sophy seems to be, and their utmost attainment is, to keep completely out of view both the past and the future. This was evidently the case with Mr. Hume. Read over again Dr. Smith's letter to Mr. Strahan, and you will not find a syllable from which you could gather that there, is an hereafter, a providence, or a God-not a sentence to indicate that Mr. Hume believed he had ever committed a sin, or was in any respect an accountable being.

Turn now away from the philosopher, and hear what a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ has to say. Melting into gratitude for that mercy which he had received from his heavenly Father, he goes back to the commencement of his Christian course, and desires his friend to pray that God "would be pleased to let him feel just as he did at that time when he first closed with Christ," and the rapture of his soul came near to the blessedness of heaven. With deep humility he owns his sinfulness; not a whisper of extenuation or apology does he utter-“I know not in what language to speak of my own unworthiness-I have been undutiful.” But with great tenderness, as in the presence of the Omniscient, he attests his satisfaction with time spent in his Christian duties and enjoyments. "I can truly say that I have loved the service of God-I have honestly endeavored to act for God, but with much weakness and corruption-I have

tried my Master's yoke, and will never shrink my neck from it." That he had been useful to others and instrumental in their salvation was to him a source of pure and elevated joy. "The Lord has given me many souls as a crown of my rejoicing."

What think you, now, reader, of Mr. Hume and Dr. Finley, with regard to their retrospect of life? Who evinces most of the good and the virtuous man? Whose reflections, is it reasonable to conclude, were the most delightful? His, who let none of them escape his lips? or his, whose words were inadequate to express their abundance or their sweetness? No; the one had not delightful recollections to communicate. High happiness is never selfish. The overflowing heart pours off its exuberance into the bosom of a friend. And had Mr. H. had any thing of this sort to impart, his companions and encomiasts would have shared in his pleasure, and would not have forgotten to tell the world of its luxury. Their silence is a sufficient comment.

Let us extend our comparison to a particular, which, more than almost any thing else, touches the pride of philosophy; we mean the dignity displayed by the infidel and by the Christian respectively.

Ask Dr. Smith. He will tell you that at the very time when he knew his dissolution was near, Mr. Hume continued to "divert himself as

usual, with correcting his own works for a new edition; with reading books of amusement; with the conversation of his friends; and sometimes, in the evening, with a party at his favorite game of whist." Behold the dying occupation of a captain of infidelity! Of one who is eulogized "as approaching as nearly to the idea of a perfectly wise and virtuous man, as perhaps the nature of human frailty will admit "-his most serious employment is "diverting himself." Just about to yield up his last breath, and "diverting himself!" From what? Let them answer who know that there are apt to be troublesome visitors to the imagination and the conscience of one who has prostituted his powers to the purpose of spreading rebellion against the God who made him! "Diverting himself!" With what? With correcting his own works for a new edition! a considerable portion of which "works" is destined to prove that justice, mercy, faith, and all the circle of both the duties and charities, are obligatory only because they are useful; and, by consequence, that their opposites shall be obligatory when they shall appear to be more useful-that the religion of the Lord Jesus, which has "brought life and immortality to light," is an imposture-that adultery is a bagatelle, and suicide a virtue! With what? With reading books of amusement. The adventures of Don Quixote; the tales of the genii; a

novel, a tragedy, a farce, a collection of sonnets; any thing but those sober and searching treatises which are fit for one who "considers his latter end."

With what? With the conversation of his friends, such as Dr. Smith, and Dr. Black, another famous infidel, who, as they had nothing inviting to discuss about futurity, and Mr. H. could not bear the fatigue of abstruse speculation, must have entertained him with all that jejune small talk which makes great wits look so very contemptible when they have nothing to say. With what? With an evening party at his favorite game of whist! A card table! and all that nauseous gabble for which the card table is renowned! The question is to be decided, whether such stupendous faculties as had been lavished upon Mr. Hume were to be blasted into annihilation; or expanded to the vision and fruition of the INFINITE GOOD; or converted into inlets of endless pain, despair, and horror? A question which might convulse the abyss, and move the thrones of heaven-and while the decision is preparing, preparing for him, Mr. H. sits down to a gaming-board, with gambling companions, to be "diverted" with the chances of the cards and the edifying conversation to which they give rise! Such is the dignity of this almost "perfectly wise and virtuous man!" Such a philosopher's preparation for death!

Let us leave him at the card-table, and pay a second visit to Dr. Finley. From his gracious lips not a trifling word escapes. In his ardent soul, now ready to speed its flight to the spirits of the just, there is no room for "diversion," for "correcting" compositions, for " books of amusement," or for "games of whist."

The everlast

ing life of those around him—the spiritual prosperity of a congregation dear to him—the interests of his Redeemer among the nations-these, these are the themes which fill his thoughts and

dwell upon his tongue. "Oh that each of you," says he to the spectators of his pain, “may experience what, blessed be God, I do, when ye come to die."-" Give my love to the people of Princeton: tell them that I am going to die, and that I am not afraid of death. The Lord Jesus take care of his cause in the world."

The manner in which Mr. H. and Dr. F. directly contemplated death, and the effects of death, presents another strong point of contrast.

It is evident from the whole of Dr. Smith's narrative, that the former confined or wished to confine his view to the mere physical event— to the bodily anguish which it might create, and its putting a period to earthly enjoyments. The whole of the philosopher's "magnanimity" centres here. Allowing to his composure under these views of death as much as can reasonably be demanded, we do not perceive in it all that VOL. III.

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