The Editor to the Public. IT is now, about twenty-feven years, fince the General History of the Church as illustrated chiefly from the Apocalypfe by Signior Pastorini, was first prefented to the Public. It was variously received, according to the various temper and difpofitions of its Readers. Some did not hesitate to treat it with ridicule, as the production of a weak and vifionary mind: Others attacked it by objections of different kinds, none of which seem to carry with them very confiderable weight: But! the generality formed a very favourable opinion of it, and read it with equal Satisfaction and Edification. They were not a little ftruck by the new light, which the Author feemed to have thrown on the mysteries contained and the judgments denounced in the Prophetic Book before us. Their attention was particularly excited by his open declaration, that, He apprehended fome of the feven Scourges there threatened were haftening faft to be inflicted on criminal and unrepenting Nations, and a prophetic Vial was foon to be poured out on guilty heads. He charitably therefore forewarned his Readers, to feek by fincere repentance to avert, if poffible, the impending judgment, or, to be at least themselves prepared; and not to fail to inftruct their Children by every religious a 2 gious Leffon, to be ready to receive, in the most Christian manner, the approaching awful chaftisement. These falutary admonitions were thought by those who were perfonally acquainted with the Author, to come from him, with fingular propriety and authority: and, few feemed better qualified to penetrate into the fecret recesses of the Apocalypfe than He was. Born with great natural abilities, which had been carefully improved from his Infancy by an excellent Education; bleffed moreover with a heart formed for piety and virtue, He dedicated himself at an early period of life to the ftudy and practice of Religion. His virtue and learning foon became confpicuous not only in the line of Sacred Literature, but alike in Mathematical and Aftronomical: of this last he exhibited a proof by his elaborate and accurate publications in the years 1745-6-7, &c. (fee Philofophical Tranfactions) and by his concernment in the introduction of the new Style in the year 1752. His Sacred and Theological Literature acquired Him the degree of Doctor of Divinity in the Univerfity of Paris, and, his Mathematical Knowledge, the honour of Fellowship of our own Royal Society and that of Berlin; and, yet young, He was furthermore raised to the Epifcopal Dignity. This facred Dignity he held upward of 40 years, during which period He fed his flock with the bread of life and underflanding, Eccles. 15. and maintained the Faith and Doctrine committed to his Truft, found and pure. When raised to the Epifcopal Dignity, He then more than ever devoted devoted himself to the ftudy of Holy Scripture. With a mind thus improved and enriched with abundant ftore of knowledge, He ventured to direct his labours and reflections to clear up in fome degree, the darkeft perhaps of the facred Prophecies. He was not deterred from the undertaking, either by the difficulties and obfcurity peculiar to the Apocalypfe, or by the little fuccefs of others who had gone before him on a fimilar defign. Convinced in his own mind, that most of these Interpreters had failed in their attempts, because they had contracted their fystems to too narrow a compafs, viz. only to a few of the first Ages of the Church: He takes a more enlarged and extenfive view of things, and carries on the divine economy respecting the Church from her foundation through every fucceeding period to the end of time, and her final introduction into heaven. His plan appears to have been conceived with great judgment and penetration, and it has been executed with equal ability. He lays it down as a fundamental Law in the Interpretation of the Apocalypfe, that not a fingle word is fuperfluous, nor repeated without a particular reafon. Hence, He fcrutinizes every term with the niceft refinement in the original and in the most approved Verfions. The leaft variation in mode or time never efcapes him. He turns his Text into every point of view, in order to fix and afcertain its true meaning. When he had digefted the whole of his fubject, and had worked it up with great pains and labour: though aware how it would be be received by fome: he ventured to fend it forth to the Public, little folicitous how far it would enhance or leffen his literary fame, provided it contributed in any degree to awaken a thoughtless and criminal generation to the great and awful truths and falutary terrors of Religion. Although no pains were taken by the Author or his friends to circulate his work, it foon found its way into foreign Countries, particuJarly into France and Germany. A French tranflation of it was published in 1778, p. 159, &c. by a Benedictin Monk of the Congregation of St. Maurus, a Congregation fo well known by its literary labours. Of this order of Religious men, the Author was a member in the present, English Congregation of Benedictins. Soon after, it was tranflated into Latin by an English Benedictin Monk refident at Paris; into German by l'Abbé Goldhagen, 1785, 3 vols. 8vo. and lately into Italian. We may judge in what efteem the original performance was held abroad by the following extract from the periodical writings of a very judicious and learned Author, l'Abbé Feller, univerfally known and esteemed in France and Germany for the zeal and fuccefs, with which he has for many years defended the cause and interest of Religion. Dated 1786. Sept. P. 106.-L'ouvrage de Seigneur Paf"torini eft le feul bon Commentaire fur l'Apo 66 calypfe que l'Angleterre ait produit, et la "nation doit fcavoir bon gré à l'Auteur d'avoir “contribué a faire oublier les Extravagances que Jacques ir. et le célébré Newton ont debitées " fur |