It is impossible to read without a shudder and a tear the account of the martyrdom of Blandina, Perpetua, Felicitas, Irene, Theodora, Agnes, Dionysia, Potamiana, and many others: their love to Jesus sustained them, when brought day by day to receive, in their torn and mangled bodies, fresh indignities and more inhuman tortures. The rack and the torture chamber, red-hot beds and iron boots, hooks and pincers, eyes scooped out of their sockets, or pierced with a sword, mutilations, scourgings, scalding pitch or burning wax, loathsome dungeons, and cruel upbraidings, all these were but the beginning of sorrows, and served as a prelude to the yet more fiendish assaults of licentious gladiators, terminating either in a lingering death, in the mines, in cold and hunger, in pain and nakedness, or in a combat with wild beasts in the arena, to gratify the bloodthirsty propensities of a Roman or Grecian populace. "The Christians! away with the Christians; let the Christians be thrown to the lions!"

As we read, we gaze on the scene with horror, and when we expect to see them sink under these multiplied assaults, we behold with astonishment

these heroic women rising superior to bodily pain, and, collecting all the energies of their lofty minds, witness a good confession with calmness and deliberation., Sometimes, indeed, they were permitted to witness the fruits of their steadfastness in the conversion of one of their persecutors; but more frequently their boldness only served to draw down upon them aggravated indignities.

The children of God have in every age been tried in the furnace of affliction: but, thus strengthened and purified, they have been enabled cheerfully to embrace the cross, and to meet death without fear or amazement. Their blood of witness to the Truth as it is in Jesus, is the precious seed of the now widely spreading Church; and, till time itself shall be no more, their faith and zeal will be had in remembrance. In the Church triumphant in heaven they form a great multitude, which no man can number, clothed in white robes, and palms in their hands. Even there, admiring angels record their story: "These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them: they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." -Rev. vii.

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CHAPTER XIV.

THE DEATH OF THE CHRISTIAN.

Lift not thou the wailing voice;

Weep not, 'tis a Christian dieth,

Up, where blessed Saints rejoice,
Ransomed now, the spirit flieth;

High in Heaven's own light she dwelleth;
Full the song of triumph swelleth:
Freed from earth and earthly failing,
Lift for her no voice of wailing.

GREAT and vital as was the difference between the Christian and the pagan, during life, the contrast was, if possible, yet more striking and momentous in death. To the believer, death has no sting, the grave no terrors. He rests with unshaken faith upon the Lord Jesus Christ, who has brought life and immortality to light; he knows that He who has overcome death holds the keys of death and hell; that He is the resurrection and the life, the earnest and first-fruits of all his believing members: he knows in whom he has believed; and feels per

suaded, that no man can pluck out of His hand the soul which is stayed on Him: he feels assured, that though his dust shall mingle with its kindred earth, yet his spirit shall return to God; that though worms destroy his body, yet in his flesh he shall see God; for, when the last trumpet shall sound, the sea shall give up her dead, and the elements shall restore his scattered dust,-his spirit shall reanimate her former tenement, and, by the fiat of the Almighty, his corruption shall put on incorruption, his mortal immortality.

This sure and certain hope in the " resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come," bears up the Christian under the severest trials. He fears not lest his feet stumble upon the dark mountains, for the everlasting arms are under him; and the very gloom of the valley of death is dispelled by the brightness of a Saviour's love. To him, death is life, the grave the gate of heaven, and his song of triumph, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?— thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ."