168 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION. 



In what manner the will of Christ operated, and 

 whether he had one will or two? Whether the 

 Holy Ghost proceeded from the Father and Son, 

 or only from the Father ? Whether leavened or 

 unleavened bread ought to be used in the eucha- 

 rist ? Whether souls in their intermediate state 

 see God, or only the human nature of Christ? 

 It was disputed between the Dominicans and the 

 Franciscans, Whether Christ had any property? 

 The Pope pronounced the negative proposition to 

 be a pestilential and blasphemous doctrine, sub 

 versive of catholic faith. Many councils were 

 held at Constantinople, to determine what, sort of 

 light it was the disciples saw on Mount Tabor : 

 it was solemnly pronounced to be the eternal light 

 with which God is encircled ; and which may be 

 termed his energy or operation, but is distinct 

 from his nature and essence. The disputes 

 respecting the real presence of Christ in the 

 eucharist, led to this absurd conclusion, which 

 came to be universally admitted &quot; That the 

 substance of the bread and wine used in that 

 ordinance is changed into the real body and blood 

 of Christ ;&quot; and consequently, when a man eats 

 what has the appearance of a wafer, he really 

 and truly eats the body and blood, the soul and 

 divinity of Jesus Christ ; and when he afterwards, 

 drinks what has the appearance of wine, he 

 drinks the very same body and blood, soul and 

 divinity, which, perhaps, not a minute before, he 

 had whilly and entirely eaten ! At the period to 

 which I now allude, the authenticity of a suspect 

 ed relic was proved by bulls councils assembled 

 and decided upon the authority of forged acts 

 with regard to the antiquity of a saint, or the 

 place where his body was deposited ; and a bold 

 impostor needed only to open his moulh, to per 

 suade the multitude to believe whatever he 

 pleased. To feed upon animals strangled or un 

 clean, to eat flesh on Tuesday, eggs and cheese 

 on Friday, to fast on Saturday, or to use unleaven 

 ed bread in the service of the mass were, by 

 some, considered as indispensable duties, and by 

 others, as vile abominations. In short, the his 

 tory of this period is a reproach to the human 

 understanding ; an insult offered to the majesty of 

 reason and of science, and a libel on the benevo 

 lent spirit which breathes through the whole of 

 the Christian system.* 



As a striking instance of the folly and imbecility 

 cf the human mind at this period, it may be noticed, 

 (hat in several churches in France they celebrated a 

 festival in commemoration of the Virgin Mary s 

 flight into Egypt, which was called the Feast of the 

 ass A youns girl richly dressed, with a child in her 

 arms, was set upon an ass richly caparisoned. The 

 ass was led to the altar in solemn procession. High 

 mass was said with great pomp. The ass was taught 

 to kneel at proper places ; a hymn, no less childish 

 than impious, was sung in his praise ; and when 

 the ceremony was ended, the priest, instead of the 

 usual words with which he dismissed the people, 

 brayed three times like an ass, and the people, instead 

 of the usual response, &quot;We bless the Lord,&quot; brayed 

 tr. the same manner. Thir ridiculous ceremony was 



Nothing can be conceived more directly repug 

 nant to the benevolence which the religion of 

 Jesus inculcates, than the temper and conduct o* 

 those who arrogated to themselves the character 

 of being God s vicegerents on earth, and who as 

 sumed the supreme direction and control of the 

 Christian church. In persons who laid claim to 

 functions so sacred and divine, it might have 

 been expected, that the appearance at least, of 

 piety, humility, and benevolence, would have 

 been exhibited before the eyes of the Christian 

 world. But the history of the popes and their 

 satellites, displays almost every thing which is 

 directly opposed to such heavenly virtues. Their 

 avarice, extortion, and licentiousness, became in 

 tolerable and excessive almost to a proverb. 

 To extend their power over the kingdoms of this 

 world, to increase their wealth and revenues, to 

 live in opulence and splendour, to humble kings, 

 to alienate the affections of their subjects, and 



not a mere farcical entertainment ; but an act of de 

 votion, performed by the ministers of religion, anf 

 by the authority of the church. Robertson s His 

 tory of Charles V. vol. I. In accordance with such 

 ceremonies were the ideas which prevailed of the 

 foolish qualifications requisite to constitute a good 

 Christian. &quot; He is a good Christian,&quot; says St. Eloy, a 

 Ccinonized saint of the Romish church, &quot; who comes 

 frequently to church ; who presents the oblation 

 offered to God upon the altar; who doth not taste of 

 the fruits of his own industry until he has conse 

 crated a part of them to God; who when the holy 

 festivals approach, lives chastely even with his own 

 wife during several days, that with a safe conscience 

 he may draw near to the altar of God ; and who, in 

 the last place, can repeat the Creed and the Lord s 

 prayer. Redeem, then, your souls from destruction, 

 while you have the means in your power ; offer pre 

 sents and tithes to churchmen ; come more frequent 

 ly to church ; humbly implore the patronage of the 

 saints; for if you observe these things, you may 

 come with security in the day of retribution to the 

 tribunal of the eternal Judge, and say, Give to us, 

 O Lord, for we have given unto thee.&quot; Here we have 

 an ample description of a good Christian, in which 

 there is not the least mention of the love of God, of 

 resignation to his will, obedience to his laws, or of 

 justice, benevolence, or charity towards men. Mo- 

 sheim l s Church History. 



The fo .lowing are the terms in which Tctzel and 

 his associates describe the benefit of indulgences, 

 about the beginning of the 16th century, a little be 

 fore the era of the reformation. &quot;If any man,&quot; said 

 they, &quot;purchase letters of indulgence, his soul may 

 rest secure with respect to its salvation. The soul? 

 confined in purgatory, for whose redemption indul 

 gences are purchase !, as soon as the money tinkles 

 in the chest, instantly escape from that place of tor 

 ment, and ascend into heaven. The efficacy of in 

 dulgences were so great, that the most heinous sins, 

 even if one should violate (which was impossible) 

 the Mother of God, would be remitted and expiated 

 by them, and the person be free both from punish 

 ment and guilt. That this was the unspeakable gift 

 of God, in order to reconcile men to himself. That 

 the cross erected by the preachers of indulgences, 

 was as efficacious as the cross of Christ it&amp;lt;elf. Lo. 

 the heavens are open, if you enter not now, when 

 will you enter ? For twelve pence you may redeem 

 the soul of your father out of purgatory : and are you 

 so ungrateful that you will not rescue your parent 

 from torment ? if you had but one coat, you ought to 

 strip yourself instantly and sell it, in order to pur 

 chase such benefits,&quot; &c. Robertson s Charles V 

 vol. ii. 



