INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONS.

F all the events which have taken place in the world fince the introduction of Christi

anity, there is no one, perhaps, which has been more unexpected, more aftonishing, or more worthy the attention of mankind, than the late Revolution in France. When we confider the manner in which it has been accomplished, the effects it has already produced, and the much greater effects which it probably will produce, not only throughout the French empire, but in the course of time throughout the world; we may fafely affert, that it demands the very serious confideration of every friend to those best interests of mankind, Truth and Liberty.

Upwards of two years have elapfed fince this great event commenced, during which period, the National Affembly have been daily, and almoft hourly employed, in abolishing the abuses of the old government, and in forming a constitution on the juft rights of man; a conftitution intended for the benefit, not of the few, but of the many; not for one man, or one clafs of men; but for the whole body politic, from the King upon the throne, to the peafant in the cottage.

Salus populi fuprema eft lex, is the fentiment which has been engraven on the hearts of the French legislators. Their decrees are published to the world, and they may challenge the bittereft of their enemies, to point out any which are calculated to advance the private interest of individuals, at the expence of the public good. This is the principal reafon of the oppofition which has been fhewn to their proceedings in their own country, and of the dislike and abhorrence which they have excited in the minds of ftatesmen, in other countries; for it is an observation, not more melancholy than true, that the purer any system, either of religion or government, is in its principles, the more will it be disliked, detested, and opposed, by a confiderable part of mankind. Though its fupporters and admirers may be actuated by the best of motives; though they may have no interest in view, distinct from that of their fellow-creatures, they will be sure to be despised and vilified. This has been the cafe in thofe revolutions, which have proved the greatest bleffings to mankind.

When CHRISTIANITY was introduced into the world; a system, the principles of which were proclaimed by the angelic choir, Glory to God in the higheft; peace on earth, good will towards men; a fyftem, the defign of which was

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to redeem mankind from flavery, vice, and wretchedness; what was the language, and what was the conduct of the rulers in CHURCH and STATE of that day? They charged the benevolent author of it with fedition, with stirring up the people, with being an enemy to the civil government; and notwithstanding the falfity of these charges they prevailed (the priests in particular, by their inflammatory discourses) on the high church mob of that day, to crucify the best friend to the human race which ever appeared on this globe. His difciples, who with undaunted courage, published the truth after his death, met with treatment fimilar to that of their mafter. They were charged as men who wanted to turn the world upfide down; the Chriftian fect was every where Spoken against; and whoever will attend to what was then faid of those primitive reformers of mankind, will find it very similar to the language now used against the reformers in France, as well as against their admirers in other countries.

But the progress of Truth, though flow, is certain. The light of Christianity, however it may have been obfcured, more indeed by its friends than by its enemies, has never been, and never will be extinguished.

From the introduction of Christianity, let us turn our eyes for a moment to that great event, commonly termed the REFORMATION; the leading defign of which was, the restoration of the rights of conscience, and the recovery of religious liberty. What oppofition did it not meet with from popes, from cardinals, from bishops, and from the major part of the clergy, wherever it was introduced! Perfecution in all its horrid forms, was made use of, to prevent the reformation of those corrupt religious establishments, which then overspread the world. Although this reformation was a morning with clouds, yet the fun, which then appeared, has been gradually fpreading its light ever fince; and to the inexpreffible joy of the friends to mankind, has burft forth with renewed fplendour, on twenty-five millions of the human race, who are now feeling its illuminating and cheering influences; and we doubt not, but that like its glorious reprefentative, the fun in the firmament, its light will, in due time, fpread over the whole world, and that all mankind will be happy in experiencing its glorious effects.

A fyftem, however, like the French Conftitution, that levels at once the corrupt prejudices with which the world has long been overcaft; which annihilates defpotifm; which raises the depreffed

depreffed part of mankind; which breaks the fetters of flavery, both civil and ecclefiaftical; which renounces those horrid principles of action that have made nearly one half of the world at war with the other; which has purified the church from those corrupt innovations that infefted it for more than a thousand years paft ;It is no wonder that a conftitution, founded on fuch principles, fhould have been difliked by the defpots of the earth, or that they should burn with indignation at beholding fuch an event. But there is one reflection that forces itfelf on the mind of the writer, and which, he doubts not, has frequently been excited in the minds of his readers, a reflection that must give peculiar pain to every friend to mankind; `namely, that in a nation hitherto diftinguished from furrounding nations, by the principles of freedom on which its conftitution is founded; and which, though but partially and imperfectly acted upon, have produced fo many happy effects; that in GREAT BRITAIN we fhould find enemies to the French, because they have followed the example of our ancestors ;-That Britons fhould repine, because their neighbours have imbibed the fpirit of our best political writers;-that they should join the league of tyrants in exclaiming against a conftitution which has more freedom

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