virtuous citizens fell victims to her insatiable cruelty. Personal agrandisement became the sole object of her ambition; and, under the fair pretence of philosophy, of enlightened policy, and of regard to the public weal, a whole nation was laid in ruins, every public institution was plundered, the state was sunk in anarchy and confusion, deeds of blood too shocking to describe were perpetrated, and the church herself, already sufficiently degraded, was made the organ of propagating blasphemies the most hideous against the God of heaven. "Infidelity," observes a spirited and able chronicler of these events,* "having got possession of the power of the state, every nerve was exerted to efface from the mind all ideas of religion and morality. The doctrine of the immortality of the soul, or a future state of rewards and punishments, so essential to the preservation of order in society, and to the prevention of crimes, was publicly ridiculed, and the people were taught to believe that death was an everlasting sleep.

Temple of Rea

They ordered the words son' to be inscribed on the churches, in contempt of the doctrine of revelation. Atheistical and licentious homilies were published in the churches, instead of the old service; and a ludicrous imitation of the Greek mythology exhibited under the title of The Religion of Reason.' Nay, they went so far as to dress up, with the most fantastic decorations, a common strumpet, whom they blasphemously styled The Goddess of Reason,' and who was carried to church on the shoulders of some jacobins selected for the purpose, escorted by the national guards and the constituted authorities. When they got to the church, the strumpet was placed on the altar erected for the purpose, and harangued the people, who, in return, professed the deepest adoration of her, and sung the Carmagnole and other songs by way of worshipping her. This horrid scene-almost too horrible to relate-was concluded by burning the prayer-book, confessional, and every thing appropriated to the use of public worship; numbers, in the mean time, danced round the flames with every appearance

of frantic and infernal mirth." I might also notice the fiend-like malignity which was directed against the institution of the Sabbath, during the reign of terror in France, as if the sole design of that desperate faction was not only to efface all reverence for the Deity from the public mind, but also to destroy every memorial of an intelligent creature's obligation to him, and every symbol of the existence of a moral government.

Let revolutionary and infidel France teach mankind, by one great and affecting lesson, what the enemies of Revelation can do to heighten the standard of national morals, and to render inviolable the persons and properties of men. With the page of their own infamous history before them, let sceptics of every school blush to talk of the benefits which their system is fitted to confer on the human race. And let them remember, that the grand reason why the prevalence of their principles has ever issued in the disruption of every social and moral tie, has been because there "" was no fear of God before their

eyes."

CHAPTER V.

A CONTRASTED VIEW OF INFIDELITY AND

CHRISTIANITY.*

FROM Such scenes as these, how delightful to turn to the pure, and mild, and benignant genius of Christianity! Were her golden rule-"as ye

The Bishop of Calcutta, in his twenty-second lecture on the "Evidences of Christianity," has finely contrasted the character of Voltaire with that of the Hon. Robert Boyle. "Now contrast," says he, "with this character, any of the eminent Christians that adorned their own country and Europe about the same period. Take the HON. ROBERT BOYLE, of whom it is difficult to say whether his piety, as a Christian, or his fame, as a philosopher, was most remarkable. Consider the compass of his mind, the solidity of his judgment, the fertility of his pen, the purity of his morals, the amiableness of his temper, his beneficence to the poor and distressed, his uniform friendships, his conscientious aim at truth in all his pursuits and determinations. At an early age he examined the question of the Christian religion to the bottom, on occasion of some distracting doubts which assaulted his mind. Confirmed in the truth of Christianity, his whole life was a comment on his sincerity. He was admitted to certain secret meetings before he had reached mature years-but they were graced and enlightened associations-for can

would that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto them"-the universal law of all the families and nations under heaven, how would it change the face of society!-how would it stem the torrent of pride, ambition, and vain glory!

*

vassing subjects of natural philosophy, at a time when the civil wars suspended all academical studies, and they led to the formation of one of the noblest establishments of his country. His disinterestedness and humility were such that he refused the provostship of Eton, and the honours of a peerage, that he might devote his talents and time and noble fortune to works of public utility and benevolence. His uniform regard to truth made him the example and admiration of his age. His tenderness of conscience led him to decline the most honourable officet in the scientific world, because he doubted about the oaths prescribed, and his reverence for the glorious Creator induced him to pause whenever he pronounced his name. From such a student we may expect truth. From such a philosopher we receive, with unmixed pleasure, A Treatise of the high veneration which men's intellect owes to God;' or a discourse 'On greatness of mind promoted by Christianity.' §” The same excellent author furnishes the following admirable contrasts:

"Contrast, in point of mere benevolence, the lives and deportment of such an infidel as Rousseau, and such a Christian as Doddridge; the one all pride, selfishness, fury, caprice, rage, gross sensuality-casting about firebrands and death-professing no rule of morals but his feelings, abusing the finest powers to the dissemination, not merely of

*The Royal Society. Published in 1685.

+ President of the Royal Society. Published in 1690.