and wiser than severe Philosophy in point of Morality, it refines our taste to Delicacy, and our sentiments to Innocence. Look upon man in a civil Society, if Justice be necessary, yet ’tis a restraint to him. In the pure state of Nature, his Liberty will have something of barbarity in it; and if he govern himself by Morality, his Reason is austere. All other Religions stir up in the mind tempestuous thoughts, and troublesom Passions. They raise against nature superstitious fears, or a furious zeal; sometimes to the sacrificing our Children, like Agamenon; at other times to the devoting our selves, like Decius. Only the Christian Religion composes all our Inquietudes, softens all our Fierceness, sets all our tender Movements a-going, not only for our friends and neighbours, but for the indifferent, and even for our enemies.
This is the end of the Christian Religion, and this was once the practice of it. If it be otherwise now, it is because we have let it lose its influence on our hearts, and given way to the encroachments of our imaginations upon it. Hence springs the division of our minds about Faith, instead of the union of our wills in Good Works; insomuch, that what ought to be a band of Charity betwixt men, is now become the subject of their Quarrels, Jealousies and ill nature.
From this diversity of Opinions has arisen that of Parties; and the adherence to Parties has caus’d Persecutions and Wars. Many thousands have died in disputing about the manner of receiving, what, ’twas agreed on all hands, they did receive in the Sacrament. ’Tis a mischief that still continues, and will last till Religion quits the curiosity of our minds for the tenderness of our hearts; and disgusted with the foolish presumption of our
