calypse; which must not be accused of containing unscriptural doctrines, in passages which cannot yet be understood. Other places of the Apocalypse, which are objected to by our author in his section on "The Doctrine delivered in the Apocalypse," will be found to contain no doctrines, but figurative representations of future events, which he appears to have misconceived.

We may, therefore, truly assert of the Apocalypse, that, fairly understood, it contains nothing which, either in point of doctrine, or in relation of events, past or to come, will be found to contradict any previous divine revelation. It accords with the divine counsels already revealed. It expands and reveals them more completely. We see the gradual flow of sacred prophecy, (according to the true tenour of it, acknowledged by divines,) first a fountain, then a rill, then, by the union of other divine streams, increasing in its course, till at length by the accession of the prophetical waters of the New Testament, and, above all, by the acquisition of the apocalyptical succours, it becomes a noble river, enriching and adorning the Christian land.

Michaelis speaks in high terms of the beautifully sublime, the affecting and animating manner in which the Apocalypse is written. But in what does this extraordinary grandeur and pathos consist? Not in the language, as he seems to imagine; for the evidence which he brings to confirm this notion, goes directly to refute and contradict it. "The Apocalypse," says he, "is beautiful and sublime, &c. not only in the original, but in every, even the worst translation of it *." But is this the description of a beauty and sublimity arising from language? Will such stand the test of a bad translation? far otherwise. Beauty which consists in language only, is seen to vanish

* P 533, and again ch. iv. sect. 3. p. 112.

with the language in which it was written, and in translation is very seldom preserved. But there is another kind of beauty, another kind of sublimity, which even a bad translation may convey: and excellence which stands this trial, is found to consist, not in language, but in ideas and imagery. These, in the Apocalypse, are so grand, so simple, so truly sublime, that, even rudely represented in any lan guage, they cannot fail to elevate, to alarm, or to delight. This prophetical book can boast, indeed, no beauty of diction, so far as respects mere language. The words and expressions are rude and inharmonious, and, on this account, there is no book that will lose less by being translated. But this pure and simple sublimity, which is independent of the dress of human art, and to be found perhaps only in the sacred Scriptures, whence was it derived to this book? which, on this account, must be pronounced to be either an heavenly production, like the other divine writings; or, such an imitation, such a forgery, as the Christian authors of that time were not likely, were not able, to produce. For there has been ob served to be a very unequal gradation and descent, in point of pure, simple eloquence, just sentiment, and unsullied doctrine, from the Apostles, to the Fathers of the Church. And this circumstance has been ap plied, as an argument, to show, that the books of the New Testament are of superior origin, and could not be fabricated by those Fathers, or in those times *. The same argument may be applied to the origin of the Apocalypse, and with more force and effect, since it appears to have been published in the very times of these first Fathers. "Whence," we may ask, almost in the words of Scripture, "whence hath this book these things? What wisdom is this which is given unto it †?"

* By Le Clerc, and by Jortin, Eccl. Hist.

† Mark vi. 2.

In the word of God there is a grandeur and majesty independent of the accidents of language, consisting in the greatness and sublimity of the things revealed. Men of genius may catch some sparks of this heavenly fire, they may imitate it, and with considerable success. But no one is found so confident in this kind of strength, as to neglect the arts of composition. Mahomet was a man of superior genius; in writing his pretended revelation, he borrowed much from the Sacred Scriptures; he attempted often, in imitation of them, to be simply sublime; but he did not trust to this only; he endeavoured to adorn his work with all the imposing charms of human cloquence, and cultivated language; and he appealed to the perfection of his compositions, as a proof of their divine original. Such an appeal would have little served his cause in a critical and enlightened age; which would expect far other internal proofs of divinity, than those which result from elegant diction. The learned of such an age would reject a prophet appealing to a proof which has never been admitted with respect to former revelations; a prophet, who both in doctrine, and in the relation of events, past and future, is seen to contradict, or add strange extravagant conceits to the credible and well-attested revelations of former times *.

There is nothing of this kind in the Apocalypse. Compare it with forged prophecies: many such have been written; some calculated to deceive, others only to amuse. These works, if they amaze us, as appearing to have been fulfilled, are commonly found to have been written after the events foretold, and to have a retrospective date which does not belong to

In the Koran, which admits the heavenly origin and divine mission of Jesus Christ, he is represented as returning to the earth, marrying, begetting children, and embracing the Mahometan doctrines; and this is said plainly and without figure or mystery; and the reasons are plain why it is so said.

them †, But no one can show that the Apocalypse contains prophecies, which were fulfilled before they. were written.

(To be continued.)

REVIEW.

A full length Portrait of Calvinism. By an old fash ioned Churchman. The second edition, with additions and corrections. New-York, T. & J. Swords, 1809. pp. 55. 12mo.

66

TAKE especial care," said the late bishop

Horseley, in his primary charge to the clergy of the diocese of St. Asaph, "before you aim your shafts at Calvinism, that you know what is Calvinism, and what is not; that, in the mass of doctrine which of late it is become the fashion to abuse, under the name of Calvinism, you can distinguish with certainty between that part of it which is nothing better than Calvinism, and that which belongs to our common Christianity, and the general faith of the Reformed Churches: lest, when you fall foul of Calvinism you should unwarily attack something more sacred, and of higher origin. I must say," adds that able prelate, "that I have found great want of this discrimination in some late controversial writings on the side of the Church, as they were meant to be, against the Methodists: the authors of which have acquired much applause and reputation, but with so little real

Thus the Sibylline Oracles, the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, Virgil's Anchises in the Elysian Fields, Gray's Bard, &c.

knowledge of their subject, that, give me the principles upon which these writers argue, and I will undertake to convict, I will not say Arminians only, and archbishop Laud, but, upon these principles, I will undertake to convict the Fathers of the Council of Trent of Calvinism. So closely is a great part of that which is now ignorantly called Calvinism, interwoven with the very rudiments of Christianity. Better were it for the Church, if such apologists would withhold their services.

"Non tali auxilio, nec defensoribus istis."-P. 26, 27.

per

Such an apologist as the bishop describes, is the writer before us; evidently ignorant of the subject he has undertaken to ridicule, or wilfully misrepresenting it, that he may draw down upon it public execration. His professed design is, to show that Calvinism is not founded in Scripture or reason. He does not, however, inform the reader specifically, whether he meant by Calvinism the doctrines advocated by certain divines called Calvinistic, or the doctrines adopted by the Churches so called. This ought to have been done as well for the sake of spicuity in prosecuting the investigation, as of justice to the Churches whose doctrines are attacked. As these Churches have never adopted the writings of Calvin and others as their creed, the extracts from them, even if correctly given, do not exhibit "a full length portrait" of their faith. What their faith is, they have published to the world in an open, explicit manner. Any person desirous of information on this head, may find it, with the utmost ease, in the Belgic, the Westminster, and French Confession of faith; in the Canons of the Synod of Dort; in the Heidelberg and Westminster Catechisms; in the Assembly's Annotations on the Scriptures; and the Annotations published in Dutch, by the authority of the Church of Holland. In these different works