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425 feet long, and 200 feet broad; and was supported by 127 marble pillars, each 60 feet high, the gift of a king, who of fered it as a proof at once of his piety and his magnificence. This prodigious structure was no less than 220 years in building; and the riches deposited in it were immense, being the offerings of nations. Their statues, of a gigantic size, sometimes near 70 feet high, were composed of the richest materials,—precious stones, gold, and ivory.

When we see a whole people thus enslaved, debased by such a gross and senseless idolatry, when no virtue denounced, no patriotism opposed, the errors that were hurrying them back to more than primeval ignorance, with how little veneration can we regard the exalted sentiments of the philosopher, the brilliant genius of the poet, or the fine taste of the noble patrician.

If a Plato, a Socrates, or a Cicero, did sometimes appear to burst these degrading fetters, and penetrate through the thick darkness that had enveloped the general mind, still the system they built, both of religion and morality, was very defective. They were forced to acknowledge an almost total ignorance of the real attributes of God; and even the truths they sometime discovered, were delivered with doubt, and blended with

The sentiments of one philosopher were inconsistent with those of another, and 300 different opinions are reckoned up as to what was man's chief good. In their sublimest strain they speak of" the Gods;" and on the immortality of the soul, both the sage Socrates, and the enlightened Cicero, would "hope, but could not absolutely affirm.”

The state of public morals can hardly excite surprise; for as it has been asked, what mortal could be pure, with such examples in the gods? Even Plato, and Socrates, and Cato, allowed of a community of wives.-Self-destruction,-the exposure of children,—and the ill-treatment and murder of slaves, were sanctioned by law. Revenge was esteemed honourable ; theft, and even sacrilege, only dishonourable if detected; truth was declared not to be venerable if not profitable ;-and the

commission of one crime was frequently considered to be best guarded against by the allowance of another: even incest was justified by the Stoics merely because, according to their sentiments, it had nothing in it contrary to reason. Cicero declares that to find fault with meretricious amours was an unpardonable severity! When, says he, was it not allowed? -when was that which is now lawful not accounted so?

Laws founded on these principles were applauded, as convenient and just! though Plato acknowledged they were fitted rather to make man valiant than good; and indeed to those who were most valiant, were privileges of the most indecent kind allowed, and the greatest freedom from restraint. A love of God, under such a system, was impossible; and the great motive therefore for the love of the brother was unknown. Repentance for sin could, under such a system of religion and morality, be little expected; and in times of public calamity, this was supplied by some trifling ceremony, as the Dictator's driving a nail into a door!

With the Jews alone, the worship of the true God was preserved, guarded from the permanent effects, though not from the errors, of idolatry, by miraculous revelations, and the divine superintendence. Here was the light shining in dark places, till the day dawned, and the day-star arose. In their religion only was to be found a just idea of the great Supreme;―omnipresent though infinite and incomprehensible, -omniscient though invisible,-omnipotent, unchangeable and eternal," the same yesterday, to day, and for ever!"

VII. REVELATION OF THE GOSPEL.

THE Roman arms had subjugated the most considerable part of the civilized world; but while the conquerors made some reparation for their violence, by the introduction of the useful arts, which they carried in their train, the very toleration they allowed perpetuated the native superstition, and the accession of their own novel deities increased the general infatuation.

God left not himself, however, entirely without witness. As "the fullness of time" approached when the light of truth should spring up, an obscure glimmering was perceptible even to the heathen world. The prophecies of the coming of Christ were not unknown to it. The sybils echoed them, and the poets made the divine advent their theme. Virgil sung the times when the earth should spontaneously offer a golden produce; when " grapes should hang on the bramble, "and oaks drop honey like the dew ;"-when the fondly expected," the beloved son of the Gods-the offspring of "Jupiter," should erase the footsteps of ancient crimes, should redeem the world from fear, and restore the communication between the gods and good men; and thus give cause of joy to all creation! Compare Ps. xcviii. 8, 9. Is. xxxv. 1.—xli. 19. —xlix. 13.—lv. 12, 13. Hosea, ii. 22. Amos, ix. 18. Zech, viii. 12. These sentiments, excited by the language of the Jewish prophets, were strengthened by the very general expectation among the Jews themselves that the appointed time drew nigh. An universal peace seemed fitly to prepare way for the "Prince of Peace ;" and had our Lord appeared on an earthly throne, and wielded a golden sceptre, all expectations would have been realized.

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This faint, and star-like glimmering as it were, but partially

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relieved the total darkness; and afforded only a crepuscular dawning of celestial light, Darkness still "covered the earth, " and gross darkness the people," they yet "sat in darkness, " and in the shadow of death," when suddenly "the day-spring "from on high" appeared, the light sprung up "beautiful upon the mountains," the fore-runner, the resplendent veil, of him, who "< covers himself with light, as with a garment,""the Sun of Righteousness"-rising in mild, but sublime majesty the lawful object of universal adoration! The shadows of the night fled quickly at his presence, the mists of error, and the dense clouds of ignorance, were absorbed in the splendid illumination, which, with irresistible force and efficacy, poured forth a flood of light that spread over the remotest regions; "shining more and more unto the perfect day."

What a triumph for Christianity followed! what a victory for the preachers of the gospel of Christ! While all the wisdom of philosophy, could not remove the most insignificant idol from its pedestal, a few fishermen-the lowest and most despised of men, "the off-scouring of all things," preaching that which the world called "foolishness," promising nothing in this life but mortifications and suffering, in lieu of all that had gratified and enslaved the passions-vanquished the many headed monster, erected the throne of the spotless lamb on the subverted altar of the devil, and placed Christ crucified in the centre of the Capitol! totally, annihilating the whole system of idolatry, though supported by deeply rooted habits— by the unrestrained lusts of the rich, and the powerful and inveterate prejudices of the vulgar.

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Now were the great truths taught and enforced, that though they were that were "called gods-gods many, and lords many,"-yet "that there is none other God but one"-" the "Father, of whom are all things," "-" and one Lord Jesus "Christ,"-one Mediator-" by whom are all things."

The scheme of the divine government was unfolded, and just notions given of the attributes of him who governs all things

"according to the good pleasure of his will:" and though "clouds and darkness are round about him," yet "righteous"ness and judgment are the habitation of his throne." Ps. xcvii. 2. Though "men of low degree are vanity, and men "of high degree a lie," yet it was "impossible for God to lie,"—" He abideth faithful, He cannot deny himself." The doctrine of a general judgment, and of a future state of retribution, of which the world had before such imperfect notions, was plainly taught ; and the efficacious sacrifice, hitherto enveloped in mystery, and degraded by an ignorant and cruel superstition, now fully set forth, by which the promised happiness might be obtained, and the threatened misery escaped.

Thus was life and immortality brought to light through the Gospel,-"Life eternal," by a knowledge" of the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent."

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