importance to ascertain the principles of him must it not hold equally good respecting the who gives the character, in order to obtain a parent principle of all virtue?-What is refair knowledge of him of whom the charac-ligion, or devotion (for when we speak of ter is given To exemplify this remark by either, as a principle, it is, in fact, a synonythe term enthusiasm. While the wise and me of the other) but the so loving what God temperate Christian deprecates enthusiasm has commanded, and desiring what he has as highly pernicious, even when he hopes it promised, as that, among the sundry and may be honest-justly ascribing it to a per- manifold changes of the world, our hearts turbed and unsound, or at least, an over ea- may surely there be fixed, where true joys ger and weak mind-the irreligious man, are to be found? Now can there be excess who hates piety, when he fancies he only in this? We may doubtless misunderstand bates fanaticism, applies the term enthusiast God's commands, and misconstrue his proto every religious person, however sober his mises, and, in either way, instead of attainpiety, or however correct his conduct. ing that holy and happy fixedness of heart, But even he who is far from remarkable become the victims of restless perturbation. for pious ardors, may incur the stigma of en-But if there be no error in our apprehension, thusiasm, when he happens to come under can there be any excess in our love? What the censure of one who piques himself on does God command? Every thing that tends still greater latitude of sentiment. Thus, to our personal, social, political, as well as he who professes to believe in the only be- eternal well-being. Can we then feel too gotten Son of God as in glory equal with the deep love for the sum of all moral excellence? Father,' will be deemed an enthusiast by him But what does God promise? Guidance, prowho embraces the chilling doctrines of So-tection, all necessary aids and influences cinus And we have heard, as if it were no here; and hereafter, fulness of joy and uncommon thing, of a French philosopher of pleasures at his right hand for evermore.' the highest class, accounting his friend un Can such blessings as these be too cordially peu fanatique, merely because the latter had desired? Amid some suspicion that there was a God. In fact we may apply to enthusiasm, what has been said on another occasion :

The heartachs and the thousand natural shocks
Which flesh is heir to,

can our hopes of future happiness be too

Ask where's the North-At York 'tis on the cheering, or our power of rising above the

Tweed,

In Scotland at the Orcades; and there,
At Greenland, Zembla-

་

calamities of mortality be too habitual, or too effectual? Such are the questions obviously But it may be asked, has religious enthusi- suggested by the supposition of such a thing asm, after all, no definite meaning? or are as excess in religion. And doubtless the anreligion and frenzy really so nearly allied, swer of every serious and reflecting mind that no clearly distinctive line can be drawn must be, that in pure and undefiled religion,' between them? One of our most eminent in loving the Lord our God with all our writers has told us, that enthusiasm is a heart, with all our mind, with all our soul, kind of excess in devotion, and that superand with all our strength, and our neighbour stition is the excess, not only of devotion, as ourselves,' the idea of excess is as inconbut of religion in general' A strange defi. gruous and inadmissible, as that of a happy nition! For what is devotion, and what is life being too long, or of the joys of heaven religion, if we cannot be in earnest in them being less desirable because they are eterwithout hazarding our rationality, which, nal. however, must be the case, if this definition But if, instead of cultivating and advancwere accurate? For if the excess of devo-ing in this love of God and man,-instead of tion were enthusiasm, and the excess of reli- loving what God has really commanded, and gion were superstition, it would follow, that desiring what he has clearly promised in his to advance in either would be to approximate holy word,-this word be neglected, and the to fanaticism. Of course, he who wished to retain his mental sanity, must listen with caution to the apostolic precept, of growing

in grace.

suggestions of an ardent, or of a gloomy fancy be substituted in its room, then the person becomes in the strictest and truest sense, a fanatic; and as his natural temperament may happen to be sanguine or saturnine, he rises into imaginary raptures or sinks down into torturing apprehensions, and slavish self inflictions.

But, with all due respect to Mr Addison, may we not justly question whether there can be such a thing as an excess of either devotion or religion, in the proper sense of the terms? We never seriously suppose Here then, if I am not mistaken, we may that any one can be too wise, too pure, or too discover the real nature of both enthusiasm benevolent. If at any time we use a lan- and superstition. It is not excess of devoguage of this apparent import, we always tion which constitutes the one, nor excess of conceive the idea of some spurious intermix-religion in general which leads to the other. ture, or injudicious mode of exercise. But But both are the consequence of a radical Each alike imwhen we confine our thoughts to the princi misconception of religion. ple itself, we do not apprehend that we can plies a compound of ignorance and passion; become too predominant,-to be too virtu- and as the person is disposed to hope or fear, ous, being just as inconceivable as to be too he becomes enthusiastical on the one hand, happy. or superstitious on the other. He in whom fear predominates, most naturally mistakes 993467A

Now if this be true of any single virtue,

what God commands, and instead of taking recommended, let it not be forgotten, that that law for his rule, whose seat is the bo- there is need on all sides of exercising a cansom of God, and whose voice the harmony of did judgment. Let not the conscientious the world,'* in a most unhappy manner, be- Christian suspect, that the advocate for mocomes a law unto himself, multiplying ob- rality intends by the term to depreciate reliservances, which have nothing to recom-gion, unless it appear that he makes moralimend them, but their irksomeness or uncouthness; and acting, as if the way to propitiate his Maker were by tormenting himself. He, on the contrary, in whom the hopeful passions are prevalent, no less naturally misconceives what God has promised and pleases himself with the prospect, or persuades himself into the imaginary possession, of extraordinary influences and supernatural communications. Both, it is evident, mean to pursue religion, but neither has sufficient judgment to ascertain its real nature. Perhaps, in general, some mental morbidness is at the bottom, which, when of the depressive kind, disposes to the superstitious view of religion, and when, of the elevating kind, to the enthusiastical.

ty the root as well as the produce of goodness.--Nor let the moralist, whose affections are less lively, and whose views are less elevated, deem the religious man a fanatic, be cause he sometimes adopts the language of Scripture to express feelings to which human terms are not always adequate. We mean not to justify, but to condemn, as a gross defect of good sense, as well as of taste and elegance, that ill-conditioned phraseolo gy, which, by disfiguring the comeliness of piety, lessens its dignity, and injures its interests. Doubtless, a good understanding cannot be more usefully exercised, nor can the effects of mental cultivation be better shown, than in bringing every aid of a sound judgment, and every grace of a correct style, into the service of that divine religion, which does not more contain all that is just and pure, than it coalesces with all that is 'lovely, and of good report.'

Religion, the religion of the Scriptures, is itself an exquisite temperament, in which all the virtues, of which man is capable, are harmoniously blended. He, therefore, who studies the Scriptures, and draws thence his The too frequent abuse of such terms as ideas and sentiments of religion, takes the moderation, candor, toleration, &c. should be best method to escape both enthusiasm and pointed out to those whose high station presuperstition. Even infidelity is no security vents their communication with the world at against either. But it is absolutely impos- large. It should be explained, that moderasible for an intelligent votary of scriptural tion, in the new dictionary, means the abanChristianity to be in any respect fanatical. donment of some of the most essential docTrue fanatics, therefore, are apt to neglect trines of Christianity. That candor in the the Scriptures, except so far as they can same school of philology, denotes a latituditurn them to their own particular purpose. narian indifference, as to the comparative The Romish church, for example, became merits of all religious systems.-That tolenegligent of the Scriptures, nearly in pro-ration signifies such a low idea of the value portion as it became superstitious. And ev- of revealed truth, and perhaps such a doubt ery striking instance of enthusiasm, if inquir- even of its existence, as makes a man careed into, will be found to exemplify the same less, whether it be maintained or trampled dereliction. In a word, Christianity is eter- on, vindicated or calumniated.-A toleration nal truth, and they who soar above truth, as of every creed generally ends in an indifferwell as they who sink below it, equally over-ence to all, if it does not originally spring look the standard by which rational action from a disbelief of all. Even the noble term is to be regulated; whereas to adhere stea- rational, which so peculiarly belongs to true dily to this, is to avoid all extremes, and es-religion, is frequently used to strip Chriscape, not only the tendency toward perni- tianity of her highest attributes and her cious excess, but any danger of falling into sublimest energies, as if in order to be rational, divine influences must be excluded. Did we accustom ourselves to exact defi- Or, as if it were either suitable to our necesnitions, we should not only call the disorder-sities, or worthy of God, that when he was ly religionist an enthusiast; we should also giving his word to be a light to our paths,' feel, that if irrational confidence, unfounded he should make that light a kind of moral expectations, and assumptions without a ba- moonshine, instead of accompanying it with sis, be enthusiasm, then is the term most such a vital warmth, as might invigorate our justly applicable to the mere worldly moral-hearts, as well as direct our footsteps. ist. For does not he wildly assume effects Though it would be absurd for a prince to to be produced without their proper means, who looks for virtue without piety; for happiness without holiness; for reformation without repentance; for repentance without divine assistance; for divine assistance without prayer; and for acceptance with God without regard to that Mediator, whom God has ordained to be our great high priest?

it.

But, while accuracy of definition is thus

* Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity, conclusion of the first book.

become a wrangling polemic like Henry VIII. or a royal doctor,' like the first James; yet, he should possess so much information, as to be enabled to form a reasonable judgment between contending parties, and to know the existing state of religion. And, that he may learn to detect the artifices of men of loose principles, he should be apprised, that the profane and the pious do not engage on equal terms. That the carelessness of the irreligious gives him an apparent air of good humour, and his levity the sem

blance of wit and gayety; while his Chris- tery, when FOUR MILLIONS of those subjects tían adversary ventures not to risk his soul were either groaning under torture, or fly. for a bon-mot, nor dares to be witty on top-ing into exile; turning infidels, if they reics which concern his eternal interests.

It will be important, on the other hand, to show that it is very possible to be zealous for religious opinions, without possessing any religion; nay, that a fiery religious zeal has been even found compatible with the most flagitious morals. The church of Rome so late as the sixteenth century, presented numberless examples of men, whose lives were a tissue of vices, which cannot so much as be named, who yet, at the risk of life, would fight in defence of a ceremony, for the preservation of a consecrated vase, or a gift devoted to a monastery.

solved to retain their property; or chained to the gallies, if they preferred their conscience to their fortune!

As the afflicted Hugonots were not permitted to carry their complaints to the foot of the throne, the deluded king fancied his bloody agents to be mild ministers, and the tortured protestants to be mischievous heretics. But, though the kingdom was, in many parts, nearly depopulated by exile and executions, the sword, as usual, made not one proselyte. The subjects were tortured, but they were not converted. The rack is a bad rhetorician. The gallies may harrass the body, but do not convince the understanding, nor enforce articles of faith.*

Under all these crimes and calamities, Louis, as a French memorialist observes, was not ashamed to hear, what Boileau was not ashamed to sing,

To show that it is possible to be zealous for religious opinions, without being religious, we need not look back to the persecuting powers of Pagan or Papal Rome; nor need we select our instances from the disciples of Dominic; nor from such monsters as Catharine di Medici; nor from such san- L'Univers sous ton regne a-t-il des Malheureux? guinary bigots as the narrow-souled Mary Colbert, who was a wise man, might have nor the dark-minded Philip. Examples from persons less abhorrent from human feelings, taught his royal master, that in this persecu more mixed characters, the dark shades of tion there was as little policy as piety, and whose minds are blended with lighter strokes, but his country. By banishing so many usethat he was not only injuring his conscience, and whose vices are mitigated with softer qualities, may be more properly considered, ful subjects, he impoverished the state doubas approaching nearer to the common stand-y, not only by robbing it of the ingenuity, the manufactures, and the labours of such ard of human life. That a prince may be very zealous for re- countries all the industry and talents which multitudes, but by transferring to hostile ligious opinions and observances, and yet be so defective in moral virtue, as to be both he was driving from his own. If the treachpersonally and politically profligate, is ex-ery of detaining the protestants under false emplified in our second James, who renoun- promises, which were immediately violated, ced three kingdoms for his religion, yet nei- is to be charged on Louvois, the crime of ther scrupled to live in the habitual violation blintly confiding in such a minister is to be charged on the king. of the seventh commandment, nor to em

the example given, under similar circumHow little had this monarch profited, by

ploy the inhuman Jefferies as his chancellor, Harlai, archbishop of Paris, distinguished stances, by Louis XII. When some of the himself by his zeal in attacking heresy: so all religion was called except that of the pious Waldenses, while they were improving Jesuits. His activity proceeded from no ous industry, had been grievously persecuhis barren lands in Provence by their virtulove of piety, but from a desire to make his ted, through false representations; that pruway at court, where zeal, just then, happen-dent prince commanded the strictest inquiry ed to be the fashion. His religious activity, however, neither prevented, nor cured, the to be made into their real character; the renotorious licentiousness of his moral con- sult was. that he was so perfectly convinced duct. The king, bis master, fancied, that of their innocence, that he not only protected them during the rest of his reign, but to punish Jansenisin, was an indubitable proof of religion; but to persecute protest- were better men than himself and his cathohad the magnanimity to declare, that they antism, he conceived to be the consummalic subjects.' tion of piety. What a lesson for princes, to see him, after the revocation of the edict of

6

Happy had it been for himself and for the Naatz, gratefully swallowing the equally world, if the emperor Charles V. had instifalse and nauseous compliments of his cler- tuted the same inquiries! Happy, if in the gy, for having, to borrow their own phrase, meridian of his power he had studied the without violent methods made the whole king character of mankind to as good purpose, as dom of one opinion, and united all his sub- he afterwards, in his monastic retreat, studijects to the faith of Rome! Iniquitous flat-ed the mechanism of watches! Astonished to find, that after the closest application, he It was a fact well known at the court of Ver- never could bring any two to go just alike, sailles, that madame de Montespan, during the long period in which she continued the favourite Distress of the king, (by whom she had seven chil-ly to have adopted the opinion of those two great dren,) was so strict in her religious observances, ministers of Henry IV. who, when pressed to perthat, lest she should violate the austerity of fast secute, replied that they thought it better to have ing, her bread, during Lent, was constantly a peace which had two religions, than a war which weighed

*Louvois and his master would have done wise

had none.'

he expressed deep regret at his own folly, in having bestowed so much time and pains in the fruitless attempt of bringing mankind to an exact uniformity in their religious opinions. But, the discovery was made too late; he ended where he should have begun.

CHAP. XXXV.

The Reformation.

pose infidelity, and to keep alive some love of piety and devotion, in that season of drowsy inactivity. But, at the period to which we refer, their theology had become little better than a mazy labyrinth of trivial, and not seldom of pernicious sophistry. Subtle disquisitions, metaphysical niceties, unintelligible obscurities, and whimsical distinctions, were substituted in the place of revealed truth; for revealed truth was not sufficiently intricate for the speculations of those puzzling theologians, of whom Eras

matter of so much wit to be a Christian, that ordinary heads were not able to reach it.'And, as genuine Christianity was not sufficiently ingenious for these whimsical doctors, neither was it sufficiently pliant and accommodating to suit the corrupt state of public morals.

Almost entirely overlooking the Scriptures, the school-men had built schemes and systems on the authority of the fathers, some of them spurious ones. The philosophy of Aristotle had also been resorted to for some of the chief materials of the system; so that as the author of the History of the Council of Trent informs us, if it had not been for Aristotle, the church had wanted for many articles of faith.'

In order to increase the royal pupil's rev-mus said, that, they had brought it to be a erence for Christianity, before she is herself able to appreciate its value, she should be taught, that it did not steal into the world in the days of darkness and ignor nce, when the spirit of inquiry was asleep; but appeared in the most enlightened period of the Roman empire. That its light dawned, not on the remoter regions of the earth, but on a province of that empire. whose peculiar manners had already attracted much notice and whose local situation placed it particularly within the view of surrounding nations. Whereas the religion of Mahomet and the corruptions of popery, which started up almost together, arose when the spirit of investigation, learning, and philosophy, had ceased to exert itself. That, during those dark ages, both Christianity and human The early reformers defeated these sophislearning were n arly extinguished; and ters, by opposing to their unsubstantial systhat, as both had sunk together, so both to- tem, the plain unadulterated Bible. The gether awoke from their long slumber. The very text of holy Scripture, and the most sorestoration of letters was the restoration of ber, rational, and simple deductions from religion also; the free access to the ancient thence, furnished the ground work of their authors being one grand instrument of the arguments. And to this noble purpose they revival of pure Christianity. applied that sound learning, which Provi

The learning which existed in the church dence had caused to revive just at the necesantecedently to the Reformation, was limit-sarv period. Their skill in the Greek and ed to very few, and was in the general, but Hebrew languages enabled them to read the meagre and superficial; and the purposes original Scriptures, and to give correct to which it was confined, formed an effectu- translations of them to the public. And, in al obstacle to substantial improvement. In- this respect, they had an important advanstead of being employed in investigating tage over the school divines, who did not unthe evidences of Christianity, or in elucida- derstand the language in which their master ting the analogy of Christian principles, Aristotle had written. It is no wonder, if an with the laws of the natural, and the exigen- heterogeneous theology should have been cies of the moral world, it was pressed into compounded out of such discordant materithe service of what was called school divini- als as were made un from spurious fathers, ty: a system, which perhaps had providen-and an ill-understood pagan philosopher. tially been not without its uses at a previous The works of this great author, which, by period, especially when under the discretion an inconsistency not uncommon in the histoof a sound and upright mind, as having ser- rv of man, had not long before been prohibved both to elicit and exercise the intellect ited by a panal decree, and burnt by public of a ruder age Study and industry, how- authority, came, in the sixteenth century, to ever they may be misapplied, are always be consi lered as little less than canonical! good in themselves; and almost any state is But this attachment to sophistry and jarbetter than hopeless inanity. These schoolgon was far from being the worst feature of men perhaps sustained the cause of Religion, the period in question. The generality of when she might utterly have sunk, though the clergy were sunk into the grossest ignowith arms little suited to make their support rance. of which instances are recorded effectual, or to produce solid practical ben- scarcely credible in our day of general efit, either to the church or the people. knowledge. It is difficult to say whether the Some of the earlier scholastic divines, though ecclesiastics had more entirely discarded tedious, and somewhat trifling, were, how-useful learning, or Scripture truth. In the ever, close reasoners, as well as pious men, place the efore, of the genuine religion of though they afterwards sunk in rationality, the Bible, they substituted false miracles, as they increased in quibbling and subtlety Iving legends, purchased pardons, and preYet, defective as their efforts were, they had posterous penances A procedure which be been useful, as they had contributed to op-came the more popular, as it introduced a

religion which did not insist on the inconven- ses, the extraordinary combination of cirient appendage of a good life; those who had cumstances, the long chain of gradual but money enough, easily procured indemnity constantly progressive occurrences, by which for a bad one; and to the profligate and the this grand event was brought about? The affluent, the purchase of good works was successive, as well as contemporary produccertainly more agreeable than the practice. tion of singular characters, calculated to We are far from asserting, that there were promote its general accomplishment, and no mixtures of infirmity in the instruments each peculiarly fitted for his own respective which accomplished the great work of the work! So many unconscious or unwilling reformation. They were fallible men. But instruments made subservient to one great it is now evident to every sincere inquirer. purpose !—Friends and enemies, even Musthat many of their transactions, which have sulmen and popes, contributing, certainly been represented by their adversaries as cor- without intending it, to its advancement!rupt and criminal, only appeared such to Mahomet banishing learning from the east, those who did not take their motives, and the that it might providentially find a shelter in critical circumstances of the times, into the these countries, where the new opinions account, or who had an interest in misrepre- were to be propagated !-Several successive senting them. Many of those actions, which, sovereign pontiffs, collecting books and pathrough false colourings, were made to ap- tronizing that literature which was so soon pear unfavourable, are now clearly proved to to be directed against their own domination ! have been virtuous and honourable; espe--But above all, the multiplication of concially when we take the then situation of temporary popes, weakening the reverence things, and the flagitious conduct of the priests and pontiffs with whom they had to deal, into the account.

of the people, by occasioning a schism in the church, and exhibiting its several heads wandering about, under the ludricious circumMr. Hume has been among the foremost stance, of each claiming infallibility for himto revive and inflame the malignant reports self, and denying it to his competitor !-Inrespecting them. He allows indeed the in- fallibility, thus split, was discredited, and in flexible intrepidity with which they braved a manner annihilated.--To these preparatodangers, lurtures, and even death itself. But ry circumstances, we may add the infatuastill they were, in his estimation, the fanat- tion, or rather judicial blindness, of the papal ical and enraged reformers. And he care- power; the errors, even in worldly prudence, fully suggests, through the course of his his- committed by Leo, a pontiff otherwise of adtory, that fanaticism is the characteristic of mirable talents !-The half measures adoptthe protestant religion. The terms protes-ed, at one time, of inefficient violence; at tant fanaticism,' and fanatical churches,' another, of ineffectual lenity!-The tempohe repeatedly uses. He has even the temer-rary want of sagacity in an ecclesiastical ity to assert, in contradiction to all credible court, which was usually remarkable for potestimony, that the reformers placed all mer- litical acuteness!-The increasing aptitude it in a mysterious species of faith, in inward of men's minds to receive truth, in proporvision, rapture, and ecstacy A charge, to say nothing of truth and candor, unworthy of Mr. Hume's good sense, and extensive means of information. For there is no fact better known, than that these eminently wise men never pretended to illuminations and impulses. What they undertook honestly, they conducted soberly. They pretended to no inspiration; they did not even pretend to introduce a new, but only to restore to its pristine purity, the old religion. They respected government practised and taught submission to civil rulers, and desired only the liberty of that conscience which God has made free.'*

But though, in accomplishing the great work of the reformation, reason and human wisdom, were most successfully exercised; though the divine interference was not manifested by the working of miracles, or the gift of supernatural endowments: yet who can doubt, that this great work was directed by the hand of heaven, especially when we consider the wonderful predisposition of cau

*See an excellent appendix to Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History, vol. iv. page 136, on the spirit of !the reformers, and the injustice of Mr. Hume, by that truly elegant, candid, and accomplished scholar, and most amiable man, the late Rev. Dr. Archibald Macleine,

The lover and the love of human kind.

tion as events occurred to mature it !-Some who loved learning, and were indifferent to religion, favouring the reformation as a cause connected with good letters; the old doctrines becoming united with the idea of ignorance, as the new ones were with that of knowledge !-The preparatory invention of printing, without which the revival of learning would have been of little general use, and the dispersion of the Scriptures slow, and inconsiderable !-Some able and keen sighted men, working vigorously from a perception of existing abuses, who yet wanted sufficient zeal for the promotion of religious truth!

The pointed wit, the sarcastic irony, and powerful reasoning of Erasmus, together with his profound theological learning, directed against the corruptions of the Church, with such force as to shake the credit of the clergy, and be of the utmost service to that cause, which he wanted the righteous courage systematically to defend !* The unpar

* Every elegant scholar must naturally be an admirer of Erasmus. We should be sorry to incur the censure of any such by regretting, that the wit and indignation of this fine genius sometimes carried him to great lengths. Impiety, doubtless, was far from his heart, yet in some of his Colloquies, when he only professed to attack the errors of po pery, religion itself is wounded by strokes which have such a tendency to profaneness, as to give pain to the sober reader.