nichean herefy in the third century. And we may admit this statement to be just, though we deny fome of the opinions which he has connected with it. The hidden meaning of these words may have lain long concealed; it may have been occafionally directed to the poses of vice and rebellion by particular focieties; and thofe focieties may voluntarily, or involuntarily, have been claffed with heretics, whose only crime was difobedience to the

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f Curbicus, a Perfian flave, who changed his name to Manes, called himself an Apoftle of Jefus Chrift, taught the antient opinion of the Magi concerning two principles, or Gods, the one good, the other evil; denied the refurrection of the body, &c. and was flayed alive for his impostures by order of the Perfian King.

I am aware that it was an artifice of the Papal Church to extend the deservedly unpopular name of Manicheans to many fects, which had nothing in common with the Manicheans, but their oppofition to the Church of Rome. What the Abbé Barruel fays upon the fubject must therefore be received with hesitation: fince, though I admit the merit of his labours, and the truth of his facts, I am not disposed to subscribe to all his opinions, and to confound, as he too often has done, the cause of Christianity with that of Popery. We may however trace the origin of Free-Masonry to the Dionyfiacs of Afia Minor, and may yet suppose these doctrines to have been engrafted upon their fymbols in particular focieties, while others remained perfectly ignorant of any such mystical fenfe having been annexed to them. And this has indeed been the cafe with the generality of the English Lodges who knew nothing of the mysteries of their brethren on the continent.

Church of Rome. But whether the doctrines now inculcated by these myftic terms arofe in the third century with the Manicheans, or were the offspring of the eighteenth, it is certain they never became active powers till they appeared as "the horns of the fecond beaft," or Infidelity, and were employed by him to delude mankind fo far as " to make the image" which is now their scourge. "The disciples of Manes aimed at the abolition of all laws, and of Christianity, by means of fuperftition and fanaticifm, The fpirit of the mysteries, and the allegory adopted by the modern fophifters, remain the fame. It is always Kings and Christianity that are to be destroyed, empires and the altar to be overturned, in order to re-establish the liberty and equality of human nature 6," without laws or focial order. But these have indeed far exceeded their predeceffors both in the object of their views, and the means of accomplishing it. It is by a war of extermination to the enemies of their system, that they mean to establish Atheism,

The growth of Infidelity in those countries bleffed with the light of the Reformation, appears much more extraordinary than its birth

Barruel, vol. ii. p. 417.

in the period of the Papal power. And in order to account for this, we must observe, that Infidelity at firft masqued itself with many of the principles which gave birth to, or at leaft brought forward, the Reformation itself. It profeffed attachment to moral virtue, and hatred of fuperftition-zeal for truth, and difregard of authority-an enlarged charity, and a reliance upon reafon. Such fcepticism appeared an object of pity rather than of cenfure. And anxious to prove, that, in universal benevolence and candor, Chriftians at leaft equalled thefe philofophers, many Protestant writers addreffed them in a style of compli ment upon their difcernment and liberality→→→ quitted the strong holds of Scripture doctrine -advanced to meet them on their own ground, and argued upon what they called the prin ciples of natural religion folely. They granted that "faith depends not on the will, but on the understanding"-that " when the evidence for the truth of any propofition is full and clear, it conftrains affent, but that no blame is imputable for rejecting a proposition for which the mind cannot fee evidence"-and that "we are not called upon to believe what we cannot comprehend.” Of such dangerous conceffions the infidious enemy took advantage; and difplayed the various, and fometimes

contradictory arguments of these opponents, in a light fuited to the defign of proving Christianity itself vague and uncertain, both in its principles and its evidences. Morality was decked in her most bewitching attire (for Revelation had furnished her with ornaments which ancient Philofophy could never procure), and held up to the world as the fole object worth attention, while Religion was reprefented as Bigotry, Intolerance, Prieftcraft, Ignorance, or any hideous form their forcery could conjure up. And thus Morality became the theme of every tongue. Religion was fuppofed to confift of doctrines too abstruse, and ceremonies too unimportant to be understood or observed by mankind in general. Faith was ridiculed, and compliance with the inftitutions of the church (except from political motives) was deemed fuperftition. Even many of the appointed preachers of the Gospel, for getting that what "God hath joined together no man can put afunder" with impunity, were betrayed by the terms practical religion, liberality of opinion, and general philanthropy, to deliver moral effays from the pulpit, instead of " preaching Christ and him crucified." The fublime doctrines of religion were feldom taught, lest they should" offend a brother" who differed from their creed; or, left they should be fuf. pected

pected of a dogmatical spirit. Alas! What is the wifdom of man but foolishness with God? What have been the confequences of these temporizing measures? What! but the common fate of a building whose foundation is neglected!

It has been justly obferved, that "we cannot exceed the limits prescribed for human knowledge, without involving ourselves in contradictions and abfurdity ;" and that "nothing has produced more pernicious mifchief to fociety, than the pursuit of principles in themselves good, far beyond the bounds in which they are good." Examined by the light of these observations, and the testimony of experience, it will appear that " the writings of Locke, though himself a worthy and religious man, led to a scepticism eventually hurtful to religion; and though a loyal subject, that his political writings generated doctrines hurtful to monarchical government, and indeed to all civil fociety. "The Effay on the Human Understanding, in itself so profound and fo useful, with a confiderable degree of erroneous theory, as might be expected from a man even of the greatest genius exploring un

h Warburton.

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i Mackintosh.

Gillies's Pref. to his Tranflation of Ariftotle.

trodden,