still more beneficial effects: they rouse the attention, give exercife to the understanding, and fharpen the reafoning faculty. With respect to religion in particular, perfect uniformity, which furnifheth no fubject for thinking nor for reafoning, would produce languor in divine worthip, and make us fink into cold indifference. How foolish then is the rage of making proselytes? Let every man enjoy his native liberty, of thinking as well as of acting; free to act as he pleafes, provided only he obey the rules of morality; equally free to think as he pleafes, provided only he acknowledge the great God as his maker and mafter, and perceive the neceffary connection of religion with morality. Strict uniformity in other matters, may be compared to a fpring-day, calm and ferene; neither fo hot as to make us drop a garment, nor fo cold as to require an addition; no wind to ruffle, nor rain to make fhelter neceffary. We enjoy the fweet fcene for a moment: we walk, we fit, we mufe-but foon fall asleep. Agitation is the element of man, and the life of fociety. Let us not attempt to correct the works of God: the attempt will be

tray

tray us into abfurd errors. This doctrine cannot be better illuftrated than by a converfation, reported by the Jefuit Tachard, between the King of Siam, and a French ambaffador, who in his master's name urged that king to embrace the Christian religion. "I am surprised," faid his Majefty of Siam, "that the King of France,

my good friend, fhould interest himself "fo warmly in what concerns God only. "He hath given to his creatures different "minds and different inclinations, which "naturally lead them to differ in opinion. "We admire variety in the material "world: why not equally admire it in matters of religion? Have we not then

reafon to believe, that God takes plea"fure in all the different forms of wor

fhip? Had it been the intention of "God to produce uniformity in religion, "he would have formed all men with the "fame mind." Bernier introduces fome Gentiles of Hindoftan defending their religion much in the fame manner : "That

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they did not pretend their law to be u"niverfal; that they did not hold ours to be falfe, as, for ought they knew, it might be a good law for us; and

"that

"that God probably made many roads to "heaven."

With respect to the other cause above mentioned, the defire of putting people in the right road. To reafon others into our religious principles, is natural; but it is not always prudent. I wish my neighbour to be of my opinion, because I think my opinion right: but is there no danger of undermining his religious principles, without establishing better in their stead? Ought I not to restrain my defire of making converts, when the attempt may poffibly reduce them to abandon religion altogether, as a matter of utter uncertainty? If a man of clear understanding has by fome unhappy means been led into error, that man may be fet right by fair reasoning: but beware of endeavouring to convert people of low parts, who are indebted for their creed to parents, to education, or to example: it is fafer to let them reft as they are.

At any rate, let us never attempt to gain profelytes by rewards or by terror: what other effect can fuch motives produce, but diffimulation and lying, parents of every fecret crime. The Empress

of

of Ruffia ufes a method for converting her Pagan fubjects of Kamfkatka, no lefs agreeable than effectual; which is, to exempt from taxes for ten years, fuch of them as profefs the Chriftian religion. This practice may be political; but it tends not to advance religion, and is deftructive of morality. Terror, on the other hand, may be equally effectual, but is not altogether so agreeable. The people of Rum, one of the Hebrides, were Papifts till the beginning of the prefent century, when in one day they were all profelyted to the Proteftant faith. Maclean of Coll, their chieftain, went to the island with a proteftant minifter, and ordered all the inhabitants to appear on Sunday at public worship. They came, but refused to hear a Proteftant minifter. The chieftain reafoned with them: but finding that his reasonings made no impreffion, he laid hold of the most forward; and having made a deep impreffion on him with his cane, pufh'd him into the church. The reft followed like meek lambs; and from that day have continued firm Proteftants. The Proteftantifm of Rum is

ftyled

ftyled by their Popish neighbours, the faith of the yellow flick.

To apply any means for making profelytes, other than fair reasoning, appears to me a strange perverfion. Can God be pleafed with using rewards or punishments, or can any rational man justify them? What then should move any one to put them in practice? I fhould be utterly at a lofs to answer the question, but for a fact mentioned more than once above, that the rude and illiterate judge by fight only not by reflection. They lay weight on the external vifible act, without thinking of intention, which is not visible. in truth, the bulk of mankind rest upon the external profeffion of religion they never think of the heart, nor confider how that ftands affected. What elfe is it but the external act merely, that moves the Romish miffionaries to baptize the infants of favages even at the moment of expiring? which they profecute with much pious ardour. Their zeal merits applaufe, but not their judgement. Can any rational perfon feriously believe, that the dipping a favage or an infant in water, will make either of them a Chri

I

ftian,