The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction - Volume 17, No. 481, March 19, 1831 by Various
page 36 of 52 (69%)
page 36 of 52 (69%)
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enjoy it, as to be always ready to leave it for a better; he will not
think of settling at his inn, because it is pleasantly situated. He remembers that he is a traveller; he forgets not that he is a stranger in the earth." What will the scoffers and scorners, the haters of good works, say to the sacred truths--the soft-breathing simplicity--of this extract. How painful then is it to turn to the idle speculations and feverish fancies of their philosophical unbelief. Dr. Dibdin has supplied the sketches of the Reverend Authors and the Notes. One of the latter on a passage in the Sermon, _Scripture Difficulties Vindicated_, by the Rev. C. Benson, relates to a noble, but lamentably sceptical, poet. We have looked through the second volume, which contains twenty-three Sermons, and notice this beautiful passage from a Sermon by Dr. Townson: "And, to take up once more the comparison of life to a voyage, in like manner it fares with those, who have steadily and religiously pursued the course which heaven pointed out to them. We shall sometimes find, by their conversation towards the end of their days, that they are filled with hope, and peace, and joy; which, like those refreshing gales and reviving odours to the seaman, are breathed forth from Paradise upon their souls; and give them to understand with certainty, that God is bringing them unto their desired haven." (_Note by the Editor._) The poetical spirit of this paragraph is not less remarkable, than its discriminative piety. It seems probable, that Dr. Townson had in view the fine passage of Milton: |
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