rather imagine that those [objects] were made by chance, which are made by so great a MIND, that scarcely any one can attain by any means to the comprehension of the order and fitness of the whole; or else, when he understands that there are Gods; cannot understand, that by their providence, this mighty empire has been formed, and enlarged, and preserved ?--

"We may admire ourselves, Conscript Fathers, as much as we please, yet it was neither by numbers that [we subdued] the Spaniards, nor by strength the Gauls, nor by craft the Carthagi nians, nor by tactics the Grecians, nor, in fine, by the home-bred and native good sense of this people and country, the Italians themselves and the Latins; but rather, by piety and religion; and by this sole wisdom, namely, that we perceived that all things are ruled and governed by the providence of the immortal Gods, did we subdue all peoples and nations.'

"Even that cunning politician, Muchiavel himself, (who cannot be suspected of partiality to our cause) acknowledges, that 'for several ages together, never was the fear of GOD more eminently conspicuous than in that republic:' and he has admirably traced the connexion between their religion and their prosperity and happiness, in the following masterly argument.

"For religion produced good laws; good laws, good fortune, and good fortune, a good end in whatsoever they undertook.' Discourses on Livy, Lib. 1. Cap. 11.

"And the following argument of Josephus, the great Jewish historian, against the Atheistical philosophers of that age, drawn from the exact completion of ancient prophecies, is equally conclusive against their modern successors.

"And from these, may the Epicureans be convicted of error, who reject PROVIDENCE from the concerns of life, and honour not the DEITY with the superintendance of human affairs, nor admit, that the universe is governed by the BLESSED AND IMMORTAL BEING for the permanency of the whole; but who say, that the world goes on at random, without Director or Councellor. From the events then, foretold by Daniel, they seem to me greatly to err from the true opinion, who assert, that the DEITY exercises no providence about human affairs.'

"Such are the admirable sentiments of this pious and learned Jew, whom I strongly suspect, from several passages of his writings, remarkably consonant both to the language and spirit of the New Testament, to have been almost a Christian.' (See his celebrated character of JESUS CHRIST, vindicated, in point of authenticity, in THE INSPECTOR.)

"And his profound observations, respecting the remarkable inattention and ignorance of mankind, about the divine predic-. tions, occasioned by the blindness and obduracy of the Jews concerning the long-predestined doom of their city and nation,— are equally intitled to attention now. Would to GoD, they Vol. VI. Churchm. Mag. June, 1804. Iii

were

were altogether inapplicable to the present generation of our countrymen !

"These have I recorded, as fully sufficient themselves, to explain to the ignorant, the nature of the DEITY: that it is various and manifold, and that all things happen in season and in order; and that it foretells things to come, and especially the ignorance and unbelief of mankind; whereby they are accustomed to foresee nothing of what is to happen; whence, they are betrayed, when off their guard, into calamities; and then, [into despondency,] as if the attempt to extricate themselves, was impracticable on their parts."

"Besides the revolutions of empires, both Heathen and Christian; the revolution of churches, since the first planting of Christianity, furnish additional matter of triumph to the Infidel: 'Where,' says he, exultingly, where is the promise of CHRIST, that the gates of hell should not prevail against his Church ?---are not the Churches of the Holy-land, Asia, and Africa, founded by the Apostles and their successors, long since fallen into decay and ruin; and Christianity supplanted either by Islamism or Paganism?

"The melancholy and disgraceful fact of the decay and extinction almost of genuine Christian Faith, in those benighted countries, where the light of the gospel once shined with such splendor, is indeed notorious. But such idle gainsayers, or prejudiced scoffers, blinded by their prejudices, are unable to distinguish between the Holy Church Universal militant here upon earth,' and as it subsists in particular communities.

"An established church, in any country, is not Christianity itself (with which it is sometimes confounded by indiscreet zeal) but a useful mean, if properly regulated, of teaching and promoting Christian knowledge and practice, throughout the nation; but the best and wisest human institutions may gradually be abused, and fall into decay. Thus, when the established churches of the Holy Land, of Asia, and of Africa, ceased to preach and practise the pure gospel faith, and blended it with the corruptions of false philosophy, and the superstitions of Heathenism, their lamps' (as expressly threatened by CHRIST himself) were gradually extinguished;' and they are now sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, immersed in the most deplorable ignorance, and groaning under the most cruel slavery and inexorable despotism; because they neither contended for,' nor kept the faith committed to the saints.

6

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." Rev. 2. 7.

"And whosoever reads with attention that awful admonition of our LORD, throughout, addressed to the seven churches of Asia Minor, will find abundant cause to dread the extinction of

the

the lamps of the churches of Europe, likewise, for their similar corruptions and apostacy!

"There is one fatal symptom of approaching ruin, which seems to pervade the whole, and from which, the purest, alas! is not exempt; the lukewarmness of the church of Laodicea (most appositely referred to, in the Epistle, for the solemn service of this day,) thus reprobated by our LORD.

"I know thy marks, that thou art neither cold nor hot : I wish that thou wert either cold or hot! So then, because thou art luke-warm and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spue thee out of my mouth." Rev. 3. 15—16.

"And the doom of Laodicea in which there was a flourishing church in the primitive ages, seemeth to have been more severe and terrible than that of almost any other of the seven churches: For it is now utterly destroyed, and forsaken of men; and is become an habitation only for wolves, foxes, and jackalls, a den of dragons, snakes, and vipers!" Bishop Newton, Proph. III. p. 39.

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"And the pious and profoundly learned Mede, one of the firmest pillars of the Church' of ENGLAND, thus expresses his apprehensions, founded on the woeful prediction of the persecution and death of the two faithful witnesses' of the Law, and of the Gospel, when they have finished their testimony' to an inattentive and apostate world. Rev. 11. 3—9.

"Either I am mistaken, or the Apocalypse too plainly intimates, that shortly before the downfal of the Beast (or Papal Antichrist,) the whole reformed world, will be oppressed (but for a very short time) and (I shudder to say,) entirely subverted!" p. 924. and he elsewhere more fully expresses his sentiments.

"I conceive not this clades testium (or destruction of the witnesses) to be such as should extinguish the persons, (or whole materials, as I may so speak) of the reformed churches; but the public fabrick of the reformation"---“ namely, an extermination of the reformed pastors out of their places and churches; and not a general extermination of the reformed people, which are too many to be dealt with according to former violence; and shall remain to terrify the Beast, and revenge the clades of their prophets." pp. 761, 766.

And he obliquely hints at the shameful spoliation of ecclesiastical property, which disgraced the commencement of the Reformation.

"Moreover, there is a sin, whereof the whole body of the refor mation is notoriously guilty; which, nevertheless, is accounted no sin, and yet, such an one, as I know not whether GoD ever passed by without some visible and remarkable judgment. This seems to call for a scourge before Antichrist shall go down; and may be, as far as I know, this feared clades testium. I will not name it, because it is invidious; and I am not willing to be

drawn

drawn to say so much for the probability thereof in this case, as perhaps I could." p. 760. See the foregoing pages, 484, 487. where he has explicitly stated it.

However, notwithstanding all the gloom that overhangs "the Church militant here upon earth”—in these disastrous days; all considerate men's hearts failing them for fear and expectation of those [judgments] that are coming upon the world,---still, blessed be GOD! the consolations of the Gospel are reviving and animating to support and strengthen the patience and faith of the saints."

Even in Palestine, the vestiges of Christianity are not effaced : "I cannot omit," says the judicious Maundrell, an observation, made by most of our company in this journey, viz. That in all the ruins of churches which we saw, (being perhaps not fewer than one hundred,) though their other parts were totally demolished, yet the cast end we always found standing, aud tolerably entire; nor do I remember ever to have seen one instance of the con

trary. Whether the Christians, when over-run by Inpdels, redeemed their Altars from ruin with money; or whether the Barbarians, when they demolished the other parts of the churches, might voluntarily spare these, out of awe and veneration; or whether they have stood thus long, by virtue of some peculiar firmness in the nature of their fabrick, or whether some occult Providence has preserved them, as so many standing monuments of Christianity in these unbelieving regions, and presages of its future restoration, I will not determine.' p. 49.

And the subsistence hitherto of two of the churches of Asia minor, Smyrna and Philadelphia, surviving the rest, according to prophecy; is also a source of consolation and reliance on CHRIST'S providential care of particular churches, "where few are faithful found."

"In Smyrna," says bishop Newton, Proph. III. 33. "the Christians are more considerable, and in a far better condition, than in any other of the Seven Churches;-as if the promise was still in some measure made good to Smyrna, "Fear none of these things which thou shalt suffer"---Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.' Rev. 2. 10.

In "Philadelphia," proceeds bishop Newton, p. 38, "GOD hath been picased to preserve some, to make profession of the Christian Faith: there being above two hundred houses of Christians, and four churches. Next to Smyrna, this city hath the greatest number of Christians; and CHRIST hath promised. a more particular protection to it.

"I know thy works: Behold, I have set before thee an open door and none can shut it; for thou hast a little strength, and hust kept my word, and hust not denied my nome--Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of trial, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth."Rev. 3. 8-10.

"Than

"Than which, as Dr. Spon saith, what could be said more formally to foretel the coming of the Turks, the open enemies of Christianity who seem to have been sent, on purpose, for the punishment of our crimes, and to distinguish the faithful from the false Christians, who pretend to be so, and are not."

The testimony of a noted adversary, Gibbon, to the preservation of the church of Philadelphia, is curious and valuable:

46

Philadelphia alone, has been saved by prophecy, or by cou rage: at a distance from the sea, [about twenty-seven miles to the south-east of Sardis, standing on the declivity of mount Tmolus,] forgotten by the Greek emperors, encompassed on all sides by the Turks, her valiant citizens defended their religion and freedom above fourscore years; and at length capitulated with (Orchan) the proudest of the Ottomans."

"Among the Greek colonies and churches of Asia, Philadel phia is still erect; a column in a scene of ruins: a pleasing example, that the paths of honour and safety may be the same.' Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol. xi. p. 397.

How strangely blinded by his prejudices, was this champion of infidelity, to hesitate between prophecy and courage, as saving Philadelphia?--and in the room of honour, (a precarious source of courage, not to substitute religion?-especially, when he allowed that the first object of her valiant citizens, was the defence of their religion!—Such are the usual inconsistencies of credulous infidels, who can believe every thing but the Bible!" as Sir Isaac Newton observed of his friend, Dr. Halley.

"And if we proceed to that most dreaded clades testium, or extinction of all church establishments; in which the frenzy of France has taken an ominous lead: it is foretold to last only for a very short period, for three prophetic days and a half, (or three years and a half, when, to the utter confusion of all its foes, the Church of CHRIST, shall revive most gloriously, and be founded, indeed, upon a rock, which the gates of hell, and all the combined powers of darkness will assail in vain, until the end of time, and until its translation into eternity! when CHRIST shail resign his fiduciary kingdom, (after he shall have put down all his enemies) to GOD THE FATHER, that the Lord God omnipotent may reign, all in all.'

"Such are the animating views and encouraging prospects held forth for the consolation and support of the faithful, in their last dread trial, by the glorious gospel of the BLESSED GOD!"

We make no apology, either to the author, or our readers, for giving this long extract. It would not admit of abridgement; and its contents are of such a nature as to harmonize exactly with the general tenor of our work; and are, at the same time, so important, as to call for the most general circulation we can give them.

We