IT IT is now about thirty-four years fince the General Hiftory of the Church, as illuftrated chiefly from the Apocalypfe by Signior Paftorini, was first presented to the Public. It was variously received, according to the various temper and difpofitions of its readers. Some did not hesitate to treat it with ridicule, as the production of a weak and vifionary mind: Others attacked it by objections of different kinds, none of which feem to carry with them very confiderable weight: But the generality formed a very favourable opinion of it, and read it with equal fatisfaction and edification. They were not a little ftruck by the new light, which the Author feemed to have thrown on the myfteries contained, and the judgments denounced in the prophetic book before us. Their atten tion was particularly excited by his open declaration, that, He apprehended fome of the feven fcourges there threatened were haftening faft to be inflicted on criminal and unrepenting nations, and a prophetic vial was foon to be poured out on guilty heads. He charitably therefore forewarned his readers, to feek by fincere repentance to avert, if poffible, the impending judgment, or, to be at leaft themselves prepared; and not to fail to inftruct their children by every religious lef fon, to be ready to receive, in the moft Chrif tian manner, the approaching awful chaftife ment. These falutary admonitions were thought by those who were perfonally acquainted with the Author, to come from him, with fingular propriety and authority: and, few feemed better qualified to penetrate into the fecret receffes of the Apocalypfe than he was. Born with great natural abilities, which had been carefully improved from his infancy by an excellent education; bleffed moreover with a heart formed for piety and virtue, he dedicated himself at an early period of life to the tudy and practice of religion. His virtue and learning foon became confpicuous not only in the line of facred literature, but alike n mathematical and aftronomical: of this laft he exhibited a proof by his elaborate and accurate publications in the years 1745-6 -7, &c. (fee Philofophical Tranfactions) and by his concernment in the introduction of the new Style in the year 1752. His Sacred and Theological Literature acquired him the degree of Doctor of Divinity in the Univerfity of Paris, and, his Mathematical Knowledge, the honour of Fellowship of our own Royal Society and that of Berlin; and, yet young, he was furthermore raised to the Epifcopal Dignity. This facred dignity he held upwards of 40 years, during which period, he fed his flock with the bread of life and understanding. Ecclef. 15. and maintained the faith and doctrine committed to his truft, found and pure. When railed to the Epifcopal Dignity, he then more than ever devoted himself to the ftudy of holy Scripture. With a mind thus improved and enriched with abundant ftore of knowledge, he ventured to direct his labours and reflections to clear up in fome degree, the darkest perhaps of the facred prophecies. He was not deterred from the undertaking, either by the difficulties and obfcurity peculiar to the Apocalypfe, or by the little fuccefs of others who had gone before him on a fimilar defign. Convinced in his own mind, that moft of thefe interpreters had failed in their attempts, because they had contracted their fyftems to too narrow a compafs, viz. only to a few of the first ages of the Church: He takes a more enlarged and extenfive view of things, and carries on the divine economy refpecting the Church from her foundation through every fucceeding period to the end of time, and her final introduction into heaven. His plan appears to have been conceived, with great judgment and penetration, and it has been executed with equal ability. He lays it down as a fundamental law in the interpretation of the Apocalypfe, that not a fingle word is fuperfluous, nor repeated without a particular reafon. Hence, he fcrutinizes every term with the niceft refinement in the original and in the moft approved verfions. The leaft variation in mode or time never escapes him. He turns his text into fon, to be ready to receive, in the moft Chrif tian manner, the approaching awful chaftife ment. These falutary admonitions were thought by those who were perfonally acquainted with the Author, to come from him, with fingular propriety and authority: and, few feemed better qualified to penetrate into the fecret receffes of the Apocalypfe than he was. Born with great natural abilities, which had been carefully improved from his infancy by an excellent education; bleffed moreover with a heart formed for piety and virtue, he dedicated himself at an early period of life to the study and practice of religion. His virtue and learning foon became confpicuous not only in the line of facred literature, but alike in mathematical and aftronomical: of this laft he exhibited a proof by his elaborate and accurate publications in the years 1745-6 -7, &c. (fee Philofophical Tranfactions) and by his concernment in the introduction of the new Style in the year 1752. His Sacred and Theological Literature acquired him the degree of Doctor of Divinity in the University of Paris, and, his Mathematical Knowledge, the honour of Fellowship of our own Royal Society and that of Berlin; and, yet young, he was furthermore raised to the Epifcopal Dignity. This facred dignity he held upwards of 40 years, during which period, he fed his flock with the bread of life and understanding. Ecclef. 15. and maintained the |