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146 MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYES
blessed life is but short, if a man beleeve.' Some make
the world beleeve that they beleeve things they never
doe. Others (and they are the greater number) perswade
themselves they doe so, as unable to conceive
what it is to beleeve. We thinke it strange if in
warres, which at this time doe so oppresse our state,
we see the events to float so strangely, and with so
common and ordinarie a manner to change and alter:
The reason is, we adde nothing unto it but our owne.
Justice, which is on the one side, is used but for a
cloake and ornament; she is indeed alleadged, but not
received, nor harboured, nor wedded. She is as in the
mouth of a Lawyer, and not as she ought in the heart
and affection of the partie. God oweth his extraordinarie
assistance unto faith and religion, and not
to our passions. Men are but directors unto it and
use religion for a shew: It ought to be cleane contrarie.
Doe but marke if we doe not handle it as it were a
peece of waxe, from out so right and so firme a rule,
to draw so many contrary shapes. When was this
better seene than now-adaies in France ? Those which
have taken it on the left, and those who have taken it
on the right haud : Such as speake the false, and such
who speake the truth of it, do so alike employ and fit
the same to their violent and ambitious enterprises,
proceede unto it with so conformable a proceeding in
riotousnesse and injustice, they make the diversitie
they pretend in their opinions doubtfull, and hard to
be beleeved, in a thing from which depends the conduct
and law of our life. Can a man see from one
same Schoole and Discipline, more united and like
customes and fashions to proceed ? View but the
horrible impudencie wherewith we tosse divine reasons
to and fro, and how irreligiously wee have both rejected
and taken them againe, according as fortune hath in
these publike stormes transported us from place to
place. This solemne proposition : Whether it be lawfull
for a subject, for the defence of religion, to rebell
and take armes against his Prince: Call but to minde in
what mouthes but a twelve-moneth agoe the affirmative