Popery  now  reigned  triumphant,  and  no  public
profession  of  the  gospel,  which  claimed  independence
of  its  domination,  could  be  endured  in  Europe.—^
The  Saracens  were  then  masters  of  Africa,  and  perse-
cuted the  Christians  there  with  great  bitterness.  The
African  Christians  were  so  infatuated  with  the  love  of
sin,  that  they  quarrelled  among  themselves,  and,
though  they  then  had  but  two  bishops,  they  betrayed
one  of  those  into  the  hands  of  the  infidels,  who  great-
ly abused  him.
He,  who  seriously  reflects  with  what  glory  Asia  and
Africa  once  shone  before  God  and  his  Christ ;  how
dark  and  idolatrous,  and,  at  the  same  time,  how  insen-
sible of  their  spiritual  misery,  the  inhabitants  of  those
two  quarters  of  the  globe  were  in  this  century,  and
continue  even  to  the  present  times,  will  see  with  what
reverential  care  the  jewel  of  the  gospel  should  be
cherished,  while  in  our  possession,  lest  we  not  only
lose  our  own  souls,  but  entail  a  curse  on  ages  yet  un~


CHAPTER  II.
The  Oppositon  made  to  the  Errors  of  Popery.
