creatures, of more refined fubftance and greater authority than the reft? That these creatures may be capricicus, revengeful, paffionate, voluptuous, is eafily conceived; nor is any circumstance more apt, amongst ourfelves, to engender fuch vices, than the licence of abfolute authority. And in fhort, the whole mythological system is so natural, that, in the vast variety of planets and worlds, contained in this universe, it seems more than probable, that somewhere or other, it is really carried into execution.

The chief objection to it with regard to this planet, is, that it is not ascertained by any juft reafon or authority. The antient tradition, infisted on by the heathen priests and theologers, is but a weak foundation; and tranfmitted alfo fuch a number of contradictory reports, fupported, all of them, by equal authority, that it became abfolutely impoffible to fix a preference amongst them. A few volumes, therefore, muft contain all the polemical writings of pagan priests. And their whole theology must confift more of traditional ftories and fuperftitious practices than of philosophical argument and controversy.

But where theism forms the fundamental principle of any popular religion, that tenet is so conformable to found reason, that philofophy is apt to incorporate itself with fuch a fyftem of theology. And if the other dogmas of that fyftem be contained in a facred book, fuch as the Alcoran, or be determined by any vifible authority, like that of the ROMAN pontif, fpeculative reafoners naturally carry on their affent, and embrace a theory, which has been instilled into them by their earliest education, and which also poffeffes fome degree of confiftence and uniformity. But as thefe appearances are fure, all of

them, to prove deceitful, philosophy will foon find her

felf,

felf very unequally yoaked with her new affociate; and inftead of regulating each principle, as they advance together, she is at every turn perverted to ferve the purpofes of fuperftition. For befides the unavoidable incoherences, which must be reconciled and adjusted; one may fafely affirm, that all popular theology, especially the fcholaftic, has a kind of appetite for absurdity and contradiction. If that theology went not beyond reason and common sense, her doctrines would appear too easy and familiar. Amazement must of neceffity be raised: Myftery affected Darkness and obfcurity sought after: And a foundation of merit afforded the devout votaries, who defire an opportunity of fubduing their rebellious reafon, by the belief of the most unintelligible fophifms.

Ecclefiaftical history fufficiently confirms these reflections. When a controversy is started, fome people pre tend always with certainty to foretell the iffue. Which ever opinion, fay they, is moft contrary to plain sense is fure to prevail; even where the general intereft of the fyftem requires not that decifion. Though the reproach of heresy may, for fome time, be bandied about amongst the difputants, it always refts at laft on the fide of reafon. Any one, it is pretended, that has but learning enough of this kind to know the definition of ARIAN, PELAGIAN, ERASTIAN, SOCINIAN, SABELLIAN, EuTYCHIAN, NESTORIAN, MONOTHELITE, &c. not to mention PROTESTANT, whofe fate is yet uncertain, will be convinced of the truth of this obfervation. And thus a fyftem becomes more abfurd in the end, merely from its being reasonable and philofophical in the beginning.

2

To oppose the torrent of fcholaftic religion by fuch feeble maxims as thefe, that it is impoffible for the fame to be and not to be, that the whole is greater than a part, that two and three make five; is pretending to ftop the ocean with a bull-rufh. Will you fet up profane reafon against sacred mystery? No punishment is great

enough

enough for your impiety. And the fame fires, which were kindled for heretics, will ferve alfo for the destruction of philofophers.

SECT. XII. With regard to Doubt or Convictionoms

We meet every day with people fo fceptical with res gard to hiftory, that they affert it impoffible for any na tion ever to believe fuch abfurd principles as those of GREEK and EGYPTIAN paganism; and at the fame time fo dogmatical with regard to religion, that they think the fame abfurdities are to be found in no other communions. CAMBYSES entertained like prejudices and very impiously ridiculed, and even wounded, Apisy the great god of the EGYPTIANS, who appeared to his profane fenfes nothing but a large fpotted bull. But HERODOTUS judiciously afcribes this fally of paffion to a real madness or disorder of the brain: Otherwise, says the historian, he never would have openly affronted any established worship. For on that head, continues he, every nation are best satisfied with their own, and think they have the advantage over every other nation.

*

It must be allowed, that the ROMAN Catholics are a very learned fect; and that no one communion, but that of the Church of ENGLAND, can difpute their being the moft learned of all the Chriftian churches: Yet AVERROES, the famous ARABIAN, who, no doubt, had heard of the EGYPTIAN fuperftitions, declares, that of all religions, the most abfurd and non-fenfical is that, whofe votaries eat, after having created, their deity. od c

I believe, indeed, that there is no tenet in all paganifm, which would give fo fair a scope to ridicule as this of the real prefence: For it is so abfurd, that it eludes the

force of almost all argument. There are even fome pleasant ftories of that kind, which, though fomewhat profane, are commonly told by the Catholics themselves. One day, a priest, it is said, gave inadvertently, instead of the facrament, a counter, which had by accident fallen among the holy wafers. The communicant waited patiently for fome time, expecting it would diffolve on his tongué: But finding, that it ftill remained entire, he took it off. I wish, cried he to the priest, you have not committed fome mistake: I wish you have not given me God the Father: He is fo hard and tough there is no fwallowing

him.

A famous general, at that time in the MuscoVITE fervice, having come to PARIS for the recovery of his wounds, brought along with him a young TURK, whom he had taken prifoner. Some of the doctors of the SORBONNE (who are altogether as pofitive as the dervises of CONSTANTINOPLE) thinking it a pity, that the poor TURK fhould be damned for want of inftruction, folicited MUSTAPHA very hard to turn Chriftian, and promised him, for his encouragement, plenty of good wine in this world, and paradife in the next. Thefe allurements were too powerful to be refifted; and therefore, having been well inftructed and catechized, he at last agreed to receive the facraments of baptifm and the Lord's fupper. The priest, however, to make every thing sure and folid, ftill continued his instructions; and began his catechifm the next day with the usual question, How many Gods are there? None at all, replies BENEDICT; for that was his new name. How! None at all! cries the priest. To be fure, faid the honeft profelyte. You have told me all along that there is but one God: And yesterday I eat him.

Such are the doctrines of our brethren, the Catholics. But to these doctrines we are fo accuftomed, that we never wonder at them: Though, in a future age, it will

pro

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probably become difficult to perfuade fome nations, that any human, two-legged creature, could ever embrace fuch principles. And it is a thousand to one, but these nations themselves shall have something full as abfurd în 'their own creed, to which they will give a moft implicite and moft religious affent. €57.9.8 212ba6tk-yd edi

I lodged once at PARIS, in the fame hotel with an embaffador from TUNIS, who, having paffed fome years at LONDON, was returning home that way. One day I obferved his MOORISH excellency diverting himfelf' under the porch, with furveying the fplendid equipages that drove along; when there chanced to pafs that way fome Capucin friars, who had never feen a TURK; as he, on his part, though accustomed to the EUROPEAN dreffes, had never feen the grotefque figure of a Capucin And there is no expreffing the mutual admiration, with which they infpired each other. Had the chaplain of the embaffy entered into a difpute with thefe FRANCISCANS, their reciprocal furprize had been of the fame nature. And thus all mankind stand staring at one another; and there is no beating it out of their heads, that the turban of the AFRICAN is not just as good or as bad a fashion as the cowl of the EUROPEAN. He is a very honest mån, faid the prince of SALLEE, fpeaking of de RUYTER, It is a pity he were a Chriftian.

How can you worfhip leeks and onions? we fhall fuppofe a SORBONNIST to fay to a priest of SAIS. If we worship them, replies the latter; at leaft, we do not, at the fame time, eat them. But what strange objects of adoration are cats and monkies? fays the learned doctor. They are at least as good at the relicts or rotten bones of martyrs, answers his no lefs learned antagonist. Are you not mad, infifts the Catholic, to cut one another's throat about the preference of a cabbage or a cucumber? Yes, fays the pagan; I allow it, if you will confess,

that