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equally　violent　political　faction。　Upon　such　occasions；　each

political　party　has　either　found　it；　or　imagined　it；　for　its

interest　to　league　itself　with　some　one　or　other　of　the

contending　religious　sects。　But　this　could　be　done　only　by

adopting；　or　at　least　by　favouring；　the　tenets　of　that　particular

sect。　The　sect　which　had　the　good　fortune　to　be　leagued　with　the

conquering　party　necessarily　shared　in　the　victory　of　its　ally；

by　whose　favour　and　protection　it　was　soon　enabled　in　some　degree

to　silence　and　subdue　all　its　adversaries。　Those　adversaries　had

generally　leagued　themselves　with　the　enemies　of　the　conquering

party；　and　were　therefore　the　enemies　of　that　party。　The　clergy

of　this　particular　sect　having　thus　become　complete　masters　of

the　field；　and　their　influence　and　authority　with　the　great　body

of　the　people　being　in　its　highest　vigour；　they　were　powerful

enough　to　overawe　the　chiefs　and　leaders　of　their　own　party；　and

to　oblige　the　civil　magistrate　to　respect　their　opinions　and

inclinations。　Their　first　demand　was　generally　that　he　should

silence　and　subdue　an　their　adversaries：　and　their　second；　that

he　should　bestow　an　independent　provision　on　themselves。　As　they

had　generally　contributed　a　good　deal　to　the　victory；　it　seemed

not　unreasonable　that　they　should　have　some　share　in　the　spoil。

They　were　weary；　besides；　of　humouring　the　people；　and　of

depending　upon　their　caprice　for　a　subsistence。　In　making　this

demand；　therefore；　they　consulted　their　own　ease　and　comfort；

without　troubling　themselves　about　the　effect　which　it　might　have

in　future　times　upon　the　influence　and　authority　of　their　order。

The　civil　magistrate；　who　could　comply　with　this　demand　only　by

giving　them　something　which　he　would　have　chosen　much　rather　to

take；　or　to　keep　to　himself；　was　seldom　very　forward　to　grant　it。

Necessity；　however；　always　forced　him　to　submit　at　last；　though

frequently　not　till　after　many　delays；　evasions；　and　affected

excuses。

　　　　　But　if　politics　had　never　called　in　the　aid　of　religion；　had

the　conquering　party　never　adopted　the　tenets　of　one　sect　more

than　those　of　another　when　it　had　gained　the　victory；　it　would

probably　have　dealt　equally　and　impartially　with　all　the

different　sects；　and　have　allowed　every　man　to　choose　his　own

priest　and　his　own　religion　as　he　thought　proper。　There　would　in

this　case；　no　doubt'　have　been　a　great　multitude　of　religious

sects。　Almost　every　different　congregation　might　probably　have

made　a　little　sect　by　itself；　or　have　entertained　some　peculiar

tenets　of　its　own。　Each　teacher　would　no　doubt　have　felt　himself

under　the　necessity　of　making　the　utmost　exertion　and　of　using

every　art　both　to　preserve　and　to　increase　the　number　of　his

disciples。　But　as　every　other　teacher　would　have　felt　himself

under　the　same　necessity；　the　success　of　no　one　teacher；　or　sect

of　teachers；　could　have　been　very　great。　The　interested　and

active　zeal　of　religious　teachers　can　be　dangerous　and

troublesome　only　where　there　is　either　but　one　sect　tolerated　in

the　society；　or　where　the　whole　of　a　large　society　is　divided

into　two　or　three　great　sects；　the　teachers　of　each　acting　by

concert；　and　under　a　regular　discipline　and　subordination。　But

that　zeal　must　be　altogether　innocent　where　the　society　is

divided　into　two　or　three　hundred；　or　perhaps　into　as　many

thousand　small　sects；　of　which　no　one　could　be　considerable

enough　to　disturb　the　public　tranquility。　The　teachers　of　each

sect；　seeing　themselves　surrounded　on　all　sides　with　more

adversaries　than　friends；　would　be　obliged　to　learn　that　candour

and　moderation　which　is　so　seldom　to　be　found　among　the　teachers

of　those　great　sects　whose　tenets；　being　supported　by　the　civil

magistrate；　are　held　in　veneration　by　almost　all　the　inhabitants

of　extensive　kingdoms　and　empires；　and　who　therefore　see　nothing

round　them　but　followers；　disciples；　and　humble　admirers。　The

teachers　of　each　little　sect；　finding　themselves　almost　alone；

would　be　obliged　to　respect　those　of　almost　every　other　sect；　and

the　concessions　which　they　would　mutually　find　it　both　convenient

and　agreeable　to　make　to　one　another；　might　in　time　probably

reduce　the　doctrine　of　the　greater　part　of　them　to　that　pure　and

rational　religion；　free　from　every　mixture　of　absurdity；

imposture；　or　fanaticism；　such　as　wise　men　have　in　all　ages　of

the　world　wished　to　see　established；　but　such　as　positive　law　has

perhaps　never　yet　established；　and　probably　never　will　establish；

in　any　country：　because；　with　regard　to　religion；　positive　law

always　has　been；　and　probably　always　will　be；　more　or　less

influenced　by　popular　superstition　and　enthusiasm。　This　plan　of

ecclesiastical　government；　or　more　properly　of　no　ecclesiastical

government；　was　what　the　sect　called　Independents；　a　sect　no

doubt　of　very　wild　enthusiasts；　proposed　to　establish　in　England

towards　the　end　of　the　civil　war。　If　it　had　been　established；

though　of　a　very　unphilosophical　origin；　it　would　probably　by

this　time　have　been　productive　of　the　most　philosophical　good

temper　and　moderation　with　regard　to　every　sort　of　religious

principle。　It　has　been　established　in　Pennsylvania；　where；　though

the　Quakers　happen　to　be　the　most　numerous；　the　law　in　reality

favours　no　one　sect　more　than　another；　and　it　is　there　said　to

have　been　productive　of　this　philosophical　good　temper　and

moderation。

　　　　　But　though　this　equality　of　treatment　should　not　be

productive　of　this　good　temper　and　moderation　in　all；　or　even　in

the　greater　part　of　the　religious　sects　of　a　particular　country；

yet　provided　those　sects　were　sufficiently　numerous；　and　each　of

them　consequently　too　small　to　disturb　the　public　tranquillity；

the　excessive　zeal　of　each　for　its　particular　tenets　could　not

well　be　productive　of　any　very　harmful　effects；　but；　on　the

contrary；　of　several　good　ones：　and　if　the　government　was

perfectly　decided　both　to　let　them　all　alone；　and　to　oblige　them

all　to　let　alone　one　another；　there　is　little　danger　that　they

would　not　of　their　own　accord　subdivide　themselves　fast　enough　so

as　soon　to　become　sufficiently　numerous。

　　　　　In　every　civilised　society；　in　every　society　where　the

distinction　of　ranks　has　once　been　completely　established；　there

have　been　always　two　different　schemes　or　systems　of　morality

current　at　the　same　time；　of　which　the　one　may　be　called　the

strict　or　austere；　the　other　the　liberal；　or；　if　you　will；　the

loose　system。　The　former　is　generally　admired　and　revered　by　the

common　people：　the　latter　is　commonly　more　esteemed　and　adopted

by　what　are　called　people　of　fashion。　The　degree　of

disapprobation　with　which　we　ought　to　mark　the　vices　of　levity；

the　vices　which　are　apt　to　arise　from　great　prosperity；　and　from

the　excess　of　gaiety　and　good　humour；　seems　to　constitute　the

principal　distinction　between　those　two　opposite　schemes　or

systems。　In　the　liberal　or　loose　system；　luxury；　wanton　and　even

disorderly　mirth；　the　pursuit　of　pleasure　to　some　degree　of

intemperance；　the　breach　of　chastity；　at　least　in　one　of　the　two

sexes；　etc。；　provided　they　are　not　accompanied　with　gross

indecency；　and　do　not　lead　to　falsehood　or　injustice；　are

generally　treated　with　a　good　deal　of　indulgence；　and　are　easily

either　excused　or　pardoned　altogether。　In　the　austere　system；　on

the　contrary；　those　excesses　are　regarded　with　the　utmost

abhorrence　and　detestation。　The　vices　of　levity　are　always

ruinous　to　the　common　people；　and　a　single　week's　thoughtlessness

and　dissipation　is　often　sufficient　to　undo　a　poor　workman　for

ever；　and　to　drive　him　through　despair　upon　committing　the　most

enormous　crimes。　The　wiser　and　better　sort　of　the　common　people；

therefore；　have　always　the　utmost　abhorrence　and　detestation　of

such　excesses；　which　their　experience　tells　them　are　so

immediately　fatal　to　people　of　their　condition。　The　disorder　and

extravagance　of　several　years；　on　the　contrary；　will　not　always

ruin　a　man　of　fashion；　and　people　of　that　rank　are　very　apt　to

consider　the　power　of　indulging　in　some　degree　of　excess　as　one

of　the　advantages　of　their　fortune；　and　the　liberty　of　doing　so

without　censure　or　reproach　as　one　of　the　privileges　which　belong

to　their　station。　In　people　of　their　own　station；　therefore；　they

regard　such　excesses　with　but　a　small　degree　of　disapprobation；

and　censure　them　either　very　slightly　or　not　at　all。

　　　　　Almost　all　religious　sects　have　begun　among　the　common

people；　from　whom　they　have　generally　drawn　their　earliest　as

well　as　their　most　numerous　proselytes。　The　austere　system　of

morality　has；　accordingly；　been　adopted　by　those　sects　almost

constantly；　or　with　very　few　exceptions；　for　there　have　been

some。　It　was　the　system　by　which　they　could　best　recommend

themselves　to　that　order　of　people　to　whom　they　first　proposed

their　plan　of　reformation　upon　what　had　been　before　established。

Many　of　them；　perhaps　the　greater　part　of　them；　have　e