principles begets no contrariety of action, but each may follow his own way, without interfering with his neighbour, as happens in all religious controverfies; what madness, what fury can beget fuch unhappy and fuch fatal divisions ?

Two men, travelling on the highway, the one east, the other weft, can eafily pass each other, if the way be broad enough: But two men, reafoning upon oppofite principles of religion, cannot so easily pass, without fhocking; tho' one fhould think, that the way were also, in that case, sufficiently broad, and that each might proceed, without interruption, in his own course. But fuch is the nature of the human mind, that it always takes hold of every mind that approaches it; and as it is wonderfully ftrengthen'd and corroborated by an unanimity of fentiments, fe is it fhock'd and difturb'd by any contrariety. Hence the eagerness, which most people difcover in a difpute; and hence their impatience of oppofition, even in the moft fpeculative and indifferent opinions.

THIS principle, however frivolous it may appear, seems to have been the origin of all religious wars and divifions. But, as this principle is univerfal in human nature, its effects would not have been confin'd to one age, and to one fect of religion, did it not there concur with other more accidental causes, which raise it to fuch a height, as to produce the highest mifery and devastation. Most religions of the ancient world arofe in the unknown ages of government, when men were as yet barbarous and uninftructed, and the prince, as well as peafant, was dif

pos'd

pos'd to receive, with implicite faith, every pious tale or fiction which was offer'd him. The magiftrate embrac'd the religion of the people, and entering cordially into the care of facred matters, naturally acquir'd an authority in them, and united the ecclesiastical with the civil power. But the Chriftian religion arifing, while principles directly oppofite to it were firmly establish'd in the polite part of the world, who defpis'd the nation that first broach'd this novelty; no wonder, that in such circumstances, it was but little countenanc'd by the civil magiftrate, and that the priesthood were allow'd to engrofs all the authority in the new fect. So bad a ufe did they make of this power, even in those early times, that the perfecutions of Chriftianity may, perhaps in part, be ascrib’d to the violence inftill'd by them into their followers. And the fame principles of priestly government continuing, after Christianity became

the

* I fay, in part; For 'tis a vulgar error to imagine, that the ancients were as great friends to toleration as the English or Dutch are at present. The laws against external superstition, amongst the Romans, were as ancient as the time of the twelve tables; and the Jews as well as Chriflians were fometimes punish'd by them: Tho', in general, these laws were not rigorously executed. Immediately after the conquest of Gaul, they forbad all but the natives to be initiated into the religion of the Druids; and this was a kind of perfecution. In about a century after this conqueft, the emperor, Claudius, quite abolish'd that fuperftition by penal laws; which would have been a very grievous persecution, if the imitation of the Roman manners had not, before-hand, wean'd the Gauls from their ancient prejudices. Suetonius in vita Claudii. Pliny ascribes the abolition of the Druid superstitions to Tiberius, probably because that emperor had taken fome steps towards reftraining them, (lib. 30. cap. 1.) This is an inftance of the usual caution and moderation of the Ro

mans

the establish'd religion, they have engender'd a fpirit of perfecution, which has ever fince been the poison: of human fociety, and the fource of the most inve-terate factions in every government. Such factions, therefore, on the part of the people, may juftly be efteem'd factions of principle; but, on the part of the priests, who are the prime movers, they are really factions of interest.

THERE is another cause (befide the authority of the priests, and the feparation of the ecclefiaftical. and civil powers) which has contributed to render Chriftendom the fcene of religious wars and divifions.. Religions, that arife in ages totally ignorant and barbarous, confist mostly of traditional tales and fictions, which may be very different in every fect, without being contrary to each other; and even when they are contrary, every one adheres to the tradition of his own fect, without much reafoning or difputation.. But as philofophy was widely spread over the world, at the time when Chriftianity arofe, the teachers of the new fect were oblig'd to form a fyftem of speculative opinions; to divide, with fome accuracy, their articles of faith; and to explain, comment, confute, and. confirm with all the fubtilty of argugument and science. From hence naturally arofe keen

mans in fuch cafes; and very different from their violent and fanguinary method of treating the Chriftians.. Hence we may entertain a fufpicion, that thofe furious perfecutions of Chriflianity were, in fome measure, owing to the imprudent zeal and bigotry of the first propagators of that fe&t; and Eccle-fiaftical history affords us many reafons to confirm this fufpicion,

nefs

ness in difpute, when the christian religion came to be fplit into new divifions and herefies: And this keennefs affifted the priests in their pernicious policy, of begetting a mutual hatred and antipathy among their deluded followers. Sects of philofophy, in the ancient world, were more zealous than parties of religion; but, in modern times, parties of religion are more furious and enrag'd than the most cruel factions which ever arofe from intereft and ambition.

I HAVE mention'd parties from affection as a kind of real parties, befide those from intereft and principle. By parties from affection, I understand those which are founded on the different affections of men towards particular families and perfons, whom they defire to rule over them. Thefe parties are often very violent; tho', I must own, it is fomewhat unaccountable, that men fhould attach themselves fo strongly to perfons, with whom they are no way acquainted, whom perhaps they never faw, and from whom they never receiv'd, nor can ever hope for any favour. Yet this we find often to be the cafe, and even with men, who, on other occafions, discover no great generofity of fpirit, nor are found to be eafily tranfported by friendship beyond their own intereft. We are apt, I know not how, to think the relation betwixt us and our fovereign very close and intimate. The fplendor of majesty and power bestows an importance on the fortunes even of a fingle perfon. And when a man's good-nature. gives him not this imaginary interest, his ill-nature will, from fpite and oppofition to perfons whofe fentiments are different from his own. ESSAY

[90]

ESSAY XI.

Of the PARTIES of GRE A TBRITAIN.

W

VERE the British government propos'd as a fubject of speculation to a studious man, he would immediately perceive in it a fource of divifion and party, which it would be almoft impoffible for it, under any administration, to avoid. The juft balance betwixt the republican and monarchical part of our conftitution is really, in itself, fo extremely delicate and uncertain, that when join'd to mens passions and prejudices, 'tis impoffible but different opinions muft arife concerning it, even among perfons of the best understanding. Thofe of mild tempers, who love peace and order, and deteft fedition and civil wars, will always entertain more favourable fentiments of monarchy, than men of bold and generous fpirits, who are paffionate lovers of liberty, and think no evil comparable to fubjection and flavery. And tho' all reasonable men agree in general to preserve our mix'd government; yet when they come to particulars, fome will incline to trust larger powers to the crown, to bestow on it more influence, and to guard againft