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our fundamental principles, fo unquestionably · dangerous to the world, who would remain? What fignify the innocent ceremonies of the Prieft's degree, in comparifon with your maxim, that we may ufe for a good end thofe means which the wicked employ for a base purpofe "The Order muft poffefs the power of life and death, in confequence of our oath, and with propriety, for the fame reason, and by the fame right, that any government in the world poffeffes it: for the Order comes in their place, making them unnecessary. When things cannot be otherwife, and ruin would enfue if the affociation did not employ this mean, the Order muft, as well as public rulers, employ it for the good of mankind, and therefore for its own prefervation. Nor will the political conftitution fuffer by this; for there are always thoufands equally ready and able to fupply the place." We need not wonder

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thofe brethren who had a turn for fenfual pleasure." Let me intreat my fair countrywomen to peruse the admirable Addrefs of Profeffor Robinson to them, upon the importance of their conduct at the prefent moment; confidered with a view to the real dignity of the fex, and the true interefts of the nation. See Robinfon, p. 243. This Address may ferve as an excellent Introduction to Mifs H. More's Strictures on Female Education"-a work which, in confequence of its very great merit, has obtained a degree of popularity almost unprecedented,

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that one of the chiefs told the profeffors that "death, inévitable death, from which no potentate could protect them, awaited every traitor to the Order; or that the French Convention, "the Image which this Beast caused to be made," propofed to take off the German Princes and Generals, and whoever was in their way, by fword or poison.

Voltaire, Rouffeau, and their affociates, had founded their fyftem upon liberty and equality. They began with afferting, that all men were equal and free-then, masking their defign under the right of free enquiry, they gradually annihilated Chriftianity in the minds of their adepts; and leaving no other bafis for any religion to rest upon than the sophistry of a reason, the perpetual sport of the passions and the imagination, they conducted them to Materialism and Atheism. With refpect to Government, they afferted, that all men being equal and free, every citizen had an equal right to form the laws, and to the title of fovereign". And by thus abandoning all authority to the capricious fluctuations of the multitude, and declaring that no government can be legiti

■ It will be recollected that the French have publickly called themselves "A nation of kings."

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mate, but that founded on the will of the Sovereign people, they struck at the root of all government whatever, while they perceived the neceffity of establishing a fort of temporary democracy in France, for the purpose of conipleting their object, UNIVERSAL RUIN. Illuminism was therefore only a more dreadful form of the fame Syftem of abomination. The principles were the fame, but surrounded with the terrors characteristic of a German inftitution, and leading more directly to the proposed end, by means more grofsly profligate, yet equally infidious-means which could not have fucceeded, unless the world had been prepared by the fecret operations of the difciples of Voltaire.

Application of the foregoing Facts to
Prophecy.

As it appears that Illuminism has produced in Germany the fame gradual progrefs from religion to atheism, from decency to diffolutenefs, from loyalty to rebellion, which the fecret orders of Free-Masonry have done in France, and by fimilar means: we are as clearly authorized to confider the Sect of the

Illuminati

Illuminati to be one of the horns of the Infidel Beaft, as we were to conclude the association of French Sophifts to be the other. We have now feen the Beaft create a power by means of thefe horns, unknown in the history of the world, and in a manner equally unprecedented. We have feen thefe horns under the appearance of PHILANTHROPY, MORALITY, and RELIGION, TAKE POSSESSION OF AN AUTHORITY which NO CIVIL MAGISTRATE COULD EVER OBTAIN, WITHOUT THE WORLD'S PERCEIVING THAT THEY POSSESSED IT-We have feen them, WITHOUT ASSUMING THE SLIGHTEST APPEARANCE OF CIVIL POWER, fecure a multitude of tried and zealous adherents, ready to contribute DIRECTLY or INDIRECTLY, according to the ranks in which (unknown to themselves) they were placed by the supreme conductors of the plan.-We have seen them, in fine, gradually PERSUADE THESE MEN, THAT FORCE WOULD BE NECESSARY TO “OVERTURN THE PRESENT REIGN OF DESPOTISM, AND RESTORE THE GOLDEN AGE; AND PREPARE THEM TO RAISE UP A CIVIL POWER IN ORDER TO EXECUTE THIS GLO

RIOUS DESIGN. Reader! Is it poffible for events to fulfil a Prophecy more accurately * ?

See Introductory Chapter, vol. i. p. 379.

Let

Let it not be pretended that these events arofe out of a series of accidental circumftances —were the natural effects of the preffure of a defpotic yoke—or any other common cause of revolutions. The formation of a civil power as the inftrument of its defigns, was a part of the original plan fuggefted by the great enemy of Chrift and of mankind. In proof of this I fhall quote a letter written by a nobleman well known for his literary productions, when the vifited Paris in the year 1765; and which, I beg to obferve, ftrongly confirms the affertion in the former part of this Chapter, that the Free-Thinkers of England had not at that time any connexion with the Philofophers of France. "The Dauphin will probably hold out a very few days. His death, that is, the near profpect of it, fills the Philofophers with the greatest joy, as it was feared he would endeavour the reftoration of the Jefuits. You will think the Sentiments of the Philofophers very odd ftatenews-but do you know who the Philofophers are, or what the term means HERE? In the first place, it comprehends almost every body; and in the next, means men, who, avowing war against popery, aim, many of them, at a subverfion of all religion, and ftill many more, at

* Lord Orford's Works, vol. v. p. 123.

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