It would be in vain to deny, that many considerable ad vantages were derived by mankind from the labours of the Jesuits. Their ardour in the study of ancient literature,and their labours in the instruction of youth, greatly contribu ted to the progress of polite learning. They have produ ced a greater number of ingenious authors than all the °th e' religious fraternities taken together ; and though there never was known among their order one person who could be said to possess an enlarged philosophical mind, they can boast of many eminent masters in the separate branches of science, many distinguished mathematicians, antiquarians, critics, and even some orators of high reputation. They were in general, also, as individuals, superior in decency, and even purity of manners, to any other class of regular clergy in the church ol Rome. Their active and literary spirit furnished, likewise, a most beneficial counteraction to the deadening influence of their contemporary monastic institutions. Even the debased species of Christianity, which they introduced among the savage tribes of Ameri ca, and the more civilized nations of the East, was infinite ly superior, both in its consolations and morals, to the bloody and licentious rites of idolatry. But all these be nefits by no means counterbalanced the pernicious effects of their influence and intrigues on the best interests of society.
The essential principles of the institution, viz. that their order is to be maintained at the expense of society at large, and that the end sanctifies the means, are utterly in compatible with the welfare of any community of men. Their system of lax and pliant morality, justifying every vice, and authorizing every atrocity, has left deep and last ing ravages on the face of the moral world. Their zeal to extend the jurisdiction of the court of Rome over every civil government, gave currency to tenets respecting the duty of opposing princes who were hostile to the Catholic faith, which shook the basis of all political allegiance, and loosened the obligations of every human law. Their inde
fatigable industry, and countless artifices in resisting the progress of reformed religion, perpetuated the most per nicious errors of Popery, and postponed the triumph of tolerant and Christian principles. Whence, then, it may well be asked, whence the recent restoration ? \Vhat long latent proof has been discovered of the excellence, or even the expedience, of such an institution ? The sentence of their abolition was passed by the senates, and monarchs, and statesmen, and divines, of all religions, and of almost every civilized country in the world. Almost every land has been stained and torn by their crimes ; and almost every land bears on its public records the most solemn protests against their existence. Even they who loved popery, but dreaded the atrocities and ambition of Jesuitism ; even an infallible pontiff, in his cool judicial capacity, after a most solemn hearing, and in the face of its most powerful advo cates, pronounced its condemnation. What new witness has appeared to testify its virtues ? What adequate cause been made out for its revival ? If an instrument is wanted, (says an able opponent ofJesuitism",) which may at once quench the flame of charity—throw us back in the career of ages—sow the seeds of everlasting division—lay a train which is to explode in the citadel of truth, and overturn her sacred towers—we venture confidently to affirm that Jesu itism is that instrument. But, as for any other advanta ges either to Protestantism or Popery, it is for the pope, or any other infallible reasoner, to spew. Till some such su perior being shall stoop down to instruct us on this point, and to establish a fact which the Jesuits themselves for two centuries, and by a whole regiment of folios, endeavoured to establish in vain, we must venture to conclude, with our forefathers, with the kings, and queens, and parliaments,