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7.-THE TRUTH FREES US FROM THE SLAVISH FEAR OF

DEATH.

FROM the bondage of fear', Christ has made his followers free'. By making an atonement' for their sins, he has disarmed Death of his sting`; and by rising as the first-fruits of them that sleep', he has secured to us the victory over the grave. Discovering the reality of a future world, and revealing its connexion with the present', he hath elevated our aims above the region of mortality, and given a new' aspect and importance to the events which befall us on earth'. Its joys lose their power to dazzle and seduce', when viewed through the glory that remains to be revealed'. Its employments cease to be a burden', because we see them leading to an endless recompense of reward'. And even its sorrows' can no longer overwhelm us, because, when compared with the whole' of our duration, they last but for a moment, and are the means appointed by our Father' to prepare us for our future inheritance. How cheering' are

these considerations under the severest trials to which we are exposed! From how many perplexing', anxious`, enslaving' terrors have they set us free! What is it, O child of sorrow! what is it that now wrings thy heart', and binds thee in sadness to the ground? Whatever' it be, if thou knowest the truth', the truth shall give thee relief. Have the terrors of guilt' taken hold of thee? Dost thou go all the day long mourning for thy iniquities', refusing to be comforted'? And on thy bed at night do visions of remorse disturb thy rest, and haunt thee with the fears of a judgment' to come? Behold, the Redeemer' hath borne thy sins in his own body on the tree'; and, if thou art willing to forsake' them, thou knowest with certainty that they shall not be remembered in the judgment against thee. Hast thou, with weeping eyes, committed to the grave the child of thy affections, the virtuous friend of thy youth', or the tender partner, whose pious attachment lightened the load of life'? Behold, they are not dead. Thou knowest that they live in a better' region with their Saviour' and their God; that still thou holdest thy place in their remembrance`, and that thou shalt soon meet' them again to part no more'. Dost thou look forward with trembling to the days of darkness that are to fall on thyself, when thou shalt lie on the bed

of sickness', when thy pulse shall have become low'—when the cold damps' have gathered on thy brow-and the mournful looks of thy attendants have told thee that the hour of thy departure' has come? To the mere natural' man this scene is awful and alarming; but if thou art a Christian'— if thou knowest and obeyest' the truth, thou needest fear no evil. The shadows which hang over the valley of death' shall retire at thy approach'; and thou shalt see beyond' it the spirits of the just', and an innumerable company of angels', the future companions of thy bliss', bending from their thrones to cheer thy departing soul', and to welcome thee into everlasting habitations. Why then should slavish terrors of the future disquiet thy soul in the days of this' vain life which passeth away like a shadow? The gospel hath not given thee the spirit of fear', but of confidence' and joy'. Even now there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus', who walk not after the flesh', but after the spirit'; and when they die', (a voice from Heaven' hath proclaimed it,) "Blessed are the dead, which die in the Lord', from henceforth; yea', saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours', and their works do follow them." FINLAYSON.

8.-FUNERAL EULOGIUM ON DR. FRANKLIN.

FRANKLIN' is dead'. The genius who freed America', and poured a copious stream of knowledge throughout Europe', is returned into the bosom of the Divinity.

The sage to whom two worlds lay claim, the man for whom science and politics' are disputing, indisputably enjoyed an elevated rank in human nature`.

The cabinets of princes have been long in the habit of notifying the death of those' who were great, only in their funeral orations'. Long hath the etiquette of courts' proclaimed the mourning of hypocrisy. Nations' should wear mourning for none but their benefactors. The representatives' of nations should recommend to public homage, only those who have been the heroes of humanity!

The Congress of America' hath ordered, in the fourteen confederate states, a mourning of two months' for the death of Benjamin Franklin; and America is at this momen

paying' that tribute of veneration to one of the fathers of her constitution'.

Were it not worthy of us', gentlemen, to join` in the same religious act, to pay our' share of that homage now rendered in the sight of the universe, at once to the rights of man', and to the philosopher who most contributed to extend the conquest of liberty over the face of the whole earth'?

Antiquity' would have raised altars to that vast and mighty genius, who, for the advantage of human kind, embracing earth and heaven' in his ideas, could tame the rage of thunder' and of despotism. France', enlightened and free', owes at least some testimony of remembrance and regret to one of the greatest men who ever served the cause of philosophy' and of liberty`. MIRABEAU.

9. THE SPEECH OF A ROMAN OFFICER TO HIS SOLDIERS.

ROME was taken by Totila'. One of our brave officers', whose name was Paul', had sallied out of the city at the head of a small party`, and intrenched himself on the eminence', where he was surrounded by the enemy'. Famine', it was not doubted, would soon reduce him to the necessity of surrendering'; and, in fact', he was in want of everything. In this exigence', he addressed himself to his soldiers:"My friends'," said he, "we must either perish', or survive in slavery'. You', I know, will not hesitate` about the choice but it is not enough to perish', we must perish nobly. The coward may resign himself to be consumed by famine', he may linger in misery', and wait, in a dispirited condition, for the friendly hand of death'. But we', who have been schooled and educated in the field of battle', we are not now' to learn the proper use of our arms; we know how to carve' for ourselves an honourable' death. Yes, let us die', but not inglorious and unrevenged'; let us die' covered with the blood of our enemies, that our fall', instead of raising the smile of deliberate malice', may give them cause to mourn' over the victory that undoes us. Can we wish to loiter a few years more' in life, when we know that a very few must bring us to our graves'?-The limits of human life cannot be enlarged by nature', but glory' can extend them, and give a second life."

He finished his harangue: the soldiery declared their resolution to follow him. They began their march'; the intrepid countenance' with which they advanced soon denoted to the enemy a design to give battle with all the courage of the last despair. Without waiting', therefore, to receive' the attack of this illustrious band, the Goths thought proper to compound, by an immediate grant of life' and liberty'. MARMONTEL.

10.-SONG, FROM THE LADY OF THE LAKE.

SOLDIER, rest! thy warfare o'er',

Sleep the sleep' that knows not breaking';

Dream of battle-fields no more',

Days of danger', nights of waking'.
In our isle's enchanted hall',

Hands unseen' thy couch are strewing;
Fairy strains of music' fall,

Every sense in slumber' dewing.
Soldier, rest! thy warfare o'er',
Dream of fighting fields no more';
Sleep the sleep that knows not breaking',
Morn of toil', nor night of waking`.

No rude' sound shall reach thine ear,
Armour's clang', or war'-steed champing,
Trump nor pibroch summon here',

Mustering clan', or squadron' tramping.
Yet the lark's' shrill fife may come
At the daybreak from the fallow',
And the bittern' sound his drum,
Booming from the sedgy shallow.
Ruder' sounds shall none' be near,
Guards nor warders challenge here`,
Here's no war-steed's neigh and champing'
Shouting clans' or squadrons stamping.

Huntsman, rest'! thy chase is done`,

While our slumbrous spells assail' ye,

Dream not with the rising sun',

Bugles here shall sound reveillé

Sleep'! the deer is in his den`;

Sleep! thy hounds' are by thee lying;

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ERE the foundations of the world' were laid,
Ere kindling light the Almighty word obey'd',
Thou wert'; and when the subterraneous flame
Shall burst its prison, and devour' this frame,
From angry heaven when the keen lightning flies,
When fervent heat dissōlves the melting skies',
Thou still shalt be; still as thou wert before',
And know no change', when time shall be no more'.
O endless thought! divine Eternity'!

The immortal soul' shares but a part of thee!
For thou wert present when our life began',
When the warm dust' shot up in breathing man'.

Ah! what is life? with ills' encompass'd round
Amidst our hopes', fate strikes the sudden wound':
To-day the statesman of new' honour dreams,
To-morrow' death destroys' his airy schemes.
Is mouldy treasure' in thy chest confined?
Think all' that treasure thou must leave behind';
Thy heir with smiles shall view thy blazon'd hearse',
And all thy hoards' with lavish hand disperse'.
Should certain fate the impending blow delay',
Thy mirth will sicken', and thy bloom decay';
Then feeble age' will all thy nerves disarm',
No more thy blood' its narrow channels warm',
Who then would wish to stretch' this narrow span,
To suffer' life beyond the date of man?

The virtuous soul pursues a nobler' aim, And life' regards but as a fleeting dream`; She longs to wake', and wishes to get free', To launch from earth' into eternity'.

For while the boundless theme extends' our thought, Ten thousand thousand' rolling years are naught`.

GAY

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