entirely in vulgar traditions, is liable to this great inconvenience, that any practice or opinion, however barbarous or corrupted, may be authorised by it; and full scope is given for knavery to impose on credulity, till morals and humanity be expelled the religious fyftems of mankind. At the fame time, i dolatry is attended with this evident advantage, that, by limiting the powers and functions of its deities, it naturally admits the gods of other fects and nations to a fhare of divinity, and renders all the various deities, as well as rites, ceremonies, or traditions, compatible with each other*. Theifm is oppofite both in its advantages and difadvantages. As that fyftem fuppofes one fole deity, the perfection of reafon and goodnefs, it fhould, if juftly profecuted, banish every thing frivolous, unreafonable, or inhuman, from religious worship, and fet before men the moft illuftrious example, as well as the moft commanding motives, of justice and benevolence. These mighty advantages are not indeed over-balanced (for that is not poffible), but fomewhat diminished, by inconveniences, which arife from the vices and prejudices of mankind. While one fole object of devotion is acknowledged, the worship of other deities is regarded as abfurd and impious. Nay, this unity of object seems naturally to require the unity of faith and ceremonies, and furnishes defigning men with a pretence for representing their adverfaries as profane, and the objects of divine as well as human ven-. geance. For as each fect is pofitive that its own faith and worship are entirely acceptable to the Deity, and as no one can conceive that the fame being fhould be pleased with different and oppofite rites and principles; the feveral fects fall naturally into animofity, and mutually discharge on each other that facred zeal and rancour, the moft furious and implacable of all human paffions. The tolerating spirit of idolaters, both in ancient * See NOTE [AAA]. and and modern times, is very obvious to any one, who is the least converfant in the writings of hiftorians or travellers, When the oracle of DELPHI was asked, what rites or worship was most acceptable to the gods? Thofe which are legally established in each city, replied the oracle*. Even priests, in those ages, could, it feems, allow falvation to thofe of a different communion. The ROMANS commonly adopted the gods of the conquered people; and never difputed the attributes of thofe local and national deities, in whofe territories they refided. The religious wars and perfecutions of the EGYPTIAN idolaters are indeed an exception to this rule; but are accounted for by ancient authors from reasons fingular and remarkable. Different fpecies of animals were the deities of the different fects among the EGYPTIANS; and the deities being in continual war, engaged their votaries in the fame contention. The worshippers of dogs could not long remain in peace with the adorers of cats or wolvest. But where that reafon took not place, the EGYPTIAN fuperftition was not fo incompatible as is commonly imagined; fince we learn from HERODOTUS ‡, that very large contributions were given by AMASIS towards rebuilding the temple of DELPHI. The intolerance of almost all religions, which have maintained the unity of GOD, is as remarkable as the contrary principle of polytheists. The implacable narrow fpirit of the Jews is well known. MAHOMETANISM fet out with ftill more bloody principles; and even to this day, deals out damnation, though not fire and faggot, to all other fects. And if, among CHRISTIANS, the ENGLISH and DUTCH have embraced the principles of toleration, this fingularity has proceeded from the fteady refolution of the civil magiftrate, in oppofition to the continued efforts of priests and bigots. * Xenoph. Memor. lib. ii. Plutarch. de Ifid. & Ofiride. 1 Lib. ii. fub fine. The The difciples of ZOROASTER fhut the doors of heaven against all but the MAGIANS*. Nothing could more obftruct the progrefs of the PERSIAN CONquests, than the furious zeal of that nation against the temples and images of the GREEKS. And after the overthrow of that empire we find ALEXANDER, as a polytheist, immediately re-establing the worship of the BABYLONIANS, which their former princes, as monotheists, had carefully abolished t. Even the blind and devoted attachment of that conqueror to the GREEK fuperftition hindered not, but he himself facrificed according to the BABYLONISH rites and ceremonies 1. So fociable is polytheism, that the utmost fiercenefs and antipathy, which it meets with in an oppofite religion, is fcarcely able to difguft it, and keep it at a distance. AUGUSTUS praised extremely the reserve of his grandfon, CAIUS CASAR, when this latter prince, paffing by JERUSALEM, deigned not to facrifice according to the JEWISH law. But for what reafon did AUGUSTUS fo much approve of this conduct? Only because that religion was by the PAGANS efteemed ignoble and barbarous §. I may venture to affirm, that few corruptions of idolatry and polytheism are more pernicious to fociety than this corruption of theism ||, when carried to the utmost height. The human facrifices of the CARTHAGINIANS, MEXICANS, and many barbarous nations, fcarcely exceed the inquifition and perfecutions of ROME and MADRID. For befides, that the effufion of blood may not be fo great in the former cafe as in the latter; befides this, I fay, the hu man victims, being chofen by lot, or by fome exterior figns, affect not, in fo confiderable a degree, the rest of the fociety. Whereas virtue, knowledge, love * Hyde de Relig. vet. Perfarum. † Arrian. de exped. lib. iii. Id. lib. vii. Sueton. in vita Aug. c. 93. See NOTE [BBB]. ‡ Id. ibid. Corruptio optimi pelima. love of liberty, are the qualities which call down the fatal vengeance of inquifitors; and when expelled, leave the fociety in the moft fhameful ignorance, corruption, and bondage. The illegal murder of one man by a tyrant is more pernicious than the death of athoufand by peftilence, famine, or any undiftinguishing calamity. In the temple of DIANA at ARICIA near ROME, who ever murdered the prefent prieft, was legally intitled to be inftalled his fucceffor*. A very fingular inftitution! For, however barbarous and bloody the common fuperftitions often are to the laity, they ufually turn to the advantage of the holy order. SECT. X With regard to Courage or Abafement. FROM the comparison of theism and idolatry, we may form fome other obfervations, which will alfo conform the vulgar obfervation, that the corruption of the best things gives rife to the worst. Where the deity is reprefented as infinitely fuperior to mankind, this belief, though altogether juft, is apt, when joined with fuperftitious terrors, to fink the human mind into the loweft fubmiffion and abafement, and to represent the monkifh virtues of mortification, penance, humility, and paffive fuffering, as the only qualities which are acceptable to him. But where the gods are conceived to be only a little fuperior to mankind, and to have been, many of them, advanced from that inferior rank, we are more at our eafe in our addreffes to them, and may even, without profanenefs, afpire fometimes to a rivalship and emulation of them. Hence activity, fpirit, courage, magnanimity, love of liberty, and all the virtues which aggrandize a people. The heroes in paganism correfpond exactly to the faints in popery and holy devifes in MAHOMETANISM. * Strabo, lib. V. Sueton. in vita Cal. The The place of HERCULES, THESEUS, HECTOR, ROMULUS, is now fupplied by DOMINIC, FRANCIS, ANTHONY, and BENEDICT. Instead of the deftruction of monsters, the fubduing of tyrants, the defence of our native country; whippings and faftings, cowardice and humility, abject fubmiffion, and flavish obedience, are become the means of obtaining celeftial honours among mankind. One great incitement to the pious ALEXANDER in his warlike expeditions was his rivalship of HERCULES and BACCHUS, whom he justly pretended to have excelled. BRASIDAS, that generous and noble SPARTAN, after falling in battle, had heroic honours paid him by the inhabitants of AMPHIPOLIS, whofe defence he had embraced t. And in general, all founders of states and colonies among the GREEKS were raised to this inferior rank of divinity, by those who reaped the benefit of their labours. This gave rife to the obfervation of MACHIAVELİ, that the doctrines of the CHRISTIAN religion, meaning the catholic (for he knew no other), which recommend only paffive courage and suffering, had fubdued the fpirit of mankind, and had fitted them for flavery and fubjection. An obfervation which would certainly be juft, were there not many other circumstances in human fociety which control the genius and character of a religion. BRASIDAS feized a mouse, and being bit by it, let it go. There is nothing fo contemptible, faid he, but what may be fafe, if it has but courage to defend itfelf. BELLERMINE patiently and humbly allowed the fleas and other odious vermin to prey upon him. We fball have heaven, faid he, to reward us for our fufferings: But these poor creatures have nothing but the enjoyment of the prefent life. Such difference is there between the maxims of a GREEK hero and a CATHOLIC faint. • Arrian paffim. Plut. Apopth. SECT. Difcorfi, lib. vi. + Thucyd. lib. v. |