THE ERRORS OF ROMANISM TRACED TO THEIR ORIGIN IN HUMAN NATURE. CHAP. I. SUPERSTITION. culiar circumstances in which he began his reign-the successor of an idolatrous prince, and reigning over an idolatrous people-the higher admiration we shall feel for his exemplary obedience to the divine law. §. 1. THERE are few things probably | abuses which had grown up, is apt to that appear at the first glance more strange strike us, at first sight, as so very obvious to a reader of the Old Testament, than and imperative, that we are hardly disthe frequent lapses of the Israelites into posed to give him due praise for fulfilling idolatrous and other superstitious prac-it. But the more attentively we consider tices;-the encouragement or connivance the times in which he lived, and the peoften granted to these by such of the rulers as were by no means altogether destitute of piety; and the warm commendations which are accordingly bestowed on such of their kings as avoided and repressed these offences. Their law had been delivered and its authority main- It should be remembered, that not only tained with such strikingly awful solem- the avowed violators of the first comnity, and its directions were so precise mandment, but those also, who, though and minute, that a strict conformity to it they transgressed the second, yet professed appears, to us, hardly to amount to a vir- themselves the worshippers of Jehovah tue, and the violation of it, to an almost exclusively, would be likely to tax with incredible infatuation. It is not without impiety that unsparing reform of abuses, a considerable mental effort that we can which even those former kings, who are so far transport ourselves into the situa- described as "doing that which was right tion of persons living in so very different a in the sight of the Lord," had yet not condition of society from our own, as to ventured to undertake. Indeed his enemy, estimate duly the nature and the force of Sennacherib, reproaches him on this very the temptations to which they were ex-ground: "If ye say, We trust in the posed, to make fair allowance for their Lord our God, is not that he whose highbackslidings, and to bestow adequate ap- places and whose altars Hezekiah hath plause on those of them who adhered taken away?" steadfastly to the divine commands. The conduct of Hezekiah, for instance, who" removed the high-places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and broke in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made; (for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it;) is likely perhaps to strike some readers as so far from being any heroic effort of virtue, that the chief wonder is, how his predecessors and their subjects could have been so strangely remiss and disobedient, as to leave him so much to do. Things however being in such a state, the duty of remedying at once the But many, even of those who perhaps endured his putting a stop to the irregular and unauthorized worship of Jehovah in those high-places, might yet be scandalized at his venturing to destroy the brazen serpent; an emblem framed originally by divine command, and which had been the appointed and supernatural means of a miraculous deliverance. If such a relic were even now in existence, and its identity indisputable, it would not be contemplated, by any believer in the Mosaic history, without some degree of veneration. How much stronger would that veneration be in the mind of an Israelite, and of one in that ignorant and semi-barba- contemplating human transactions, the rous age. Yet one of these was found law of optics is reversed; we see the sufficiently enlightened to estimate the most indistinctly the objects which are evil, and bold enough to use the effectual remedy. The king is not content to forbid this idolatrous use of the image, or even to seclude it carefully from the public gaze; it had been an occasion of superstition, and he "brake it in pieces;" applying to it at the same time the contemptuous appellation of "piece of brass," in order to destroy more completely that reverence which had degenerated into a sin. close around us; we view them through the discoloured medium of our own prejudices and passions; the more familiar we are with them, the less truly do we estimate their real colours and dimensions. Transactions and characters the most unconnected with ourselves-the most remote from all that presents itself in our own times, and at home, appear before us with all their deformities unveiled, and display their intrinsic and essential qualities. We Men are apt, not only in what regards are even liable to attend so exclusively to religion, but in respect of all human con- this intrinsic and abstract character of recerns, to contemplate the faults and fol- mote events, as to make too little allowlies of a distant age or country, with bar-ance (while in recent cases we make too ren wonder, or with self-congratulating much) for the circumstances in which the contempt; while they overlook, because agents were placed; and thence to regard they do not search for, perhaps equal, as instances of almost incredible folly or and even corresponding vices and absurdi- depravity, things not fundamentally very ties in their own conduct. And in this different from what is passing around us. way it is that the religious, and moral, and political lessons, which history may be made to furnish, are utterly lost to the generality of mankind. Human nature is always and every where, in the most important points, substantially the same; circumstantially and externally, men's manners and conduct are infinitely various, in various times and regions. If the former were not true-if it were not for this fundamental agreement-history could furnish no instruction; if the latter were not true-if there were not these apparent and circumstantial differences hardly any one could fail to profit by that instruction. For few are so dull as not to learn something from the records of past experience, in cases precisely similar to their own. But, as it is, much candour and diligence are called for in tracing the analogy between cases which, at the first glance, seem very different-in observing the workings of the same human nature under all its various disguises-in recognizing, as it were, the same plant in different stages of its growth, and in all the varieties resulting from climate and culture, soil and season. And as the law of optics is in this case reversed, our procedure must be reversed accordingly. We judge of the nature of distant objects, by an examination of those near at hand, whose similarity to the others we have ascertained. So also must we on the contrary learn to judge impartially of our own conduct and character, and of the events of our own times, by finding parallels to these in cases the most remote and apparently dissimilar; of which, for that reason, our views are the most distinct, and our judgments the most unbiassed; and then, conjecturing what a wise and good man, ten centuries hence, would be likely to pronounce of us. The errors and the vices, among the rest, the superstitions of the Israelites, and again of our ancestors under the Romish Church, did not, we may be sure, appear to them in the same light that they now do to us. No one believes his own opinions to be erroneous, or his own practices superstitious; few are even accustomed to ask themselves, " Is there not a lie in my right hand?" Since therefore our predecessors did not view their doctrines and practices in the same light that we do, this should lead us, not to regard them with contemptuous astonishment and boastful exultation, but rather to reflect that, like them, we also are likely to form a wrong estimate of what is around us and familiar to our minds: it should teach us to make use of the examples of others, not for the nourishment of pride, "He called it Nehushtan." 2 Kings xviii. 4. but for the detection of our own faults. But to any one who will employ this diligence and candour, this very dissimilarity of circumstances renders the history of past times and distant countries even the more instructive; because it is easier to form an impartial judgment concerning them. The difficulty is to apply that judgment to the cases before us. In We are taught that Satan "transformeth | postor; who did indeed most artfully himself into an angel of light; but he accommodate that system to man's nature, does not use always and every where the but did not wait for the gradual and same disguise; as soon as one is seen spontaneous operations of human nature through, he is ready to assume another; to produce it. He reared at once the and it is in vain that we detect the arti- standard of proselytism, and imposed on fice which has done its work on other men, his followers a code of doctrines and unless we are on our guard against the laws ready framed for their reception. same tempter under some new trans- The tree which he planted did indeed formation; assuming afresh among our- find a congenial soil; but he planted it at selves the appearance of some angel of light. once, with its trunk full-formed and its §. 2. These reflections are perhaps the branches displayed: the Romish system, more particularly profitable at the present on the contrary, rose insensibly, like a time, on account of the especial attention young plant from the seed, making a prowhich has of late been directed to the gress scarcely perceptible from year to superstitions, and other errors and enor- year, till at length it had fixed its root mities, of the Romish church. Unless deeply in the soil, and spread its baneful such principles as I have adverted to are shade far around." continually present to the mind, the more our thoughts are, by frequent discussion, turned to the errors of that church, and to the probability, under this or that conjuncture of circumstances, of proselytes joining that church or being gained over from it, the less shall we be on our guard against the spirit of popery in the human heart against similar faults in some different shapes; and the more shall we be apt to deem every danger of the kind effectually escaped, by simply keeping out of the pale of that corrupt church. Infecunda quidem, sed læta et fortia surgunt; It was the natural offspring of man's frail and corrupt character, and it needed no sedulous culture. No one accordingly can point out any precise period at which this "mystery of iniquity"-the system of Romish corruptions-first began, or specify any person who introduced it: no one in fact ever did introduce any such system: the corruptions crept in one by one; originating for the most part with an It is indeed in all cases profitable to ignorant and depraved people, but concontemplate the errors of other men, if nived at, cherished, consecrated and sucwe do this "not high-minded but fear- cessfully established, by a debased and ful;"-not for the sake of uncharitable worldly-minded ministry; and modified triumph, but with a view to self-examina- by them just so far as might best tion; even as the Corinthians were ex- favour the views of their profligate amhorted by their apostle to draw instruction bition. But the system thus gradually from the backslidings of the Israelites, which were recorded, he says, " for their admonition," to the intent that they might not fall into corresponding sins, and that "he who thought he stood might take heed lest he fell." In all cases, I say, some benefit may be derived from such a contemplation of the faults of others; but the errors of the Romanists, if examined with a view to our own improvement, will the more effectually furnish this instruction, inasmuch as those errors, more especially, will be found to be the natural and spontaneous growth of the human heart; they are (as I have elsewhere remarked) not so much the effect, as the cause, of the Romish system of religion. The peculiar character of Romanism, in this respect, will be best perceived by contrasting it with Mahometism; this latter system was framed, and introduced, and established, within a very short space of time, by a deliberately designing im compacted, was not the deliberate contrivance of any one man or set of men, adepts in priestcraft, and foreseeing and designing the entire result. The corruptions of the Romish church were the natural offspring of human passions, not checked and regulated by those who ought to have been ministers of the Gospel, but who, on the contrary, were ever ready to indulge and encourage men's weakness and wickedness, provided they could turn it to their own advantage. The good seed "fell among thorns;" which, being fostered by those who should have been occupied in rooting them out, not only "sprang up with it," but finally choked and overpowered it. §. 3. The character accordingly of the Romish corruptions is precisely such as the history of that church would lead us to anticipate. 1. One of the greatest blemishes, for instance, in the church of Rome, is that to which I have already alluded, super- with a view to show that it is the main stitious worship; a fault which every cause, rather than the consequence, of the one must acknowledge to be the sponta- whole Romish system of priestcraft; one of neous and every-where-abundant produce the great features of which is, the change of the corrupt soil of man's heart. The of the very office of the Christian priest, greater part indeed of the errors of Ro- gregos, into that of the Jewish or manism, which I shall hereafter notice Pagan priest, in the other sense of the under separate heads, may be considered word, answering to 'Igsus. I observed as so many branches of superstition, or that the people were very easily deceived at least inseparably connected with it; in this point, because they were eagerly but there are besides many superstitions craving for deception;-that the same more strictly so called, with which that disposition had manifested itself no less system is justly chargeable; such as in- strongly among the Pagan nations;—and vocation of saints, and adoration of that the same tendency is, and ever will images and relics; corresponding to that be, breaking out in one shape or another, idolatrous practice which King Hezekiah among Protestants, and in every form of so piously and boldly suppressed. religion. III. No less characteristic of the natural man, is a vicious preference of supposed expediency, to truth; and a consequent readiness to employ false reasons for satisfying the minds of the people;— to connive at, or foster, supposed salutary II. The desire again of prying into mysteries relative to the invisible world, but which have no connexion with practice, is another characteristic of human nature, (on which I have elsewhere offered some remarks,*) and one to which may be traced the immense mass of presumptu- or innocent delusions; whence arose the ous speculations about things unrevealed, sanction given to all the monstrous train respecting God and his designs, and of of pious frauds, legendary tales, and lying idle legends of various kinds respecting miracles, for which the Romish church wonder-working saints, which have dis- has been so justly stigmatized. And as it graced the Romish church. The sanc- is notorious that the ancient lawgivers tion afforded to these, by persons who and philosophers encouraged (for political did not themselves believe them, is a fault referable to another head, (to be mentioned subsequently,) as springing from a dishonest pursuit of the expedient rather than the true but it is probable that the far greater part of such idle tales had not their origin in any deep and politic contrivance, but in men's natural passion for what is marvellous, and readiness to cater for that passion in each other;-in the universal fondness of the human mind for speculative knowledge respecting things curious and things hidden, rather than (what alone the Scriptures supply) practical knowledge respecting things which have a reference to our wants. Equally natural to man, and closely connected, as will hereafter be shown, with the error just mentioned, is the disposition to trust in vicarious worship and obedience the desire and hope of transferring from one man to another the merit of good works, and the benefit of devotional exercises; so as to enable the mass of the people to serve God, as it were, by proxy. On this point I have elsewheret offered some remarks, (which are expanded and followed up in the present work,) * Essay IV. First series. purposes) a belief in the mythological fables which they themselves disbelieved, there can be no doubt that this disposition also is not to be attributed to the church of Rome as its cause, but that that church merely furnishes one set of instances of its effects; and that, consequently, an earnest watchfulness against those effects is to be inculcated, not merely on such as may be in danger of being misled into Romanism, but on every descendant of Adam. IV. Again, no one perhaps of the errors of the Romish church has exposed her to greater censure, or has been productive of more mischievous results, than the claim to infallibility;-the investing, without any sufficient grounds, weak and fallible men with an attribute of Deity. Now the ready acquiescence in such an extravagant claim (which never could have been maintained had not men been found thus ready to acquiesce in it) may easily be traced to the principles of our corrupt nature;—to that indolence in investigation, indifference about truth,* and ready acquiescence in what is put before us, of Αταλαίπωρος τοῖς πολλοῖς ἡ ζήτησις † In the last of the Five Discourses delivered τῆς ἀλήθειας, καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ ἔτοιμα μᾶλλον before the University, and subsequently published. rgémorraι. which the Greek historian complained holy character and title to divine favour long before the Christian era; and to that they seem to consider as a kind of comdislike of suspense-and consequent will- mon property, and a safeguard to all her ingness to make a short and final appeal members: even as the Jews of old "said to some authority which should be re- within themselves, We are Abraham's garded as decisive, with a view to quash children;" flattering themselves that on disputes, and save the labour of inquiry. that ground, however little they might That such a disposition is not at least resemble Abraham in faith and in works, peculiar to the votaries of the religion of God would surely never cast them off. Rome, or confined even to religious sub- This error is manifestly common to the jects, is evident from the appeals of pre- Romanists with those who put the same tended students in philosophy to the de- kind of trust in the name of Protestant or cisions of Pythagoras, and subsequently of Christian, and who regard their conof Aristotle, as precluding all further dis- nexion with a holy and richly-endowed pute or doubt. It is for Protestants there- community, rather as a substitute for perfore to remember, that they are not se- sonal holiness, than as a motive for aiming cured by the mere circumstance of their at a still higher degree of it, and a privibeing such, from all danger of indulging lege involving a higher responsibility. this disposition. There is indeed no §4. In treating of all these points, I danger of their appealing to the church shall adhere to the plan hitherto pursued, of Rome as an infallible authority to put viz., of contemplating the errors of the a stop to all discussion; but the removal Romanists, not with a view to our own of that particular danger should only put justification in withdrawing from their us the more on our guard against the communion; nor, again, for the sake of same fault (as it is a fault of our common guarding against the danger of being senature) breaking out in some new shape. duced by their arguments, (important as V. One of the heaviest charges against these objects may be ;) but with a view the Romish church may be added to those to what I cannot but regard as the much already alluded to-the spirit of persecu- greater danger, of falling into correspondtion; which is as far as any of her other ing errors to theirs-of being taken capenormities from being peculiar to that tive by the same temptations under differchurch, or even to the case of religion: ent forms-of overlooking, in practice, witness, among many other instances, the the important truth, that the spirit of furious and bitter spirit shown by the Romanism is substantially the spirit of Nominalists and Realists in their contests human nature. concerning abstruse points of metaphysics. The Romish system did not properly introduce intolerance, but rather, it was intolerance that introduced and established the system of Romanism; and that (in another part of the world) no less successfully called in the sword for the establishment of Mahometism. So congenial indeed to "the natural man" is the resort to force for the establishment of one system of doctrines and the suppression of another, that we find many of the reformers, after they had clearly perceived nearly all the other errors in which they had been brought up, yet entertaining no doubt whatever as to the right, and the duty, of maintaining religious truth by coercive means. VI. Another tendency, as conspicuous as those above mentioned in the Romish church, and, like its other errors, by no means confined to that church, is the confident security with which the Catholics, as they call themselves, trust in that name, as denoting their being members of that sacred body, the only true church, whose We are all of us in these days likely to hear and to read most copious discussions of the tenets and practices of the church of Rome. Whatever may be the views of each of my readers respecting the political question which has chiefly given rise to these discussions, (a question which, like all others of a political character, I have always thought had better be waived in theological works,) I would suggest these reflections as profitable to be kept in view by all, while occupied with such discussions: how far we are pure from Romish errors in another shape;-from what quarters, and under what disguises, we are liable to be assailed by temptations, substantially, though not externally, the same with those which seduced into all her corruptions the church of Rome; and which gradually changed her bridal purity for the accumulated defilements of "the mother of harlots;❞—and how we may best guard against the spirit of superstition, (of which, be it remembered, none, even the most superstitious, ever suspect themselves)-the spirit of persecution B |