this we knew before. Let us leave this position therefore for the present, and pass to the next, viz, Whether Christ's mission was nugatory and superfluous, because the world already knew as much morality as he taught them. This will at once be answered, if the Gospel assertion be established, that life and immortality were brought to light. We need not adduce any other of the mysteries of revelation; we may safely rest the question here, and say with the apostle to the Gentile world-Behold! I shew you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump (for the trumpet shall Sound) and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed, Mark to how short an issue the argument is now brought! Either the apostle is not warranted in calling this a mystery, or the deist is not warranted in calling Christ's miffion nugatory and superfluous. It now rests with the deist to produce from the writings and opinions of mankind antecedent to Chriftianity, such a revelation of things to come, as can fully anticipate the Gospel revelation, or else to admit with the apostle that a mystery was shewn; and if the importance of this: mystery be admitted, as it surely must, the importance of Christ's mission can no longer be difputed; disputed; and though revelation shall have added nothing to the heathen system of morality, still it does not follow that it was superfluous and nugatory..... Let the deist resort to the heathen Elysium and the realms of Pluto in search of evidences, to set in competition with the Christian revelation of a future state; let him call in Socrates, Plato, and as many more as he can collect in his cause; it is but loft labour to follow the various tracks of reason through the pathless ocean of conjecture, always wandering, though with different degrees of deviation. What does it avail, though Seneca had taught as good morality as Christ himself preached from the Mount? How does it affect revealed religion, though Tully's Offices were found superior to Saint Paul's Epistles? Let the deist indulge himself in declaiming on the virtues of the heathen heroes and philofophers; let him ransfack the annals of the Chriftian world, and present us with legions of crufaders drenched in human blood, furious fanatics rushing on each other's throats for the distinction of a word, massacring whole nations and laying nature waste for a metaphysical quibble, it touches not religion; let him array a host of persecuting Inquifitors with all their torturing engines, the picture indeed is terrible, but who will say it is the picture of Chriftianity? When we consider the ages, which have elapsed since the introduction of Chriftianity, and the events attending its propagation, how wonderful is the history we contemplate! We see a mighty light spreading over all mankind from one spark kindled in an obfcure corner of the earth: An humble persecuted teacher preaches a religion of peace, of forgiveness of injuries, of fubmiffion to temporal authorities, of meekness, piety, brotherly love and universal benevolence; he is tried, condemned and executed for his doctrines; he rises from the tomb, and, breaking down the doors of death, fets open to all mankind the evidence of a life to come, and at the same time points out the sure path to everlasting happiness in that future state : A few unlettered disciples, his adherents and furvivors, take up his doctrines, and going forth amongst the provinces of the Roman empire, then in its zenith, preach a religion to the Gentiles, directly striking at the foundation of the most splendid fabric Superstition ever reared on earth: These Gentiles are not a rude and barbarous race, but men of illuminated minds, acute philosophers, eloquent orators, powerful reasoners, eminent in arts and sciences, and armed armed with sovereign power: What an under taking for the teachers of Chriftianity! What a conflict for a religion, holding forth no temporal allurements! On the contrary, promifing nothing but mortification in this world, and referring all hope of a reward for present sufferings to the unseen glories of a life to come. The next scene which this review presents to us, shews the followers of Chriftianity suffering under perfecution by the heathen, whom their numbers had alarmed, and who began to tremble for their gods: In the revolution of ages the church becomes triumphant, and, made wanton by prosperity, degenerates from its primitive fimplicity, and running into idle controverfies and metaphysical schisms, persecutes its seceding brethren with unremitting fury; whilst the Popes, thundering out anathemas and hurling torches from their throne, seem the vicegerents of the furies rather than of the author of a religion of peace: The present time affords a different view; the temper of the church grown milder, though its zeal less fervent; men of different communions begin to draw nearer to each other; as refinement of manners becomes more general, toleration spreads, we are no longer flaves to the laws of religion, but converts to the reason of it; and being allowed to examine the the evidence and foundation of the faith that is in us, we discover that Christianity is a religion of charity, toleration, reason and peace, enjoining us to have compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous, not rendering railing for railing, but contrariwise bleffing; knowing that we are thereunto called, that we should inherit a blessing. N. LXXXIV. TASTE may be confidered either as fenfi tive or mental; and under each of these denominations is sometimes spoken of as natural, sometimes as acquired: I propose to treat of it in its intellectual conftruction only, and in this sense Mr. Addison defines it to be that faculty of the foul, which difcerns the beauties of an author with pleasure, and the imperfections with dislike. This definition may very properly apply to the faculty which we exercise in judging and deciding upon the works of others; but how does it apply to the faculty exercised by those who produced those works? How does it serve to |