tion recurs, From what fource did they derive the fears, which converted them? Not furely from the mere human labours of men, who were every where spoken against, made a spectacle of, and confidered as the filth of the world, and the offscouring of all things - not furely from the human powers of him, who profeffed himself rude in Speech, in bodily presence contemptible, and a defpifer of the excellency of Speech, and the enticing words of men's wisdom. No, fuch wretched inftruments were but ill fitted, to infpire the haughty, and the learned Romans, with any other paffions than those of pity, or contempt. Now, Sir, if you please, we will confider that univerfal expectation

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of the approaching end of the world, which, you think, had fuch great influence in converting the Pagans to the profeffion of Chriftianity. The near approach, you fay, of this wonderful event had been predicted by the Apoftles, "though "the revolution of feventeen cen"turies has inftructed us, not to "prefs too closely the mysterious "language of prophecy and reve"lation." That this opinion, even in the times of the Apoftles, had made it's way into the Chriftian church, I readily admit; but that the Apostles ever, either predicted this event to others, or cherished the expectation of it in themselves, does not seem probable to me. As this is a point of fome difficulty D

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and importance, you will fuffer me to explain it at fome length.

It must be owned, that there are feveral paffages in the writings of the Apostles, which, at the first view, feem to countenance the opinion you have adopted. Now, fays St. Paul, in his epistle to the Romans, it is high time to awake out of fleep; for now is our falvation nearer than when we believed: the night is far spent, the day is at hand. And in his first epiftle to the Theffalonians, he comforts fuch of them as were forrowing for the lofs of their friends, by affuring them, that they were not loft for ever; but that the Lord when he came, would bring them with him; and that they would not, in the

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participation of any bleffings, be in any wife behind thofe, who should happen then to be alive; we, fays he, (the Chriftians of whatever age or country, agreeable to a frequent ufe of the pronoun we) which are alive, and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep; for the Lord himself fhall defcend from heaven with a fhout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Chrift fhall rife firft: then, we which are alive and remain, fhall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord. In his epiftle to the Philippians, he exhorts his Chriftian brethren, not to difquiet themselves with carking cares about their temporal

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poral concerns, from this powerful confideration, that the Lord was at hand; let your moderation be known unto all men; the Lord is at hand; be careful about nothing. The apostle to the Hebrews, inculcates the fame doctrine, admonishing his converts to provoke one another to love, and to good works; and jo much the more, as they Saw the day approaching. The age in which the Apostles lived, is frequently called by them the end of the world, the laft days, the last hour. I think it unneceffary, Sir, to trouble you with an explication of these and other fimilar texts of scripture, which are ufually adduced in fupport of your opinion; fince I hope to be able

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