*^

f

The prefent State of Europe -compared with Antienl Prophecies ;

A SERMON,

PREACHED AT

THE GRAVEL PIT MEETING IN HACKNEY,

•FEBRUARY 28., I J 94,

Being the Day appointed for a General Faji.

By JOSEPH PRIESTLET, LL.D.F.R.S. &c. WITH A PREFACE,

CONTAINING THE

Reafons for, the Author's leaving England,

THIRD EDITION.

B. Quo fugis ? Expedla. Liceat condlfcere caufas Diilidii. Tu noftra, -puer, nifi fallor, amabas Pafcua. <P. -Parce, Parens, damnare tuum. — Tibi laetior annjs Tunc animus fuerat. Nunc intractabilis, afper.

'Frtrarcb en taking leave of his patron, the Cardinal Cohnna.

Nos patriae fines, nos dulcia linquimus arva.

Virgil

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR J. JOHNSON, NO. JZ, ST. PAULAS CHU RCH-VARB.

1794.

XPrice ONE SHILLING.]

583328

7. 5. <5q

PREFACE.

I h i s difcourfe, and thofe on the Evidences of Di- vine Revelation, which will be publifhed about the fame time, being the lafl of my labours in this coun- try, I hope my friends, and the public, will indulge me while I give the reafons of their being the lair, in confequence of my having at length, after much he- fitation, and now with reluctance, -come to a refolu- tion to leave this kingdom.

After the riots in Birmingham, it was the expec- tation, and evidently the wiffo, of many perfons, that I mould immediately fly to France, or America. But I had no confcioufnefs of guilt to induce me to fly my country*. On the contrary, I came directly to London, and inflantly, by means of my friend Mr. Rufleli, fignified to the king's minifters, that I

* If, inftead of flying from lawlefs violence, «I had been flying from public jufticc, I could not have been purfued withmore rancour, nor could my friends have been more anxious for my fafety. One man, who happened to fee me on horfeback on one of the nights in which I efcaped from Birmingham, exprefled his regret that he had not taken me, expecting probably fome confiderable reward, when, as he faid, it was fo eafy for him to 'have done it. My friends earneftly advifed me to difguife myfelf as I was going to London. But all that was done in that way Was taking a place for me in the mail coach, which I enrered at Worcefter, in another name than my own. However, thefriend who had the courage to receive me in London had thought it necefrary to provide a drefs that mould difguife me, and alfo a method of making my efcape, in cafe the houfe Ihould have been attacked on my account ; and for fome time my friends would not 'iufferme to appear in the ilreets.

a 2 -was

iv Preface,

was there, and ready, if they thought proper, to be interrogated on the fubject of the riot. But no no- tice was taken of the meffage.

Ill treated as I thought 1 had been, not merely by the populace of Birmingham, for they were the mere tools of their fuperiors, but by the country in gene- ral, which evidently exulted in our fufferings, and afterwards by the reprefentatives of the nation, who refufed to inquire into the caufe of them, I own 1 was not without deliberating upon the fubject of emigra- tion ; and feveral flattering propofals were made me, efpecially from France, which was then at peace within itfelf, and with all the world -s and I was at one time much inclined to go thither, on account of its nearnefs to England, the pgreeablenefs of its climate, and my having many friends there.

But I likewife confidered that, if I went thither, I fhould have no employment of the kind to which I'had been accuflomed; and tht feafon of active life not being, according to the courfe of nature, quite over, I wifhed to make as much ufe of it as I could. I therefore determined to continue in England, ex- pofed as I was not only to unbounded obloquy and infult, but to every kind of outrage ; and after my in- vitation to fucceed my friend Dr. Price, I had no hefitation about it. Accordingly I took up my re- fidence where I now am, though fo prevalent was the idea of my infecurity, that I was not able to take the houfe in my own name; and when a friend of mine took it in bis, it was with much difficulty that, after fome time, the landlord was prevailed upon to

transfer

Preface. v

transfer the leafe to me. He expreiTed his appre-; henfions, not only of the houfe that I occupied being demolifhed, but alfo a capital houfe in which he himfelf refides, at the diftance of no lefs than twenty miles from London, whither he fuppofed the rioters would go next, merely for futfering me to live in a houfe of hh.

But even this does not give fuch an idea of the danger that not only myfelf, but every perfon, and every thing, that had the flighteft connexion with me, were fuppofed to be in, as the following. The managers of one of the principal charities among the DifTenters applied to me to preach their annual fer- mon, and I had confented. But the treafurer, a man of fortune, who knew nothing more of me than my name, was fo much alarmed at it, that he declared he could not fleep. I therefore, to his great relief] declined preaching at all.

When it was known that I was fettled where I now am, feveral of my friends, who lived near me, were ferioufly advifed to remove their papers, and other moil valuable effects, to fome place of greater fafety in London. On the 14th of July, 1792, it was taken for granted by many of the neighbours, that my houfe was to come down, juft as at Bir- mingham the year before. When the Hackney aflb- ciation was formed, feveral fervants in the neigh- bourhood actually removed their goods ; and when there was fome political meeting at the houfe of Mr, Breillat, though about two miles from my houfe, a woman whofe daughter was fervant in the houfe

a 3 contiguous

vi Preface;

contiguous to mine, came to her mifirefs, to entreat: that me might be out of the way -, and it was not without much difficulty that fhe was pacified, and prevailed upon to continue in the houfe, her miftrefs faying that me was as fafe as herfelf.

On feveral other occafions the neighbourhood has been greatly alarmed on account of my being fo near diem. Nor was this without apparent reafon. I could, name a perfon,. and to appearance a reputable tradef- ftian, who,,in the company of his friends, in the hearing of one of my late congregation at Birmingham, but without knowing him to be fuch, declared that, in cafe of any difturbance, they would immediately come to Hackney, evidently for the purpofe of mifchief. In this ftate of things, it is not to be wondered at, that of many fervants who were recommended to me, and fome that were actually hired, very few could, for a long time, be prevailed upon to live with me.

Thefe fads not only fhew how general v/as the idea of my particular infecurity in this country; but what is of much more confequence, and highly in- terefting to the country at large,, an idea of the ge- neral difpofition to rioting and violence that prevails in it, and that the DifTenters are the obje&s of it.. Mr. Pitt very juftly obferved, in his fpeech on the- fiibjecl: of the riots in Birmingham, that it was " the- * effervefcence of the public mind." Indeed the efFervefcible matter has exifted> in this country ever fmce the civil wars in the time of Charles I. and it was particularly apparent in the reign of queen Ann. But the power of government under the former princes

of

Pre/act. vli

of the Houfe of Hanover prevented its doing any mifchief. The late events fhew that this power is no longer exerted as it ufed to be, but that, on the contrary, there prevails an idea, well or ill founded, that tumultuary proceedings againft Diffenters will not receive any effectual difcouragement. After what has taken place with refpect to Birmingham, all idea of much hazard for infuking and abufing the Diffenters is entirely vanifhed; whereas the difpo- fition to injure the Catholics was effectually checked by the proceedings of the year 1780. From that time they have been fafe, and I rejoice in it. Buc from the year 1791, the Diffenters have been more expofed to infult and outrage than ever.

Having fixed myfelf at Clapton ; unhinged as I had been, and having loft the labour of feveral years; yet flattering myfelf that I mould end my days here, I took a long leafe of my houfe, and expended a con- fiderable fum in improving it. I alfo determined, with the affiftance of my friends, to refume my philo- fophical and other purfuits 3 and after an interruption amounting to about two years, it was with a pleafure that I cannot defcribe, that I entered my new labora- tory, and began the mod common preparatory pro- ceffes, with a view to fome original inquiries. With what fuccefs I have laboured, the public has already in fome meafure feen, and may fee more hereafter.

But though I did not.choofe (notwithftanding I

found myfelf expofed to continual infult) to leave my

native country, I found it neceffary to provide for

&y fons elfe where. My eldeft fon was fettled in a

a 4 bufinefs,

viii Preface.

bufinefs, which promifed to be very advantageous, at Manchefter ; but his partner, though a man of li- berality himfelf, informed him, on perceiving the general prevalence of the fpirit which produced the riots in Birmingham, that, owing to his relationfhip to me3 he was under the neceffity of propofing a fe- paration, which accordingly took place*

On this he had an invitation to join another con- nexion, in a, bufinefs in, which the fpirit of party could not have much affected him ; but he declined it. And after he had been prefent at the affizes at Warwick, he conceived fuch an idea, of this country,, that I do not believe that any propofal, however ad- vantageous, would have induced him to continue m it , fo much was he affected on. perceiving his father treated as I had been.

Determining to go to America, where he had no profpec~t but that of being a farmer, he withed to fpend a fhort time with a perfon who has greatly dif- tinguifhed himfelf in that way, and one who< from his own general principles, and his friendship for myfelf,, would have given him the belt advice and affiftance in his power. He,, however, declined it* and acknowledged fame time after, that had it been known, as it muff have been, to his landlord, that he had a fon. of mine with him, he feared he mould have been turned out of his farm.

My fecond fon, who was prefent both ar the riot, and the affizes, felt more indignation dill, and wil- lingly liftened to a propofal to fettle in France; and there his iccepuon was but too nattering. However,.

on

Preface. is

on die breaking out of the war with this country, all mercantile profpects being fufpended, he wiflied to- go to America. There his eldeft and youngeft brother have joined him, and they are now looking out for a fettlement, having as yet no fixed views.

The neceffity I was under of fending my fons out of this country, was my principal inducement to fend the little property that I had out of it too; fo that I had nothing in England befides my library, appa- ratus, and houfehold goods. By this, I felt myielf greatly relieved, it being of little confequence where a man already turned fixty ends his days. Whatever good or evil I have been capable of, is now chiefly done ; and I trull that the fame confcioufhefs of inte- grity, which has fupported me hitherto, will carry me through any thing that may yet be referved for me* Seeing, however, no great profpefl of doing much good, or hiving much enjoyment, here, I am now preparing to follow my fons ; hoping to be of fome ufe to them in their prefer^ unfettled ftate, and that Providence may yet, advancing in years as I am, find me fome fphere of ufefulnefs. along with them.

As to the great odium that I have incurred, the charge of '/edition, or my being an enemy to the con- ftitution or peace of my country, is a mere pretence for it ; though it has been fo much urged, that it is now generally believed, and all attempts to unde- ceive the public with refpect to it avail nothing at all. The whole courfe of my (Indies, from early life, fhews how little politics of any kind have been my objeA. Indeed to have written fo much as I

have

x Preface.

have in theology ', and to have done fo much in expert* mental philosophy, and at the fame time to have had my mind occupied, as it is fuppofed to have been, •with factious politics, I muft have had faculties more than human. Let any perfon only caft his eye over the long lift of my publications, and he will fee that they relate almoft wholly to theology, philofophy, or

general literature.

I did, however, when I was a younger man, and before it was in my power to give much attention to philofophical purfuit3, write a fmall anonymous political pamphlet, on the State cf Liberty in this Country -, about the time of Mr. Wilkes's election for Middlefex, which gained me the acquaintance, and I may fay the friend (hip, of Sir George Savile, and which I had the happinefs to enjoy as long as he lived.

At the requefl alfo of Dr. Franklin and Dr. Fo^ *Jiergill, I wrote an addrefs to the DilTenters on the fubjec! of the approaching rupture with America, a pamphlet which Sir George Savile, and my other friends, circulated in great numbers, and it was thought with fome effect.

Afu r this I entirely ceafed to write any thing on the fubject of politics, except as far as the bufinefs of the Teft Aft> and of Civil Eftablijhments of Religion > had a connexion with politics. And though, at the recommendation of Dr. Price, I was prefently after this taken into the fimily of the Marquis of Lanf- downe, and I entered into almoft all his views, as thinking them jufl and liberal, I never wrote a fmgle

pamphlet,

Preface, xi

pamphlet, or even a paragraph in a newfpaper, all the time that I was with him, which was feven years*

I never preached a political fermon in my life, un- lefs fuch as, I believe, all Difienters ufually preach, en the fifth of November, in favour of civil and re- ligious liberty r may be faid to be political. And on* thefe occafions, I am confident, that I never ad- vanced any fentiment but fuch as, till of late years,, would have tended to recommend, rather thaa render me obnoxious, to thofe who direct the admi- nistration of this country. And the doctrines whicb I adopted when young, and which were even popular then (except with the clergy, who were at that time generally difaffected to the family on the throne) I cannot abandon*, merely becaufe the times are fa changed, that they are now become unpopular, and the expreiTion and communication of them hazardous*

Farther, though I by no means difapprove o£ ibcieties for political information, fuch as are now every where difcountenanced, and generally fup- preffed, I never was a member of any of them ; nor,, indeed, did I ever attend any public meeting, if I. could decently avoid it, owing to habits acquired in ftudious and retired life.

From a miflake of my talents and difpofition, I was invited by many of the departments in France,, to reprefent them in the prefent National Conven- tion, after I had been made a citizen of France, on account of my being confidered as one who had been, perfecuted for my attachment to the caufe of liberty here. But though the invitation was repeated with % the-

xii Preface.

the moft flattering importunity, I never hefitated

about declining \u

I can farther fay with refpect to politics, concern- ing which I believe every Englifhman has fome opinion or other (and at prefent, owing to the pe- culiar nature of the prefent war, it is almoft the only topic of general converfation) that, except in com- pany, I hardly ever think of the f abject, my reading, meditation, and writing, being almoft wholly en- groffed by theology, and philofophy ; and of late, as for many years before the riots in Birmingham, I have fpent a very great proportion of my time, as my friends well know, in my laboratory.

If, then, my real crime has not been /edition, or treaforiy what has it been? For every effeff muft have fome adequate caujey and therefore the odium that I have incurred mull have been owing to fome- thing in my declared fentiments, or conduct, that has expofed me to it. In my own opinion, it cannot have been any thing but my open hoflility to the doctrines of the eftablifhed church, and more efpe- cially to all civil eftablifhments of religion whatever. This has brought upon me the implacable refent- ment of the great body of the clergy ; and they have found other methods of oppohng me befides argu- ment) and that ufe of the prefs which is equally open to us all. They have alfo found an able ally and champion in Mr. Burke, who (without any provo- cation except that of anfwering his book on the French Revolution) has taken feveral opportunities of inveighing againft me, in a place where he knows

I cannot

Preface. xiii

1 cannot reply to him, and from which he alfo knows that his accufation will reach every corner of the country, and confequently thoufands of perfons, who will never read any writings of mine*. They have had another, and (till more effectual vehicle of their abufe in what are called the treqfury newf- papers, and other popular publications.

By thefe and other means, the fame party fpirit which was the caufe of the riots in Birmingham, has been increafing ever fince, efpecially in that neigh- bourhood; a remarkable inftance of which may be {<:en in a Letter addreffed, but not fent, to me from Mr. Foley, reftor of Stourbridge, who acknowledge* the fatisfaclion that he and his brethren have re- ceived from one of the grorTeft and ccarfefl pieces of abufe of me that has yet appeared, which, as a curious fpecimen of the kind, I inferted in the Ap- pendix of my Appeal, and in which I am reprefented as no better than Guy Fawkes, or the devil himfclf. This very Chriltian divine recommends to the mem- bers of the eftabliihed church to decline all commer- cial dealings with DifTenters, as an effectual method pf exterminating them. Defers Short eft Way with the

* Mr. Burke having (aid in the Houfe of Common?, that f< I was made a citizen of France on account of my declared *•' hoftility to the conilitution of this country," I, in the public paper.*, denied the charge, and called upon him for the proofs of it. As he made no reply, in the preface to my F, il Sermon of the lait year, I faid, p. 9, that " it fufiicieniiy appeared that he *c had neither ability to maintain his charge, nor virtue to retract " it." A year more of filence on his part having now elapicd, this is become more evident than bdorc.

Dijfenters,

xiv Preface,

Dijfenters* ', would have taught him' a more effe&tfot' method (till. And yet this Mr. Foley, whom I never law, and who could not have had any particular Caufe of enmity to me, had, like Mr. Madan of Birming- ham, a character for liberality. What, then, have we to expect from others, when we find fo much bigotry and rancour in fuch men as thefe ?

Many times, by the encouragement of perfons from whom better things might have been ex- pected, I have been burned in effigy along with Mr. Paine; and numberlefs infuking and threat- ening letters have been fent to me from all parts -of the kingdom. It is not poUlble for any man to have conducted himfelf more peaceably than I have done all the time that I have lived at Clapton, yet it has not exempted me not only from the word fufpicions, but very grofs infults. A very friendly and innocent club, which I found in the place, has been confidered as JacoUne chiefly on my account, and at one time there was caufe of apprehenfion that 1 mould have been brought into danger for lending one of Mr. Paine's books. But with fome difficulty the neighbourhood was fatisfred that I was innocent.

As nothing had been paid to me on account of damages in the riot, when I publilhed the fecohd part of my Affieal to the public on the fubjecl, it may be proper to fay, that it was paid fome time in the beginning of the year 1793, with intereft only from the firft of January of the fame year, though the injury was received in July, 1791^ when equity

* A trad written in a grave ironical itile, advifing to hang them all.

evidently

Preface* xv

evidently required, that it ought to have been allow- ed from the time of the riot, efpecially as, in ail the cafes, the allowance was far fhort of die lofs. In my cafe it fell fhort, as I have (hewn, not lefs than two thoufand pounds. And the lofTes fuftained by the other fufferers far exceeded mine. Public juflice alfo re- quired that, if the forms of law, local enmity, or any other caufe, had prevented our receiving full indem- nification, it mould have been made up to us from the public treafury ; die great end of all civil govern- ment being protection from violence, or an indemni- fication for it. Whatever we might in equity claim, the country owes us, and, if it be juft, will fome time or other pay, and with intereft.

I would farther obferve, that fince, in a variety of cafes, money is allowed where the injury is not of a pecuniary nature, merely becaufe no other compen- fation can be given, the fame fhould have been done with refpect to me, on account of the deftrucYion of my manufcripts, the interruption of my purfuits, the lofs of a pleafing and advantageous fituation, &c. &c. and had the injury been fuftained by a clergy- man, he would, I doubt not, have claimed, and been allowed, very large damages on this account. So far, however, was there any idea cf the kind in my favour, that my counfel advifed me to make no mention of my manufcript Lectures on the Conftitution and Laws of England, a work about as large as that of Blackftone (as may be feen by the fyllabus of the particular lectures, fixty-three in all, publifhed in the firft edition of my EJfay on a Courje of liberal Ediua*

Hon

XVi Preface.

tier, for civil and atlive Life) becaufe it would be taken for granted that they were of feditious nature, and would therefore have been of differvice to me wiih the jury. Accordingly they were, in the ac- count of my loffes, included in the article of fo much paper. After thefe loffes, had I had nothing but the juftice of my country to look to, I muft have funk under the burden, incapable of any farther exertions. It was r/he feafonable generofity of my friends that prevented this, and put it in my power, though with the unavoidable lofs of near two years, to refume my former purfuits.

A farther proof of the exceflive bigotry of this country is, that, though the clergy of Birmingham, refenting what I advanced in the firfl part of my Appeal, replied to it, and pledged themfelves to go through with the enquiry along with me, till the whole. truth mould be invefligated, they have made no reply to the Second Part cf my Appeal, in which I brought fpecific charges againft themfelves, and other perfons by name, proving them to have been the promoters and abettors of the riot ; and yet they have as much refpect fhewn to them as ever, and the country at large pays no attention to it. Had the clergy been the injured perfons, and Diffenters the rioters, unable to anfwer the charges brought againft them, fo great would have been the general indignation at their conduct, that I am perfuaded it would not have been pofilble for them to continue in the country.

I could, if I were fo difpofed, give my readers

many

Preface* Svii

many mare inftances of the bigotry of the clergy of the church of England with refpect to me, which could not fail to excite, in generous minds, equal indigna- tion and contempt ; but I forbean Had I, however, forefeen what I am now witnefs to, I certainly fhould not have made any attempt to replace my library or apparatus, and I foon repented of having done it. But this being done, I was willing to make fome ufc of both before another interruption of my purfuits. I began to philofophize, and make experiments, rather late in life, being near forty, for want of the neceffary means of doing any thing in this way ; and my purfuits have been much interrupted by re- movals (never indeed choienby myfelf, but rendered neceflary by circumftances) and my time being now fhort, I hoped to have had no occafion for more than one, and that a final, remove. But the circum- ftances above mentioned have induced me, though with great and fincere regret, to undertake another, and to a greater diftance than any that I have hi- therto made.

I profefs not to be unmoved by the afpeel: of things exhibited in this Difcourfe. But notwithstand- ing this, I mould willingly have awaited my fate in my native country, whatever it had been, if I had not had fons in America, and if I did not think that a field of public ufefulnefs, which is evidently doling upon me here, might open to more advantage there.

I alfo own that I am not unaffected by fuch unex- ampled punishments as thofe of Mr. Muir and my

b friend

xviii Preface.

friend Mr. Palmer, for offences, which, if, in the eye of reafon, they be any at all, are flight, and very infufficiently proved -, a meafure fo fubverfive of that freedom of fpeaking and acting, which has hitherto been the great pride of Britons. But the fentence of Mr. Winterbotham, for delivering from the pulpit what I am perfuaded he never did deliver, and which, fimilar evidence might have drawn upon my- felf, or any other diffenting minifter, who was an object of general diflike, has fomething in it ftill more alarming*. But I truft' that confeious inno- cence

* I truft that the friends of liberty, efpecially among the Dif- fenters, will not fail to do every thing in their power to make Mr. Winterbottom's confinement, and alfo the fufferings of Mr. Palmer and his companions, as eafy to them as poflible. Having been affifted in afeafon of perfecution myfelf, I fhould be very ill deferving of the favours I have received, if I was not particularly defirous of recommending fuch cafes as theirs to general con- fideration. Here difference in religious fentiment is leafl of all to be attended to. On the contrary, let thofe who in this refpect differ the moll from Mr. Winterbottom, which is my own cafe, exert themfelves the moft in his favour. When men of unquef- tionable integrity and piety fufter in confequence of acting (as fuch perfons always will do) from a principle of confeience, they mu(t command the refpedt even of their enemies, if they alfo aft from principle, though they be thereby led to proceed in an op- pofite direction.

The cafe of men of education and reflection (and who a£l from the befl intentions with refpecl to the community) committing what only fiate policy requires to be confidered as crimes, but which are allowed on all hands to imply no moral turpitude, fo as to render them unfit for heaven and happinefs hereafter, is not to be confounded with that of common felons. There was no- thing in the conduct of Louis XIV. and his miniflers, that ap- peared fo mocking, fo contrary to all ideas of juflice, humanity and decency, and that has contributed more to tender their me- mory

Preface. xix

cence would fupport me as it does him, under whatever prejudiced and violent men might do to me, as well 2^ Jay of me. But I fee no occafion to expofe myfelf to danger without any profpecl: of do- ing good, or to continue any longer in a country in which I am fo unjuftly become the object of gene- ral diflike, and not retire to another, where I have reafon to think I (hall be better received. And I truft that the fame good Providence which has at- tended me hitherto, and made me happy in my pre- fent fituation, and all my former ones, will attend and blefs me in what may ftill be before me. In all events, The will of God be done.

I cannot refrain from repeating again, that I leave my native country with real regret, never expecting to find any where elfe fociety fo fuited to my difpofition and habits, fuch friends as I have here (whole attachment has been more than a balance to all the abufe I have met with from others) and efpecially to replace one particular Chrif- tian friend, in whofe abfence I mall, for fome time at lead, find all the world a blank. Still lefs can I expect to refume my favourite purfuits, with any thing like the advantages I enjoy here. In leaving this country I alfo abandon a fource of maintenance, which I can but ill bear to lofe. I can, however, truly fay, that I

mory execrated, than fending fuch men as Mr. Marolles, and other eminent Protectants, who are now revered as faints and martyrs, to the gallies, along with the vileft mifcreants* Com- pared with this, the punifhment of death would be mercy. I truit that, in time, the Scots in general will think thcfe meafures a difgrace to their country,

leave

xx Preface.

leave it without any refen&ment, or ill will. On the contrary, I fincerely wifh my countrymen all happi- ne&; and when the time for reflection (which my abfence may accelerate) (hall come, my countrymen, I am confident, will do me more juftice. They will be convinced that every fufpicion they have been led to entertain to my difadvantage has been ill founded, and that I have even fome claims to their gratitude and efteem. In this cafe, I mall look with fatisfaction to the time when, if my life be prolonged, I may vifit my friends in this country ; and perhaps I may, notwithstanding my removal for the prefent, find a grave (as I believe is naturally the wifh of every man) in the land that gave me birth.

FAST

FAST SERMON,

February 28, 1794.

REPENT YE, FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND I MATT. & 2.

I his was the great burden of the preaching of both John the Baptift and of our Saviour. But as that kingdom of heaven , the approach of which they announced, and which, by our Saviour's direction, is the fubjecl of our daily prayers, is not yet come, but much nearer than it was in their time, there muft be a greater propriety in urging this exhorta- tion at prefent, than there has ever yet been. It is nothing but repentance that can prepare finful men (and all men are more or lefs finners) to derive any advantage from this kingdom, in which Chrift and the faints mall bear rule; that new ftate of the heavens and of the earth, in which right eoufnefs only will dwell. And being a fecond time called upon by our rulers to humble ourfelves before God, on account of the calamities we already feel, and thofe that we have reafon to fear, and repentance being

B the

2 Faft SermoHy

the only means of averting his anger, and procuring a cefTation, or mitigation, of his heavy judgments, I fhall take this opportunity of urging it, from that very critical add truly alarming fituation, in which almoft the whole of Europe now finds itfelf, and this country of ours, as having moll at flake, perhaps more than any other.

If we can learn any thing concerning what is be- fore us, from the language of prophecy, great ca- lamities, fuch as the world has never yet experi- enced, will precede that happy flate of things, in which c the kingdoms of this world will become the c kingdom of our Lord Jefus Chrift ;' and thefc ca- lamities will chiefly affecl thofe nations which have been the feat of the great antichriftian power; or, as all Proteftants, and I believe juftly, fuppofe, have been fubject to the fee of Rome. And it appears to m-e highly probable, as I hinted in my lad difcourfe v/ on this occafion, that the prefent difturbances in Europe are the beginning of thofe very calamitous times. I therefore think there is a call for unufual ferioufnefs, and attention to the courfe of Divine Providence, that when c the judgments of God are c abroad in the earth, the inhabitants thereof may € learn rightcoufnefs,' fo as to be prepared for what- ever events the now rapid wheels of time may dif- clofe. Let us then, my brethren, make a ferious paufe. Let us look back to the antient prophecies, and compare them with the prefent ftate of things around us, and let us then look to ourfelves, to our

own

February 28, 1794. 3

Own fentiments and conduct, that we may feel and act as our peculiar circumftances require.

The future happy ftate of the world, when the Jews fhall be reftored to their own country, and be at the head of all the nations of the earth, was firft diftinctly mentioned by Ilaiah, and other prophets who were nearly cotemporary with him ; but it was firft denominated the kingdom of heaven, and an- nounced as to be adminiftered by the Son of Man , or the Meffiah, by Daniel. It was, however, by other prophets, given to a defcendant of David. All Chriftians confider Jefus as this defcendant of David, or the promifed Meffiah. The miftake which the >/ Jews were under, arofe from their wholly overlook- ing the fuffering ftate of the Meffiah, and imagining that his firft coming would be that mentioned by Daniel, in the clouds of heaven \ and confequently that his kingdom would commence on his firft appear- ance.

Jefus, knowing himfelf to be the Meffiah, never denied that, at a proper time, he would appear as a king ; nor could there have been at that time any uncertainty about the meaning of the term king. When Pilate afked Jefus if he was a king, he ac- knowledged it, and added that he was fent to bear witnefs to that, as well as to other truths ; though, to obviate the jealoufy of Pilate, and the Roman go- vernment, he faid that his kingdom was not of this world; fo that it did not interfere with the govern- ments which then exifted in the world, being that B 2 kingdom

4 Fajl Sermon,

kingdom of heaven which was to take place hereafter, and to be exercifed upon maxims very different from thofe of the then exifting kingdoms.

Jefus alfo faid that, when he mould reign, his apoflles would reign with him> and that they mould € fit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes « of Ifrael.' Paul alfo faid, that i. the faints fhall c judge the world.* And it is remarkable that, in the original prophecy of Daniel, the adminiftration of this kingdom of heaven is not faid to be wholly confined to one perfon, but to be extended to many, Dan. vii. 18. f The faints of the Moft High fhall ' take the kingdom, and pofTefs the kingdom for

* ever, even for ever and even* ver. 27. c And the

* kingdom, and dominion, and the greatnefs of the c kingdom, under the whole heaven, fhall be given

* to the people of the faints of the Moft High, whofe

* kingdom is an everlafling kingdom, and all do-

* minions fhall ferve, and oxbey him/ or rather, c obey it?

That this will be a proper kingdom, though a kingdom of righteoufnefs, the object of which will be the happinefs of the fubjects of it, is farther evi- dent from the other kingdoms which are to be over- thrown in order to make way for it. For had it been that purely fpiritual kingdom which fome fup- pofe, what occafion was there for the deflruclion of the other kingdoms •, fince they would not have in- terfered with it, but might have fubfifted at the fame time ?

8 In

February 28, 1794. J

In the firft vifion of Nebuchadnezzar, interpreted by Daniel, this future kingdom of heaven is repre- fented by ' a little ftone, cut out of a mountain with-

* out hands/ which Jtnote the image reprefenting the preceding kingdoms, Dan. ii. 34. and c brake it to

* pieces/ when itfelf c became a great mountain, f filling the whole earth.' In the interpretation of this vifion, ver. 44, it is faid, c In the days of thefe 1 kings fhall the God of heaven fet up a kingdom f which fhall never be deflroyed, and the kingdom

c fhall not be left to other people, but it fhall break ,

* in pieces, and confume all thefe kingdoms, and it ' fhall ftand for ever/ evidently in the place of the other kingdoms. It is, therefore, an inflitution adapted to anfwer the purpofe of them, but in a much better manner.

This kingdom, however, a kingdom of truth and righteoufnefs, will not be eftablifhed without the greateft convulfions, and the violent overthrow of other kingdoms. Every defcription, figurative or otherwife, of this great revolution, clearly implies J violence, and confequently great calamity. The lit- tle ftone failing the image, and breaking it it? pieces, is far from giving an idea of a peaceable revolution, but one that will be effected with great violence, and in a fhort time. The following language is pe- culiarly emphatical. c Then was the iron, the clay, c the brafs, the filver, and the gold/ (all the materi- rials of which the image confuted) c broken to pieces * together, and became as the chaff of the fummer

B 3 <■ floor,

6 Fajl Sermon,

f floor,, and the wind carried them away, and no c place was found for them ; and the Hone that c fmote the image- became a great mountain, and € filled the whole earth/ In the interpretation it is faid, ver. 44, c that this new kingdom fhall break in c pieces, and cbnfume all the other kingdoms/

The fame awful conclufion may be drawn from the language ufed in the correfponding vifion of Daniel himfelf, in the firft year of Belfhazzar, in which the four great empires, which in Nebuchad- nezzar's dream had been reprefented by the four metals, of which the image that he faw confifted, are reprefented by four beafts, and the laft of them is faid (Dan. vii. 11) not to die a natural death, but -to bejlain, and moreover, his body deftroyed, and given to the burning flame. As, in the former vifion, the ten kingdoms, into which the laft, or the Roman empire was to be divided, were reprefented by the ten toes of the image; in this vifion of Daniel they are reprefented by the ten horns of the laft beaft. Thefe are faid to be ten kingdoms, or thrones, and thefe thrones are faid to be caft down, Dan. vii. 9. clearly implying violence in their dhTolution.

In the language of prophecy, great, and efpecialiy fudden revolutions, in kingdoms and ftates, are fre- quently reprefented by earthquakes-, and alfo the fupreme powers on earth by the fun, moon, and ftars. And, in agreement with the preceding view, fug- gefted by Daniel, the prophet Haggai, who wrote after him, to comfort his countrymen in their low

and

February 28, 1794. 7

and diftreffed circumftances, and gloomy profpecls, when they were erecting a poor and contemptible temple, compared with that of Solomon, allures them, that the glory of the latter hoiife, meaning, I am perfuadcd, not the houfe they were then build- ing, for that was taken down by Herod; nor yet that of Herod, but the loft houfe, the glorious tem- ple defcribed by Ezekiel, as to be built after the re- turn of the Jews to their own country, fhould be greater than that of the former houfe built by Solo- mon. Haggai defcribes the great revolution that is to precede it in the following manner. Hag. ii. 6,

* For thus faith the Lord of Hofts, Yet once it is a c little while, and I will fhake the heavens and the c earth, and the fea, and the dry land, and I will

* fhake all nations, and the defire of all nations fhall ' come, and I will fill this houfe with glory, faith the c Lord of Hofts. The glory of this latter houfe fhall

* be greater than that of the former, faith the Lord

* of Hofts; and in this place will I give peace, faith c the Lord of Hofts.' What can be this peace, but the future peaceful and happy ftate of the world un- der the Mefliah ? and what can be this Jhaking of the nations^ that is to precede it, but great convulfions, and fudden revolutions, fuch a§ we fee now beginning to take place ?

The laft great power that is foretold, as to arife

among the ten kingdoms into which the Roman

empire is to be divided, is reprefented by the little

horn, which is faid to arife after the ten, fignifying, I

B 4 doubt

t Faft Sermon,

doubt not, the Papal power. It is faid, Dan. vii. 20, ' to have eyes, and a mouth that fpake very great c things, whofe look was more flout than his fellows,

* which made war with the faints, and prevailed

* againft them, until the antient of days came, and

* judgment was given to the faints of the Moft High,

* and the time came that the faints pofTeffed the c kingdom/ This power, in the interpretation of the vifion, is faid to be one that mould c fpeak great

* words againft the Moft High, and to wear out the 4 faints of the Moft High, and to think to change € times and laws.' It is added, * They (hall be given c into his hand until a time, and times, and the di- c viding of time,' the very period for the duration of the great antichriftian power in the Revelation.

When the termination of this laft power is de- fcribed, it is faid, ver. 26, c The judgment fhall fit,

* and they fhall take away his dominion, to confume

* and to deftroy it unto the end/ which clearly im- plies nothing of a peaceable nature, but fomething exceedingly violent and calamitous.

This is, no doubt, the fame awful period that is fpoken of in the laft chapter of Daniel, ch. xii. ver. 1. < And at that time fhall Michael ftand up, the great ' prince which ftandeth for the children of thy peo- c pie, and there fhall be a time of trouble, fuch as f never was fince there was a nation, even to that

* fame time ; and at that time thy people fhall be e delivered, every one that fhall be found written in

* the book. And many of them that fleep in the

<duft

. February <i%, 1794. 9

* duft of the earth lhall awake.' For that the refur- furreflion, at leaft in part, will take place at the commencement of this great period, is agreeable to the uniform language of fcripture on the fubjecl:.

All the prophecies in the New Teftament con- cerning the fall of Antichrift, and the commencement of the proper kingdom of heaven, and of Chrift, ex- actly correfpond with thofe which I have quoted from the Old Teftament. The fecond coming of Chrift is reprefented by the apoftle Paul, 1 Thef. i. 7, as an event exceedingly awful, and dreadful to the wicked, c He will be revealed from heaven, with his mighty

* angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them c that know not God.'

That the great antichriftian power is to be de- ftroyed at this fecond coming of Chrift, and not pro- perly before, and therefore that its final deftruclion will be fudden, is evident from what the fame apoftle fays afterwards, 2 Thef. ii. 8. c Then fhall that wicked

* one be revealed, whom the Lord lhall confume f with the fpirit of his mouth, and lhall deftroy with

* the brightnefs of his coming, even him whofe c coming is after the working of Satan, with all f power, and figns, and lying wonders, and with all c deceivablenefs of unrighteoufnefs, in them that

* perims' characters fufticiently evident of the church of Rome.

The account that is given, in the book of Reve- lation, of the commencement of the laft great pe- riod, fignified by the blowing of the Jeventb trumpet,

when

IO Faft Sermon,

when the kingdoms of the earth are to become the kingdoms of our Lord Jefus Chrift, Rev. ii. 15, is immediately preceded by the third, and probably far the greateft of the three woes, the firft of which was Gccafioned by the conquefts of the Saracens, and the fecond by thofe of the Turks, as the order of the events defcribed under the preceding trumpets evi- dently implies. And the ftate of things at this time is defcribed in the following emphatical language of the four and twenty .elders, who are faid, on this oc- cafion* to fall on their faces, and to worfhip God, Rev. xi. 17. c We give thee thanks, O Lord God c Almighty, who art, and waft, and art to come/be- c caufe thou haft taken to thee thy great power and

* haft reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy

* wrath is come, and the time of the dead that they f muft be judged, and that thou fhouldeft give re- c ward to thy fervants the prophets, and fhouldeft c deftroy them that deftroy the earth*,'

We have here a wonderful concurrence of great events, and among thefe is the anger of the nations, followed by the deftruttion of them that have deftroyed the earth. Now how has the earth been deftroyed by the men who have deftroyed it, but by defolating wars, and the deftructionjthat has thereby been made of mankind ? In like manner, then, may we con-

* On this fubjeft I refer my readers to two fermons lately publiJhed by the Rev. Elkanan Winchefler, entitled The Three Woe Trumpets, deferving the ferious cosfideradon of all Chriflians, who are attentive to the figns of the times.

elude

February 28, 1794. *I

elude that thofe deftructive powers will themfelves be deftroyed, probably by one another, in thofe wars which the apoftle James fays arife from men's tufts* the lull of ambition and revenge. And when, my brethren, have we feen, or heard of, fuch anger and rage in nations, fuch violence in carrying on war, and fuch deftruction of men, as at this very time ? It is thought that the laft campaign only has de- ftroyed many more men than all the eight years of the American war, and probably more than the long war before it; and from the increafed armaments of the belligerent powers, and their increafing animo- fity, it is probable that the approaching campaign will be more bloody than the laft.

What has more eminently contributed to deftroy the earth, than the antichriftian and idolatrous ec- */' clefiaftical eftablifhments of Chriftianity, that have fubfifted in thefe weftern parts of the world; many more perfons having been deftroyed by Chriftians, as they have called themfelves, than by Heathens ? And do we not fee one, and one of the principal, of thofe eftablifhments already, and completely, de- ftroyed ?

A more highly wrought picture of the deftruc- tion and flaughter of men, that will precede this glo- rious period in which f God will take to himfelf his c great power and reign/ we find in the 19th chap- ter of the Revelation, which defer ibes the triumph of the faints on the occafion. c<*After thefe things. I f heard a great voice of much people in heaven, 6 c faying,

12 Faft Sermon,

c faying, Alleluia, Salvation, and glory, and honour, c and power, unto the Lord our God ; for true and c right are his judgments. For he hath judged the

* great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her c fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his fer- € vants at her hand/ That this has a connexion with the fecond coming of Chrift, appears from what im- mediately follows, ver. 1 1. < And I faw heaven open- c ed, and behold a white horfe, and he that fat upon « him was called faithful and true, and in righteouf- c nefs he mail judge and make war. His eyes were (as a flame of fire, and on his head were many c crowns, and he had a name written which no man c knew but he himfelf, And he was clothed in a

* vefture dipped in blood, and his name is called c the word of God. And the armies which were

* in heaven followed him upon white horfes, clothed € in fine linen, white and clean ; and out of his mouth € goeth a marp fword, that with it he mould fmite e the nations ; and he fhall rule them with a rod of c iron, and he treadeth the wine-prefs of the fierce- ' nefs of the wrath of Almighty God. And he hath € on his vefture, and on his thigh, a name written,

* King of kings and Lord of lords.'

That there will be literally great (laughter of men on the occafion, is clearly indicated in what follows, figurative and hyperbolical as the language is, ver. 17. € And I faw an angel Handing in the fun,

* and he cried with a loud voice, faying to all the

* fowls that fly in the midft of heaven, Come and

! gather

February a 8, 1794. 13

c gather yourfelves together, unto the fupper of the c great God, that ye may eat the flefh of kings, and c the flefh of captains, and the flefh of mighty men, c and the flefh of horfes, and them that fit on them, f and the flefh of all men, both free and bond, both c fmall and great.'

The fame is evident from the account of the pouring out of the third vial, Rev. xvi. 14, &c. ' And the third angel poured out his vial on the ri-

* vers and fountains of water, and they became c blood. And I heard the angel of the waters fay, c Thou art righteous, O Lord, who art, and waft,

* and fhalt be, becaufe thou haft judged thus. For c they have fhed the blood of faints and prophets., « and thou haft given them blood to drink, for they c are worthy.'

That this great flaughter will be made on the de- ftruction of the antichriftian power, called in this book the beq/t, fupported by the kings of the earthy is evident from the next verfes, ver. 1 9. c And I faw

* the be aft, and the kings of the earth, and their c armies, gathered together, to make war againft him c that fat on the horfe, and againft his army. And

* the beaft was taken, and with him the falfe pro-

* phet, that wrought miracles before him, with which c he deceived them that had received the mark of 1 the beaft, and them that worshipped his image. c Thefe were both caft alive into a lake of fire 1 burning with brimftone. And the remnant were c flain with the fword of him that fat upon the horfe,

' which

14 faj Sermon,

c which fword proceeded out of his mouth, and all 4 the fowls were filled with their flefh.'

After this follows the defcription of the millennium, chap. xx. ver. 4. c And I faw thrones, and they fat 1 upon them, and judgment was given unto them ;

* and I faw the fouls of them that were beheaded

* for the witnefs of Jefus, and for the word of God, ' and whicji had not worfhipped the beaft, neither

* his image, neither had received his mark upon ( their forehead, or in their hands, and they lived and c reigned with Chrift a thoufand years. But the reft. c of the dead lived not again until the thoufand years c were finifhed. This is the firft refurrection. BlefT-

* ed and holy is he that hath part in the firfl refur- ' rection. On fuch the fecond death hath no power, 4 but they fhall be priefts of God, and of Chrift, c and they fhall reign with him a thoufand ' years.'

To me it appears not improbable, that feveral circumftances in our Saviour's prophecy concerning the deftruction of Jerufalem, and the defolation of Judea, relate to this great and more diflant period. For it was delivered in anfwer to a queftion put to him by his difciples, which refpedted both the events, . on the idea of their being coincident. c Tell us,' fay they, Matt. xxiv. 3, c when fhall thefe things be,

* and what fhall be the fign of thy coming, and of

* the end of the age.' In anfwer to this, he fays, firft, as it is in Luke, whofe account in this cafe feems to be the mofl orderly and diftinct: of any,

chap.

February 2S, 17 94. 15

chap. xxi. ver. 9. c But when ye fhall hear of wars, c and commotions, be not terrified j for thefe things

* mult firft come to pafs, but the end is not by and € by. Then faid he unto them, Nation mail rife c againft nation, and kingdom againft kingdom, and c great earthquakes (hall be in divers places, and fa- c mines, and peflilences, and fearful fights, and great c figns *fhall there be from heaven. But before all c thefe they fhall lay their hands on you, and perfe- c cute you, delivering you up to the fynagogues, and

* into prifons, being brought before kings and rulers J for my name's fake.'

I am the more inclined to think that fome things in this prediction have this farther reference, becaufe in them Jefus exprefsly quotes the language of Da- niel recited above, which unquefcionably has this reference j as when he fays, Matt. xxix. 20. c There < fhall be great tribulation, fuch as was not fince the f beginning of the world to this time, no nor ever c fhall be : And except thofe days fhould be fhort> ' ened, there mould no flefh be faved, but for the c elect's fake thofe days fhall be mortened.'

It feems flill more evident that this prediction ad- mits of this interpretation, from what follows, which exactly correfponds to the more antient prophecies. Mat. xxiv. 29. c Immediately after the tribulation of c thofe days fhall the fun be darkened, and the moon

* not give her light, and the ftars fhall fall from c heaven, and the powers of the heavens fhall be

'Ihaken;' which are almofl the very words of the

prophet

i6 Fafl Sermon^

prophet Haggai quoted above. c And then fhall ap-

* pear the fign of the Son of Man in heaven. And

* then fhall all the tribes of the earth mourn. And ' they fhall fee the Son of Man coming in the clouds

* of heaven, with power and great glory. And he c fjiall fend his angels with a great found of a trumpet, c and they fhall gather together his elect, from the

* four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.*

That this great tribulation was a diflant event, and did not refpect the Jews, but the Gentiles, is probable from Jefus calling it, Luke xxi. 25, f the

* diftrefs of nations/ or £ the nations/ i. e. the c Gen-

* tiles/ c men's hearts/ he fubjoins, ' failing them for

* fear, and for looking after thofe things which are

* coming on the earth. For the powers of heaven € fhall be lhaken/ that is, there will be great convul- fions, and violent revolutions, in kingdoms and flates ; * And then fhall they fee the Son of Man

* coming in clouds, with power and great glory.'

That this tribulation is coincident with that which is to precede the reftoration of the Jews, is probable from his faying immediately before, ver. 24, c Jeru- ' falem fhall be trodden down of the Gentiles, till the ■ times of the Gentiles be fulfilled/ that is, till it fhall come to be their turn to be punifhedj the deftruc- tion of the Gentiles, who had opprefTed the Jews, commencing with the reftoration of that highly fa- voured nation.

Jefus farther fays, Luke xxi. 22. c Thefe be the ' days of vengeance, that all the things which are

< written

February 28, 1794. 17

c written may be fulfilled/ Now the ' only days of vengeance particularly announced by the antient prophets, to which Jefus here alludes, relate to the judgments of God upon the Gentiles who had ihewn enmity to the Jews, and efpecially in their op- position, to their re-fettlement in their own country.

There is nothing more clear in the whole compafs of prophecy, as I have ihewn on another occafion, than that after the deftined period for the difperfion and calamities of the Jews, the heavieft of all the di- vine judgments will fall upon thofe nations by whom V' they mall have been opprefled; and this will involve almoft all the nations of the world, but more efpe- cially thofe of thefe weflern parts, which have been fubject firft to the Roman empire, and then to the fee of Rome.

Mofes fays, Deut. xxx. 7. c The Lord thy God l- will put all thefe curfes' (thofe which were threat- ened to fall upon them) c upon thine enemies, and c upon them that hate thee, and perfecute thee.' Ifa. xliii. 25. c I will contend with them that contend \ with thee, and I will fave thy children. And I will c feed them that opprefs thee with their own flefh, c and they fhall be drunken with their own blood, c as with fweet wine, and all flelli mail know that I, c Jehovah, am thy Saviour, and thy Redeemer, the c Mighty One of Jacob/ Zeph. iii. 19. * Behold c at that time I will undo all that afflict thee/ Jer. xxx. 1 1. c Though I make a full end of all the na- * tions whither I have fcattered thee, yet will I not C * make

I# Faft' Sermon,

* make a full end of thee, but I will correct thee irx c meafure.' Ezekiel, fpeaking of the happy times that will take place on the reftoration of the Jews, fays, chap, xxviii. ver. 26. c Yea they fhall dwell ' with confidence, when I have executed judgments c upon all thofe that defpife them round about them,

* and they fhall know that I am Jehovah their God.' Laftly, Zechariah fays, chap. xii. ver. 9. c It (hall € come to pafs in that day, that I will feek to deftroy e all the nations that come againft Jerufalem.'

That there is to be a day of vifitation for all the nations in this part of the world (all of whom have diftinguifhed themfelves fo by their oppreffion and maflacre of the Jews) will now, 1 prefume, be fuf- ficiently apparent, if there be any truth in prophecy. You will therefore naturally afk, if there be any ground for thinking, that thofe judgments are now about to take place ; if fo, how long they will pro- bably continue, and when will be the commencement of the glorious and happy times that are to follow.

That thofe great troubles, fo frequently mention- ed in the antient prophecies, are now commencing, I do own I ftrongly fuipedt, as I intimated the laft time that I addrefTed you on this occafion ; and the events of the laft year have contributed to ftrengthen that fnfpicion -, the florm, however, may flill blow over for the prefent, and the great fcene of calamity be referved for fome future time, though I cannot think it will be deferred long.

As to the precife time when the fcene of calamity 5 will

February 28, 1794. 19

will terminate, and the proper kingdom of Chrift will commence, he himfelf did not know, either be- fore his death and refurrection, or afterwards. When he was queftioned on the fubject, he exprefsly faid, Mark xiii. 32, c But of that day, and that hour, c knoweth no man, no not the angels which are in c heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.' When, after his refurreflion, the difciples afked him, faying, Xc~te i. 6, c Lord, wilt thou at this time reftore again * the kingdom to Ifrael ?' he replied, c It is not for c you to know the times or the feafons, which the c Father hath put in his own power/ It is enough for us to know the certainty of thefe great events, that our faith may not fail on the approach of the predicted calamity, confident that it will have the happieft ifTue in God's own time. For the fame Being who foretold the evil which we mall fee come to pafs, has likewife foretold the good that is to fol- low it.

That the fecond coming of Chrift will be coinci-*/ dent with the commencement of the millennium, or the future peaceable and happy ftate of the world (which, according to all the prophecies, will take place after the relloration of the Jews) is evident from what Peter faid, in his addrefs to the Jews, on the occafion of his healing the lame man at the gate of the temple, Acts iii. 19. c Repent ye, therefore, c and be converted, that your fins may be blotted € out, when the times of refrefhing fhall come from s the prefencs of the Lord. And he fhall fend Jefus C 2 < Chrift,

20 Fafi Sermon,

* Chrift, who before was preached unto you, whom

* the heavens mud receive until the times of the

* reftitution of all things, which God hath fpoken by c the mouth of all his holy prophets fince the world c began.* Now nothing is more evident than that the only period that can be called the time of the reftitution of all things, or the paradifiacal and happy ftate of the world, foretold by the antient prophets, will follow the reftoration of the Jews to their own country. This, and nothing elfe, is the great burden of all antient prophecy.

That this will be a joyful event to the Jewifh nation, when they will be convinced, perhaps by his perfonal appearance among them, that he is their promifed Meffiah, actually coming in the clouds of heaven, appears from what our Saviour himfelf fays, Mat. xxi. 9. Luke xiii. 35. c Verily I fay unto you, c ye (hall not fee me until the time come when ye

* fhall fay, BlefTed is he that cometh in the name of c the Lords' the very cry at which the Scribes and Pharifees were fo much offended in the children,, when Jefus entered Jerufalem. This very cry would then be that of,the whole nation.

But though our Saviour could not fix the time of his fecond coming, or the commencement of his proper kingdom, he fufficiently forewarned his difci- pies of the figns of its approach, and of fome circum- ftances that will immediately precede it, to which it certainly behoves us to be attentive.

Before this great event the gofpel is to be preach- ed

February 28, 1794. 21

ed to all the world. Mat. xxiv. 1 4. c And this gofpel c of the kingdom (hall be preached through all the ' world, for a witnefs to all nations, and then mail the * end come.' If by the whole world, we mean the Roman empire, this was accomplished before the deftru&ion of Jerufalem, and therefore may refer to that event. But it may have a farther reference, and now there is hardly any nation that has not had an opportunity of having the gofpel preached to them ; and the late wonderful extenfion of navigation, by which the whole of the habitable world has been ex- plored by Chriflians, though this was by no means the object of the navigators, will, no doubt, be the means of carrying the knowledge of the gofpel to a greater extent than ever ; and the troubles of Europe will greatly contribute to the fame end. Times of trouble make men ferious. With thefe ferious irn- pre (lions on their minds many will fly to diflant countries, and carry the knowledge of the goipel with them; and, it may be hoped, in greater purity, and confequently more worthy of their acceptance, than it has hitherto appeared to them.

Another preceding event, and of a more definite kind, is the great prevalence of infidelity, Luke xviii. 8. * When the Son of Man eometh, mall he c find faith in the earth/ Now the prevalence of in- fidelity of late years has been very remarkable in all I countries in which antichriflian hierarchies have been eftablifhed. And certainly all civil eftablifhments of Chriftianity, in which power is claimed to prefcribe

C 3 articles

24* • Faft Sermon,

articles of faith, to make laws to bind the confciences of Chriftians, and inflict temporal punifhments for the violation of them, are properly antichriftian. For, as Chriftians, we are commanded to acknow- ledge no man mafter upon earth, fince one is our m after, even Chrift.

Moreover, fuch abfurd doctrines have been efta- blifhed by human authority, and fuch horrid punifh- ments have been inflicted upon men for obeying the dictates of confeience, under all thofe hierarchies, pro- teftant ones not excepted, that the minds of men have revolted at them ; and, (hocked at fuch enormities, have thrown off the belief and profeflion of Chrifti- anity altogether. This was long ago the cafe ia Italy, where the enormities of the court of Rom* were the moft confpicuous; and many of the cardi- nals, and fome of the popes themfelves, are well known to have been unbelievers.

That this has long been the cafe in France, is what no perfon acquainted with that country the laft fifty years will deny. It is now become more ge- nerally known, becaufe it has had a better opportu- nity of Jhewing itfelf. That, in fimilar circumftances, the fame, or fomething approaching to it, would not appear to be the cafe with us, is more than thofe who are acquainted with the ftate of things in this refpect will vouch for.

When I was myfelf in France in 1774, I faw fuf-

ficient reafbn to believe, that hardly any perfon of

^ eminence, in church or ftate, and efpecially in the

leaft degree eminent in philofophy, or literature,

^ (whofe

February 28, 1794. 23

(whofe opinions in all countries are, fooner or later, adopted by others) were believers in Chriftianity ; and no perfon will fuppofe that there has been any change in favour of Chriftianity in the laft twenty years. A perfon, I believe now living, and one of the bed informed men in the country, allured me, very gravely, that (paying me a compliment) I was the firft perfon he had ever met with, of whofe un- derstanding he had any opinion, who pretended to believe Chriftianity. To this all the company afTent- cd. And not only were the philofophers, and other leading men in France, at that time unbelievers in Chriftianity, or deifts, but atheifts, denying the being of a God. Nay Voltaire himfelf, who was then living, was confidered by them as a weak-minded man, be- caufe, though an unbeliever in revelation, he believed in a God,

When I afked thefe gentlemen what it was that appeared to them fo incredible in Chriftianity, that they rejected it without farther examination (for they did not pretend to have employed much time on the fubjecl:) they mentioned the doctrines of tran- fubftantiation, and the trinity, as things too palpably abfurd to require any difcuffion. *It is, without doubt, *Z the civil eftabiiihment of fuch Chriftianity as this, at j which the common fenfe of mankind will ever revolt, ' that makes fo many unbelievers of perfons who will not take the trouble to read the fcriptures for them-^ felves, or who have not fagacity or patience to fee through the falfe glofles that have been fo long put

C 4 upon

a 4 &&ft Sermon,

upon them. Thefe fyftems, and the blindnefs and

obftinacy in the governing powers, in rejecting every

propofal of reforming the mofl palpable abufes, and

the mod manifeft oppreflions, make unbelievers

much fader than all rational Chriflians can unmake

them.

Nothing, however, can ever counteract the fatal influence of fuch corrupt Chriftianity, as is fupported by thefe hierarchies, which are alfo intolerably ex- penfive and oppreflive, but the exhibition of rational Chriftianity, with its proper evidence, by unitarian Chriflians. But thefe are yet fo few, compared with the bulk of Chriftians,- who are trinitarians, that fuperficial obfervers, as unbelievers in general are, who judge by the great mafs, pay but little regard to their reprefentations.

Happily, this infidelity is, in its turn, deftroying thofe antichi iftian eftabliftiments which gave birth to it ; and when this great revolution fliall be accom- plifhed, genuine unadulterated chriftianity, meeting with lefs obftruclion, will not fail to recommend and eftablifh itfelf by its own evidence, and become the religion of the whole world. True Chriftianity ftands in no need of the aid of civil power. / This was the idea of the great Sir Ifaac Newton, as appears from the evidence of the excellent Mr. Whifton, in the following pafTage of his EJfay on the Revelation, 2d edition, p. 321. " Sir Ifaac Newton u had a very fagacious conjecture, which he told

"Dr.

February 28, 1794. 2$

cc Dr. Clarke, from whom I received it, that the <c overbearing tyranny and perfecuting power of the cc antichriftian party, which hath fo long corrupted cc Chriftianiry, and enflaved the Chriftian world, cf mufl be put a flop to, and broken to pieces by the *c prevalence of infidelity, for fome time, before pri- " mitive Christianity could be reflored; which feems " to be the very means that is now working in Eu- " rope, for the fame good and great end of Pro- <( vidence. Poflibly he might think that our Sa- cc viour's own words implied it : When the Son of cc Man cometh fhall he find faith on the earth? "Luke xviii. 8. See Conflitut. Apoft. vi. 18; <c vii. 3 2 ; or poflibly he might think no other way a fo likely to do it in human affairs ; it being, I cc acknowledge, too fadly evident, that there is not " at prefent religion enough in Chriftendom, to put <c a (lop to fuch antichriftian tyranny and perfecution, cc upon any genuine principles of Chriflianity."

The concluding obfervation of Mr. Whifton ap- pears to me to be very juft. It feems probable that no Chriftians, not even the freeft, and bolder!, would ever have done what was necerlary to be done, to the overturning of thefe corrupt eftabliihments of Chriflianity, that unbelievers have lately done in France.

This great event of the late revolution in France appears to me, and many others, to be not improba- bly the accomplifhment of the following part of the

Revelation^

vA Fafi Sermon, -

Revelation, chap. xi. 3. c And the fame hour there c was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the c city fell, and in the earthquake were (lain of men € (or literally, names of men) feven thoufand, and the 1 remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to God.'

An earthquake, as I have obferved, may fignify a great convulfion, and revolution, in ftates ; and as the Papal dominions were divided into ten parts, one of which, and one of the principal of them, was France^ it is properly called a tenth 'part of the city, or of theV rnyftical Babylon. And if by names of men, we un- derftand their titles, fuch as thofe of the nobility, and other hereditary diftinftions, all of which are now abolifhed, the accomplifhment of the prediction will appear to be wonderfully exact. It is farther remarka- ble, that this pafTage immediately precedes what I have quoted before concerning the nations being angry, and the wrath of God being come, for the deftrutlion of thofe who have deftroyed the earth.

It is farther remarkable, that the kings of France were thofe who gave the Popes their temporalities, and the rank they now hold among the princes of the world. And it is foretold, Rev. xvii. 16, that f thofe

* kings who gave their power and ftrength unto the ' beaft, theie fhall hate the whore, and fhall make

• her defolate and naked, and fhall eat her flelh, and c burn her with fire. For God has put it in their € hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree to give their c kingdoms unto the beaft, until the words of God < fhall be fulfilled.'

May

February 28, 1794. 27

May wc not hence conclude it to be highly pro- bable, that what has taken place in France will be done in other countries ? But the total deftruclion of this great antichriftian power feenis to be referved for the fecond coming of Ghrift in perfon, by the brightness of whqfe appearance, and not before, he is, according to the apoflle Paul, to be completely de- jlroyed. And with this view, as well as others, every Proteftant Chriftian mould fay, * Come, Lord Jefus, ' come quickly.* In the mean time, let us attend to the folemn admonition in the Revelation xviii. 4.

* I heard a voice from heaven, faying, Come out of

< her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her fins,

* and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her

* fins have reached unto heaven, and God hath re-

< membered her iniquities V

* That the opinion here advanced, concerning the danger of the civil powers of Europe, in confequence of their connexion, with antichriftian ecclefiaftical fyikms, his been long enter- tained by me, may appear from the following extract from my Hijlory of the Corruptions of Chrifuanity, vol. ii. p. 484-. " It isno- " thing but the alliance of the kingdom of Chrift with the king- " doms of this world (an alliance which our Lord himfelf ex- " prefsly difclaimed) that fuppons the grofieft corruptions of " Chrillianity ; and perhaps we mull wait for the fall of the civil "powers before this mofl unnatural alliance be broken. Cala- " mitous, no doubt, will that time be. But what convulsion in " the political world ought to be a fubjeft of lamentation, if it ** be attended with fo defirable an event ? May the kingdom or " God, and of Chrift, (that which I conceive to be intended " in the Lord's Prayer) truly and fully come, though all the " kingdoms of the world be removed in order to make way for •» it."

As

iS Fafi Sermon,

As the fecond coming of Chrift will be during the general prevalence of infidelity, fo it will be fudden, and moft unexpected. This is the language of our Saviour himfelfj Mat. xxiv. 37. * As the days of c Noah were, fo fhall the coming of the Son of Man f be. For as in the days before the flood, they were c eating, and drinking, marrying, and giving in mar- € riage, unto the day that Noah entered into the ark, c and knew not till the flood came, and took them c all away, fo fhall alfo the coming of the Son of c Man be.' Luke xvii. 28. c Like wife, alfo as it f was in the days of Lot. They did eat, they drank,

* they bought, they fold, they planted, they builded. c Bui the fame day that Lot went out of Sodom, he c rained fire and brimftone from heaven, and de-

* ftroyed them all. Even thus fhall it be when the f Son of Man is revealed.' The apoftle Paul alfo fays, 1 Thef. v. 1. ' Yourfelves know perfectly, f that the day of the Lord fo cometh as a thief in c the night. For when they fhall fay peace and c fafety, then fudden deftruction cometh upon them, c as travail upon a woman with child, and they fhall

* not efcape.'

But fudden and unexpected as the coming of Chrift will be, it will be moft confpicuous. Speaking of his return, he fays, Mat. xxiv. 16. ( If they fhall ' fay unto you, Behold he? (i. e. the Mefllah) c is in c the defert, go not forth. Behold he is in the fecret € chambers, believe it not. For as the lightning 1 cometh out of the eaft; and fhineth even unto the

« weft,

February 28, 1794. £9

c weft, fo fhall alfo the coming of the Son of Man € be/ As the afcent of Jefus was corifpicuous, and probably leifurely, fo will be his defcent. While the difciples were viewing him as he afcended, we read, Acts i. 10, c two men flood by them in white € apparel, who alfo faid, Ye men of Galilee, why < (land ye gazing up into heaven? This fame Jefus, f who is taken from you into heaven, fhall fo come in c like manner as ye have feen him go into heaven.' Here is no figurative language, no ambiguous ex- preflion. Neither is there in what the apoftle fays concerning the refurrecHon of the virtuous dead, which will take place at the coming of Chrift, which, in the Revelation is called the firft resurrec- tion, 1 Thef#iv. 14. c If we believe that Jefus died, c and rofe again, even fo them alfo who fleep in Je- ! fus fhall God bring with him. For this we fay c unto you, by the word of the Lord, that we who ' are alive, and remain unto the coming of the Lord, c fhall have no advantage over thofe who are afleep. c For the Lord himfelf fhall defcend from heaven,

* with a fhout, with the voice of the archangel, and c with the trump of God, and the dead in Chrift c fhall rife firft. Then we who are alive, and re- c main, fhall be caught up together with them in th& c clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and fo fhall c we ever be with the Lord/ Again he fays, 1 Cor. xv. 51. c We fhall not all fleep, but we fhall all be

* changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, - c at the laft trump. For the trumpet fhall found, and

f the

30 Faft Sermon,

1 the dead fhall be raifed incorruptible, and we mall

* be changed/

The certainty of this great cataftrophe fhould be a fufficient motive with all Chriftians, who, as fudh, entertain no doubt with refpect to the fact, to keep it conftantly in view, and to regulate their whole con- duct with a view to it. But if we apprehend it to be in a ftricter fenfe of the word really near, which, from the prefent afpect of things, I own I am inclined to think may be the cafe, our attention is drawn to it in a moft forcible manner. Did we really expect to fee this great event, viz. the coming of Chrifl in the clouds of heaven, we mould hardly think or fpeak of any thing elfe ; zud the prefent commotions in the political world, extraordinary as they certainly are* would appear as nothing in comparifon with it. What would otherwife be great, would, with refpect to this, feem exceedingly little, and infignificant.

What then, my brethren, is the practical inference that we mould draw from finding, or even fufpect- ing, ourfelves to be in this fituation, the kingdom of heaven being at hand, but to repent, and by a change of heart and of life to be prepared for itj that € when our Lord fhall return, and take an account

* of his fervants, we may be found of him without c fpot and blamelefs, and not be afhamed before him c at his coming ?! c Seeing/ as the apoftle Peter fays,

* we look for thefe things, what manner of perfons ' ought we to be, in all holy converfation and god- < linefs/

The

February a 8, 1794. 31

The afpect of things, it cannot be denied, is, in tht higheft degree, alarming, \naking life, and every thing in it, peculiarly uncertain, What could have been more unexpected than the events of any one of the laft four years, at the beginning of it? What 4 total revolution in the ideas; and conduct of a whple nation ! What a total fubverfion of principles, What reverfes of fortune, and what a wafte of life ! In how bloody and eventful a war are we engaged, how in- considerable in its beginning, how rapid and wi$e in its progrefs, and how dark with refpecl to its termi- nation! At flrft it refembled Elijah's cloud, appear- ing no bigger than a man's hand ; but now it covers, and darkens, the whole European hcmifphere !

Now, whatever we may think, as politicians (and with us every man will have his own opinion, on a fubject fo interefting to us all) I would, in this place, admonifh you not to overlook the hand of God in \J the great {cent that is now opening upon us. Nothing can ever come to pafs without his appointment, or permiffion j and then, whatever be the views of men, we cannot doubt, but that his are always wife, righ- teous, and good. Let us, therefore, exercife faith in him, believing that though c clouds and darknefs are * round about him, righteoufnefs and judgment are ' for ever the habitation of his throne/ All thofe who appear on the theatre of public affairs, in the field, or the cabinet, both thofe whom we praife, and thofe whom we blame, are equally inftruments in his hands, and execute all his pleafure. Let this reflec- tion^

/)

2 2 Taft Sermon,

tion, then, in our cooler moments, (and I hope we fhall endeavour, in all the tumult of affairs, to make thefe as many as pofiible) lead us to look more to God, and lefs to man; and confequently, in all the troubles in which we may be involved, repofe the moil unfhaken confidence in him, and thence € in < ? patience poiTefs our own fouls,' efpecially when it is \ ^t¥ evident that it is wholly out of our power to alter X, K the courfe of events. If we be careful fo to live as to be at all times prepared to die, what have we to fear, even though, as the Pfalmift fays, the c earth be c removed, and the mountains be carried into the € midft of the fear' Whatever turn the courfe of things may take, it cannot then be to our difadvan- tage. What, then, fhould hinder our contemplating the great fcene, that feems now to be opening upon us, awful as it is, with tranquillity, and even with fa- \ tisfadion, from our firm perfuafion, that its termina- tion will be glorious and happy ?

Laftly, the more there are who indulge thefe en- larged and juft views, who cultivate a fenfe of piety to God (which will always lead us to fupprefs refent-* ment, and to promote goodwill towards men) the more favour, in the righteous administration of Pro- vidence, will be fhewn to the country in which they ' fhall be found God, we know, would have fpared even Sodom, if fo many as ten righteous men had been found in it; and our Saviour, alluding, as I am inclined to think, to thefe very times, which feem to be approaching, fays, that c for the elecl's fake they 8 < will

February 28, 1794. 33

c will be mortened.' For our own fakes, therefore, for the fake of our friends, of our country, and of every thing that is dear to us in it, let us attend to the admonition of my text, c to repent, for the c kingdom of heaven is at hand.' It is c righteouf- U c ncfs that exalteth a nation', and c fin* only is the c reproach/ and will be the ruin, c of any people.*

D APPENDIX,

APPENDIX.

Having originally got the leading ideas that are enlarged upon in the preceding difcourfe from Dr. Hartley s Olfervations en Man, a work publifhed :in 1749, 1 think it may not -be amifs to fubjoin to it fome extracts from that work, as, from his authority, the ferious apprehenfions with which I have, ever fince I read it, been imprefled, will receive more, weight, than they could acquire from any perfon, who, writing in thefe times, might be luppofed to be particularly influenced by the afpect of them, and by his own fituation with refpect to them. I vvifh like- wife by this, as well as every other means, to direct the attention of my readers to that mod excellent work, to which I am indebted, if I may (o fay, far the whole moral conformation of my mind.

<c How near the diffolution of the prefent govern- ments, generally or particularly, may be, would be great ralhncfs to affirm. Chrift will corae in this fenfe alfo c as a thief in the night.' Cur duty is there- fore to watch and to pray ; to be faithful ftewards ; to give meat, and all other requifites, in due feafon, to thofe under our care ; and to endeavour by thefe, and all other lawful means, to preferve the govern- ment, under whole protection we live, from dif-

D a folution,

3 6" Appendix.

.folution, feeking the peace of it, and fubmitting to every ordinance of man for the Lord's fake. No prayers, no endeavours of this kind can fail of hav- ing fome good effect, public or private, for the pre- fervation of ourfelves and others. The great difpen- fations of Providence are conducted by means that are either fecret, or, if they appear, that are judged feeble and inefficacious. — No man can tell, however private his flation may be, but his fervent prayer may avail to the falvation of much people. But it is more peculiarly the duty of magiflrates thus to watch over their fubjects, to pray for them, and to fet about the reformation of all matters civil and ec- clefiaftical, to the utmoft of their power. Good governors may promote the welfare and continuance of a flate, and wicked ones muft accelerate its ruin.', " The facred hiftory affords us inftances of both kinds, and they are recorded there for the admonition of kings and princes in all future times." V. ii. p. 368. " There are many prophecies which declare the fall of the ecclefiaftical powers of the Chriftian world. And though each church feems to flatter itfelf with the hopes of being exempted ; yet it is very plain that the prophetical characters belong to -, all. They have all left the true, pure, fimple reli- gion, and teach for doctrines the commandments of men. They are all merchants of the earth, and have fet up a kingdom of this world, abounding in riches, temporal power, and external pomp. They have all j a dogmatizing fpirit, and perfecute fuch as do not 5 receive

Appendix, 37

receive their own mark, and worfhip the image which they have fet up. They ail neglect Chrift's command of preaching the gofpel to all nations, and even that of going to c the loft fheep of the houfe of c Ifrael;' there being innumerable multitudes in all Chriftian countries who have never been taught to read, and who are in other refpects alfo deftitute of the means of faving knowledge. 'Tis very true that the church of Rome is c Babylon the great and the c mother of harlots/ and of the c abominations of tht c earth.' But all the reft have copied her example more or lefs. They have all received money like Gehazi; and therefore the leprofy of Naaman will cleave to them, and to their feed for ever. And this impurity may be confidered, not only as juftifying the application of the prophecies to all the Chriftian churches, but as a natural caufe for their downfall. TJie corrupt governors of the feveral churches will ever oppofe the true gofpel, and in fo doing will bring ruin upon themfelves." P. 371.

" As the downfall of the Jewifh ftate under Titus was the occafion of the publication of the gofpel to us Gentiles, fo our downfall may contribute to the reftoration of the Jews, and both together bring on the final publication and prevalence of the true re- ligion. Thus the type and the thing typified will coincide. The firft fruits and the lump are made holy together." P. 375.

" The downfall of the civil and ecclefiaftical powers muft both be attended with fuch public calamities, as will make men ferious, and alfo

D 3 drive

j £ Appendix.

drive them from the countries of Chriftendom into t-htf- remote parts of the world, particularly into the Eaft and Weil- Indies j whither, confequently, they wilt carry their religion, now purified from errors and fuperftitions." P. ; 77-

" That worldly- mindednefs, and neglect of duty in the clergy, rauft haften our ruin, cannot be doubt- ed. Thefe are c the fait of the earth,' and the c light f of the world.' If they lofe their favour, the whole nation, where this happens, will be converted into- one putrid mafs. If their light become darknefs, the -.whole body politic mud be dark alfo. The de- generacy of the court of Rome, and fecular biihops abroad, are too notorious to be mentioned. They almofl ceafe to give offence, as they fcarce pretend- to any function or authority be fides what is temporal. Yet Rill there is great mockery of God in their ex- ternal pomp, and profanation of facred titles ; which, iboner or later, will bring down vengeance upon them. And as the court of Rome has been at the head of the. great apoftafy, and corruption of the Chriftian church ; and feems evidently marked out in various places of the fcriptures, the fevercft judg- ments are probably referved for her. But I rather choofe to fpeak to what falls under the obfervation of all ferious, attentive perfons in this kingdom. The fuperior clergy are in general, ambitious, and eager in the purfuit of riches ; flatterers of the great, and (ubfervient to party intereft; negligent of their own immediate charges, and alfo of the inferior clergy,

and,

Appendix. 39

and their immediate charges. . The inferior clergy imitate their fuperiors, and in general take little more care of their parifhes than barely what is ne- ceflary to avoid the cenfure of the law. And the clergy of all ranks are, in general, either ignorant* or if they do apply, it is rather to profane learning, to philofophical or political matters, than to the ftudy of the fcriptures, of the Oriental languages, of the fathers, and ecclefiaftical authors, and of the writings of devout men in different ages of the church. I fay this is in general the cafe , i. e. far the greater part of the clergy of all ranks in this kingdom are of this kind. But there are fome of a quite different character ; men eminent for piety, facred learning, and the faithful difcharge of their duty, and who, it is not to be doubted, mourn in fecret for the crying fins of this and other nations. The clergy, in general, are alfo far more free from open and grofs vices, than any other denomination of men amongfl: us, phyficians, lawyers, merchants, foldiers, &c. However, this may be otherwife hereafter. For it is faid . that in fome foreign coun- tries the fuperior clergy, in others the inferior, are as corrupt and abandoned, or more fo, than any other order of men. The clergy in this kingdom feem to be what one might expect from the mixture of good and bad influences that affect them. But then, if we make this candid allowance for them, we muft alfo make it for perfons in the high ranks of life, for their infidelity, lewdnefs, and fordid felf-intereft 1 And

V

40 Appendix.

And though it becomes an humble, charitable and impartial man, to make all thefe allowances, yet he cannot but fee, that the judgments of God are ready to fall upon us all for thefe things ; and that they may fall firft, and with the greateft weight, upon thofe, who, having the higheft office commit- ted to them in the fpiritual kingdom of Chrift, neg- lect it, and are become mere f merchants of the € earth/ and c Ihepherds that feed themfelves, and c not their flocks.' P. 450.

" Thefe are my real and earned fentiments upon thefe points. It would be great rafhnefs to fix a time for the breaking of the ftorm that hangs over our heads, as it is blindnefs and infatuation not to fee it ; nor to be aware, that it may break. And yet this infatuation has always attended all filling dates. The kingdoms of Judah and Ifrael, which are the types of all the reft, were thus infatuated. It may be, that the prophecies concerning Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, Egypt, &c. will become applicable to par- ticular kingdoms before their fall, and warn the good to flee out of them. And Chriftendom in general feems ready to afllime to itfclf the place and lot of the Jews, after they had rejected their Meifiah, the Saviour of the world. Let no one deceive him- felf, or others. The prefent circumftances of the world are extraordinary and critical, beyond what has ever yet happened. If we refufe to let Chrift reign over us, as our Redeemer and Saviour, we muft be flain before his face, as enemies, at his fe- cond coming." 455.

To

Appendix. • 41

To thefe paflages from Dr. Hartley, I fhall add another from an excellent Sermon preached in the chapel of trinity College, Cambridge, December 13, 1793, the day appointed for the commemoration of the Benefatlors to that Society, p. 13, &c.

" Nature recoils with horror at the fpectacle now prcfented by their unfortunate country [France], Under the guidance, however, of divine revelation, the contemplative mind may difcern the figns of thefe times, and the hand of Providence directing the madnefs of the people. The oracles of truth, when foretelling the perfections to be endured by Chriftians, allure us, c He that killeth with the c fword, muft be killed with the fword.' 'They have Jhed (faith the angel) the blood of faints and prophet s> and thou haft given them blood to drink -, for they are' worthy. Destruction awaits the perfecutor. And it muft excite our aftonifhment to fee veftiges of this righteous difpenfation in what is paffing before us. Lyons is recorded in early hiitory, as the fpot where a company of Martyrs glorified God. Lyons is now devoted, and its name erafed from the memory of man. Paris once ftreamed with the blood of the Hugonots: Paris hath fince been dyed with the flaughter of that court and clergy, which inftigated the unutterable deed."

" Let us, too, be honeft in declaring, whether if the maflacre of Saint Bartholomew, the revocation of the edict of Nantz, or a Spanifh act of faith, were dictated by the fpirit of Antichrift -, the deprivation

of

4a JppenSix.

cf the two thousand ejected Minifters; the fe^ verities which forced our countrymen to take re- fuge in the wilds of America, and the two religious conflagrations which have difgraced our own days, demonftrated the prefiding influence of a mind like that which was in Jefus."

" One particular in which the prophecy appears ^ to enlighten us, is the fate of the Gallican church. The revolted city of the apocalypfe is fuppofed to reprefent the Antichriftian community eftablifhed in the European territory of the weftern Roman em- pire, ftill fubfifting in its pollarchical and difmem- bered ftate. Of this city it is written, that the fall of a tenth part would a Ihort time precede that of the reft; and that its overthrow would be accompa- nied by an earthquake, and the deftruction of '/even chiliads of the names of men. As France was one of the ten kingdoms founded on the ruins of the weft- ern empire ; as violent commotions are now agitat- ing the political world, from the Boryfthenes to the Atlantic ; as feven claries have lately been deprived of their privileges and titles ; the curiofity of the Chriftian fcholar is beyond meafure excited , and will be gratified with the difcovery of various cir- enmftances which will confirm his faith; but which 3, defire of brevity obliges me to refer to his private confideration. One queftjon, however, I cannot help pjropofing; that if we be of that chofen people who have in truth come out of Babylon, who partake not of her 'fins, and merit not her plagues, why mould we

appear

Appendix, 43

appear unprepared, or difinclincd, to comply with the angelic mandate, and begin, at leaft, fome pre- lude to that fong of triumph, * Rejoice over her,

* thou heaven, and ye holy apoftles, and prophets,

* for God hath avenged you on her.'

" The legiflators of France are Deifts ! While Cf they expatiated freely in every region of ufeful *c fcience, they were enjoined to " take for granted" <c thofe controversial matters of religion, their fore- <f fathers had fome good reafon for adhering to *.'* — " They were not permitted to diftinguifh the doctrines of our Lord from thofe of their church. Their mind arrived at maturity in fome points, dif- dained the puerilities on which they dared not fpe- culate ; and rejected the gofpel, on account of the meretricious drefs in which it was introduced to them."

* The legiflators of France are deifts ! Much as we may lament their infidelity in their private capa- city, we rejoice that, as lawgivers, they are unbeliev- ers. Indifferent alike to all profeflions, and all fe6ls, they will not form an unnatural alliance with one, nor profcribe all others with civil incapacities, imprifon* ment, and death. Every perfuafjon will enjoy their x , equal and wife protection; and genuine Chriftianity, undifguifed with abfurd confeffions, and not made contemptible by ridiculous ceremonies, will exert her

* This is quoted from a fpeech of Dr. Milner, Vice- Chan* (Cellof of ihe Univerfity of Cambridge^ on the trial of Mr. Freud,

proper

44 Appendix.

proper energies ; will prefent to the underftanding of the individual her miraculous credentials of prophe- cies completed in our time ; and gain her eftablifh- ment, not in word, but in deed; not in the civil code, but in the heart; not as a neceflary engine of the (late, but as the truth, and the way to eternal life. Superftition will no longer "rear her mitred front in " their courts and parliaments * ;" but the dominion of Chrift, triumphant in that country, will be an ear- ned of his obtaining the c heathen for his inheritance, c and the uttermoft parts of the earth for his pof- < feffion.*

* Alluding to Mr. Bjjrke's encomium on the Church of England.

THE END.

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