vernment of the world, often makes use of the wicked, in bringing to pass the purposes of his holy will. Thus he suffered the Egyptian magicians, by their wicked, enchantments to change their "rods into serpents," and to "bring up frogs upon the land of Egyptt," to hardent the heart of Pharaoh, and to convince the Egyptians of his Almighty power, and that "He was THE LORDS." In like manner, God made use of Balaam, the enchanter, when entreated by Balak, king of the Moabites, with mighty bribes to curse the Israelites, by compelling him, contrary to the determined resolution of his corrupt heart, to bless them three times, and foretel their future prosperity; and even that a "star" (the Messiah) should come out of Jacob, and a sceptre (his divine power and government) out of Israel. This Prophecy coming from God, was not the less true, because delivered by a wicked sorcerer. Neither is the Apocalypse, supposing it to have been delivered by Cerinthus the heretic. If the objection avail any thing, it adds to the force of the evidence of its divine authenticity. In short, the single question is, whether any of the great events foretold in the Apocalypse, have come to pass since it was published? Has the Christian Church ever triumphed over Pagan idolatry? Has Mahomed, or the Pope, or the Reformation, or the Revolutionary and Atheistical Power of France ever come? If they have, * Exod. vii. 12, 22. Ibid vii. 5. + Ibid vii. 22. + Ibid viii. 7. or if any one of them has come, which will not be denied, it is immaterial to its divine authenticity, by what man the events were foretold. They must have been derived from the Spirit of God: for no man, no, nor all the philosophers and other men upon earth met together in one grand council, could foresee and foretel what should come to pass next year, next month, or even tomorrow; and much less describe all the variety of circumstances, of which any one of those complicated events consists. Not so with JEHOVAH, the great I AM, the ALPHA and OMEGA, the CREATOR of the UNIVERSE; whose infinite mind is, as it were, the model of, and eternally comprehends all things past, present, and to come. O that the Infidel and Atheist, whose welfare I most sincerely desire, laying aside their false and corrupt philosophy, and yielding to the dictates of reason, that noblest faculty of the human mind, would comtemplate for a moment the great volume of nature constantly presented to their view; and then seriously ask themselves these short question: Can nothing create, or produce something? Could nothing create the great body of matter of which the UNIVERSE is made? Could nothing organize. it into innumerable different forms, all usefully employed to perfect as many wise, and different purposes? Could nothing organize all the variety of different systems of beings, to be seen in the inanimate, vegetable, animal, and rational kingdoms; divide each genus into innumerable species, and give each species its distinct and peculiar qualities, properties, and principles? Could nothing pervade, animate, propagate, sustain and preserve them, by number, weight, and measure, from the grossest and most impure particle of matter, up to the refined topaz? From the smallest shred of moss, up to the venerable oak? From the insect of a mite, up to the whale, the elephant, or eagle? From the foolish ape, up to a Socrates or a Plato, a Bacon, or a Newton? Could nothing cause a grain of wheat, to rise from its putrid state up to a perfect ear? or an acorn, after it had rotted, and all its parts had been separated into dust, to rise again in the same organized state, form, size, and properties, of the venerable oak, whence it had dropped? Could nothing create and organize the incalculable number of celestial bodies, and confer on them their wonderful influences, operations, and effects; fixing some immoveably, in a certain spot of infinite space; and leading others in their evolutions unvaried, round their centres? And could nothing create out of nothing, and organize all "THIS WONDROUS SCENE! where all is form'd "With number, weight, and measure! All design'd "For some great end! where not alone the plant "Of stately growth; the herb of glorious hue, "Of fearful substance; not the labouring steed, "The herd, and flock, that feed us; not the mine "That yield us stores for elegance and use; "The sea that loads our table, and conveys "The wanderer man from clime to clime; with all "Those rolling spheres, that from on high shed down "Their kindly influence; not these alone Which strike ev'n eyes incurious; but each moss, Fach shell, each crawling insect, holds a rank “Important in the plan of HIM, who framed "This scale of beings; holds a rank, which lost, "Would break the chain, and leave behind a gap "Which nature's self would rue.” With all these wonders before them, wonders so numerous and infinite, so complicated and various, and yet so beautifully harmonious and grand, as to be abundantly sufficient to strike the mind, with ineffable and awful adoration, gratitude, and love, to the all-wise Author of them; I repeat, let them ask themselves, Could nothing have done ALL THIS? And if they cannot answer the question in the affirmative, they must confess, or resign all claim to the reason and common sense of man, that it must be the work of some GREAT SOMETHING, of some great FIRST CAUSE, of some infinitely wise and "ALMIGHTY BEING! "Cause and support of all things! Can you view And further, let the Infidel and atheist, before too late, also consider the value of the prize mercifully set before them.-Nothing less than a resurrection from a state of anxiety, fear, misery, and death, into a life of eternal peace, rest, and joy, as a reward for their belief; and é contra, nothing short of eternal misery, torment, and death, as a punishment for their infidelity and unbelief. And then again ask themselves, what a foolish game are we playing? For, on the one hand, as believers, we may gain a prize of immense and incalculable value, and besides avoid the dreadful penalty. On the other, should our belief be erroneous, we can only lose the prize, and remain in the same state we were before as unbelievers. Thus, by believing the demonstrations of reason, and of the great trumpet of all nature, we may gain every thing; but by our wanton and wilful infidelity, lose the invaluable prize, gain nothing, and incur the penalty of eternal misery and woe. Would the merest ninny that attends Newmarket, play, with his eyes open, so losing a game? Would he stake his money where he knew he could gain nothing, but run the risk of a ruinous loss? Why then, O why, will you risk your immortal souls, more precious than all the gold of Peru, in playing a game equally disadvantageous? Is this the wisdom of your new philosophy? Or, is it not insanity in the extreme? delusion inexpressible! unaccountable folly! THE END. |