their own declaration, that " none but a Brutus, or a Catiline, was fit for their higher myfteries," I think we can scarcely avoid fuppofing, that the commencement or the establishment of the REIGN OF THE IMAGE may be dated from this memorable day. I shall now therefore requeft the attention of the Reader to "the POWER of the image made by them which dwell on the earth, and to which the Beaft gave life."

The REVOLUTIONARY TYRANNY OF FRANCE, Shown to be the exact Refemblance of THE

IMAGE OF THE BEAST.

It is fcarcely poffible to contemplate the horrors which the Révolution in France has produced in France itfelf, without enquiring into the previous ftate of a country fo peculiarly afflicted. Hiftory will furnish ample evidence for the juftice of exemplary punishment, when the recites the perfecutions, the licentiousness, and the Infidelity which have long diftinguished that unhappy country; and Religion, in fuch a case, may " vindicate the ways of God to man," without offence against

againft that charity which is her peculiar characteristic.

The cruel perfecutions, and "the slaughter of the faints," have been noticed in a former Chapter; and for proofs of the long preeminence of France in open vice and irreligion, we may appeal to the numerous Memoirs which defcribe their manners. From them it will appear, that the court of France has been, with fhort exceptions, the feat of profligate wickedness, from the reign of Francis I. to go no farther back, and that the must be confidered as the grand corruptrefs of nations, fince the power of Rome declined. The univerfal prevalence of irreligion in this unhappy country, is thus defcribed by a writer not at all difpofed to cenfure thofe with too much. feverity, who intermix the refinements of Philofophy with religious inquiries. When I was myself in France, in the year 1774, I faw fufficient reason to believe, that hardly any perfon of eminence in Church or State, and especially in the least degree eminent in Philosophy or literature (whose opinions in all coun→ tries are fooner or later adopted by others), were believers in Chriftianity; and no perfon

See p. 32, of this volume.

VOL. II.

will

will fuppofe, that there has been any change in favour of Chriftianity in the last twenty years. A perfon, I believe now living, and one of the best informed men in the country, affured me very gravely, that (paying me a compliment) I was the first perfon he had ever met with, of whofe understanding he had any opinion, who pretended to believe Christianity. To this all the company affented. And not only were the Philofophers, and other leading men in France, at that time unbelievers in Christianity, or Deifts, but Atheists, denying the being of a God "." And the triumphant entry of Voltaire into Paris immediately before his death in 1778, when viewed with all its extraordinary attending circumftances, may well be confidered as announcing a very general apoftacy from the church of Chrift, in all ranks. of people.

We have feen that it is according to the ufual courfe of God's Providence to make a people, remarkable for their wickedness," the rod of his anger."—We have seen, from the courfe of Prophecy, that the power appointed to execute his wrath upon "the kingdom of

Priestley's Faft Sermon, 1794.

< See Robifon's Account of the Clergy in France, 3d Edit. with the Poftfcript.

the beaft;" was to be at the fame time the cause of its own mifery.-And we have seen the Revolution in France, which is univerfally allowed to be in its origin, its principles, and its confequences, unparalleled in the history of the world, to be the work of the Infidel Antichrift, and the accurate accomplishment of Prophecy, while it baffles explanation upon any principles derived from experience, or any other fource of human knowledge.

It has been shown alfo, that "the reign of the Image" is to be the last great effort which the enemy of mankind will be permitted to make against the Religion of Christ, and that it is to be made, in the hands of God, the minister of punishment and correction to the earth. And it will be confeffed, that the power which Infidelity has raifed up, and continues to direct in France, is peculiarly fuited to be the fcourge of nations, and the trial of their faith. This wonderful Power acknowledges no principles, religious or moral-no customs, political, civil, or civilized-of a nature to restrain the full exercise of cruelty, licentiousness, and rapine; and the crimes and horrors which have marked its reign, exceed all past experience of the depravity of man. The most savage hordes that history mentions, appear to have

had, among themselves at least, fome law, fome faith, fome honour, fome generofity, Some humanity. But where shall we find these qua lities in the creed, or in the conduct of apoftate Infidelity? Can we conceive more tremendous inftruments of the wrath of God, than a people thus deftitute of every principle which can diftinguish men from brutes, or demons; and befides, remarkable for natural activity, vivacity, ingenuity, and impetuofity, and for acquired skill in all the arts of civilization, in all the deceivablenefs of fin?

It is a painful task to search the registers of wickedness and woe; and I fhall fpare my Readers and myself a long enumeration of the crimes and horrors which diftinguish that Syftem of rapine and treachery, of cruelty and blafphemy, by which the Atheistic monsters of France hold their wretched country in more direful flavery than ever yet existed, while they execute the judgments of the Almighty upon a guilty world. But the neceffity of supporting a novel opinion upon a facred fubject, by the teftimony of FACTS, muft conquer the feelings of difgust and sensibility, and enable me to give a sketch of this terrific power, and then felect fome ftriking teftimonies to the fidelity of the defcription. For it yet remains

for