Book III. That our firft reformers, who were prone, to differ from the Romish faith, should adopt this doctrine, shows the fupreme influence of fuperftition. The Lutherans had not even the excuse of inattention: after serious examination, they added one abfurdity more; teaching, that the bread and wine are converted into the body and blood of our Saviour, and yet remain Bread and wine as at firft; which is termed by them confubftantiation. I am perfuaded, that at this time not a fingle man of them harbours fuch a thought.

Many perfons, proof against a serious argument, are fufficiently clear-fighted to difcover falfehood when put in a ridiculous light. It requires, I am fenfible, a very delicate hand to attack a grave fubject with ridicule as a teft of truth; and for that reafon, I forbear to offer any thing of my own. But I will fet before my readers fome excerpts from a book of abfolute authority with Roman Catholics. Though tranfubftantion be there handled in the moft ferious manner, with all the ceremonies and punctilios that naturally flow from it, yet to my taste, nothing can be contrived to give it a more ridiculous appearance. The book is the Roman Miffal, from which the following is a literal translation.

❝ter.

"Mafs may be deficient in the matter, in the form, " in the minifter, or in the action. Firft, in the matIf the bread be not of wheat, or if there be fo great a mixture of other grain that it cannot be call"ed wheat bread, or if any way corrupted, it does not "make a facrament. If it be made with rofe-water, "or any other diftilled water, it is doubtful whether it

1666 a Jew named Subatai Levi appeared at Smyrna, pretending to be the true Meffiah, and was acknowledged to be fuch by many. The Grand Seignior, for proof of his miffion, infifted for a mira cle; propofing that he fhould prefent himself as a mark to be shot at, and promifing to believe that he was the Meffiah, if he remaincd unwounded. Sabatai declined the trial, turned Mahometan to fave his life. But obferve the blindness of fuperftition; though Sabatai was feen every day walking the ftreets of Conftantinople in the Turkish habit, the Jews infifted that the true Sabatai was taken up into heaven, leaving only behind him his fhadow; and probably they most piously fancied that they believed so.

"make a facrament or not. Though corruption have begun, or though it be leavened, it makes a facra"ment, but the celebrator fins grievously.

"If the celebrator, before confecration, obferve that "the hoft is corrupted, or is not of wheat, he muft "take another holt: if after confecration, he must still "take another and swallow it, after which he must also "fwallow the first, or give it to another, or preferve "it in fome place with reverence. But if he have swal"lowed the first before obferving its defects, he must "nevertheless swallow alfo the perfect hoft; because "the precept about the perfection of the facrament, is "of greater weight than that of taking it fafting. If "the confecrated hoft difappear by an accident, as by "wind, by a miracle, or by fome animal, another muft "be confecrated.

If the wine be quite four or putrid, or made of un"ripe grapes, or be mixed with fo much water as to fpoil the wine, it is no facrament. If the wine have "begun to four or to be corrupted, or be quite new,

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or not mixed with water, or mixed with rofe-water or "other diftilled water, it makes a facrament, but the ce "lebrator fins grievously.

If the priest, before confecration, obferve that the "materials are not proper, he must ftop, if proper ma "terials cannot be got; but after confecration, he must "proceed, to avoid giving fcandal. If proper materials can be procured by waiting, he muft wait for them, "that the facrifice may not remain imperfect.

"Second, in form. If any of the words of confecra❝tion be omitted, or any of them be changed into words ❝ of a different meaning, it is no facrament: if they be changed into words of the fame meaning, it makes a "facrament; but the celebrator fins grievously.

Third, in the minifter. If he does not intend to "make a facrament, but to cheat; if there be any part "of the wine, or any wafer that he has not in his eye, "and does not intend to confecrate; if he have before him eleven wafers, and intends to confecrate only ten, not determining what ten he intends: in thefe cafes

"the confecration does not hold because intention is re"quifite. If he think there are ten only, and intends "to confecrate all before him, they are all confecrated; "therefore priefts ought always to have fuch intention. "If the priest, thinking he has but one wafer, shall, af"ter the confecration, find two ticking together, he must take them both. And he muft take off all the "remains of the confecrated matter; for they all belong "to the fame facrifice. If in confecrating, the inten ❝tion be not actual by wandering of mind, but virtual "in approaching the altar, it makes a facrament: tho' "priefts fhould be careful to have intention both virtual

and actual.

"Befide intention, the priest may be deficient in dif"pofition of mind. If he be fufpended, or degraded, or "excommunicated, or under moral fin, he makes a fa"crament, but fins grievously. He may be deficient al"fo in difpofition of body. If he have not fafted from

midnight, if he have tafted water, or any other drink 66 or meat, even in the way of medicine, he cannot cele"brate nor communicate. If he have taken meat or "drink before midnight, even though he have not flept "nor digefted it, he does not fin. But on account of "the perturbation of mind, which bars devotion, it is "prudent to refrain.

"If any remains of meat, flicking in the mouth, be "fwallowed with the hoft, they do not prevent communicating, provided they be fwallowed, not as meat, but as fpittle. The fame is to be faid, if in washing the "mouth a drop of water be swallowed, provided it be "against our will.

"Fourth, in the action. If any requifite be want"ing, it is no facrament; for example if it be cele "brated out of holy ground, or upon an altar not con"fecrated, or not covered with three napkins, if there "be no wax candles; if it be not celebrated between "day break and noon: if the celebrator have not faid "mattins with lauds; if he omit any of the facerdotal "robes; if these robes and the napkins be not bleffed "by a bishop: if there be no clerk prefent to ferve, or

"one who ought not to ferve, a woman for example; "if there be no chalice, the cup of which is gold, or "filver, or peuter; if the vestment be not of clean linen "adorned with filk in the middle, and bleffed by a bi"fhop; if the priest celebrate with his head covered; "if there be no miffal prefent, though he have it by heart. "If a gnat or fpider fall into the cup after confecra "tion, the priest must swallow it with the blood, if he *can: otherwise, let him take it out, wash it with wine, burn it, and throw it with the washings into holy ground. If poifon fall into the cup, the blood "must be poured on tow or on a linen cloth, remain till "it be dry, then be burnt, and the ashes be thrown up"on holy ground. If the hoft be poifoned, it must be kept in a tabernacle till it be corrupted,

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"If the blood freeze in winter, put warm cloths a "bout the cup: if that be not fufficient, the cup in boiling water.

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"If any of Chrift's blood fall on the ground by negli gence, it must be licked up with the tongue, and the "place fcraped; the fcrapings must be burnt, and the "afhes buried in holy ground.

"If the priest vomit the eucharift, and the species appear entire, it must be licked up moft reverently. If 66 a naufea prevent that to be done, it must be kept till "it be corrupted. If the fpecies do not appear, let the "vomit be burnt, and the afhes thrown upon holy ground."

As the foregoing article has beyond intention fwelled to an enormous fize, I fhall add but one other article, which, at the fame time, fhall be extremely fhort; and that is the creed of Athanafius. It is a heap of unintelligible jargon; and yet we are appointed to believe every article of it, under the pain of eternal damnation. As it enjoins belief of rank contradictions, it feems purpose. ly calculated to be a test of flavish fubmiffion to the tyranical authority of a proud and arrogant priest *.

Bishop Burnet feems doubtful whether this creed was com pofed by Athanafius; though his doubts, in my apprehenfion, are fcarce fufficient to weigh against the unanimous opinion of the Chriftian church.

CHAP. III.

RELIGIOUS WORSHIP.

IN the foregoing chapter are traced the gradual advances of the fense of Deity, from its imperfect state among favages to its maturity among enlightened nations, difplaying to us one great being to whom all other beings owe their exiftence, who made the world, and who governs it by the most perfect laws. And our perception of Deity, arifing from that fenfe, is fortified by an intuitive propofition, that there neceffarily must exist fome being who had no beginning. Confidering the Deity as the author of our exiltence, we owe him gratitude; confidering him as governor of the world, we owe him obedience and upon these duties is founded the obligation we are under to worship him. Further, God made man for fociety, and implanted in his nature the moral fenle to direct his conduct in that state. From thefe premifes, may it not with certainty be inferred to be the will of God, that men fhould obey the dictates of the moral fenfe in fulfilling every duty of juftice and benevolence? Thefe moral duties, it would appear, are our chief businefs in this life; being enforced not only by a moral but by a religious principle.

Morality, as laid down in a former sketch, confifts of two great branches, viz. the moral fenfe which unfolds our duty to man, and an active moral principle, which prompts us to perform that duty. Natural religion confifts alfo of two great branches, viz. the fenfe of Deity, which unfolds our duty to our Maker, and the active principle of devotion, which prompts us to perform our duty to him. The univerfality of the fenfe of Deity proves it to be innate: the fame reafon proves the prin ciple of devotion to be innate; for all men agree in wor fhipping fuperior beings, whatever difference there may be in the mode of worship.

Both branches of the duty we owe to God, that of worshipping him, and that of obeying his will with refpect