scene of it, or the final fall of that superlative and luciferian pride, may be conducted with a suitable dignity; and all the world may witness the truth of prophecy in his character and state, and the justice of heaven in his doom. "And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying thus WITH VIOLENCE shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all." (Rev. xviii. 21.)*

If such is to be the doom of the antichristian Babylon, or the hierarchy and spiritual confederacy of popery, as all protestant interpreters are agreed; and if we have evi

* Certissimum est nomine Babylonis, &c. "There can be no doubt that by the name of Babylon the city of Rome is to be understood."-Baronius ad ann. 45. Johannes in Apocalypsi passim Romam vocat Babylonem &c.-" John every where in the Revelations calls Rome Babylon, which is manifest from the xvii. chapter.”—Bellarmine de Rom, Pontif. lib. iii. c. xiii. Father Calmet says that Rome is pointed out by St John in his Revelation, xiv. 8,-xvi. 19,-xvii. 5,-xviii. 2, 10, 21, by the name of Babylon, which he describes in such a manner as can only agree to Rome; 1,'by its command over all nations,

dent symptons of the speedy approach of that fatal period, it cannot be consistent with sound policy, any more than it is with protestant principles, to admit of any union with catholics, under any circumstances. Whatever is conceded to the turbulent demands of men of infatuated minds, (" which are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt,"†) beyond the liberal toleration they have enjoyed under the protection of a free government, will only quicken and bring forward the rash designs which lurk beneath these fair pretences, and will eventually batch a cockatrice for their own destruction, if not that of the country also.‡

"

-2, by its cruelty towards the saints, and 3, by its situation upon seven hills. Rev. xvii. 9.-And that these descriptions are meant of Rome, both as a pagan and papal persecutor of the saints, is evident, because her fall and destruction in this manner hath not yet taken place, that she should become "the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird,”—unless it be allowed that the popes and cardinals merit these appellations. Newton, vgl. iii. p.312.

+ Isai. lvii 20.

Isai. lix. 5.

To hold forth unnecessary encouragement and favor to a system of religion which the gospel so palpably disowns, and God declares to be the object of his extreme abhorrence, if popery be antichristianism;-or to relax in our just suspicion against a system of duplicity and cruelty, from which Christ and his. witnesses have suffered the torments of a perpetual crucifixion and an open shame, would be shewing a criminal inattention to that sure word of prophecy, and the many alarming warnings in great mercy given us thereby.It would be putting a contempt upon the dear bought experience and wisdom of the framers of our religious articles and creeds, and treating as a ridiculous chimera a caution to which the holy spirit hath attached so great an importance." Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence-touch no unclean thing, go ye out of the midst of her, be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord." (Isai. lii. 11; 2 Cor. vi. 17.)

Our blessed Saviour made a question, which seems to imply a negative, that at his coming

he should scarcely find faith remaining upon earth.* And in the Revelations he repeats

the caution against fashionable infidelity, or that spirit of levity which considers a respectful dependence upon the scripture prophecies as no better than superstition and weakness. "Behold! I come as a thief" that is, without observation, or with signs preceding my coming of such a nature, that it is possible you may be either laughed or reasoned out of your belief of them :-" blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest be walk naked, and they see his shame." (Rev. xvi. 15.) The garments here spoken of represent our faith, and the nakedness our philosophy. It is the constantly recurring censure upon Israel of old, and the occasion of their frequent and severe chastisements, that "they gave no credence to his word." (Ps. dvi. 24.)

The political philosophers of the present day, in the profundity of their overweening wisdom, decry in the most declamatory stile,

*Luke xviii. 8.

or contemptuously deride as mere ignorance and superstition, that strong abhorrence of popery which religious men profess. They consider it as a species of bigotry equally ab horrent with popery itself, from genuine phi lanthropy, and the spirit of religion; by which (however) is to be understood their own philosophy, or a general indifference to all religion, and not the doctrine of the gospel.They pretend to view the dogmas and tenets of the church of Rome with a philosophical eye, which is not the light in which papists themselves consider them. And from this false contemplation of popery, they wisely conclude that the doctrines of the church of Rome are so replete with the most gross and palpable absurdities, and so directly in contradiction to reason, scripture, truth, and the present advanced state of knowledge amongst mankind, that it is impossible they can be any longer, or ever again become a reasonable object of apprehension and dread.

But the danger to be apprehended from the rising again of the papal power, and the