now commencing, predicted to precede the fecond coming of THE SON of God, in power and great glory?-when FRANCE, who has fo long taken a lead in arts, in arms, in all the refinements of civilized and polished society, is now the first to caft off her allegiance to that SON OF GOD? Is there not now alarming—is there not now frightful ground for our Lord's foreboding?

"NEVERTHELESS, (or notwithstanding the accumulated evidences of his divine miffion, and of his univerfal authority in Heaven and upon Earth)

-WHEN THE SON OF MAN COMETH, WILL HE FIND FAITH UPON EARTH?

A merciful respite has, near its close, been given to the nations, whofe fate ftood, at the beginning of this year, trembling in the balance of offended jusTICE,-by the fignal and decifive triumphs of the BRITISH NAVY on the Coaft of Egypt and of Ireland, gratefully acknowledging the mighty aid of the LORD GOD OF HOSTS ;—whofe banners and enfigns

ftill wave with DIEU ET MON DROIT, in "a just and neceffary war," and which therefore, have inflicted, HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE, on thofe difturbers of the whole world, the foes of God and Man, facrilegious and unprincipled, to a frightful degree, almoft incredible.-When even the ftupid, the brutish Egyptians themfelves-long fince, "the bafest of the kingdoms❞—as fealed by the unerring word of prophecy, Ezek. xxix. 15. and degraded to be the flave of flaves of her Mamaluke Beys-fpurn with contempt and indignation at the barefaced hypocrify of the crocodiles of France-profeffing that "they can place no faith in fuch "True Muffulmen" "who have denied their OWN

GOD, and renounced their owN PROPHET" -and who, pretending to honour Mahomet, neither read nor underftand his Koran, nor practise his rules of "right and juftice :"—while they profefs to come, avenge the people of that fuperb and unhappy country;-to render glorious the deftiny of the Egyptian nation."

66 to

Amidst the gloom which still overhangs Christendom-(if we infpect the figns of the times, and liften to the warning voice of prophesy, cautioufly and fkilfully interpreted)—a ray of hope, to chear the despondency of the intelligent and thoughtful Chriftian philofopher, ftill illumines our western horizon ;

Divifos orbe BRITANNOS:

thofe fortunate, thofe fequeftered ifles, where rational religion and found learning ftill flourish. And long, very long, may they continue to enjoy "the glorious liberty of the Gospel!"--but which only can prevail, where "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD" prefides, "ungrieved" and "unquenched."

It is a glorious, a reviving, an animating idea, (which only great and enlightened minds (d) could conceive,) that as BRI

TAIN

(d) "Poffibly it may be the appointed office of this country (G. Britain) to extend and establish the TRUE FAITH throughout the world!”

BRITISH CRITIC, Nov. 1798. 548.

See

TAIN was made the bleffed inftrument of introducing the firft fruits of the Reformation from the corruptions and abominations of Romanism-by the powerful and energetic preaching of a WICKLIFF, first bearing teftimony against that Antichrif tian Church, in the year A. D. 1360. See L'Enfant Concile de Conftance, vol. i. p. 201. -and which feems to be strongly marked

in

See their admirable extract from Dr. Valpy's Difcourfe, August 13, 1798; and their pious Reflexions on the British Navy Triumphant, p. 552.-" giving the people at large, at once an authentic relation of their glory, and a due reference to the ALMIGHTY Author of that glory."

"Here then (for what better opportunity can we take?) let us make a folemn appeal to our countrymen ! Let them at length fee, where their true glory, and the true ground of their fafety, is placed. Our two last victors in particular, Lord Duncan and Lord Nelson, (to their immortal honour be it ever commemorated!) have fought like Christian foldiers, and have openly afcribed their victories to THE LORD OF HOSTS. Let not fuch examples be loft! Let us become not only a religious nation, but open profeffors of our religion; not concealing it, as too many have done as if they were ashamed of it, but rendering it exemplary.

in Daniel's 1290 days, counting from A. D. 70, when the " daily facrifice was taken away at JERUSALEM, and the abomination of defolation fet up" by the Romans: (for 70 + 1290 = 1360.)—and who, by his admirable vernacular Tranflation of THE BIBLE, begun A. D. 1380, prepared the way for that "blessed" enfuing "martyr," Huss, who began to preach at Prague in the year A. D. 1405.

See

We stand forward as the Defenders of the Civil Liberties of EUROPE, against an all-devouring tyranny; and a glorious office it is. But how much greater will be our praise, if we should prove also the Bulwark of CHRISTIANITY; if we fhould become, in the hands of PROVIDENCE, the means of fubftituting the pure Faith of our National Church, throughout Europe, for the declining Corruptions of Romanism! With this exalted hope Let us one and all be religious; in public, in private, in our families, in our hearts! And HE who has bleffed our Admirals, will blefs us all.”

Nor is the exalted spirit of genuine religion extinguished in IRELAND-Witness the Act of Vestry, that appeared in Faulkner's Journal, Sept. 11. 1798, from a Parish in the vicinity of Ballynamuck, after the battle fought there in which the French and Rebels were defeated, Sept. 8.

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