Principles of an universal religion. CHAP. XIII. OF AN UNIVERSAL RELIGION. AN universal religion cannot be founded except on principles that are eternal and invariable, that are drawn from the nature of men and things, and that, like the propositions of geometry, are capable of the most rigorous demonstration. Are there such principles, and can they be equally adapted to all nations? Yes, doubtless or if they vary, it will be only in some of their applications to those different countries where chance has placed the different nations, But among the principles or laws proper for all societies, which is the first and most sacred? That which secures to every one his property, his life, and his liberty. When a man is an uncertain proprietor of his land, he will not till his field, he will not cultivate his orchard: the nation soon becomes ravaged and desolated by famine. Is a man the uncertain proprietor of his life and liberty? He that is in continual fear, is without spirit and without industry: solely concerned for his personal preservation, and wrapt up in himself, he does not regard what passes without him: he does Principles of an universal religion. not study the science of man, nor remark his desires and his passions. It is, however, from this preliminary knowledge that the laws most conformable to the public prosperity are to be deduced. By what fatality have laws so necessary to society, remained unknown, even to the present day? Why has not heaven hitherto revealed them? Heaven, I answer, requires that man by his reason should co-operate in his own happiness, and that of the numerous societies of the earth (36); and that the master-piece of an excellent legislation should be, like that of other sciences, the product of genius and experience. God has said to man, I have created thee, I have given thee sensations, memory, and consequently reason. It is my will that thy reason, sharpened at first by want, and afterwards enlightened by experience, shall provide thee sustenance, teach thee to cultivate the land, to improve the instruments of labour, of agriculture, in a word, of all the sciences of the first necessity. It is also my will, that by cultivating this. same reason, thou mayst come to a knowledge of my moral will, that is, of thy duties toward society, of the means of maintaining order, and lastly of the knowledge of the best legislation possible. This is the only natural religion to which I would have mankind elevate their minds, that only which can become universal, that which is alone worthy of God, which is marked with his seal, and that of the truth. All others must bear the impression of man, The priests necessarily hostile to such a religion. of fraud and falsehood*. The will of God, just and good, is that the children of the earth should be happy, and enjoy every pleasure compatible with the public welfare. Such is the true worship, that which philosophy should reveal to the world. No other saints would belong to such a religion than the benefactors of humanity; such as Lycurgus, Solon, Sidney, the inventors of some useful art, some pleasure that is new, but conformable to the general interest: none would be rejected as reprobate, but the enemies of society, and the gloomy adversaries of pleasure. Will the priests † one day become the apostles of such a religion? Their interest forbids it. The clouds that hover over the principles of morality and legislation (which essentially are the same science) have been brought thither by their policy. It is on the ruins of the greatest part of religions that sound morality must be founded. Would to God that the priests, susceptible of a noble ambition, had sought in the consti * This is evidently to be understood of mere natural religion, and has nothing to do with that which is revealed; for the question here is not, whether the revealed religion be true or false; but how a natural religion, that would be universally useful, might be established. T. + The author means the Romish priests, to whom it is plain he every where refers. T. tuent Glorious distinction which priests might attain. tuent principles of man, the invariable laws by which nature and heaven directs that the happiness of societies be established! Would to God that the religious system may become the palladium of public felicity! It is to the priests that these cares should be confided. They would then enjoy a grandeur and glory founded on public gratitude. They might then say to themselves each day of their lives, it is by us that mankind are happy. Such a grandeur, such a lasting happiness appeared to them mean and despicable. You might, O ministers of the altar! become the idols of intelligent and virtuous men! you have chosen rather to command bigots and slaves; you have rendered yourselves odious to good citizens, by becoming the plague of nations, the instruments of their unhappiness, and the destroyers of true morality. Morality founded on true principles is the only true natural religion. However, if there should be men whose insatiate credulity (37) cannot be satisfied without a mysterious religion; let the friends of the marvellous search out among the religions of that sort, one whose establishment will be least detrimental to society, CHAP. Expensiveness of the Catholic religion. CHAP. XIV. OF THE CONDITIONS, WITHOUT WHICH A RELIGION IS DESTRUCTIVE TO NATIONAL FELICITY. AN intolerant religion, and one whose worship requires a great expence, is undoubtedly a prejudicial religion. Its intolerance must, in process of time, depopulate the nation, and the sumptuous worship exhaust its wealth (38). There are Roman Catholic countries were they reckon near fifteen thousand convents, twelve thousand priories, fifteen thousand chapels, thirteen hundred abbeys, ninety thousand priests employed in serving forty-five thousand parishes, and besides all these an infinite number of abbés, teachers, and ecclesiastics of every kind, amounting in the whole, to at least three hundred thousand men, whose cost * would maintain a formidable army and marine. * In every country containing 300,000 monks, curates, priests, canons, bishops, &c. they must cost the state, in lodging, cloathing, feeding, &c. one with another, half-a-crown per day. Now, to support this, what prodigious sums must the priesthood raise on the nation, in rents, tenths, pensions, imposts for masses, repairs of churches and chapels, parochial and conventual treasu A re 56 |