A famous engraving by the satirical artist William Hogarth shows two fashionable ladies visiting the London lunatic asylum known as Bedlam in 1735. It is an open day at the asylum, and visitors can pay to see the inmates. Some of them are confined to their cells, including a naked man with a crown on his head who thinks that he is a king, and a religious fanatic worshipping his cross. Other inmates are allowed into the gallery. Here are found two deranged scientists – one studying the stars through a useless tube of paper; the other calculating the longitude from scribbles on the wall. A mad musician plays his violin with a stick, wearing the score on his head; a man with a dunce’s hat supposes that he is the Pope; and a love-sick man with a dog barking at him has carved the initials of his obsession (a notorious prostitute of the day) on the banister. From outside, the attendants look in through the bars.
Britain must currently present a similar sight to the angels. Here are people pretending that they can change their sex; here are others gluing themselves to the road because of climate-change. Here are people slaughtering hundreds of thousands of beautiful unborn babies; and here is a Parliament passing laws to protect the sensitive feelings of these murderers. Here are thousands of illegal immigrants being helped ashore to enjoy benefits and healthcare that they cannot get elsewhere. Here is a prime minister worshipping an elephant-god. Here are scientists and philosophers, surrounded by evidence of God’s Being and wisdom but denying His existence. Here are religious leaders with the Bible in their hands, yet missing the way of salvation themselves and pointing others away from it. Here is Satan, looking on through the bars. And here, underneath it all, are the jaws of hell daily receiving multitudes.
Truly, God has given Britain up to judgement, because of her rejection of Christ. “Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee” (Hos 4:6). “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (Rom 1:22).
Rev Douglas W B Somerset
[From December 2022 Free Presbyterian Magazine]