tribute animation and intelligence to objects really destitute of both. For example; "Let the floods clap their hauds; praise the Lord-ye dragons and all deeps; fire and hail; snow and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word; mountains and all hills; fruitful trees and all cedars, &c. &c." I am the more confirmed in this interpretation, because, in verse 9, of the same Psalm, it is said, "For thou, Jehovah, art most high over all the earth; thou art exalted far above all gods, on; that is, exalted far above all who are worshipped by the heathen as gods; not above the angels. This latter sense seems to me quite unsuitable to the object of the context; which is not designed to reprehend the heathen for the worship of angels, but of idols. 2. But allowing that Elohim may be translated angels, as the Septuagint have rendered it, (which seems to be a very liberal allowance, as it would be difficult to show, by any philological process, that the word has such a meaning in the Hebrew ;) still there is another difficulty. What part of Psalm XCVII relates to the birth of Christ, or to his introduction into the world? or, if you please, to his entrance on the official duties of his station as Mediator. But the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews says, that the words in question were spoken to him when he is introduced into the world. I have laid before your readers, my difficulties respecting the opinion of those commentators, who maintain that the quotation in question is from Ps. xcvii. 7. I would simply add, that in the Epistle to the Hebrews it is quoted, "Let all the angels of God worship him;" while in the Septuagint, it runs thus, "Let all his angels worship him." This diversity, however, is not of any serious impor tance. Other commentators maintain, that the quotation in Heb. i, 6, 7, is made from the Sept. version of Deut. xxxii, 43, where the very words quoted are found. But here too, I find myself encompassed with difficulties. For (1,) The original Hebrew, (and our English version in conformity to it) has nothing of the passage in question. Can that be the basis of the apostle's argument from the Hebrew Scriptures, addressed to Hebrews, which is not found in those sacred writings? But (2.) If it were in the original, the context has no relation to the birth of Christ, or his introduction to his official duties. It relates to the triumph of the Jews over their heathen enemies. How then can an argument be built upon it, to prove the superiority of Christ over the angels? I am aware, Mr. Editor, that the solution of these difficulties involves some very important principles of interpretation; and perhaps some things, moreover, of no small importance in respect to the modes of argument employed by the sacred wri.ters. Relief from these difficulties cannot be found, by rejecting from the Canon, as some have done, the Epistle to the Hebrews, because it contains them. The same principle must lead to the rejection of all the other parts of the New Testament, where similar methods of argumentation are employed. If any of your readers will contribute to throw light on the subject above proposed, I am sure they will perform a very grateful and useful service, to all attentive readers of the New Testament. How far the argumentum ad hominem, and the argumentum ex concessis is employed by the sacred writers, is a question of deep and vital interest to every interpreter of the word of God; a question, I may add, which has been much oftener agitated with heat and passion than with argument; and about which, most men if they will turn their thoughts within, have much less definite and settled opinions, that are capable of a rational defence, than they are apt to imagine. AN INQUIRER. Jiscellaneous. Extract from a Discourse, delivered July 28, 1812, on the public Fast,by the late President Dwight. The first public appearance of Deism was about the middle of the 16th century: when several persons in Italy, and France, assumed the title of Deists, as an express distinction of themselves from Christians. They are mentioned by the celebrated Viret, an eminent Reformer, as treating the Scriptures as a collection of fables, and laughing at all religion. Several men of this class appeared in England, also, about the latter part of the same century. But neither in Great Britain, nor on the continent, did they make any considerable impression upon public opinion. In the year 1624, Lord Herbert of Cherbury, a man of con siderable talents and learning, published his book concerning truth, at Paris. It was afterwards published in England, together with two others. A fourth was added to them after his death. In these he attempted to reduce Deism to a system. From this time writers of this class multiplied, both in Great Britain and on the continent of Europe. In such a world as this, it was impossible that they should not find adherents. About the year 1728, the great æra of infidelity, Voltaire formed a set design to destroy the Christian religion. For this purpose he enga ged, at several succeeding periods, a Dumber of men, distinguished for power, talents, reputation, and influence ; all deadly enemies to the Gospel; Atheists; men of profligate principles, and profligate lives. This design he pursued with unabated zeal 50 years; and was seconded by his associates, with an ardour and industry, scarcely inferior to his own. In consequence of their united labours, and of the labours of others, from time to time combined with them, they ultimately spread the design throughout a great part of Europe; and embarked in it individuals, at little distances, over almost the whole of that continent.Their adherents inserted themselves into every place, office, and employment, in which their agency might become efficacious, and which furnished an opportunity of spreading their corruptions. They were found in every literary institution, from the Abecedarian school to the Academy of sciences; and in every civil office, from that of the bailiff to that of the monarch. They swarmed in the palace; they haunted the church. Wherever mischief could be done, they were found and, wherever they were found, mischief was extensively done. Of books they controlled the publication, the sale, and the character. An immense number they formed; an immense number they forged; prefixed to them the names of reputable writers, and sent them into the world, to be sold for a song; and, when that could not be done, to be given away. Within a period, shorter than could have been imagined, they possessed themselves, to a great extent, of a control, nearly absolute, of the literary, religious, and political state of Europe. With these advantages in their hands, it will easily be believed, that they left no instrument unemployed, and no measure untried, to accomplish their own malignant purposes. With a diligence, courage, constancy, activity, and perseverance, which might rival the efforts of demons themselves, they penetrated into every corner of human society. Scarcely a man, woman, or child, was left unassailed, wherever there was a single hope, that the attack might be successful. Books were written and published, in innumerable multitudes, in which infidelity was brought down to the level of peasants, and even of children; and poured with immense assiduity into the cottage and the school. Others of a superior kind, crept into the shop, and the farm-house; and others, of a still higher class, found their way to the drawing-room, the uni versity, and the palace. The business of all men, who were of any importance, and the education of the children of all such men, was, as far as possible, engrossed, or at least influenced, by these banditti of the moral world; and the hearts of those who had no importance, but in their numbers, and physical strength. A sensual, profligate nobility, and princes, if possible, still more sensual and profligate, easily yielded themselves and their children, into the hands of these minions of corruption. Too ignorant, too enervated, or too indolent, to understand, or even to inquire that they might understand the tendency of all these efforts, they marched quietly on to the gulf of ruin, which was already opened to receive them. With these was combined a priesthood, which, in all its dignified ranks, was still more putrid; and which eagerly yielded up the surplice and the lawn, the desk and the altar, to destroy that Bible, which they had vowed to defend, as well as to preach; and to renew the crucifixion of that Redeemer, whom they had sworn to worship. By these agents, and these efforts, the plague was spread with a rapidity, and to an extent, which astonished heaven and earth life went out, not in solitary cases, but by an universal extinction. and While these measures were thus going on with a success scarcely interrupted, Dr. Adam Weishaupt, professor of the Canon Law in the university of Ingoldstadt, a city of Bavaria, a man of no contemptible talents, but of immense turpitude, and a Jesuit, established the society of Illuminees. Into this establishment he brought all the systematized iniquity of his brotherhood; distin guished beyond every other class of men for cunning, mischief, an absolute destitution of conscience, an absolute disregard of all the interests of man, and a torpid insensibility to moral obligation. No fraternity, for so long a time, or to so great an extent, united within its pale such a mass of talents; or employed in its service such a succession of vigorous efforts. The serpentine system of this order Weishaupt perfectly understood. The great design of the Jesuits had always been to engross the power and influence of Europe, and to regulate all its important affairs. The system of measures, which they had adopted for this end, was superior to every preceding scheme of human policy. To this design Weishaupt, who was more absolutely an Atheist than Voltaire, and as cordially wished for the ruin of Christianity, superadded a general intention of destroying the moral character of man. The system of policy, adopted by the Jesuits, was, therefore, exactly fitted to his purpose: for the design, with this superaddition, was exactly the same. With these advantageous preparations, be boldly undertook this work of destruction; and laid the axe at the root of all moral principle, and the sense of all moral obligation, by establishing a few fundamental doctrines, which were amply sufficient for this purpose. These were, that God is nothing; that government is a curse, and authority an usurpation; that civil society is the only apostacy of man; that the possession of property is robbery; that chastity and natural affection are mere prejudices; and that adultery, assassination, poisoning, and other crimes of a similar nature are lawful, and even virtuous.-Under these circumstances, were founded the societies of IIluminism. They spread, of course, with a rapidity, which nothing but fact could have induced any sober mind to believe. Before the year 1786, they were established in great numbers throughout Germany, in Sweden, Russia, Poland, Austria, destruction, fell by the hand of vioHolland, France, Switzerland, Italy, lence. Enemies to all men, they England, Scotland, and even in America. In all these was taught the grand and sweeping principle of corruption, that the End sanctions the Means; a principle, which, if every where adopted, would overturn the universe. The design of the founder and his coadjutors was nothing less than to engross the empire of the world, and to place mankind beneath the feet of bimself, and his successors. Voltaire died in the year following the establishment of Illuminism. His disciples with one heart, and one voice, united in its interests; and, finding a more absolute system of corruption than themselves had been able to form, entered eagerly into all its plans and purposes. Thenceforward, therefore, all the legions of infidelity are to be considered as embarked in a single botton; and as cruising together against order, peace, and virtue, on a voyage of rapine and blood. The French revolution burst upon mankind at this moment. Here was opened an ample field for the labours of these abandoned men in the work of pollution and death. There is no small reason to believe, that every individual illuminee, and almost, if not quite, every infidel, on the continent of Europe, lent his labours, when he could; and his wish es, when he could not; for the advancement of the sius and the miseries, which attended this unexampled corruption. Had not God taken the wise in their own craftiness, and caused the wicked to fall into the pit which they digged, and into the snares which their hands had set, it is impossible to conjecture the extent to which they would have carried their devastation of human happiness. But, like the profligate rulers of Israel, those who succeeded, regularly destroyed their predeces sors. Between 90 and 100 of those, who were leaders in this mighty work of were of course enemies to each other. Butchers of the human race, they soon whetted the knife for each other's throats: and the tremendous Being, who rules the universe, whose existence they had denied in a solemn act of legislation, whose perfections they had made the butt of public scorn and private insult, whose Son they had crucified afresh, and whose Word they had burnt by the hands of the common hangman ; swept them all by the hand of violence into an untimely grave. The tale made every ear, which heard it, tingle, and every heart chill with horror. It was, in the language of Ossian, "the song of death." It was like the reign of the plague in a populous city. Knell tolled upon knell; hearse followed hearse; and coffin rumbled after coffin; without a mourner to shed a tear upon the corpse, or a solitary attendant to mark the place of the grave. one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, the world went forth and looked after the carcasses of the men, who transgressed against God; and they were an abhorring unto all flesh. From -The miseries brought upon the French nation by the Infidels, who were the agents in its republican government, soon became intolera ble. The whole system was formed of a fiend-like oppression; and the empire was filled with alarm, and blood, and wo. The period of their domination became more and more dreadful; and a considerable part of it was denominated the "reign of terror;" the first time, it is believed, in which this phraseology came into proverbial use. France became a kind of suburb to the world of perdi tion. Surrounding nations were lost in amazement, when they beheld the scene. It seemed a prelude to the funeral of this great world; a stall of death; a den, into which the feet of thousands daily entered; but none were seen to return. In this situa tion, despair compelled those who still had influence, energy, and contrivance, to fly from the ravages of the existing government to that last political refuge from human misery, a military despotism; heretofore regarded by mankind as the consummation of ruin. Still, it was a real refuge from the horrors of the former system; horrors, which no nation ever before suffered, and which no imagination had ever anticipated. The scheme of oppression was now settled; and the miseries to be suffered came on, like the course of the seasons, in a regular, expected order. Taxes reaching every fruit of human labor, and all the property which taxes can reach, wrung blood from every vein of the miserable inhabitants. A train of spies, immense in their numbers, and stationed every where, prowled in every rod and street, in every city and solitude, and haunted the church, the fire-side, and the closet; carrying fear, suspense, distrust, and anguish, to every heart. The young men were yoked together like cattle, and driven to the camp, to waste away with disease, toil and suffering; or to fall, with less agony, upon the edge of the sword. The female sex sunk gradually from the high level to which the gospel had raised them, towards the miserable degradation to which they have been depressed by Mohammedans and savages; and lost all their influence, and probably all their disposition, to check the vices, refine the manners, and amend the hearts of men. The irreligion of the preceding period was varied, only in its forms and appearances; in substance, it was the same. The goddess of Reason was not now worshipped, as before, in the form of a polluted woman. The sacramental vessels were not now mounted upon an ass, and paraded through the streets, to insult him, who died that man might live. The Bible was not made the fuel of a bonfire. The Sabbath might now be observed, without treason against the govern ment. But the churches were empty. The ministers were butts and beggars. The Sabbath was a day of sport. Several book-sellers, employed by the Commissioners of the London Missionary Society to furnish them with a bible, searched the city of Paris three days, before they could find one. Religion was dead; and her remains lay in the streets of the great city, which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt. The kingdom became a charnel-house of Atheism: where the final knell had been tolled at the departure of life, of hope, and salvation. From the commencement of this revolution, the miseries which spread in so terrible a manner through the French kingdom, extended themselves over all the surrounding country. The property of the prince, the nobles, and the clergy, the revolutionary leaders seized without remorse, or conscience, as their lawful prey. More than £200,000,000 sterling, are supposed to have fallen into their hauds by one vast act of confiscation. This immense sum was, however, insufficient to satisfy their rapacity. Under the names of contributions, war-taxes, and other claims, professedly claims of the nation, they gathered the riches of the whole people as a nest, and as one guthereth eggs that are left; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. With this singular mass of wealth in their possession, they raised armies, in different years, amounting to five, seven, nine, and twelve hundred thousand men: the strongest and most formidable body which was ev er assembled upon this globe. This incomprehensible multitude they emptied out upon every neighboring State. The lava did not run in a stream, as in the eruptions of the natural world. It flowed down all sides of the immeasurable crater at once: and like an ocean, rolled its waves of fire over the whole face of the world, within its reach. Nothing withstood its power. The life, |