iately
becomes a question of great _political_ importance: and in particular it
must be material to ascertain whether Religion be in an advancing or in
a declining state; and if the latter be the case, whether there be any
practicable means for preventing at least its farther declension.

If the representations contained in the preceding chapters, of the state
of Christianity among the bulk of professed Christians, be not very
erroneous; they may well excite serious apprehension in the mind of
every reader, when considered merely in a political view. And this
apprehension would be encreased, if there should appear reason to
believe that, for some time past, Religion has been on the decline
amongst us, and that it continues to decline at the present moment.

When it is proposed, however, to inquire into the actual state of
Religion in any country, and in particular to compare that state with
its condition at any former period; there is one preliminary observation
to be made, if we would not be liable to gross error. There exists,
established by tacit content, in every country, what may be called a
general standard or tone of morals, varying in the same community at
different periods, and different at the same period in different ranks
and situations in society. Whoever falls below this standard, and, not
unfrequently, whoever also rises above it, offending against this
general rule, suffers proportionably in the general estimation. Thus a
regard for character, which, as was formerly remarked, is commonly the
grand governing principle among men, becomes to a certain degree, though
no farther, an incitement to morality and virtue. It follows of course,
that where the practice does no more than come up to the required level,
it will be no sufficient evidence of the existence, much less will it
furnish any just measure of the force, of a real internal principle of
Religion. Christians, Jews, Turks, Infidels, and Heretics, persons of
ten thousand different sorts of passions and opinions, being members at
the same time of the same community, and all conscious that they will be
examined by this same standard, will regulate their conduct accordingly,
and, with no great difference, will all adjust themselves to the
required measure.

It must also be remarked, that the causes which tend to raise or to
depress this standard, commonly produce their effects by slow and almost
insensible degrees; and that it often continues for some