24.6. 6. Another of M. Bayle's Paradoxes.
M. Bayle, after having abused
all religions, endeavours to sully Christianity: he boldly asserts that
true Christians cannot form a government of any duration. Why not?
Citizens of this profession being infinitely enlightened with respect to
the various duties of life, and having the warmest zeal to fulfil them,
must be perfectly sensible of the rights of natural defence. The more
they believe themselves indebted to religion, the more they would think
due to their country. The principles of Christianity, deeply engraved on
the heart, would be infinitely more powerful than the false honour of
monarchies, than the humane virtues of republics, or the servile fear of
despotic states.
It is astonishing that this great man should not be able to
distinguish between the orders for the establishment of Christianity and
Christianity itself; and that he should be liable to be charged with not
knowing the spirit of his own religion. When the legislator, instead of
laws, has given counsels, this is because he knew that if these counsels
were ordained as laws they would be contrary to the spirit of the laws
themselves.
