.ment. We may therefore conclude, that Monarchy had its origin in some wisdom, which was not di

vine.

Here it may be observed, that the wisdom of Gou, in his dispensations to nations and people, accomplishes many great ends with very few and simple means-hence when one social compact' is removed, in justice, for sin, a WAY is then opened for another as a matter of mercy. This was manifested in the overthrow of Babylon, for the relief and return of the Jews to Jerusalem, to rebuild the Temple. So also, Saul was removed for a better man to reign in his stead. Hence if there be KINGS, it is better to have good men than bad ones. Therefore the Christians were commanded to pray for them, as well-wishers and friends to mankind, who wished for peace in the land.

It could have been no difficult thing, in the early and solitary ages of the world, while the chief employment of man, was that of attending flocks and herds, for a banditti of ruffians to overrun a country, and lay it under contributions. Their power being established, the chief of the band contrived to lose the name of Robber into that of Monarch; and hence the origin of Monarchy and Kings.

Those bands of robbers having parcelled out the world, and divided it into dominions, began, as is naturally the case, to quarrel with each other. What at first was obtained by violence, was considered by others, as proper and lawful to be taken, and a second plunderer succeeded the first.

They alternately invaded the dominions which each had assigned to himself, and the brutality with which they treated each other, explains the original character of Monarchy; it was ruffian torturing ruffian. The conqueror considered the conquered, not as his prisoner, but his property. He led him in triumph, rattling in chains, and

poses one man to have more sense and wisdom than all the nation beside-whereas hereditary succession is as liable to have a Fool as a wise man for a governor; and more so when degeneration is rendered certain by confining their intermarriages exclusively to Royal blood.

The more this subject is investigated, the more the absurdity of it will appear. It is inconsistent, both with Scripture and Common Sense. It is contrary to every principle both of moral goodness and of natural justice. It cannot stand the test of a comparison with the Moral Law, the Law of Nature, or the Rule of Practice.

OF THE POPE'S POWER.

If the progressive power of the Pope, and the almost incredible height to which it grew, the summit appearing so stupendous with a pompous show, be compared with the Law of Nature," and the character of the Almighty, the idea of Monarchy or Tyrannical power as being the delegated power of Gon, will sink into contempt.

Moral obligation and duty having great influence on the mind and practice of man, Religion was made use of as a tool to answer the purposes of ambitious and designing men. Hence the origin of Religion established by Law.' But in order to accomplish the end, the charge must be committed only to an ingenious few, who are fitted and qualified for the purpose by every possible instruction; while all the rest must be kept in the greatest possible ignorance that they may be the more manageable.

The executors of the work being ingeniously qualified and the minds of the people prepared, a deception might easily be practised where none were permitted to think and judge and act for themselves. Hence the origin of the Pagan Heroes, and Mythology, and Oracles, and Priests.

Under tyranny and oppression, which prohibit liberty of conscience, and bind the people in eternal ignorance, the mental powers of men are so impaired, and their moral faculties so darkened, that reason will not do its office: And hence mankind became credulous to a degree which in this enlightened day, is hardly to be believed.

Constantine the Great, in order to secure the influence of Christian Ministers in his favour, and thereby establish his unbounded power, in and over the Roman Empire, abolished Paganism, and established Christianity as the National Religion. And from thence the Ministry became a species of trude and traffic down to this time.

Every valuable and important institution is capable of abuse; and not any thing more so than religion but there is a distinction to be made between the thing itself and the abuse of it. Religion is a good thing; but from one small abuse of it may originate important consequences. Constantine, in order to accomplish his own purposes, erected the image of the Saviour on the cross, and carried it in the front of his army, to lead on the van of nominal Christians. The image of the Firgin Mary found its way to follow after; and hence all the abomination of images, &c. &c. in the Christian Church.

As might have been expected, the temptation of gain and grandeur, arising out of the Religious law establishment' of Constantine, many of the heathen Priests and others, became professional Christians, either for the name, or for the Loaves and Fishes. Of course, moral evil, took the lead, and the church, so called, went on the road to ruin.

In those days of yore, when people were taught that the will of a tyrant should be considered as the delegated power of God, and reverentially obeyed accordingly, few pretended to think and

act for themselves, except the true worshippers of GOD, who acted from conscientious motives.The multitude were sadly imposed upon. The bare say-so of the Priest was received as Divine truth, and impostors became influential, and were respected. It was difficult to cope with popular opinion, which was founded in long established habits-backed by Civil, and supported by Ecclesiastical authority; till at length, the power of the established Clergy became more respectable and influential than the civil authority, and be. gan to take the lead, and bear rule accordingly; domineering over those who had been their promoters, until affairs were entirely transposed; so that the Civil Law and authority were only used as tools by the Ecclesiastics, to answer their own ends, as the Priests were formerly used to support the tyrannical power of ambitious usurpers.

Credulous people, still chained by despotism and ignorance, retained their old prejudices.With them tyranny was humanity, and was reverenced as the delegated power of God. And if a PRIEST should say that a horse was a cow, or a ham of bacon was a fish,' he must not dispute it; but must believe the say so of the Priest, in opposition to his own senses.

At length, one was exalted above his fellows, and as an expression of his power and dignity, was styled, Bishop of Bishops, or UNIVERSAL BISHOP,' and claimed all the world for his own, so that no King or Potentate could reign but by his consent, as he was to be considered the successor of the Apostle Peter, who was constituted the Vicegerent of the Almighty upon earth. Thus the right to determine all disputes, and to bestow crowns and kingdoms at pleasure, and to make new laws, &c. &c. were his pretensions to mankind, as exemplified in the affairs of Poland. And all the world wondered after the Beast.'-