s; and considered
monarchy, and his own sort of monarchy, as essentially the same. Had
he lived in our days, he would have experienced the difference, and
not have considered the church of Scotland as being a greater enemy
to kingly power than that of England, or as being more favourable to
liberty.
-=-

[end of page #265]

there promulgated. The Roman Catholic faith was clogged, in the
early days of the church, with a great number, both of dogmatical and
practical errors, that tend not only to fetter the mind, but actually
embarrass the business of human life.

In a former chapter, we had occasion to speak of the encroachments
made by public bodies on the general mass of the people, but none
ever was so pernicious in its effects, so grasping, and so well
calculated to retain, as the Roman Catholic church.

Their celibacy took away from the clergy every disposition to alienate
even personal property, while the practice of auricular confession, and
the doctrine of the remission of sins, gave them an opportunity of
besieging the human mind in its weakest moment, and the weakest
place, in order to rob posterity, and enrich the church. In the moment
of weakness, when a man's mind is occupied in reflecting on the
errors, and perhaps the crimes, of a long and variegated life; when his
ties to this world are loosened, and his interest in eternity becomes
more lively, and near; a religion that enables a zealous or interested
priest (aided by the casuistry and argument of centuries) to barter a
promise of everlasting bliss, for lands and tenements bequeathed to
the church, provides amply for the acquisition of earthly treasure, for
its ministers, and those devoted to a life of religious pursuits. It is,
indeed, wonderful, that, with such means, the church, in Roman
Catholic countries, did not become more wealthy than it was. {204}
With a continual means of acquiring, and none of alienating, it
appears well qualified for absorbing the whole landed property of a
nation. Such an encroachment on the public wealth, and industry of a
people, is a sufficient reason for the Protestant countries (where the
clergy have not the same means) becoming more wealthy and
industrious.

It would not be difficult to prove that there is an effect produced on
the minds of individuals in Protestant countries, that is favourable to
industry; but a discussion of this nature might seem displaced in a
book of this sort. It is sufficient that we se