Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

tion had very little connection with virtue, was indeed an opinion which I propagated with great diligence; and with such fuccefs, that Boniface, the apostle of Germany, declared the benefit of Sacraments to depend upon the qualifications of those by whom they were administered; and that a Bavarian monk having ignorantly baptized in these words, "Baptizo te in nomine "patria filia et spiritua fancta," all fuch baptisms were invalid. Against knowledge, however, I never failed to oppose zeal; and when Virgilius afferted, that the earth being a sphere, there were people upon it the foles of whofe feet were directly appofite to each other; the fame father Boniface represented him to the pope as a corrupter of the Christian Faith; and the pope, concurring with Boniface, soon after excommunicated a bishop for adopting so dangerous an opinion, declaring him an heretic, and a blasphemer against God and his own foul. In these inftances my fuccefs was the more remarkable, as I verily believe Boniface himself intended well, because he died a martyr with great confancy.

I found, however, that while the Gospels were publicly read, the fuperftructure which I had built upon them was in perpetual danger: I, therefore, exerted all my influence to difcontinue the practice, and at length fucceeded, though Ariftotle's Ethics were fubftituted for them in fome northern churches: but against Aristotle's Ethics I had not equal objections.

During this period, therefore, my powers were neither diffipated by unsuccessful labour, nor rendered ufelefs by unneceffary idleness: I had perplexed and confounded the moft fimple and falutary doctrines, with abfurd fubtleties and extravagant conceits; and I had

armed

armed with the weapons of fuperftition, and disguised with the tinfel of ceremony, that Religion which comprehended every precept in Love to God, and to Man; which gave no direction about divine worship, but that it should be performed in Spirit and in Truth; or about Social Virtue, but that love of self should be the measure of bounty to others. But there was ftill personal sanctity, though the doctrine and the difcipline of the church were become corrupt and ridiculous: zeal was still animated by integrity, though it was no longer directed by knowledge: the fervice and the honour of God were still intended, though the means were mistaken. Many, indeed, gladly substituted gain for godlinefs; and committed every species of wickedness, because they hoped to appropriate works of fupererogation that were performed by others: but there were fome who practised all the severities of erroneous picty, and suffered the mortification which they recommended: fo that I had still something to do, and was ftill encouraged to diligence by fuccefs.

But all these advantages depended upon ignorance: for the fecurity of ignorance, therefore, I affirmed, that she was the mother of devotion; a lie fo fuccessful, that it paffed into a proverb.

The period, however, arrived, when knowledge could be no longer fuppreffed; and I was under the mofi dreadful apprehenfions that all the abfurdities, by which I had diminished the influence and the beauty of Christianity, would now be removed: I could not conceive that thofe motives which had produced abftinence and folitude, vigils, fcourgings, and the mortification of every appetite and every passion, would fail to produce a more reasonable service; or become inefVOL. II.

H

fectual,

[ocr errors]

No. LX. fectual, when the paths of duty appeared to be not only peaceful but pleafant. I did not, however, fit down in despair; but the knowledge which I could not reprefs, I laboured to pervert. As the human intellect is finite, and can comprehend only finite objects, I knew that if all was rejected as incredible which was not comprehended, I should have little to fear from a religion founded in Infinite Perfection, and connected with revelations which an Infinite Being had vouchsafed of himself. I, therefore, immediately opposed reason to faith: I threw out fubjects of debate which I knew could never be difcuffed; the affent of many was fufpended, in expectation that impoffibilities would be effected; and at laft refused in the fretfulness of difappointment. Thus infidelity gradually fucceeded to fuperftition: the hope and fear, the love, reverence, and gratitude, which had been excited by Christianity, and produced fuch aftonishing effects, were now felt no more; and as the most forcible motives to piety and virtue were again wanting, piety was wholly neglected and virtue rendered more eafy and commodious: the bounds of moral obligation included every day lefs and lefs; and crimes were committed without compunction, because they were not supposed to incur punishment.

Thefe evils, Mr. Adventurer, evils both in your ef timation and mine, I am afraid will continue if they cannot increase: difputation and fcepticifm flourish without my influence, and have left no principle for me to counteract: the number of my vaffals is indeed greatly increased by the unfolicited wickednefs of the prefent time; but this increase is not equivalent to the pleasure of feduction.

If the importance, therefore, of Christianity to man kind, fhall appear from its having bufied me to fubvert it, and from the mifery which I fuffer in idleness, now my purpose is unhappily effected; I hope they are not yet so obdurate in ill, as to perfift in rejecting it merely in spight to me; and destroy themselves, only that I may not be amused by attempting their deftruction. You fee, that I have fufficient benevolence to request, that they would regard their own intereft, at least as far as it is confiftent with mine; and if they refuse me, I am confident you will think they treat me with more feverity than I deferve.

[blocks in formation]

No. LXI. Tuesday, June 5, 1753.

Ploravere fuis non respondere favorem
Quæfitum meritis-

Each inly murm'ring at the unequal meed,
Repines that merit fhould reward exceed.

HOR.

PERHAPS there is not any word in the language less understood than Honour; and but few that might not have been equally mistaken, without producing equal mifchief.

Honour is both a motive and an end: as a principle of action it differs from virtue only in degree, and therefore, neceffarily includes it, as generofity includes justice and as a reward, it can be deferved only by thofe actions which no other principle can produce. To fay of another that he is a Man of Honour, is at once to attribute the principle and to confer the reward. But in the common acceptation of the word, Honour, as a principle, does not include virtue; and, therefore, as a reward, is frequently bestowed upon vice. Such indeed, is the blindness and vaffalage of human reason, that men are difcouraged from virtue by the fear of fhame, and incited to vice by the hope of honour.

Honour, indeed, is always claimed in specious terms; but the facts upon which the claim is founded, are of

ten

« ZurückWeiter »