gained. In extremity, the help of Foreigners is not to be condemned, but it is a remedy least to be trufted, and last to be tried. God ruleth in the kingdoms of men: by him kings reign, therefore fear God, and honour the King.

The CONFESSION of FAITH of the late KING of PRUSSIA, which he caufed to be addreffed to all the PROTESTANT MINISTERS in the DIET of the EMPIRE at RATISBON.

1. "I

Do not believe in the Ordinances of the Pope; nor even in the writings of Luther, Beza, or Calvin; but I believe in the adorable Trinity, and I make his holy word the foundation of my faith; nor fhall I ever believe any thing that clashes with it, even though an angel from heaven should reveal it.

II. I believe also, that I fhall be faved, together with all true Christians, by the blood, and by the death of Jesus Christ, by his wounds, and holy merit.

III. And because there is no falvation in any other name than the faving name of Jefus Chrift; I would not be filed a Lutheran, a Calvinift, or a Papift; but I am, and choose to be ftiled a Chriftian.

IV. With regard to eternal Election or Predeftination, this is my private opinion, that the merciful God hath called all men to falvation; and it is not for want of being called that they are not faved, but by their wickedness and obftinacy in oppofing divine grace, and by reafon of their corrupt hearts, and their fins, that they are condemned through the just judgments of God.

V. As to good works, it is my opinion that there must neceffarily be good works where there is a true and fincere faith: for faith and good works can no more be feparated, than light. from fire. Nevertheless, it is an error to believe, that man can merit heaven by good works, or that we can be saved but by true faith. How then can the merit of good works jave us? VI. With

VI. With regard to Baptism and the Lord's fupper, it is my private opinion, that as I have been washed from fin in Baptifm, not by the water, but by the real blood of my Lord and Saviour Jefus Christ, and have been by it received into the eternal covenant of grace with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft; fo I am nourished in the Holy Supper at the table of grace of Jefus Chrift; and in virtue of this facrament, I am rendered partaker of all the benefits which my Saviour has purchased by his wounds, and by his fufferings; and am become an inheritor of life everlasting. Whence I conclude, that whoever believeth in God, ànd feeketh his falvation in the blood of Jefus Chrift, and leadeth a true Chriftian life, may die the death of the righteous, and shall be saved.

VII. I leave to every one the liberty of faith and confcience; protesting, before the face of God, that I am determined to live and die in this plain confeffion of faith. Nevertheless, I leave to all good people to judge whether I am cold, or hot, or lukewarm.

VIII. I am very far from believing, that the fervice of Catholic Priests aims at the falvation of fouls; having learned, by the experience which I have had, that all their actions tend, not to the honour of God, and the falvation of men; but folely to their own honour, and to be respected among men.

IX. It is with reason, that I fcruple to be called a Papist, Lutheran, or Calvinist; but because according to the custom and opinion of the world, it is not fufficient to take the name of a Christian, but we must be engaged to fome particular Church, and make profeffion of its faith; and as the pure reformed religion beft agrees with my religion, I think it not improper to call myself a Reformed; although I see no cause to say there is the least difference between my confeffion of faith, and the pure Lutheran religion; I would not however be called a Calvinist, but I am and shall always be a reformed Christian; that is to fay, one who is difengaged from error in the doctrine of faith, and who believes all which I have before

100

EXTRAORDINARY GRATITUDE

before mentioned.

But, a Calvinift is one who makes the

doctrine of Calvin the rule of his faith.

X. As Calvin was a man, he might be therefore miftaken. I regard Calvin, Luther, and others, as chofen inftruments of God, drawn by virtue of the Holy Ghoft om the darkness of popery, and that they fhewed the true way to life; but, as they were but men, they were all liable to error; therefore, I do not believe in any doctrine, which is not agreeable to the true word of God, For, St. Paul says, Try all things, and hold faft that which is good."

Such were the religious fentiments of the great Frederick, in his younger years. That he changed his opinions afterwards, we may thank Voltaire. But what has either of them gained by this?

An INSTANCE of EXTRAORDINARY GRATITUDE. [Tranflated from L' Hiftoire Generale des Voyages.]

THE Spaniards being befieged in Buenos-Aires by the na

tives of the country, the Governor forbade all thofe that dwelt in the town to go out of it: but, apprehensive that the famine, which began to be felt, might urge fome to violate his orders, he stationed guards in all parts, charging them to fire upon all fuch as should seek to go beyond the prescribed in, closure.

This precaution was a check upon thofe that were in a fa mishing condition, except one only woman, by name Maldonata, who deceived the vigilance of her guards. This woman, after wandering about for fome time in defart fields, discovered a cavern, which feemed to her a fecure retreat against all dangers; but fhe found a Lionefs in it, at the fight of which fhe was ftruck with confternation, The fawning, how ever, of the animal upon her diffipated her fears, and the found

that

that this fawning was not without a meaning. The Lioness very big with young, and not able to bring forth her litter, feemed to demand a fervice which Maldonata did not hesitate to render her.

When she was happily delivered, her gratitude was not confined to prefent teftimonies; fhe went out in queft of food; and, from that day forth, did not fail to bring and lay at Maldonata's feet a provision which the divided with her. Her cares lafted. as long as her young detained her in the cavern. When the

had brought them out, Maldonata ceafed feeing her, and was reduced to feek for her fubfiftance herself. But fhe could not often go out without feeing Indians, who at laft made a flave of her. Heaven permitted her to be retaken by the Spaniards, who brought her back to Buenos-Aires.

The Governor had left the place. Another Spaniard, who commanded in his absence, an ill natured man and cruel, knowing that this woman had violated a capital law, did not think her fufficiently punifhed by her misfortunes. He gave orders for her being fast bound to the trunk of a tree, in the open country, there to die for hunger, the evil the wanted to guard against by flight, or to be devoured by fome wild beaft. Two days after, he was defirous to know what was become of her: Some fol diers whom he had charged with this commiffion, were furprised to find her quite alive, though furrounded by tigers and lions, that dared not to approach her, because a Lioness that flood guard at her feet with feveral young Lions, feemed to defend her. At fight of the foldiers, the Lionefs withdrew a little, to leave them, as it were, at liberty to unbind her Benefactress. Maldonata related to them the adventure of that animal, which she knew immediately; and, when loofed of her bonds, and the foldiers were ready to reconduct her to BuenosAires, the Lionefs fawned greatly upon her, feemingly full of forrow at seeing her depart, The report, made by the foldiers, to the Commandant, made him understand that he could not, without appearing more favage than Lions themselves, refuse to

grant

grant a free pardon to a woman, whom heaven had fo visibly taken under its protection.

The truth of this fingular fact was corroborated by a number of evidences.

An Account of the restoration of a Gentleman from drowning.

A

[By Mr. R. Hall, Surgeon of Manchefter.]

T Black Pool, on the 7th September 1786 as W. Tidd, Efq. was bathing (the weather being tempeftuous, and the tide ebbing) he was taken off his feet, and by the violence of the waves involuntarily carried out to fea, to the diftance of a mile. Some gentleman on the beach faw him, and declared the impoffibility of his returning alive; and being exhausted he called out, but too late for any help to be given to him. He went down, and was carried out by the tide two miles or more to sea. A purfe of 30 guineas was collected, and offered to the fishermen to recover the body, but was refufed on account of the danger; when Meffrs. Horton, Fenton, and Silvefter, launched a boat, and, amidst nameless dangers and difficulties, brought the body to fhore in about 40 minutes after he ceased to call for affistance.

The body when brought on fhore, was to appearance dead, as there feemed to be an entire extinction of life and vital heat; (for thofe gentlemen who had obferved him from the firft, were confident that he had been under water forty minutes.) His eyes were fixed, and greatly inflamed, and the pupils much dilated. Warm blankets were prepared, in which he was carried to his bed, made very warm. From the boat to the bed, there was certainly the space of ten minutes; fo that nearly an hour elapfed before the re-animating procefs was commenced; I infifted on the affiftants only staying in the room. The apparent corpfe was dried well with warm flannels; his head fomented