faith, God's holy word, was sunk or lost, disregarded quite, and more than half absorbed in dull though wild traditionary tales, while fierce opinions battled in the dark."

Ignorance and laxity of manners, though most direful in their consequences, have not been, in any age of Christianity, so overwhelming a cause of this evil, as have been the blasphemous dogmas, together with the atrocious practices, and cruelties of the church of Rome; although she has been, by such means, operating for ages past her own destruction. The earliest (and doubtless, they will continue to be, the latest) effects of her impious pretensions, were to produce heresy, a very noxious and important species of infidelity. Arianism, especially, diffused its ruinous influence throughout many nations at an early period. At length, when knowledge in some measure revived, and the reformation was effected, the eyes of multitudes were opened to the "lying wonders" of this "mystery of iniquity." Those, who, after this time continued ignorant of true religion, while they rejected the absurdities of the Romish faith, regarded Protestantism as but a similar delusion in a varied form. They had few means, and were still less disposed to compare this new faith with that of the old. They confounded the Christian religion with Papal tyranny and superstition, and viewed the Scriptures as the sole cause of the political and ecclesiastical oppression under which they groaned. As to the Christian doctrines of "peace and joy in believing," and the prospect of "eternal life," even those among them of more candour and sobriety of mind than ordinary, could not possibly possess any real experience of the former, nor derive any foretastes of the latter, under this system of gross and impious superstition.

But it was sometime preceding and during the French revolution that the grand advocates of Deism made their appearance.-Voltaire, Rousseau, Hume, Gibbon, Diderot, D'Alembert, Volney, &c., communicated a fearful impulse, through the medium of their writings; and which, terminated in Atheism itself, as was the case with the last named writer and his associates; thus causing the destruction of multitudes of their countrymen! *

Unconscious that the doctrines of Scripture are surrounded with bulwarks of defence, as immoveable as its morality is eternal, their followers gradually extended their iniquitous efforts among all orders of society, and every civilized country has now become infected with the poison of infidelity.

Systematic plans have been organized and vigorously pursued, while innumerable books and tracts have been, and unceasingly continue to be circulated. Thus, these men, the "scoffers of the last times,"-"wells without water," and "clouds that are carried with a tempest,❞— are fulfilling the plain predictions of that book, whose divine authority they would exterminate from the face of the earth.

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By uniting more closely with each other, by giving a sprinkling of irreligion to all their literary productions, they aim to engross the formation of the public mind; and amidst the warmest professions of attachment to virtue, to effect an entire disruption of morality from religion. Pretending to be the teachers of virtue, and the guides of life, they propose to revolutionize the morals of mankind; to regenerate the world by a process entirely new; and to

* See Supplement, No. V.

rear the temple of virtue, not merely without the aid of religion, but on the renunciation of its principles, and the derision of its sanctions. Their party has derived a great accession of numbers and strength from events the most momentous and astonishing in the political world, which have divided the sentiments of Europe between hope and terror; and however they may issue, have, for the present, swelled the ranks of infidelity. So rapidly, indeed, has it advanced since this crisis, that a great majority on the continent, and in England, a considerable proportion of those who pursue literature as a profession, may justly be considered as the open or disguised abettors of Atheism.

"Modern infidelity not only tends to corrupt the moral taste, it also promotes the growth of those vices which are the most hostile to social happiness. Of all the vices incident to human nature, the most destructive to society are vanity, ferocity, and unbridled sensuality; and these are precisely the vices which infidelity is calculated to cherish.”*

In the mean time, real Christians, who " understand the signs of the times," are securing their happiness on that solid basis which vital "godliness" has ever afforded, and which can only be acquired by the practical knowledge of "the oracles of God."

Some who were once unbelievers, have confessed, that they have sat down with a determination to confute the truths of revelation; but that from a diligent examination of the Bible they have risen up from the vain task, fully convinced of their error and imbecility, and of its divine origin. Let us acquaint ourselves therefore, with these holy writings, let us sedulously mark the accomplishment

* Rev. Robert Hall.

of ancient prophecy,-that "sure testimony;" but let us also do the will of God;" and, according to the Saviour's assurance, "such shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God, or whether" Christ "spake of himself," i. e. whether simply in his human nature, or as "one" with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

The chief concern of a great and good mind is to acquire a spiritual dominion over its natural passions and propensities, to exercise control over all within that is prejudicial or unprofitable to its happiness both present and future. A good man will also improve his talents, under the influence of divine grace, for the present and eternal benefit of himself and his fellow-creatures.

Isaiah XXVIII. 16. "He that believeth shall not make haste." While this passage inculcates a reliance on the atonement of Christ, as the foundation of our hope and conduct throughout life, it implies consistency and harmony in all our occupations. The ardour of one pursuit is not suffered to detach from that due to another of more importance, nor superior considerations to relax the energy due to inferior. In this manner religion enhances the value, or moderates the charms arising out of the various circumstances of life, and preserves them in their due proportions.

Our endeavours for the reformation of relatives and others can but little advance our own happiness, unless we are ourselves living in the fear and favour of God. It is by a holy conduct alone that we can promote social happiness, or extend to others "peace and joy in believing."

With respect to the infidelity of Socinianism, we cannot but think it most reasonable to suppose, that were there no revelation respecting the nature of the Supreme Being,

we should imagine it to differ considerably from any conjectures whatever which we could form respecting it. All heathen countries attest this. It is also reasonable to suppose that we should conceive it to be something beyond the powers of our reasoning faculties to comprehend, though not opposed to them. This, then, is precisely what revelation is, and what it declares itself to be.

Leslie, in a letter subjoined to his Short Method with the Deists, observes: "We find in our nature, which is said to be made after the image of God, a very near resemblance of his Holy Trinity, and of the different operations of the Divine Persons. For example :-To know a thing present, and to remember what is past, to love or hate, are different operations of our mind, and performed by different faculties of it. Of these, the Understanding is the father faculty, and gives being to things, as to us; for what we know not, is to us as if it were not. This answers to Creation. From this faculty proceeds the second, that of Memory, which is a preserving of what the understanding has created to us. Then the third faculty, that of the Will, which loves or hates, proceeds from both the other; for we cannot love or hate what is not first created by the understanding, and preserved to us by the memory.

"And though these are different faculties, and their operations different, the second proceeds from the first, or is begotten by it; and the third proceeds from the first and second in conjunction, so that one is before the other in order of nature, yet not in time; for they are all congenial, and one is as soon in the soul as the other; and yet they make not three souls but one soul. And though their operations are different, and the one proceeds from the