their dark and superstitious building, should discover the odiousness and defilement of the whole. Any change, therefore, however important or trivial, is immediately suppressed. In almost every age we find some disgraceful example of the tyranny of ignorance over knowledge. Anaxagoras maintained that the sun was a globe, and his countrymen condemned him to die; but the philosopher avoided the brutal sentence by flight. Virgil, Bishop of Saltzburg, was excommunicated and degraded from his priestly office, in the eighth century, for having asserted that there were antipodes on this globe, and that there were other worlds. Roger Bacon was deemed a wizard by those who had not wit enough to be conjurers.

A great part of the virulence and opposition which have arisen in politics has been generated by envy and private interest. Many a man, who was indifferent to royalty or republicanism, has entered warmly into political contests, when an expectation of gain has been the stimulus. There have been changes from one side to the other, as the vane moves with the wind, a profitable market for talent being the only inducement. All is not patriotism that looks sincere. Sometimes a hatred. to particular persons or parties serves as a foundation for political professions, in the same way as Julian forsook the Christian religion from a dislike to the family of Constantine. Our great Milton, although he was worthy of high esteem, was, in the opinion of Dr. Johnson (who himself was a bigot), rather faulty in this respect. He observes; "Milton's republicanism was, I am afraid,

founded in an envious hatred of greatness, and a sullen desire of independence; in petulance, impatient of control; and pride, disdainful of superiority." This was the case with many of the hot-headed Puritans; and the same may be said of many among the royalists. A man's bigotry

must be usually inferred from his general character, rather than from his particular actions; for one person will appear to act harshly and unreasonably, when he has good motives for his conduct; another will appear to be lenient, when, for the little that he does, he has no cause, either in justice or consistency.

Religion has served as an occasion for the most violent bigotry. One reason is, that its principles and doctrines are important; and it is a prevailing opinion, that a certain creed is essential to salvation. Truth, then, or error, will be the introduction to life or death. If error be propagated, it will occasion (as those zealous contenders for forms and ceremonies suppose) the everlasting death of thousands, who would otherwise have been saved. It is no wonder, therefore, that opposition, jealousy, prejudice, and persecution should arise. The Almighty did not appoint these evils, nor does he approve of them; but they are the result of this contracted view of things; consequently, this view must be incorrect.

When St. Paul was a bigoted Jew, he believed that the doctrines of Christianity were false and thus he employed his influence to check them. But a little opposition fans the flame of zeal, and makes men obstinate in a bad cause, or praise

worthily firm in a good one. Constancy excites more strenuous opposition; and thus the Jew of Tarsus breathed out threatenings and slaughter against the Christians; and he cruelly persecuted them from city to city. In cases of this sort there is a trial of strength. Fortitude and principle range themselves on the one side, and endeavour to maintain their ground; while malice and cruelty employ their fiendish arts to succeed on the other side. A persecuting spirit is always a bad one: —a firm resistance to harshness and oppression is almost always meritorious. If the principle of opposition be not so powerful as to erush immediately the object of its hatred, the effort will be useless; for oppression will call forth investigation; and there is so much honour and good feeling among mankind in general, that they will support the cause of the injured party. If any system be painted in odious colours, many persons will hate it: but when a stir arises, people will examine into its merits; and if they find that it has been misrepresented, and that the believers in it act nobly, they will break through all control, and embrace what they had formerly despised. Thus a persecuted people has generally become a thriving people; and when the check is removed, multitudes who had been undecided,-who had been convinced of the truth of the doctrine, but had been timid of a public profession, come forward simultaneously, and, like the bursting forth of a mighty torrent, they carry every thing before them. Thus it was with the

early Christians: when they enjoyed rest, after violent opposition, they multiplied greatly.

A persecuting spirit, on account of religion, has arisen among Jews, Mahometans, Heathens, Roman Catholics, and Protestants. Aberbarnel, a bigoted Jew, declared that the grace of God did not extend beyond the river Jordan; and that all the countries eastward were not only without the favour of Heaven, but that the inhabitants were unworthy of the regard of Jews, because they were followers of another religion. Barcochebas, a violent rabbi, condemned all persons to a cruel death who would not deny and blaspheme Jesus Christ. On the other hand, the Jews have been persecuted by Heathens, Mahometans, and Christians. There always are, in every age, some bloodyminded men,

"Who think through unbelievers' blood

Lies their directest path to heaven."

At an assembly of the States in the sixteenth century, John Quintin demanded that all the inhabitants of the country should be compelled to embrace the Roman Catholic religion;-that no heretic should be allowed to marry, or to carry on any mercantile engagements. This diabolical proposition he endeavoured to support by Scripture arguments so far may ignorance and bigotry lead men astray. The massacre of St. Bartholomew's day will be an everlasting stain on the popish religion and the French nation. That inhuman monster, Charles IX., stationed himself, early in the morning, at a window, with a harque

buss, which he fired on the poor wretches who rushed by, endeavouring to escape from their cruel persecutors. Seventy thousand persons were butchered in France, in the course of one week, by the popish party. This barbarous proceeding was approved by the church, and a solemn thanksgiving was offered up at Rome on the occasion, by the command of his holiness the pope! Babelot, chaplain to the Duke of Montpensier, was SO violent towards the Protestants, that he left his monastery for the purpose of following the army against them. A fixed or habitual hatred is scarcely human-it is fiendish; and the transition from the law of reason to the law of arms is most unnatural-but yet it is frequently practised. There are too many hot-headed men, who rush pell-mell into every contest, —

cr

Fire-eyed disputants, who deem their swords,
On points of faith, more eloquent than words."

The men who engage in a religious war are generally the most ignorant of the history, nature, and influence of the questions under dispute.

It is a shame that precepts of an unchristian kind should ever be spoken from a Christian pulpit, that the system which inculcates peace should be used for exciting discord. But M. Jurieu of Rotterdam published a sermon, in which he earnestly recommended that all heretics should be hated; and that no man should hold intercourse with them, or confer any benefit on them. Erasmus taught that heretics should be put to death; and when it was intimated that he had on one