BS647 LIBRA^RY OF THE Theological Seminary, PRINCETON, N. J. Case, OOO... Division..... HISTORY THE INTERPRETER OF PROPHECY, OS, A V I E W OF SCRIPTURAL PROPHECIES AND THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENT IN THE PAST AND PRESENT OCCURRENCES OF THE WORLD5 WITH CONJECTURES RESPECTING THEIR FUTURE COMPLETION. BY HENRY I^ETT, B.D. FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE, OXFORD, AND ONE OF HIS majesty's preachers AT WHITEHALL. IN THREE VOLUMES. 'VOL. III. OXFORD; Printed for Meffrs. Han well and Parker; and J. Cooke • Andlold byC.andJ. RiviNGTON,Stl Paul's Church-Yard-' Robs ON, Bond-Street; Egerton, Whitehall j Cadell and Davies, Strand; and Hat- chard, Piccadilly, London. MDCCXCIX. CONTENTS OF VOL. III. CHAPTER THE THIRD. ^he Rife,,Progrefs, and EJlahliJhment of the INFIDEL POWER OF ANTICHRIST, or " THE LITTLE HoRN OF THE Beast," /;/ the Vifions of Daniel^ and " THE SECOND BeAST AND HIS image" /;/ the Revelation of St. John, p. I — 207. CHAPTER THE FOURTH. Prophecies which remain to be fulfilled—* RESTORATION OF THE JEWS tO their own Land, and their conversion to the Church of Chrifl — The general DIFFUSION of the Gofpel — The fi- nal TRIUMPH of our Lord over all A 2 his iv CONTENTS. his Enemies, and the universal hap- piness of his glorious Reign, conjidered as the AccompliJJjment of the Original Promife made to Adam — as the ultimate meaning of the Prophetic Defcriptions of the Kingdom of the MeJJiah, and tending to reconcile the different Opinions of jews and CHRISTIANS upon this SubjeEt — RECAPITULATION of the zvhok Work CONCLUSION, p. 208—329. CLASS 11. CHAPTER THE THIRD. THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE INFIDEL POWER OF ANTICHRIST. From the parages in Scripture, which, have been brought forward to the ob- fervation of the reader in the Introduc- tory Chapter, in order to difplay the re- velation concerning the different branch- es of Antichrift, we find that the Holy Spirit has fpoken in explicit terms, not only of "thofe who were to corn»p't the faith, as the Papifls have done -, oppoie it with open force, as has been the prac- tice of the Mahometans; but of thofc who were firft to undermine it by every infidious art, and finally, by the union vol,. III. s of I 2 3 of fraud with violence, were to eftablifh the dominion of Infidehty " in the laft days/* We have feen that fuch per- fons were clearly foretold in the Prophe- cies of Daniel, St. Paul, St. Peter, St. Jude, and St. John. And their cha- raders, principles, conduct, and fuccefs are fo clearly reprefented, that thefe in- fpired writers have in a manner antici- pated the hiftory of thofe '' falfe teach- ers,'* who have been in^the paft and in the prefent age diflinguifhed by the name of Free-thinkers, Sceptics, Philofophifts, or lUuminati. Thefe predidbions have been fhewn to be generally applicable to fchifmatics and infidels in every pe- riod, but to have a particular reference to thofe who (hould arife in " the lat- ter times,'* andoccafion a great Apoftacj from the church of Chrift. The rife and progrefs of Jacobinifm^ which feems to include every fpecies of Infidehty, and may be defined to mean Hofti- C 3 3 Hoftility to Religion, to Virtue, to Mo- narchy, to Laws, to Social Order, Rank and Property, have been examined with induflry, and difplayed with correct- nefs, by the Abbe Barruel and ProfelTor Robifon. The fadts brought forward in fupport of their afTertions, have baf- fled the ingenuity of Jacobinifm itfelf to difprove. And thefe fadls have clear- ly fhown, that a conspiracy was ac- tually formed for the extindion of Chriftianity, and the abolition of Go- vernment and Social Order, by a fet of men whofe names demand the execra- tion of mankind. They prove, incon- trovertibly prove (or neither the fcheme nor its fuccefs could find belief in any rational mind untainted with its poi- fon) i that the system ejlahlijhed for ths etiecution of this plan was extended to every comtryy with unexampled perfeve- ranee, art, and fecrecvy and threatened univerfal rtfin ; that this fyflematic con- f piracy has been the main spring of B 2 the [ 4 ] the revoliition in France ; and that the POWER created by this revolution has^ in return^ become its chief fiipport and co- adjutor. This fimple ftatement will, I tmft, recal to the reader's mind the in- terpretation of. " the fecond beaft and his image," which was offered to his confideration in the Introdudory Chap- ter. And he will readily perceive, that I have mentioned the unconnedled evi- dence of Barruel and Robifon as parti- cular confirmation of this 'idea, becaufe thefe writers have beft difplayed that union of fraud with force^ which con- flitutes and difl:ii}gui(lies this Anti- chri{li;an power. They beft have provr, ed this nezv philofophy, as it is called,, to breathe as rank a fpirit of perfection againft Chriilianity itfclf, as ever, dif- ,• graced the name of Religion in the form of Popilli bigotry. They bed have iliewn the connexion, between Infidelity and Civil tyranny, fo long denied, but now made viiible to ,the aftoniflied world. [ 5 1 world. They beft therefore have provr ed, without the flighted reference to the fubjedt, the exa(5t fulfihnent of the -Prophecies refpedllng this extraordinary Antichriilian power. The amazing prevalence of Infidelity has indeed engaged the attention of many earlier writers ; for fince the efta- bliihment of Chriflianity it has never appeared fo formidable as in the pre- fent age : but it was not till confidence of fuccefs emboldened Condorcet to publifli in 1785, the " fecret correfpon- dence" of the mafter- movers of the plan, that.the public mind received the fmailefl intimation of the Caufe. Nor did it then, unhappily, give credit to the extent of its exigence, or the pofli- bility of its fuccefs. In this country the difcover}^ was fcarcely noticed ; though an excellent- Prekte, whofe ar- dent zeal, in tlie jcaufe cf Chriflianity is united with genuine philanthropy, B 3 en- [ 8 ] that the prefent reign of the infidel Ami- ehrijl has been expref sty foretold. Still, however, it will be aflced, why (hould this period produce this mon- ftrous progeny ? This queftion involves fuch a variety of matter fo fecrctly con- ne(5\:ed, that any thing like accurate in- vejligation would exceed the limits of a chapter. But I fliall endeavour to point out the principal caufes ; and thefe will, I think, condud us to the only ad- equate explanation. A writer "^5 who confiders himfelf as an advocate for Chriflianity, whilfl he is labouring to remove its foundations, afTerts, that "the great father of modern unbelievers among Mahometans and Chriftians, was Averroes, a Saracen Ma- hometan of the twelfth century." He *^ Prieftley's Difcourfes on the Evidences of Re- " vealed Religion. was [ 9 ] was devoted to the philofophy of Arlf- totle, whole writings made all the un- believers in the age of Petrarch and that of Leo the tenth. He held " the eter- nity of the world, and the exiftence of one univerfal intelled:, the iburce of all human intelligence, into which every feparate inteUigence will finally be re- folved; and confequently he denied the diftind: exiftence and proper immor- tality of the human foul." But furely Infidelity was brought forth by " the mother of harlots." When the revival of letters enabled men to lee the mafs of ablurdities, contradidiions, and impie- ties, which were taught by the church of Rome to be ejjhitial parts of Chrifti- anity, Scepticifm was the natural re- fult pf this difcovery. Reafon juft lifen from her llumber, feized the truths pre- fented to her view with all the eas;crnefs which novelty could excite. Proud of the treafures (he had acquired, and yet . ignorant how to manage them to ad- / B 5 vantage j t 10 3 vantage ; dffgufted with furrounding bi- gotry and fuperilition, impatient of con- troul, and dazzled with the light, though glimmering, which now broke through the darknefs of the middle ages ; (he too feldom diftinguifhed Re- ligion from the grofs corruptions with which it had been loaded. And thus it will appear, that Mahomet anifm an4 Popery were the parents of Infidelity,—^ an offspring born to be their chaflife- ment^. Barruel has ingenioully traced the * Amongft the caufes by which Popery had an obvious tendency to produce Infidelity, muft be reckoned their treatment of the Holy Scriptures. " The Popes," fays Molheim, " permitted their champions to indulge themfelves openly in reflec- tions injurious to the dignity of the facred writ- ings, and, by an excefs uf blafphemy almofl incre- iJible (if the paffions of men did not render them capable of the greateft enormities), to declare publickly, that the edi(Sts of the Pontiffs, and the " records of oral tradition, were fuperior, in point of authority, to the exprefs language of the Holy Scriptures." It is w«ll known that the jlomanifts decried fhe dodlrines of " liberty and equality*' as taught by modern Infidels, to the founder of the Manichean herefy in the third century ^ And we may admit this decried the facred original ar. much as poflible, and that the Vulgate tranflation, bccaufe it abounded in errors, and might be more ealily per- verted to their purpofe, " was declared by a fo- lemn decree of the council of Trent, an authentic, i. e. a fa'uhfuli accurate^ and perfed tranflation.'* In the true fpirit of this decree, Morini was em- ployed in a laborious work (Biblicarum, feu ma- vis ^;z/i-Biblicarum Exercitationum, fays Mill) the obje(5l of which was to deftroy the credit of the original, and to fupport that of the Vulgate, as the only complete and unerring rule of faith. See Mofheim's E. H. vol, iv. p. 213. and Mill's Prolegom. 13 18, 1326. The pious reader will not fail to obferve a Sig- nal ijiftance of Divine retribution, when the mon- - fter Infidelity, thus produced by Papal corruption, has become the prime inftrument of the downfall of its parent. ^ Curbiciis a Perfian Have, who changed his name to Manes, called himfelf an Apoftle of Jefus Chrift, taught the antient opinion ©f the Magi ]^^ A>n- [ 12 1 this ftatement to be juft, though \ft 'deny fome of the opinions which he has conneded with it. The hidden mean- ing of thefe words may have lain long concealed -, it may have been occafion- ally directed to the purpofes of vice and rebellion by particular focieties , and thofe focieties may voluntarily, or in- voluntarily, have been clafTed with be- reticks, whofe only crime was difobedi- cnce to the church of Rome. But whether the do- able writer in a periodical publi- cation. See the Ami -Jacobin Mag. No. II. matters [ 20 ] matters of mere fpeculation, and admir- ed as enlarging the fphere of knowledge, the tendency of thefe writings was not always perceived by minds which Reli- gion guarded from the mifchief. "Ihey faw the dazzling meteors flioot harmlefs into fpace. But Infidelity faw clearly how their courfe might be diredled to guide mankind to her dominions ; and the dilfenfions that prevailed among the numerous feds which fprung from the dodrines of Luther and Calvin, un- happily affifted the execution of this de- fign. It is faid, with a defign of difgrac- ing our country, that the dodrines of the Enghfh Infidels, Toland, Tindal, Hobbes, Collins, and Bolingbroke, in* fpired the firfl idea of aboliftiing CKrif- tianity and dirdrgani.zing fociety ; and that it was in England Voltaire con- ceived the hope of being able to extir- pate religion. But do we, as a nation, deierve [ ^I ] deferve this opprobrium ? To fay no- thing of the Manichean origin of this idea, we have only to look at the im- piety and licentioufnefs which had un- interruptedly reigned in the courts of Rome and Italy, from a much earlier period than the age of Voltaire, and to recolle6t the names of Aretin, Spinoza, Leibnitz, and Defcartes, and above all, perhaps of Bayle, to trace the fource from whence our Engliili Infidels de- rived their opinions. '' ^^ It is certain that in the fixteenth century there lay concealed in different parts of Europe, feveral perfons who entertained a vi- rulent enmity againfl religion in ge- neral, and in a m.ore efpecial manner againfb the religion of the Gofpel; and who, botlr in their writings and in their private converlation, fowed the feeds of impiety and error, and inftilled their' odious principles into weak and ere- "^ Mofheim, Eccl. Hift. dulous T 22 ] xlulous minds. It is even reported, that m certain provinces of France and Itafyy fchools were ereded, from whence thefe impious dodlrines were iffued." The hiftories of thofe times bear witnefs, that our Enghfh youth who travelled fo early as the reign of James I. returned too often with the feeds of vice and in- fidelity, which they gathered with the knowledge and the manners of more polilhed countries. And the court of Charles 11. difplays, in a* very ftriking manner, the principles and habits which the King and Nobles had learnt upon the continent. The general deteftation of the hypocrify and fanaticifm of the Puritans tended to heighten their Irre- ligion, and encouraged them to publifh their opinions; but the kingdom *at large was not infeded by them, and the following reigns exhibit in every rank of people an attachment to Religion, and a 2:eal in its caufe, which the annals of no other nation can furnifli. - It r 23 ] It is then very certain that Infidelity had long been prevalent upon the conti- nent, before the Rival of Julian'' was kd by vanity and wickednefs to form his plan for its Eflablifhment ; and that fTont his early yoiuh Voltaire had em- braced Antichriftiah principles. " ° Vi- iiting England, whofe mild and tolerant^ laws, not reflraining opinions previous to the adlual experience of their hurt- fulnefs, afforded a conliderable latitude to fpeculations from which evil iiad not yet been demonflrated to accrue, he fur- nifhed himfelf with the dodbrines'* of the Englifh Philofophers^ TJRaccuflomed probably to their mode of ^argument, and pretended depth of reafoning, he consi- dered himfelf as greatly Arengthened by the acquifition^ and, already an enemy to Ch'riftianity, "he became defirous of its overthrow; an overthrow, which the ■ Barruel, p. 28, ^;^. • Anti-Jaqobin Mag. No. III. ardor [ 24 ] ardor of his temper, and the vivacity of his imagination, made him fuppofe would be fpeedy. Votaries of new opi- nions are beyond others fanguine in their expedations of profelytes to be made, and eafy in their beHef that num- bers are adually made. Voltaire, aflb- ciating with men of his own fenti^ ments" (and it is well known he was little noticed by men of an oppofite de- fcription), '^ found many admirers of Bolingbroke, and thence, drew a very common, but very fuperficial inference, that rnofl of the Englidi men of letters were tindlured with the fame notions. Befides being defirous that Chriftianity fliould be deftroyed, he was ambitious that it fhould be deftroyed by himfelf ; and having, as he fuppofed, the learjied men of a moft learned nation to fupport him, he conceived that it would be no very difficult tafk." But the eafe with v;hich he propagated the mofl perni- cious dodrines of his fyflem, the num- ber [ 25 ] ber of affiflants he gained over to his plan^ and its aftonifliing iuccefs upon the con- tinent before England was acquainted with the defign, will furely deliver her from the odium of this reproach. And the glorious (land flie has made in de- fence of her Rehgion and her Conftitu- tion, from the moment fhe imdcrjlood the attack, mufl pofitively contradict the falfe and infolent allertion^ that " England was their own." Thus have we endeavoured to (how the gradual " rifing of the fecond beaft," to the time when it obtained its won- drous form and masinitude in the fyftem of Voltaire, and his difciples. Till that period the operations of Infidelity were carriedon fecretl}^ — fecretly at ieaft-, when compared with the corruptions and per- fecutions of ,the Papal, and the avowed hoftility of the Mahometan powers — and in a defultory manner : but the publi- cation of the fyftem of Voltaire confti- tuted the important Epoch in its hiftory, VOL. III. c which [ ^6 ] which gave a new face to the world in general. Till that fyftem had made fome progrefs in its work, it was ufual with unbJievcrs to fay, that their tenets were phi! ofophic ally triie^ but theologically falfe° \ and indeed they were always ready to profefs what was required of them. The writings of Infid^Hty were till then confined to the perufal of the learned — they were feldom mentioned in public converfation even by their adhe- rents. The bulk of the people /t"// it to be a fort of crime to meddle with fuch poifoned darts, confcious that their little ftore of knowledge would be unable to furnlQi an immediate antidote, if un- happily they fliould receive a wound. But they doubted not the exiftence of an antidote — they doubted not but the fu- perior ikill and knowledge of thofe per- fons, whofe bujinefs it was. to defend re- ° Thefe things, faid they (as we learn from Ste- phen Tampier), are true in philofophy, but not ac- cdirding to the Catholic faith. Mofheim, vol. iii. Tp. 146. hgion, [ ^7 ] ligion, would be fully abk to repel the attacks of its enemies. As foon, how- ever, as the charms of novelty, the bold- nefs of allertion, rhe force of ridicule, or the arts of fophiilry, infinuation, and flattery, had fecured a party in the higher chlTes of fociety, among thofe whom libertine habits, metaphyfical pa- radox, or heretical opinions had pre- pared for the feeds of Infidelity, the fphere of its a6lion was enlarged in a manner unknown in any former age. It was referved for the more ingenious wickednefs of modern Infidels to adapt their publications to the prejudices, pafTions, and habits of the middle and lower ranks of people. Books, pam- phlets, and ballads, there have ever been, that outrage decency and common fenfe. But' thefe were confined to a certain clafs of readers, whofe lives were already tainted with immorality. The publica- tions to which I allude, more artfully at- tacked the principles as well as the paf- fions of men, by mingling profejjions of c 2 attach- [ 23 ] attachment to true Religion and Civil Go- vernment^ with the mod virulent difplay of corruptions in the Church and in the State — hy mifreprefentifig the nature of Li- bert\\ and aflerting the right of every man to think for himfelf upon all lubjecls, and the duty of every man to <7^ accord- ing to his own fentiments — by throwing ridicule upon the mofh ferious fubjedls ; and employing Hander, invective, and faUehood, zvhenever and whereever it feemed hkely to forward thei^r purpofe. It is indeed curious to refiedt upon the progrefs of infolence and impi- ety. In 1 7 So, the increafed diffufion of InfideUty was thus noticed by a cele- brated writer?: " InfideUty is now ferved up in every fliape that is hkely to allui-e^ furprife, or beguile the imagination ; in a fable, a tale, a novel, a poem, in inter- fperfed and broken hints ; remote and oblique iurmiies ; in books of travels, of philofophy, of natural hiftory; in p Palc/s Moral Philafophy, p. 395. a v/ord, [ ^-9 ] :i word, in any form rather than that ot a profclied and regular difquifition." In the excellent Charge before 'men- tioned to have been delivered in i794> the Bifliop of London fpeaks thus : ** Hitherto we have had to contend only with the Tolands, the Tindals, the Bolingbrokes, and the Humes ot the age ; men whofe writings could fall only into the ha,nds of a few in the higher ranks of life,, and were not likely to make much impreflion on well in- formed and well cultivated minds. But the pieces io which I allude are ad- drelTed to the multitude^ and are mod dexterouily brought down to the level of their underftandings. They ccm- prefs^the whole poifon of Infidelity into the .narrow compafs of an effence, or an extract, and render hreligion eafy to the meanefl capacity. They are, in fliort, moil artful fnares, laid for thofe nu- merous and valuable claiTes of men, who have hitherto efcaped the contagion ei- c 3 ther t 30 3 ther of atheifm or delfm; the mechanic^ the manufadurer, the tradefman, the farmer, the fervant, the labourer; On thefe (to whom the fubjeft is quite new^ and who have neither time nor talents for examining quefhions of this nature) the bold affertions, the intrepid blaf* phemies, and coarfe buffooneries, which conftitute the whole merit and cha* racier of thefe productions, are perfectly well calculated to impofe, and to fland in the place of argument and ^roof. It v;as by fmall tradls of this fort, diflemi- nated among the lower orders in every part of France, that the great body of the people there was prepared for that moft aftoniiliing event (which, without fuch preparation, could never have been fo lud- denly and fo generally brought about), ^ the public renunciation of the Chriftian faith. In order to produce the very fame jeffed: here, and to pave the way for a general apoftafy from the Gofpel, by con- taminating the principles and fhaking the faith of the inferior clafTes of the people. [ 31 ] people, thoifame arts have been employed, the fame breviates of Infidelity have, to my knowledge, been publiflied and dif- perfed with great adlivity, and at a con- ilderable expence, among the middling and lower ranks of men in this kingdom.'* " At this day," obferves Dr. Priefl- ley in 1796, " and efpe daily fince the Revolution in France^ unbelievers ap- pear without -any dilguife, openly infult- ing the Chriftian religion, and ailaiiing it by wit and argument ; and the writ- ings of unbc:lievers, now that they can do it zvith imptmty and even aprlaufe, are ex- ceedingly multiplied.'* And when we coniidcr the profligate faliehoods, the coarle obTcenity, the daring bia phemy, whici^ now moie openly than ever inlult our-Realon, Virtue, and Religion, in every form that, art can place them, or the moll ihamelels effrontery prelent them — when we fee that ^i^rv virtue, every fen- timent, ^i^f'ry feeling, religious, moral, or even natural, is made by turns a com- c 4 mon [ 32 3 mon fubjed of ridicule with the vicious, the though tlefs, or the defigning vo- taries of Infidehty — and when we fee the Government of a great nation daily iiiuing the mofh diredl and glaring vio- lations oi truth and honour, in its mani- feftoes, decrees, and official reprefenta- tion o{ fa5is^ even to its own fubjedts— a fyftem abfolutely unknown to any former age — we fhould furely believe, that the Power of this hydra had attained its zenith, if the profpe<5t of a rifmg ge- neration educated in thefe principles, and formed by thefe examples, did not forbid the hope — a hope to which, I fear, the word of Prophecy is equally unfavourable ! Prophetic intimations ofjhe " Iqft days^'' ex^ atily corrrejponding zvith the CharaEler^ Principles^ andCondu5l, of modern Infidels, Having thus taken a general iketch of the face of the world, let us paufe to ^ [ 33 ] to compare it with a general view Ox^ the prophetic intimations concerning thefe " laft days," before we examine the par- ticular refcmblance between the new SYSTEM OF PHILOSOPHY WITH THE SECOND BEAST ; AND THE REVOLU- TIONARY TYRANNY OF FrANCE WITH THE REIGN OF THE IMAGE; accord- ing to the interpretation adopted in the Introdudlory Chapter. The Pro- phets have indeed delineated thefe *' falfe teachers," who have occafioned this wretched fcene, with a mofc corre6l, and, as it were, hijloric pencil 3 and this general vx^^N of their character, principles, and condud:, will be found to agree fo exadlly with THEIR own descriptions OF themselves, and wdth Xho, appropriate prophecies of *' the fecond beafl and his ima-ge," that it will both elucidate and flrengthen, their particular application. The Apoflles have not only given us Iketches of their general charaEier^ but of their propenlity to satire and ridi- C 5 CUtE [ 34 ] C:ULE — of the INCONSISTENCIES of tliofc Opinions which they propofe to fubflitute for the principles of Chrlftianity — and of their attempts to fubvert the truth of the MosAicAL HISTORY by the DISCOVERIES of MODERN PHILOSOPHY, and the invention of new theories OF THE earth. The perfons predided by St. Peter to appear in the lad days, eminent for their hoftillty to the Chriflian name, are scoffers — thofe who, in their at- tacks upon it, exercife the fneers of far- cafm, and the taunts of mockery, where the facred nature of the fubjecfl: pecu- liarly demands the gravity of argument, and the moil: perfed: ferioufnefs of at- tention. To whom can this charadler- iftic mark of the Apoftle be applied fo appofitely as to thofe who ridicule 'the Scriptures, and deride the profeflbrs and teachers of Chriftianity, as well as its peculiar doi^lrines and precepts ? Such has been the invariable pradice, and [ ^s ] and fuch the prominent feature in the works of Voltaire, of Gibbon, and of Paine. They have employed every en- gine of mockery and fcoffing againft the facred bulwarks of Revelation ; and thc-y have in every part of their works combined every image that was ludi- crous, and every idea that was grofs and profane, with the truths of the Gofpel. The moft celebrated of thefe " falfe teachers" are fometimes at variance with themfelves, and fometimes with each other, whilft they endeavour, by the aid of their own reafon only, to fettle the firft principles of religion, or to fliew that none can be found. Hume "^ in one paflage of his dialogues entertains no 'doubt as to the exigence, of a Su- preme Being ; and in another alTerts, that he -has met with nothing but a blind nature impregnated with a great vivifying principle, and pouring forth ^ See Ogilvie on Sccpticifm. c 6 from [ 36 ] from her lap, without difcernment or parental care, her maimed and abortive offspring. — Shaftefbury aflerts, that the Deity is a good Being ; whereas Boling- broke maintains that he is not a good Being. — With refped to the origin of the world, Hume concludes, from the ap- pearances of the univerfe, and from fome hiflorical fads, that the world was framed at no remote era. Voltaire, on the contrary, infers from fads hke- wife, to which he gives the niofl impli- cit faith, that its origin is to be carried back to a period far beyond the Scriptu- ral chronology. — Bolingbroke,when con- lidering the nature of man, maintains that his foul is mortal, and that it dies with the body; but Hume afferts that man has no foul, but is a piece of jnge- -nious mechanifm conflruded by a blind nature. — '""Even in the firfl: letters of Frederick II. King of Prufha, there ap- pears, v/ith the ridiculous pride of a pe- dantic King, all the verfatility and hy- ' Barruel. pocrify [ 37 3 pocrlfyofa fophift. Frederick in 1737 denies, when Voltaire fupports, liberty. With Voltaire, man, in 1771, is a pure machine i Frederick then maintains that man is free. In one place we 2iXQ free precifely becaufe we can form a clear idea of freedom. In another, man is all mat- ter j though one can hardly form a more confufed idea, than that of matter thinking, free, or arguing, though it were with Frederick's own verfatility." Voltaire at nearly fourfcore confiders fcepiicifm concerning a Deity and 2^ foul ^ as the mofl rational. flate of mind. Fre- derick thinks " we have a fufficient de- gree of probability to conflitute a r^r- tainty t\\2it death is an eternal Jleep-^^ and maintains that man is not twofold, but only matter animated by motion ; that there -exifls no relation between animals and the fupr^me Intelligence, and is cer- tain that matter can think as well as have the property of being eleHric. — Fre- deric had written that the Chriftian re- ligion yielded none but poifonous weeds -y and [ 38 J and Voltaire had congratulated bim^^as having above all princes fortitude of foul, and fufficlent infight and knowledge, to fee that for the 1 700 years paft, the CJjrJJIian fetl had never done anything but harm." Yet we afterwards find Frederick the opponent of that infamoufly profl'gate work," the Syftemof Nature," and ^' tempted to accufe its author of want o^ fenfe and fkill, when calumniating the Chriftian religion, he imputes to it failings that it has not. How(alks he) can its Author with truth aflert, that religion can be the caufe of the misfortunes of mankind ? What is there reprehenfib'e in the morals of the Commandments } The forgivenefs of injuries, charity, humanity ; were not thefe preached by Jefus in his excellent Sermon on the mount?" And a fhort time after fuch a dire6V ac- knowledgment of the excellence of this religion, we find this fame Frederick complimenting Voltaire on being its JcQurge^ and communicating to him his plans for \i%deftru5iion!'^^^ Voltaire would • blaf- [ 39 ] blafpheme the law of Chrlft, retract, re- ceive the Sacrament, and preis the con- fpirators to '' crujlj the wretchT' — I (liud- der while I write thefe horrors ! — " Rouf- feau would Jay afide Chriftianity, or re- fume it again, and with Calvin would partake the lad lupper ; write the mofh i'ublime encomiums on Chrift, that hu- man eloquence could devile, and then finifli by blaTpheming Chrift as a fana- tic*/' — On furveying this conflidl of difcoidant opinions, this vain fport of proftitutcd and wandering rcalon, we have the plaineft indications that the Philofophifts [peak great Jwelling zvords of vanity — they are ever learning, and ne^ ver able to come to the knozvle^dge of the truth — they fpeak evil of the things they underhand not — they fport th em f elves zvith their own deceiving Sy they turn away their ears from the truth, and are turned unto fables. In order to eftablifh their fyftem of ' See Barruel, p. ij— ij, * Barruel, p. 280. uni^ [ 40 ] iiniverfal liberty and equality — the impre- Jcriptible rights of man — thefe Philolo- phifls intend to root out all religion, and al. morality ; and even to break the bonds of domeflic life, by deftroying the veneration for marriage-vows, the reverence of children for their parents, and by taking the education of children out of the hands of the parents. And thus exactly were their antifocialy as well as antichrijiian, principles defcribed in the facred writings. They * defpife go- vernment, prefumptuous are they, Jelf- willed, they are not afraid to fpeak evil of dignities-, they are boaflers, proud, difobe- dient to parents, without natural affedion. *' It is well known with what immenfe pains our Philofophers of the day hav& been forming their pretended phyfical fyftems on the formation and genealogy of the globe." Thefe numerous re- fearches were to appear defigned only for the advancement of fcience and na- tural phiiofophy. Their new Epochs^ '. were [ 41 ] were not to feem (till very lately) to affed: religion : but the whole drift ot their obfervations on natural hiflory was certainly intended to contradidl the Mo- faic hiftory of the creation \ For this they WILLINGLY are ignorant of, that by the zvord of God the heavens were; of oldy and the earth ft anding out of the water and in the water ; whereby the world that then was perifhed. But the heavens and the earth which are nozv, by the fame word are kept in fiore^ referved unto fire againfi the day of judgment^ and perdition of ungodly men^. But whilft the religion of Chrift is thus deprelTed, undervalued, and rejec- ted, Infidelity itfelf contributes to fup- port it5 evidences, and vindicate its ^ Barruel, p. 133— 135- *• For a complete refutation of the attempts made to eftablifh new and anti-fcriptural theories of the earth, fee the truly philofophical refearches of Mr. de Luc. Britifli CritiC; 1 794. truth. [ 40 truth. It rears Its flandard, and allures its profelytes, in exadt conformity to the declarations of the divine oracles. The Free-thinkers of Endand, the Fhilofo- phifts of France, and the llluminati of Germany ; the difciples of Boiingbroke, of Voltaire, and of Weiiliaupt, confirm the divine origin of the Scripmres which they rejedt, and accompliih, in a mofl: ex- act and wondeiful manner, thv predic- tions which are tlic fubicfts of their cbntenipt or ridicule. Maiy^ follozv their feryiincus zvaxs, . nJ by recjon oj them the way of truth is evil jpoken of. They have not only fpoken perverfe things, but have Jrazvn many followers after them. For when thex fpeak great f welling words of vanity, they allure through the lufls of the f^fh^ through much wantonnefSf THOSE THAT WERE CLEAN ESCAPED FROM THEM WHO LIV:E IN ERROR. WhtLE THEY PROMISE THEM LI* BERTY, THEY THEMSELVES ARE THE SERVANTS OF CORRUPTION, ■ ns f"-;. t 43 J fhe JTEW SYSTEM OF PHILOSOPHY Cjia- blijhed by Voltaire^ Jhown to be the esaB refembiance of '^ the Jecond Beajl^'' or THE INFIDEL ANTICHRIST. The following extradl" might be fup- pofed to c ape, from the ludicrous to the pathetic, from the mod leirned and extenfive compilation, to the novel, or the petty pamphlet of the day; coveving truth with a veil, which, fpar'vig the eye that ivns too weak to bear it, left to the reader the pie a Jure of gu effing it, infidioufly careffing prejudices, in or- der to ftrikc at them with more certainty and etifecl; ; leldom menacing more than one at a t me, and that only in part ; fometimes foothing the enemies of rea- (on, by feeming to ajk hut for a half toleration in religion, or a half liberty in polity ; re- f peeling Defpotijm when they combated reli- gious abfurdities, and Religion ivhen they attacked tyranny ; combating thefe two pefs in their very principles, though apparently inveighmg againfl ridiculous and difgufting abiifes", fir iking at the root of thofe pefti' ferous trees, svhilfi they appeared only to wiflo to lop the firaggling branches ; at one time pointing out Superjlition, zvhich covers Dejpotifm with its impenetrable fhield, to the r 46 ] the friends of liberty ^ as the firjl viElim which they are to immolate^ the firjl chain to be cleft afunder \ at another^ denouncing Superjiition to Defpots as the real enemy of their power^ and alarming them with a representation of its hypocritical plots and fanguinary rage ; but never ceafing to clajm the in^ dependence of reafouy and the liberty of the prejs^ as the right and Safeguard of man- kind J inveighing with enthufiaftic e- jiergy againft the crimes of fanaticifm and tyranny ; reprobating, every thing which bore the character of opprefTion, harfhnefs, or barbarity, whether in reli- gion, adminifurat'ion, morals, or laws ; commanding kings, warriors, priefts, and magiftrates, in the name of Nature to fpare the blood of men ; reproaching them, in a ftrain of the mofh energetic feverity, with that which their policy or indifference prodigally laviflied on the fcaffold, or in the field of battle ; in fine, adopting the words reafon, toleration^ and humanity ^ as their fignal and call to arms. - ** Such C 47 3 *' Such was the modern philofophy, fo much detefled by thofe numerous dalles which exift only by the aid of preju- dices. — Its chiefs had the art of efcaping vengeance, while they expofed themfelves to hatred , of concealing themfelves from per- fecuiion^ while they made themfelves fuffici" entlyconfpicitotts to lofe noihiug of their glory,''* It is indeed certain, that, before the age which is now to be the objecfl of our attention, there had long exifted in Europe men, who, led by vanity or vice, did think, and acl, and write, in the manner which Condorcet defcribes. But it does not appear, that^ thefe men were united by any one ruling aim or motive. Whoever will take the trouble of exan^ining the writings of the lafl^ and the very beginning of the prefent century, will find in many a degree of fe If' deception, and oivifionary good, which, though tending to aflift the caufe of athe- iflic anarchy, cannot be deemed the pro- duce [ 48 ] .cluce of fucb a fyftem. Such men were fceptics, not athelfls — republicans, but not anarchiils — admirers of virtue, fci- ence, and freedom ; not advocates for vice, enemies to learning, and deflroyers of liberty. But nothing can more ftrik- ingly exemplify the necefTity of Religion as the guide and curb of human reafon, than the extravagancies into which fuch men have been led, and the dreadful weapons they have furniflied for the hands of their more formidable follow- ers. Some men there undoubtedly were, who, actuated by direct and inveterate enmity to religion and civil government, feparately attacked them both, with ve- hemence and (kill ; but it does not ap- pear that even they formed any abfolute plan^ or league for their deftrudion. Xhis feems to have been referved for the de- moniacal genius' of Voliaire; and the extract I have given from the pen of Condo cet, ought to be confidered as an explanatory (ketch of the fyftem of his mafiery [ 49 ] mafter, rather than a faithful account of the viezvs of his predccefTors. Profejfing to con fid er this nezv philofophy as bene- ficial to the world, he artfully reprefents it to have originated with men lefs like- ly to betray its real nature and tendency, than thofe whofe avowed hatred of re- ligion might render its defign more lia- ble to fufpicion. But on another occa- fion, when celebrating the glories and benefits of the French Revolution, he does ample juftice to his Hero. *« It ap- pears," fays Condorcet in his Life of Voltaire^ '* that it would have been impoffible to fhew in a clearer light, the- eternal obligations which human nature has to Voltaire. Circumftances were fa- vourable. He did not forefee all that he has done, but he has done all that WE NO-W SEE." In order to fl^evv the exa61: refem- blance between this new philofophv as it is called, and " the fecond beail: which VOL. III. D had [ 50 ] had two horns as a lamb, and fpoke as a dragon," / Jhall f elect from the writing^ of its teachers, its principles, its end, and the means by which it ptirfues that end, before I confider the efFedts it has adlu- ally produced. The authorities for all thefe paiTages are before the pubUc ; and as they are allowed to be incontro- vertible, it will be unneceiTary to take up the page with references. " I am weary (faid Voltaire) of hearing people repeat, that twelve men have been fuffi- cient to eftabliCh Chriftianity ; and / will prove that one may fuffice to overthrow it." No precept is oftener repeated by Voltaire than ^' fir ike, but conceal your hand,''^ " The myfieries of Mythra are not to be divulged, the monfter (Religion) muft fall, pierced by a thoufand invifible hands : yes, let it fall beneath a thou- fand repeated blows.'* ," I know not why people are fo obftinately bent on be- lieving me the author of tht Philofophical DiElionary, The greatefl fervice you can do E 51 ] do me, is to affert, though you pledge your fliare in paradife, that I have no hand in that helhfli work.,.. It is betraying one's brethren to prail'e them on ibch an oc- cafion.** " O my brethren, we fhould march clofed, as the Macedonian Pha- lanx ; it was only vanquilhed when it opened. Let the real philofophers unite in a brotherhood like the Free-Alafons ; let them aflemble and fupport each other; let them be faidiful to the aflbci- ation. Such an academy v/ill be far fu- perior to that of Athens, and to all thofe of Paris.'* Aware of the evils of diffen- fions among the brethren^ Voltaire was anxious for a reconciliation between the Atheifts, Deifts, and Spinozifts, or at leaft an agreement not to difclofe their differences. And Rouffeau declares he wrote ,the new Eloifa for this exprefs purpofe. Wifhing to animate the other Chiefs, their eager Principal would write, '* I fear you are not fufiiciently zealous ; you bury your talents ; you fcem only D 2 to [ 5^ ] to contemn, whilil you Ihould abhor and deftroy the monfler....Such is our fitua- tion, that we fliall be the execration of mankind, if we have not the better fort of people on our fide. We mud gain them, coil what it will. Labour there- fore in the vineyard." He who «« knows no other difference between himfelf and his dog than their drefs," wilhes to "die on a heap of Chriflians immolated at his feet." The/^rr^/ watchword of the confpi^ rators was, ^' Ecrafez I'lnfame" (" Crufh Chrifl"), while the " cri de guerre" (" call to arms") was '^ toleration, himanity, rea* Jon,'' When Voltaire gives his reafons for tolerating the Socinians during this war with Chrlfl, he fays, it is <' becaufe J//- lian would have favoured them \ and that he hates what Julian would have hated, and defpifes what JuHan would have de- fpifed." Voltaire at firfl «' did not pretend to enlighten houfemaids and fhoemakers," ^« equally contemning the rabble, whether for or againft them." But [ S3 ] But we (liall find, that, in the progrefs of their work, the nib/^Ie become an objccft of the greateft importance. The cau- tious D'Alembert comphiins that Vol- taire " (hews his fangs too much in the Encyclopedia,'' and rcprefents that "this is the time for llepping back to make the better leap :" he fays however, "with- out doubt we have feveral zvretched ar- ticles in our divinity and metaphyfics; but with divines for cenfors^ and a privi- lege (permiflion from the King to pub- lifh), I defy you to make them better. ^here are articles lefs expofed where all is Jet to rights again '^ In 1762 Voltaire urges more dire (ft meafures : " You have nozv a fair opportunity of filling the En- cyclopedia with thofe truths that we fhould not have dared to utter twenty, years ago."' But finding it necelTary on fome occafions to write in favour of the Chrif- tian religion, he bitterly laments " being obliged to write diredly contrary to what he thinks." D 3 . ^he [ 54 ] The liberty he enjoyed in Holland to print his blafphemous and licentious produc- tions^ firft gave Voltaire a bias in favour of republics ; for he had defended mo- narchy till he found himfelf thwarted in his great defign upon Chriilianity by the prefs of France. Of this prefs how- ever he afterwards took pofleflion, hav- ing by his intrigues gained all the aca- demicians, and /?// the minillers of ftate except 6>;/^ (M. de Muy),to be partizans in the caufe of reafon and liberty ^ ac- cording to his definition of thefe terms. But when he had tried the flrength of his principles upon Geneva, which was conveniently fituated in his neighbour- hood. We find him writing thus upon government. '' The mojl tolerable^ yN'Wh- out doubt, is the republican, becaufe un- der that form men approach the neareft to the ^^«^///jy of nature.*'. Let us now look into feme of the books exprefsly written for general cir- culation ,* [ 55 ] culation; and there we fliall find the tbliowing dodlrines, Ibme of them {land- ins alone in all their naked horrors, others furrounded by fophiftry and me- retricious ornament, to entice the mind into their net before it perceives their nature. " The univerfal Caufe, that God of the Philofophers, of the Jews, and of the Chriftians, is but a chimera, and a phantom." *'The phenomena of nature only prove the exiflence of God to a few prepqjj'ejed men ; ^o far from beipeak- ing a God, they are but the necelfaryef- fedls of matter prodigioufly diverfified.** '^ It is more realbnable to admit with Manes'^, of a tzvc-fold God, than of the God ° I am aware that it was an artifice of the Papal Church to extend the defervedly unpopular name oi Manicheans to many lefts, which hail nothing in common with the Manicheans, but their oppo- sition to the ruling powers of the Church of Rome. What the Abbe Barruel fays upon the fubjeft mull: therefore be received with hefitation : fmce, though I admit the merit of his labours, and the truth of * D 4 his [ 56 ] Godof Chrlilianity." "We cannot know whether a God really exifts, or whether there is the fmallcfl difference between good and evil, or vice and virtue." "No- thing can be more abfurd than to be- lieve the foul a fpiritual being." " The immortality of the foul, fo far from ili- mulating man to the pradice of virtue, is nothing but a barbarous, defperate, fatal tenet, and contrary to -all legifla- tion." " All ideas of jufhice and injuflice, his fa