor so nice in the formation of a character. His Æneas gave himself up to the control of fate, without ever devising or undertaking any thing great or extensive. In general, the greatest men delineated by the poets of antiquity were heroes, and on that very account, very far removed from the formation of such schemes of benevolence, as those of which we are here in pursuit. With the exception, therefore, of the very feeble traces of an all-comprehensive goodness, to be met with in the fictions above quoted respecting Osiris and Hercules, which, by the bye, came very fur short of what the founder of Christianity undertook to effect, it is manifest, that even the poets of

the old world were never able to attain to those elevated views and that greatness of thought, which shine forth from the intentions of Jesus.

The plan, therefore, devised by the founder of Christianity, was a new one, and without exainple. The way upon which he entered had never been marked by the footsteps of a single human being. No mind before him had ever conceived of a plan of such compass and particular benevolence. What conclusion must be drawn from this wonderful phenomenon? What shall we infer from it with respect to the dignity and authority of the man, whose thoughts were wiser, noble, more exalted, and more benevolent, than those of the greatest men before him? Let us pass on to this investigation.' pp. 185—7. The argument from the intelligibility of the Christian religion is thus stated.

'A religion that lays claim to universal dominion over the hearts of men, must also be intelligible in matter and form. In regard to matter, it must contain a short summary of those truths of general utility, which the very weakest intellects are able to receive, and which can be delivered and represented in such a manner as to be obvious even to children. As in a universal religion, more depends upon doing than thinking, its essential truths must contain nothing that fosters idleness or is a subject of reflection merely, or a problem for scrutinizing reason to solve. Every doctrine that it inculcates must be intelligible, adapted to impress the heart, and practicable in life. Hence it follows, that while it is capable of receiving a systematic form, it must be in no respects incapable of becoming active and useful. The truths of which it is composed, must indeed admit of being worked over by philosophizing reason, farther developed, reduced to general principles, and brought into a scientific connexion with each other; for otherwise it would not satisfy those who are under too great a necessity to think and investigate not to be gratified in this respect in every thing, and of course even in religion. The original and ordinary form of a universal religion, however, must be characterized by a natural intelligibility, and possess a clearness and simplicity, which shall render it easy to survey and apply every thing that belongs to it. This intelligibility must be exkibited also in its proofs. They must lie so near to ordinary intellects and common sense as to be as it were self-evident; among the most distinguished of which must be reckoned the authority of God, derived from revelation. With this authority the multitude at large can by no means dispense. They are unable to receive any assistance from the controversies carried on by philosophers respecting subjects of the utmost im

portance to mankind, or to form an opinion of these dissentions. They are unable even to solve the doubts that arise in their own minds, and therefore, must have the declarations and decisions of God to lead them to the truth, and in all cases furnish them with pacifying security. Indeed, there are moments, as is well known, in which the most acute thinkers welcome this guidance, and anxiously desire the aid of this higher decision. A religion, which is to become a universal religion, must therefore possess the form of a revelation, and embody the substance of rational religion. While it has the testimony of God in its favor, it must be confirmed by the principles of reason. It must rest upon matters of fact, but not as if it were altogether dependent upon them.' pp. 202-4. We were pleased with the following view of the originality of our Saviour's plan.

"The plan with which Jesus occupied himself, whether we look at its purport or its extent, was perfectly new, and one of which no human being had ever had the least conception. Many plans had been formed before Christ, for the improvement of single nations and states, and many efforts had been made to carry them into execution, but none of them struck deep enough. Their projectors satisfied themselves with checking the grossest abuses and disorders, and never thought of radically curing the evil in existence. The founder of Christianity alone reached an elevation to which no reformer before him had ever approached. He conceived the exalted, and, in the most appropriate sense of the word, the divine idea of in reality new creating and regenerating the whole human family. It was not his intention to attack a few vices, denounce a few abuses, and rectify here and there a disorder. It was his intention to create mankind anew, and stop up the very sources of wickedness. Think of the greatness presupposed in the formation of such a plan! No benefactor of mankind before Jesus, had ever observed how little could be accomplished by singly attacking the bad habits that prevailed, without striking at the root from which they sprung. Hence, he, who as a legislator or ruler, had to do with whole nations, satisfied himself with being able to produce and maintain external order among them; aud he, who as a philosopher and moralist attempted to accomplish more, and endeavored to effect an internal reformation also, limited his efforts, and confined himself to the education of a few select disciples. Jesus possessed deeper, wider aud more correct views, than all the reformers that preceded him. He alone penetrated into the most secret wants of mankind and knew what was peculiarly needful for them. He alone commenced his reforma

tion where it must be commenced, in order entirely to change the manner of thinking, willing, and perceiving, to which men have been accustomed. He alone extended his views over the whole human family and included all nations in his plan. He alone, with a superiority of mind, to which every thing that had previously been attempted for the welfare of the human race was far too small and defective, soared to an idea which contained the excellences of all the plans which had ever been invented for the improvement of man, -to the idea of forming a new moral creation. Even here therefore we discover an acuteness, penetration, and extension of thought, which designate a most extraordinary mind.' p. 225.

We have no room for further extracts. We will only repeat our welcome to a work of this character from the School at Andover. We rejoice in every indication from that quarter of a disposition to dwell upon the simple truths of Christianity, in preference to sectarian tenets, which never have been and never can be subjects of agreement among thinking and religious men.

SIR THOMAS BROWNE'S EVENING HYMN.

The following beautiful Evening Hymn, from the pen of Sir Thomas Browne, we presume will be new to most of our readers, as it has not, to our knowledge, been inserted in any collection of sacred poetry. We extract it from The Religion of a Physician,' just published in the third volume of Mr. Young's Library of Old English Prose Writers. The hymn is introduced in the following connexion:

6

'We term sleep a death, and yet it is waking that kills us, and destroys those spirits that are the house of life. "T is indeed a part of life that best expresseth death; for every man truly lives so long as he acts his nature, or some way makes

good the faculties of himself. Themistocles, therefore, that slew his soldier in his sleep, was a merciful executioner. "Tis a kind of punishment the mildness of no laws hath invented. I wonder the fancy of Lucan and Seneca did not discover it.* It is that death by which we may be literally said to die daily; a death which Adam died before his mortality; a death whereby we live; a middle and moderating point between life and leath; in fine, so like death, I dare not trust it without my prayers and a half adieu unto the world, and take my farewell in a colloquy with God.

The night is come, like to the day;
Depart not thou, great God, away.
Let not my sins, black as the night,
Eclipse the lustre of thy light.
Keep still in my horizon; for to me
The sun makes not the day, but thee.
Thou, whose nature cannot sleep,
On my temples sentry keep;
Guard me 'gainst those watchful foes,
Whose eyes are open while mine close.
Let no dreams my head infest,
But such as Jacob's temples blest.
While I do rest, my soul advance,
Make my sleep a holy trance;
That I may, my rest being wrought,
Awake into some holy thought;
And with as active vigor run
My course as doth the nimble sun.
Sleep is a death. O make me try,
By sleeping, what it is to die;
And as gently lay my head
On my grave as now my bed.
Howe'er I rest, great God, let me
Awake again at last with thee.
And thus assured, behold I lie
Securely, or to 'wake or die.
These are my drowsy days; in vain
I do now wake to sleep again.
O come that hour when I shall never
Sleep again, but wake for ever.

This is the dormitive I take to bedward. I need no other laudanum than this to make me sleep; after which I close mine eyes in security, content to take my leave of the sun, and sleep unto the resurrection.'

* Both of whom were permitted by Nero to choose the mode in which they would die,

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