CHARRON.

The candour with which this learned man represented the objections of libertines to Christianity, contributed greatly to make people doubt the tendency of his own opinions. He certainly never weakened the difficulties they proposed, by misstatement; of which truth, the following passage on the divisions of Christianity is an instance:

“ In truth it is a strange thing, that the Christian religion, which, being the only true one, as coming from God, ought to be indivisible, since there is but one God, and one Truth, should nevertheless be torn

into so many parts, and divided into so many contrary opinions and sects; insomuch that there is not any one article of faith, or point of doctrine, but what has been differently debated and contradicted by sects and heresies. And that, which makes it to appear more strange, is, that such divisions or partialities are not to be found in the false religions of the Heathens, Jews, and Mahometans. Their divisions are either few and inconsiderable, as in the Jewish and Mahometan religions; or, if they have been many, as in the Pagan religion, and among the philosophers, they have not produced very great disturbances in the world; whereas there have been great and pernicious divisions from the beginning of Christianity; and they have continued ever since. It is a terrible thing to consider the effects which the divisions of Christians have produced. In the first place, as to the political state of the world, many alterations and subversions of republics, kingdoms, and kingly races, and divisions of empires, have happened, so far as to disturb the whole world with cruel, furious, and more than bloody exploits, to the great scandal, shame, and reproach of Christendom; in which, under the name of zeal and affection to religion, each party hates the other mortally, and thinks it lawful to commit all manner of hostilities,— a thing, which is not to be seen in other religions. The Christians alone are permitted to be murderers, perfidious, and traitors, and to exercise all sorts of cruelties against one another, against the living, and the dead, against the honour, life, memory, and minds, graves, and ashes of men, with fire and sword, with sharp libels, cursings, banishments, both from heaven and earth, taking dead bodies out of their graves, burning of bones, and removing of altars, without any composition, with such a rage, that all consideration of kindred, friendship, merit, and obligation, is thrown off. He that was yesterday extolled to the skies, and called a great, learned,virtuous and wise man, if he happens to change sides this day, is preached and written against, and proclaimed an ignorant and a wretched man. In this they show their zeal for religion; but, in all other things relating to the practice of religious duties, they appear very indifferent. Moderate and discreet men are noted and suspected as being lukewarm, and wanting zeal. It is an abominable fault, to be kind and civil to those of the contrary party. Some are scandalized at these things, as if the Christian religion taught men to hate and persecute others, and was designed to indulge our passions of ambition, avarice, revenge, hatred, spite, cruelty, rebellion, and sedition, which are elsewhere more quiet, and less violent when they are not set on by religion.”

This great scandal might at this day be represented in more elegant terms; but I defy our best writers to express it with greater force, and to paint the shamefulness of it in more lively colours. Charron employs all his skill to remove this scandal; and whoever should call him a prevaricator in this respect, would be as unjust as Garasse was, who called him so upon another account. Let us set down the words of this Jesuit; they are most unjust. “ He (Charron) openly declares, though, according to his usual way, with a treacherous and smooth train of words,— that religion is a wise invention of men, to keep people to their duty: and, although he seems to expose this as an atheistical tenet, yet, like Lucilio Vanini, he betrays his cause; for he mentions their arguments, explains and comments upon them, and then leaves them unanswered: a prevarication common to these two writers.” It is false that Charron does this: for, after having faithfully proposed the objections of the Atheists, he refutes them with great application and solidity; but this displeases vulgar authors, and even great authors, who have more wit and learning than

sincerity. They would always have the enemies of the good cause represented in a languishing and ridiculous equipage, or at least their strong objections confuted by stronger answers. Sincerity does not allow of the first, and sometimes the nature of the subject makes the other impossible. I have been a long time surprised to see that those are looked upon as prevaricators, who propose great difficulties to themselves, and refute them weakly. What! would you have the answers of a divine about mysteries, which are above reason, to be as clear as the objections of a philosopher? When a doctrine is mysterious and incomprehensible to the weakness of human mind, it results necessarily that our reason will oppose it with very strong arguments, and that it can find no other good solution than God’s authority. However it be, Charron did not Hatter his party. He had a penetrating wit; he discovered at a great distance all that could be said by two disputants. He took his measures accordingly, explained himself ingenuously, and made use of no cunning to obtain the victory. But he found himself the worse for it; for the world dislikes so much candour.—Art.Charron.