poses of the Divine miffion ";" for they were fully aware that the paffage from Socinianism to Deifm is not long. M And this "The fcheme fucceeded but too well. 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"." And thus they became powerful engines in the hands of Infidelity and Anarchy, however they may acquit themfelves of the charge of being partizans . Rife and Progress of Jacobinifm. h Rife and Progrefs of Jacobinifm. i It is a well known fact, that Socinianifm has ba nished Arianifm. In this country there are very few Arian congregations left, and scarcely 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 paffed in their favour even in the beginning of the present reign, was declared by themfelves to be perfectly fatisfactory as far as religious tole ration was concerned. But Dr. Price and Dr. Prieftley very foon changed their language. In It was In the In Germany the jealoufies, animofities, and religious difputes which continually. agitated the many fmall contiguous principalities, profeffing 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 Protestants, and their only fupport against the Roman Catholics, feuring them both in their religious and civil rights. therefore encouraged by their governments and fometimes indulged to excefs. progrefs of this conteft their own confeffions did not efcape 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 twifting the Bible, men's minds had hardly any thing left to rest on as a doctrine of Revealed Religion. This encouraged others to go further, and to fay, that Revelation was a folecifm, as plainly appeared by the irreconcileable differences among thefe Enlighteners (fo they were were called) of the public; and that man had nothing to truft to but the dictates of natural reafon. Another fet of writers, proceeding from this as a point already settled, profcribed all Religion whatever, and openly taught the doctrines of Materialism and Atheism. Moft of those innovations were the work of Proteftant divines, from the causes that I have mentioned ." By this time Nicholai, the famous bookfeller of Berlin, and Prime agent of the Philofophists, had almost monopolized the literature of Germany and Holland, and had difperfed their poifon with unremitted induftry. "Voltaire had fo perfectly brought thefe Antichriftian productions into fashion, that this fpecies of literature was the refource and livelihood of those miserable fcribblers, who fed upon their traffic 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 Robifon. 1 Barruel. This a Philanthropine, or Academy of general education, in the principality of AnhaltDeffau. The professed object of this institution was, to unite the three Chriftian communions of Germany, 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. attempt naturally gave rife to much Speculation and refinement; and the proposals for amendment of the formulas, and the inftructions from the pulpit, were profecuted with so much keenness, that the ground-work, Christianity, was refined and refined, till it vanished altogether, leaving Deism, 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 master-piece of art, were enticed by the Specious liberality of the fcheme, and the particular attention which it promised to the morals of youth. But not one Roman Catholic could Bafedow allure to his Seminary of Practical Ethics" Thus have" those who were clean escaped from error, been m Robifon. feduced feduced by the form of godlinefs, and great fwelling words of vanity, to quit the faith as it is in Jefus." Proofs of the exact refemblance between the new Philofophy and the fecond Beaft continued. The femblance of these powers of the Beast 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 Illuminifm must be allowed to be a yet more literal accomplishment of this wonderful Prophecy. There we fhall indeed find a 46 mystery of iniquity," which we may venture to pronounce will never be exceeded. The pupils of this fect of Voltaire's dif ciples are expressly told, that "THE ORDER CONTAINS A RELIGION WHICH IS THE PERFECTION OF CHRISTIANITY." |