A new edition of Toland's History of the druids: - Free History Ebooks

LIFE OF TOLAND.111 this treatise he clearly proves, that man's reasonwas not given him, in order to lie dormant.4oThatif he was allowed to jndge for himself in the ordinaryoccurrences of life, and respecting the phaenomenaof nature, he cannot be denied the sameprivilege, as far as respects matters of religion, andthe principles of Christianity. Mr. Toland waswell aware, that if he could once induce mankindto read the scriptures with impartial attention,no man's interpretation on earth could misleadthem.However convenient this mode of conduct mightbe for the interests of true religion, itwas, in fact,a death blow to popery, which had reared itsmonstrous fabric on ignorance, mystery and superstition.The gospel Avas, by the popish priests, ascarefully kept from the vulgar, as if it had containedthe antidote, instead of the means of theirsalvation. When Mr. Toland wrote, not onefourthof the population of the British empirewere allowed to read the scriptures;and, even atthe present day, nearly five millions are denied thisimportant privilege.Had Christianity been so intricate and mysterious,as designing and interested men have representedit, certainly the twelve apostles were veryill calculated to propagate the gospel. In manypopish countries, not one of them would have beenconsidered qualified to read or explain a singleverse of it.That the conduct of Christ, and of his