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extremity of the empire。 The ancient law of the Gaurs which prohibited sailing on rivers was not therefore attended with any inconvenience in this country； though it would have ruined the trade of another。
Frequent bathings are extremely useful in hot climates。 On this account they are ordained in the Mahometan law and in the Indian religion。 In the Indies it is a most meritorious act to pray to God in the running stream；＇43＇ but how could these things be performed in other climates？
When a religion adapted to the climate of one country clashes too much with the climate of another it cannot be there established； and whenever it has been introduced it has been afterwards discarded； it seems to all human appearance as if the climate had prescribed the bounds of the Christian and the Mahometan religions。
It follows hence； that it is almost always proper for a religion to have particular doctrines； and a general worship。 In laws concerning the practice of religious worship there ought to be but few particulars； for instance； they should command mortification in general and not a certain kind of mortification。 Christianity is full of good sense； abstinence is of divine institution； but a particular kind of abstinence is ordained by human authority and therefore may be changed。
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1。 Thoughts on the Comet； Continuation of Thoughts on the Comet； ii。
2。 Description of Ethiopia； by M。 Ponce； Physician。 Edifying Letters； coll。 iv； p。 290。
3。 See Diodorus； i。 18。
4。 Dupin； Ecclesiastical Library of the Sixth Century； v。
5。 Collection of Voyages that Contributed to the Establishment of the East India Company； iii； part I； p。 63。
6。 Prideaux； History of the Jews。
7。 This is the inconvenience of the doctrine of Foe and Laockium。
8。 De Leg。； ii。 22。
9。 Sacrum commissum； quod neque expiari potent； impie commissum est； quod expiari potent publici sacerdotes expianto。
10。 See the account of John Duplan Carpin； sent to Tartary by Pope Innocent IV in the year 1246。
11。 Collection of Voyages that Contributed to the Establishment of the East India Company； v； part I； p。 192。
12。 Edifying Letters； coll。 xv。
13。 Politics； vii。 17。
14。 Suetonius； Life of Augustus； 31。
15。 Ibid。
16。 Collection of Voyages that Contributed to the Establishment of the East India Company； iv； part I p。 127。
17。 See Prideaux； life of Mahomet； p。 64。
18。 Koran； i； chapter 〃Of the Cow。〃
19。 On renouncing the law of retaliation。
20。 De Moribus Germanorum； 21。
21。 Collection of Voyages that Contributed to the Establishment of the East India Company； vii； p。 303。 See also Memoirs of the Count de Forbin； and what he says of the people of Macassar。
22。 Plato； Laws； ix。
23。 Tragedy of Oedipus at Colonus。
24。 Plato； Laws； ix。
25。 A Chinese philosopher reasons thus against the doctrine of Foe： 〃It is said in a book of that sect； that the body is our dwelling…place and the soul the immortal guest which lodges there； but if the bodies of our relatives are only a lodging； it is natural to regard them with the same contempt we should feel for a structure of earth and dirt。 Is not this endeavouring to tear from the heart the virtue of love to one's own parents？ This leads us even to neglect the care of the body； and to refuse it the compassion and affection so necessary for its preservation； hence the disciples of Foe kill themselves by thousands。〃 Work of an ancient Chinese philosopher； in the Collection of Father Du Halde； iii； p。 52。
26。 See Tho。 Bartholin； Antiquities of the Danes。
27。 An Account of Japan； in the Collection of Voyages that Contributed to the Establishment of the East India company。
28。 Forbin； Memoirs。
29。 Hyde； Religion of the Persians。
30。 Xenophon； On the Republic of Athens； 3； § 8。
31。 Leg。 3。 Cod。 de feriis。 This law was doubtless made only for the Pagans。
32。 The Catholics lie more toward the south； and the Protestants towards the north。
33。 Dampier； Voyages； ii。
34。 See Bernier； Travels； ii； p。 137。
35。 Edifying Letters； coll。 xii； p。 95。
36。 Bernier； Travels； ii； p。 137。
37。 Euripides； in Athen？us； ii； p。 40。
38。 Life of Mahomet。
39。 As in China。
40。 Medicina Statica； § 3； aphor。 22。
41。 Ibid。； aphor。 23。
42。 Travels into Persia； ii。
43。 Bernier； Travels； ii。
Book XXV。 Of Laws in Relation to the Establishment of Religion and its External Polity
1。 Of Religious Sentiments。 The pious man and the atheist always talk of religion； the one speaks of what he loves； and the other of what he fears。
2。 Of the Motives of Attachment to different Religions。 The different religions of the world do not give to those who profess them equal motives of attachment； this depends greatly on the manner in which they agree with the turn of thought and perceptions of mankind。
We are extremely addicted to idolatry； and yet have no great inclination for the religion of idolaters； we are not very fond of spiritual ideas； and yet are most attached to those religions which teach us to adore a spiritual being。 This proceeds from the satisfaction we find in ourselves at having been so intelligent as to choose a religion which raises the deity from that baseness in which he had been placed by others。 We look upon idolatry as the religion of an ignorant people； and the religion which has a spiritual being for its object as that of the most enlightened nations。
When with a doctrine that gives us the idea of a spiritual supreme being we can still join those of a sensible nature and admit them into our worship； we contract a greater attachment to religion； because those motives which we have just mentioned are added to our natural inclinations for the objects of sense。 Thus the Catholics； who have more of this kind of worship than the Protestants； are more attached to their religion than the Protestants are to theirs； and more zealous for its propagation。
When the people of Ephesus were informed that the fathers of the council had declared they might call the Virgin Mary the Mother of God； they were transported with joy； they kissed the hands of the bishops； they embraced their knees； and the whole city resounded with acclamations。＇1＇
When an intellectual religion superadds a choice made by the deity； and a preference for those who profess it over those who do not； this greatly attaches us to religion。 The Mahometans would not be such good Mussulmans if； on the one hand； there were not idolatrous nations who make them imagine themselves the champions of the unity of God； and on the other Christians； to make them believe that they are the objects of his preference。
A religion burdened with many ceremonies＇2＇ attaches us to it more strongly than that which has a fewer number。 We have an extreme propensity to things in which we are continually employed： witness the obstinate prejudices of the Mahometans and the Jews；＇3＇ and the readiness with which barbarous and savage nations change their religion； who； as they are employed entirely in hunting or war； have but few religious ceremonies。
Men are extremely inclined to the passions of hope and fear； a religion； therefore； that had neither a heaven nor a hell could hardly pleas