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tent of nature; and will not venture a single pulse upon any consideration. But to dote upon breathing, for it is little more, at this rate is to turn slave to all sorts of meanness and vice. Fright such an one but with the fear of death, and you may make him say or do what you please, though never so infamous or ridiculous. And, if his cowardice be not tried thus far, yet this lean principle will be sure to keep him servile and insignificant. He will never touch at a great proposal, nor run any generous hazards for his friends or country. And is it worth one's while thus to value life above the ends and purposes of living? The resolution of Pompey was much more becoming; who, when he was dissuaded from embarking, because the weather was tempestuous, replied very handsomely, " gentlemen, make no more words of "it; my voyage is necessary, my life is not so."

The true estimate of being is not to be taken from age, but action. A man, as he manages himself, may die old at thirty, and a child at fourscore. To nurse up the vital flame as long, as the matter will last, is not always good husbandry. It is much better to cover it with an extinguisher of honor, than let it consume, till it burns blue, and lies agonising within the socket, and at length goes out in no perfume, If the sun were not to rise again, methinks it would look bigger for him to tumble from the sky at noon with all his light and heat about him, than to gain a course of four or five hours only to languish and decline in.

When a noble occasion presents; an occasion, that will bear a cool debate, and stand the test of reason, and may be pleaded to advantage in the other world; when a man is called upon to offer up himself to his conscience, and to resign to justice and truth; in such a case one would think, he should be so far from avoiding the lists, that he should rather enter with inclination, and thank God for the honor of the opportunity. He should then be more solicitous about his behavior, than his life. Then,

Fortem posce animum et mortis terrore carentem.

Let him pray for resolution to act up to the height of the oc

casion; that he may discover nothing of meanness or disorder; nothing, that may discredit the cause, tarnish the glory, and weaken the example of the suffering. There are

some opportunities of going out of the world, which are very well worth one's while to come in for. The last act of life is sometimes, like the last number in a sum, ten times greater, than all the rest. To slip the market, when we are thus fairly offered, is great imprudence, especially considering we must part with the thing afterward for less. But is it not a sad thing to fall thus plum into the grave? To be well one minute and dead the next? Not at all; if we are prepared, the shorter the voyage is, the better. Is it not more eligible to come in with a smooth gale, than to be tossed at sea with a storm, and then thrown ashore, when the vessel is wrecked? Is it so desirable a condition to run through a long course of pain, to consume by inches, and lose one's blood by drops? A deathbed figure is certainly the most humbling sight in the world. To set in so dark a cloud, and to go off with languor, convulsions, and deformity, is a terrible rebuke to the dignity of human nature. Besides people are frighted by phantoms of their own raising, and imposed on by words and things illjoined together. A natural death is generally the most violent. An executioner does the business more gently, than a disease. He, that can conquer his imagination, may possibly die easier of a faggot, than of a fever; and had better choose to have the fire kindled without, than within him.

To say flesh and blood cannot be reconciled to this is a mistake. People have sometimes too much courage this way. How often do revenge, and poverty, and disappointment make men force their passage into the other state ? A slave has stomach enough to kill himself; and he, that is not master of his liberty, will be master of his life. There is no age nor sex, no passion nor condition, so dispirited and low, but affords instances of the contempt of death. The old Goths, from whence the Saxons are probably descended, were so hardy, that it was part of their discipline and religion to

scorn their lives. If they were afraid of any thing, it was of dying in their beds.

In Alexander's time the Indian philosophers, when they were weary of living, used to lie down upon their funeral pile without any visible concern; and afterward, about the reign of Adrian, Lucian mentions one Peregrinus, who jumped into a fiery furnace at the olympic games only to show the company how far his vanity could carry him. At this day the heathen women under the Mogul offer themselves to the flames at the death of their husbands. It is true the Ma hometans will not always let them have their will; but they think they are hardly dealt with, when refused; and make all the interest they have for the honor. I need not mention the primitive christians, whose fortitude was both general and extraordinary; insomuch that Lactantius and others observe, that the women and children did not show the least signs of complaint either in looks, voice, or motion, when they seemed to lie under the extremity of torture. But it may be replied, and that truly, that these were supported by supernatural strength. However the former instances may suffice to show, that there is a greatness in human nature, not to be overawed by death. The way to be possessed of this quality to purpose is to live well. There is no such bravery, as that of a good christian. He, that can look the other world in the face, needs fear nothing. But, as to the courage of bullies and town sparks, who are so hardy as to risk body and soul upon a point of pretended honor, there is no language can reach their extravagance. They are distempered beyond the lunacy of Bedlam, and should be taken care of accordingly.

REVIEW.

We insert with pleasure the following analysis, as it exhibits in a clear view some palpable defects in that modern system of Ethics, which we have al ready attempted to refute in some former numbers of this work.

A discourse delivered on the annual thanksgiving in Massachu setts 29 November 1804, by Nathanael Emmons D. D. pastor of the church in Franklin.

I TIMOTHY VI. 5.

Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, supposing, THAT GAIN IS GODLINESS. From such withdraw thyself.

DR. EMMONS has exposed in this discourse the

absurdity of the popular doctrine of the day, " that virtuè "consists in utility, and that the end sanctions the means.” He has left subtlety and refinement and rhetoric to his opponents, and with a simplicity characteristic of truth urged those arguments, which must convince every man, who prefers the decision of feeling and common sense to the bold speculations of vanity.

After observing, that error results more frequently from wrong principles, than false reasoning, Dr. Emmons proceeds "I. To explain the meaning of the doctrine, that ‘ vir«tue consists in utility.

"II. To demonstrate its absurdity, and

"III. To show why men are greatly exposed to em"brace it."

I. In explaining the doctrine Dr. E. has adduced the definitions of divines and sophists, who agree, that "there "is no distinction between that, which leads to private happiVol. II. No. I.

K

"ness, and real virtue, since nothing is good, but as it conduces to this end, and nothing bad, but as it conduces to the contrary; consequently, " that the utility of any moral rule "constitutes the obligation of it ;" and "that actions may be vicious, though they proceed from virtuous intentions."

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II. In demonstrating the absurdity of the doctrine Dr. E. has deduced from it the following positions, as its necessary consequences; to wit,

1. If virtue consist in utility, it may be predicated of inanimate objects. The sun has been dispensing innumerable benefits to mankind for many thousand years, and, if its moral virtue be in proportion to its utility, there is not a moral agent on earth, whose moral worth is equal to the moral excellence of this material, inanimate, unconscious object. This Godwin frankly admits, and attributes virtue as readily to a knife and a candlestick, as to man.

2. If virtue consist in utility, it may be predicated of the mere animal creation, and may be regarded as equal in the geese, who saved Rome by their gaggling, as in Cincinnatus or Fabius, who preserved it by their heroism.

3. According to this doctrine men may be virtuous without any intention to do good. Hence Jesse deserves the richest meed of patriotism for sending David to see and comfort his brethren in the army, though he had no thoughts of raising him to the throne of Israel, and thereby promoting the general welfare of his nation.

4. On this doctrine men may be virtuous in acting not only without any intention, but from a positively bad intention. The malevolence of Joseph's brethren produced the happiness of their family, and the preservation of surrounding nations. The perfidy of Judas has been infinitely beneficial to the world. Hence, if utility is the essence of virtue, the conduct of Joseph's brethren and of Judas was highly meritorious. To the objection, that "malevolent actions have no natural "and direct tendency to promote happiness," it is justly replied, that, if virtue consist in utility, the good effect of a malevolent action is just as virtuous, as the good effect of a benevo

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