where he is thus powerfully affailed, the kindest nature, the best intentions, the gentlest manners, and the mildeft difpo fitions cannot be depended on for preferv. ing him from thofe very corruptions, to which the worst propenfities lead; and there is a degree of facility, which, from softness of temper, becomes imbecility of mind.

For there is hardly a fault a fovereign can commit, to which flattery may not incline him. It impels to oppofite vices; to apathy and egotism, the natural failings of the great; to ambition which inflames the heart, to anger which diftorts it; to hardnefs which deadens, and to selfishness which degrades it. He fhould be taught, as the intrepid Maffillon taught his youthful prince, that the flattery of the courtier, contradictory as the affertion may seem, is little lefs dangerous than the difloyalty of the rebel. Both would betray him; and

* See Maffillon's Sermons abounding equally in the fublimeft piety and the richest eloquence.

the

the crime of him who would dethrone, and of him who would debafe his prince, however they may differ in a political, differ but little in a moral view: nay, the ill effects of the traitor's crime may, to the prince at least, be bounded by time, while the confequences of the flatterer's may extend to eternity.

CHAP.

CHAP. XV.

Religion neceffary to the well-being of States.

THE

HE royal pupil fhould be informed, that there are fome half Chriftians, and half philofophers, who wifh, without incurring the difcredit of renouncing religion, to strip it of its value, by lowering its usefulness. They have been at much pains to produce a perfuafion, that however beneficial Christianity may be to individuals, and however properly it may be taken as the rule of their conduct, it cannot be fafely brought into action in political concerns; that the intervention of its fpirit will rarely advance the public good, but, on the contrary, will often neceffarily obstruct it; and in particular, that the glory and elevation of states, must be unavoidably attended with some violation even of thofe laws of morality, which, they allow, ought to be observed in

other cafes.

These

These affertions, refpecting the political difadvantages of religion, have not been urged merely by the avowed enemies of Christian principle, the Bolingbrokes, the Hobbes's, and the Gibbons; but there is a more fober clafs of fceptics, ranged under the banners of a very learned and ingenious fophift, who have not fcrupled to maintain, that the author of Chriftianity has actually forbidden us to improve the condition of this world, to take any vigorous fteps for preventing its mifery, or advancing its glory. Another writer, an elegant wit, but whimsical and fuperficial, though doubtless, fincere Chriftiant, who would be fhocked at the excefs to which impiety has carried the pofition, has yet afforded fome countenance to it, by intimating, that God has given to men a religion which is

*Mr. Bayle.

+ Soame Jenyns. It is true, he puts the remark in the mouth of "refined and speculative observers." But he afterwards affirms in his own perfon-That fuch is indeed the Chriftian Revelation.

incompatible with the whole economy of that world which he has created, and in which he has thought proper to place them. He allows, that government is effential to men, and yet afferts, that it can not be managed without certain degrees of violence, corruption and impofition, which yet Christianity strictly forbids. That perpetual patience under injuries must every day provoke new infults, and injuries, yet is this, fays he, enjoined.".

The fame pofitions are alfo repeatedly affirmed, by a later, more folid and moft admirable writer, whofe very able defence of the divine authority of Christianity and the Holy Scriptures, naturally obtains credit for any opinions which are honoured with his fupport.

It may be expected, that thofe who ad, vance fuch propofitions, fhould at leaft produce proofs from hiftory, that those states, in the government of which Chriftian principles have been most conspicuous, other circumstances being equal, have either - failed