so as to be called Death, by reason of his throwing so many into Hades, or the future state, by immature deaths. Where we have a very remarkable account of the state of the Roman empire after the decease of the brave Antoninus Philosophus, under the barbarities of Commodus, the shortlived reigns of Pertinax and Didius Julianus, but especially under the bloody Septimus Severus, in his wars against Persennius Nigerius, Albinus, and others, and under his son Caracalla; and afterwards under Macrinus, Heliogabulus, (the reign of the excellent Alexander Severus being but a short breathing to the empire and the Christians) Maximinus, and his son Pupienus, Balbinus and Gordianus, and Philippus and his sonwith whose death, I think, this seal runs out in the year 250. And with the death of these Phillippi, who favored Christianity, the four evangelical living creatures (which our translation renders Beasts, most unaccountably) cease to speak openly.

Gothicus; seeing, after that little interval, their brethren were also to suffer still further under Rome Pagan --viz. under Aurelian, and afterwards (when the short reigns of Tacitus, Probus, Carus, and Carinus should be over) under the cruel persecution raised against them by Dioclesian and Maximianus, elder and younger, together with Severus and Maximinus. So that this seal ends with the conclusion of this last persecution, begun by Dioclesian, and so expires A.D. 306.

The sixth seal (chap. vi. 12-17) gives us an account of God's gracious answer, at length, to the prayer of the slain witnesses, in the destruction of Rome Pagan, after their cup was made full by the last cruel persecution; and this is described as if heaven and earth were come to an end. For so the prophets use to represent the ruin of kingdoms and monarchies, as we see among other places (Jer. iv. 24, Isa. xiii. 10, and xxiv. 21-23, Joel ii. 10.) So that this seal contains the great and terrible wars of Constantine the Great against all those last tyrants, from the

gan emperor Licinius, A.D. 324.

The seventh seal, therefore, represents the short breathing of the church (chap. viii. 1) and peace of the Christians under Constantine, from the year 313, when he first published an edict in their favor; and particularly from the death of Licinius, a.d. 324 to his own decease in the year 337, immediately upon which the scene alters: and then begins

The fifth seal, therefore, discovers the state of the Christian church to be exceedingly languishing and melan-year 306 to the death of the last Pacholy, as if the saints were all slain, praying and crying for vengeance against their persecutors, while they are represented as lying under the altar (chap. vi. 9, 10, 11.) So that this period begins with Decius, the first universal persecutor of Christians (for all the former persecutions under Nero, Domitian, Trajan, and the Antonines, were but provincial ones, and that of Maximinus against the ministers only) who began his reign and persecution together in the year 250, and was seconded in it by Valerian (for the short reigns of Trebonianus, Gallus, and Emilianus, hardly deserve to be taken notice of in this case.) Now the souls of the martyrs are desired to rest patiently until the confused reign of Galienus should run out, and the thirty tyrants that rose in his time should be cut off, together with the short-lived Claudius'

The second septenary of trumpets, which gives us an account of the state of the church, in relation to the gradual growth and increase of her antichristian enemies, though in a way also of judgment upon them—which I represent to you in the following series and order:

The first trumpet (chap. vii. 7) began a little after Constantine's death, in the wars between his eldest and youngest son, or at the death of

bulrushes, were, in themselves, matters of trivial importance. Yet, constituted as the world is, the destinies of all mankind are more or less directly or indirectly connected with these events. Time, in its mighty career, and eternity, in its grand and awful developments, may yet show that, in the mysterious schemes of Divine Providence and moral government, the whole human race may, in the epocha of time, be much affected by these very trifling and apparently contingent events.

of the world. And so in a single great truth, placed in a proper attitude before the mind, may sometimes be found the cause of momentous changes, not only in a single individual, but in great masses of mankind; indeed, in nations and generations of men.

The question has been often propounded to me-How came you by your present views of the Christian religion? Are they original, or derived? If original, by what process of reason? If derived, from what authority or source? These are questions of but little consequence to any individual. The capital question is, are they well founded?

Had Joseph not been sold a slave into Egypt, the Israelites had never sojourned there; the arts and learning of the Egyptians, together with their idolatry, would not have given character and destiny to the Jewish people. The Exodus and all its miracles had never occurred; human history would never have been what it now is, or what it will hereafter be. If Carthage had conquered Rome, and not Rome Carthage, who could now declare what might have been, or what might yet be, the condition of the world? If the elector of Saxony had not patronised Luther, or if a sale of indulgencies had not roused into action the mighty ener-pretation of what is written in Hegies of his soul, what of Protestantism would there have been in its present forms?

Newton's observation of a falling apple, Franklin's reflections upon a thunder cloud, the Marquis of Worcester's speculations on steam, the conjectures of Columbus on a new continent, &c. &c. have changed the condition of mankind, and given new sciences and new arts to the world.

The beginnings of all things are both small and weak. Yes, the oak is in the acorn, the giant in the embryo, and the destinies of the world in the fortunes of an individual. The character of a nation sometimes takes its color from that of an individual. Hence the ambition of a Cæsar, or a Napoleon, gives laws to nations, dissolves and reorganizes the kingdoms

There are no new discoveries in Christianity. It is as old as the sacred writings of the apostles and evangelists of Jesus Christ. Our whole religion, objectively and doctrinally considered, is found in a book. Nothing discovered by any man that has lived since John wrote the Apocalypse is of any virtue in religion; nay, indeed, is no part or parcel of Christianity. All that can now be pretended or aimed at, by any sane mind, is the proper inter

brew and Greek, and translated into all the modern languages in the civilized world. Whatever in Christianity is new is not true. Whatever is true is contained in the commonly received and acknowledged booksour Old and New Testaments, or covenants. Philology, and not philosophy; history, and not fable; reason, and not imagination; common sense, and not genius, are essential to the perception, and candor and honesty to the reception, of the gospel of Christ and its spiritual privileges and honors.

But how were you led to interpret the scriptures differently, and to teach and practise differently from what you once thought, believed, and prac tised? Well, as these may be useful to others, I will answer the question

would a heathen man and a pub- on a former occasion, heard him

lican.

preach, but not on that subject, I asked him into what formula of faith he immersed? His answer was, that "the Baptist church required candidates to appear before it, and on a narration of their experience, approved by the church, a time and place were appointed for the baptism."

To this I immediately demurred, saying, that I knew no scriptural

Having the highest esteem for his learning, and the deepest conviction of his picty and devotion to the truth, his authority over me then was paramount and almost irresistible. We went into discussion. He simply conceded, that we ought not to teach nor practice infant baptism without Divine authority; but, on the contrary, preach and administer the apostolic baptism. Still, however, we ought not to un-authority for bringing a candidate christianize ourselves and put on Christ, having not only professed and preached the Christian faith, but also participated in its solemn rites. We discussed this question, and all that family of questions, at sundry interviews, for many months. At length I told him that, with great reluctance, I must dissent from all his reasonings upon that subject and be baptized. Inow how fully and conscientiouly believed that I never had been baptized, and, consequently, I was then, in point of fact, an unbaptized person; and hence could not consistently preach a baptism to others, of which I had never been a subject myself.

for baptism before the church to be examined, judged, and approved by it, as prerequisite to his baptism. To which he simply responded, “It was the Baptist custom." But was it, said I, the apostolic custom ? He did not contend that it was, admitting freely that such was not the case from the beginning. "But," added he, “if I were to depart from our usual custom, they might hold me to account before the Association." "Sir," I replied, "there is but one confession of faith that I can make, and into that alone can I consent to be baptized." "What is that?" said he. "Into the belief that Jesus is the Christ, the confession into which the first converts were immersed. I have set out to follow the apostles of Christ and their master, and I will be baptized only into the primitive Christian faith."

His response was, "I have, then, no more to add; you must please yourself." On leaving me in the morning, he asked me when, where, and by whom I intended to be immersed? As to the place, I preferred to be baptized near home, among After a short silence, he replied, those who were accustomed to attend saying, "I believe you are right, and my preaching; as to the time, just as I will risk the consequences; I will soon as I could procure an accept-get, if possible, one of our Redstone able Baptist minister. The nearest, and, indeed, the only one known to me, was Elder Matthias Luse, living some thirty miles from my residence. I promieed to let my father know the time and place as soon as I obtained the consent of Elder Luse. Immediately I went in quest of an administrator, of one who practised what he preached. I spent the next evening with Elder Luse. During the evening I announced my errand. He heard me with pleasure. Having,

preachers to accompany me. Where do you desire to be baptized?” “In Buffalo creek, on which I live, and on which I am accustomed to preach. My Presbyterian wife," I added, "and, perhaps, some others, will accompany me."

On the day appointed, Elder Henry Spears, from the Monongahela, and Matthias Luse, according to promise, met us at the place appointed. It was on the 12th of June, 1812, a beautiful day; a large and attentive