phemous and myftical equality, refolving to overwhelm the world with ATHEISM, ANARCHY, AND

RUIN.

To trace the "afcent" of this power from its fource, and to unfold all its infernal principles and actions in this place, would be both unneceffary and improper; as many of them are more particularly foretold in the fubfequent verfes: not to fay that it would be inconfiftent with the design of these brief explanations, and require many volumes. There are indeed many dreadful records of thefe tranfactions already before the public, and written by refpectable men, in whofe recital of facts the utmost confidence may be repofed. In the books I refer to, the" afcent" of the revolutionary power of France, its impious and atheiftical principles, and its ruinous exploits, are clearly delineated. Indeed it is impoffible for any unprejudiced perfon, agreeing with me in my interpretation of the text, and who has only read the daily papers, reciting the dreadful principles and tranfactions of the French republic, not to perceive the prototype of the "beaft of the "bottomlefs pit" before him. For thefe reasons, I fhall have occafion here to do no more, than take a very curfory view of the origin and " afcent" of this monftrous power.

It is neceffary to obferve, as it leads to the firft great feature in the defcription of the French republic, that the prophets, when speaking of their other beafts, make ufe of the words " come up," appear," ," and "rife," in the world: but that the prophet here informs us, that the "beaft of the "bottomlefs pit" was to "afcend," to denote that its political prototype fhould gradually and imperceptibly be rifing for fome time, before it fhould pour out its poifonous principles, and commit its ravage and havoc on mankind; as the vapours,

which are to form the cloud, gradually and imperceptibly afcend" in the atmosphere, until it is prepared to discharge its inundating forms of rain, hail, thunder, and lightning, upon the earth. Here we have an undoubted allufion to the manner, in which the atheistical republic of France was to come. For it will presently be feen, that it has long fince been conceived, and gradually and imperceptibly, within the laft century, growing to maturity, and is now brought forth in the fight of all mankind.

To illuftrate these truths, we must look back to the ancient pride and luft of France ("the bottomlefs pit" here alluded to) for universal dominion; to its intolerant and bloodthirsty fuperftition, and to the modern, myftical, and impious French philofophy: for all of them have had their fhare in begetting, nourishing, and bringing the revolutionary hydra to maturity. Abundant evidence is to be found in the hiftories of Europe, that the French nation has far furpaffed all others in pride, ambition, diffipation, and licentioufnefs; that it has been the common difturber of the peace of Europe: and that its ceaselefs aim has been the fubjugating mankind to its power, its vice, bigotry, and defpotifm. To thefe inordinate paffions, it has, without intermiffion or remorfe, facrificed all the principles of honour, juftice, and humanity. Regardless of its treaties with other nations, it has no longer ob served, than it wanted power to violate them with impunity. How often, by its intrigues and confpifacies, as well as by open force, has it involved Great Britain, Germany, and the neighbouring nations, in fcenes of bloodshed and defolation? And what pen can calculate the millions of the human race, that have fallen victims to its fuperftition, and policy, and public perfidy?

The

The French nation, if it was not the firft, was among the firft which became perverted from the Gofpel of Chrift, to Papal idolatry and blafphemy; and ever fince, till of late, has been their principal fupport and protection. Twice it faved that idolatrous and blafphemous power from utter ruin, when in its infancy; and from that time has been under the influence of the Popes of Rome, the moti potent and bloody perfecutors of every denomination of Chriftians in the western hemifphere, that has differed in opinion from it. The numbers that have been maffacred at home, and have perithed in foreign wars, furpafs calculation. Of the Waldenfes and Albigenfes, that fmall remnant of the Chriftian church, which exifted in the twelfth century, upwards of a million of men, women, and children, were in a few years inhumanly murdered; befides: numbers, who fled into mountains, rocks, and deferts, to avoid the horrid carnage. In its long-protracted wars with the Hugonot Proteftants, not lefs than a million more were facrificed by its all-devouring fword. And for what crime, for what offence were thofe innocents deftroyed, but for that of be-lieving the truths, and practifing the precepts revealed by God to his creatures, through the two Teftaments? For thefe barbarous and bloody fervices, the French nation has been honoured by the church of Rome, with the title of the eldest fon of

the church!

At first view, fuch bigoted fanaticifm feems incompatible with atheifm, but the reverfe is true. For it must be confeffed, that every deviation and apoftacy from the principles of thofe truths which proceed from GOD, the great fource and effence of all truth, is a ftep towards error; and the greater the firide, the nearer the approach to a total difbelief of a First Caufe. The Papal fanaticism is evidently a grofs corruption, and departure from the

divine truths, revealed by the Spirit of God, through his bleffed Son. The belief in tranfubftantiation, in the power of priests ordained by man, to forgive fins, in the worship of images, faints, and dead men, and in the infallibility of the Pope, are in direct oppofition to the divine truths of the Gofpel. The first is a manifeft perverfion of the words of Chrift, from their metaphorical and fpiritual fenfe into a blafphemous mystery; the fecond, into a daring affumption of one of the attributes of God, his infinite mercy; the third, a direct disobedience of one of his express commands; and the laft, a flat denial of God's fupremacy, by an unqualified affertion of the Pope's being equal to him. Thus far advanced on the high road of error and blafphemy, the French nation had only a fingle ftep more to take, to arrive at the most palpable of all falfehoods, the groffeft of all lies, the non-existence of a God-ATHEISM.

Be it remembered, that about the middle of the last century, three men were born in France, who feem, from their conduct, to have been fenfible of the preceding truths. They are unhappily well known in the world by the names of Voltaire, D'Alembert, and Diderot. They falfely called themselves philofophers, and yet they hated wifdom; and their doctrines they named philofophy, although they were founded in myftical folly. They were men of ftrong and extenfive mental powers, and men of learning, but of the moft reftlefs fpirits, of pride and ambition infatiable, and of application and induftry, which never loft fight of their object. Nor could they ever be difcouraged in the pursuit of it. If they loved any thing except themselves, it was the perverfion of truth, a relifh for mischief and anarchy. Like Satan, they haied God himfelf; only because he was their creator, benefactor, and fuperior. Thus difpofed, they entered into a horrid confpiracy to fubvert, and utterly deftroy all the focial order, peace,

peace, and happinefs of the world, which had been founded upon the truths revealed by God in the two Teftaments. But how was this black and execrable plot to be accomplished? It was only by feducing and cheating mankind into a belief of the reverte of thofe facred truths. And as this was a work of time. and immenfe labour, which called for all the cunning, delufion, and fraud, that the depraved fagacity of men or devils could invent, they fought for the aid of others. Nor was it difficult, in this age of too much infidelity, to find it. They were joined by the Sceptic, Spinofft, Materialist, Fatalist, and the higher atheistical orders of the occult lodges of freemafonry; thofe dark caverns, where the "mystery "of iniquity" has for ages been concealed under the moft horrid and inviolable oaths; oaths inviolate only through the dread of tremendous execrations, and threatened death! thofe dark and unfathomable gulfs of treason, 'poison, affaffination, and murder. This affiliation was natural; for they all held partly the fame impious principles, had the fame unlimited pride, the fame infatiable ambition, the fame disbelief of a God and his providence, the fame thirst for univerfal power, and the fame love of mischief and anarchy: each individual, with ineffable arrogance, pei fuading himself that he could "walk in the whirlwind, and direct the ftorm."

To begin this infernal work, they wrote and published, more than half a century paft, the ENCYCLOPÆDIA. This compilation was a vaft and laboured collection, and among other things, of the dark and mystical parts of ancient, and of the errors of modern philofophy and impiety; or, as the ingenious Barruel in his Memoirs comprehenfively defcribes it, a vaft emporium of all the fophifms, errors, and calumnies against religion, from the first fchools of impiety to the day of their enterprife; or,