An Ecclesiastical History, Ancient and Modern, From the Birth of Christ, to the Beginning of the Present Century, Vol. 3 of 6: In Which the Rise, Progress, and Variation of Church Power Are Considered

Excerpt from An Ecclesiastical History, Ancient and Modern, From the Birth of Christ, to the Beginning of the Present Century, Vol. 3 of 6: In Which the Rise, Progress, and Variation of Church Power Are Considered in Their Connexion With the State of Learning and Philosophy, and the Political History of Europe During That Period

VI. It is needlefs to repeat here the obfervation we have had fo often occafion to make upon fuch converfions as thefe we have been now relating, or to advertife the reader that the favage nations, who were thus dragooned into the church, be came the difciples of christ, not fo much in reality, as in outward appearance. at They pi'ofeiied, with an inward relu tance, a religion which was inculcated by violence and bloodlhed, which recalled to their remembrance nothing but fcenes of defolation and mifery, and which, in deed, when confidered in the reprefentations that were given of it by the greatefi part Of the mif Iionaries, was but a few degrees removed from the abfurdities of paganifm.] The pure and rational religion Of the gofpel was never prefented to thefe unhappy nations in its native fimplicity; they were only taught to appeafe the Deity, ahdto render' him propitious, by a fenfelefs round of trifling ceremonies and bodily exercifes, which, in many circuml'tances, refembled the fuperf'ti tions they were obliged to renounce, and might have been eafily reconciled with them, had it not been that the name and hii'cory of christ, the I'ign of the crofs, and fame diverfity between certain rites and ceremonies of the two religions.

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