Chapter IV

AN EXAMINATION OF THE SCOTCH INTELLECT DURING THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.

The rest of the Volume will be occupied with a still closer
investigation of the double paradox presented by the history
of Scotland; namely, 1st, that the same people should be
liberal in politics, and illiberal in religion; and, 2nd, that
the free and sceptical literature which they produced in the
eighteenth century, should have been unable to lessen their
religious illiberality 191

Their religious illiberality was the result of the immense
power possessed by their clergy in the seventeenth century.
The causes of that power will be examined in the present
chapter 192

The failure of their literature in diminishing this
illiberality during the eighteenth century, was the result of
the peculiar method of the inquiry adopted by the Scotch
philosophers. The causes of the universal diffusion of that
method, the nature of the method, and the consequences of it,
will be examined in the next chapter, which will conclude the
Volume 192-193

Circumstances in the seventeenth century favourable to the
influence of the Scotch clergy 193-197

While the English war against Charles I. was essentially
political, the Scotch war against him was essentially
religious 197-200

Though this was the effect of Scotch superstition, it was also
a cause of its further progress 201-202

Hence, in the seventeenth century, secular interests were
neglected, and theological ones became supreme. Illustration
of this, from the zeal of the people to hear sermons of
inordinate frequency and of terrible length; so that they
passed the greater part of their lives in what were
erroneously termed religious exercises 203-206

The clergy availed themselves of these habits to extend and
consolidate their own authority 205-206

Their great engine of power was the Kirk-Session. Tyranny of
the Kirk-Sessions 206-210

Monstrous pretensions of the clergy 210-212

Cases in which it was believed that these pretensions were
upheld and vindicated by miracles 212-220

The clergy, becoming elated, indulge in language of
extraordinary arrogance 221-227

They asserted that miracles were wrought in their behalf, and
often on their persons 228-229

Effect of these proceedings upon the Scotch mind 230-232

The clergy, to intimidate the people, and bring them
completely under control, advocated horrible notions
concerning evil spirits and future punishments 232-243

With the same object they propounded notions more horrible
still, respecting the Deity, whom they represented as a cruel,
passionate, and sanguinary Being 245-252

They moreover declared that harmless and even praiseworthy
actions were sinful, and would provoke the Divine wrath 251-262

To prevent such imaginary sins, the clergy made arbitrary
regulations, and punished those who disobeyed them, sometimes
by flogging, and sometimes by branding with hot irons, and
sometimes in other ways 262-263

Specimens of the sins which the clergy invented 264-268

The result was, that all mirth, all innocent gaiety, all
demonstrations of happiness, and nearly all physical
enjoyments, were destroyed in Scotland 268-269

Hence, the national character was mutilated. For, the
pleasures of the body are, in our actual condition, as
essential a part of the great scheme of life, and are as
necessary to human affairs, as are the pleasures of the mind 269-271

But the clergy, by denouncing these pleasures of the senses,
do what they can, in every country, to diminish the total
amount of happiness of which humanity is susceptible, and
which it has a right to enjoy 271-275

In no Protestant country have the clergy pushed these narrow
and unsocial tenets so far as in Scotland 275-276

Indeed, in some respects, the Scotch clergy were more ascetic
than those of any branch of the Catholic Church, except the
Spanish; since they attempted to destroy the affections, and
to sever the holiest ties of domestic love 276-279