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another　and　a　better　world　in　a　life　to　come。　The　teachers　of　the

doctrine　which　contains　this　instruction；　in　the　same　manner　as

other　teachers；　may　either　depend　altogether　for　their

subsistence　upon　the　voluntary　contributions　of　their　hearers；　or

they　may　derive　it　from　some　other　fund　to　which　the　law　of　their

country　may　entitle　them；　such　as　a　landed　estate；　a　tithe　or

land　tax；　an　established　salary　or　stipend。　Their　exertion；　their

zeal　and　industry；　are　likely　to　be　much　greater　in　the　former

situation　than　in　the　latter。　In　this　respect　the　teachers　of　new

religions　have　always　had　a　considerable　advantage　in　attacking

those　ancient　and　established　systems　of　which　the　clergy；

reposing　themselves　upon　their　benefices；　had　neglected　to　keep

up　the　fervour　of　faith　and　devotion　in　the　great　body　of　the

people；　and　having　given　themselves　up　to　indolence；　were　become

altogether　incapable　of　making　any　vigorous　exertion　in　defence

even　of　their　own　establishment。　The　clergy　of　an　established　and

well…endowed　religion　frequently　become　men　of　learning　and

elegance；　who　possess　all　the　virtues　of　gentlemen；　or　which　can

recommend　them　to　the　esteem　of　gentlemen：　but　they　are　apt

gradually　to　lose　the　qualities；　both　good　and　bad；　which　gave

them　authority　and　influence　with　the　inferior　ranks　of　people；

and　which　had　perhaps　been　the　original　causes　of　the　success　and

establishment　of　their　religion。　Such　a　clergy；　when　attacked　by

a　set　of　popular　and　bold；　though　perhaps　stupid　and　ignorant

enthusiasts；　feel　themselves　as　perfectly　defenceless　as　the

indolent；　effeminate；　and　full…fed　nations　of　the　southern　parts

of　Asia　when　they　were　invaded　by　the　active；　hardy；　and　hungry

Tartars　of　the　North。　Such　a　clergy；　upon　such　an　emergency；　have

commonly　no　other　resource　than　to　call　upon　the　civil　magistrate

to　persecute；　destroy　or　drive　out　their　adversaries；　as

disturbers　of　the　public　peace。　It　was　thus　that　the　Roman

Catholic　clergy　called　upon　the　civil　magistrates　to　persecute

the　Protestants；　and　the　Church　of　England　to　persecute　the

Dissenters；　and　that　in　general　every　religious　sect；　when　it　has

once　enjoyed　for　a　century　or　two　the　security　of　a　legal

establishment；　has　found　itself　incapable　of　making　any　vigorous

defence　against　any　new　sect　which　chose　to　attack　its　doctrine

or　discipline。　Upon　such　occasions　the　advantage　in　point　of

learning　and　good　writing　may　sometimes　be　on　the　side　of　the

established　church。　But　the　arts　of　popularity；　all　the　arts　of

gaining　proselytes；　are　constantly　on　the　side　of　its

adversaries。　In　England　those　arts　have　been　long　neglected　by

the　well…endowed　clergy　of　the　established　church；　and　are　at

present　chiefly　cultivated　by　the　Dissenters　and　by　the

Methodists。　The　independent　provisions；　however；　which　in　many

places　have　been　made　for　dissenting　teachers　by　means　of

voluntary　subscriptions；　of　trust　rights；　and　other　evasions　of

the　law；　seem　very　much　to　have　abated　the　zeal　and　activity　of

those　teachers。　They　have　many　of　them　become　very　learned；

ingenious；　and　respectable　men；　but　they　have　in　general　ceased

to　be　very　popular　preachers。　The　Methodists；　without　half　the

learning　of　the　Dissenters；　are　much　more　in　vogue。

　　　　　In　the　Church　of　Rome；　the　industry　and　zeal　of　the　inferior

clergy　are　kept　more　alive　by　the　powerful　motive　of

self…interest　than　perhaps　in　any　established　Protestant　church。

The　parochial　clergy　derive；　many　of　them；　a　very　considerable

part　of　their　subsistence　from　the　voluntary　oblations　of　the

people；　a　source　of　revenue　which　confession　gives　them　many

opportunities　of　improving。　The　mendicant　orders　derive　their

whole　subsistence　from　such　oblations。　It　is　with　them　as　with

the　hussars　and　light　infantry　of　some　armies；　no　plunder；　no

pay。　The　parochial　clergy　are　like　those　teachers　whose　reward

depends　partly　upon　their　salary；　and　partly　upon　the　fees　or

honoraries　which　they　get　from　their　pupils；　and　these　must

always　depend　more　or　less　upon　their　industry　and　reputation。

The　mendicant　orders　are　like　those　teachers　whose　subsistence

depends　altogether　upon　the　industry。　They　are　obliged；

therefore；　to　use　every　art　which　can　animate　the　devotion　of　the

common　people。　The　establishment　of　the　two　great　mendicant

orders　of　St。　Dominic　and　St。　Francis；　it　is　observed　by

Machiavel；　revived；　in　the　thirteenth　and　fourteenth　centuries；

the　languishing　faith　and　devotion　of　the　Catholic　Church。　In

Roman　Catholic　countries　the　spirit　of　devotion　is　supported

altogether　by　the　monks　and　by　the　poorer　parochial　clergy。　The

great　dignitaries　of　the　church；　with　all　the　accomplishments　of

gentlemen　and　men　of　the　world；　and　sometimes　with　those　of　men

of　learning；　are　careful　enough　to　maintain　the　necessary

discipline　over　their　inferiors；　but　seldom　give　themselves　any

trouble　about　the　instruction　of　the　people。

　　　　　〃Most　of　the　arts　and　professions　in　a　state；〃　says　by　far

the　most　illustrious　philosopher　and　historian　of　the　present

age；　〃are　of　such　a　nature　that；　while　they　promote　the　interests

of　the　society；　they　are　also　useful　or　agreeable　to　some

individuals；　and　in　that　case；　the　constant　rule　of　the

magistrate；　except　perhaps　on　the　first　introduction　of　any　art；

is　to　leave　the　profession　to　itself；　and　trust　its　encouragement

to　the　individuals　who　reap　the　benefit　of　it。　The　artisans；

finding　their　profits　to　rise　by　the　favour　of　their　customers；

increase　as　much　as　possible　their　skill　and　industry；　and　as

matters　are　not　disturbed　by　any　injudicious　tampering；　the

commodity　is　always　sure　to　be　at　all　times　nearly　proportioned

to　the　demand。

　　　　　〃But　there　are　also　some　callings；　which；　though　useful　and

even　necessary　in　a　state；　bring　no　advantage　or　pleasure　to　any

individual；　and　the　supreme　power　is　obliged　to　alter　its　conduct

with　regard　to　the　retainers　of　those　professions。　It　must　give

them　public　encouragement　in　order　to　their　subsistence；　and　it

must　provide　against　that　negligence　to　which　they　will　naturally

be　subject；　either　by　annexing　particular　honours　to　the

profession；　by　establishing　a　long　subordination　of　ranks　and　a

strict　dependence；　or　by　some　other　expedient。　The　persons

employed　in　the　finances；　fleets；　and　magistracy；　are　instances

of　this　order　of　men。

　　　　　〃It　may　naturally　be　thought；　at　first　sight；　that　the

ecclesiastics　belong　to　the　first　class；　and　that　their

encouragement；　as　well　as　that　of　lawyers　and　physicians；　may

safely　be　entrusted　to　the　liberality　of　individuals；　who　are

attached　to　their　doctrines；　and　who　find　benefit　or　consolation

from　their　spiritual　ministry　and　assistance。　Their　industry　and

vigilance　will；　no　doubt；　be　whetted　by　such　an　additional

motive；　and　their　skill　in　the　profession；　as　well　as　their

address　in　governing　the　minds　of　the　people；　must　receive　daily

increase　from　their　increasing　practice；　study；　and　attention。

　　　　　〃But　if　we　consider　the　matter　more　closely；　we　shall　find

that　this　interested　diligence　of　the　clergy　is　what　every　wise

legislator　will　study　to　prevent；　because　in　every　religion

except　the　true　it　is　highly　pernicious；　and　it　has　even　a

natural　tendency　to　pervert　the　true；　by　infusing　into　it　a

strong　mixture　of　superstition；　folly；　and　delusion。　Each　ghostly

practitioner；　in　order　to　render　himself　more　precious　and　sacred

in　the　eyes　of　his　retainers；　will　inspire　them　with　the　most

violent　abhorrence　of　all　other　sects；　and　continually　endeavour；

by　some　novelty；　to　excite　the　languid　devotion　of　his　audience。

No　regard　will　be　paid　to　truth；　morals；　or　decency　in　the

doctrines　inculcated。　Every　tenet　will　be　adopted　that　best　suits

the　disorderly　affections　of　the　human　frame。　Customers　will　be

drawn　to　each　conventicle　by　new　industry　and　address　in

practising　on　the　passions　and　credulity　of　the　populace。　And　in

the　end；　the　civil　magistrate　will　find　that　he　has　dearly　paid

for　his　pretended　frugality；　in　saving　a　fixed　establishment　for

the　priests；　and　that　in　reality　the　most　decent　and　advantageous

composition　which　he　can　make　with　the　spiritual　guides；　is　to

bribe　their　indolence　by　assigning　stated　salaries　to　their

profession；　and　rendering　it　superfluous　for　them　to　be　farther

active　than　merely　to　prevent　their　flock　from　straying　in　quest

of　new　pastures。　And　in　this　manner　ecclesiastical

establishments；　though　commonly　they　arose　at　first　from

religious　views；　prove　in　the　end　advantageous　to　the　political

interests　of　society。〃

　　　　　But　whatever　may　have　been　the　good　or　bad　effects　of　the

independent　provision　of　the　clergy；　it　has；　perhaps；　been　very

seldom　bestowed　upon　them　from　any　view　to　those　effects。　Times

of　violent　religious　controversy　have　generally　been　times　of

equally　violent　political　faction。　Upon　such　occasions；　each

political　party　has　either　found　it；　or　imagin