432 On the Connection of the Clerg}/ with the Advancement [Dec. 1 , 



magnifipd, and every mifundcrftandiiig . 

 aggravated. Infiead of advancing n>ora- 

 lify, as tlie ground-work of all liunian 

 liappiucfs, by Uie clergy was it corrupt- 

 ed and depraved. Tliat order which 

 migiit iiate been a blelling to Europe, 

 proved lis curie. 



From a regard to the pre-eminence of 

 their talents, kings employed the clergy 

 in temporal allairs. They were gratified 

 by the great influence they acquired over 

 kings and princes, their fubjocts and vaf- 

 fals, by Icgillation, or the ordering and 

 fnperinteudaiice in ail'airs of Itate, or by 

 regulations for the order, convenience, 

 and fccurity of focicty. But by unpeT- 

 ceived degrees worldly affairs fuperieded 

 in tlie clei-gy their inquiries into the doc-, 

 trincs of Chrillianity ; and fenlible how 

 necelVary their alliltance was in matters 

 of government, the views which the con- 

 fcioufnefs of their abilities opened to 

 them, awakened, nourifhed, and lli-ength- 

 ened in them the deiire of reigning for 

 thcinfelves. 



Tlicir firli ftep was to make themfelves 

 by degrees independent of the highcil 

 power in the Hate, and to govern them- 

 felves by a particular form of govern- 

 ment of their own. They formed a« 

 aridocracy round the throne of the mo- 

 narch, (icc from his cojitrotil, and at 

 moil acknowledged his fupreme autho- 

 rity in fcodal matters. 



By degrees they withdrew thcmfelvfs 

 from the performance of thole duties 

 which every ilate is entitled to demand 

 iVom all its citizens, and alVertcd not on- 

 ly a perfor al immunity, but likewife an 

 immunity for their lands and property. 

 Having iirll aiTumed the authority of 

 judging their own members, they next 

 extended their jurifdirtion over the laity, 

 and regarded their fellow-Chrilliuns in 

 the dioceic as a community over whom, 

 for the good of their ibuls, they were en- 

 titled to claim, under the prince, an un- 

 controlled power. In forming their arif- 

 tocratic conllitution, they arrogated to 

 thend'ches many leignorial rights, and in 

 i'ome inltances even exal'.ed themfelves 

 above their fovercign. Thus was a two-fold 

 authority ellahlillied in every iinte, a fpi- 

 I'itual and a temponJ, the former part of 

 which, however, continually threatened 

 the fubjugation of the latter. 



Ignorance and inlJdclity hud been the 

 grand luppoit of the clergy in their am- 

 bitious views, and railed lliem to the i"e- 

 cond pcnver in the Ilate, and they found 

 the iiinif moans by whicli they had ob— 

 Uiiiicd their e.vtorted autliority, tite car- 



vhich the judgment was ftrengthened, 

 the penetration iharpencd, and all the 

 rxivvers of tlie mind improved and called 

 into a6tivity. The clergy mull, there- 

 fore, in confequence of their daily avo- 

 cations, have poileired more learning 

 and fcieuce than any other clais of 

 men. 



In the mean time a variety of ufeful 

 Ivnowlcdge tlowed in upon them, not im- 

 mediately connected with their calling. 

 In the ancient authors whole labours 

 they explored, lay much practical and 

 theoretical wildom ; a rich ilorc of politi- 

 cal ideas on the conftltution, legiilation, 

 and government of ilates ; a treafure of 

 cheap experience for the ufe both of 

 public and private life, which were as 

 yet a iec^et in their own hands. The 

 priell was thus qualified, in thofe times 

 of darknefs, to be the belt advifer and 

 conductor in all affairs, whether public 

 or private, whether political or domei- 

 tic. 



This enlightening of their underlland- 

 ings made tiie clergy from an early pe- 

 riod a fort of oracle to the laity of every 

 condition. The prince confulted them 

 in things which concerned the fiate, the 

 citizen on particular occalions in his mu- 

 nicipal or private capacity, and the fa- 

 ther of a family on his domcllic affairs. 

 They were thus counfellors of Icate, and 

 arbitrators in private concerns, as well as 

 couniellors in atfairs of confcience ; — 

 offices fully competent to raii'e men to 

 the hightfl degree of conlideration, who 

 were the depolltories of all the human 

 Icnowledge extant, whether phylicai, mo- 

 ral, or fpiritual ; and inch was their ad- 

 vancement even in the moil northern 

 parts of Europe before the end of the 

 ninth century, that men in every quar- 

 ter of it might have enjoyed a part of 

 thole bleiTings which were to be looked 

 for from no other order of men, and 

 which they ought to have made it their 

 pleafure, as it was their duty, to Ipread 

 abroad . 



But the fclfiflmefs of the clerical or- 

 der, the lavage fpirit of the times, and 

 the weaknefs of the governing powers, 

 deprived aU the eailcrn p irts of this iig- 

 nal advantage. Inllead of promoting ci- 

 vilization, the clergy threw obltacles in 

 its- way. Inllead of alTiiiing the noble 

 efforts of the human mind to rile above 

 the darknefs that furrounded it, the cler- 

 gy checked and counleructcd them. In- 

 stead of alhlting the Itatc by promoting 

 a well-judged proportion between its or- 

 «itTs, by them was e\ery dil'proportiou 



