dition, fit to lead others to Holiness and Eternal Life?

*ONE of the greatest Men of the laft Age told King WILLIAM, That the Universities, if they continued upon the present Foot, would destroy Him, or the Nation, or fome of His Succeffors. And they have ever fince been endeavouring to make good his Words. That Prince was fo thoroughly apprized of the dangerous Genius and Principles of these two Bodies of Men, that he intended a Regulation; but, as it is faid, was prevented by the pernicious Advice of the late Duke of S

who had at that Time gained the King's Confidence, and was at the Head of the Whigs, but was deferting both, and making a Party with the Tories, as afterwards plainly enough appeared.

How far, and how faft, these Seminaries. have fince then corrupted and inflamed the People, every Body knows, and the Nation feels. Had it not been for them, we should have lighter Taxes and fewer Soldiers.

Mr. LoCKE..

G

NUM

NUMBER XLII.

Wednesday, November 2. 1720.

Of High-Church ATHEISM.

HAT Religion, or the Worship of a Deity, is natural to Man, is confeffed by Mr. Hobbes himself in his Leviathan, wherein he endeavours to affign the natural Causes thereof: And no History or Voyages give us an Account of any Country, in any Manner civilized, without Religion, as well as Priests or Minifters, and Temples or Places of Worship. Men have been in all Ages fo prone to Religion, that rather than not have one, they have been contented to worship the most abject Beings in Nature; and indeed, nothing feems to have been too abfurd and ridiculous for them to believe and practise, under the Direction of any Men, who had Confidence enough to take upon them to be fpiritual Guides of the People. It was ever fufficient, to pretend to

teach

teach Religion, to make any Thing to be received as Religion.

The Egyptians worship'd Dogs, and for
That Faith made internecine War.
Others ador'da Rat, and fome
For that Church fuffer'd Martyrdom.
The Indians fought for the Truth
Of th' Elephant's and Monkey's Tooth.
But no Beaft ever was fo flight,
For Man as for his God to fight.
They have more Wit, alas! and know
Themfelves and us better than fo.
HUDIBRA S.

NOR is this Difpofition at all abated in the World. The Pagan Part is much the fame. And many Chriftians are more prone, if poffible, to Abfurdity and Folly, than the Pagans. The Popifh, Greek, and feveral other Chriftian Sects worship a Breaden God; and, besides other numerous Abfurdities and Follies, exceed them in that grand One of all, of delivering up their Perfons, Eftates, and Confciences, to the Prieft; and of bating, damning, perfecuting, and burning one another, and all who have any dif ference in Opinion with them, as he infpires them: In all which they outgo both the ancient and modern Pagans, who have generally given Toleration to Men of different Religions from themselves, and have in no Place gone thofe Lengths in Perfecution which fome Chriftians (or rather fome Perfons pretending to be Chritians) have done.

As

As a farther Proof that Religion is natural to Man, I observe, that no Hiftory informs us that ever Atheism (by which I understand, a direct Denial of the Existence of a Deity, a Providence, and Worship) was able to introduce it felf among the People of any Country whatsoever.

RELIGION is not only natural to Man, but efteemed neceffary to Government by Princes and States, who, whether they themfelves have believed any Religion or no, have established Forms of Religion, and been willing that their Subjects fhould obey them, and defend their Country, upon a Principle of Reli gion, as knowing its powerful Operation on the Minds of Men.

AND befides, Religion has a great Support from Priests or Divines, who are very numerous every where, and have a Zeal for every Form which they profefs, equal to the Interest which they derive from it: And if the Intereft of one Form runs low, many of them can change their Party, and become zealous for another Religion; as they did three times, in the Compass of five Years in England, in the Reigns of Edward the Sixth, Mary and Elizabeth; the non-complying Clergy never amounting to two hun dred under any of thofe Changes.

GREAT Complaints indeed have been and are daily made in relation to the mighty Growth

of

of Atheism. But thofe Complaints feem to me for the most part, if not altogether, groundlefs, and to be generally Calumnies of HighChurch Priests, and High-Church Men, upon the best Christians, namely, fuch who profefs themselves ready to fubmit to the Authority of Jefus Chrift, but refuse Submiffion to any Priests, whether they be be Greek, Muscovite, Roman, Dutch, Scotch, or English.

THERE is not, therefore, and cannot be, any Danger of the Overthrow of Religion, as long as Men continue Men; Religion will neceffarily prevail amongst us, and every where elfe, in virtue of Mens general Difpofition to Religion, either under one or feveral Forms, according as the Civil Magiftrates of the World are more or lefs perfuaded, that they themselves. are to dictate (or to dictate after a Priest) Religion to their Subjects.

THE noify Outcry therefore of the Danger of Religion from Atheism or Irreligion, is a meer Chimera of the High Priefts; which, in all likelihood, they start, to put Men on a falfe Scent, and to disguise and carry on their own Defigns of Power and Wealth: For while People are alarmed with the Fears of Atheism, they are difpofed to fall into all the pretended Measures of the Priest to suppress it, and to become zealous for him, who never fails to make Ufe of the Pannick or Madness of the People (which is his Opportunity) to establish Doctrines and Practices for his own Advantage; which

at