certain friends of Liberty, under the terror of the mischiefs done to Society by Fanaticism, or Religion run mad, had, by a strange preposterous policy, encouraged a clamour against EstaBLISHMENTS: the only mode of Religion which can prevent what they pretended to fear ; that is, its degenerating into Fanaticism. It is true, had these Clamourers not found more enemies to the Establishment than they had made, (enemies on solider grounds, to wit, the sense of their exclusion from the emoluments of a national Church) an Establishment had hardly given umbrage to the appointed Protectors of it. But these had the Sectaries to caress; and a private and pressing interest will often get the better of the most indispensible maxims of good policy. a It was for this reason, my Lord, that so much of the book is employed in the defence of a national or an established Religion; since, under such a Form, Form, FANATICISM can never greatly spread: and that little there will always be of this critical eruption of our difeased Nature, may have the same good effect on the Established Religion which weak Factions are observed to have on the administration of Govern-ment; it may keep men more decent, alert, and attentive to the duties of their Charge. a Where then was the wonder, that a subject so managed, and at such a juncture, should be violently opposed, or to speak more truely, be grossly misrepresented. Those in the new system accused me of making the State a slave to the Church ; those in the old, of making the Church a slave to the State: and one passionate Declaimer, as I remember, who cared equally for Church and State, was pleased to say, that, the better to banter mankind, I had done both *. • Lord B. VOL. III. Having a Having thus, in the foolish confidence of Youth, cast in my Goofequill, to stem a torrent that in a little time was to bear down all before it ; I proceeded, with the same good faith, in another romantic effort, The support of Religion itself. You, my Lord, who feel so humanely for the Injured, on whomsoever poPULAR INJUSTICE may chance to fall, have hardly forgotten the strange reception with which this my fair endeavour was entertained; and principally by Those whose interests I was defending. It awaked a thousand black passions and idiot prejudices. The Zealots inflamed the Bigots. a 'Twas the Time's plague, For, the noble prosecution of real Impiery was now over; or, at least, no longer serious. What remained, to belye a zeal for Religion, was a ridicu lous Form, FANATICISM can never greatly fpread: and that little there will always be of this critical eruption of our difeafed Nature, may have the fame good effect on the Eftablished Religion which weak Factions are obferved to have on the administration of Govern-ment; it may keep men more decent, alert, and attentive to the duties of their Charge. Where then was the wonder, that a fubject fo managed, and at such a juncture, fhould be violently oppofed, or to speak more truely, be grofsly mifreprefented. Those in the new system accused me of making the State a flave to the Church; thofe in the old, of making the Church a flave to the State: and one paffionate Declaimer, as I remember, who cared equally for Church and State, was pleased to fay, that, the better to banter mankind, I had done both *. * Lord B. VOL. III. a Having Having thus, in the foolish confidence of Youth, caft in my Goofequill, to ftem a torrent that in a little time was to bear down all before it; I proceeded, with the fame good faith, in another romantic effort, The fupport of RELIGION itself. You, my Lord, who feel fo humanely for the Injured, on whomsoever poPULAR INJUSTICE may chance to fall, have hardly forgotten the ftrange reception with which this my fair endeavour was entertained; and principally by Those whose interests I was defending. It awaked a thousand black paffions and idiot prejudices. The Zealots inflamed the Bigots. 'Twas the Time's plague, For, the noble profecution of real Impiety was now over; or, at least, no longer ferious. What remained, to belye a zeal for Religion, was a ridicu lous |