that having learned that Vaudois, Cathari, and Patarines, (reformed preachers and converts,) were spreading heresy, he had named brothers Raynier and Gui commissioners against the heretics. The prelates were commanded to receive and observe, inviolably all the statutes which brothers Raynicr and Gui should enact against the heretics, the Pope promising to confirm them himself.

Brothers Raynier and Gui were two monks of the Cistercian Order. They were the first who exercised in Provence the functions of those who were afterwards named Inquisitors.Thus it is properly to this commission that we ought to refer the origin of the Inquisition, which was established first against the Albigenses, and which passed into the neighboring provinces, and into foreign countries.

If further confirmation could be necessary, it is given by the very accurate Fleury in his narrative of the first year of Innocent III. "The south of France," says he, "was infected with the heresy of the Manichees, and the still newer one of the Vaudois, as appears by many letters of Pope Innocent III, written in the first year of his pontificate, the year 1198. He wrote to the Archbishop of Auch, etc.; He sent into these provinces, two monks of the Cistercians, Raynier and Gui, to convert these heritics, and wrote to the Bishops of the country to treat them favorably, to observe inviolably etc. We also command, adds the pope, the princes, the counts, and the lords of your provinces, to assist them powerfully against the heretics; by the power which they have received for the punishment of evil doers, so that when brother Raynier shall have pronounced the sentence of excommunication against them, the lords shall confiscate their goods, banish them from their 'territories, and punish them still more severely if they dared to stay. But also we have given power to brother Raynier to compel the lords to this, by excommunication and by the interdict of their teritories. We also write to all the people of your province, that when they shall be required by brothers

Raynier and Gui, they shall march against the heretics, and we grant to those who shall assist them cheerfully, the same indulgence as if they went to Rome or to St.James's.' This letter was circular, and was sent to the Archbishops of Aix, Narbonne, Auch, Vienna, Arles, Embrun, Tarragon, Lyons, and their suffragans, and the Pope wrote couformably to the lords and people of their diocesses." And those commissioners sent against the heretics, were what we have since called Inquisitors. But the history of this terrible institution is too well known to the world, to pursue it further than to give the date and manner of its origin.

CHAPTER XV.

OF THE "TWO WITNESSES," ETC.

Rev. xi, 3. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophecy a thousand, two hundred and three score days, clothed in sackcloth. Here is one of the most precious texts in all the sacred volume. We have the eternal truth and Almighty power of God, pledged for the preservation of the Holy Scriptures, and that they shall prophecy, though all the exertions of Hell united with the wicked machinations of all the kings-craft priest-craft, and aristocracy of the world of popery, Mahommedanism, and Paganism to prevent it:their utmost efforts will amount to no more, than to keep them in mourning twelve hundred and sixty years. This infallible promise of God, is founded upon the same infinite stability which said Gen. 8. 22. While the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

The "two witnesses." The Old and New Testaments are in an especial manner, God's two witnesses in the world, and the divine light of life to the church of Christ in a dark world. "The pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night.”— And although God had other witnesses in the world. The Old and New Testaments are emphatically His witness

es, My two witnesses,' Acts xiv,17,Nevertheless,he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. But these two witnesses were to prophecy though they were clothed in sack-cloth (the symbol of mourning) accompanied with the Almighty power of God the Holy Spirit' for the conversion and eternal salvation of poor dying sinners of our ruined race. And though the constant hostility of the Councils of priest-craft, kings and aristocrats, have not only prohib ited the reading of them by the people, but have made war upon them, if possible, to exterminate them from the earth."

The essential purpose of the holy word of God is to convince every man of his ruin and his only remedy; and that though he is indeed a great Sinner; God himself has provided an Infinitely great Saviour; who is able to save to the very uttermost all that come unto God by him. He has laid help for us upon One that is mighty. Or like a man of immense wealth, whose benevolence was such, that finding a vast multitude of men, women and children condemned to perpetnal imprisonment, for a mighty amount, which would be impossible for them ever to pay, they had no eye to pity, or hand to help them:their case was absolutely hopeless. He descended into the loathsome prison, paid every cent of their debt, in their stead, brought them out of their dark and gloomy dungeon, into the light of heaven. But astonishing to think, these poor miserable beings, were all the while cursing Him to his face.But such was his inconceiveable love and pity for these mistaken wretches, he not only rescued them from the deepest poverty and degradation, but made them rich and eternally happy. From being his enemies, made them his faithful friends. He took off their vile prison rags, and put on them the best robe, the Government under which they lived was maintained untarnished; the law and demands of justice, not only fulfilled and satisfied by the sacrifice of the Son of God, in their place, but magnified and made honorable, by the amazing dignity of their

friend and surety. Their rightful Lord and Governor rec on ciled to them, and they reconciled to Him, and his holy purc and righteous law and government; and not only so, but made fit to dwell with him in his holy habitation. But to drop the figure: our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the friend and saviour of sinners, has wrought out a full, free and whole. salvation for poor condemned rebels against God, heirs of hell, and children of wrath, and made heirs of heaven and joint heirs • "with Christ in God; and purchased for them, the enlightening, renewing and sanctifying influences of his Holy Spirit to make them meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the ..saints in light, on the humbling terms of the gospel as the free gift of God, without money and without price. Rom. iii, 21, 22, 23, 24. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference: For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Search the scriptures, says our blessed Lord to the Jews, before any of the New Testament was written, consequently, it was the Old Testament Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they, which testify, (bear witness) of me. John 5. 39. and Math. 21. 14. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness to all nations; and then shall the end come, which is certainly spoken of the New Testament, as the other was of the Old. So that here are the two witnesses. Isaiah, 55. 4, Behold I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.-1. John 5. 10. He that believeth on the son of God, hath the witness in himself. Rev. 1 5. And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.

Rev. 3. 14. And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write these things, saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God,. Heb. 10. 14. 15. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified; whereof the Holy Ghost, is also a witness unto us. John 3. 11. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, we speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen, and ye receive not our witness. 4. verse. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. The holy worship of God, in the tabernacle which this emblem refers to, was a type of the gospel or New Testament church. Ex. 27. 20. And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive, beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. Lev. 21. 12. 34. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn continually. Without the vail of the testimony, in the tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning, before the Lord continually: It shall be a statute forever in your generations. He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlesticks before the Lord continually. Zech. 4.2.3.4.5.6. And he said unto me, what seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick, all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof. And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof: so I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, what are these, my Lord? Then the angel that talk ed with me, answered and said unto me, knowest thou not what these be?And I said no,my Lord. Then heanswered and spake unto me saying, this is the word of the Lord unto, Zerubbabel, saying, not by might, nor by power; but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Rev. 5. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies; and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.