Burnet says that when he was in France, in the
year 1683, "the method which carried over the men of the finest
parts to Popery was this- they brought themselves to doubt of the
whole Christian religion. When that was once done, it seemed a more
indifferent thing of what side or form they continued outwardly." If
this was then the ecclesiastical policy of France, it is what they
have since but too much reason to repent of. They preferred atheism to
a form of religion not agreeable to their ideas. They succeeded in
destroying that form; and atheism has succeeded in destroying them.
I can readily give credit to Burnet's story, because I have observed
too much of a similar spirit (for a little of it is "much too much")
amongst ourselves. The humor, however, is not general.
THE teachers who reformed our religion in England bore no sort
of resemblance to your present reforming doctors in Paris. Perhaps
they were (like those whom they opposed) rather more than could be
wished under the influence of a party spirit, but they were more
sincere believers, men of the most fervent and exalted piety, ready to
die (as some of them did die) like true heroes in defense of their
particular ideas of Christianity, as they would with equal
fortitude, and more cheerfully, for that stock of general truth for
the branches of which they contended with their blood.
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