Can such blessings as these be too cordially depressive kind, disposes to the superstitions desired? Amid

The heartachs and the thousand natural shocks
Which flesh is heir to,

view of religion, and when, of the elevating kind, to the enthusiastical.

Religion, the religion of the Scriptures, is itself an exquisite temperament, in which all can our hopes of future happiness be too the virtues, of which man is capable, are cheering, or our power of rising above the harmoniously blended. He, therefore, who calamities of mortality be too habitual, or too studies the Scriptures, and draws thence his effectual? Such are the questions obviously ideas and sentiments of religion, takes the suggested by the supposition of such a thing best method to escape both enthusiasm and as excess in religion. And doubtless the an- superstition. Even infidelity is no security swer of every serious and reflecting mind against either. But it is absolutely imposmust be, that in 'pure and undefiled reli-sible for an intelligent votary of scriptural gion,' in loving the Lord our God with all Christianity to be in any respect fanatical. our heart, with all our mind, with all our True fanatics, therefore, are apt to neglect soul, and with all our strength, and our the Scriptures, except so far as they can neighbour as ourselves,' the idea of excess is turn them to their own particular purpose. as incongruous and inadmissible, as that of a The Romish church, for example, became happy life being too long, or of the joys of negligent of the Scriptures, nearly in proheaven being less desirable because they are portion as it became superstitious. And every striking instance of enthusiasm, if inquiBut if, instead of cultivating and advan- red into, will be found to exemplify the same cing in this love of God and man,-instead of dereliction. In a word, Christianity is eterloving what God has really commanded, nal truth, and they who soar above truth, as and desiring what he has clearly promised well as they who sink below it, equally overin his holy word,-this word be neglected, look the standard by which rational action and the suggestions of an ardent, or of a is to be regulated: whereas to adhere steagloomy fancy be substituted in its room, then dily to this, is to avoid all extremes, and esthe person becomes in the strictest and tru-cape, not only the tendency toward perniest sense, a fanatic; and as his natural tem- cious excess, but any danger of falling into it. perament may happen to be sanguine or saturnine, he rises into imaginary raptures or sinks down into torturing apprehensions, and slavish self-inflictions.

eternal.

piness without holiness; for reformation without repentance; for repentance without divine assistance; for divine assistance without prayer; and for acceptance with God without regard to that Mediator, whom God has ordained to be our great high priest?

Did we accustom ourselves to exact definitions, we should not only call the disorderly religionist an enthusiast; we should also feel, that if irrational confidence, unfounded Here then, if I am not mistaken, we may expectations, and assumptions without a badiscover the real nature of both enthusiasm sis, be enthusiasm, then is the term most and superstition. It is not excess of devction justly applicable to the mere worldly morawhich constitutes the one, nor excess of re-list. For does not he wildly assume effects ligion in general which leads to the other. to be produced without their proper means, But both are the consequence of a radical who looks for virtue without piety; for hapmisconception of religion. Each alike implies a compound of ignorance and passion; and as the person is disposed to hope or fear, he becomes enthusiastical on the one hand, or superstitious on the other. He in whom fear predominates, most naturally mistakes what God commands, and instead of taking But, while accuracy of definition is thus that law for his rule, whose seat is the bo- recommended, let it not be forgotten, that som of God, and whose voice the harmony there is need on all sides of exercising a canof the world, in a most unhappy manner, did judgment. Let not the conscientious becomes a law unto himself, multiplying ob- Christian suspect, that the advocate for moservances, which have nothing to recom- rality intends by the term to depreciate relimend them, but their irksomeness or un-gion, unless it appear that he makes moralicouthness; and acting, as if the way to pro- ty the root as well as the produce of goodpitiate his Maker were by tormenting him-ness.-Nor let the moralist, whose affections self. He, on the contrary, in whom the are less lively, and whose views are less elehopeful passions are prevalent, no less na- vated, deem the religious man a fanatic, beturally misconceives what God has promised cause he sometimes adopts the language of and pleases himself with the prospect, or per- Scripture to express feelings to which husuades himself into the imaginary posses-man' terms are not always adequate. We sion, of extraordinary influences and super-mean not to justify, but to condemn, as a natural communications. Both, it is evident, gross defect of good sense, as well as of taste mean to pursue religion, but neither has suf- and elegance, that ill-conditioned phraseoloficient judgment to ascertain its real nature. gy, which, by disfiguring the comeliness of Perhaps, in general, some mental morbidness is at the bottom, which, when of the • Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity, conclusion of the first

book.

piety, lessens its dignity, and injures its interests. Doubtless, a good understanding cannot be more usefully exercised, nor can the effects of mental cultivation be better

shown, than in bringing every aid of a sound To show that it is possible to be zealous judgment, and every grace of a correct style, for religious opinions, without being reliinto the service of that divine religion, which gious, we need not look back to the persecudoes not more contain all that is just and ting powers of Pagan or Papal Rome; nor pure, than it coalesces with all that is 'love-need we select our instances from the discily, and of good report.'

ples of Dominic; nor from such monsters The too frequent abuse of such terms as as Catharine di Medici; nor from such sanmoderation, candor, toleration, &c. should guinary bigots as the narrow-souled Mary, be pointed out to those whose high station nor the dark-minded Philip. Examples from prevents their communication with the persons less abhorrent from human feelings, world at large. It should be explained, more mixed characters, the dark shades of that moderation, in the new dictionary, whose minds are blended with lighter means the abandonment of some of the most strokes, and whose vices are mitigated with essential doctrines of Christianity.-That softer qualities, may be more properly concandor in the same school of philology, de-sidered, as approaching nearer to the comnotes a latitudinarian indifference, as to the mon standard of human life. comparative merits of all religious systems. That a prince may be very zealous for re-That toleration signifies such a low idea ligious opinions and observances, and yet be of the value of revealed truth, and perhaps so defective in moral virtue, as to be both such a doubt even of its existence, as makes personally and politically profligate, is exa man careless, whether it be maintained or emplified in our second James, who retrampled on, vindicated or calumniated.-nounced three kingdoms for his religion, yet A toleration of every creed generally ends neither scrupled to live in the habitual vioin an indifference to all, if it does not origi-lation of the seventh commandment, nor to nally spring from a disbelief of all. Even employ the inhuman Jefferies as his chanthe noble term rational, which so peculiar-cellor. ly belongs to true religion, is frequently Harlai, archbishop of Paris, distinguished used to strip Christianity of her highest at- himself by his zeal in attacking heresy: so tributes and her sublimest energies, as if in all religion was called except that of the order to be rational, divine influences must Jesuits. His activity proceeded from no be excluded. Or, as if it were either suita- love of piety, but from a desire to make his ble to our necessities, or worthy of God, that way at court, where zeal, just then, happenwhen he was giving his word to be a lighted to be the fashion. His religious activity, to our paths,' he should make that light a however, neither prevented, nor cured, the kind of moral moonshine, instead of accom- notorious licentiousness of his moral conpanying it with such a vital warmth, as duct.* The king, his master, fancied, that might invigorate our hearts, as well as di-to punish Jansenism, was an indubitable rect our footsteps. proof of religion; but to persecute protesThough it would be absurd for a prince tantism, he conceived to be the consummato become a wrangling polemic like Henry tion of piety. What a lesson for princes, to VIII. or a royal doctor,' like the first see him, after the revocation of the edict of James; yet he should possess so much in-Nantz, gratefully swallowing the equally formation, as to be enabled to form a rea- false and nauseous compliments of his clersonable judgment between contending par-gy, for having, to borrow their own phrase, ties, and to know the existing state of religion. And, that he may learn to detect the artifices of men of loose principles, he should be apprised, that the profane and the pious do not engage on equal terms. That the carelessness of the irreligious gives him an apparent air of good humour, and his levity the semblance of wit and gayety; while his Christian adversary ventures not to risk his soul for a bon-mot, nor dares to be witty on topics which concern his eternal interests.

It will be important, on the other hand, to show that it is very possible to be zealous for religious opinions, without possessing any religion; nay, that a fiery religious zeal has been even found compatible with the most flagitious morals. The church of Rome so late as the sixteenth century, presented numberless examples of men, whose lives were a tissue of vices, which cannot so much as be named, who yet, at the risk of life, would fight in defence of a ceremony, for the preservation of a consecrated vase, or a gift devoted to a monastery.

without violent hands made the whole kingdom of one opinion, and united all his subjects to the faith of Rome! Iniquitous flattery, when FOUR MILLIONS of those subjects were either groaning under torture, or flying into exile; turning infidels, if they resolved to retain their property; or chained to the gallies, if they preferred their conscience to their fortune!

As the afflicted Hugonots were not permitted to carry their complaints to the foot of the throne, the deluded king fancied his bloody agents to be mild ministers, and the tortured protestants to be mischievous heretics. But, though the kingdom was, in many parts, nearly depopulated by exile and executions, the sword, as usual, made not

It was a fact well known at the court of Versailles, that madame de Montespan, during the long period in which she continued the favourite mistress of the king, (by whom she had seven children,) was so strict in her religious observances, that, lest she should violate the austerity of fasting, her bread, during Lent, was constantly weighed.

L'Univers sous ton regne a-t-il des Malheureux?

one proselyte. The subjects were tortured, | reverence for Christianity, before she is her but they were not converted. The rack is self able to appreciate its value, she should a bad rhetorician. The gallies may harrass be taught, that it did not steal into the world the body, but do not convince the under- in the days of darkness and ignorance, when standing, nor enforce articles of faith.* the spirit of inquiry was asleep; but apUnder all these crimes and calamities,peared in the most enlightened period of the Louis, as a French memorialist observes, Roman empire. That its light dawned, was not ashamed to hear, what Boileau was not on the remoter regions of the earth, but not ashamed to sing, on a province of that empire, whose peculiar manners had already attracted much notice, Colbert, who was a wise man, might have and whose local situation placed it particutaught his royal master, that in this persecutions. Whereas the religion of Mahomet larly within the view of surrounding nation there was as little policy as piety, and that he was not only injuring his conscience, and the corruptions of popery, which started but his country. By banishing so many useup almost together, arose when the spirit of ful subjects, he impoverished the state dou- ceased to exert itself. That, during those investigation, learning, and philosophy, had bly, not only by robbing it of the ingenuity, dark ages, both Christianity and human the manufactures, and the labours of such multitudes, but by transferring to hostile learning were nearly extinguished; and countries all the industry and talents which that, as both had sunk together, so both tohe was driving from his own. If the trea-gether awoke from their long slumber. The chery of detaining the protestants under false restoration of letters was the restoration of promises, which were immediately violated, religion also; the free access to the ancient is to be charged on Louvois, the crime of authors being one grand instrument of the revival of pure Christianity. blindly confiding in such a minister is to be charged on the king.

The learning which existed in the church How little had this monarch profited, by ted to very few, and was in the general, but antecedently to the Reformation, was limithe example given, under similar circumstances, by Louis XII. When some of the meagre and superficial; and the purposes pious Waldenses, while they were impro-al obstacle to substantial improvement. Into which it was confined, formed an effectuving his barren land in Provence by their stead of being employed in investigating virtuous industry, had been grievously per- the evidences of Christianity, or in elucida secuted, through false representations; that prudent prince commanded the strictest in-ting the analogy of Christian principles, quiry to be made into their real character; cies of the moral world, it was pressed into with the laws of the natural, and the exigenthe result was, that he was so perfectly con- the service of what was called school divinivinced of their innocence, that he not only ty; a system, which perhaps had providenprotected them during the rest of his reign, tially been not without its uses at a previous but had the magnanimity to declare, that they were better men than himself and his of a sound and upright mind, as having serperiod, especially when under the discretion catholic subjects.' ved both to elicit and exercise the intellect

Happy had it been for himself and for the world, if the emperor Charles V. had instituted the same inquiries! Happy, if in the meridian of his power he had studied the character of mankind to as good purpose, as he afterwards, in his monastic retreat, studied the mechanism of watches! Astonished to find, that after the closest application, he never could bring any two to go. just alike, he expressed deep regret at his own folly, in having bestowed so much time and pains in the fruitless attempt of bringing mankind to an exact uniformity in their religi-ever, close reasoners, as well as pious men, ous opinions. But, the discovery was made too late; he ended where he should have begun.

of a ruder age. Study and industry, however they may be misapplied, are always good in themselves; and almost any state is better than hopeless inanity. These schoolmen perhaps sustained the cause of Religion, with arms little suited to make their support when she might utterly have sunk, though effectual, or to produce solid practical benefit, either to the church or the people. Some of the earlier scholastic divines, though tedious, and somewhat trifling, were, how

CHAP. XXXV.

The Reformation. In order to increase the royal pupil's • Louvois and his master would have done wisely to have adopted the opinion of those two great ministers of Henry IV. who, when pressed to persecute, replied that they thought it better to have a peace which had two religions, than a war which had none.'

though they afterwards sunk in rationality, Yet, defective as their efforts were, they had as they increased in quibbling and subtlety. been useful, as they had contributed to oppose infidelity, and to keep alive some love of piety and devotion, in that season of drowsy inactivity. But, at the period to which we refer, their theology had become little better than a mazy labyrinth of trivial, and not seldom of pernicious sophistry. Subtle disquisitions, metaphysical niceties, unintelligible obscurities, and whimsical distinctions, were substituted in the place of revealed truth; for revealed truth was not

sufficiently intricate for the speculations of was certainly more agreeable than the those puzzling theologians, of whom Eras-practice.

mus said, that, 'they had brought it to be a We are far from asserting, that there were matter of so much wit to be a Christian, that no mixtures of infirmity in the instruments ordinary heads were not able to reach it.'- which accomplished the great work of the And, as genuine Christianity was not suffi- reformation. They were fallible men. But ciently ingenious for these whimsical doc- it is now evident to every sincere inquirer, tors, neither was it sufficiently pliant and ac- that many of their transactions, which have commodating to suit the corrupt state of been represented by their adversaries as corpublic morals. rupt and criminal, only appeared such to Almost entirely overlooking the Scrip- those who did not take their motives, and tures, the school-men had built schemes and the critical circumstances of the times, into systems on the authority of the fathers, some the account, or who had an interest in misof them spurious ones. The philosophy of representing them. Many of those actions, Aristotle had also been resorted to for some which, through false colourings were made of the chief materials of the system; so that to appear unfavourable, are now clearly as the author of the History of the Council of Trent informs us, if it had not been for Aristotle, the church had wanted for many

articles of faith.'

proved to have been virtuous and honourable; especially when we take the then situthe priests and pontiffs with whom they had ation of things, and the flagitious conduct of

to deal into the account.

The early reformers defeated these sophisters, by opposing to their unsubstantial to revive and inflame the malignant reports Mr. Hume has been among the foremost system, the plam unadulterated Bible. The respecting them. He allows indeed the invery text of holy Scripture, and the most sober, rational, and simple deductions from dangers, tortures, and even death itself. flexible intrepidity with which they braved thence, furnished the ground work of their But still they were, in his estimation, the arguments. And to this noble purpose they applied that sound learning, which Provi- carefully suggests, through the course of 'fanatical and enraged reformers.' And he dence had caused to revive just at the neces- history, that fanaticism is the characteristic sary period. Their skill in the Greek and of the protestant religion. The terms 'proHebrew languages enabled them to read the testant fanaticism,' and 'fanatical churches," original Scriptures, and to give correct he repeatedly uses. He has even the temetranslations of them to the public. And, in rity to assert, in contradiction to all credible this respect, they had an important advan- testimony, that the reformers placed all tage over the school divines, who did not merit in a mysterious species of faith, in inunderstand the language in which their ward vision, rapture, and ecstacy? A master Aristotle had written. It is no won charge, to say nothing of truth and candour, der, if an heterogeneous theology should unworthy of Mr. Hume's good sense, and have been compounded out of such discor- extensive means of information. For there dant materials as were made up from spu- is no fact better known, than that these emirious fathers, and an ill-understood pagan nently wise men never pretended to illumiphilosopher. The works of this great au- nations and impulses. What they underthor, which, by an inconsistency not uncom-took honestly, they conducted soberly. They mon in the history of man, had not long be- pretended to no inspiration; they did not fore been prohibited by a papal decree, and even pretend to introduce a new, but only to burnt by public authority, came, in the six-restore to its primitive purity the old reliteenth century, to be considered as little less than canonical!

gion. They respected government, practised and taught submission to civil rulers, and desired only the liberty of that conscience which God has made free.*

But this attachment to sophistry and jargon was far from being the worst feature of the period in question. The generality of But though in accomplishing the great the clergy were sunk into the grossest igno- work of the reformation, reason and human rance, of which instances are recorded wisdom, were most successfully exercised; scarcely credible in our day of general though the divine interference was not maniknowledge. It is difficult to say whether fested by the working of miracles, or the the ecclesiastics had more entirely discard- gift of supernatural endowments: yet who ed useful learning, or Scripture truth. In can doubt, that this great work was directed the place, therefore, of the genuine religion by the hand of heaven, especially when we of the Bible, they substituted false miracles, consider the wonderful predisposition of caulying legends, purchased pardons, and pre- ses, the extraordinary combination of cirposterous penances. A procedure which be- cumstances, the long chain of gradual but came the more popular, as it introduced a religion which did not insist on the inconve-siastical History, vol. iv. page 136, on the spirit of the * See an excellent appendix to Mosheim's Ecclenient appendage of a good life; those who reformers, and the injustice of Mr. Hume, by that truly had money enough, easily procured indem-elegant, candid, and accomplished scholar, and most nity for a bad one; and to the profligate and amiable man, the late Rev. Dr. Archibald Macleine, the affluent, the purchase of good works

The lover and the love of human kind.

constantly progressive occurrences, by unparalleled zeal, abilities, and integrity of which this grand event was brought about? Luther! His bold genius, and adventurous The successive, as well as contemporary spirit, not contenting itself, as the other reproduction of singular characters, calculated formers had done, with attacking notorious to promote its general accomplishment, and errors, and stigmatising monstrous aouses; each peculiarly fitted for his own respective but sublimely exerted in establishing, or work! So many unconscious or unwilling rather restoring the great fundamentals of instruments made subservient to one great Christianity! While Erasmus, with that purpose!-Friends and enemies, even Mus- truly classic taste of which he was the chief sulmen and popes, contributing, certainly reviver, so elegantly satirized the false views without intending it, to its advancement of God and religion, which the Romish Mahomet banishing learning from the east, church entertained, Luther's aim, was to that it might providentially find a shelter in acquire true Scriptural notions of both. these countries, where the new opinions Ridicule served to expose the old religion, were to be propagated!-Several successive but something nobler was necessary to es Sovereign pontiffs, collecting books and pa-tablish the new. It was for Erasmus to tronizing that literature which was so soon shake to its foundation the monstrous system to be directed against their own domina- of indulgences; it remained for Luther to tion!-But above all, the multiplication of restore, not to invent, the doctrine of salvacontemporary popes, weakening the reve- tion by remission of sins through a Mediarence of the people, by occasioning a schism tor.-While his predecessors, and even coin the church, and exhibiting its several adjutors, had been satisfied by pulling down heads wandering about, under the ludicrous the enormous mass of corruptions, the circumstance, of each claiming infallibility mighty hand of the Saxon reformer not only for himself, and denying it to his competitor! removed the rubbish, but erected a fair fa-Infallibility, thus split, was discredited, bric of sound doctrine in its place. The new and in a manner annihilated.-To these pre- edifice arose in its just symmetry, and deparatory circumstances, we may add the in- rives impregnable strength, in consequence fatuation, or rather judicial blindness, of the of its having been erected on a broad founpapal power: the errors, even in worldly dation. Nothing short of the ardour of Luprudence, committed by Leo, a pontiff ther could have maintained this great cause otherwise of admirable talents !—The half in one stage, while perhaps the discreet temmeasures adopted, at one time, of inefficient perance of Melancthon was necessary to its violence; at another, of ineffectual lenity! support in another! The useful violence of -The temporary want of sagacity in an Henry in attacking the people, with a zeal ecclesiastical court, which was usually re-as furious as if he himself had not been an markable for political acuteness!-The in-enemy to the reformation, exhibiting a woncreasing aptitude of men's minds to receive derful illustration of that declaration of the truth, in proportion as events occurred to Almighty, that the fierceness of man shall mature it!-Some who loved learning, and turn to his praise!—The meek wisdom of were indifferent to religion, favouring the re- Cranmer, by which he was enabled to moformation as a cause connected with good derate the otherwise uncontrolable temper letters; the old doctrines becoming united of his royal master!-The undaunted spirit with the idea of ignorance, as the new ones and matchless intrepidity of Elizabeth, which were with that of knowledge!-The pre-effectually struggled for, and finally estaparatory invention of printing, without which blished it! These, and a thousand other con the revival of learning would have been of curring circumstances, furnish the most unlittle general use, and the dispersion of the clouded evidence, to every mind not blinded Scriptures slow, and inconsiderable!-Some by prejudice, that the divine AUTHOR of able and keen sighted men, working vigo- Christianity, was also, though by the agenrously from a perception of existing abuses, cy of human means and instruments, the who yet wanted sufficient zeal for the pro- RESTORER of it. motion of religious truth!

CHAP. XXXVI.

On the importance of religious institutions and observances.-They are suited to the nature of Christianity, and particularly adapted to the character of man.

THAT torrent of vices and crimes which

The pointed wit, the sarcastic irony, and powerful reasoning of Erasmus, together with his profound theological learning, directed against the corruptions of the Church, with such force as to shake the credit of the clergy, and to be of the utmost service to that cause, which he wanted the righteous courage systematically to defend !* The • Every elegant scholar must naturally be an admirer the French revolution has disembogued into society, may be so clearly and indisputably of any such by regretting, that the wit and indignation traced to the source of infidelity, that it has, of this fine genius sometimes carried him to great in a degree become fashionable to profess a lengths. Impiety, doubtless, was far from his heart, belief in the truths, and a conviction of the yet in some of his Colloquies, when he only professed to strokes which have such a tendency to profaneness, as attack the errors of popery, religion itself is wounded by to give pain to the sober reader.

of Erasmus. We should be sorry to incur the censure