STUDY XIII. 289 



As indigence is the principal caufe of the vices 

 of the People, opulence may, like it, produce, in 

 it's turn, irregularities in the Clergy. I fhall not 

 avail myfelf here of the reprehenfions of St. Jerome., 

 of St. Bernard^ of St. Augujîin, and of the other Fa- 

 thers of the Church, to the Clergy of their times, 

 and of the Countries in which they lived; wherein 

 they predided to them the total deftrudion of Re- 

 ligion, as a neceflary confequence of their manners 

 and of their riches. The predidion of feveral of 

 them was fpeedily verified in Africa, in Afia, in 

 Judea, and in the Grecian Empire, in which not 

 only the religion, but the very civil government 

 of thofe Nations, totally difappeared. The avidity 

 of mod ecclefiaftics foon renders the fundlions of 

 the Church fufpicious ; this is an argument which 

 flrikes all men. I believe witnefles, faid Pafcal^ 

 who brave death. This reafoning, however, muil 

 be admitted, not without many grains of allow- 

 ance ; but no objedion can be offered to this : I 

 diftrufl witnefles who are enriching themfelves by 

 their teftimony. Religion, in truth, has proofs 

 natural and fupernatural, far fuperior to thofe 

 which men are capable of furnifhing it with. She 

 is independent of our regularity, and of our irre- 

 gularity j but our Country depends on thefe. 



The World, at this day, looks on mod prJeAs 



with an eye of envy ; ftiall I lay of hatred ? But 



VOL. IV. u they 



