HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
ligion, preserved it from altera- 
tions. But, in the united provinces, 
the freedom allowed to all persua- 
sions had so completely paved the 
way for innovations of this kind, 
that, on the irruption of the French, 
and the revolution effeéted in the 
Dutch government, the religion of 
thestate was immediately abolished, 
and all seéts declared upon a foot- 
ing of equality. The stipends of 
their respeétive ministers were to 
be paid by their followers, and no 
other interference exercised by the 
Tuling power, than to maintain li- 
berty of worship to all who paid 
obedience to the laws of the 
country. 
A system so new to the ideas of 
all the nations in Earope, so re- 
pugnant to the temporal interests of 
an immense portion of the establish- 
ed clergy, and reputed by numbers 
in all classes so inimical to religion 
itself, could not fail to call forth 
the indignation of multitudes. The 
approbation of perhaps a majority 
of those literary men, who are not 
members of the ecclesiastical body, 
has powerfully conduced to give 
this new system a considerable de- 
gree of popularity.- Asit does not 
appear hostile to Christianity itself, 
few, if any, ofthose seéts that are not 
connected with the state, by a regu- 
jar establishment, can be supposed 
inimical to the introduétion of it 
into countries, where they exist 
themselves merely upon sufferance, 
and certainly cam lose nothing by 
being placed on a level with all 
other seétaries, in point of emolu- 
‘ment and importance. The Roman 
‘catholic states, being all monarchi- 
cal, are those that have hitherto 
opposed it with most violence: as the 
eccleésiastical establishments there, 
form part of the political system, @ 
[187 
disjunétion of the church from the 
state cannot be efieéted, without 
considerably weakening the latter ; 
the authority of which depends es- 
sentially on the support givenit by 
the former, whose attachment, there- 
fore, is remunerated and secured, by 
the riches and splendor annexed to 
it. Opinion being the foundation 
of all power, and ecclesiasties in 
those countries possessing a notorious 
influence over the Community, so- 
vereigns are too sensible of their own 
interest to suffer the dissolution of a 
tie, that binds their subjeéts to them 
so efficaciously, and will, therefore, 
strenuously exert themselves to pre- 
vent the propagation of a system, 
that would deprive them of such 
able defenders. 
The settlement of ecclesiastical 
affairs, in France, was considered, by 
most men, as an object of the highest 
importance. Though great liberty 
was assumed by numbers, in the 
exercise of that latitude of thinking, 
which was countenanced by the 
ruling powers, and the spirit of the 
constitution, and who paid little re- 
gard to the interest of religion: yet 
the majority, throughout the nation, 
were extremely desirous to see a total 
and unfettered freedom of worship 
granted to all persons who sub-~ 
mitted to the established system. 
The government was so thoroughly 
convinced of the necessity of coin- 
ciding with the general sense of the 
community on this subject, that, not- 
withstanding the multiplicity of 
weighty concerns that occupied it 
in the course of this year, it care- 
fully bestowed its attention upon 
‘the termination of this business. 
The satisfaétion expressed by the 
public, on this account, proved the 
reétitade of the measures they had 
adopted 
CHAP. 
