5^ LIBERTY OF REASONING 



riod lib the annals of mankind, is flill, while I am wri- 

 ting this, among the objects of devout deflre : yet there 

 are already, in every man's hands, the works of a 

 Hume, Giaimone, Robert fori, TVlofheim, Walch, 

 Schmidt, and others, more than fufficient to confirm 

 all that . I have hitherto advanced; the teftimony is 

 abundant, and feme of it even beyond the intention of 

 the author that gives it. Any one, however, who 

 ikould be dehtous of acquiring a lively and accurate 

 knowledge of the fpirit of thefe unhappy times, mull 

 take up the tremendous refolution of diving into the 

 fources themfelves ; and, amongft others, muft perufe the 

 chronicle and the libri miraculorum of Gregory of 

 Toirs, the Golden Legend of the archbifnop Jacobus 

 deVaragine, the Acta Sanctorum, and the hifiorical 

 books of the different orders of monks ; where he will 

 fee enough almoft to turn his head with afionifhment 

 at the incomprehenfible effrontery and lillinefs of the 

 people of thofe times. 



The only particulars that I mail notice in regard to 

 the main object of this effay (to which all I have hi- 

 therto fa id is intended but to clear the way) are the 

 following. 



From the time that the new [the christian] religion 

 became predominant in the roman empire, it entered 

 not only into all the rights and privileges of the old, 

 and was the religion of the ftate, confequently protected 

 and encouraged by the laws, but arrogated to itfelf 

 new, and till then unheard of prerogatives. The an- 

 tient religion of the government had tolerated all other 

 religions, even the chrirHan : the latter, or rather its 

 clergy, (who here as well as in fo many other refpectsy 



renounced 



