Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

to affirm, that the religion of Jesus Christ would be completely destroyed in this island, and that a few ages would obliterate every thing of it but the name. The religion of Christ was designed to purify the heart of man, and to counteract the operation of worldly passions; and does it. then become the ministers of a Christian church, of a · church which boasts herself to be the purest upon Earth, to say that it is no profanation to render the religion of Christ the minister and the servant of these passions, that it is no profanation to invite to the most serious and abstract act of Christian devotion through the medium of these passions? If injustice must be practised, let it not be in the name of God and Christ, let not God and Christ be summoned to be instrumental thereto !

But to render it more clear to every one, that civil establishments of religion have a tendency to obstruct the progress of truth and virtue, it may be proper to inquire in what manner they operate to this effect.

The spirit of the world, and the spirit of religion are not more opposed in the New Testa

Testament than they are, if not in their very nature, yet assuredly in the constant experience both of nations and of individuals. They aim at different ends, and act by different means; and therefore the wise author of our religion has pronounced them to be irreconcilable, and has passed a definitive sentence against all attempts to mix and incorporate together things of so heterogeneous a character. His kingdom is not of this world, and his proper subjects are called out of the world. That is, another master is presented to them; to his service they must be supremely devoted, and by his will and by his laws all their conduct as men must be governed and controlled.

The world, as it is subjected to civil polity, can plead no higher instructor than human wisdom, and must submit itself to the regulations and laws which mere human wisdom may have meditated; and those who wish to participate in its honours and rewards, must conform to the will of their civil governors, enter into their spirit and views, and earn distinction by that merit of

obedi

obedience and cooperation which their civil governors are alone disposed to acknowledge. But as all civil polity has a tendency to corruption, insomuch that not the most perfect form, which mankind have ever experienced, can be reconciled with the sober maxims of virtue and religion, while few are found, which are not greatly abhorrent to both; it is not to be expected that the union of religion with civil policy should have any other tendency than to debase religion, submit her dictates to the convenience and the passions and even the vices of the very worst of men, and at length render her little other than a pander to those interests which she abhors.

When worldly politics are thus blended with religion, and religion and her influence on the minds of men is merely borrowed as an aid to worldly views; it is to be expected that the politician should adopt that form of religion which is most suited to catch the eyes, and act upon the senses of men, and to lull asleep the dangerous powers of thought and inquiry. Truth and purity are not his object, they are no concern of his; he has

other

other ends in view, and what may best promote these ends, is the only rule with him. in planning or strengthening the unnatural union. Himself thus indifferent to pure simple truth, the less principled among the clergy are sure to crowd to his standard ; they and the master to whose favour they aspire are happily fitted to each other: actuated with a kindred spirit, they are the tools whom he can confidently employ; and cooperating with his views, it is his interest to repay them with those rewards which alone sit near to their hearts. But admitting that the civil governor shall himself be in earnest in religion, which in many instances must in some degree be admitted, yet from his education and form of life, being but ill-instructed in a science so removed from the common walks of men, he is exposed to errour and imposture, and his religion most probably will be that of superstition or fanaticism, the religion of all ill-tutored minds, and which alone can accommodate itself to worldly ones. Thus he becomes himself the tool of shrewder politicians, of crafty

and

and designing priests, and his very zeal is fatal to the truth and purity of such a reli-` gion as that of the New Testament.Whether therefore as a sceptic in religion, and disposed to make no allowance to the childish plea of conscience in others, or from an ignorant and misguided zeal, supposing that he serves God by promoting an unity of faith and worship in all, he rudely shuts the door to inquiry, and with an unsympathizing spirit compels all to enter the temple which he has consecrated, and to worship the idol which he has erected. The alliance thus formed and established between the interests of the state and what the civil magistrate is alone pleased to allow the name of religion to, the honest, the conscientious, and inquisitive, who investigate truth in other paths than what the magistrate has prescribed, are repelled from the sacerdotal office, and those only of pliant minds are received to favour, and invested with the important privilege of ministering to the ple in sacred things.

peo

Nor

« AnteriorContinuar »