the Christian religion: he has attacked him, as if his two books on religion were two treatises on divinity; he has cavilled against him, as if while he had been talking of any religion whatsoever which was not Christian, he should have examined it according to the principles, and doctrines of Christianity; he has judged him as if in his two books relating to religion he ought to have preached to Mahometans and Idolaters the doctrines of Christianity. Whenever he has spoken of religion in general, whenever he has made use of the word religion, the critic says, that is the Christian religion; whenever he has compared the religious rites of different nations and has said that they are more conformable to the political government of these countries than some other rites, the critic again says, you approve them then and abandon the Christian faith: when he has spoken of a people who have never embraced Christianity, or who have lived before Christ, again says the critic, you do not then acknowledge the morals of Christianity; when he has canvassed any
