present day, which has already been referred to in the preface.*

"Why, my brethren, the supposition may be a very odd one, nor do I say that it is at all likely to be realized, but for the sake of illustration, I will come forward with it. Conceive that the Spirit of God, accompanying the circulation of the word of God, were to introduce all its truths and all its lessons into the heart of every individual of the Catholic priesthood; and that the Pope himself, instead of being brought down in person from the secular eminence he occupies, were brought down in spirit, with all his lofty imaginations, to the captivity of the obedience of Christ, then I am not prepared to assert, that under the influence of this great Christian episcopacy, a mighty advancement may not be made in building up the kingdom of God, and in throwing down the kingdom of Satan, throughout all the territories of Catholic Christendom. And yet, with all this, the name of Catholic may be retained,the external and visible marks of distinction

* A Sermon preached before the Auxiliary Society, Glasgow, to the Hibernian Society. By the Rev. Dr. Chalmers, Minister of the Tron Church, Glasgow, pp. 33, 34.

may be as prominent as ever,—and with all those insignia about them, which keep up our passionate antipathy to this denomination, there might not be a single ingredient in the spirit of its members to merit our rational antipathy.”

I will not conceal the deep regret which I felt in perusing the foregoing observations. Had they come from a common writer I should have left them unnoticed, but the weight and name of their respected author, forbid me to hope that any unscriptural sentiments, even though stated only in the form. of hypothesis, can fail of being extensively injurious, when circulated with the sanction. of his authority. In reference to the sentiments above expressed, I will admit that they are guarded with the remark that the writer does not affirm the accomplishment of what he supposes at all likely to be realized. But, we may surely be permitted to remind Dr. Chalmers, that, according to the principles he has so ably laid down in another place, there are in all subjects connected with Divine Revelation, two questions to be asked by the Christian, and especially the Christian preacher, before he hazards any suppo

sition, even for the sake of illustration. The first is, "Whether God has spoken on the thing to be supposed?" The second is, "What has he spoken?”—If, indeed, there were no sure word of prophecy given to the Church of God, to be a light shining in a dark place; or if that word of prophecy had been silent respecting the point in question, then it may be admitted, that it were allowable for the preacher to wander into the regions of conjectural possibilities in search of new illustrations. But if both the rise and future fate of Papal Rome be declared in the Scriptures, in a manner so clear as to have produced an unanimity of sentiment in this respect, among the ablest as well as most cautious interpreters, then there is an end of conjecture on these points, and we may say in the words of Dr. Chalmers himself, "God hath spoken, and the right or liberty of speculation no longer remains to us."*

Now, that such an unanimity of sentiment has existed, may be inferred from the most indisputable facts.-Not only did the first Reformers of the Protestant Churches, both

* See the chapter on the supreme authority of Revelation in Dr. Chalmers' work on the Evidences of Christi. anity.

at home and abroad, agree in referring the leading prophecies concerning Antichrist to Papal Rome, but to their authority we may add that of a host of later writers, among whom may be named, Sir Isaac, and Bishop Newton, the illustrious Mede, the learned Vieringa, Dr. Henry More, Brightman, Owen, Daubuz, Mr.. Lowth, &c.-These eminent men, whatever variation of opinion may have obtained among them in the minuter parts of the great scheme of Scripture prophecy, would have united in rejecting as unscriptural and dangerous, the idea of its being even possible, that Papal Rome should become a great Christian episcopacy, or in any sense whatever an instrument of building up the Church of God.-It is true that we are not to call either the first Reformers or their illustrious followers whom I have named, our masters.-Their opinions, no less than the doctrines of the Romish Church, must be sifted by the most rigid canons of Scriptural criticism. To this task we would therefore invite the high talents of Dr. Chalmers.Laying aside the feeble and unsteady light of human reason and conjecture, and taking into his right hand that Divine lamp of pro

phecy which has borrowed its splendour from the throne of God and the Lamb, we would request him to descend into the deepest caverns and most cheerless recesses of Romish superstition and cruelty;-to unlock the most impenetrable of the dungeons of the Inquisition; and ascending thence as from the regions of death and of Hades, we would ask him successively to take his station on each of the seven hills of that city which has blasphemously called herself eternal, and discern if, in this wide progress, one ray of spiritual light, or of scriptural hope with respect to the future destinies of Papal Rome shall gild her horizon. If we mistake not, no other light will meet his eyes than the glare of the distant lightnings, the harbingers of that storm of wrath which shall overwhelm Babylon with irretrievable destruction. And it may happen that in the extensive survey we have proposed to him, his ears shall catch the sounds of a voice from heaven,-" Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.”—“ Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy