tate of damnation after this life; for how can we think it
consistent with the mercy and goodness of an infinite Being, to damn
those creatures, when he has not furnished them with the light of the
gospel? or how can such proud, conceited and cruel bigots, prescribe
rules to the justice and mercy of God?

We are told by some people, that the great image which King
Nebuchadnezzar set up to be adored by his people held the representation
of the sun in it's right hand, as the principal object of adoration. But
to wave this discourse of Heathens, how many self-contradicting
principles are there held among Christians? and how do we doom one
another to the devil, while all profess to worship the same Deity, and
to expect the same salvation.

When I was at Portugal, there was held at that time the court of justice
of the Inquisition. All the criminals were carried in procession to the
great church, where eight of them were habited in gowns and caps of
canvass, whereon the torments of hell were displayed, and they were
condemned and burnt for crimes against the Catholic faith and
blessed Virgin.

I am sorry to make any reflection upon Christians; but indeed, in Italy
the Roman religion seems the most cruel and mercenary upon earth; and a
very judicious person, who travelled through Italy from Turkey, tells,
_That there is only the face and outward pomp of religion there; that
the church protects murderers and assassins; and then delivers the civil
magistrate over to Satan for doing justice; interdicts whole kingdoms,
and shuts up the churches for want of paying a few ecclesiastical dues,
and so puts a stop to religion for want of their money; that the court
of Inquisition burnt two men for speaking dishonourably of the Blessed
Virgin; and the missionaries of China tolerated the worshipping the
devil by their new converts: that Italy was the theatre, where religion
was the grand opera: and that the Popish clergy were no other than
stage players_.

As to religion in Poland, they deny Christ to be the Messiah, or that
the Messiah has come in the flesh. And as to their Protestants, they are
the followers of Laelius Socinus, who denied our Saviour's divinity; and
have no concern about the divine inspiration of the Holy Ghost.

In Muscovy their churches are built of wood, and, indeed, they have but
wooden priests, though of the Greek church; they pray as much to St.
Nicholas, as the Papists do to the Virgin Mary, for protection