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A departure from the faith began in the apos

tolic age.

And after Rome pagan became Christian, which was when Constantine was converted to Christianity, she soon became corrupt. Errors were introduced, and fatal controversies took place among them. A hierarchy was soon established among the clergy, and primitive Christianity was greatly corrupted. Popery, with all its errors and with all its horrors, sprang up in the world, and spread with a surprising rapidity. Many things which did not belong to Christianity, being found among those who were called Christians, brought it into disrepute. The superstitions and fooleries of the Romish church, and the ignorance in which the common people were held, had an immediate tendency to make deists. This was actually the case, till at length Christianity was viewed as a mere human invention, an engine of state to keep the ignorant world in awe. Deism increased surprisingly, till at length thousands of mankind, in different nations, threw off all regard to religion.

Thus the abuses of mankind and the corruptions of Christianity led to the infidelity which now prevails in the world, and is openly avowed by a great body of men.

Such have been the causes which in a course of ages have brought the state of religion in the world to what you see it to be.

The tyrannies exercised over the souls and bodies of men, have also tended to awaken their resentments, and to produce the convulsions that are now among the nations. A diffusion of political knowledge hath helped on the matter. And when once mankind are let loose, there is no knowing

where or when they will stop. They who set out right, have lost sight of their first principles, and overleaped the bounds of reason, and of true rational liberty.

God is now making himself known,' says an ingenious writer, by the judgments which he executeth in the earth. He is now, by the works of his providence, giving the ultimate and that which will be the all-convincing evidence of the truth of the scripture. There is but a little period to come, compared with the past, in which infidelity will dare speak its sentiments. All considerate and good people see this already; and though there be some infidels against growing light, Infinite Wisdom permits them to rise up for two purposes: first, to fulfil more bloody judgments on apostate Christendom than men of good hearts would wish to be instrumental of executing, although they know them to be just; and secondly, that by their avowed principles, practice, and the end to which Providence will bring them, they may be a warning to future ages against infidelity. God teaches by experi

Within the conclusion of a century from this time, it will not be disputed what was meant by prophetic Babylon. Her great wickedness will be illustrated to universal knowledge by her great plagues. It will also appear that infidelity was the instrument prepared by God for her punishment; that this infidelity naturally sprung out of her own corruption, or rather was the last stage of antichristian apostacy; and that having consumed itself and the parent that gave it birth, the judgments of God are finished. A new era will take place. Through the instruction of past

experience, and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, righteousness and peace will fill the earth. All the prophecies describe this succession of events. The past and present fulfilment of them must remove from wise minds, all doubts concern, ing the future.'*

We pass to confider the next verse in the text, which is the language of the combined enemies of Christ and his church. "Let us break their bands, and cast their cords from us."

These words are a daring and impious declaration of the enemies of Christ, that they will reject his law and contemn his gospel. It is as if they had said, we will not have this man to reign over us. This they did: "he came to his own, and his own received him not."

By bands and cords are meant those things that unite them to Christ and to one another ; love to Christ and his cause, which animated them amidst all their sufferings. Their enemies attempted, by threatenings on one hand, and promises on the other, to make them deny their Master; but they chose death rather than such a shameful and wicked conduct.

The last verse now comes under consideration. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision." These words are David's, and teach us that Jehovah, who sitteth in the heavens, observes and controls all the events that take place on earth. He beholds the rage of the heathen, the combination of wicked kings and rulers against his church, and laughs at them, and will finally have them in derision, They are his instruments to execute his purposes;

*Mr. Strong's Sermon from Rev. xviii. 4.

and when they have completed the work for which he uses them, he will bring them to their end and none shall help them. This is a blessed truth for such a day as this, in which the world is in convulsions.

We may illustrate the truth of this part of the text by the following instances.

1. Herod, in the slaughter of the infants, was disappointed. Christ was preserved. He who sitteth in the heavens defeated the wicked designs of his enemies.

2. Thus it was with respect to the Jewish rulers and people in the crucifixion of Christ. His death was necessary in order that he might save sinners. They brought about, though with wicked hands, the event for which he came into the world, and finally they met their punishment in being conquered and dispersed. The Lord now hath them in derision. They are now a reproach, a proverb, a taunt, and a curse, in all places to which they are driven.

3. Persecution hath been overruled for the spread of the gospel, contrary to the design of persecutors. They meant to suppress, not promote the cause of Christ. They also sent many good men to heaven, by their cruelties, and the gospel to our America. Here we sit under our own vine and fig-tree, and there are none to make us afraid.

4. The Lord may be said to laugh at the enemies of his church, and to hold their weak designs in the utmost derision, as appears in the following instances. In the reign of queen Elizabeth, the Spanish armada was sent to invade England, in order to suppress and root out the reformed religion; and therefore they brought.

in their fleet all manner of instruments of cruelty wherewith to torture the Protestants, who would not renounce their religion.' But they were

baffled in so extraordinary a manner, that the Spanish admiral blasphemously swore that he feared Jesus Christ was turned Lutheran.'

In the rage of the papal party against the Protestants, Ireland was doomed to drink of the bitter cup of persecution, but was delivered in the following remarkable manner. Dr. Cole being sent 'with a commission for that purpose, called on a friend at Chester, and being pleased with his appointment, informed his friend of his determination to proceed to the utmost extremity when he should arrive at the place of his destination. A Protestant lady being present, and hearing what was said, found means to take his commission from a small box which contained it, and to place in its room a pack of cards. When the Doctor came to Ireland, and was about to produce his commission to the proper persons, (a large collection of people being present,) on opening the box, to his extreme mortification he found only a pack of cards, with the knave of clubs uppermost !* He returned to obtain a new commission, but the queen died before it could be procured. The unhappy people were, in consequence of this, saved from death and ruin. Thus he who sitteth in the heavens doth have them in derision.

I might proceed to illustrate the prophecy before us, and to encourage the friends of Christ, by historical facts in abundance; but these may suffice.

*The chief officer observed to him, as things were, he had only to return and obtain another commission; and with a degree of pleasantry added, " and we will shuffle the cards while yon are gone."

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