believe in Chrift, degrades his character, denies him as the Saviour of the world, as the atonement of the fins of mankind, and thus would deftroy the purposes of the Divine miffion &;" for they were fully aware that the paffage from Socinianism to Deism is not long. And this fcheme fucceeded but too well. "The chiefs

of that fect foon confidered it as incumbent upon them to manifeft their political as well as their religious non-conformity. The doctrines which the herefiarchs preached and taught, were equally contrary to monarchy and hierarchy. Their enmity was indeed more avowed to the Church, but was equally ftrong against the State 1." And thus they became powerful engines in the hands of Infidelity and Anarchy, however they may acquit themselves of the charge of being partizans i.

Rife and Progrefs of Jacobinifm. h Rife and Progress of Jacobinism.

i It is a well known fact, that Socinianifm has banished Arianifm. In this country there are very few Arian congregations left, and fcarcely an Arian to be found, among the younger part of the Diffenters. They are now chiefly Calvinists or Socinians. But as a body they differ very much both in religious and political principles from the Diffenters in the time of King William. The act pafled in their favour even in the beginning of the prefent reign, was declared by themfelves to be perfectly fatisfactory as far as religious toleration was concerned. But Dr. Price and Dr. Priestley very foon changed their language:

In Germany the jealoufies, animofities, and religious difputes which continually agitated the many small contiguous principalities, pro feffing different modes of faith, and allowing the free exercise of all, expofed them in a peculiar manner to the artifices of the enemy. "The fpirit of free enquiry was the great boast of the Proteftants, and their only fupport against the Roman Catholics, fecuring them both in their religious and civil rights. It was therefore encouraged by their governments, and sometimes indulged to excefs. In the progress of this conteft their own confesfions did not escape cenfure; and it was afferted, that the Reformation which these Confeffions exprefs, was not complete. Further reformations were propofed. The Scriptures, the foundation of our faith, were examined by clergymen of very different capacities, difpofitions, and views; till by explaining, correcting, allegorizing, and otherwife twisting the Bible, men's minds had hardly any thing left to reft on as a doctrine of Revealed Religion. This encouraged others to go further, and to fay, that Revelation was a folecism, as plainly appeared by the irreconcileable differences among these Enlighteners (fo they were called) of the public; and that man had nothing to trust to but the dictates of natural

reafon,

reafon. Another fet of writers, proceeding from this as a point already fettled, profcribed all Religion whatever, and openly taught the doctrines of Materialism and Atheism. Most of those innovations were the work of Proteftant divines, from the causes that I have mentioned k❞ By this time Nicholai, the famous Bookfeller of Berlin, and Prime agent of the Philofophifts, had almost monopolized the literature of Germany and Holland, and had dispersed their poison with unremitted industry. "Voltaire had fo perfectly brought these Antichriftian productions into fashion, that this fpecies of literature was the resource and livelihood of those miserable fcribblers, who fed upon their traffick in blafphemy. Holland in particular, that miry bog, where the demon of avarice was enthroned under the aufpices of a few bookfellers, was the grand afylum of these starving infidels '."

"But the progress of Infidelity was much accelerated by the establishment of a Philanthropine, or Academy of general education, in the principality of Anhalt-Deffau. The profelfed object of this inftitution was, to unite the three Christian communions of Germany,

* Robifon.

1 Barruel.

and

and to make it poffible for the members of them all, not only to live amicably among each other, and to worship God in the fame church, but even to communicate together. This attempt naturally gave rife to much specu lation and refinement; and the propofals for amendment of the formulas, and the inftructions from the pulpit were profecuted with so much keennefs, that the ground-work, Chriftianity, was refined and refined, till it vanifhed altogether, leaving Deifm, or natural, or, as it was called, Philofophical Religion, in its place. The Lutherans and the Calvinifts, prepared by the causes before-mentioned, to become dupes to this mafter-piece of art, were enticed by the fpecious liberality of the scheme, and the particular attention which it promifed to the morals of youth. But not one Roman Catholic could Bafedow allure to his Seminary of Practical Ethics "" Thus have "thofe who were clean escaped from error, been seduced by the form of godlinefs, and great fwelling words of vanity, to quit the faith as it is in Jefus.".

m Robifon.

Proofs

Proofs of the exact refemblance between the new Philofophy and the fecond Beaft continued.

The femblance of these powers of the Beaft to the Lamb, muft furely now' appear very evident especially to those who are acquainted with the general style of the feductive writings adapted to general circulation. But the mysteries of Illuminism must be allowed to be a yet more literal accomplishment of this wonderful Prophecy. There we fhall indeed find a "mystery of iniquity," which we may venture to pronounce will never be exceeded. The pupils of this fect of Voltaire's disciples are expressly told, that "THE ORder con

TAINS A RELIGION WHICH IS THE PERFEC

TION OF CHRISTIANITY." The novice, when first admitted into those focieties, is induced to take the oath of fecrecy, by a moft folemn assurance, "that nothing is ever tranfacted in this fociety, hurtful to Religion, Morals, or the State." But after they have, by almost incredible art and perfeverance, got poffeffion of all the fecrets of his life, and his family, he is farther bound to "a blind obedience to the Order, without any restriction whatever." Weishaupt, the founder of the Order, thus

VOL. II.

M

writes