thefe decrees." The fecond beaft, and the image to which he gives life, are then perfecuting powers. This fecond beaft " BX~ ercifeth all the power of the first beast," that is, his tyranny extends over the minds as well as the bodies of men-their spiritual as well as their temporal interests their religious as well as their civil liberties he was "to make war with the faints and to overcome them, and to have power over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." Vol. ii. P. 129.

The writer pursues his argument with great clofeness of reafoning, and accounts for the different interpretations given of the paffages in the Revelations from the want of fufficient attention in former commentators to the new power that fhould arife, totally different from either of the former. His concluding remark, we are perfuaded, will make a deep impreffion on all who read the revealed word with the awful attention which it deferves.

And now may I not ask, whether we have not ourselves seen a power gradually rife from its den, where it has long been ftrengthening itself, and from whence it has long fent forth the fumes of an intoxicating poifon to prepare the world for its appearance, which exactly resembles this fecond beaft? Have we not feen apoftate infidelity under the name of reason establish its dominion over the minds of men by its pretenfions to a refined religion, a pure morality? Are not the doctrines of liberty and equa lity, doctrines moft perverfely drawn from the religion of the lamb, the horns of its fascinating power? Does it not unite the fubtlety of the ferpent, with the fury of the dragon?-promife univerfal happinefs, but lead to univerfal mifery? Has it not "caufed them that dwell on the earth to make an image to (or like) the beast which had the wound by a fword and did live?" An image in the form of the antient Roman government, which has already obliged many of the nations to yield obedience to its new revived authority?-exerciseth all the civil and religious tyranny of the first beaft, or the papal power of antichrift, by des priving all men of their civil and religious privileges, who will not receive the mark of union with its abominable principles whọ has made war with the faints," or fervants of God, and has "overcome many;" and who now openly blafphemes the God of heaven?

To what height of enormity-to what extent of dominionthe power of this tremendous image will be permitted to rise, muft remain for futurity to discover. But who will now fay it is impoffible, or even improbable, that the city of Rome should foon become the feat of this devastating tyrant!-fhould foon become the feat of the empire of apoftate infidelity, or atheism, as it has already been of paganism, and popery; and thus render the re

femblance between the image and the first beast yet more literally complete!-Nay, who will dare pronounce that this moft dreadful power of antichrift, which has arisen in the north, fhall not "plant the tabernacles of his palaces between the feas, in the glorious holy mountain ?" Vol. ii, P. 161.

The remaining part of this volume is taken up with a very judicious account of the rife, progrefs, establishment, and deftruction, of the papal and Mohammedan powers of antichrist. The enormity of the crimes committed by them in various periods, their delufions, their dreadful perfecutions, and their maffacres, pafs in review; and, in every part, they are shown to correfpond with the defcriptions given of them in the prophetical writings. The progrefs of the infidel power of antichrift occupies the greater part of the third volume; and here, though we have fcarcely any doubts in our minds. of the pofitions advanced in the preliminary differtations, a part of the testimony adduced is not fatisfactory. Long extracts are given from Barruel's and Robifon's accounts of a confpiracy, as if this infidel power arofe from fome plan laid by a fet of men to effect a particular purpofe. Now this does not appear to us confiftent with facts, or neceffary for the establishment of the author's hypothefis. During the fway of the papal branch of antichrift, all religious inquiry was fuppreffed. At the reformation, freedom of difcuffion revived in fome countries; and the privilege which Chriftians affumed could not be entirely denied to others. Hence, in the laft century, atheism met with many fupporters in our island ; but it received its death-blow from the piety, learning, and energy, of a Barrow, a Tillotfon, and a Bentley. In this century, infidelity boafts of three great champions, Bolingbroke, Hume, and Gibbon; but their infidious attacks made little impreffion on a well-informed nation, and every infinuation against the truth of Chriftianity led to open, manly, and full difcuffion. The cafe was not the fame on the continent: the prefs was reftrained within very narrow limits; the reading of the fcripture in the vulgar tongue was in moft coun tries forbidden: the abfurd rites of the Romish church expofed religion to the sarcasms of wit; and the encouragement given by Louis XIV. to literature and philosophy raised fuch a fpirit of inquiry among the higher claffes, as led to the rejection of the established religion, and, for want of due direction, to the rejection of religion in general. We, therefore, need not fuppofe that a confpiracy was formed. It may be faid of Voltaire, Rouffeau, Diderot, Frederic of Pruffia, d'Alembert, and Condorcet, that each naturally followed the bent of his genius; but the vehemence of the contests between Rouffeau and Voltaire, and the open quarrel be

tween the latter and Frederic, preclude every idea of a fettled plan of co-operation. The corruptions of religion deferved the chaftifement which they met with; but as, in making the attack, the infidel writers confounded true religion with fuperftition, and the advocates for religion in France could not feparate its caufe from that of their own fuperftition, religion declined daily in the conflict, and infidelity gained ground. We may obferve alfo that, in this respect, these two branches of antichrist have a resemblance to each other; the one, indeed, arofe in troublesome, the other in quiet times; but there was no plan formed for the conftitution of either. Popery naturally arofe from circumstances which in every century added power to the fee of Rome: ins fidelity arofe from flight circumftances, but it made more rapid ftrides to the enormous power which it now poffeffes.

The word jacobinifm, we obferve, is used vaguely and improperly by our author; but we commend the adoption of two other words, by which a proper difcrimination is made be tween the use and abufe of the reasoning powers. Philofophy has of late been fet in oppofition to Chriftianity; and every rejector of this creed has affumed to himself the name of a philofopher. We ought to trace this name to its proper fource. Philofophy is the love of wifdom, philofopher a lover of wisdom. The Chriftian is the lover of the higheft wisdom, that which comes from above and proceeds from omniscience. He who traces effects to their caufes, and pur→ fues natural fcience to its utmost bounds, has a claim to the appellation of philofopher; but, if he confines his researches within narrow limits, if he refufes to examine the evidence for a truth which from prejudice he rejects, he is no longer entitled to that refpectable name, as his love of wisdom is not. philofophy. As in former times the pretenders to fcience. were called fophifts, our author with great propriety claffes the numerous herd, which lately has affumed the guife of philofophy, under the general term of philofophifts; and their fcience is confequently philofophifin. In this diftinction we entirely agree with him; and the use of these terms will, it is to be hoped, fhelter true philofophy from the afperfions which at times the friends of reafon, virtue, religion, and order, have from unfounded prejudices thrown out against her.

6

We cannot join with our author when he applauds the wif dom of the British parliament in refufing to repeal the teft act in the year 1789; nor are we pleafed with his manner of introducing the remark. He has fhown that the leaders of the Romish and Mohammedan fects, and the infidels, agree in impofing tefts on their respective adherents; but truth, we are convinced, does not ftand in need of any fuch fupport.

His remarks, however, naturally arofe from his views of Christian toleration, which we fhall give in his own words.

Let me not be misunderstood; Chriftian toleration is equally remote from intolerance and indifference; it unites ardent zeal with perfect charity; it allows perfect liberty to every mode of worship; but forgets not the injunction, " to labour earnestly to propagate the faith" by every means which argument, and example, and encouragement, can furnish. And while it commands the protection of every individual perfon, and admits freedom of inquiry, it authorizes reftraint upon actions, and the avowal of opi nions inconfiftent with the fafety of the religious or civil establishments of the state, and the preservation of defenfive barriers for their fecurity. Upon this queftion I know it is common to urge, that religion is itself invulnerable, and needs no defence from the civil power; for religion is artfully confidered, either in the abstract, or as a political inftitution. But it may be asked, what would be faid of that general, who, by deftroying the outworks of a peculiar diftrict, facrificed an army, and contented himself with preferving an impregnable fortrefs? Vol. iii. p. 200.

Now we have, for our views of Chriftian toleration, our Saviour's conduct and precepts as guides. When he was infulted by the Samaritans, he did not permit his difciples to call down fire from heaven for vengeance: when his doctrines were called diabolical, he anfwered not by pains and penalties, but by clear appeals to the common fenfe of his opponents; and, far from authorifing his followers to lay any reftraint whatever upon the actions or opinions of other men, he taught them to lay down their lives for his caufe, and to leave his doctrines to make their way by the native energy of truth. Chriftian toleration, therefore, is the endurance of calumny and perfecution with a Christian spirit; it anfwers its oppreffors by refuting their errors, and neither holds out temporal advantages to the friends, nor temporal difadvantages to the enemies, of its faith.

But this and fome other parts which are in our opinion blemishes, muft not be confidered as deftructive of the great utility of this work in the prefent times. The outline we highly approve; and the manner of filling it up deserves in general great praife. We recommend it to our readers, as giving in a thort compafs a good defcription of the enemies of Christianity, whether appearing under the guife of friendfhip or of avowed hoftility; and we fincerely with that it may lead every fect which holds any thing not authorifed by fcripture, in common with the three branches of antichrist, to caft away the odious marks of the beaft,

The Oriental Collections for July, Auguft, and September, 1797. 4to. 10s. 6d. Harding.

WE regret that temporary obstacles prevented the appearance of these numbers in due time, and learn with fatisfaction that this interesting collection will proceed with more regularity in future. The editor, major Oufeley, has manifested fuch a proficiency in oriental learning, a branch of the greateft confequence to the moft opulent commercial fociety in the moft opulent of European countries, that we are astonished at the neglect with which fuch talents are treated. It would conduce to the interests of the East-India company, tainly would not diminish the reputation of that body, if fome office or penfion were conferred on the only man who may be faid to have inherited the mantle of fir William Jones.

and cer

As this work contains many original pieces in the Perfian, Arabic, and Turkith languages, and confequently bears a high price, it is not likely to fall into the hands of many of our readers. For the entertainment of those who may not have an opportunity of procuring it, we will felect fome of the moft popular parts of the number.

The first article is the route from Gombroon to Kirman in Perfia,' extracted from Dr. Hyde's papers in the British Museum. We afterwards meet with Indian fongs, commu nicated by captain Afhworth.' The tranflations follow.

I have traversed horrid deferts, yet the piercing thorn of love remaineth fixed in my heart. I have travelled, and undergone various hardships, but have neither found a home, nor the object of my love. Like a shuttle-cock, I am not fuffered to remain a moment in one place.

'I lie awake the whole night long, yet you do not comẹ, my, love. You find a miftrefs wherever you go-I am ignorant who has feduced you.

For heaven's fake, my love! liften to what I fay! I can fcarcely fpeak! I fear I'm dying!-Who has taught you to be fo unfeeling?

My foul longs to clafp my beloved in my arms! I will put on my ornaments, I will prepare the bed, and the garlands of flowers.

'One poor heart is come to facrifice itself to your beauties-to which fhall it make an offering? to your lips, to your feet, to the on your teeth, to your moles, or to your flowing locks?' P. 203.

*

milly #

The following fhort paper, by the editor, on fome remark

* A compofition which stains the teeth.