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though his illness had already re- | much valued, and desired to

have an exact account of the success of their united efforts. Gellert submitted to all their experiments with admirable patience and courage; no com

All, however, was in vain, neither the skill and assiduity of his physicians, the zeal and friendship by which they were animated, nor the kind attention of his sovereign, could arrest the departure of that life, which every one so ardently wished should be prolonged. In the midst of the violent pains

duced him to a deplorable state, he collected all his remaining strength, in order to acknowledge his faults, and make his confession of faith; and the ardent zeal with which he was an-plaint escaped him, though out imated, must have absorbed, at of four and twenty hours he that moment, all his sense of was constantly obliged to pass suffering. He applied to him- sixteen under the surgeon's self all the promises of grace, hands. which the deeply affected minister placed before him from the Gospel, with the utmost ardor, and with a tone of voice which announced the celestial joy with which his heart overflowed; he called on those who witnessed this act of religion to edify themselves, with him, and to celebrate the glory of the Di-attending on an inflamation of vine mercy. He at the same the bowels, the pious sufferer time assured the minister, that was occupied with the passion of he had never felt so entirely the his Saviour, who he said had comfort and efficacy of the evan- suffered infinitely more to obtain gelical promises; and that at for him the pardon of his sins; this more than at any other time, and his soul was so entirely abhe felt how much those are to sorbed in the contemplation of be pitied who refuse to seek this salutary death, that he aptheir consolation in the Sav-peared little alive to the sense iour's merits. of his own sufferings. So much strength and courage does religion communicate to the dying Christian!

"Notwithstanding the violence of his disorder, nothing could disturb the courage and serenity of his soul; and he discov. ered none of those marks of weakness, which are too often seen in similar circumstances, even in true Christians.

"The fresh proof he received of the interest taken in him by the elector, on the arrival of the physician belonging to the court, excited his gratitude, and he loudly praised God for his consolation. 'But,' added he, as if fearful of yielding too much to the pleasure it gave him; 'let us not place our trust in princes, they cannot help us, however good they may be, and whatever desires they may have to be use

"The physicians, in the mean time, tried every thing their art could suggest, to save his life. The news of his desperate state reached the Elector: much affected by the situation of this most useful citizen, he ordered the able Demiani to go to Leipsick, and to join his endeav-ful to us; my help comes from ors with those of the university God!' When M. Demiani exphysicians, to save a life he so pressed to him the esteem and VOL. I. NO. 9.

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affection the prince had for him. I repeat to me the name of Jesus; whenever I pronounce it or hear it pronounced by others, I feel myself animated with new strength, and fresh joy. Full of these sentiments, his deliver

for his sovereign, his relations, and friends, and the disciples who had been intrusted to his care; he named them all and blessed them. His wishes in their behalf was his only return to the world he was leaving. At length he thought he felt the final approaches of death, and wished to know of his friends how much longer he might have to struggle with it. On being answered, perhaps an hour;

and the alarm his illness occasioned at court, Gellert shed tears of gratitude. He fervently prayed for the prosperity of so good a sovereign, and for that of all his family. The sufferingsance drew nigh. His extenuaof our Saviour being constantly ted body decayed gradually; in his thoughts, he compared his soul maintained itself in that afresh his state with that of happy tranquillity arising from Jesus on the cross; observing hope. The day preceding his that mere subject as he was, he death, some hours' rest gave died honoured with the compas-him power to renew his prayers sion of his prince; whilst the Redeemer of mankind had not even obtained justice from men. At a moment when the disorder seemed to have attained its .height, he exclaimed with a sigh, O, what sufferings But,' resumed he immediately, what are these sufferings in comparison of those of my Saviour! He was reviled by those about him; and I, unworthy creature, expérience the good will of my prince!" Thus he intermixed acts of thanks for temporal benefits, with testimonies of gratitude for the great blessing of redemption; and thus in prayers, continually renewed, he implored without ceasing his pardon, and the completion of his salvation. His intimate friends resident at Dresden, and in particular his beloved Wagner, had hastened to see him; he consoled them with the most affecting tenderness, and required from them no other office than that they would pray for him and help him to elevate his mind to God, when the violence of his disorder should make it impossible for him to pray himself with uninterrupted fervor. I find it difficult,' said he, to follow what is addressed to me, only

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God be praised," said he, with looks of joy, and raising his hands, only one hour!" Then with a still more serene countenance, he turned on his side, prayed to God in silence, and in the midst of this prayer, and those of all present, who surrounded his bed, he slept the sleep of death, on the 13th of December, 1769, at midnight."

The death of Gellert was uni versally lamented throughout Germany and his brother, the superintendant of the post, survived the grief of his loss but a month.

but

In literature he has by some been thought superficial; though depth of reasoning was not the peculiar excellence of his compositions, he was not defective in conclusive argumentation. His distinguishing merit,

however as a writer, consists in | advice of his friends, to submit

the vivacity of his imagination, in his accurate knowledge of the human heart, in his discriminating delineation of character, in the exquisite pathos of his exhortations, and above all in the Christian piety which pervades almost every sentence.

his compositions to their examination, and to be thankful for their censures.

We are naturally desirous to know by what means Gellert attained to such eminence in the practice of Christian virtue. His biographer has afforded us ample information on this interest

quent in the perusal of scripture, regular both in his private devotions, and in his daily attend

He is described as having a most scrupulous regard for "ev-ing subject. Gellert was freery arrangement established in society, in the state, and among those of his own condition." In this age of indiscriminate inno-ance on public worship. Duvation, if Gellert erred, he erred on that side where error is least pernicious. If he was too fearful of reform, he thought more correctly than those who pursue whatever wears the semblance of it with intemperate zeal.

ring the last seventeen years of his life he kept a journal, chiefly composed of observations on his spiritual state. It contains lamentations on account of his weakness; resolutions of amendment; prayers for the pardon of sin, for divine grace, and for repose of conscience. Hence it was, that to use the words of his biographer, "his thoughts in solitude, his conversation in society, the lessons he gave his scholars, his writings, his letters, his labors, his recreations, all that he said and did, was animat

Possessed of enlightened benevolence, he constantly endeavournd to promote both the temporal and everlasting happiness of his fellow creatures. With a slender revenue he was more liberal than many who live in affluencé. His moderation constituted his riches.". On one occasion when a present was of-ed by the spirit of religion." fered him, "I want for nothing," said Gellert, "and many more deserving people are in indigence; give them what you had

[Christian Observer.

the goodness to intend for me." Abstract of Faber on the Pro

In such a mind it is unnecessary to add, that friendship glowed with the purest flame.

But perhaps one of the most peculiar features in the charac

ter of Gellert was his humility. It was not that false shame, that disguised vanity, which frequently prevents men of talents from benefiting society as much as they might; it was a just consciousness of human imperfection, which led him to court the

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phecies.

NO. VII.

(Continued from p. 293.)

ONCERNING the two horned beast of the earth, and the history of the true church during the period of the great apostacy the harvest and vintage of God's wrath, Bishop Newton clearly seeing that the two apocalyptic beasts were united in the closest bonds of friendship, and having adopted the

opinion that the first beast was the mish clergy, regular and secular. papacy, concludes that the second The first of these classes comprewas the Roman church: thus injudi-hends all the various monastic orciously separating what ought never ders; the second comprehends the tohave been divided, andthus rending whole body of parochial clergy. as it were the head from the body. The first were a well organized The fact is the two beasts are two body, governed by their own laws, universal empires, not only existing subject to their respective gentogether but mutually supporting erals; the second were subject to each other. Daniel however de- their respective bishops; and both clares that the ten horned beast is paid an implicit obedience to the the last universal empire; and Pope. They claimed to be the only St. John represents this very servants of the Lamb of God, and beast, as co-existing with another affected to be like him in meekness beast or universal empire. I be- and humility, and even the soveheld," says he "another beast." | reign pontiff delighted to stile himHence it is plain that the second self the servant of the servants of apocalyptic beast cannot be a tem- God. poral empire. It can then be nothing but a spiritual empire. Hence we are explicitlytold that the second beast is a false prophet, or ecclesiastical power. Compare Rev. xiii. 12,-17. with Rev. xix. 20. The catholic church of Rome, the spir-periority over all temporal doitual empire of which the pope is minion; anathematized and perthe head can alone answer to this secuted to death, the faithful description. servants of Christ, and esteemed every lie and every imposture which advanced her authority, as laudable, and even pious fraud. That no faith is to be kept with heretics; that kings excommunicated by the Pope may be deposed and murdered by their subjects; that the end sanctifies the means, have been her well known maxims. Her dracontine cruelty and ferocity need no proofs.

It was to spring up out of the earth or Roman empire. The year 606 when Phocas constituted pope Boniface supreme head of spirituals, with the title of Universal Bishop, exhibited this singular spectacle of a complete empire within an empire. Then it arose out of the earth, and it has ever since been the policy of its rulers to separate it from the temporal empire, and never suffer it to lose its prophetic character of "another beast."

But, notwithstanding his lamblike appearance, the beast spake as a dragon. The church of Rome, like a true child of that old serpent the devil, forcibly established idolatry; claimed a proud su-,

He exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him. He has been the adviser and mover of the The one head of the beast, is fur-first beast; holding imperium in nished with "two horns like a imperio, an empire within an enlamb." That is the one papal empire. Cardinals, Prelates, and pire has two ecclesiastical kingdoms. An ecclesiastical kingdom must be a regularly organized body of ecclesiastics, subject frimarily to their own immediate superior and ultimately to the head of the whole empire. The author supposes these two horns or kingdoms to be the Ro- |

Monks, were long the prime ministers of the European sovereigns, And not only has he had the principal direction of the temporal powers, but has engaged them in his service,

He causeth the earth and all that dwell therein to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was heal

ed. The only way in which the temporal beast, or Roman empire, could be worshipped, is devotion to the principles which make it a beast, the worship of images and the persecution of the saints. And it was the second beast which caused the whole Roman earth, once more to adopt them under popery, as it had heretofore adopted them under faganism.

image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. Many of the idols set up for the adoration of their deluded votaries were so constructed, as to move by the hand of a concealed operator, whose voice at proper intervals seemed to issue from the mouth of the image-and a refusal to worship them incurred the horrors of the most dreadful of deaths, so that no fewer victims have been immolated to these idols, than to the demons of paganism.

Bishop Newton, supposing this image to be a sort of representation or effigies of "the wounded imperial head of the secular beast, endeavors to prove that it is the Pope. But aside from the fact, that the image is made for the beast, this interpre

He doeth great wonders, in order that he may make fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. Miracles, visions and revelations are the mighty boast of the church of Rome. These wonders, the beast did partly that he might make fire come down from heaven upon earth, or give force to the solemn interdicts and excommunications which proceeded from the church the symbolical heaven, up-tation would introduce a strange on the Roman earth or secular emfire, which dared to oppose his authority, and partly so to deceive mankind as to induce them to set up an image, and worship it.

He deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by the sword, and did live. The image of the beast may mean either a representation of him, or an image belonging to him. But all ambiguity is removed, by the manner in which the apostle introduces the account "That they should make an image: to or for, the beast.". It was therefore not an effigies or representation of him, but an image for his use, or which he adored. And it is well known that a principal object of the pretended miracles of the church of Rome was to sanction the idolatrous worship of the empire.

And he had power to give life unto the image of the best, that the

confusion. He supposes that the last head of the secular beast is the Pope; and that the two horned beast is the Roman hierarchy. But if so, the head of this two horned beast, must be the Pope, the only head of that hierarchy. In this case therefore the head of both the first and second beast, must be the Pope-and the image of the beast the same, which no one can suppose to be true. See Rev. xix. 20.

Two points remain yet to be settled, viz. The peculiar name and the peculiar mark of the first beast. which the second beast required the whole Roman world to bear as a badge of ecclesiastical communion. He caused all both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads, and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark or the name of the (secular) beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man; and kis number

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