this we knew before.-Let us leave this pofition therefore for the prefent, and pass to the next, viz, Whether Chrift's miffion was nugatory and fuperfluous, because the world already knew as much morality as he taught them.b

This will at once be answered, if the Gospel affertion be established, that life and immortality were brought to light. We need not adduce any other of the mysteries of revelation; we may fafely reft the queftion here, and say with the apoftle to the Gentile world-Behold! I fhew you a mystery: We shall not all fleep, but we shall all be changed; in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump (for the trumpet shall found) and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we fhall be changed, Mark to how fhort an iffue the argument is now brought! Either the apostle is not warranted in calling this a mystery,or the deift is not warranted in calling Chrift's miffion nugatory and fuperfluous.

It now refts with the deift to produce from the writings and opinions of mankind antecedent to Chriftianity, fuch a revelation of things to come, as can fully anticipate the Gospel revelation, or elfe to admit with the apostle that a mystery was fhewn; and if the importance of this: mystery be admitted, as it furely muft, the im portance of Chrift's miffion can no longer be disputed;

difputed; and though revelation fhall have added nothing to the heathen fyftem of morality, ftill it does not follow that it was fuperfluous and nugatory.' ....

Let the deift refort to the heathen Elyfium and the realms of Pluto in fearch of evidences, to fet in competition with the Christian revelation of a future ftate; let him call in Socrates, Plato, and as many more as he can collect in his caufe; it is but loft labour to follow the various tracks of reafon through the pathlefs 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 fuperior to Saint Paul's Epiftles? Let the deift indulge himself in declaiming on the virtues of the heathen heroes and philofophers; let him ranfack the annals of the Chriftian world, and prefent us with legions of crufaders drenched in human blood, furious fanatics rufhing on each other's throats for the diftinction of a word, malfacring whole nations and laying nature wafte for a metaphyfical 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 fay it is the picture of Chriftianity?

When we confider the ages, which have elapfed fince the introduction of Chriftianity, and the events attending its propagation, how wonderful is the hiftory we contemplate! We fee a mighty light spreading over all mankind from one spark kindled in an obfcure corner of the earth: An humble perfecuted teacher preaches a religion of peace, of forgiveness of injuries, of fubmiffion to temporal authorities, of meeknefs, piety, brotherly love and univerfal benevolence; he is tried, condemned and executed for his doctrines; he rifes 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 fame time points out the fure path to everlasting happiness in that future ftate: A few unlettered difciples, 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 ftriking at the foundation of the most splendid fabric Superftition ever reared on earth: These Gentiles are not a rude and barbarous race, but men of illuminated minds, acute philofophers, eloquent orators, powerful reafoners, eminent in arts and fciences, and

armed

armed with fovereign power: What an undertaking for the teachers of Christianity! 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 prefent fufferings to the unfeen glories of a life to come,

The next fcene which this review presents to us, fhews the followers of Chriftianity fuffering 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 profperity, degenerates from its primitive fimplicity, and running into idle controverfies and metaphyfical fchifms, perfecutes its feceding brethren with unremitting fury; whilst the Popes, thundering out anathemas and hurling torches from their throne, feem the vicegerents of the furies rather than of the author of a religion of peace: The prefent time affords a different view; the temper of the church grown milder, though its zeal lefs fervent; men of different communions begin to draw nearer to each other; as refinement of manners becomes more general, toleration fpreads; we are no longer flaves to the laws of religion, but converts to the reafon 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 reli gion of charity, toleration, reafon and peace, enjoining us to have compaffion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous, not rendering railing for railing, but contrariwife blef fing; 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 fometimes fpoken of as natural, fometimes as acquired: I propose to treat of it in its intellectual conftruction only, and in this fenfe Mr. Addifon defines it to be that faculty of the foul, which difcerns the beauties of an author with pleasure, and the imperfections with diflike.

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 thofe works? How does it ferve

to