lation of Children of God.' The unhappy divisions, which are not, I am grieved to say, uncommon amongst the members of different churches, may, I am persuaded, trace up the evil to this fruitful source of iniquity. The writer of this article has, for several years, been a member of (he hopes) a church of Christ; and, from the bad effects, he has had the pain to witness, produced in the society to which he belongs, by busybodies and tatlers, he is induced to make the following observations, and to affectionately warn professed followers of Jesus against the anti-Christian practice. There are many, I doubt not, who fall into this practice from inadvertency, and want of consideration; they are not, at first, aware of the depth of the iniquity; and, perhaps from carelessly indulging themselves in hearing, they at length contract the unhappy habit of spreading the envenoming poison. Others, from a love of talking, catch this dangerous infection. Fond of associating with a few of the members of the same church, they love to go to each other's houses, and discuss the defects, or supposed defects of their brethren. I could particularize how, in many cases, the pastor, deacons, and private Christians, have alternately become the object of animadversion; but I hope the bare hint will be sufficient to those who have thus fallen into the snare of the devil. Should any of this class cast their eye upon these remarks, I conjure them seriously to pause, and reflect upon the injustice they are doing to their brethren; and immediately to relinquish an employ only fit for fallen spirits. The quotation I have made from Titus iii. 2, for my motto, is of universal application, and every Christian would do well to carry it into daily practice; for 'How good and how pleasant a thing it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity! Come, my dear fellow-traveller, and contemplate the place which thou art hoping to inhabit; and remember, it is written, That nothing that defileth or maketh a lie shall enter in.' Could the backbiter, with his present disposition, enter the blissful gates of that holy place, it would be no heaven to him; and canst thou indulge in that which makes thee so unlike the spirits made perfect? Are we not called upon to walk with the family of God as dear children? But how unlike a sympathizing brother is he who privately deals in slander! Forget not that Christ came to redeem unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works; but how can that man have any just claim to a place in the family of God, who delights in speaking to the injury of his brother? Can it be said of him, that he is of this peculiar people, and zealous of good works? Is he not rather demonstrating, that he is in the gall of bitterness, and in the bonds of iniquity? Again: Is it not commanded, that the children of God put on bowels of mercies, and be kindly affectioned one towards another? But is he in the exercise of mercy who meets with a party to pub

lish faults, which, perhaps, have no existence, but in his own disordered imagination? Can he have any affectionate regard for his brother, who delights in emblazoning his spots? -Further; it is laid down as a certain truth, that if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his; and, what the fruits of the Spirit are, the apostle gives us a very clear and succinct account in Gal. v. 22-24. I cannot forbear transcribing them, lest the character I wish to correct should shrink from the duty of referring to his Bible. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.' How completely is the evilspeaker at war with all the characteristics of a real child of God! I must hot forget to affectionately recommend the fre quent perusal of 1 Cor. xiii. and Rom. xii; and I would also wish to impress upon the mind of every Christian the following maxims: 1. Never, on any account, mention the name of an absent brother or sister, unless it is to commend the grace of God in them; studiously avoid to say any thing to lessen them in the opinion of their brethren'; 2. Let every opportunity be embraced to suppress the evil in others, always, in the true spirit of the gospel, warning every man to walk circumspectly;. On all occasions, adopt the direc tions of the great Head of the church, in Matt. xviii. 15-18, If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault, between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother; but if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that, in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may be established; and if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church,' &c.--That peace and unanimity may more prevail among the churches of the saints, is the sincere prayer of their brother,

ANTI-REVILER.

A CONCISE VIEW OF

THE PRESENT STATE OF EVANGELICAL RELIGION THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

NO. I.

[We have been favoured with a Series of Papers, of which this is the first, from an old and highly-respected Correspondent; and we give them to the Public with much pleasure, without making ourselves responsible for every sentiment they contain:]

THOUGH the years of the present century which have elapsed are few, the changes we have witnessed in the political and evangelical state of the nations have been great. To consider the signs of the times is worthy the meditation of every truly wise man; and to seize and improve all the advantages presented to him for the glory of God our Saviour, and the

good of his fellow-creatures, is his first line of duty. With this view, the following pages solicit the attention of all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.

The events we have lately seen, and the present appearances in providence and grace, encourage the hope, that the time of the fulfilment of prophecy speedily approaches, when the kingdoms of the world shall become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ. Never, in our day, have such strange things been brought to pass as of late, tending to remove the grand obstacles to the spread of the everlasting gospel;- never have such exertions been made to diffuse the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, at home and abroad; never before were such steps taken to disseminate the oracles of God, in their several languages, to all the nations of the earth; never have we known such a desire expressed, and such efforts made to evangelize the Heathen, by various associations formed in different nations, and in many parts of our own, on the noblest and most liberal principles; never hath such an host of selfdevoted men, from all denominations of Christians in Protestant countries, presented themselves to encounter the perils by land and sea, in order to convey the glad tidings of salvation to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; - and eminent have already been the fruit of their labours! The gift of tongues hath been in part supplied by unwearied diligence to learn the languages of the nations where Providence hath appointed their station; and wonderfully have they succeeded, in various publications, but especially in their translations of the Bible into several languages, spoken by large bodies of men, who never could have heard the word of life but by such means. The blessing attending their ministrations, which will be more explicitly detailed as we proceed, encourages every just expectation, that the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth, as the waters cover the sea; and if, in some instances, the rapidity of their progress may not have corresponded with the expectations of the sanguine, the faith which doth not make haste,' continues to sow the seed, which, springing up, fixes its roots; and, growing night and day, expects the former and the later rain of the divine benediction to ripen it into a glorious harvest.

In order to present a distinct, and I hope encouraging view on this subject, I shall endeavour to trace a short, but authentic sketch of what hath lately been done, is doing, and is meant to be done, for the diffusion of gospel light and truth through the earth.

Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, with the later-visited regions of the Southern Ocean, will each afford materials for this interesting investigation; and if the research warms my own heart, and communicates a spark of the sacred flame of

XVIII.

3 F

Missionary zeal, kindled by a living coal from between the cherubim to others, then shall not the labour be in vain in the Lord.

1. EUROPE.

This highly-favoured region of the earth hath been long distinguished for peculiar eminence in science of every kind. From hence chiefly have the bright beams of wisdom, knowledge, and true religion shone forth to the surrounding nations. Hinc lucem et pocula sacra. Since the Reformation, the pure word of God hath freely circulated through a large portion of this quarter of the globe; and though the intolerance and power of the Romish church hath long and grievously sup pressed the diffusion of the unadulterated word of truth in all the kingdoms under her obedience, a variety of circumstances bath of late concurred, to annihilate the dominion of this proud hierarchy over the consciences of men. A spirit of infidelity, produced by a horde of ungodly and philosophic men, engendered in her bosom, hath undermined the foundations of Popery, discovering and exposing her nakedness. In many of the countrics brutishly enslaved by Rome, and formerly professing implicit obedience to her faith and dictates, all rèverence for her is fled, and her institutions have been treated with contempt and ridicule. The superior ranks of life, the literati, and no small body even of the priesthood, emancipated themselves from the shackles of a degrading superstition, unveiled the mysteries of their bona dea, and loosed all the bands of blind obedience. After a series of struggles, the most sanguinary and inhuman, in France, the focus of the rebellion, a singular character arose, whose ambition, craft, and cruelty, reducing every power in the state to his dominion, and extending as despotically to the nations around him, completed the fall of this Colossus. Having swallowed up Germany, Italy, and nearly subdued Spain and Portugal, he chose to concentrate all dominion in himself; and seizing the ecclesiastical states, as a resumption of the gift of Charlemagne, whose suceession he claims, he hath chosen to take possession of the whole, to strip the triple crown of all temporal dominion, and reduce the Pope himself to vassalage.. By this loss of territory, power, and veneration, the Pope is reduced to the nominal bishopric of Rome, and left a mere cypher, magni nominis umbra: his anathemas are despised, his authority annibilated, and he is suffered only to remain to be a passive tool in the hands of this extraordinary man, whom God hath raised up to make his power known, in the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction.

Universal toleration best corresponds with his principles of infidelity and irreligion; and, as a political measure, strongly attaches a vast body of subjects, Jew and Gentile, to the person

of an Emperor, professing to protect alike all who peaceably submit to his government, without interfering with their epinions of religion. This highly praiseworthy conduct opens a door for the freer admission of the word of God, and the preaching the gospel, than could have been otherwise hoped or attempted; and however horrible have been the steps which have led to this happy result, God, who can bring good out of human evil, will assuredly over-rule this also, for the more speedy diffusion of divine truth in those regions of Popish blindness and bigotry, where her bright beams would not otherwise have been suffered to penetrate. If report is to be received, every man throughout France, and her subject nations, may now worship God publicly, as well as privately, according to the dictates of his own conscience. Jansenists, Lutherans, Hugonots, and even Methodists, are permitted to minister in their several places of assembly, alike under the civil protection; and no impediment appears to remain in the way of those who choose a different mode of religious profession from what before they made, while they continue peaceable and obedient subjects to the existing government;-and who doth not owe submission for protection? The circumstances must be strong indeed, that can justify resistance, even under oppression or persecution. As matters stand, under the present despotic ruler, it would cease to be a wonder, after the strange scenes we have witnessed, if a Protestant church should assemble within the precincts of Rome itself.

I am not sufficiently informed, whether there be any considerable revivals of real evangelical religion in France; but from the number of Protestants in the south, the Jansenist clergy, the secret ones, that have such an opportunity of declaring themselves, as never before in our day was afforded them, I cannot but be confident, that faithful men, zealous for the glory of their divine Master, in many places exert themselves, and improve their opportunities publicly, and from house to house, to preach and teach Jesus Christ.

Bavaria hath manifested a like spirit of toleration; and even the bigotted Austria, now so humbled, hath relaxed in her severities towards her Protestant subjects. Our German correspondents however, full of complaint of the universal poverty and desolation, express their grateful sense for the relief their brethren in Britain have ministered to their distress, assuring thein that God hath not utterly forsaken his church and people; but that many, ander the severest pressure of want and afflic tion, cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart; and that the gospel is preached, and the word of life circulated in their native tongue, through the bountiful supply of Bibles which have been afforded them. How much do they owe to that noble institution among us, The Bible Society! Melancholy and deeply afflictive as have been the calamities which have