these Republicans to the horrors of French
tyranny.—It is evident that, humanly speak-
ing, arms could not have conquered them,
had they steadily resisted these invaders of
their ancient liberties and independence.
But, contaminated in their cities and towns
by the principles of Voltaire's system (a
subject passed over by M. Mallet du Pan),
which it is well known had even pene-
trated into the recesses of their mountains,
they subjected themselves to the punish-
ment of blindness to the designs and arti-
fices of their enemy, till treachery baffled
their counsels, and energy became useless.
Unhappy People ! Could not the simplicity
of your manners, the superior purity of .
your morals, yet but partially injured by
the corrosive touch of the Destroyer-could
not these protect you from the general dea
lusion? How loudly then to you proclaim,
that A
RELIGION OF Christ, is the “one thing
needful” to our preservation !

STEDFAST ADHERENCE

TO THE

Listen ye apostate states of Germany ! Listen, and be wise in time ! Ye seem “ to have a space allowed you for repentance;" reject not the mercy

of

your God!

VOL. II.

Far

Far be it from me to say that “OUR mountain stands strong, and shall never be moved." The ark of the Lord was a security to the Jews, only so long as they obeyed his commandments. And the Church of England will be our protection, only so long as we feel the value of the Gospel, believe in its doctrines, and obey

But, considering the established Church of England as founded upon Apostolic authority, as containing and teaching the uncorrupted doctrines of the Gospel, and as the purest church existing now on earth, I venture to affirm, that to this invaluable blessing do we primarily owe the signal marks of Divine favour, by which we are so peculiarly distinguished y.

its precepts.

It

✓ The opinion of the learned and enlightened Gro. tius, respecting the Church of England, as it must be allowed to be unbiased, will perhaps be allowed to be important. In a letter, dated 1638, to a Dutch divine concerning the Reformation, he says, “ You see how great a progress they have made in England, in purging out pernicious doctrines; chiefly for this reason, because they who undertook that holy work, admitted of nothing new, nothing of their own, but had their eyes wholly fixed upon another world.” In 1645, he writes, " The English Liturgy was always accounted the best

by

/

It is not within my province, to paint the political greatness of Britain, at a moment when so many other states are either blotted from existence, or are finking, with disgrace into ruin. Other pens must describe the glorious contrast she exhibits, when compared with all the Powers on earth, in spirit, in principle, in public faith, unsullied honour, loyalty, justice, charity --in trade, opulence, and population-in the splendor of her victories, since unconnected with the powers she could not, cannot save ; and in the magnanimity of her conduct, amidst unprecedented provocations.

But it is strictly my office, to mention with exulting gratitude, that Britain's So. vereign has not listened “ to the spirits, which already have tempted so many of the kings of the earth to join the league

by all learned men.” And in 1638, he professed it to be his firm opinion, that “the Church of England was the likeliest to stand of any Church that day in being." See Clarke's Grotius. It is certain, that he esteemed the form of Church Government in England, as exceeding all others in the Christian world in primitive excellence, that is, in other words, Apoftolic authority.

against the Prince of Princes ?»—that, foremost to honour his religion, protect his servants, and give glory to his name, HER KING, and HER PEOPLE, collectively confidered, have as yet stood firm against the assaults and artifices of Infidelity, because these circumstances prove the prosperity of this country to accord, as strictly as the adversity of other nations, with the explandtory. principle derived from these researches into the Prophecies,

For, while, with the whole world, I ate tribute in the most decided manner the present state of this kingdom to the measures early adopted and steadily pursued by its Government, I conceive it to be the higheft panegyric that can be passed upon any Minister, to consider him as raised up by God at this important period, to be the faviour of his country, and look to a higher fource for the enjoyment of such a distinguilhed blessing

Guided by these opinions, I hesitate not to mention among the various causes which,

with the blessing of God, have protected the principles of the nation at large, from the machinations of Jacobinism, and have produced the marked difference in our conduct in the day of trial, from the conduct of our Protestant brethren on the continent; the Society formed for the fuppression of vice and immorality, by the express authority of a Royal Proclamation", the establishment of Sunday Schools b, at

the

a The Royal Proclamation was issued in the year 1793, and the Society formed under the immediate

patronage of the King.

6 By Mr. Raikes of Gloucester. Many thousand Sunday Schools have been establi ed, or in part supported, by the fund raised by voluntary subscription for this purpose; and the number maintained and encouraged by priváte charity is very considerable. This inftitution, like every other, may be abused; but its beneficial effects, under the direction of a resident clergyman, are obvious; and experience, the best test, has abundantly proved its general utility.

I have been informed since the first publication of this work, that the zeal for Sunday Schools is rapidly declining, although another reason has been added for its increase. Our adversaries, baffled in their attempts to make the lower classes of our people Infidels, are in many places now straining every nerve to make them Fanatics. They remember the success of the Puritans no the time of Charles I. and having infused into the fect of Methodists the principles of enmity to the Church

and

T 3