"Though mercy be shewn to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the very land of rectitude be will deal perversely; and will not regard the majesty of Jehovah. Jehovah, thy hand is lifted up, yet they will not see but they shall see, with confusion, thy zeal for thy people; yea, the fire shall burn

up

thine adversaries. Jehovah, thou wilt ordain for us peace: for even all our mighty deeds thou hast performed for us. O Jehovah, our God! other lords exclusive of thee have had dominion over us: thee only, and thy name, henceforth will we celebrate."*

Whatever disasters have befallen us, they have been met with in fighting in behalf of a hopeless cause, and an attempt to turn back THE OVERFLOWING SCOURGE from the land of Idumea, where it hath a divine commission to rage. Yet our error has been chastised in mercy, and we ought now to be convinced that the tottering IMAGE can no longer be upheld by human aid, but must fall, and crush “its helpers" in its own ruin. + Isai. xxxiv, 6.

Isai. xvi. 9.

It is equally obvious, that in the defence of our own cause, whenever it has been separate from our unfortunate allies, "God hath appeared for us," and given us such success, as exceeded hope, and left the glory of all former victories, and the experience of other times, far behind.

The "harvest of the earth is ripe," the commissioned "angel hath thrust in his sickle," and the earth is reaping, yet still we are spared. The destroying angel is sent forth to smite Jerusalem, and “ the sinners in Sion are afraid, fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. But to this highly favored nation, though the cup of BABYLON's vengeance hath been many times attempted to be poured in, yet still it has been without the effect of the burning torments, elsewhere so speedily resulting from the poisonous mixture. The cheering voice of a divine protector hath called to us, out of the dark and lowering cloud, come my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about

Isai. xxxiii. 14.

thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the INDIGNATION be overpast. For behold, the Lord cometh out of his place, to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.' "*

* Isaiah xxvi. 20. This prophecy cannot well be addressed to the JEWS, either in ancient or modern times There does not appear any event in the past history of ISRAEL with which the circumstances in it can be reconciled. God's indignation is represented as exceedingly moved against the destroyers of his prophets and martyrs, insomuch that he rises from his throne and comes out of his place in person, to see full and exemplary execution done upon his enemies, at the same time providing a safe retreat for his people during the continuance of these almost general calamities, inflicted upon the inhabitants of the earth,~ (thst is, the whole ROMAN EMPIRE,)—and a retreat of such a nature, that by prudence, vigilance, and courage, they must be instrumental to their own security, and shut around them those unassailable gates, with which God hath provided them -But the JEWS were themselves too deeply chargeable with the guilt of that innocent blood of which vengeance is in search, and have been suffering, on its account, an INDIGNATION not of "a little moment "" as this is to be, but " of many days," it having continued now almost 1800 years.

The prophecy certainly corresponds more with the present time and state of things, and the peculiar situation and circumstances of this nation. ENGLAND (as it is on all hands acknowledged) has, in all time since the reformation, been the

"For it is THE DAY OF THE LORD'S VEN

most successful opposer of popery, and the best defender of the protestant faith; so in the present day, she affords the only ASSYLUM left on earth, to true liberty and genuine christian. ity; and is the last hope of refuge to the miserable fugitives that have escaped from the sword.

Previous to the opening of these fiery judgments, which are to "go before him, and burn up his enemies on every side," God hath put the TRIDENT OF THE SEAS into hands which know how to wield it, and having ordained of old the flood gates of the ocean for our security, and "the munition of rocks" for the walls of our retreat,* he counsels his believing people to retire from the vain contest, and await the issue in a religious dependance on his blessing to the means of protection he affords, and which in all emergencies he can make still equal to the occasion.

The attempts of the inveterate tyrant to exclude us from the trade of the world, will be as vain as his warfare. God hath continually opened fresh sources of new and greater prosperity to ENGLAND, as fast as the envious foe blocks up the old ones. "The barrel of meal shall not waste, nor the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth PEACE upon the earth.”

"It is possible our external commerce may be diminished, and yet our internal wealth and strength increased." See the ju dicious reasoning upon this argument in-" Hints on the Economy, &c." by J. C. Curwen, Esq. M. P. (1808) p. 124.

As a striking contrast to this merciful exemption hitherto vouchsafed to us, the pitiable sufferings of the wretched HoL. LANDERS, at this time, cannot but occur to every thinking mind; and suggest awful reflections upon the distributive jus

GEANCE, and the year

of recompences for

the CONTROVERSY OF SION.*

Let wise and cautious measures taken for the reformation of errors and abuses, both in public and private life, and a reverent respect for our excellent religion, and that decent and orderly establishment of it settled amongst us, make those GATES for ever impenetrable, which the hand of God hath formed, and by his blessing and command, OUR GLORIOUS NAVY hath barred fast around us. "He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly, he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that

tice of heaven towards offending nations. Their “lot was not to have drank of the cup of Babylon's punishment, yet they have surely drank of it." (Jer. xlix. 12.) Their sins against every "principle of justice, humanity, and christian faith, in the cruelties at AMBOYNA, and the trampling upon the cross at JaPAN, at the instigation of the fell demon of avarice, are now set before their eyes, as the offences of popery are also, by the peculiarity of their afflictions, in this GREAT DAY OF GOD'S JUDGMENT, when he “will plead with all flesh.” (Jer. xxv.31.)

*Isai. xxxiv. 8,

+1 Cor. xiv, 40,