previously broken out--the Polish Revolution occurred about the same time; but though the Belgian, and more particularly the Polish Revolutions were of a totally different character from the French, they still presented to the turbulent spirit of the age, one example more of political commotion. But North America had been to France and the rest of Europe, the real school and nursery of all these Revolutionary principles. Natural contagion, or wilful propagation spread this disorder over many other countries--but France continued to be the centre and general focus of Revolution. Even when the whole power of the Revolution had been concentrated in the person of a single man, its general march was not materially changed. With respect to Foreign states and countries, the French Revolution produced a protracted religious war of twenty-one years; for it was such not only from its origin, but from its Revolutionary and destructive character, and from its fanatic opposition to everything holy. There was a fixed principle at the bottom of this modern Paganism. It was political idolatry--and it matters little what may be the immediate object of this idolatry--what the idol of the day, whether a Republic and the goddess of reason--the grande nation--or the lust of conquest and the glory of arms. It is still the same demon of political destruction--the same anti-Christian spirit of government, which wishes to mislead the age, and control the world. The great religious war, which has desolated all Europe, can be finally terminated only by a new and general religious peace:--but the great gulph of perdition to our age is that political idolatry, whatever shape it may assume--whatever name it may bear. Until that idolatry be abolished, until that abyss of ruin be closed up, the house of the Lord, where peace and righteousness embrace each other, can never be founded on a renovated earth. [13] Prussia. [14] Bavaria. [15] The Treaty of Westphalia. [16] Saxony. [17] The passing of the Catholic Relief Bill has happily rendered this observation obsolete.--_Trans._ [18] Peter the Great. [19] The late Emperor Alexander. END OF LECTURE XVII. LECTURE XVIII. On the general spirit of the age, and on the universal Regeneration of Society. "I come soon, and will renew all things."