life, and perhaps been enabled, to the very last, to relish the enjoyments of reason. Thus, instead of decoying others into bad ways, they would have been able to communicate to them the lessons of wisdom, which they had been taught by long personal experience and observation. (See Appendix, D.)

The above facts, to which we have called attention, are all derived from unimpeachable and, as regards our object, from disinterested sources; and are of such an unequivocal nature, that we may confidently base our system upon them, as to its influence on health and longevity. If, however, they fail to convince, even the least skeptical, we think we may safely adopt the language of Abraham to the rich man, "neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."

CHAPTER IV.

DEATH.

It is a common argument among divines in the behalf of religious life, that a contrary behavior has such consequences when we come to die! It is indeed true, but seems an argument of a subordinate kind; the article of death is more frequently of short duration. Is it not a stronger persuasive, that virtue makes us happy daily, than that it smooths the pillow of a death-bed ?-SHENSTONE.

MANY of our readers on closing the book, after reading the remarks in the preceding chapter, will perhaps exclaim, “We do not wish to live so long!" Perhaps not. Perhaps not. And how many there are who feel in their old age, as did Louis Wholeham, at the age of 118, less resigned to die than he was eighty years before. Even the Christian who has "a good hope through grace," and knows that "if the earthly house of his tabernacle were dissolved, he has a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens;" even he fees the physician at no small cost, and takes the most nauseous drugs to ward off the "last enemy." One reason for this anxiety probably is, that the evening of the longest day finds most men with their work but imperfectly done, and therefore but ill prepared for their final account. Besides, as we are not isolated beings, we cannot sever the bond which unites us to the whole human family; and therefore we eat not to ourselves-we drink not to ourselves we live not to ourselves-we die not to ourselves. "Living or dying we are the Lord's," and are bound to take care that we do not, by indulgence or neglect, render that body a mass of disease and infirmity, and useless to him and his church on earth. The lame, the blind and the maimed, among the Jews, were neither received as a sin-offering or a peace-offering. We owe to God, his church, and the world, the longest and the best life we can live, and are under the most solemn obligations not to injure or shorten it. "Do thy

self no harm," and "Thou shalt not kill," are among the positive laws of Jehovah, still binding on the conscience of all; and he "will not hold him guiltless" who violates them. They form a part of that great standard by which, in the day of judgment, every man's actions will be tried. Their design. is obvious. Like all other divine commands or prohibitions, they state the rights either of God or of his creatures; and demand a regard to those rights on pain of eternal death. One command guards one precious interest, another presents and defends another. The prohibitions before us refer to two of our dearest interests—our HEALTH and our LIFE. They are both the gift of God. Most tenderly has he guarded, most sternly does he threaten, and most dreadfully will he punish every earthly invader who dares lift up his hand against them, or who carelessly injures them.

But still we are dying creatures, and though by proper attention, and the due observance of those laws which pertain to life and health, we may greatly promote both, yet "it is appointed unto man once to die." This is the purpose of God— the decree of Jehovah. While, therefore, we are concerned to live well and long, let us be equally anxious to die well and happy. This is of great importance physically; as no one who had a great fear of dying ever attained to a great age. But it is of infinitely more importance morally; for, though a man dies, he shall "live again," either in happiness or woe.

"Since then we die but once, and after death

Our state no alteration knows,

But when we have resigned our breath,

The immortal spirit goes

To endless joys or everlasting woes;

Wise is the man who labors to secure

That mighty and important stake,
And by all methods strives to make

His passage safe, and his reception suro.

Let the reader remember, that if by temperance, etc., he should secure health and long life, and should nevertheless

neglect his soul, it will profit him nothing. All earthly blessings, even health and life, though among the greatest, have only the condition of an annuity for life; and as such, each succeeding year makes a considerable decrease in their value; and at death the whole is at an end forever. But not so with the man who has "fled for refuge" to the world's Redeemer— has found "redemption in his blood, and the forgiveness of sins”—is "justified by faith”—“ has peace with God”—“ the love of God shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost given unto him." He dies in peace! And can it be otherwise? Having obeyed the organic laws, he dies, not of disease and racking pain, but of old age. Having experienced "repentance toward God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ;" and having obtained "grace to help him in time of need,” he has "finished his course of joy," and is now about to receive “the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those that love him." His death-bed is, therefore, a glorious place. The heavens are serene-his anchorage is good, having entered within the veil; he knows his future inheritance is secured by the death of Christ-therefore we need not wonder that

"The chamber, where the good man meets his fate,
Is privileged beyond the common walk

Of virtuous life, quite on the verge of heaven."

With him all is calm and serene. Behind him all is sprinkled with atoning blood. Around him all is conquered. Before him all is fraught with good-rich, boundless, and eternal. No wonder, then, that he should die in peace, for he has no guilt to torment him; "being justified by faith" he has peace with God. Death cannot terrify him, for its sting is taken away-nor is there any thing in eternity to create anxiety for the "judge is his friend." Thus

"You see the man; you see his hold on heaven,

Through nature's wreck, through vanquished agonies;
Like the stars struggling in this midnight gloom;
What gleams of joy! What more than human peace!

Where the frail mortal, the poor abject worm?
No, not in death the mortal to be found.
His conduct is a legacy for all,

Richer than Mammon's for their single hire.

His comforters he comforts; GREAT IN RUIN."

Still there are thousands who could subscribe to all we have said above, as to the comforts of God's people in dying circumstances, who are, nevertheless, "through fear of death, all their lifetime subject to bondage." This in the Christian arises

in most cases from a mistaken notion respecting the actual separation of the soul from the body in the article of death. An eminent author has very justly said—"No man certainly ever felt what death is; and as insensibly as we enter into life," supposing there be no guilt on the conscience, “equally insensibly do we leave it. The beginning and the end are here united. My proofs are as follows: First, no man can have any sensation of dying; for to die, means nothing more than to lose the vital power; and it is the vital power by which the soul communicates sensation to the body. In proportion as the vital power decreases, we lose the power of sensation, of consciousness; and we cannot lose life without at the same time, or rather before, losing our vital sensation, which requires the assistance of the tenderest organs. We are taught also by experience, that all those who ever passed through the first stage of death, as in cases of partial drowning, etc., and were again brought to life, unanimously asserted that they felt nothing of dying, but sunk at once into a state of insensibility." The same author cautions us against being led into error on this subject, "by the convulsive throbs, the rattling in the throat, and the apparent pangs of death,

*

* Death, of all estimated evils, is the only one whose presence never incommoded any body, and which only causes concern during its absence. -Arcesilaus. There is nothing terrible in death but what our lives have made so; hence many a Christian has been able to say, with Dr. Goodwin, "Is this dying? Is this the enemy that dismayed me so longnow appearing so harmless-and even pleasant?"