From these remarks it cannot fail to be obvious, that there is a natural connexion between Popery and national degradation and general poverty. It will be intelligible how it happened that Spain, possessing the richest colonial empire and a fine European territory, sunk into comparative contempt among the nations of Europe; while Britain, after it got quit of the Popish domination, became as a queen among the nations in comparative power and riches. Compare, for an instant, the education of our own country of Scotland with that which the Popish system establishes, and it will be seen how it happened that a small northern territory has taken the lead, almost of the world, in the first of all arts, that of agriculture; and its population have diffused themselves over all lands, prospering and rising into wealth and distinction in every country and climate to which they have had access. But of this I have more to say.
It is evident that the employments in which the members of the Popish priesthood are engaged, must differ according to the situation, interests, and prospects of Popery. Being detached from all domestic and patriotic interests and affections, and exclusively devoted to the aggrandisement of their association, their occupations are much diversified. When sent into Protestant countries they are taught to act with the greatest humility and mildness, in order to guard against giving offence, and to say that they seek only in peace to attend to the spiritual welfare of their followers, without any view to worldly ambition. Thus a veil of the deepest hypocrisy covers them. But they never forget the task they have been commanded to fulfil. In a free country, under the pretence of fostering liberty, they incessantly stimulate their followers to labour to attain political privileges, which will to a certainty be employed in subserviency to the interests of the priesthood. These interests so totally absorb the minds of the members of that body, as to deprive them of every sentiment of humanity or regard for the rest of mankind, when the interest of the priesthood is at stake. Hence the horrid cruelties and diabolical tyranny of their courts of Inquisition—the massacres and bloody persecutions which they have devised, urged, and accomplished against those styled heretics, meaning, thereby, persons who presumed to read the Bible and ventured to dispute the authority of the combined Roman priesthood, and to disregard the fables and superstition which they taught. These fables, and that superstition, with all its worship of waters, statues, pictures, pilgrimages, confessions, holy waters, absolutions, and penances, the more intelligent members of the body regard with contempt; but consider them as necessary tools whereby to command the world, filled, as it comes to be under their domination, with a brutally ignorant, sensual, and contemptible race. So completely is the mind of the Popish priest or monk identified with his order, that the laws of morality uniformly bend to its views and aggrandisement. That is good which is profitable to the corps, and nothing is evil that has a tendency to promote its power. Hypocrisy, perjury, every vice, and all profligacy, may be tolerated, or even countenanced, if the measure appears expedient, towards advancing the views of the Church. The end sanctifies the means. In a Popish country a man of sense regards with disgust the gross mummery and miserable idolatry represented as religion; but having learned no other religion, and being aware of the hazard of exciting the hostility of the associated priesthood, he holds his peace, and takes refuge in total infidelity. Thus it happens that, in countries under the influence of the system of Popery, the mass of the people are sunk in miserable ignorance and superstition, and persons possessed of some intelligence become utter infidels. With these last the priesthood have no quarrel, as they let them alone. What they hate and fear are heretics; that is to say, men who seek after religious truth, and are disposed to rescue mankind from the dominion of a fraternity combined to hold them under a most brutalizing servitude. To whatever country, as his birthplace, a member of that fraternity may belong—his king, chief, or government that obtains his fidelity, attachment, and allegiance, is the Pope or prince of Rome, as head of the association. They are loyal to no government that is not priest ridden. In our days, they were loyal to the Bourbons merely because they were under servitude to
