send among them the glory of the gospel, and a superior system of morality! And we may augur from experiment, that neither the Alcoran of Mahomet, nor the Bedas of the Hindoos, will keep their ground against the lustre of the Bible, when interpreted by the life of faithful mission.

The missionary flame is at length revived, and promises to extend its divine influence to every nation of the earth. Twenty-nine missionaries sailed in the ship Duff in 1796, and arrived at Otaheite, after a passage the most safe and speedy ever known; and though the society may have to regret the failure of this mission in a great degree, and the too great eclat with which it was conducted, they have nevertheless the consolation to see their mission to Caffraria, under Dr. Vanderkemp, conducted with the most promising And it is hoped that similar success will crown the Scotch mission in the northern vicinity of the Caspian sea.

success.

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Correspondent to missionary efforts, are the Bible societies now established in London, Copenhagen, Berlin, Basle, Nurenberg, and several parts of the Austrian empire. In particular, the London Bible society, exclusive of the vast editions it has circulated at home and abroad, has granted types and paper for 5000 copies of the New Testament in the Turkish language at Karass, or rather Karasou, in the CriIt is printing a large edition of the Bible in Arabic at home; and it is aiding Dr. Buchanan to print, at the College of Fort William, in Bengal, ten editions of the Bible, in all the principal languages of the east. Specimens have already been received of the Bibles printed in the Shanscrit and Chinese. Every Christian should, therefore, regard those societies as the great engines of heaven, aided by the invention of Stereotype, to Bible the world, and to afford efficacious aid in the universal spread of the gospel.

IV. It is further observed, that the political changes which have recently taken place in the earth, seem M

ecmargement of the Redeemer's “are morei he peace which preas Šausa empire at our Saviour's mien te void of providence which sie ers or the impagation of the new te geas Russian empire exhimote Superue for the Greek church deas. That empire has Caspian sea, to the confines of mrntern zuå mastem extremities resuing ul variety of soil and nie uu zmerni mañvetõus, it has །བྲམང་ཕྲ་སྟོད་སྐྱོང་vrischereíare terature and the gospel of 1 asu Brough all the provinces

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from the preceding considerations on the favorable state of the world for this work, but from the apparent accomplishment of several prophesies, that this is really the time. The two thousand three hundred days; that is, years of Daniel, for the God of heaven to set up an everlasting kingdom, and cleanse the sanctuary, are expired, or nearly so, Dan. viii. 13, 14. Likewise, the fall of the tenth part of the city by a great earthquake, and the slaughter of the seven thousand men, seems to have been strikingly accomplished by the French revolution. Their bidding defiance to the powers of the pontificate was sudden and unexpected as an earthquake, and attended with the slaughter of more than a million men. The aggran

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dizement of this empire, and the titles assumed by Buonaparte, emperor of France, and king of Italy, are declarations to the world, that the temporal powers of the pope exist no more. There need be no more disputes about the doctrine of the two swords. holiness, now, is of little more consequence to the church, than that of a degraded priest granting absolution to the crimes of France. The reformed churches have uniformly considered this empire as that tenth part of the city, and it is sufficiently evident they were not mistaken, for none of the protestant nations were emancipated with such great political commotions.

This great empire, situated in the centre of the catholic community, having abolished all persecution for religious sentiments; having annihilated the tyrannical parts of the clerical power, and exposed relics, images, and every priestly artifice, to the utmost. degradation, must thereby have applained the way for the total destruction of idolatry, and afforded a favorable moment for Christianity in France, Italy, and Spain, to assume her primitive character of purity and love.

It is further observed, that during the great earthquake, in which Babylon should drink of the fiercenes of God's wrath, that the great city should be divided into three parts, Rev. xvi. 18, 19. And the ancient

papal empire, at this moment, s.rikingly exhibits a triple division: that is, catholics, protestants, and infidels. Their number is nearly equal; and what three descriptions of men can be more opposite in principles and views? Within one age afer Luther, the reformation completely rent off a third part. In the last age, learned men have idolized human reason, and exalted it above revelation. This rash and daring progress of infidelity has been accelerated by the pious frauds, and impious lives of those, who ought to have adorned the sanctuary with their wisdom and virtues. Hence, Jesus Christ, the prophets, and the apostles, have been associated with these anti-christian priests, and the whole of them ridiculed as a succession of wretches and impostors. This is the natural consequence of combining error and superstition, with the truth and simplicity of the gospel. The gold is cast away with the dross. Hence but one part, properly speaking, now remains attached to the anti-christian see. Here we adore the wisdom of providence, which obliges those very men, who speak so contumeliously of the sacred writers, to confer upon them the highest honor by accomplishing their predictions, in a manner so striking and correct.

VI We proceed to illustrate two more prophesies, which seem farther to indicate, that this is the time for the universal spread of the gospel. "The son of man shall send his angels," or ministers, "with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heaven to the other," Matt. xxiv. 31. 66 'I saw an angel," says John, “fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, fear God, and give glory unto him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of water. And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen," Rev. xiv. 6, 7, 8. From these and other corres

pondent passages, derive information of a very important and consolatory nature: 1. that the gospel shall be preached in every nation and language: 2. that it shall be preached amid the four winds or commotions and wars which shall agitate the whole world: 3. that the holy angels shall superintend the missions, and influence the pagans to renounce their idols, and to worship the God who made the heavens and the earth: 4. that this shall be effectuated previously to the total fall of papal Babylon. But we have four or five visions in the Revelation of the fall of this empire, which seem to intimate that it should fall at so many different periods. And it has fallen at different periods in Germany, England, and France. What further signs and evidences can we ask, that this is the time to propagate the gospel, than to see the fall of popery, and the way so extensively applained to send missionaries abroad? Can it, in a moral view, be too early to save the heathen from the most horrid and abominable vices? or can they ever receive the gospel without exertion and expense?

VII. The ways and means by which religion shall be revived at home, and propagated abroad, are also predicted. The Spirit of life from God shall enter into his two faithful witnesses, and they shall be exalted to heaven, and in the presence of their enemies, Rev. xi. 1-12. They are called God's two witnesses, because that number is competent for evidence in the courts of justice; but they comprehend the great cloud and succession of witnesses who have prophesi ed in sackcloth during the ages of anti-christ. They have been massacred in every country of Europe, and their dead bodies treated with horrible indignities. The extermination of heretics has been celebrated by jubilees at Rome, and by great rejoicings among the papal princes. Their situation, however, shall be completely reversed. After three days and a half; that is, about the expiration of the twelve hundred and sixty years, the Lord shall raise up abundance of ministers in the spirit of the holy martyrs; and they