ESSAY XII.

Of SUPERSTITION and EN

THAT

THUSIASM.

HAT the corruption of the best things produces the worst, is grown into a maxim, and is commonly prov'd, among other inftances, by the pernicious effects of fuperftition and enthufiafm, the corruptions of true religion.

THESE two fpecies of falfe religion, tho' both pernicious, are yet of a very different, and even of a contrary nature. The mind of man is fubject to certain unaccountable terrors and apprehenfions, proceeding either from the unhappy fituation of private or public affairs, from ill health, from a gloomy and melancholy difpofition, or from the concurrence of all thefe circumftances. In such a state of mind, infinite unknown evils are dreaded from unknown agents; and where real objects of terror are wanting, the foul, active to its own prejudice, and foftering its predominant inclination, finds imaginary ones, to whose power and malevolence it fets no limits. As these enemies are entirely invifible and unknown, the methods taken to appease them are equally

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unaccountable, and confist in ceremonies, obfervances, mortifications, facrifices, prefents, or in any practice, however abfurd and frivolous, which either folly or knavery recommends to a blind and terrify'd credulity. Weakness, fear, melancholy, along with ignorance, are, therefore, the true fources of SUPERSTITION.

BUT the mind of man is also subject to an unaccountable elevation and prefumption, proceeding from profperous fuccefs, from luxuriant health, from ftrong fpirits, or from a bold and confident difpofition. In such a state of mind, the imagination fwells with great, but confus'd conceptions, to which no fublunary beauties or enjoyments can correfpond. Every thing mortal and perishable vanishes as unworthy of attention. And a full range is given to the fancy in the invifible regions or world of fpirits, where the foul is at liberty to indulge itself in every imagination, which may best fuit its prefent tafte and difpofition. Hence arife raptures, transports, and furprizing flights of fancy; and confidence and prefumption ftill increafing, thefe raptures, being. altogether unaccountable, and feeming quite beyond the reach of our ordinary faculties, are attributed to the immediate infpiration of that Divine Being who is the object of devotion. In a little time, the infpir'd perfon comes to regard himself as the chief favourite of the divinity; and when this frenzy once takes place, which is the fummit of enthusiasm,every whimfy is confecrated: Human reason, and even morality are rejected as fallacious guides: And F 6

the

the fanatick madman delivers himself over, blindly, and without referve, to the fuppos'd illapfes of the fpirit, and to infpirations from above. Hope, pride, prefumption, a warm imagination, along with ignorance, are, therefore, the true fources of ENTHU

SIASM.

THESE two fpecies of false religion might afford occafion to many fpeculations; but I fhall confine myself, at prefent, to a few reflections concerning their different influence on government and fociety.

My first reflection is, That fuperftition is favourable to priestly power, aud enthusiasm as much or rather more contrary to it, than found reason and philofophy. As fuperftition is founded on fear, forrow, and a depreffion of fpirits, it represents the man to himfelf in fuch defpicable colours, that he appears unworthy, in his own eyes, of approaching the divine prefence, and naturally has recourfe to any other perfon, whofe fanctity of life, or, perhaps, impudence and cunning, have made him be fuppos'd more favour'd by the divinity. To him the superftitious entrust their devotions: To his care they recommend their prayers, petitions, and facrifices : And, by his means, hope to render their addreffes acceptable to their incens'd deity. Hence the origin of * PRIESTS, who may justly be regarded as one of

the

*By Priefis, I here mean only the pretenders to power and dominion, and to a superior fanctity of character, distinct

from

the groffeft inventions of a timorous and abject superftition, which, ever diffident of itself, dares not offer up its own devotions, but ignorantly thinks to recommend itself to the divinity, by the mediation of his fuppos'd friends and fervants. As superstition is a confiderable ingredient in almost all religions, even the most fanatical; there being nothing but philofophy able to conquer entirely these unaccountable terrors; hence it proceeds, that in almost every sect of religion there are priefts to be found: But the ftronger mixture there is of fuperftition, the higher is the authority of the priesthood. Modern judaism and popery, (efpecially the latter) being the most unphilofophical and abfurd fuperftitions which have yet been known in the world, are the most enflav'd by their priests. As the church of England may juftly be faid to retain a ftrong mixture of popish fuperftition, it partakes alfo, in its original conftitution, of a propensity to prieftly power and dominion; particu-larly in the respect it exacts to the facerdotal character. And tho', according to the fentiments of that church, the prayers of the priest must be accompany'd with thofe of the laity; yet is he the mouth of the congregation, his perfon is facred, and without his presence few would think their public devotions, or the facraments, and other rites, acceptable to the divinity.

from virtue and good morals. Thefe are very different from clergymes, who are fet apart, by the laws, to the care of facred matters, and to the conducting our public devotions. with greater decency and order. There is no rank of men more to be respected than the latter.

ON

On the other hand, it may be observ'd, that all enthusiasts have been free from the yoke of ecclefiastics, and have expreft great independence in their devotion; with a contempt of forms, ceremonies, and traditions. The quakers are the most egregious, tho', at the fame time, the most innocent, enthusiasts that have been yet known; and are, perhaps, the only fect, who 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 these particulars. In short, this obfervation is founded on the most certain experience; and will also appear to be founded on reafon, if we confider, that as enthusiasm arifes from a prefumptuous pride and confidence, it thinks itself fufficiently qualify'd to approach the Divinity, without any human mediator. Its rapturous devotions are fo 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 affiftance of the priests appears fo requifite in the eyes of their fuperftitious votaries. The fanatic confecrates himself, and beftows on his own perfon a facred character, much fuperior to what forms and ceremonious inftitutions can confer on any other.

My second reflection with regard to thefe fpecies of falfe religion is, that religions, which partake of enthur

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