emperor. The blindness of the Jews preserved not their city from destruction;-Christ interfered in their behalf, but they, like modern statesmen, thought that no person ought to interfere between them and their God, and therefore they rejected him and his advice, which rejection, is a proof, that, what they called worshipping God, was no such thing,-and that the interference of Christ was justifiable, as the interference of his upright followers, will always be, when they see a fellow creature bowing before what he calls his God, and performing what he calls an act of worship, neither of which is like any thing described, or spoken of in the bible.-God rejected them ;-neither will the ignorance of their friends, nor the blindness of the Catholics themselves, whether exactly like that of the Jews, or not, preserve their apostacy and false worship, from the destruction which now hangs over it, and which, in its fall, may also crush those who have been too zealously officious in their cause.-The flame of the furnace, prepared by order of the king of Babylon, for the righteous servants of God, slew the mighty men who executed the commands of the idolatrous tyrant.

There are some who think the catholics in Ireland would be silent and quiet in future, it the British government would pay their priests and bishops handsomely for the discharge of their ecclesiastical functions;-and this, they say should be done "after emancipation,"-I am

of a very different opinion, which is drawn from the authority of scripture, and believe that peace and quiet will never dwell for any length of time, in any country, where the Roman catholic religion prevails. It is sentenced "to perdition", certainly not for any good deeds and quiet peaceable conduct, but, because it has always been an enemy to truth, and a great "destroyer of the earth".-And this sentence from the tribunal of justice itself convinces me, that it will never change, and never alter, in such a manner as to be entitled to a reprieve, and a remission of its doom.There is something I do not quite understand in the statement of the friends of the catholics, respecting the payment of the catholic clergy. With a great many others, I conceived that emancipation was to produce a complete healing of every wound ;-but now it is said that the catholic question would be lulled to silence by paying the catholic clergy, "after e

mancipation was granted."-This looks, as if the government, or the church of England, had some other restlessness or dissatisfaction to apprehend, "after emancipation," which was to be removed, or silenced by something very nearly allied to a bribe-And would upright conscientious catholics accept a bribe, let it be offered in any shape whatever?-Did a bribe ever make a person really easy in his own mind, and quite satisfied with his own conduct;—or did it ever raise him in the estimation of his

neighbours?—The friends of the catholic priesthood, must think but mearly of that body, and the principles of learned priests and bishops, who could thus be silenced, by a little ease and comfort, produced by an annual charitable pension from men they have no affection for :-and, if they could thus be silenced, that very consideration ought to weigh heavily in the scale against their claims and demands.-Paul spurned at the idea of riches, and ease, and comfort in the discharge of his religious duty, and braved poverty and persecution, that he might win him, who never bribed a convert, and never received a bribe.

(12)--TO FIGHT AGAINST GOD.--

If the Apostle Paul could have discerned by the power of his great natural talents, that the errors introduced into his divine master's religion, which he calls the "mystery of iniquity," and which he said was beginning to work in his own time would be productive of great mischief in the Church of Christ, he could not possibly discover, by the same means, that six hundred years after his death, the head of this "iniquity," would" be exalted above all that is called God, "or that is worshipped",-nor could he by the same means discover, that after keeping possession of his lofty seat in "the temple of God" for more than a thousand years, he should be hurled from it, and thrown "into the pit of perdition". He could know this only by a

communication from heaven; and every real christian who is at all acquainted with the his tory of the "man of sin", and the sufferings of "the witnesses of truth" during his fearful reign, must feel the most lively satisfaction and delight, in perceiving that the prophecy is in the way to be fulfilled.-The reign of ecclesiastical tyranny and apostacy is rapidly drawing to a close, according to the revealed will of heaven. To endeavour to support it in its falling state, is certainly to raise the arm and fight against God; and will meet with the same fate that Jeroboam did, when cautioned by Abijah on 'mount Zemaraim not to fight against the Lord 'God of his fathers;-nor, to rely on his vast superiority in numbers against those who 'trusted in God, whom they had not forsaken 'for the golden calves, which he worshippedFrom the words he made use of, Gamaliel seems to have recollected the terrible slaughter of five hundred thousand of Jeroboam's chosen men by Abijah, as well as the ruin of the infatuated persons who were deluded by Theudas and Judas, when he stood up in the council, and advised the elders of Israel to let Peter and the other apostles quite alone, "lest haply they should "be found to be fighting against God".-This advice is worth the notice of men, who from mistaken motives of policy, support the professors of a system of religion, abounding with errors and absurdities, and which is as much sentenced to perdition by the Almighty, as the

gospel of his son is ordered by him, to be every where published and established.—The whole of the divine government, as exercised on earth, has for its object the good and happiness of man-and whoever throws any obstacles in the way of that government,-whoever opposes the laws and appointments of that govern ment, whoever, with his eyes open, supports, directly or indirectly, the cause of error, in opposition to the truth, virtually fights against God, essentially injures his fellow creatures, and certainly ruins himself." Jeroboam reco"vered no more strength" after the fatal battle with Abijah, and the slaughter of his subjects; for "the Lord struck him, and he died;" and the impostor who "boasted that he was somebody, "to whom four hundred men joined themselves, was slain, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered and brought to naught;-and Judas of Galilee, who drew much people after "him in the days of the taxing, he also perish"ed, and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed."-Is there any part of the sacred writings, that makes it less dangerous at the present time, to associate with, and promote the interest of men, who choose to continue iu the religious errors and corruptions of their tathers, than it was in the days of these impostors?-Quite the contrary.

Religion, is not an arbitrary imposition upon the minds of his rational creatures by the deity; it ought not therefore to be considered as a