and have expreffed great independence in their devotion; with a contempt of forms, ceremonies, and traditions. The quakers are the most egregious, though, at the same time, the most innocent enthufiafts that have yet been known; and are, perhaps, the only fect, that have never admitted priests amongst them. The independents, of all the ENGLISH fectaries, approach nearest to the quakers in fanaticism, and in their freedom from prieftly bondage. The prefbyterians follow after, at an equal distance in both particulars. In fhort, this obfervation is founded in experience; and will alfo appear to be founded in reafon, if we confider, that, as enthusiasm arifes from a prefumptuous pride and confidence, it thinks itself fufficiently qualified to approach the Divinity, without any human mediator. Its rapturous devotions are so fervent, that it even imagines itself actually to approach him by the way of contemplation and inward converfe; which makes it neglect all thofe outward ceremonies and obfervances, to which the affistance of the priests appears so requifite in the eyes of their fuperftitious votaries. The fanatic confecrates himself, and beftows on his own person a facred character, much fuperior to what forms and ceremonious inftitutions can confer on any other.

My fecond reflection with regard to thefe fpecies of falfe religion is, that religions, which partake of enthusiasm are, on their first rife, more furious and violent than those which partake of fuperftition; but in a little time become more gentle and moderate. The violence of this fpecies of religion, when excited by novelty, and animated by oppofition, appears from numberless inftances; of the anabaptists in GERMANY, the camifars in FRANCE, the levellers and other fanatics in ENGLAND, and the cavenanters in ScOTLAND. Enthusiasm being founded on

strong

ftrong spirits, and a presumptuous boldness of character, it naturally begets the most extreme refolutions; efpecially after it rises to that height as to inspire the deluded fanatic with the opinion of divine illuminations, and with a contempt for the common rules of reafon, morality, and prudence.

It is thus enthusiasm produces the most cruel disorders in human fociety; but its fury is like that of thunder and tempeft, which exhauft themselves in a little time, and leave the air more calm and ferene than before. When the first fire of enthusiasm is spent, men naturally, in all fanatical fects, fink into the greatest remiffness and coolnefs in facred matters; there being no body of men among them, endowed with fufficient authority, whose interest is concerned to fupport the religious fpirit: No rites, no ceremonies, no holy observances, which may enter into the common train of life, and preserve the facred principles from oblivion. Superftition, on the contrary, steals in gradually and infenfibly; renders men tame and fubmiffive; is acceptable to the magiftrate, and feems inoffenfive to the people: Till at laft the pricft, having firmly established his authority, becomes the tyrant and disturber of human fociety, by his endless contentions, perfecutions, and religious wars. How fmoothly did the ROMISH church advance in her acquifition of power? But into what difmal convulfions did fhe throw all EUROPE, in order to maintain it? On the other hand, our fectaries, who were formerly fuch dangerous bigots, are now become very free reafoners; and the quakers feem to approach nearly the only regular body of deifts in the universe, the literati, or the difciples of CONFUCIUS in CHINA *.

The CHINESE Literati have no priefts or ecclefiaftical establishment.

My

My third obfervation on this head is, that fuperftition is an enemy to civil liberty, and enthufiafm a friend to it. As fuperftition groans under the dominion of priests, and enthusiasm is deftructive of all ecclefiaftical power, this fufficiently accounts for the prefent obfervation. Not to mention, that enthusiasm, being the infirmity of bold and ambitious tempers, is naturally accompanied with a fpirit of liberty; as fuperftition, on the contrary, renders men tame and abject, and fits them for flavery. We learn from the ENGLISH hiftory, that, during the civil wars, the independents and deifts, though the moft oppofite in their religious principles; yet were united in their political ones, and were alike paffionate for a commonwealth. And fince the origin of whig and tory, the leaders of the whigs have either been deifts or profeft latitudinarians in their principles; that is, friends to toleration, and indifferent to any particular fect of christians : While the fectaries, who have all a ftrong tincture of enthufiafm, have always, without exception, concurred with that party, in defence of civil liberty. The refemblance in their fuperftitions long united the high-church tories, and the Roman catholics, in fupport of prerogative and kingly power; though experience of the tolerating fpirit of the whigs feems of late to have reconciled the catholics to that party.

The molinifts and janfenifts in FRANCE have a thoufand unintelligible difputes, which are not worthy the reflection of a man of fenfe: But what principally dif tinguishes these two fects, and alone merits attention, is the different fpirit of their religion. The molinifts, conducted by the jefuits, are great friends to fuperftition, rigid obfervers of external forms and ceremonies, and devoted

3

devoted to the authority of the priests, and to tradition. The janfenifts are enthufiafts, and zealous promoters of the paffionate devotion, and of the inward life; little influenced by authority; and, in a word, but half catholics. The confequences are exactly conformable to the foregoing reasoning. The jefuits are the tyrants of the people, and the flaves of the court: And the janfenifts preferve alive the small fparks of the love of liberty, which are to be found in the FRENCH nation.