passed eastward over the hills; but a fox, which we first discovered by his ears peeping over a brow, was the only inhabitant of Laodicea." The city finally came into the possession of the Turks in the beginning of the fourteenth century, since which it has been a mere ruin, "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and naked." (Rev. iii. 14-22.) Its ruins now only remain, which bear among the Turks of the neighbouring towns the name of Estrihissar, or the Old Castle. There is, in fact, not one of the Seven Churches, the overthrow of which has been so severe, and the desolation of which has been so entire, as that of Laodicea. It is indeed little else than a heap of ruins; from which, however, ample evidence may be collected of the magnificence for which it was anciently celebrated. These ruins cover three or four small hills, and are of very great extent.

Its three theatres, and the immense circus, which was capable of containing upwards of thirty thousand spectators, the spacious remains of which are yet to be seen, give proof of the greatness of its ancient wealth and population, and indicate too strongly, that in that city where Christians were rebuked, without exception, for their lukewarmness, there were multitudes who were lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. There are no sights of grandeur, nor scenes of temptation around it now. Its tragedy may be briefly told. It was lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold; and therefore it was loathsome in the sight of God.

"Laodicea," says Dr. Smith, "is utterly desolated, and without any inhabitants except wolves, and jackals, and foxes. It can boast of no human inhabitants, except occasionally when wandering Turcomans pitch their tents in its spacious amphitheatre."

Colonel Leake observes, "There are few ancient cities more likely than Laodicea to preserve many curious remains of antiquity beneath the surface of the soil. Its opulence, and the earthquakes to which it was subject, render it probable that valuable works of art were often there buried beneath the ruins of the public and private edifices."

"Not a single Christian," says another writer, "is said to reside at Laodicea, which is even more solitary than Ephesus. The latter city has a prospect of a rolling sea or a whitening sail to enliven its decay: the former sits in widowed loneliness. Its temples are desolate, and the stately edifices of ancient Laodicea are now peopled by wolves and jackals. The prayers of the Mohammedan mosque are the only prayers heard near the yet splendid ruins of the city, on which the prophetic denunciation seems to have been fully executed, in its utter rejection as a Church."

In all the facts recorded by travellers and historians respecting the present state of the Seven Churches of Asia, we have undesigned, but no less conclusive proof of the truth of the predictions contained in the Apocalypse. Jew and Gentile, Moslem and Christian, Arab and Tartar, pilgrim, antiquary, and historian, have gone into Asia, each to prosecute his own ends-following the bent of his own folly, fancy, or it may have been, fanaticism-and after all these have retired satisfied or disappointed, either refugees or conquerors, travellers visit these ancient scenes, some in quest of health, some out of antiquarian curiosity, others to view the remains of faded magnificence, and others to be able to write books that, by their accuracy, interest, or disclosures, shall have many purchasers; and lo the records of historians, travellers, geographers, are found, unintentionally and unexpectedly on their part, to be simply the translation of Apocalyptic prophecies into modern historical facts. How perishing is all that man calls great! How enduring is all that God pronounces true! When one sees facts thus coming up one after another in ceaseless succession to respond to the predictions of God, one cannot help believing that these words, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches," were heard by all sorts and conditions of men, and that all rushed to Asia in order to fulfil them. But they intended no such thing; they had no desire to make

actual a single verse in the Bible. In this absence of all desire or design to illustrate or demonstrate Chris. tianity, lies the force of their testimony, the value of their contributions. Yet all this is but a first-fruits of the harvests of heathendom, as well as of Christianity, yet to be reaped. God's glory will be exacted from many as a sacrifice by whom it will not be given as an offering. Hostile lips will yet reluctantly give utterance to these words, Thy word is truth."

THE END.

R. CLAY, PRINTER, BREAD STREET HILL.

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