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MRS.S. V.V. HUNTING 15 JUNK iJlJ
THE
WORKS
OF THE
REV. ANDREW FULLER,
IN EIGHT VOLUMES.
VOL. 111.
jXEW-IUVEN :
rRINT£I> AflD PUBLISHED BY S. CONVERSK.
1824
■•':',JCUBRARYj
^dTor^ ..ewox and I
riL06N FOUNDATIONS. I
« 1910 ^ I
THE
GOSPEL ITS OWN WITNESS ;
THE HOLY NATURE AND DIVINE HARMONY
CHRISTIAJS RELIGIOJV^
CONTRASTED WITH
THE LMMORALITY AND ABSURDITY
DEISM.
Laying his hand on the Bihlft, he woiiM say, " Tliere is true philosophy. This is ihe wisdom that speaks to the heart. A bail life is tlie only grand ob- jection to this Book." Earl of Rochester.
CONTENTS.
Preface, ....--.--.- 7
fntroduotioa, --.--..--..9
PART THE FIRST ;
In ■which the Holy Nature of the Christian Religion i$ contrasted with the Immjrality of Deism.
CHAPTER I.
Christianity reveals a God, glorious in Holiness : but Deism, thoug^h it acknowledges a God, yet denies or overluoks his Moral Character, 17
CHAPTER n. Christianity teaches us to acknowledge God, and to devote ourselves to bis Service ; but Oeism, though it confesses one Supreme Being, yet refuses to worship him, -----...23
CHAPTER III. The Christian Standard of Morality is enlarged, and free from Tmpurity; bat Deism conlines our obligations to those Duties which respect our own Species, and greatly palliates Vice with regard to a breach even
ofth^^m, 39
CHAPTER IV. Christianity furnishes Motives to a virtuous Life ; which Deism either re- jects, or attempts to undermine, ...... .41
CHAPTER V. The Lives of those who reject the Gospel will not bear a Compariaon with
theirs who embrace it, -..--.-_ 53
CHAPTER VI. Christianity has not only produced good Effect^ in those who cordially believe it, but has given to the Moral? of Society a Tone which De- ism, so far as it operates, goes to counteract, - - - - 73
CHAPTER VII.
Christianity is a Source of Happiness both to Individuals and Society : but DeiuB Uavei both «bs and the oiher without Hope, • • 93
Q CONTENTS.
PART THE SECOND ;
In which the Harmony of the Christian Religion is considered as Evidence of its Divinity.
CHAPTER I. The Harmony of Scripture with Historic Fact, evinced by the fulfilment
of Prophecy, .--_--.--- HI
CHAPTER II.
The Harmony of Scripture with Truth, evinced from it» agreement with the Dictates of an Enlightened Conscience, and the result of the clos- est Observali jn, .-.---... 121
CHAPTER III. The Harmony of Scripture with its own Professions, argued from the
Spirit and Style in which it is written, ----- 131
CHAPTER IV.
The Consistency of the Christian Doctrine, particularly that of Salva- tion through a Mediator, with sober Reason. - - - - 143 CHAPTER V.
The Consistency of the Scripture Doctrine of Redemption with the mod- ern opinion of the Magnitude of Creation, - _ - . 161
CONCLUDING ADDRESSES.
To Deists, 183
To the Jews -192
To Christians, - ; - 196
PREFACE.
i HE stnijjgle between religion and iircli/ion hn<; existed in the woritl in :ill ;is»;t'S ; and if" there be two opposite iiiteii «ts w.iir.h di- vide its inl)al)it;ints, the kinirdom ofrintan and the kin^^iloni ot'God, it i- reaso' ahici to expect that the contest will continue idl one of theuj be exterminated. The peacelul nature of Christianity di>c8 not re«]uire that we. should m ike peace with its adversaries, cease to repel their :.tlyi k«, or even tliat we should act merel)' on the de- fensive. On ih»- contrary, we are r.miiied (o make use of those VMjapons of the divine warfire with wli.cli ue aro furnished, for the pulling down of strono; holds, casting down im.;gin,ilions, md every hi:;h thing th it exdteih itself against the kiiorvled-:e of (Jod, an<l britigfth into ca[)!ivity every thougiit to the obedieiice of Christ.
The opposition of the present age has not been coi>fi;,ed to the less important points of Chri>lianity, nor even to its tirst princi- ples : Christianity itself is treated as imposture. I'h'i same things, it is true, have been frequently advanced, and as ficcpient- ly repelled, in former ages; but the adversaries of the gospel of late, encouraged it should seem by the temper ot the times, hu'e renewed the attack with redoubled vigour. One of their most popul.ir writers, hoping to av.iil himself of this circumstance, is pleased to entitle his performance The Jige of Rcafion. This wri- ter is aware th.it flatterry is one of the most powerful means of gaining admission to the human mind ; such a coinplimenl, there- fore, to the present age, was doubtless considered as a m ister- stroke of policy. Nor is Mr. Paine less oblii;in<i to himself ihm to his readers, but takes it for granted that the cause for whirli he pleads is that of reason and truth. The consideivite reader, how- ever, may remark, tliat those writers who are not ashamed to i>eg the question in the title page, are seldom the most liberal or im- partial in the execution of the work.
One thing which has contributed to the advantage of Intidolify is, the height to which political disputes have arisen, and the de- gree in which they have interested the passions and prejudices of mankind. Those who favour tbe sentiments of a set of men ia one thing, will be in danger of thinking fivourably of th^m in oth- ers ; a! I(;ast thoy will not be apt to view them in so ill i Ii^iit as if they h.id been advanced by persons of different senti lent in other things, as well as in religion. It is true, there may be nothing
8 PREFACE.
more friendly to infidelity in the nature of one political system than another ; nothing that can justify professing Christians in ac- cusing one another, merely on account of a diflerence of this kind, of favouring the interests of Atheism and irreligion : nevertheless it becomes those who think favourably of the political principles of Infidels to take heed lest they be insensibly drawn away to think lightly of religion. All the nations of the earth and all disputes on the best or worst mode of government, compared with this are less than nothing and vanity.
To this it may be added, that the eagerness with which men en- gage in political disputes, take which side we may, is unfavoura-, ble to a zealous adherence to the gospel. Any mere worldly ob- ject, if it become the principal thing which occupies our thoughts and affections, will weaken our attachment to religion ; and if once we become cool and indifferent to this, we are in the high-road to Infidelity. There are cases, no doubt, relating to civil govern- ment, in which it is our duty to act, and that with firmness : but to make such things the chief object of our attention, or the principal topic of our conversation, is both sinful and injurious. Many a promising character in the religious world has, by these things, been utterely ruined.
The writer of the following pages is not induced to offer them to the public eye from an apprehension that the Church of Christ is in danger. Neither the downfall of Popery, nor the triumph of infidels, as though they had hereby overturned Christianity, have fevpr been to him the cause of a moment's uneasiness. If Christi- anity be of God, as he verily believes it to to be, they cannot over- throw it. He must be possessed of but liftle faith who can trem- ble, though in a storm, for the safety of the vessel which contains his Lord and Master. There would be one argument less for the divinity of the scriptures, if the same powers which gave existence to the Anti-christian dominion had not been employed in taking it away.* But though truth has nothing to fear, it does not follow that its friends should be inactive ; if we should have no appre- hensions for the safety of Christianity, we may, nevertheless, feel for the rising generation. The Lord confers an honour upon his servants in condescending to make use of their humble efforts in preserving and promoting his interest in the world. If the pres- ent attempt may be thus accepted and honoured by Him to whose name it is sincerely dedicated, the writerwill recei ve a rich reward. Kettering, Oct. 10, 1799.
* The powurs of Europe, sisjiiified by the ten horns, or kinsjs, into which the Roman empire should be divided, were to give their kingdoms to the beast. They did so: and France particularly took the lead. The same powers, it is predicted, shall hate the whore, and burn her flesh with fire. 'J'hey have be^un to do so : and in this business also France has taken the lead. Rev. xvii. 12. 13. 16—18.
INTRODUCTION.
1 HE controversies between believers and unbelievers are con- fined to a narrower ground than tiiose of professed believers with one another. Scripture testimony, any farther than as it bears the character of truth, and approves itself to the conscience, or is pro- duced for the purpose of explaining the nature of genuine Chris- tianity, is here out of the question. Reason is the common ground on which they must meet to decide their contests. On this ground Christian writers have succes^ifully closed with their antagonists r so much so, that of late ages, notwithstanding all their boast of rea- son, not one in ten of them can be kept to the fair and honoura- ble use of this weapon. On the contrary, they are driven to sub- stitute dark insinuation, low wit, profane ridicule, and gross abuse. Such were the weapons of Shaftesbury, Tindal, Morgan, Boling- broke, Voltaire, Hume, and Gibbon : and such are the weapons of the author of the Age of Reason. Among various well-written performances, in answer to thoir several productions, the reader may see a concise and able refutation of the greater part of them in LektiuVs Rcvieza of (he Deist ical Writers.
It is not my design to go over the various topics usually discus- sed in this controversy, but to select a single one, which, I con- ceive, has not been so fully attended to, but that it may yet be considered with advantage. The internal evidence which Chris- tianity possesses, particularly in respect of its holy nature and di- vine harmony, will be the subject of the present inquiry.
Vol. U\. »
]U INTRODUCTION.
Mr. Fame, after the example of many others, endeavours to t'liscredit the scriptures by representing the number of hands through which they have passed, and the uncertainty of the his- torical evidence b}' which they are supported. "It is a matter altogether of uncertainty to us," he says, " whether such of the writings as now appear under the names of the Old and New Tes- tament, are in the same state in which those collectors say they found them ; or whether they added, altered, abridged, or dres- sed them up."* It is a good work which many writers have un- dertaken, to prove the validity of the Christian history ; and to show that we have as good evidence for the truth of the great facts which it relates as we have for the truth of any ancient events whatever.! But if, in addition to this, it can be proved that the scriptures contain internal characteristics of divinity, or that they carry in them the evidence of their authenticity, this will at once answer all objections from the Supposed uncertainty of historical evidence.
Historians inform us of a certain valuable medicine, called Mi- thridate, an antidote to poison. It is said to have been " invent- ed by Mithridates, king of Pontus ; that the receipt of it was found in a cabinet, written with his own had, and was carried to Rome by Pompey ; that it was translated into verse by Democrates, a famous physician ; and that it was afterwaads translated by Galen, from whom we have it."J Now supposing this medicine to be efficacious for the professed purpose, of what account would it be to object to the authenticity of its history ? If a modern caviller should take it into his head to allege that the preparation has pas- sed through so many hands, and that there is so much hearsay and uncertainty attending it, that no dependence can be placed upon it, and that it had better be rejected from our Materia Medica ; he would be asked, Has it not been tried, and been found to he effectual ; and that in a great variety of instances? Such are Mr. Paine's objections to the Bible ; and such is the answer that may be given him.
* Age of Reason, Part I. pp. 10, 11. t Lardner, Simpson, and others.
{: Chambers's Dictionary, Art.Mithridate'.
INTRODUCTION.
11
i'his langiiJige is not confined to inndel wr'ilcrs. Mr. Locke speaks of what he calls " traditional revelation," or revelation a? we have it, in such a manner as to convey the idea, that we have no evidence of the scriptures being the word of God, but from a succession of witnesses having told us so.* But 1 conceive these sacred writings mny contain such intertud evidence of their being what they profess to be, as that it might, with equal reason, be doubted whether the world was created by the power of God, as whether they were written by the inspiration of his Spirit : and if so, our dependence is not ujton mere tradition.
It is true, the scriptures having been conveyed to us through the medium of man, the work must necessarily, in some respects, have been humani/ed ; yet there may be sufficient marks of divin- ity upon it, to render it evident to every candid mind that it is of God.
We mijy call the Mosaic account of the creation a tradition, and may be said to know through this medium that the heavens and the earth are the productions of divine power. But it is not through this medium only that we know it : the heavens aiyl the earth car- ry ia them evident marks of their divine original. These works of the Almighty speak for themselves ; and in language which none but those who are willfully deaf can misunderstand : Their sound is gone forth throughout all the earth, and their words to the end of the xcorld. Were any man to pretend that its being a mat- ter oi revelation, and to us merely traditionni revelation, that God made the heavens and the earth, and therefore that a degree of uncertainty must necessarily attend it ; he would be reminded that the thing itself carried in it its own evidence. Let it be can- didly considered whether the same may not be said of the holy •icriptures. They will admit of historical defence ; but they do not require it. Their contents, come through whose hands they may, prove them to be of God. It was on this principle that the gospel was proclaimed in the form of a tcstimomj. The primitive preachers were not required by him who sent them to prove their doctrine in the manner that philosophers were wont to establish a
* Human Understanding, Book IV. Chap. XVIII.
12 INTRODUC'l'lON.
proposition ; but to declare the counsel of God, and leave it. In delivering their message, they commended themselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
It is no objection to this statement of things that the scriptures are not embraced by every man, whatever be the disposition of his mind This is a property that no divine production whatever possesses; and to require it is equally unreasonable, as to insist that for a book to be perfectly legible it must be capable of being read by those who shut their eyes upon it. Mr. Paine holds up the advantages of the book of nature in order to dis- parage that of scripture, and says. " No Deist can doubt whether the works of nature be God's works." An admira- ble proof this that we have arrived at the age of reason ! Can no Atheist doubt it ? I might as well say, No Christian doubts the truth of the scriptures : the one proves just as much as the oth- er. A prejudiced mind discerns nothing of divine beauty, either in nature or scripture ; yet each may include the most indubitable e-vidence of being wrought by the fmger of God.
If Christianity can be proved to be a religion that inspires the love of God and man ; yea, and the only religion in the world that does so ; if it endues the mind of him that embraces it with a principle of justice, meekness, chastity, and goodness ; and even gives a tone to the morals of the society at large ; it will then ap- pear to carry its evidence along with it. The effects which it pro- duces will be its letters of recommendation ; written not icith ink, hut with the spirit of the living God ; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart. Moreover, if Christianity can be pro- ved to be in harmony with itself, correspondent with observation and experience, and consistent with the clearest dictates of sober reason, it will further appear to carry in it its own evidence : come through whose hands it may, it will evince itself to be what it professes to be — a religion from God.
I will only add, in this place, that the Christianity here defend- ed is not Christianity as it is corrupted by popish superstition, or , as interwoven with national establishments, for the accomplish- ment of secular purposes ; but, as it is taught in the New Testa- ment, and practised by sincere Christians. There is no doubt.
INTRODUCTION.
13
but that, iii man}' instances, Christianity has been adopted by worldly men, even by Infidels themselves, for the piirpc^es of promoting their political designs. Findinj; the bulk of the peo- ple inclined to the Christian religion under some particular form, and attached to certain leading persons among them who sustained the characters of teachers, they have considered it as a piece of good policy to give this religion an establishment, and these teach- ers a share in the government. It is thus that religion, to its great dishonour, has been converted into an engine of state. The pol- itician may be pleased with his success, and the teacher with his honours, and even the people be so far misled as to love to have it so ; but the mischief resulting from it to religion is incalcalable. Even where such establishments have arisen from piety, they have not failed to corrupt the minds of Christians from the sim- plicity which is in Christ. It was by these means that the Church at an early period, from being the bride of Christ, gradually de- generated to a harlot, and, in the end, became the mother of har- lots, and abominations of the earth. The good that is done in such communities is not m consequence of their peculiar ecclesi- astical constitution, but in spite of it : it arises from the virtue of individuals, which operates notwithstanding the disadvantages of their situation.
These are the things that atford a handle to unbelievers. They seldom choose to attack Christianity as it is drawn in the sacred writings, and exemplified in the lives of real Christians, who stand at a distance from worldly parade, political struggles, or state in- trigues ; but as it is corrupted and abused by worldly men. Mr. Paine racks his imagination to make out a resemblance betwixt the heathen mythology and Christianity. While he is going over the ground of Christianity fis instituted by Christ and his apostles, the resemblance is faint indeed. There are only two points in which he even pretends to find an agreement ; and these are formed by his misrepresenting the scriptures. The heathen de- ities were said to he celestially begotten ; and Christ is called the Son of God.* The heathens had a plurality of deities, even
* To give a colour to this statement, he is obliged to affirm a most palpa- ble falsehood, that only Gentiles believed Jesus to be the son of God.
14 INTRODUCTIOiN.
twenty or thirty thousand ; and Christianity has reduced them to three ! It is easy to see that this is ground not suited to Mr. Paine's purpose : he therefore hastens to corrupted Christianity ; and here he finds plenty of materials. "The Statue of Mary," hfe says "succeeded the statue of Diana of Ephesus. The deifica- tion of heroes changed into the canonization of saints, The my- thologists had gods for every thing. The Christian mythologists had saints for every thing. The church became as crowded with the one, as the pantheon had been with the other ; and Rome was the place of both."* Very true, Mr. Paine ; but you are not so ignorant as to mistake this for Christianity. Had you been born and educated in Italy, or Spain, you might have been excused in calling this " The Christian theory ;" but to write in this manner with your advantages is disingenuous. Such conduct would have disgraced any cause but yours. It is capable, however, of some improvement. It teaches us to defend nothing but the truth as it is in Jesus. It also affords presumptive evidence in its favour ; for if Christianity itself were false, there is little doubt but that you, or some of your fellow labourers, would be able to prove it so ; and this would turn greatly toyour account. Your neglec- ting this, and directing your artillery chiefly against its corruptions and abuses, betrays a consciousness that the thing itself, if not in- vulnerable, is yet not so easy of attack. If Christianity had really been a relic of heathenism, as you suggest, there is little reason to think that you would have so strenuously opposed it.
* Age of reason, Pari I. p. 5.
0^ ^'
CxOSPEL ITS OWN WITNESS, &c
PART I.
JN WHICH TIIK HOLY NATURE OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION IS CO\- IRASTRn WITH THE IMMORALITY OF DEISM.
TiiK greatest enemies of Christianity woulJ still be thoughi J'rienill}' to morality, and will plead for it as necessary to the well being of mankind. However immoral men may be in their prac ticc, and to whatever lengths they may proceed in extenuatinc particular vices ; yet they cannot plead for immorality in the gross A sober, upright, humble, chaste, and generous character, i*^ allowed, on all iiands, to bo preferable to one that is profligate, treacherous, proud, unchaste, or cruel. Such, indeed, is the sense which men possess of right and wrong, that, whenever thcA attempt to disparage the former, or vindicate the latter, they are reduced to the necessity of covering each with a false disguise. They cannot traduce good as good, or justi.^y evil as eiul. The love of God must be called fanaiirism, and benevolence to men methodism, or some such opprobrious name, before they can de|)reciate them. Tiieft, cruell}, and murder, on the other hand, must assume the names of icisdom nud good policy, ere a plea can be set up in their defence. Thus \\ tp. the argument^^ tor the abolition of the slave trade answered, and in this manner was that
]6 THE MORAL CHARACTER OF GOD. [K^rt I.
iniquitous traffic defended in the British Parliament. Doubtless there is a woe hanging over the heads of those men who thus cal- led evil good, and good evil ; nevertheless, we see, even in their cenduct, the amiableness of righteousness, and the impossibility of fairly opposing it.
CHAPTER I.
CHRISTIAMTV RKVEALS A GOD GLORIOUS IN HOLINF.SS : BUT DKISM. THOUGH IT ACKNOWLEDGES A OOD, VET DENIES OR OVKR/.OOK« HIS MORAL CHARACTER.
There are certain perloctions which all who acknowleilge a God agree iu attributing to him : such are those of wisdom, power, immutability, kc. These, by Christian divines, are usually termed his natural perfections. There are others which no less evidently belong to deity, such as goodness, justice, veracity, &c. all which may be expressed in one word — holiness ; and these are usually termed his moral perfections. Both natural and moral attributes tend to display the glory of the divine character, but especially the latter. Wisdom and power, in the Supreme Being, render him a proper object of admiration ; but justice, veracity, and goodness, attract our love. No being is beloved for his great- ness, but for his goodness. Moral excellence is the highest glor^ of an intelligent being, created or uncreated. Without this, wis- dom would be subtilty, power tyranny, and immutability the same thing as being unchangeably wicked.
We account it the glory of revelation, that, while it displays the natural perfections of God in a way superior to any thing that has been called religion, it exhibits his moral excellence in a manner peculiar to itself. It was with good reason that Moses affirmed in behalf of Israel, Their rock is vol as our Rock, our enemies tlteni- selves beitig judges. The God, or Rock, of Israel is constantly described as a being glorious in holiness, and as requiring pure and holy worship : The Lord, llie Lord Gud, merciful and gruciom^ long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and in truth. — The Lord our God is holy. — Holy and reverend is his name. — Glory ye in his holy name. — And one cried to another, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the Zihole earth is fidl ofhisglvry. — Jlc is of purer
Vol. Ill :^
ly THE MORAL CHARACTER. [Fart I.
eyes than to behold evil ; and cannot look on iniquity. — A God of truths and ■without iniquity just and right is he. Is any thing like this to be found in the writings of the ancient heathens ? No. The generality of their deities were the patrons of vice, and their worship was accompanied with tiie foulest abominations that could diso-race the nature of man. Justice, benevolence, and veracity were not considered as necessary in any part of their religion, and a large proportion of it consisted in drunkenness, lewdness, and the otTering up of human sacrifices.
The object of Christian adoration is Jehovah, tlie God of Israel; whose character for holiness, justice and goodness, is display- ed in the doctrines and precepts of the gospel, in a more affecting light than by any of the peceding dispensations. But who or what is the God of Deists ? It is true, that they have been sham- ed out of the polytheism of the heathens. They have reduced their thirty thousand deities into one: but what is his character? What attributes do they ascribe to him ? For any thing that appears in their writings, he is far from the holy, the just, and the good, as those of their heathen predecessors. They enjoy a pleasure, it is allowed, in contemplating the productions of wisdom and power ; but as to holiness, it is foreign from their inquiries : a holy God does not appear to be suited to their wishes.
Lord Bolingbroke acknowledges a God, but is for reducing all his attributes to wisdom :\nd power; blaming divines for distin- guishing between his physical and moral attributes ; asserting, that " we cannot ascribe goodness and justice to God, according to our ideas of them, nor argue with any certainty about them ; and that it is absurd to deduce moral obligations from the moral attributes of God, or to pretend to imitate him in those attributes."*
Voltaire admits a "supreme, eternal, incomprehensible Intelli- gence ;" but passes over his moral character.!
Mr. Paine says, " I believe in one God, and more;"+ and in th^ course of his work ascribes to him the natural perfections of tois- dam and powei'; but is very sparing in what he says of his moral
* See Leland's Review, Let. XXIII.
+ Ignorant Philospher, Tios. XV. XVI. XVII. | Age of Reason, Part I. p. 1 .
VlHAPTER I.] OF GOU. 19
excellence, of his being the moral governor of the world, anJ of man's being an accountable creature. lie afl'ects, indeed, to be shocked at the impurity of the ideas and expressions of the Bible, and to feel for '« the honour of his Creator in having such a book called after his name."* This is the only passage, that I recol- lect, in which he expresses any concern for the moral character of God ; and whether this would have appeared but for the sake of giving an edge to reproach, let the reader judge.
How are ue to account for these writers thus denying or over- looking the moral character of the Deity, but by supposing that a holi/ God is not suited to their inclinations ? If we bear a sincere regard to moral excellence, we shall regard every being in propor- tion as he appears to possess it ; and if we consider the Divine Be- ing as possessing it supremely, and as the source of it to all other beings, it will be natural for us to love him supremely, and all oth- er beings in subserviency to him. And if we love him supremely, on account of his moral character, it will be no less natural to take pleasure in contemplating him under that character.
On the other hand, if we be enemies to moral excellence, it will render every being who possesses it unlovely in our eyes. Virtu- ous or holy characters may indeed command our respect, and even admiration ; but will not attract our affection. Whatever regard we may bear to them, it will not be on account of their virtue, but of other qualities of which they may be possessed. Virtuous char- acters may be also wise and mighty ; and we may adniire their ingenuity, be delighted with their splendour, and take pleasure in visiting them, that we may inspect their curiosities ; but, in such cases, the more things of a moral nature are kept at a distance, the more agreeable will be our visit. Much the same may be said of the Supreme Being. If we be enemies to moral excellence, God, as a holy being, will possess no loveliness in our eyes. We may ad- mire him with that kind of admiration which is paid to a great genius, and may feel a pleasure in tracing the grandeur and ingenuity of his operations ; but the farther his moral character is kept out of sight, the more agreeable it will be to us.
'^^ Ae;e of Reason, Pnrl I p. 16.
20 THE MORAL CHARACTER [I'art L
Lord Shaftesbury, not contented with overlooking, attempts to satirize the scripture representations of the divine character. ' One would think," he says, " it were easy to understand, that provocation and offence, anger revenge, jealousy in point of hon- our or power, love of ftime, glory, and the like, belong only to lim- ited beings, and are necessarily excluded a Being which is perfect and universal."* That many things are attributed to the Divine Being in a figurative style, speaking merely after the manner of men, and that they are so understood by Christians, Lord Shaftes- bury must have well known. We do not think it lawful, however, so to explain away these expressions, as to consider the Great Su- preme as inca[)able of being offended with sin and sinners, as desti- tute of pleasure or displeasure, or as unconcerned about his own glory, the exercise of which involves the general good of the uni- verse. A being of this description would be neither loved nor feared, but would become the object of universal contempt.
It is no part of the imperfection of our nature that we are sus- ceptible of provocation and offence, of anger, of jealousy, and of a just regard to our own honour. Lord Shaftesbury himself would have ridiculed the man, and still more the magistrate, that should have been incapable of these properties on certain occa- sions. They are planted in our nature by the Divine being, and are adapted to answer valuable purposes. If they be perverted and abused to sordid ends, which is too frequently the case, this does not alter their nature, nor lessen their utility. What would Lord Shaftesbury have thought of a magistrate, who should have witnessed a train of assassinations and murders, without being in Ihe least offended at them, or angry wilh the perpetrators, or inclined to take vengeance on them, for the public good ? What would he think of a British House of Commons, which should exercise no jealousy over the encroachments of a minister ; or of a King of Great Britain^ who should suffer, with perfect indiffer- ence, his just authority to be contemned?
' But we are limited beings, and are therefore in danger of hav- ing our just rights invaded.' True ; and though God be unlimited, and so in no danger of being deprived of his essential glory, yet he
* Characteristics, Vol. I. ^ 5,
Chapter I.] OF GOD. 21
may lose his just authority in the esteem of creatures ; and were this to take place universally, the whole creation would be a scene of anarchy and misery. But we understand Lord Shaftesbury. He wishes to compliment his Maker out of all his moral excellen- cies. He has no objection to a God, provided he be one after his own heart, one who shall pay no such regard to human affairs as to call Hien to account for their ungodly deeds. If he thought the Creator of the world to bear such a character, it is no wonder that be should speak of him with what he calls " good humour, or pleasantry,"* In speaking of such a being, he can, as Mr. Hume expresses it, "feel more at ease," than if he conceived of God as he is characterized in the holy scriptures. But let men beware how they play with such subjects. Their conceptions do not alter the nature of God : and, however they suffer themselves to trifle now, they may find in the end that there is not only a God, but a God thatjudgeth in the earth.
' Characteristics. Vol. I. } 3.
CHAPTER U.
iHRISTIAMTY TKACHES US TO ACKNOWLEDOE COU, AND TO DKVOTK OIRSF.LVES TO HIS SERVICE : BUT DEISM, THOlGfl IT CONFESSED ONE SUPREMK BEING, VET REFUSES TO UOSHIP HIM.
If there is a Goil he oti<rht to be worsliiped. This is a principle which no man will be able to eradicate from his bosom, or even to suppress, but at c;reat labour and expense. The scriptures, it is well known, both inculcate and inspire the worship of God. Their languai^e is, O come, let us si»g unto the Lord ; let us make a joy- ful noise to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. — O come let us worship and bow down : let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. — Clive unto the Lo^d glory and strength; give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name : bring an ofering, and come into his courts. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness : fear before him all the earth. — Give thanks tint o the Lord; call upon his name ; made known his deeds among the peo- ple.— Glory ye in his holy Name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord, and his strength ; seek his face evermore.
The spirit also which the scriptures inspire is favourable to divine worship. The grand lesson which they teach is love; and love to God delights to express itself in acts of obedience, adora- tion, supplication, and praise. The natural language of a heart well affected to God is, I will call upon him as long as I live. — Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy Name. — Be careful for nothing ; but in every thing by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.
Is it thus with our adversaries ? They speak, indeed, of ''true and fabulous theology," and of *'true and false religion;" and often talk of " adoring" the Supreme Being. But if there be no
24 ON THE WORSHIP [Part 1.
true religion among Christians, where are we to look for it? Surely not among Deists. Their " adorations" seem to be a kind of exercises much resembling the benevolent acts of certain per- sons, who are so extremely averse from ostentation, that nobody knows of their being charitable but themselves.
Mr. Paine professes to " believe in the equality of man, and thai religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy^ and''' — and what ? I thought to be sure he had been going to add, walk- ing humbly with God. But I was mistaken. Mr. Paine supplies the place of walking humbly with God, by adding, '■'■and endeav- ouring to make our fellow-creatures happy. ''''* Somie people would have thought that this was included in doing justice, and loving mercy ; but Mr. Paine had rather use words without meaning than write in favour of godliness. Walking humbly with God is not comprehended in the list of his '' religious duties." The very phrase offends him. It is that to him, in quoting scripture, which a nonconductor is to the electrical fluid : it causes him to fly off in an oblique direction ; and, rather than say any thing on so offen- sive a subject, to deal in unmeaning tautology.
Mr. Paine not only avoids the mention of walking humbly with God, but attempts to load the practice itself with the foulest abuse.! He does not consider himself as " an outcast, a beggar, or a worm ;" he does not approach his Maker through a mediator ; he considers " redemption as a fable," and himself as standing in an honourable situation with regard to his relation to the Deity. Some of this may be true ; but not the whole. The latter part is only a piece of religious gasconade. If Mr. Paine really thinks so well of his situation as he pretends, the belief of an hereafter would not render him " the slave of terror."+ But, allowing the whole to be true, it proves nothing. A high conceit of one's self is no proof of excellence. If he choose to rest upon this foundation, he must abide the consequence : but he had better forborne to calumniate others. What is it that has transported this child of reason into a paroxism of fury against devout people ? By what
* Age of Reason, Part I. p 2. t Age of Reason, Pari I. p. 21. :j: Part II. near the end.
Chaptku II.j of god. 35
spirit is lie inspired, in pourinL; lortli such a torrent of slander? Why is it tli.it lii' iiiiHt accuse their huniihty ot' " ingratitude," their grief of '* alVectation," and their prayers of being " dictato- rial" to the .\hni<;hty .' Cain haled his brother ; and wherefore hated he him ; because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. Prayer and devotion are things that Mr. Paine should have let alone, as heini; out of his province. P»y attempting, how- ever, to depreciate them, he has borne witness to the devotion of Christians, and lultilled what is written in a book which he aft'ects to despise, Speaking evil of the things which he understands not.
To admit a God, and yet refuse to worship him, is a modern and inconsi-tenl |iractice. it is a dictate of reason, as well as of reve- lation : IJ the Lord be God, icorship him; and if Baal., worship him. It never w.is made a (piestion, whether the Ciod in whom we believe ^llould receive our adorations. All nations, in all ages, paid religious homage to the respective deities, or supposed dei- ties, in wliich they beleived. iModern unbelievers are the only men who have deviated from this pr/ictice. How this is to be accounted for, is a subject ivorthy of inquiry. To mo it appears ns follows :
In lormer time?, when men were weary of the worsiiip of the true God, they exchani;ed it for that of idols. I know of no account of the origin of idolatry so rational as that which is given by revelation. Men did not like to retain God in their knowledge : therefore they were given up to a mind void of judgment ; to change the glori/ of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to cor- ruptible man, and to birds, and four footed btiists, and creeping things; and to defile themselves by abominable wickedness.* It was thus witli the people who came to inhabit the country of Samaria after the Israelites were carried captives into Assyria. At first they seemed desirous to know and fear the God of Israel ; but when they came to i»e informed of his holy character, and what kind of worship he required, they presently discovered their dislike. They pretended to fear him, but it was mere pretence ; for every nation made gods of their own.] Now, gods of their
* Rom. ii. + 2Kiiig3Xvii.
Vol. III. 4
20 ON THE WORSHIP | Part (
own making would doubtless be characterized according to their own mind : they would be patrons of such vices as their makers wished to indulge ; gods whom they could approach without fear, and in addressing them be "more at ease," as Mr. Hume says, ban in addressing the One living and true God ; gods, in fine, the worship of whom might be accompanied with bnnquetings, revel- lings, drunkenness, and lewdness. These I conceive, rather than the mere falling down to an idol, were the exercises that inter- ested the passions of the worshippers. These were the exercises (hat seduced the ungoflly part of the Israelitish nation to an imita- tion of the heathens. They found it extremely disagreeable to be constantly employed in the worship of a holy God. Such worship would awe their spirits, damp their pleasures, and restrain their inclinations. It is not surprising, therefore, that they should be continually departing from the worship of Jehovah, and leaning towards that which was more congen- ial with their propensities. But the situation of modern unbe- lievers is singular. Things are so circumstanced with them, that they cannot worship the gods which tliey prefer. They never fail to discover a strong partiality in favour of heathens ; but they have not the face to practice or defend their absurd idolatries. The doctrine of One living and true God has appeared in the world, by means of the preaching of the gospel, with such a blaze of evidence, that it has forced itself into the minds of men, what- ever has been the temper of their hearts. The stupid idolatry of past ages is exploded. Christianity has driven it out of Europe. The consequence is, great numbers are obliged to acknowledge a God whom they cannot find in their hearts to worship.
If the light that is gone abroad in the earth would permit the rearing of temples to Venus, or Bacchus, or any of the rabble of heathen deities, there is little doubt but that modern unbelievers would, in great numbers, become their devotees : but, seeing they cannot have a god whose worship shall accord with their inclina- tions, they seem determined not to worship at all. And, to come otf with as good a grace as the afi'air will admit, they compliment the Deity out of his sovereign prerogatives ; professing to "love him for his giving them existence, and all their properties, without
Chapter II.] OF GOD. 27
interest, and witliout subjecting them to any tliuiti; but their own nature."*
The introduction of so huge a portion ot lioathon mythology into the songs and other entertainments of the stage, sufficiently shows the bias of people's hearts. The housi> of God gives them no pleasure: but the resurrection of the obscenities, intrigues, and Bacchanalian revels of the old heathens atibrds them exquisite delight. In a country where Christian worship abounds, this is plainly saying, ' What a weariness is it! O that it were no more! Since, however, we cannot introduce the worship of the gods, we will neglect all worship, and celebrate the praises of our favourite deities in another form.' In a country where Deism has gained the ascendency, this principle is carried still farther. Its language there is, ' Seeing we cannot, for shame, worship any other than the One living and (rue God, let us abolish the day of worship, and substitute in its place one day in ten, which shall be devoted chiefly to theatrical entertainments, in which we can introduce as much heathenism as we please.'
Mr. Hume acknowledges the justice of considering the Deity as infinitely superior to mankind ; but he represents it, at the same time, as very generally attended with unpleasant effects, and mag- nifies the advantages of having gods which are only a little superior to ourselves. He says, " While the Deity is represented as infi- nitely superior to mankind, this belief, though altogether just, is apt, when joined with superstitious terrors, to sink the human mind into the lowest submission and abasement, and to represent the monkish virtues of mortification, pennance, humility, and pas- sive sufl'ering, as the only qualities which are acceptable to him. But, where the gods are conceived to be only a little superior to mankind, and to have been tnany of them advanced from that infe- rior rank, we are more at our ease in our addresses to them, and may even, without profaneness, aspire to a rivalship and emulation of them. Hence activity, spirit, courage, magnanimity, love of liberty, and all the virtues which aggrandize a people."! It is
* Ignorant Philosopher, No. XXIV. ^ Diiserlation the Natural Hi<ttory «f ileligiou, ( lU
28 ON IHH WORSHIP OF GOD. [fARi L
easy to perceive from this passage, that thongh Mr. Hume acknowl- edges the Justice of conceiving of a God infinitely superior to us, yet his inclination is the other vvay. At least, in a nation, the bulk of which will be supposed to be inclined to superstition, it is better according to his reasoning, and more friendly to virtue, to promote the worship of a number of imaginary deities, than of the One only living and true God. Thus the fool saith in his heart, JVb God !
The sum of the whole is this : Modern unbelievers are Deists theory, Pagans in inclination, and Atheists in practice.
If Deists loved the One only living and true God, they would delight in worshipping him ; for love cannot be inoperative : and the only possible way for it to operaie towards an infinitely glorious and all-perfect Being is by worshipping his name, and obeying his will. If Mr. Paine really felt for '• the honoar of his Creator," as he affects to do,* he would mourn in secret for all the great wick- edness of which he has committed against him ; he would lie in in the dust before him, not merely as " an outcast, a beggar, and a worm," but as a sinner deserving his eternal displeasure. He would be glad of a Mediator, through whom he might approach his offended Creator ; and would consider redemption by his blood, not as " a fable," but a divine reality, including all his salvation, and all his desire. Yea, he himself would ''turn devout;" and it would be said of him, as of Saul of Tarsus, Behold he prayeth ! Nor would his prayers, though importunate, be '' dictatorial," or his grief " affected." On the contrary, he would look on Him whom he hath pierced, and mourn, as one mourneth for an only- son ; and be in -bitterness, as one that is in bitterness for his first born. But these are things pertaining to godliness ; things, alas for him, the mention of which is sufficient to inflame his mind with malignity, and provoke him to the most outrageous and abusive language.
• Ag:e of Reason, Part I. p. 16.
CHAPTER III.
THE rHRF?TI.W STANDARD OF MORALITY IS ENLARfiED, AND VKEff FROM IMPIIUTV : ni'T DEISM CONFINES OUR OBLIGATIONS TO THOSE niTir* U UK ll RESI'KCT our own species, and 'iREATLV PALLIATES VICE W IIII RFciAItO TO A BREACH EVEN OF THEM.
Persons who profess the strictest regard to the ru\o of chity, and carry the extent of it to the hii^hcst pitch, may, it is allowed, be in- sincere, and contradict by their practice what they advance in their profes«ions. But those whose ideas of virtue are low and contracted, and who embrace every opportunity to reconcile the vices of the world with its sacred precepts, cannot possibly be accounted any other than its enemies.
That which the scriptures call /lolincsa^spiritunlity, ^'C. as much surpasses every thing that goes under the names of morality and virtue among unbelievers, as a living man surpasses a painting, or even a rude and imperfect daubing. If, in this controversy, I have used these terms to express the scriptural ideas, it is not because m their ordinary acceptation they are equal to the purpose, but for the sake of meeting unbelievers upon their own ground. I have a right, however, to understand by them, those dispositions of the mind, whatever they be, which are right, Jit ^ or amiable ; and so explained, I undertake to prove that the morality and vir- tue inculcated by the gospel is enlarged and free from impurity, while that which is taught by its adversaries is the reverse.
It is a distinguishing property of the Bible that all its precepts aim directly at the heart. It never goes about to form the mere exterior of man. To merely external duties it is a stranger. It forms the lives of men no otherwise than by forming their disposi- ions. It never addresses itself to their vanity, sellishness, or any
30 THE STANDARD [Part 1.
other corrupt propensity. You are not pressed to consider what men will think of you, or how it will affect your temporal interest; but what is right, and what is necessary to your eternal well-being. If you comply with its precepts you must be, and not merely seem to be. It is the heart that is required : and all the different pre- scribed forms of worship and obedience are but so many modifica- tions, or varied expressions of it.
Is any thing like this to be found in the writings of Deists ? No. Their deity does not seem to take cognizance of the heart. Ac- cording to them '^ There is no merit or crime in intention."* Their morality only goes to form the exterior of man. It allows the utmost scope for wicked desires, provided they be not carried into execution to the injury of society.
The morality which the scriptures inculcate is summed up in these few words ; Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, ivith all thy mind, iinth all thy strength ; and thy neighbour as thyself. This single principle is competent to the government of all intelligent nature, it is a band that would hold together the whole rational creation ; and diffuse peace, or- der, and happiness, wherever it existed.
If mankind loved God supremely, there would be no idolatry upon earth, nor any of its attendant abominations ; no profaning fie name of God, nor making a gain of godliness ; no opposing, corrupting, perverting, nor abusing the truth; no perjuries, nor hypocrasies ; no despising of those that are good ; no arrogance, ingratitude, pride, nor self complacency, under the smiles of prov- idence : and no murmuring, heart-rising, suUenness, nor suicide, un». 1 its frowns. Love would render it their meat and drink to fear, honour, and obey him, and induce them to take every thing well at his hands. — And if they loved their fellow creatures as them- selves, for his sake, there would be no wars, rivalships, antipathies, nor breach of treaties, between nations ; no envyings, strifes, wrongs, slanders, duels, litigations, nor intrigues, between neigh- bours ; no flattering complaisance, nor persecuting bitterness, in relig- ion ; no deceit, fraud, nor over-reaching, in trade ; no tyrrany, venal- ity, haughtiness, nor oppression, among the great ; no envy, discon-
* Volney'aLaw of Nature, p. 18.
CHArriRllII OF MORALITY. 31
\oi\[, ilisiiffoction, c;il)al'>, nor evil-devisings, among common peo- ple ; no murders, robberies, thefts, burglaries, nor brothels, in 1 ity or country ; no cruelty, in parents or masters ; no ingratitude nor disobedience, in children or servants ; no unkindness, treach- ery, nor impl;\rable resentments, between friends ; no illicit con- nexions between the sexes ; no infidelities, jealousies, nor bitter contentions, in families ; in short, none of those streams of death, one or more of which flow through every vein of society, and poison its enjoyments.
Such is the principle and rule of Christian morality ; a.ul what has Deism to substitute in its place ? Can it find a succedaneum for love ? No, but it |)roposes the love of ourselves instead of the love of God. Lord Bolinjibroke resolves all morality into self- love, as its first principle. " We love ourselves," he says, *' wc love our families, we love the particalar societies to which we be- long; and our benevolence extends at last to the whole race of mankind. Like so many different vortices, the centre of all is self love."* Such also are tlie principles of Volney.
("ouKl this diposition be admitted as a proper source of moral action, the world would certainly not be wanting in morality. All men possess at least the principle of it, whether they carry it to the extent which Lord Bolingbroke proposes, or not : for though some may err in the choice of their end, and others in the means of obtaining it ; yet no man was ever so wanting in regard to him- self as intentionally to pursue his own injury. But if it should prove that to render self-love the source of moral action in the same thing as for every individual to treat himself as the Supreme Be- ing ; and, therefore, that this principle, instead of being a source of virtue, is the very essence of vice, and the source of all the mischief in the universe, consequences may follow of a very dif- lerenl complexion.
To subordinate self-love I have no objection. It occupies a place in the Christian standard of morality, being the measure of that love which we owe to our fellow-creatures. And, as the universal love which we owe to them does not hinder but that some of them, by reason of their situation or peculiar relation to
' Poslhiimoii; M"ork.«, Vol. V. p. R?.
32 THE STANDARD [Part I.
us, may require a larger portion of our regard than others, it is the same with respect to ourselves. Our own concerns are our own immediate charge ; and those which are of the greatest importance, such as the concerns of our souls, undoubtedly re- quire a proportionate degree of attention. But all this does not affect the present subject of inquiry. It is our supreme, and not our subordinate regard, that will ever be the source of action.
I take it for granted, that it is the intention of every good gov- ernment, human or divine, to unite its subjects, and not to set them at variance. But there can be no union without a common object of regard. Either a character whom all love and venerate, or an end which all pursue, or both, is that to a community which a head-stone is to an arch ; nor can they keep together without it. It is thus that the love of God holds creation together. He is that iovely character to whom all holy intelligencies bear supreme af- fection ; and the display of his glory, in the universal triumph of truth and righteousness, is that end which they all pursue. Thus united in their grand object, they cannot but feel a union of heart with one another, arising from, what is common to every other vol- untary union, a congenialty of sentiments and pursuits.
But if our supreme affection terminate on ourselves, and no being, created or uncreated, be regarded but for our own sakes, it is manifest there can be no union beyond the sphere in which oth- er beings become voluntarily subservient to our wishes. The Su- preme Being, if our plan do not comport with his, will be continu- ally thwarting us ; and so we shall be always at variance with him. And as to created beings those individuals whom we desire to be subservient to our wishes, having the same right, and the same inclination, to require that we should be subservient to theirs, will also be continually thwarting us ; and so we shall always be at va- riance with them. In short, nothing but an endless succession of discord and confusion can be the consequence. Every one setting up for pre-eminence, every one must of course contribute to the general state of anarchy and misery which will pervade the com- munity. Such, is in fact, the state of this apostate world ; and, but for divine providence, which for wise ends balances all human {rffairs, causing one set of evils to counteract the influence of another,
Chapter 111.] OF MORALITY. 33
and all to aQswer ends remote from the inteDtion of the per- petrators, it mu.-^t l>e overset by its own disorders.
To regard every other beiii}^, created or uncreated, only for our own ^akes, is supreme self-love; and instead of being a source of virtue, is itself abominable, and the source of all the mischief and misery in the universe. All the evils just enumerated are to be tra- ced to this principle, as theircommon parenl;noris there any ground of hope that it will ever produce effects of a different nature. Some persons have talkcii much of" self-love ?"//jeHi7i^ into benev- olence" Had it been said malevolence, it had been nearer the truth ; for it is contrary to all experience that any thing should change its nature by becoming more mature. No, a child in knowledge may discern, that, if ever genuine benevolence exist in the breast of an individual, or extend its healing wings over a bleeding world, it must be by the subversion of this principle, and by the prevalence of that religion which teaches us to love God supremely, ourselves subonlinately, and our fellow creatures as ourselves.
'I'o furnish a standard of morality, some of our adversaries have had recourse to the laws of the state ; avowing them to be the rule or measure of virtue. Mr. Hobbcs maintained that The civil law %Das the sole foundation of right and wrong y and that religion had no obligation but as enjoined ny the magistrate. And Lord Boling- broke often writes in a strain nearly similar, disowning any other sanction or pen;Jty by which obedience to the law of nature is enforced, tlian those which are provided by the laws of the land.* But this rule is defective, absurd, contradictory, and subersive of all true morality. First, It is grossly defective. This is justly represented by a prophet of their own. " It is a narrow notion ot innocence," says Seneca, " to measure a man's goodness only by the law. Of how much larger extent is the rule of duty, or of good offices, than that of legal right? How many things are there which piety, humanity, liberality, justice, and fidelity require, which yet are not within the compass of the public statutes ?"t ♦Works, Vol. V. p. 90. tin Lfhnnd's Advantages and Necessity of Revelation. Vol. II. Part IT Chap. ill. p. 42.
Vol. III. h
34 I'HE STANDARD [Part f.
Secondly, It is absurd; for if the public statutes be the only stand- ard of right and wrong, legislators in framing them could be under DO law: nor is it possible that in any instance they should have enact- ed injustice. Thirdly, It is contradictory. Human laws, wc all know, require ditTerent and opposite things in diflerent nations; and in the same nation at different times. If this principle be right, it is right for Deists to be persecuted for their opinions at one period, and to persecute others fortheirs at another. Finally, It IS subersive of all true morality. " The civil laws," as Dr. Le- land has observed, " take no cognizance of secret crimes, and pro- vide no punishment for internal bad dispositions, or corrupt affec- tions. A man may be safely as wicked as he pleases, on this prin- ple, provided he can manage so as to escape punishment from the laws of his country, which very bad men, and those that are guilty of great vices, easily may, and frequently do evade. "^
Rossean has recourse to feelings as iiis standard. " I have only to consult myself,'' he says, " concerning what 1 ought to do. All that I feel to be right is right. Whatever I feel to be wrong is vrrong. All the morality of our actions lies in the judgment we ourselves form of them."* By this rule liis conduct through life appears to have been directed ; a rule which, if universally regarded, would deluge the world with every species of iniquity.
But that on which our opponents insist the m.ost, and with the greatest show of argument, is the law and light of nature. This is their professed rule on all occasions ; and its praises they are continually sounding. I have no desire to depreciate the light of nature, or to disparage its value as a rule. On the contrary, I con- sider it as occupying an important place in the divine government. ' Whatever may be said of the light possessed by the heathen as being derived from revelation, 1 feel no dituculty in acknowledging that the grand law which they are unoer is that of nature. Reve- lation itself appears, to me, so to represent it ; holding it up as the rule by which they shall be judged, and declaring its dictates to be so clear, as to leave them tdiihout excuse.] Nature and scripture appear, to me, to be as 'puch in harmony, as ?.Ioses and Christ; both are celebrated in the same rsalm.j
*EmiliU8, Vol. I. pp. 166—168. 1 Rom. ii. 12—16, \. 20. t Psa. six.
Cmaptfh III.] OF MORAI.ITV. 3j
Hy the light of nature, liowcvrr, I (io iiof ino;in tlioso ideas wliicli heathens have nclually entoilaioed, many of which have been darkness ; but tliose which were presented lo them by the works of creation, and whirh tlioy miu;ht have possessed, had they been desirous of retaining God in their knowledge. And by the ilictales of nature, with regard to right and wrong, I understand those things which appear to the mind of a person sincerely disposed to understand and practice his duty, to be natural, ft, or reason- able. There is, doubtless, an eternal difference between right and wrong; and this diflerence, in a vast variety of instances, is mani- fest to every man who smcerely and imparli;dly considers it. So manifest have the power and Godhead of the Creator been ren- dered in every age, that no person of an upright disposition could, through mere mistake, fall into idolatry or impiety ; and every one who has continued in these abominations is without excuse. The desire also whicli every human being feels of having justice done to him froni all other persons must render it sufficiently mani- fest to his judgment that he ought to do the same to them ; and wherein he acts otherwise, his conscience, unless it be seared as with a hot iron, must accuse him.
Hut does it follow from hence that revelation is unnecessary ^' Certainly not. It is one thing for nature to afford so much light in matters of right and wrong, as to leave the sinner without excuse ; and another to afford him any well-grounded hope of forgiveness, or to answer his difficulties concerning the account which something within him says he must hereafter give of hit> present conduct.
Farther: It is one thing lo leave sinners without excuse in sin, ;\nd another thing to recover them from it. That the light of nature is insufficient for the latter, is demonstrated by melancholy tact. Instead of returning to CJod and virtue, those nations which have possessed the highest degrees of it have gone farthor and fu- ther into immorality. There is not a single example of a people of their own accord, returning to the acknovvleilgment of the true God, or extricating themselves from the most irrational species of idolatry, or desisting from the most odious kinds of vice. Those nations where science diffused a more than ordinary lustre, were
36 THE STANDARD [Part I.
as superstitious, and as wicked as the most barbarous ; and in niany instances exceeded them. It was, I doubt not, from a close observation of the different efficacy of nature and scripture, that the writer of the nineteenth Psalm, (a Psalm which Mr. Paine pre- tends to admire,) after having given a just tribute of praise to the former, affirmed of the latter, The law of Jehovah is perfect, con- verting the soul.
Again : It is one thing for that which is natural, fit, or reasona- ble, in matters of duty, to approve itself to a mind sincerely dispo- sed to understand and practice it, and another to approve itself to a mind of an opposite description. The judgments of men con- cerning the dictates of nature are greatly influenced by their pre- vailing inclinations. If under certain circumstances they teel prompted to a particular course of conduct, they will be apt to consider that incitement as a dictate of nature, though it may be no other than corrupt propensity : and thus, while the law of nature is continually in their mouth, their principles, as well as their con- duct, are a continual violation of it. How was it that, notwith- standing the light of nature shone round the old philosophers, their minds, in matters of morality, were dark as night, and their pre- cepts, in many instances, full of impurity ? Did nature inspire Plato to teach the doctrine of a community of wives ; Lycurgus to tolerate dextrous thieving; Solon to allow of sodomy ; Seneca to encourage drunkenness, and suicide ; and almost all of them to declare in favour of lewdness?* No, verily ; it is a perversion of language to call the principles of such men the dictates of nature ; they are unnatural and abominable ; as contrary to reason as to religion.
It is true, what is called nature, by modern Infidels, is not quite so gross as the above ; but it falls very little short of it. So far as relates to the encouragement of theft, and perhaps of unnatural crimes, they would disavow ; and for this we are indebted to Christianity : but as to fornication and adultery, they are not a whit behind theif" predecessors. Lord Herbert, the father of the English Deists, and whose writings are far more sober than the generality of those who have come after him, apologizes for lewd-
* Pee Leland's Advantages and Necessity of Revelation, Vol. II. pp. 147, 50, 59, 210, 213.
fuArTFRlII.J OF MORALITY. 37
ness, ill ctrtain cases, as resembling thiist in a dropsy, and inac- tivity in a lethargy.* Lord Bolingbroke unbliishiii'xly insinuate>;, that the only consideration that can reconcile a man to contine himself by marria^^e to one woman, and a woman to one man, is this, that nothing hinders but that they may indulge their desires with others.! This is the same as accusing the whole human race of incontinoncv, and denying that there is any such thing as conjugal fidelity ; a plain proof that whoever was clear of this indecent charge, Lord Bolingbroke was not. Mr. Ilume, who has written a volume, on the principles of morality, scruples not to stigmatize self-denial as a " monkish virtue ;" and adopts the opin- ion of a French writer, tliat " adultery mu'St be practised if we would obtain all the advantages of life ; that female infidelity, when known, is a small thing, and when unknown, nothing." These writers will, on some occasions, descant in liivour of chastity, as being conducive to health and reputation ; but on others they seldom fail to apologize for the contrary, and that under the pre- tence of indidging the dictates of nature. Yet the same things might bo alleged in behalf of oppression, revenge, theft, duelling, ambitious war, and a thousand other vices which desolate the ■earth ; they are practices which men, placed in certain circum- stances, will feel themselves prompted to commit : nor is there u vice that can be named but what would admit of such an apology. Finally : It is one thing for the light of nature to be so clear a>. to render idolatry, impiety, and injustice, inexcusable ; and another thing to render the rvhole will of our Creator evident, and in the most advantageous manner. If a person, possessed of only thr light of nature, were ever so sincerely desirous of knowing God ; or grieved for the sins of which his conscience accused him ; 01 attached to the holy, the just, and the good ; or disposed to obey his Creator's will if he did but understand it ; though he should be in no danger of confounding the dictates of nature with those of corrupt propensity, yet he must labour under great disadvantages ; which, allowing they might not affect his eternal state, yet would greatly injure his present peace and usefulness. To illustrate
' Lcland's Review, &c. Vol. I. Lot. I. t Works, Vol. V. p. 167.
38 THE STANDARD ' L^ ^RT F.
this remark, let us suppose the inhabitants of a province to throw off the government of a just and lawful prince. Being once enga- ged, they may feel themselves impelled to go forward. They may choose new rulers, and use all possible means to efiface every sign and memorial of the authority of their ancient sovereign. They may even labour to forget, and teach their children to forget, if possible, that there ever was such a character in being, to whom they owed allegiance. Yet, after all, there may be certain traces and memorials of his government which it is not in their power to efface. Yea, there may be continu^.d instances of forbearance and clemency, which, in spite of all their efforts, will bear witness of his goodness and just authority over them. Thus it was that God, while he suffered all nations to rt;atk in their own raays, nevertheless LEFT NOT HIMSELF WITHOUT A WITNESS, in that he did good, and trave them rniti from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling their hearts with food and gladness. Rut, as the memorials of just authority, in the one case, though sufficient to leave the rebellious without excuse, would not contain a fidl expression of the prince's will, nor be conveyed in so advantageous a manner as that in which he treated his professed subjects ; so the light afforded by the works of nature and the continued goodness of God, in the other, though sufficient to leave the world without excuse, does not express his Zi'hole will, nor convey what it does express so advantageously as by revelation. And, as an individual residing in the midst of the rebellious province, whose heart might relent, and who might long to return to his allegiance, would be under inexpressible disadvan- tages, so it must necessarily be with a heathen whose desire should be towards the God against whom he had sinned.
The amount is, that modern unbelievers have no standard of morals, except it be their own inclinations. Morality with them jsany thing or nothing, as convenience requires. On some occa- sons they will praise that of Jesus Christ : but ere we can have time to ask them. Why then do you not submit to it ? they are employed in opposing it. Attend to their general declamations in favour of virtue, and you will he ready to imagine they are its warmest friends : but follow them up, and observe their exposi- tion of particular precepts, and you will be convinced that they
roAPTKR III.] OF MORM.irv. 39
arc its decided enemies ; applauding in the gross tliat which they are ever undermining in detail.
Hy the foolish and discordant accounts wiiich these writere •rive of morality, it should secMU that they know not what it is. Every new speculator is dissatisfied with the detinition of his l>redecessor, and endeavours to mend it. " \''irtuc," says Lord >haftesbury, "is a sense of beauty, of harmony, of order, and proportion, an affection towards the whole of our kind, or spe- cies." " It is," says Lord Bolinghroke, '* only the love of our- selvcH.^" " It is every thing that tends to preserve the perfect man," says Volney ; and as " good reputation" has this tenden- cy, it is, in his account, *• a moral good."* '* It is whatever is useful in society," says Mr. Hume ; and as "health, cleanliness, facility of expression, broad shoulders, and. taper legs," are of use, they are to be reckoned among the virtues. To this might be added, a large portion of effrontery, as the last named writer assures us, (it may be from his own experience,) that " nothing carries a man through the world like a true, genuine natural im- pudence."* Mr. Paine brings up the rear, and informs us, " It is doing justice, loving mercy, and .... endeavouring to make our follow creatures happy." Oh Paine ! had you but for once suf- fered yourself to be taught by a Prophet, and have quoted his words as they stand, you would, undoubtedly, have borne away the palm : but you had rather write nonsense than say any thing III favour of godliness.
It is worthy of notice, that amidst all the discordance of these writers, they agree in excluding the Divine being from their the- • •ry of morals. They think after their manner ; but God is not in all their thoughts. In comparin;; the Chrietian doctrine of mo- rality, the sum of which is love, with their atheistical Jargon, one seiMus to hear the voice of the Aluiighty saying, Who is this that dnrkrncth counsel H'ith K'ords 7i:ith(jul knoxiledge F Fear God, and krrj) his coinmundnienls ; for this is the whole of man.
* Law •)! Nature, p. 17.
t Enquiry concerning the priuciplei of .'\!or;ih, f (J, 7, 8. Essays Mora! :\u(l Political, Essay 11! p. Ij.
40 THE STANDARD OF MORALITY. [Part I.
The words of scripture are spirit and life. They are the lan- guage of love. Every exhorlation of Christ and his apostles is impregnated with this spirit. Let the reader turn to the 12th chapter to the Romans, for an example, and read it carefully ; let him find, if he can, any thing, in the purest part of the writings of Deists, that is worthy of being compared with it. No ; vir- tue itself is no longer virtue in their hands. It loses its charms when they affect to embrace it. Their touch is that of the cold hand of death. The most lovely object is deprived by it of life and beauty, and reduced to a shrivelled mass of inactive formahty.
CIIAPTKU IV.
HKISTIAMTY FURNISHES MOTIVES TO A VIRTUOUS LIKK; WUICM 1>EIS.M F.ITHER REJECTS, OR ATTEMPTS TO UNrJKRMIXr..
So long as our adversaries profess a regard to virtue, and, willi Lord Bolingbroke,* acknowledge that " the gospel is in all cases one continued lesson of the strictest morality, of justice, of benev- olence, and of universal charity," they must allow tliose to be the best principles which furnish the most effectual motives for reducing it to practice.
Now, there is not a doctrine in the whole compass of Chris- tianity but what is improveablc to this purpose. It is a grand pe culiarity of the gospel, that none of its principles are merely spec- ulative : each is pregnant with a practical use. Nor docs the discovery of it require any extraordinary degree of ingenuity: real Christians, however weak as to their natural capacities, have always been taught by the gospel of Christ, that dcni/ing ungod- liness, and "worldly lusts, thejj shoidd live sobrrhi, ri'j:lileniish/, and godly in the present world.
Ancient philosophers have taught many thing-; in favour of mo- rality, so far at least as respects justice and goodness towards our fellow-creatures'; but where are the motives by which the minds of the people, or even their own minds, have been moved to a compliance with them? They framed a curious machine; bu( who among them could discover a power to work if ? What prin- ciples have appeared in the world, under the names either of phi- losophy or religion, that can bear a comparison with the follow- mg ? God so loved the world, that he gave his nnbj-hegoltrn Son
♦ Work'. Yah V. j.. ins; VoL.lH. 6
4J MOTIVES TO [Fart I.
that whosoever helieveth in him should not perish, hut have everlast- ing life. — Herein is love, not that ice loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his So7i to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. — Let all bitter- ness, andicrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking, he put away from you, with all malice : and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. — Be ye therefore followers (or imitators) of God, as dear children ; and raalk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God of a sweet-smelling savour. — Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people ; that ye should show forth the praises of him ivho hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. — Come out from among them, and be ye sep- arate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing ; and I will receive you, and ivill be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. — Having therefore these 2Jromises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. — If there he therefore any consolation in Christ, if any com- fort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bow- els and mercies, fulfil ye my joy : — be of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory ; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Dear- ly beloved, I beseech you as strangei's and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the sad : having your conversation honest among the Gentiles : that whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. Ye are bought with a price : therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirits which are God^s. — The love of Christ constraineth us ; because we thus judge that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto tfiemselves, but unto him who died for them, and rose again. — The day of the Lord zoill come as a thief in the night • in the xvhich the heavens shall pass away ii'ith a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat ; the earth also, and the works that arc therein, shall
»:hai'TF.r IV.] V MRTUOUSLIFt. 4.;
lie burnt vp. Seeing then that all these things shall be di^sulvcd, Tihal manner of persons ought ye to be, in alt holy conversation and godliness ; looking for, and hasting unto the coming of the day of God! — Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. — To him that overcomcth will I grant to sit 7i.Hth me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set don-n with my Father in his throne.
These are motives by which Cliristians in every as;e, have been induced to practice that moraUty which, while writing against Christianity, Paine, Bolingbroke, and many others have been com- pelled to applaud. But tho far greater part of them are rejected by Deists ; and what will they substitute, of eijual efficacy, in their place ? The love of Christ constraineth us, but what have they to constrain them.'' Will self-love, or the beauty or utility of virtue answer the purpose ? Let history and observation deter- mine.
It may be alleged, however, that Deists do not reject the wholt of these important motives ; for that some, at least, admit the doctrine of a future life, which, with the acknowledgment of one living and true God, may be thought sufficient for all the purposes of moralit}'.
That the doctrine of a future life is of great importance in the moral system, is allowed ; but the greatest truth, if dissevered from other truths of equal importance, will be divested of its en- ergy. As well might a hand dissevered from the body be repre- sented as sufficient for the purposes of labour, as one or two uncon- nected principles for the purposes of morality. This is actually the case in the present instance. The doctrine of a future life, as held by Christians, has stimulated them to labour and suffer without intermission. FVom a respect to this recompense of reward, a kingdom had been refused, where the acceptance of it would have interferetl with a good conscience. Yea, life itself has been sacrificed, and that not in a few, but in innumerable instances, where it could not be retained but at the expense of truth and up- rightness. But is it thus among Deists ? Does the doctrine of a future life as held by them, produce any such effects ? When was it known, or heard, that thcv sacrificed anv thing for this, or anv
4-1 MOTIVES TO [Part. I.
other principle of amoral nature ? Who among; them ever thought of such a thing ; or who expected it at their ha ds ?
But this is not all : ■ •. r; s such a connexion in truth, that if one part of it be given up, it will render us less friendly towards other partS) and so destroy their efficacy. This also is actually the case in the present instance. Our adversaries do not cordial- ly embrace even this truth ; but on the contrary, are continually undermining it, and rendering it of no effect. Lord Herbert, it is true, considered it as an essential article of natural religion ; and it was his opinion, that he could scarcely be accounted a reasona- ble creature who denied it : but this is far from being the case with later deistical writers ; the greater part of whom either deny it, or represent it as a matter of doubt. Some of them disown every principle by which it is supported, and others go so far as to hold it up to ridicule, labouring withal to prove the hope of it unfriendly to the disinterested love of virture. Volney, in his Law of Nature, or Catechism for French Citizens, says nothing about it. Paine just touches upon it, in his Age of Reason, by in- forming us that " he7jo/?es for happiness beyond this life :" but, as happiness has its counterpart, and stands upon the general doc- trine of retribution, he is afraid to say he believes it. It must be reduced to a mere matter of " probability," lest the thoughts of it should damp him in his present pursuits, and render him *' the slave of terror."* Bolingbroke, though he acknowledges its anti- quity, and great utility in promoting virtue, yet represents it as a "mere invention of philosophers, and legislators," and as being " originally an hypothesis, and which may, therefore, be a vulgar error." " Reason," he says, " will neither affirm nor deny a fu- ture state." By this the reader might be led to expect that this writer was neither for it nor against it ; yet the whole of his rea- sonings are directed to undermine it.j Hume, like the writer last mentioned, acknowledges the utility of the doctrine, but questions its truth. He would not have people disabused, or delivered from such a prejudice, because it would free them from one restraint
* Age of Reason, Part I. p. 1. Part II. pp. 100, 101. t Works, Vol. V.
Chapter IV.] A \ lllTLOL s Liriv 4,;
upon their passions. Any person who should undertake this work, he nllows, wouUI be a had citizen ; yet ho miglil, for aught he kno»vs, be a good re;!Soner.* Shaftesbury employs all his wit and satire in endeavouring to raise a laugh at the very idea, rep- resenting the heathen world as very hap[)y till Christianity arose and teazcd them about an hereafter. " A new sort of policy," he says, " which extends itself to another world, and considers the future lives and happiness of man rather thnn the present, has made us leap beyond the bounds of natural humanity, and out of a supernatural charity has taught us the way of plaguing one another most devoutly.'' t
Lord Shaftesbury's wit may very well be passed by, as being what it is : in connexion with the foregoing quotations, it suffices to show us what eflicacy the doctrines of a future life, as held by Deists, may be expected to possess. But this writer is not con- tented with raillery: he must also attempt to reason against the doc- trine ; contending that it has a pertucious inlluence on the morals of men ; that it is a mercenary principle, and opposed to the dis- interested love of virtue, for its own sake. " The principle ot self-love," he observes, "which is naturally so prevailing in us, is improved and made stronger by the exercise of the passions on a subject of more extended interest : and there may be reason to apprehend that a temper of this kind will extend itself through all the parts of life. And this has a tendency to create a stricter at- tention to self-good and private interest, and must insensibly di- minish the alVection towards public good, or the interest of society, and introduce a certain narrowness of spirit, which is observable in the devout persons and zealots of almost every religious persua- .«ion." +
This ol)jection, the reader will recollect, is in direct contradic- tion to the principles of Bolingbroke, and, it may be added, ol \ olney, and other deistical writers, who m intain self-love to be the origin of virtuous affection. Some Christim writers, in aii-
• Pliilojophical Essays, p. 2JI. t Characteristic", \ri!. I. p. 1».
tf'liaractpri.-lics, \'ol. II. p. "iG.
46 MOTIVES TO [Part 1.
swering it, have given up the doctrine of disinterested love, allow- ing that all religious aflection is to be traced to the love which we bear to ourselves, as its first principle. To me, this appears no other than betraying the truth, and ranking Christianity with every species of apostacy and false religion which have at any time pre- vailed in the world. A clear idea of the nature of self-love, if I mistake not, will enable us to determine this question ; and to an- swer the deistical objection without rendering Christianity a mer- cenary system.
Every man may be considered either singly, or connectedly ' either as a being by himself, or as a link in a certain chain of beings. Under one or other of these views every man considers himself, while pursuing his own interest. If the former, this is to make himself the ultimate end of his actions, and to love all other beings, created or uncreated, only as they subserve his interest or his pleas- ure : this is private self-love : this is mean and mercenary, and what we commonly understand by the term selfishness. But if the latter, there is nothing mean or selfish in it. He who seeks his own well-being in connexion with the general good, seeks it as he ought to do. No man is required directly to oppose his own wel- fare, though, in some instances, he may be required to sacrifice it for the general good. Neither is it necessary that he should be indifferent towards it. Reason, as well as scripture, requires us to love ourselves as we love our neighbour. To this may be ad- ded, every man is not only a link in the chain of intelligent beings, and so deserving of some resard from himself, as well as from others, but every man's person, family, and connexions, and still more the concerns of his soul, are, as it were, his own vine3^ard, over the interests of which it is his peculiar province to exercise a watchful care. Only let the care of himself and his immediate connexions be in subserviency to the general good, and there is nothing mercenary in it.
I need not multiply arguments to prove lliat the doctrine of rexsi'ards does not necessarily tend to encourage a mercenary spir- it, or that it is consistent with the disinterested love of virtue. Lord Shaftesbury himself has acknowledged this : " If by the hope of reward," ho savs, "be understood the love and desire of vir-
CHAFTtR IV.J A MItTLOUS Lll 1.. 47
tuous enjoyment, or of the very practice or cxcrase o(' virtue in another life, the expectation or hope of this kind is so far from being derogatory to virtue, that it is an evidence of our loving it the more sincerly, and for its own sake."* This single conces- sion contains an answer to all which his lordship has advanced on the subject : for the rewards promised in the gospel are all exact- ly of the description which he mentions. It is true, they are often represented under the images of earthly things ; but this does not prove that, in themselves thoy are not pure and spiritual. That there is nothing in them adapted to gratify a mercenary spirit, the following observations will render plain to the meanest capacity.
Fii-bt : The nature of heavenly enjoyments is such as to admit of no monopoly, and consequently to leave no room for the exercise of private self-love. Like the beams of the sun, they are equally adapted to give joy to a world as to an individual : nay, so far is an increase in the number of the participants from diminishing the <{uantum of happiness possessed by each individual, that il has a tendency to increase it. The interest of one is the interest of all ; and the interest of all extends to every one.
Secondly : The sum of heavenly enjoyments consists in a holy likeness to God, and in the eternal enjoyment of his favour.! But holy likeness to God is the same thing as " the very practice or exercise of virtue," the hope of which. Lord Shaftesbury acknowl- edges, " is so far from being derogatory to it, that it is an evidence of our loving it the more sincerely, and for its own sake." And as to the enjoyment of the divine favour, a proper pursuit of this object, instead of being at variance with disinterested affection, clearly iiuplia it ; for no man can truly desire the favour of God as his chief good, without a proportionate esteem of his character, and that for its own excellency. It is impossible that the favour of any being whose character we disapprove should be sought as our chief good, in preference to every other object in the universe. But a cordial approbation of the divine character is the same thine; as a disinterested affection to virtue.
* Characteristics. Vol. [1. pp. 03, ^•i^,. + 1 .Jo!iniii.2. Rev. xxi. 3, 4.
tt; MOTIVES TO [Part I.
Thirdly : The only method by which the rewards of the gospel are attainable, faith in Christ, secures the exercise of disinterested and enlarged virtue. No man has any warrant, from the scrip- tures, to expect an interest in the promises of the gospel, unless he cordially acquiesce m his mediation. But to acquiesce in this is to acquiesce in the holy government of God, which it was designed to glorify ; to feel and acknowledge that we deserved to have been made sacrifices to divine displeasure ; to forego all claim or hope of mercy from every selfish consideration ; and to be willing to receive forgiveness as an act of mere grace, and along with the chief of sinners. In fine, to acquiesce in this is to be of one heart with the Saviour of sinners, which, our adversaries themselves being judges, is the same thing as to be filled with devotedness to God and benevolence to men ; and this, if any thing deserves that name, is true, disinterested, and enlarged virtue.
It is very possible, that the objections which are made by this writer, as well as by Mr. Paine and others, against the doctrine of rewards, as being servile and mercenary, may, after all, in reality be against their counterpart . It does not appear to be " the hope of happiness beyond this life" that excites their disgust, though the nature ot the Christian's happiness might be disagreeable to them ; but the fear of being "called to account for the manner in which they have lived in this world.'' This it is which even the daring author of The Age of Reason cannot endure to consider as a cer- tainty, as the thought of it would render him " the slave of terror." Yet, as though he would not have it thought that the dread of futu- rity rendered him affraid of believing it, he alleges another reason : •'our belief, on this principle," he says, " would have no merit, and our best actions no virtue."* In order then to our actions being virtuous, it is necessary, it seems, that we be under no law but that of our own inclination ; and this will be loving virtue for 9 ts own sake. This is at once shaking off the divine authority; whicli if it could be accomplished, might be very agreeable to some men ; and if with tliis they could get fairly rid of a judg-
* Age of Reason, Pari II. pp. 100, 101.
Chapter IV] A VIRTUOUS LIFE. 49
merit to come, it might be still more agreeable ; but alas, if they "•hould be mistaken I
It is a fact, that the passions of hope antl fear are planted in our nature by Him who made us ; and it may l)e presumed they are not planted there in vain. The proper exercise of the former has, 1 conceive, been proved to be consistent with the purest and most disinterested love ; and the same thine; is provoable of the latter. The hope and fear against which these writers declaim are those of a slave ; and where love is absent, these, it is granted, are the only elTects which the doctrine of rewards and punish- ments will profluce. But even here they have their use. Ter- ror is the <;rand principle by which vicious minds are kept in awe. Without this their licentiousness would be intolerable to society. It is not, however, for the mere purpose of restraint that threaten- ings are exhibited, but to express the displeasure of God against all unrighteousness and ungodliness of men, and his resolution to pun- ish them. Some are hereby taught the evil of their ways to a good purpose, and all are fairly warned, and their persererance in sin is rendered inexcusable.
Before our adversaries object to this, they should show the im- propriety of human laws being accompanied with penalties. Let them furnish us with a system of government in which men may be guilty of crimes without fear of being called to account for them; and in which those who are enemies to virtue are to be governed by merely the love of it. If it be improper to threaten sinners, it is improper to punish them ; and if it be improper to punish them, V it is improper for moral government to bo exercised. But if it be thus in the government of God, there is no good reason to be given why it should not be the same in human governments ; that is, there is no good reason why servants, unless they choose to do otherwise, should not disobey their masters, children their parents, and pri- vate individuals in a state be continually rising up to destroy all just authority.
The above may suflice to ascertain the weight of Lord Shaftes- bury's objections to the doctrine of rewards ; and now I shall take the liberty to retort the charge, and attempt to prove that the
Vol,, in. r
50 MOTIVES TO [Part I.
epithets " narrow and selfish," which he applies to the Christian system, properly belong to his own.
In his Inquiry concerning Virtue, contained in the second vol- ume of his Characteristics, though he allows it to consist in our being proportionably affected towards the whole system to which we bear a relation ; (p. 17.) and that this world may be only a part of a more extended system ; (p. 20.) yet he studiously leaves out God as the head of it. Among all the relations which he enu- merates, there is no mention of that between the creature and the Creator. His enlarged and disinterested scheme of morality is at last nothing more than for a creature to regard those " of its own kind, or species:" Not only is all gentleness, kindness, and com- passion to inferior creatures left out, but the love of God is not in it. On the contrary, it is the professed object of his Inquiry, to prove that virtue, goodness, or moral excellence, may exist with- out religion, and even " in an Atheist." (p. 6.) In short, it is manifest that it is the love of God, and not self-love, to which his love ofvirtue,/or its own sake, stands opposed. That for which he pleads is the impious spirit of a child, who disregarding his father's favour, pays no attention to his commi\nds, as his commands ; but complies with them only on account of their approving themselves to his own mind. But this is no other than self-will, which instead of being opposed to self love, is one of its genuine exercises.
" Our holy religion," says this sneering writer, takes but little notice of the most heroic virtues, such as zeal for the public, and our country."* That Christianity takes but little notice of what is commonly called patriotism, is admitted ; and if Lord Shaftes- bury had been free from that narrowness of mind" which it is his intention here to censure ; yea, if he had only kept to his own defi- nition of virtue — " a regard to those of our own kind, or species," he would have taken as little. By the public good, he evidently means no more than the temporal prosperity of a particular coun- try ; which is to be sought at the expense of all other countries with whom it happens, justly or unjustly, to be at variance
* Characteristic:, Vol. I. pp.98, 99.
CHAPTER IV.l A VIRTUOUS LIFE.
51
Christianity, we acknowledge, knows nothing of this spirit. It is superior to it. It is not natural for a Christian to enter into the antipathies, or embroil himself in the contentions of a nation, however he may be occasionidly drawn into them. His soul is much more in its element when breathing after the present and future happiness of a world. In undertakings, both public and private, which tend to alleviate the miseries, and enlarge the com- forts of human life, Christians have ever been foremost : and when they have conceived themselves lawfully called even into the field of battle, they have not been wanting in valour. Kut the heroism to which they principally aspire is of another kind : it is that of sub- duing their own spirit, doing good against evil, seeking the present and eternal well-being of those who hate them, and laying down their lives if required, for the name of the Lord Jesus.
Such is the " narrow spirit" of Christians ; and such have been their "selfish pursuits." But these are things which do not em- blazon their names in the account of unbelievers. The murderers of mankind will be applauded before them. But they have enough: their blood is precious in the sight of the Lord, antl their names ire enbalmeil in the memory of the upright.
CHAPTER V.
HIE LIVES OF THOSE WHO REJECT THE aOSPEL WILL NOT BEAR A COMPARISON WITH THEIRS WHO KMBRACE IT.
No books are so plain as the lives of men ; no characters so leg- ible as their moral conduct. If the principles of a body of men will not bear this criterion, we may expect to hear them exclaim against it as unfair, and uncertain ; but when they have said all, they will endeavour to avail themselves of it, if possible. It is thus that the virtues of idolaters are the constant theme of deistical pan- egyric ; and all the corruptions, intrigues, persecutions, wars, and mischiefs, which of late ages have afflicted the earth, are charged to the account of Christians. It is thus that Christian minis- ters under the name of priests, are described as mercenary, design- ing, and hypocritical ; and the lives of hectoring profligates praised in comparison of them.* In short, it is thus that Christians are accused of fanaticism, affectation, ingratitude, presumption, and almost every thing else that is mean and base ; and men are per- suaded to become deists, with an assurance that, by so doing, they will " live more consistently, and morally, than by any other sys- tem.t
Rut let us examine whether these representations accord with fact. Is it fact, that the ancient philosophers of Greece and Rome were virtuous characters ? It is true, that like the Deists, they talked and wrote much about virtue ; and if the latter may be believed, they were very virtuous. " They opposed each other," says Voltaire, " in their dogmas ; but in morality they were all
* Hume's Essays Moral and Political, Etsay XlklV.
+ Age of Reason, Part I. p. fil.
54 CONDUCT OF BELIEVERS [Part I.
agreed." After loading each of them with encomiums, he sums up by affirming, " There has been no philosopher in all antiquity who has not been desirous of making men better."* This is a very favorable report ; and, if well founded, the writer of the first chapter of the Epistle to the Romans must not only have dealt largely in calumny, but have possessed the most consummate effrontery, to address such an epistle to the citizens of Rome, who from their own knowledge must have been able to contradict him. There are other reports, however, of a very different complexion.
It is no part of my design to enter minutely into this subject ; nor is it necessary. Many able writers have proved, from the most authentic sources of information, that the account given of the heathens by the Apostle is not exaggerated. An extract or two from their writings will be sufficient for my purpose.
" Epictetus bids you temporize, and worship the gods after the fashion of your country.] Pythagoras forbids you to pray to God, because you know not what is convenient.^ Plutarch commends Cato Uticencis, for killing himself amidst philosophic thoughts, with resolution and deliberation, after reading Plato on the immor- tality of the soul.§ Cicero pleads for self-murder. Herein he was seconded by Brutus, Cassius, and others who practised it. Many of their learned men applauded their opinion and practice. Seneca thus pleads for it ; ' If thy mind be melancholy and in mis- ery, thou mayest put a period to this wretched condition : wherever thou lookest, there is an end to it. See that precipice ; there thou mayest have liberty. Seest thou that sea, that river, that well ? Liberty is at the bottom of it : that little tree ? freedom hangs upon it : thy own neck, thy own throat may be a refuge to thee from such servitude ; yea, every vein of thy body.'H
We may find in the heathen philosophers, customary swearing commended, if not by their precepts, yet by the examples of their best moralists, Plato, Socrates, Seneca, and Julian the emperor ; in whose works numerous oaths, by Jupiter, Hercules, the Sun,
* IgDoraat Philosopher, p. 60. t Bnchiridon, Cap. 38. p. m. 56. % Diog. Laertius. i Plutarch's Life of Cato, near the end,
H De ira, Lib. 3. Cap. 15. p. m. 319.
Chapter V.] AND UNBELIEVERS. 55
Serapis, and tbe like, do occur. In the same manner we see the unnatural love of boys recommcRded.* Aristippus maintained that it was lawful for a wise man to steal, commit adultery, and itacrilege, when opportunity offered ; for that none of these actiom were naturally evil, setting aside the indgar opinion which was in- troduced into the iporld by silly and illiterate people — that a wise man might publiclf/, without shame or scandal, keep company with rommon harlots, if his inclinations led him to it. ' May not a beau- tiful woman be made use of/ he a>k!;, ' because she is fair ; or a youth because he is lovely ? Certainly they may.'' "t
If, as X'oltaire asserts, it was the desire of these philosophers to make men better, assuredly they employed very extraordinary means to accomplish their desire.
What are the lives recorded by Plutarch? Many of them, no doubt, entertained a high sense of honour, and possessed a large portion of patriotism. But were either of these morality ? If by this term be meant such dispositions of the mind as are right, fit, and amiable, it vvas not. Their sense of honour was not of that kind which made them scorn to do evil ; but like the false honour of modern duellists, consisted merely in a dread of disgrace. It induced many of them to carry about them the fatal means of self- destruction : and rather than fall into the hands of an adversary^ to make use of them. And as to their patriotism, generally speak- ing, it operated not merely in the preservation of their country, but in endeavours to extend and aggrandize it at the expense of other nations. It was a patriotism inconsistent with justice and :;ood will to men. Add to this, that fornication, adultery, and un- natural Climes, were common among them.
As to the moral state of society among heathens, both ancient Au*l modern, we may have occasion to consider this a little more jtarticularlj hereafter. At present I would inquire. Is it fact that the persecutions, intrigues, wars, and mischiefs of late ages, are to be charged to tlie account of Christianity ^
* Juvenal Satyr, II. vrr. 10.
r Diog. i.aertius, \'ol. I. p. m 1C5, 16G. Sre in Millar'^ If istory of the Popagatjon «f Christianity, Vol. I. p. tJl — (i"-.
56 CONDUCT OF BELIEVERS [Part I.
With regard to persecution, nothing is more common with our adversaries than to lay it wholly at our door. They are continu- ally alleging that the heathens all agreed to tolerate each other till Christianity arose. Thus writes Shaftesbury,* Hume,t Voltaire,| Gibbon, § and Paine. || That the heathen tolerated each other be- fore the introduction of Christianity, is allowed ; and they did the same after it. It was not against each other that their enmity was directed. In' the diversity of their idols, and modes of worship, there were indeed different adminiatrations, hut it was the same lord; whereas in the religion of Jesus Christ, there was nothing that could associate with heathenism, but every thing that threat- ened its utter subversion.
It is allowed also that individual persecution, except in a few instances, commenced with Christianity ; but who began the prac- tice ? Was it Jesus that persecuted Herod and Pontius Pilate ; or they him ? Did Peter and James and John and Paul set up for in- quisitors, and persecute the Jews and Romans ; or the Jews and Romans them ? Did the primitive Christians discover any disposi- tion to persecute ? By whom was Europe deluged with blood in ten successive persecutions during the tust three centuries ; Were Christians the authors of this ? When the church had so far degen- erated as to imbibe many of the principles and superstitions of the heathen, then indeed it began to imitate their persecuting spirit; but not before. When Christ's kingdom was transformed into a king- dom of this world, the weapons of its warfare might be expected to become carnal, and to be no longer, as formerly mighty through God.
The religious persecutions among Christians have been com- pared to, the massacres attending the French Revolution in the time of Robespierre. The horrid barbarities of the latter, it has been said by way of apology, " have not even been equal to those of the former." If Deists maybe allowed to confound Christian- ity and Popery, 1 shall not dispute the justness of the comparison. There is, no doubt, a great resemblance between the papal and the Infidel spirit ; or rather they are one. Both are the spirit of this
* Characteristics, Vol. I. p. 18. t Essay on Parties,
t Ignorant Philosopher, p. 83 ♦ History of Dec. Chap. IL p. 20
H Age of Reason, Part II. Preface,
ChaptekV.] and unbelievers. 57
world, which is averse from true rehgion. The dift'ereiice be- tween them i? but as that between the wolf and the tiger.* But those who reason thus, shouhl prove that the reformers in religion have been guilty ot" excesses equal to tho.>-e of the deistical re- formers in politics. Were there any such assassinations among the Protestants towards one another, or towards the Papists, as have been wantonly committed by Inrtdels ? It is true, there were examples of persecution among Protestants, and such as will ever remain a dishonour to the parties concerned ; but those which af- fected the lives of men were few in number compared with the other, and those few, censurable as they are, were not performed by aas.tssinations.
Mr. Paine affirms that, " all sects of Christians, except the Qua- kers, have persecuted in their turn." That much of this spirit has prevailed is too true : but this assertion is unfounded. 1 could name more, ilenominations than one, whose hands, I be- lieve, were never stained with blood, and whose avowed princi- ples have always been in ftvour of Universal liberty of con- science.
But let us inquire into the principles and spirit of our adversa- ries on this subject. It is true that almost all their writers have defended the cause of liberty, and levelled their censures against persecution. But where is the man that is not an enemy to this practice, when it is directed against himself? have they discov- ered a proper regard to the rights of conscience among Christians? This is the question. There may be individuals among them who have ; but tiie generality of their writers discover a shameful partiality in favour of their own side, and a contemptuous disre- gard of all wiio have suffered for the name of Christ. While they exhibit persecution in its deservedly infamous colours, they as constantly hold up the persecuted, if found among Christians, in a disadvantageous point of view. Mr. Hume allows, that " the
* The resemblance l)elweeD Topery and Infulelity is pointed out witli ;jreat beauty and energy in a piece which has ap peared in some of the periodical publications, entitled, The progress of the moderns, in knowledge, refine- ment, and virtue. See Theological Magazine, Vol. F. No V. p. 344. Evan- gelical Magazine, Vol. IV. p. 405.
Vol. 111. 8
58 CONDUCT OF BKLICVERS Lf'-^^Rfl.
persecution of Christians in the early ages were cruel ;" but lays the bLiiVie chiefly on themselves :* and all through his history of England he palliates the conduct of the persecutors, and repre- sents the persecuted in an unfavourable light. The same may be said of Gibbon, in his History of the decline of the Roman Empire; of Shaftesbury in his Characteristics ; and indeed of the general- ity of deistical writers. Voltaire, boasting of the wisdom and moderation of the ancient Romans, says, " They never persecu- ted a single philosopher for his opinions, from the time of Romu- lus, till the Popes got possession of their powers "t But did they not persecute Christians ? The millions of lives that fell a sacrifice in the first three centuries after the Christian era, are considered as nothing by Voltaire. The benevolence of this apostle of deism feels not for men if they happen to be believers in Christ. If an Aristotle, a Pythagoras, or a Galileo suffer for their opinions, they are "martyrs :" but if a million of French Protestants, " from a desire to bring back things to the primitive institutes of the church," endure the most cruel treatment, or quit their country to escape it, they, according to this writer, are ''weak and obstinate men." Say, reader, are these men friends to i-eligous liberty ? To what does all their declamations against persecution amount but this — that such of them who reside in Christianized countries wish to enjoy their opinions without being exposed to it.
Till of late Deists have been in the minorily in all the nations of Europe, and have therefore felt the necessity of a free enjoy- ment of opinion. It is not what they have pleaded under those circumstances, but their conduct when in power, that must prove them friends to religious liberty. Few men are known to be what they are till they are tried. They and Protestant Dissen- ters, have, in some respects been in a similar situation. Of late, each, in a different country, have become the majority, and the civil power has been intrusted in their hands. The descendants of the Puritans, in the western world, by dispensing the blessings of liberty even to Episcopalians, by whose persecutions their
* Essay on Parties in general. t Ignorant Philosopher, pp. 82, 83.
Chapter V.] AND UNBELIEVERS. 59
ancestors were driven from tlieir native shores, have shown tliem- selves worth)' of the trust. But have the Deists acted thus in France and other countries which have fallen into their hands ? It is true, we believe them to have been the instruments in the hand of (jod,of destroying the papal Antichrist ; and in this view we rejoice : howbeit they meant not so. If we judge of their proceedings towards the Catholics in the ordinary way of judging of human actions, which undoubtedly we ought, I fear it will be found not only persecuting, but perfidious and bloo.ly in the extreme.
I am not without hope that liberty of conscience will be pre- sf rvcd in France ; and if it should, it will be seen whether the subversion of the national establishment will prove, what the ad- visers of that measure wiihout doubt expected, and what others who abhorred it apprehended — the extinction of Christianity. It may prove the reverse, and issue in things which will more than balance all the ills attending the Revolution. These hopes, how- ever, are not founded on an idea of the just or tolerant spirit of infidelity ; but, so far as human motives are concerned, on that regard to consistenci/ which is known to influence all mankind. If the leading men in France, after having so liberally declaimed against persecution, should ever enact laws in favour of it, or in violation of the latvs encourage it, they must appear in a most dis- graceful light in the opinion of the whole civilized world.
Not only persecution, but unjust zvars, intrigues, and other mis- chiefs, are placed to the acccount of Christianity. Th<it such things have existed, and that men who are called Christians have been deeply concerned in tliem, is true. Wicked men will act wickedly, by whatever name they are called. Whether these things be fairly attributable to the Christian religion, may be de- termined by a few plain inquiries.
First : Did these evils commence with Christianity, or have they increased under its influence ? Has not the world, in every age with which history acquaints us, been a scene of corruption, intrigue tumult, and laughter ? All that can plausibly be objected to Christianity is, that these things have continued in the world not-
(JO CONDUCT OF BELIEVERS [Part I.
■withstanding its influence ; and that they have been practiced in as great a degree by men calling themselves Christians as by any other persons.
Secondly : Are those who ordinarily engage in these practices real Christians ; and do our adversaries themselves account them so ? They can distinguish, when they please, between sincere and merely nominal Christians. They need not be told that great numbers, in every nation, are of that religion which happens to prevail at the time ; or rather, that they are of no religion.
Thirdly : Have not the courts of princes, notwithstanding Christianity may have been the professed religion of the land, been generally attended by a far greater proportion of Deists than of serious Christians; and have not public measures been directed by the counsels of the former much more than by those of the lat- ter? It is well known that great numbt-rs among the nobility and gentry of every nation consider religion as suited only to vulgar minds ; and therefore either wholly absent themselves from wor- ship, or attend but seldom, and then only to save appearances towards a national establishment, by which provision is made for the younger branches of their families. In other words, they are unbelievers. This is the description of men by whom public affairs are commonly managed; and to whom the good or the evil pertain- ing to them, so far as human agency is concerned, is to be attribu- ted.
Finally : Great as have been the evils abounding in nations professing Christianity, (and great they have been, and ought greatly to be deplored,) can liubelievers pretend to have given us any hope, at present, of the state of things being meliorated ? It is true, they have talked and written much in this way ; and many well-wishers to the human race have been disposed to give them credit. But it is not words that will prove any thing. Have they done any thing that justifies a hope of reformation ? No, they themselves, must first be reformed ; or rather to use an appropriate teim of their own, regenerated. Far be it from me, that, in such a cause as this, 1 should write under the influence of national preju- dice, or side with the enemies of civil and /eligious freedom: but I must say, there never was a representation more necessary than
CiiArTER v.] AM) UNBELIEVERS. gj
llial which was given in an Address IVom the Executive Directory of France to the Five Hundred, about tlie beginning of the year 179(j. In this address, they " request the most earnest attention ot the Council towards adopting some measure for tlie regeneration of the public morals." This is the regeneration wanted, and which, having rejected Christianity, they may be ever seeking, but will never be able to obtain. They may continue to revolutionize as long as a part}' shall be found that wishes for an increase of power, and percuives an opportunity of gaining it; and every par- ty in its turn may talk of " saving liberty :" but never will they be free indeed until they are vmancipated in some good degree from the dominion of vice ; and never will this be effected but by a knowledge of evangelical truth.
The friends of legitimate liberty have deeply to regret, that under that revered name has been perpetrated almost every species of atrocity ; and that not only towards individuals, but nations, and nations the most peaceable and inoffensive, whose only crime was that of being unable to resist. Liberty has suffered more from the hands of Infidels, amidst all their successes and declamations, than from its professed enemies; and still it bleeds beneath their wounds. Without entering into political disputes, 1 may safely affirm that if ever the nations of the earth be blessed with equal liberty, it will be by the prevalence, not of the pretended illumin- ations of infidel philosophy, but of that doctrine which teaches us (0 do unlu others as ue teould that others should do unto us.
Finally: Mr. Paine affirms, that men, by becoming Deists, would '' live more consistently and morally than by any other system." As to living more conaislentlij, it is possible there may be some truth in it : for the best Christians, it must be allowed, have many impertections, which are but so many inconsistencies ; whereas, by complying with this advice, they would be uniformly wicked. And as to their living more morally, if Mr. Paine could coin a new system of morals, from which the love of God should be excluded, and intemperance, incontinency, pride, profane swearing, cursing, lying, and hypocrisy, exalted, to the rank of virtues, he might very probably make good his assertion.
G2 CONDUCT OF BELIEVERS [Part 1.
Mr. Pnine professes to "detest the Bible on account of its ob- acene sst* ries, voluptuous debauchries, cruel executions, and un- reiealing vindictiveness."* That the Bible relates such things, is true; and ev ry impartial history of mankind must do the same.
The ques(ioi) is, whether they be so related as to leave a favour- able impression of them upon the mind of a serious reader. If so and if the Bible be that immoral book which Mr. Paine represents it to be, how is it that the readinji; of it should have reclaimed mil- lions from immorality ? Whether he will acknowledge this, or not, it is a fact too notorious to be denied by impartial observers. Ev- ery man residing in a Christian country will acknowledge, unless he have an end to answer in saying otherwise, that those people who read the Bible, bslieve its doctrines and endeavour to form their lives by its precept?, are the most sober, upright, and useful mem- bers of the community ; and, on the other hand, that those who discredit the Bible, and renounce it as the rule of their lives, are generally speaking, addicted to the grossest vices ; such as profane swearing, lying, drunkenness, and lewdness. It is very singular, I repeat it, that men, by regarding an immoral book, should learn to practice morality ; and that others, by disregarding it, should learn the contrary.
How is it that, in countries where Christianity has made pro- gress, men have almost universally agreed in reckoning a true Christian, and an amiable, open, modest, chaste, conscientious, and benevolent character, as the same thing? How is it also, that to say of a man, He rejects the Bible, is nearly the same thing, in the account of people in general, as to say, He is a man of a disso- lute life ? If there were not a general connexion between these things, public opinion would not so generally associate them. Indi- viduals, and even parties, may be governed by prejudice ; but public opinion of character is seldom far from truth. Besides, the prejudices of merely nominal Christians, so far as my observa- tion extends, are equally strong, if not stronger, against those Christians who are distinguished by their devout and serioua regard to the scriptures, than against professed Infidels. How is
*Age of Reason, Part I. p. 12.
Chapter V.] AND UNBF.LIEVKRS. 63
it then to be accounted for, that, although they will call them fana- tics, enthusiasts, and other unpleasant names, yet it is very rare that they reckon them immoral ? If, as is sometimes the case, they accuse them of unworthy motives, and insinuate that in ■ecret they are as wicked as others, either such insinuations are not seriously believed, or, if they be, the party is considered as insincere in his prol'ession. No man thinks that genuine Chris- tianity consists with wicked life, open or secret. But the irieas of infi- delity and immorality are associated in the public mind ; and thr» association is clear and strong ; so much so, as to become a ground of action. Whom do men ordinarily choose for umpires, trustees, guardians, and the like ? Doubtless they endeavour to select per- sons of intelligence : but if to this be added Christian principle, i« it not of weight in these cases ; It is seldom known, I believe, but that a serious and intelligent Christian, whose situation in tho world renders him conversant with his concerns, will have his hands full of employment. Ask bankers, merchants, tradesmen, and others, who are frequently looking out for persons of probity to occupy situations of trust, in whose hands they would choose to confide their property ? They might object, and with good reason, to persons whose religion rendered them pert, conceited, and idle: but would they not prefer one who really makes the Bible the rule of his life, to one who professedly rejects it ? The common prac- tice in these cases affords a sufficient answer.
How is it that the principles and reasonings of Infidels, though frequently accompanied with great natural and acquinid abilities, are seldom known to make any impression on sober people ? Is it not because the men and their communications are known ?* How
• It is said of a gentleman lately deceased, who was eminent in the lite- rary world, that in early life be drank deeply into the free-thinking scheme. He and one of his companions, of the same turn of mind, often carried on their conversations in the hearing of a religious but illiterate countryman. This gentleman, aflerwards becoming a serious Christian, was concerned for the countryman, lest his failh in tlie Christian religion should have been shaken. One day he took the liberty to ask him, Whether what had Jo frequently been advanced in his hearing had not produced this effect upon him? " By BO mean?." answered the countryman, ''it never made the least impressioa
64 CONDUCT OF BELIEVERS [Part I.
Is it that so much is made of the foils of Noah, Lot, David, Jonah, Peter, and others ? The same things in heathen philosophers, or modern unbelievers, would be passed over without notice. All the declamations of our adversaries on these subjects plainly prove that such instances with us are more singular than with them. With us they are occasional, and afford matter for deep repen- tance ; with them they are habitual, and furnish employment in the work of palliation. The spots on the garments of a child attract attention ; but the filthy condition of the animal that wal- lows in the mire is disregarded, as being a thing of course.
The morality, such as it is, which is found among Deists, amounts to nothing more than a little exterior decorum. The criminality of m/e?th'on is expressly disowned.* The great body of these writers pretend to no higher motives than a regard to their safety, interest or reputation. Actions proceeding from these principles must not only be destitute of virtue, but wretchedly defective as to their influence on the well-being of society. If the heart be towards God, a sober, righteous, and godly life, becomes a matter of choice ; but that which is performed, not for its own sake, but from fear, interest, or ambition, will extend no farther than the eye of man can follow it. In domestic life it will be but little regarded, and in retirement not at all. Such, in fact, is the character of Infidels. "Will you dare to assert," says Linguet, a French writer, in an address to Voltaire, " that it is in philosophic families we are to look for models of filial respect, conjugal love, sincerity in friendship, or fidelity among domestics ? Were you disposed to do so, would not your own conscienGe,your own expe- rience, suppress the falsehood, even before your lips could utter it?t
upon me." "No impression upon you!" said the gentleman, " why, you must know that we had read and thought on these things much more than you had any opportunity of doing." "O yes," said the other, "but I knew also your manner of living : I knew that to maintain such a course of conduct, you found it necetsary to renounce Christianity."
* Volney's Law of Nature, p. 18.
t Linguet was an admirer of Voltaire ; but disapproved of his opposition to. Christianity. See his Review of that author's V^^orks, p. 264.
Chapter V.] AND UNBELIEVERS. gg
" Wherever society is establisljed, there it is necessary to have religion : for religion, which watches over the crimes that arc se- cret, is, in fact, the only law which a man carries about with him ; the only one whicli places the punisluneiil al ihe side of the guilt ; and which operates as forcibly in solitude and darkness as in the broad and open face of Hay." Would the reader have thought it ? These are the words of Voltaire !•
Nothing is more common than fordeistical writers to level their artillery against the Chriilian ministry. Under the appellation of priests, they seem to think themselves at liberty to load them with every species of abuse. That ihere are great numbers of worldly men who have engaged in the Christian ministry, as other worldly men engaa;e in other employments, for the sake of profit, is irue ; and wber« this is the case, it may be expected that hunting, ga- min», and such kind of amusements, will be their favourite pur- suits, while religious exercises will he performed as a piece of necessary drudgery. Where this is the case, " their devotion must be feigned, and their seriousness mere hypocrisy and gri- mace." But, that this should be represented as a general case, and that the ministry itself should be reproached on account of the hypocrisy of worldly men, who intrude themselves into it, can only be owing to malignity. Let the fullest subtraction be made of characters of the above description, and I' appeal to impartial observation whether there will not still remain in only this partic- ular order of Christians, and at almost any period, a greater num- ber of serious, upright, disinterested, and benevolent persons, than could be found among the whole body of Deists in a succession of centuries.
It is worthy of notice, that Mr. Hume, in attempting to plunge Christian ministers into the mire of reproach, is obliged to descend himself, and to drag all mankind with him, into the same situation. He represents ministers as " drawn from the common mass of mankind as people are to other employments, by the views of protit ;" and suggests that " therefore they are obliged, on many occasions, to feign more devotion than they possess," which is
• lo Sallivan'a Survey of Nature Vou HI. 9
56 CONDUCT OF BELIEVERS [Part I
friendly to hypocrisy.* The leiuling molives of ;ili jmljlic oftkers, it seems is to aggrandize themselves. If Mr. Hume had accepted of a station under government, we can be at no loss, therefore, in judging what would have been his predominant principle. How weak, as well as wicked, must that man have been, who, in order to wound the reputation of one description of men, could point his arrows against the integrity of all ! But the world must forgive him. He had no ill design against them, any more than against himself. It was for the purpose of destroying these Philistines, that he has aimed to demolish the temple of human virtue.
Nor is his antipathy, or that of his brethren, at all to be wonder- ed at. These are the men who, in every age, have exposed the sophistry of Deists, and vindicated Christianity from their mali- cious aspersions. It is reasonable to suppose, therefore, that they will always be considered as their natural enemies. It is no more a matter of surprise that they should be the objects of their in- vective, than that the weapons of nightly depredators should be pointed against the watchmen, whose business it is to detect them and expose their nefarious practices.
After all Mr. Hume pretends to respect " clergymen, who are set apart by the laws to the care of sacred matters ;" and wishes to be understood as directing his censures only against priests, or those who pretend to power and dominion, and to a superior sanc- tity of character, distinct from virtue and good morals. t It should seem then, that they are dissenting ministers only that incur Mr. Hume's displeasure : but if, as he represents them, they be " drawn to their employment by the views of profit," they cer- tainly cannot possess the common understanding of men, since they could scarcely pursue an occupation less likely to accomplish their design. The truth is, Mr. Hume did not mean to censure dissenting ministers only ; nor did he feel any respect for clergy- men set apart by the laws. Those whom he meant to spare were such clergymen as were men after his own heart; and the objects
* Essay on National Characters, Note, t Essays Moral and Political, Essay XII. pp. 107, 108, Note.
CHAPTF.a v.] AND UNBELIEVERS. 57
of Ilia dislike were truly eva:igelical minister?, whether churchmen or dissentci-s, who were not satistied with hia kind of morality, but were men of holy lives, and consequently were respected by the people. These are the men ac;itinst whom the enmity of Deists has ever been directed. As to other priests, they have no other dilTerence with them than tliat of rivalship, wishin;^ to possess their wealth and iiitliience, which the others are not always ihe most willing; to relinquish. In professing, however, to " respect" such clergymen, Mr. Hume only means to flatter them, and draw them on In a little nearer alliance with his views. Respect is excited only by consistency of character and is frequently involuntary. A clergy- man of loose morals may be preterred, and his company courted, hut repecteU he cannot l)e.
As to those ministers against whom Mr. Hume levels his artil- lery, and airninst whom the real enmity of his party has always been directed, there is not a body of men in the world, of equal talents and industry, who receive less, if so little, for their labours. If those who have so liberiilly accused them of interested motives gained no more by their exertion? than the accused, they would not be so wealtiiy as many of them are.
Compare the conduct of the leading men among Deists, with that of the body of serious Christian divines. Amidst their declama- mations against priestly hypocrisy, are they honest men ? Where is their ingenuousness it) continually confounding Christianity and Popery ? Have these workers of iniquity no knowledge ? ' No,' say some, ' they do not understand the difference between genu- ine and corrupted Christianity. They have never had opportu- nity of viewing the religion of Jesus in its native dress, it is po- pish superstition against which their efforts are directed. If they understooil Christianity they would embrace it.. Indeed? And was this the case with Shaftesbury, Bolingbroke, Hume, or Gibbon? or is this the case with Paine ? No, they have both seen and ha- ted the light ; nor will they come to it, lest their deeds should be made manifest.
It may be thought, however, that some excuse may be made for Infidels residing in a popish country; and this 1 shall not dispute, HS it respects the ignorant popnl:iro. who may be carried away by
g8 CONDUCT OF BELIEVERS [Part I.
their leaders; but as it respects the leaders themselves, it is other- wise. The National Assembly of France, when they wished to counteract the priests, and to reject the adoption of the Roman Catholic faith as the established religion, could clearly distinguish between genuine and corrupted Christianity.* Deists can distin- guish beuveen Christianity and its abuses, when an end is to be answered by it; and when an end is to be answered by it, they can, with equal facility, confound them.
" Herbert, Hobbes, Shaftesbury, Woolston,Tindal, Chubb, and Bolingbroke, are all guilty of the vile hypocrisy of professing to love and reverence Christianity, while they are employed in no other design than to destroy it. Such faithless professions, such gross violations of truth, in Christians, would have been proclaim- ed to the universe by these very writers, as infamous desertions of principle and decency. Is it less infamous in themselves ? All hypocrisy is detestable; but I know of none so detestable as that which is coolly written, with full premeditation, by a man of tal- ents, assuming the character of a moral and religious instructor. Truth is a virtue perfectly defined, mathematically clear, and completely understood by all men of common sense. There can be no baitings between uttering truth and falsehood; no doubt, no mistakes, as between piety and enthusiasm, frugality and parsimo- ny, generosity and profusion. Transgression, therefore, is always a known, definite, deliberate villainy. In ihe sudden moment of strong temptation, in the hour of unguarded attack, in the flutter and trepidation of unexpected alarm, the best man may, perhaps, be surprised in to any sin: but he who can coolly, of steady de- sign, and with no unusual impulse, utter falsehood, and vend hypo- crisy, is not far from finished depravity."
" The morals of Rochester and Wharton need no comment. Woolston was a gross blasphemer. Blount solicited his sister-in- law to marry him, and being refused, shot himself. Tindal was originally a Protestant, then turned Papist, then Protestant again, merely to suit the times; and was at the same time infamous for vice in general, and the total want of principle. He is said to
* Mirabeau's Speeches, Vol. II. pp. ;269— 274.
Chapter V.J AND UNBELFEVERS. 60
have died with this prayer in his mouth, ' If there be a God, I desire that he may have mercy on me.' Hobbes wrrote hi« Leviathan to serve the cause of Charles I. but findine; him fail of success, he turned it to the defence of Cromwell, and made a merit of this fact to the usurper; as Hobbes himself unblushingly declared to Lord Chirendon. Morgan had no reg;ird to truth, as is evident tVom his numerous falsifications of scripture, as well as from the vile hypocrisy of professing himself a Christian in those very writings in which he labours to destroy Christianity. Voltaire, in a Letter now remaining, requested his friend D'Alembert to tell for him a direct and palpable lie, by denying that he was the author of the Philosophical Dictionary. D'Alembert, in his answer, in- formed him that he had told the lie. Voltaire has, indeed, ex- pressed his own moral character perfectly in the following words: ' Monsieur Abbe, I must be read, no matter whether 1 am believed or not.' He also solemnly professed to believe the Catholic reli- gion, although at the same time he doubted the existence of a God. Hume died as a fool dieth. The day before his death he spent in a pitiful and affected unconcern about this tremendous subject, playing at whist, reading Lucian's Dialogues, and making silly attempts at wit, concerning his interview with Charon, the heathen ferry-man of Hades."*
Collins, though he had no belief in Christianity, yet qualified himself for civil office by partaking of the Lord's supper. Shaftes- bury did the same: and the same is done by hundreds of Infidels to this day. Yet these are the men who are continually declaim- ing against the hypocrisy of priests! Godwin is not only a lewd character, by his own confession; but the unblushing advocate of lewdness. And as lo Paine, he is well known to hare been a pro- fane swearer, and a drunkard. We have evidence upon oath that " religion was his favorite topic when intoxicated;"! and from the scurrility of the performance, it is not improbable that he was fre- quently in this situation while writing his Age of Reason.
• T he last two paragraphs are taken from Dr. Dwight's excellent Discour- ses on The Nature and Danger of Infidel Philosophy, pp. 4'> — 47.
t See Trial of T Taine, at Guildhall, for a Lilel. kc. p. 4'J.
70 CONDUCT OF BELIEVERS [Part L
I shall conclude this catalogue of worthies with a brief abstract of the Confessions of J. J. Rousseau. After a good education, in the Protestant religion, he was put apprentice. Finding his situ- ation disagreeable to him, he felt a strong propensity to vice; in- clining him to covet, dissemble, lie, and at length to steal; a pro- pensity of which he was never able afterwards to divest himeelf. " I have been a rogue," says he, " and am so still sometimes, for trifles which I had rather take than ask for."*
He abjured the protestant religion, and entered the hospital of the Catechumens at Turin to be iiistructed in that of the Catholics; " For which in return," says he, " I was to receive subsistence. From this interested conversion," he adds, " nothing remained but the remembrance of my having been both a dupe and an apos- tate." t
After this, he resided with a Madame de Warrens, with whom he " lived in the greatest possible familiarity." This lady often suggested, that there would be no justice in the Supreme Being, should he be strictly just tu us ; because, not having bestowed what was necessary to make us essentially good, it would be re- quiring more than he had given. She was, nevertheless, a very good Catholic, or pretended at least to be one, and certainly de- sired to be such. If there had been no Christian morality estab- lished, Rosseau supposes she would have lived as though regulated by its principles. All her morality, however, was subordinate to the principles of M. Tavel ; (who first seduced her from conjugal fidelity by urging, in effect, that exposure was the only crime,) or rather, she saw nothing in religion that contradicted them. Ros- seau was far enough from being of ihis opinion ; yei he confessed he dared not combat the arguments of the lady : nor is it supposa- ble he could, as he appears to have been acting on the same prin- ciples at the time. "Finding in her" he adds, "all those ideas / had occasion for to secure me from the fears of death, and its fu- ture consequences, I tirew contidence and security from this source.'
" + +
* Confessions, Loudon l'.d. 1 790, Vol. I. pp. 52. 55, C8. tVol. I. pp. 125, 12G. ±Vol. II. pp. 88, 103— lOG
(HAi-TKH V.J AND UNBELIKVKRS. 7|
The wriliniis ol Toil Royal, anil thoso of the Oratory, made luiii hair a Jan«eni8t ; and notwithstanding sill Ids confidence, their harsh theory sometimes ahirmed iiim. A dread of hell, which, till then, lie had never much apprehiMided, by little and little disturbed his security, and had not IMadatne de \Varrens tranquilized his soul, would at length lui\ e been too much for him. His confesfor also, 4 Jesuit, contributed all in his power to keep up his hopes.*
After this, he became familiar with another female, Theresa. He began by declaring to her that he would never either abandon or marry her. Finding her piegnont with her first child, and hearine: it observed in an ealinp; house, that he who had best filled the Foundlhig Hospital, zvas nhvays the most applauded, " I said to myself," he tells us, '' since it is the custom of the country, they who live here may adopt it. I cheerfully determined upon it without the least scruple : and the only one 1 had to overcome was that of Theresa ; whom, with the greatest imaginable difli- culty, I persuaded to comply." The year following a similar in- convenience was remedied by the same expedient : no more re- flection on his part, nor approbation on that of the mother. " She obliged with trembling. My fault," says he, " was great ; but it was an error."t
He resolved on settling at Geneva : and, on going thither and being mortified at his exclusion from the rights of a citizen by the profession of a religion different from his forefathers, he determin- ed openly to return to the latter. "I thought," says he, "the gospel being the same for every Christian ; and the only differ- ence in religions the result of the explanations given by men to that which they did not understand, it was the exclusive right of the sovereign power in every country to fix the mode of worship, and these unintelligible opinions ; and that, consequently, it was the duty of a citizen to admit the one, and conform to the other, in the manner prescribed by the law." Accordingly, at Geneva he renounced Popery. |
' \'ol II. p. 127. t Part U. Vol. I. pp. 123. 154, 155. 183. 187. 315, tPaWH. Vol. I. pp. 263. 264.
72 CONDUCT OF BELIEVERS AND UNBELIEVERS. [Part I.
After passing twenty years with Theresa, he nnade her his wife.
He appears to have intrigued with a Madame de H . Of ii^is
desires after that lady he says, "Guilty without remorse, I soon became so without measure."*
Such, according to his own account, was the life of uprightness and honour which was to expiate for a theft which he had commit- ted when a young man, and laid to a female servant, by which she lost her place and character.! Such was Rosseau, the man whom the rulers of the French nation have delighted to honour ; and who, for writing this account, had vanity and presumption to ex- pect the applause of his Creator. '' Whenever the last trumpet shall sound," says he, " I will present myself before the sovereign Judge, with this book in my hand, and loudly proclaim; Thus have I acted ; these were my thoughts ; such was 1. Power eternal ! Assemble round thy throne the innumerable throng of my fellow-mortals. Let them listen to my confessions, let them blush at my depravity, let them tremble at my sufferings, let each in his turn expose, with equal sincerity, the failings, the wanrler- ings of his heart ; and, if he dare, aver, I was better than that
man. ^.
* Vol. I. pp. 311. 378. + Vol. I. pp. 155. 160. $ Vol. I. p. 1.
CHAPTER VI.
CHRISTIANITY HAS NOT ONLV PROnLCKD GOOD EFFKO'lS IN THOSE WHO CORDIALLY BELIEVE IT, BUT HAS GIVEN TO THE MORALS OF SOCIETY AT LAROE A TONE, WHICH DEISM SO FAR AS IT OPE- RATES, GOES TO COUNTERACT.
No man walks through life without a rule of some kind, by which his conduct is directed, and his inclinations restrained. They who fear not God are influenced by a regard to the opinions of men. To avoid the censure, and gain the applause of the public, is the summit of their ambition.
Public opinion has an influence, not only on the conduct of in- dividuals in a community, but on the formation of its laws. Legis- lators will not only conform their systems to what the humours of the people will bear, but will themselves incline to omit those vir- tues which are the most ungrateful, and to spare those vices which are the most agreeable.
Nor is this all: so great is the influence of public opinion that ii will direct the conduct of a community against its own laws. There are obsolete statutes, <is we all know, the breach of which cannot be punished: and even statutes which are not obsolete, where they operate against this principle, have but little effect; witness the connivance at the atrocious practice of duelling.
Now, if public opinion be so potent a principle, whatever has u prevailing influence in forming it, must give a deci(le<l tone to what are considered as the morals of a nation. I say, to what arc con- sidered-as the morals of a nation: for, strictly speaking, so much of the love of God and man, as prevails in a nation, so much morality is there in it, and no more. But, as we can judge of love only In
Vo... III. to
74 EFFECTS OF CHRISTIANITY fPARx I.
its expressions, we call those actions moral, though it is possible their morality may be only counterfeit, by which the love of God and man is ordinarily expressed. If we perform those actions which are the ordinary expressions of love, from some other mo- tive, our good deeds are thereby rendered evil in the sight of Him who views things as they are : nevertheless what we do may be equally beneficial to society as though we acted from the purest motive. In this indirect way Christianity has operated more than anything that has been called by the name of religion, or by any other name, towards meliorating the state of mankind.
It has been observed, and with great propriety, that, in order to know what religion has done for an individual, we must consider what he would have been without it. The same may be said of a nation, or of the world. What would the nations of Europe have been at this time, if it had not been for the introduction of Christi- anity ? It cannot reasonably be pretended that they would have been in any better situation, as to morality, than that in which they were previously to this event : for there is no instance of any peo- ple having by their own efforts, emerged from idolatry, and the immoralities which attend it. Now, as to what that state was, some notice has been taken already, so far as relates to the princi- ples and lives of the old philosophers. To this I shall add a brief review of the state ofsociety among them.
Great praises are bestowed by Phitarch on the customs and manners of the Lacedemonians. Yet the same writer acknowl-. edges, that theft was encouraged, in their children by a law ; and that in order to " sharpen their wits, to render them crafty and subtle, and to train them up in all sorts of wiles and cunning, watchfulness and circumspection, whereby they were more apt to serve them in their wars, which was upon the matter the whole profession of this Commonwealth. And if at any time they were taken in the act of stealing, they were most ceitainly punished with rods, and, the penance of fasting ; not because they esteemed the stealth criminal, but because they wanted skill and cunning in the management and conduct of it."* Hence, as might be expected, and as Herodotus observes, their actions were gen * Plutarch's Mora]?, Vol. I. p. 06.
CHAPTKn VI. j ON THE STATE OF SOCIETY. ^v,
crally contrary to their words ; and there was no dependance upoD them in any matter.
As to their chastity, there were common tatlis in which the men and women bathed together ; and it was ordered that the young maidens should appear naked in the public exercises, as well as the young men, and that they should dance naked with them at the solemn festivals and sacritices. Husbands also were allowed to im- part the use of their wives to handsome and deserving men, in order to the producing of healthy and vigorous children for the Commonwealth.
Children which were deformed, or of a bad constitution, were murdered. This inhuman custom whs romnion all over Greece ; so much so, that it was reckoned a singular thing among the The- bans, that the law forbad any Theban to expose his infant, under pain of death. This practice, with that of procuring abortion were encouraged by Plato and Aristotle.
The unnatural love of boys was so common in Greece, than in many places it was sanctioned by tlie public laws, of which Aristot- tle gives the reason : namely, to prevent their having too many children. Maximus Tyrius celebrates it as a most singular heroic act of Agesilaus, that, being in love with a beautiful barbarian boy, he suffered it to go no farther than looking t him ai.d admiring him. Epictetus also praises Socrates in this manner : " Go to Socrates, and see him lying by Alcibiades, yet slighting his youth and beauty. Consider what a victory he was conscious of obtain- ing! What an Olympic prize! So that, by heaven, one might justly salute him. Hail, incredibly great, universal victor !" What an implication docs such language contain of the manners of those times !
The Romans were allowed by Komulus to destroy all their female children, except the eldest : and even with regard to their male children, if they were deformed, or monstrous, he per- mitted the parents to expose them, after having shown them to five of their nearest neighbours. Such was their cruelty to their slaves, that it was not unusual for their masters to put such of them as were old, sick, and infirm, into an island in the Tiber, where they left them to perish. So far did some of them carry their
7G EFFECTS OF CHRISTIANITY [Paut 1.
luxury and wantonness as to drown them in the fish-ponds, that they might be devoured by the fish, to make the flesh more delicate !
Gladiatory shows were common among them; in which a number of slaves were engaged to fight for the diversion of the multitude, till each one slew or was slain by his antagonist. Of these brutish exercises the people were extremely fond ; even the women ran eagerly after them, taking pleasure in seeing the combatants kill one another, desirous only that they should fall genteelly, or in an agreeable attitude ! They were exhibited at the funerals of great and rich men, and on many other occasions. So frequent did they become, that no war, it is said, caused such slaughter of man- kind as did these sports of pleasure, throughout the several prov- inces of the Roman empire.
That odious and unnatural vice, which prevailed among the Greeks, was also common among the Romans. Cicero introduces, without any mark of disapprobation, Cotta, a man of the first rank and genius, freely and familiarly owning to other Romans of the same quality, tliat worse than beastly vice as practised by himself, and quoting the authorities of ancient philosophers in vindication of it. It appears also from Seneca, that in his time it was practised at Rome, openly and without shame. He speaks of flocks and troops of boys, distinguished by their colours and nations, and that great care was taken to train them up for that detestable employ- ment.
The religious rites performed in honor of Venus, in Cyprus, and at Aphac, on Mount Libanus, consisted in lewdness of the grossest kinds. The young people, of both sexes, crowded from all parts to those sinks of pollution; and, filling the groves and temples with their shameless practises, committed whoredom by thousands, out of pure devotion.
All the Babylonian women were obliged to prostitute them- selves once in their lives, at the temple of Venus or Mylitta, to the first man that asked them: and the money earned by this means was always esteemed sacred.
Human sacrifices were offered up in almost all heathen coun- tries. Children were burnt alive by their parents, to Baal, Mo- loch, and other deities. The Carthaginians, in times of public
Chapter \ J.] ON THE STATE OF SOCIETY. 77
calamity, not only burnt alive the cliildreii of the best families to Saturn, and that by hundreds, but pometimes sacrificed themselves in the same manner, in great numbers. Here in Britain, and in Gaul, it was a common practice to surround a man with a kind of wicker-work, and burn liim to death, in honor of their Gods.*
In addition to the above, Mr. Hume has written as follows: " What cruel tyrants were the iiomans over the world, during the time of their Commonwealth ! It is true, they had laws to prevent oppression in their provincial mai;i<trates; but Cicero informs us that the Romans could not better consult the interest of the prov- inces than by repealing these very laws. For in that case, says he, our magistrates having entire impunity, would plunder no more than would satisfy their own rapaciousness: whereas, at present, they must also satisfy that of their judges, and of all the great men of Rome, of whose ])rotection they stand in need."
The same writer, who certainly was not prejudiced against them, speaking of their Commonwealth in its more early times, farther observes, " The most illustrious period of the Roman his- tory, considered in a political view, is that between the beginning of the first and the end of the last Punic war; yet at this very time, the horrid practice of poisoning was so common, that during part of a season, a praetor punished capitally, for this crime, above three thousand persons in a part of Italy; and found informations of this nature still multiplying upon him ! So depraved in private life," adds Mr. Hume, " were that people, whom, in their histo- ry, we so much admire. "t
From the foregoing facts, we may form some judgment of the justness of Mr. Faine's remarks. " We know nothing," says he. '• of what the ancient Gentile world was before the time of thi- Jews, whose practice has been to calumniate and blacken the char-
* The authorilioson which this brief statement of facts is foundeil, may be seen in Dr. Leland's Advanta -es ami Necessity of the CJiristian flevelation. Vol. n. Part II. Chap. III. IV. where t>ie subject is more particularly handled. See abo, Deism Revealed, Vol 1. pp. 77, 78.
+ Es8ay on Politics a Science.
;B effects of CHllISl'IANlTY [I'art I.
acter of all other nations. As far as we know to the contrary, they were a just and moral people, and not addicted, like the Jews, to cruelty and revenge, but of whose profession of faith we are un- acquainted. It appears to have been their custom to personify both virtue and vice by statues and images, as is done now-a-days by statuary and painting: but it does not follow from this that they worshipped them any more than we do."*
Unless heathens, before the time of the Jews, were totally dif- ferent from what they were in all after ages, there can be no rea- sonable doubt of their worshipping a plurality of deities, of which images were supposed to be the representations. Mr. Paine him- self allows, and that in the same performance, that prior to the Christian era they were " Idolaters, and had twenty or thirty thousand gods."t Yet, by his manner of speaking in this place, he manifestly wishes to insinuate, in behalf of all the heathen na- tions, that they might worship idols no more than we do. It might be worth while for this writer, methinks, to bestow a little more attention to the improvement of his memory.
With respect to their being "just and moral people," unless they were extremely different before the time of the Jews from what they were in all after ages, there can be no reasonable doubt of their being what the sacred writers have represented them. If those writers have said nothing worse of them than has been said by the most early and authentic historians from among themselves, it will be easy for an impartial reader to decide whether heathens have been " calumniated and blackened" by the Jewish writers, or the Jewish writers by Mr. Paine.
But it is not by the state of the ancient heathens only that we discover the importance of Christianity. A large part of the world is still in the same condition; and the same immoralities abound among them, which are reported to have abounded among the Greeks and Romans.
I am aware that deistical writers have laboured to hold up the modern, as well as the ancient heathens, in a very favourable light. In various anonymous publications, much is said of their
•* Age of Reason, Part II. pp. 39, 40. t Ibid. p. 5.
Chapter \ 1.] ON TIIK STATE OF SOCIETY. 79
simplicity and virtue. One of them suggests, that the Chinese are so " superior to Christians in relation to moral virtues, that it may seem necessary that tliey shouM send missionaries to teach us the use and practice of Natural Theology, as we send missionaries to them to teach them Revealed Religion."* Yea, anri some who wish to rank as Christians, have, on this ground, objected to all missionary undertakings among the heathen. Let us examine this matter a little closely.
Almost all the accounts which are favourable to heathen virtue, are either written by the adversaries of Christianity, and with a design to disparage it; or by navigators, and travellers, who have touched at particul ir places, and made their reports according to the treatment they have met with, rather than from a regard to universal righteousness. An authentic report of the morals of a people, requires to be given, not from a transient visit, but from a continued residence among them ; not from their occasional treat- ment of a stranger, but from their general character; and not from having an end to answer, but with a rigid regard to truth.
It is worthy of notice, that the far greater part of these repre- sentations respect people with whom we have little or no acquain- tance ; and therefore, whatever the truth may be, are less liable to contradiction. As to China, Hindostan, and some other parts of the world, with whose moral state we have had the means of acquiring some considerable degree of knowledge, the praises bestowed on them by our adversaries have proved to be unfound- ed. From the accounts of those who have resided in China, there does not seecm to be much reason to boast of their virtue. On the contrary, their morals appear to be full as bad as those of the ancient heathens. It is allowed, they take great care of their out- ward behaviour, more perhaps than is taken in any other part of the world besides ; that whatever they do or say is so contrived that it may have a good ap|)earance, please all, and offend none ; and that they excel in outward modesty, gravity, good words, rourtesy, and civility. But, notwithstanding this, it is said that 'he sin against nature is extremely common — that drunkenness is
* (hriitiaiiity as old as the Creation, pp. 36G. o67.
80 EFFECTS OF CHRISTIANITY [Part I.
considered as no crime — that every one takes as many concubines as he can keep — that many of the common people pawn their wives in time of need ; and some lend them for a month, or more, or less, according as they agree — that marriage is dissolved on the most trifling occasions — that sons and daughters are sold whenever their parents please, and that is frequently — that many of the rich, as well as the poor, when they are delivered of daughters, stifle and kill them — that those who are more tender-hearted will leave them under a vessel, where they expire in great misery — and finally, that notwithstanding this, they all, except the learned, plead humanity and compassion against killing other living crea- tures, thinking it a cruel thing to take that life which they cannot give. Montesquieu says, '' The Chinese, whose whole life is gov- erned by the established rites, are the most void of common hon- esty of any people upon earth ; and the laws, though they do not allow them to rob or to spoil by violence, yet permit them to cheat and defraud." With this agrees the account given of them in Lord Anson's Voyages, and by other navigators — that lying, creat- ing, stealing, and all the little arts of chicanery abound among them; and that, if you detect them in a fraud, they calmly plead the custom of the country* Such are the people by whom we are to be taught the use and practice of natural theology !
If credit could be given to what some writers have advanced, we might suppose the moral philosophy and virtuous conduct of the Hindoos to be worthy of being a pattern to the world. The rules by which they govern their conduct are, as we have been told," Not to tell false tales, nor to utter any thing that is untrue ; not to steal any thing from others, be it ever so little ; not to de- traud any by their cunning, in bargains, or contracts ; not to op- press any when they have power to do it."t
Very opposite accounts, however, are given by numerous and respectable witnesses, and who do not appear to have written under the influence of prejudice. I shall select but two or three.
* See Leland's Advantages and Necessity of Revelation, Vol. II Part II. Chap. IV.
* Harris's Voyages and Travels. Vol. I, Chap. II. } 11, 12.
C'HAPTKR VI.] ON THE BTATE OK SOCIETY. gl
Francis Bernier, an intelligent Frencli traveller, speaking of the Hindoos, says, " I know not whether there be in the world a more covetous and sordid nation. — The Br.ihmins keep these people in their errors and superstitions, and scruple nut lo coininil (ricks and villainies so infamous, that I could never have believed them, if 1 had not made an ample inquiry into them."*
Governor Holivcll thus characterizes them: "A race of peo- ple, who, tVoui tht'ir infancy, are utter strangers to the idea of common faith and honesty." — " This is the situation of the bulk of the ptiiplu of Indoiitan, as well as of the modern Brahmins : amongit the latter, if we except one in a thousand, we give them over measure. The Gentoos in general are as degenerate, super- stitious, litigious, and wicked a people, as any race of people in the known world, if not eminently more so ; especially the com- mon run of Brahmins ; and we can truly aver, that, during almost tive years that we presided in the Judicial Cutchery Court of Cal- cutta, never any murder, or other atrocious crime, came before us, but it was proved in the end a Brahmin was at the bottom ofit."t
Mr. afterwards Sir John Shore, and (iovornor General of Ben- gal, speaking of the same people, says, "A man must belong acquainte<l with them before he can believe them capable of that barefaced falsehood, servile adulation, and deliberate deception, which they daily practice. — It is the business of all, from the Kyott to the Dewan, to conceal and deceive ; the simplest matters of fact are designedly covered with a veil, through which no human understanding can penetrate." ^
In perfect agreement with these accounts are others which arc constantly received from persons of observation and probity, now- residing in India. Of ihese the following are extracts : " Lving, theft, whoredom, and deceit, are sins for which the Hindoos are notorious. There is not one man in a thousand, \v!io docs not
* Voyages dc Francois Beniicr, Tome I, pp. 150. 162. et Tome II. p. 10,,
* Holweil's Historical event?, Vol. I. p. 228. Vol. II. p. 1^1
X Parliamentary Proceedings aguin't Mr. Hastini,'?. .Appendix lo '.'ol. 11. j . 6.5.
V(,T,. ur. II
32 EFFECTS OF CHRISTIANITY [Part 1.
make lying his constant practice. Their thoughts of God are so very light, that they only consider him as a sort of plaything. Avarice and servility are so united in almost every individual, that cheating, juggling, and lying, are esteemed no sins with them ; and the best among them, though they speak ever so great a false- hood, yet it is not considered as an evil, unless you first charge them to speak the truth. When they defraud you ever so much, and you charge them with it, they coolly answer. It is the custom of the country — In England, the poor receive the benefit of the gos- pel, in being fed and clothed by those who know not by what principles they are moved. For whe« the gospel is generally ac- knowledged in a land, it puts some to fear, and others to shame ; so that to relieve their own smart they provide for the poor: but here, O miserable state ! I have found the pathway stopped up by sick and wounded people, perishing with hunger ; and that in a populous neighbourhood, where numbers pass by, some singing, others talking, but none showing mercy ; as though they were dying weeds, and not dying men "*
Comparing these accounts, a reader might be apt to suppose that the people must have greatly degenerated since their laws were framed ; but the truth is, the laws are nearly as corrupt as the people. Those who examine the Hindoo Code,] will find them so; and will perceive that there is scarcely a species of wick- edness which they do not tolerate, especially in favour of the Brahmuns, of which order of men, it may be presumed, were the first framers of the constitution.
Let the reader judge, from this example of the Hindoos, what degree of credit is due to antichristian historians, when they under- fake to describe the virtues of heathens.
From this brief statement of facts, it is not very difficult to per- ceive somewhat of that which Christianity has accomplished with regard to the general state of society. It is by no means denied
* Periodical Accounts ol'the Baptist iVIission, No. 11. p. 129. No. III. pj'. 191. 230. No. IV. p. 291.
t Translated from the 3haDscrit,and published in 1773.
Chapter VI.] ON THE STATE OF SOCIETY. 83
that the natural dispositions of heathens, as well as other men, are various. The scriptures themselves record instances of their amiable deportment towards their fellow-creatures.* Neither i? it denied that there are characters in christianized nations, and that in great numbers, whose wickedness cannot be exceeded, nor equalled, by any who arc de«titu(e of their advantages. There is^ no doubt but that the general moral character of heathens is far less atrocious than that of Deists who reject the light of revelation, and of multitudes of nominal Christians who abuse it. The state of both these descriptions of men, with respect to unenlightened pagans, is as that of Chorazin and Bethsaida with respect to Sodom and Gomorrha. But that for which 1 contend is, the etTect of Christianity upon the general state of society. It is an indisputable fact, that it has bani'-hed gross idolatry from every nation in Eu- rope. It is granted, that where whole nations were concerned, this effect might be at first accomplished, not by persuasion, but by force of arms, in this manner many legislators thought they did God service. But, whatever were the means by which the worship of the one living and true God were at first introduced, it is a fact that the principle is now so fully established in the mind.s and consciences of men, that there needs no force to prevent the return of the old system of polytheism. There needs no greater proof of this than has been afforded by unbelievers of a neighbor- ing nation. Such evidently has been their predilection for pagan manners, that, if the ligiU that is gone abroad among mankind per- mitted it, they would at once have plunged into gross idolatry, as into their native element. But this is rendered morally impossi- ble. They must be Theists or Atheists; Polytheists they can- not be.
By accounts, which from time to time have been received, it appears that the prevailing party in France have not only labored to eradicate every principle of Christianity, but, in one instance, actually made the experiment for restoring something like the old idolatry. A respectable magistrate of the United States,! in his Address to the Grand Jury in Luzerne County, has stated a few
'Gen. xxiii. tJudje Rush.
04 KFKECTS OF CHRISTIANITY [Part I.
of these facts to the public. "Infidelity," says he, " having got possession of the power of the Stiite, every nerve was exerted to efface from the mind all ideas of religion and morality. The doc- trine of the immortality of the soul, or a future state of rewards and punishments, so essential to the preservation of order in soci- ety, and to the prevention of crimes, was publicly ridiculed, and the people taught to believe that death was an everlasting sleep."
" They ordered the words ' Temple of Reason' to be inscribed on the churches, in contempt of the doctrine of revelation. Athe- istical and licentious Homilies have been published in the church- es, instead of the old service; and a ludicrous imitation of the Greek mythology exhibited, under the title of the ' Religion of Reason.' Nay, they have gone so far as to dress up a common strumpet with the most fantastic decorations, whom they blasphe- mously styled, ' The Goddess of Reason,' and who was carried to church on the shoulders of sonae Jacobins selected for the purpose, escorted by the National Guards and the constituted authorities. When they got to the church, the strumpet was placed on the altar erected for the purpose, and harangued the people, who, in return, professed the deepest adoration to her, and sung the Car- magnole, and other songs, by way of worshipping her. This hor- rid scene — almost too horrid to relate — was concluded by burning the prayer-book, confessional, and every thing appropriated to the use of public worship; numbers, in the mean time, danced round the flames, with every appearance of frantic and infernal mirth."
These things sufficiently express the inclinations of the parties concerned, and what kind of blessings the world i^i to ex[»ect from atheistical philosophy. But all attempts of this kind are vain: the minds of men throughout Europe, if 1 ui;;y for once use a cant term of their own, are too enlightened to stoop to the practice of such fooleries. We have a gentlemen in our oTvn country, who appears to be a sincere devotee to the pagan worship, and who, it seems, would wish to introduce it; but, as far as I can learn, all the success which he has met with, is to have obtained from the public the honorable api)ellation of^Ae Gentile Priest.
Whatever we are, and whatever we may be, goss idolatry, 1 presume, may be considered as banished from Europe; and,
Chapter Vl.j oN THE STATE OF SOCIETY. 85
thanks be to Cioil, a miinl»or of its altemhiiit abominatiour;, with various other immoral customs of the heathen, are, in a good meas- ure, banished with it. We have no human sacrifices; no gladia- tory combats ; no public indecencies between the sexes; no law that requires prostitution; no plurality or community of wives; no dissolvin;^ of marriaces on trifling occasions; nor any le<ral mur- dering of children, or of the aged and infirm, if unnatural crimes be committed among us, they are not common ; much less are they tolerated by the laws, or coimtenanced by public opinion. On the contrary, the odium which follows such practices is sufficient to stamp with perpetual infamy the first character in the land. Rapes, incests and adulteries, are not only punishable by law, but odious in the estimation of the public. It is with us, at least in a consid- erable degree, as it was in Judea, where he that was guilty ol" such vice-, vvas considered as a fool in Israel. The same, in less degrees, may be said of fornication, drunkenness, lying, theft, fraud, and cruelty; no one can live in the known practice of these vices, and retain his character. It cannot be pleaded in excuse with us, as it is in China, I lindostan, and Otaheitc, that sucii things
ARE THE CUSTOM OF THE COUNTRY.
We freely acknowledge, that if we turn our eyes upon the great evils which still exist, even in those nations where Christianity has had the greatest influence, we find abundant reason for lamenta- tion: but, while we lament the evil, there is no reason that we should overlook the good. Conifiaring our state with that of for- mer times, we cannot but with thankfulness acknowledge. What haih God ivrought !
1 can conceive of but one question tliat can have any tendency to weaken the argument arising from the foregoing facts: viz. Are they the effects of Christianity ? If they be not, and can be fairly accounted for on other principles, the argument falls to the ground: but if they be, though Shaftesbury satirize, Hume doubt, Voltaire laugh, Gibbon insinuate, and Paine pour forth scurrility like a tor- rent, yet honest men will say, An evil tree bringeth not forth good fruit: If this religion zvere not of God, it could do nothing.
If there be an adequate cause, distinct from Christianity, to which these effects may be ascribed, it becomes our adversaries
.^6 EFFECTS OF CHRISTIANITY PartI.J
to state it. Meanwhile, I may observe, they arc not ascribableto any thing besides Christianity that has borne the name oC religion. As to that of the ancient heathens, it had no manner of relation to morality. The priests, as Dr. Leland has proved " made it not their business to leach men virtue."* It is the same with modern heathens: their religion has nothing of morality pertaining to it. They perform a round of superstitious observances, which pro- duce no good effect whatever upon their lives. What they were yesterday, they are to-day; no man repenteth himself of his wick- edness, saying, What have I done ! Nor is it materially different with Mahometans. Their religion, though it includes the acknowledg- ment of one living and true God, yet, rejecting the Messiah as the Son of God, and attaching them to a bloody and lascivious impostor, produces no good effect upon their morals, but leaves them under the dominion of barbarity and voluptuousness. In short, there is no religion but that of Jesus Christ that so much as professes to bless men by turning them from their iniquities.
Neither can these effects be attributed to philosophy. A few great minds despised the idolatries of their countrymen; but they did not reform them: and no wonder; for they practised what they themselves despised. Nor did all their harangues in favor of vir- tue produce any substantial effect, either on themselves or others. The heathen nations were never more enlightened as to philoso- phy, than at the time of our Saviour's appearance; yet as to mor- ality, they never were more depraved.
It is Christianity thpn,.and nothing else, which has destroyed the odious idolatry of many nations, and greatly contracted its at- tendant immoralities It was in this way that the gospel operated in the primitive ages, wherever it was received; and it is in the same way that it continues to operate to the present time. Real Christians must needs be averse to these things ; and they are the only men living who cordially set themselves against them.
This truth will receive additional evidence from an observation of the different degrees of morality produced in different places, according to the degree of purity with which the Christian religion
* Advantage and Necessity of Revelatioii, Vol. II. p. 38.
LiiAfTKR Vl.j 0.\ THE STATK OK SOCIETY. 87
has been taught, and liberty given it to ujieiate. In several na- tions of Europe, popery has long been established, and supported by sanguinary laws. By these mean? the Bible has been kept from the common people. Christian doctrine and worship corrupt- ed, and the consciences of men subdued to a usurper of Christ's authority. Christianity is there in prison; and anti-christianism exalted in its place. In other nations this yoke is broken. Every true Christian has a Bible in his family, and measures his religion by it. The rights of conscience also being respected, men are allowed, in religious matters, to judge and act for themselves; and Christian churches arc formed according to the primitive model. Christianity is here at liberty: hero, therefore, it may be expected to produce its greatest effects. Whether this does not correspond with fact, let those who are accustomed to observe men and things with an impartial eye determine.
In Italy, France, and various other countries, where the Chris- tian relij^ion has been so far corrupted as to lose nearly all its in- fluence, illii it connexions may be formed, adulterous intrigues pursued, and even crimes against nature committed, with but little dishonor. Kousseau could here send his illegitimate offspring to the Foundling Hospital, and lay his accounts with being ap- plauded for it, as being the custom of the country. It is not so in Britain, and various other nations, where the gospel has had a freer course; for though the same dispositions are discovered in treat numbers of persons, yet the fear of the public frown holds them in awe. If we except a few abandoned characters, who have nearly lost all sense of shame, and who, by means either of their titles or fortunes on the one hand, or their well-known base- ness on the other, have almost bid defiance to the opinion of man- kind, this observation will hold good; I believe, as to the bulk of tlie inhabitants of protestant countries.
And it is worthy of notice, that in those circles or connexions where Christianity has had the greatest influence, a sobriety ot character is carried to a much higher degree than in any other. Where there is one divorce from among protestant dissenters, and nther serious professors of Christianity, there are, I believe, a btmdred from among those whose practice it is to neglect the
88 EFFECTS OF CHRISTIANITY [Paht I.
worship of God, and to frequent the amusements of the theatre. And in proportion to the singularity of such cases, such is the sur- prise, indignation, and disgrace, which accompany them. Similar observations might be made on pubhc executions for robbery, for- gery, tumults, assassinations, murders, &.c. It is not among the circles professing a serious regard to Christianity, but among its adversaries, that these practices ordinarily prevail.
Some have been inclined to attribute various differences in these things to a difference in national character : but national character, as it respects n)orality , is formed very much from the state of society in different nations. A number of painful observations would arise from a view of the conduct and character of Englishmen on foreign shores. To say nothing of the rapacities committed in the East, whith- er is our boasted humanity fled when we land upon the coast of Guin- ea? The brutality with which millions of our fellow-creatures have been torn from their connexions, bound in irons, thrown into a floating dungeon, sold in the public markets, beaten, maimed, and many of them murdered, for trivial offences, and all this without any effectual restraint from the laws, must load our national character with everlasting infamy. These same persons, however, who can be guilty of these crimes at a distance, are as apparently humane as other people when they re-enter their native country. And wherefore ? Because in their native country the state of society is such as will not admit of a contrary behavior. A man who should violate the principles of justice and humanity here, would not only be exposed to the censure of the laws, but, supposing he could evade this, his character would be lost. The state of society in Guinea imposes no such restraints; in that situation, therefore, wicked men will indulge in wickedness. Nor is it much otherwise in our West-India Islands. So little is there of Christianity in those quarters, that it has hitherto had scarcely any influence in the framing of their laws, or the forming of the public opinion. There are, doubtless, just and humane individuals in those islands; but the far greater part of them, it is to be feared, are devotees to avarice; to which, as to a Moloch, one or other of them are con- tinually offering up human victims.
Ckaptea M] on the state OF SOCIETY. 39
Vicious practices arc commonly more prevalent in large and populous cities than in other places. Hither the worst characters commonly resort, as noxious animals to a covert from their pur- suers. In places but thinly inhabited, the conduct of individuals is conspicuous to the community: but here they can assemble with others of their own description, and strengthen each other's bands in evil, without much fear of being detected. Christianity, therefore, may be supposed to have less effect in the way of re- straining immoral characters in the city, than in the country. Yet even here it is sensibly felt. The metropolis of our own nation, though it abounds with almost every speciesof vice, yetwhat reflect- ing citizen will deny that it would be much worse but for the in- fluence of the gospel ? As it is, there are numbers, of different religious denominations, who constantly attend to public and fam- ily worship; who are as honorable in their dealings as they are amiable in domestic life; and as liberal in their benefactions as they are assiduous to find out deserving cases. The influence which this body of men have upon the citizens at large, in re- straining vice, promoting schemes of benevolence, and preserving peace and good order in society, is beyond calculation. But for their examples And iitirpmitted exertions, London would be a Sodom in its guilt, and might be expected to resemble it in its pun- ishment.
In country towns and villases it i« easy to perceive the influ- ence which a number ol serious Christians will have upon the manners of the people at large. A few families in which the Bible IS daily read, the worship of God performed, and a Christian con- versation exemplified, will have a powerful effect. Whether characters of an opposite description regard their conduct, or not, their consciences favor it. Hence it is that one upright man, in a question of riu;ht and wrong, will often put to silence a company of the advocates of unrighteousness; and that three or four Chris- tian families have been known to give a turn to the mantjers of a whole neighborhood.
In fine, let it be closely considered, whether a great part of that sobriety which is to be foimd among Deists themselves (as there are, loubtless, sobrr charactrr^ among Deisls. and even among Atheists)
Vol.. in 1?
90 EFFECTS OF CHRISTIANITY [Part I
be not owing to Chrisitanity. It has often been remarked, and justly too, that much of the knowledge which our adversaries possess, is derived from this source. To say nothing of the best ideas of the old philosophers on moral subjects being derived from revelation, of which there is considerable evidence, it is manifest that so far as the moderns exceed them, it is principally, if not en- tirely owing to this medium of instruction. The Scriptures hav- ing diffused the light, they have insensibly imbibed it ; and finding it to accord with reason, they flatter themselves that their reason has discovered it. " After grazing," as one expresses it, "in the pastures of revelation, they boast of having grown fat by nature." And it is the same with regard to their sobriety. So long as they reside among people whose ideas of right and wrong are formed by the morality of the gospel, they must, unless they wish to be stig- matized as profligates, behave with some degree of decorum. Where the conduct is uniform and consistent, charity, I allow, and even justice, will lead us to put the best construction upon the motive: but when we see men uneasy under rersraints, and con- tinually writing in favour of vices which they dare not openly practice, we are justified in imputing their sobriety, not to princi- ple, but to the circumstances attending their situation. If some of those gentlemen who have deserted the Christian ministry, and commenced professed Infidels, had acted years ago as licentiously as they have done of late, they must have quitted their situation sooner, and were they now to leave their country and connexions, and enter into such a state of society, as would comport with their present wishes, their conduct would be more licentious than it is.
On these principles that great and excellent man, Washington, in his fiirewel address to the people of the United States, ac knowledges the necessity of religion to the well-being of a nation. " Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosper- ity," he says, " religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labour to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish tbem. A vol-
i.HAPTER M. ON THK STATE OF SOCIETY. 91
ume could not trace all their connexions with private and public felicity. Let it be simply asked, Where is the security for prop- erty, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in the courts of justice ] And let us with caution indulge the suppo- sition, that morality can be maintained without religion. — What- ever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of a peculiar structure, reason and experience both for- bid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.''
Upon the whole, the evidence of this chapter, proves that Chris- tianity is not only living principle of virtue in good men, but affords this farther blessing to society, that it restrains the vices of the bad. It is a tree of life whose fruit is immortality, and whose very leaves are for the healing of the nations.
CHAPTER VII.
rHRISriANirV IS A SOt'RCE OF HAPVINESR TO INPlVinbALS ANU SOCIETY : BUT DEISM LEAVES THE ONE AND THE OTHER WITH- OUT HOVE.
Though the happiness of creatures be not admitted to be the final end of God's moral government, yet it is freely allowed to occupy an important place in the system. God is good ; and his goodness appears in having so blended the honour of his name with the felicity of his creatures, that in seeking the one they should find the other. In so important a light do we consider human happiness, as to be willing to allow that to be the trae religion which is most adapted to promote it.
To form an accurate judgment on this subject, it is necessary to ascertain wherein happiness consists. We ought neither to ex- pect nor desire, in the present life, such a state of mind as wholly excludes painful sensations. Had we less of the exercises of godly sorrow, our sacred pleasures would be fewer than they are ; or were we unacquainted with the afflictions common to men, we should be less able to sympathize with them ; which would be injurious, not only to society, but to ourselves, as it would deprive us of one of the richest sources of enjoyment.
Mr. Hume, in one of his Essays, very properly called The Sceptic, seems to think that happiness lies in having one's inclinations grati- fied; and, as different men have different inclinations and even the sume men at different times, that may be happiness in one case which is misery n another. This sceptical writer, however, would hardly deny, that in happiness, as in other things, there is a false and a true, an imaginary and a real ; or that a studied indul- gence of the apetites and passions, though it should promote the one
94 CHRISTIANITY [Part I.
would destroy the other. The Hght of nr.ture, as acknowledged even by deists, teaches that self-denial, in many cases, is necessary to self preservation ; and that to act a contrary part, would be to ruin our peace and destroy our health.* I presame it will be granted, that no definition of happiness can be complete, which in- cludes not peace of mind, which admits not of perpetuity, or which answers not the necessities and miseries of human life.
But if nothing deserves the name o{ happiness which does not include peace of mind, n\\ criminal pleasure is at once excluded. Could a life of unchastity, intrigue, dishonour, and disappointed pride, like that of Rousseau, be a happy life ? No ; amidst the brilliancy of his talents, remorse, shame, conscious meanness, and the dread of an hearafter, must corrode his heart, and render him a stranger to peace. Contrast with the life of this man, that of Howard, pious, temperate, just, and benevolent, he lived for the good of mankind. His happiness consisted in serving his genera- tion by (he rvill of God. If all men were like Rousseau, the world would be abundantly more miserable than it is : if all were like Howard, it would be abundantly more happy. Rousseau, gov- erned by the love of fame, is fretful and peevish, and never satis- fied with the treatment he receives : Howard, governed by the love of mercy, shrinks from applause, with this modest and just reflection, '' Alas, our best performances have such a mixture of sin and folly, that praise is vanity and presumption and pain, to a thinking mind." Rousseau, after a life of debauchery and shame, confesses it to the world, and makes a merit of his confession, and even presumptuously supposes, that it will avail him before the .Judge of all : Howard, after a life of singular devotedness to God, and benevolence to men, accounted himself an unprofitable ser- vant, leaving this for his motto, his last testimony, Christ is my HOPE. Can there be any doubt which of the two was the happi- est man ?
Further: If nothing amounts to real happiness which admits not of perpetuity, all natural pleasure, when weighed against the hopes and joys of the gospel, will be found wanting. It is an
* Volney's Law of Nature, p. 12.
Chapter VII.] A SOURCF. OF HAPPINESS. 96
expressive chnracteristic of the gooil tliiiie;s of this life, thut they all perish with the using. The charms of youth and beiuty quickly fade. The power of relishino: mitural enjoyments is soon gone. The pleasures of active life, of building, planting, forming schemes, md achieving enterprise.i, soon follow. In old age none of them will flourish ; and in death they are exterminated. The mighty man, and the man of tear, the judge, and the prophet, and the pru- dent, and the ancient, the captain of fifty, and the honourable wan, and the counsellor, and the cttnning artificer, and the eloquent ora- tor, all tiesccnd, in one undisliii'j;uished mass, into oblivion. And, as this is a truth which no man can dispnto, those who have no prospects of a higher nature must often feel themselves unhappy. Contrast with this the joys of the gospel. These, instead of being diminished by time, are often increased. To them the soil of age is friendly. While nature has been fading, and perishing by slow degrees, how ot'ten have we seen fiilh, hope, love, patience, and resignation to God, in full bloom. Who but Christians can con- template the loss of all present enjoyments with satisfaction ? Who else can view death, judgment, and eternily, with desire ? 1 appeal to the iiearts of libertines and unbelievers, whether they have not many misgivings and revoltings within them ; and whether, in the hour of solitary reflection, they have not si2;lie(l the wish of f^alaam. Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his.
The following extract from a letter of a late nobleman, of loose principles, well known in the gay world, and published as authen- tic bv a respectable prelate, deceased, will show the dreadful vacancy and wretchedness of a mind left to itself in the decline of life, and unsupported by Christian principle. — " I have seen the silly round of business and pleasure, and have done with it all. I have enjoyed all the pleasures of the world, -.wu] consequently know their futility, and do not regret their loss. I appraise them at their real value, which in truth is very low : whereas those who have not experienced always overrate them. They only sep their gay outside, and arc dazzled with their glaie ; but I have been behind the scenes. I have seen all the coarse pullies and dirtv ropes which exhibit and move the gaudy machine: and
go CHRISTIANITY [Part L
I have seen and smelt the tallow candles which illumine the whole decoration, to the astonishment and admiration of the igno- rant audience. When I reflect on what i have seen, what I have heard, and what I have done, I cannot persuade myself that all that frivolous hurry of bustle and pleasure of the world had any real- ity : but I look on all that is past as one of those romantic dreams which opium commonly occasions ; and I do by no means wish to repeat the nauseous dose for the sake of the fugitive dream. Shall I tell you that I bear this melancholy situation with that meritoriT ous constancy and resignation that most men boast ? No Sir, I really cannot help it. I bear it because I must bear it, whether I will or no. I think of nothing but killing time the best way I can, now that time has become my enemy. It is my resolution to sleep in the carriage during the remainder of the journey."
"You see," reflects the worthy prelate, " in how poor, abject, and unpitied a condition, at a time when he most wanted help and comfortj the world left him, and he left the world. Compare these words with those of another person, who took his leave in a very different manner : lam nozo ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the right- eous Judge shall give me at that day ; and not to me only, hut unt£> all them also who love his appearing.''
It is observable, that even Rousseau himself, though the lan- guage certainly did not become his lips, affected, in advanced life, to derive consolation from Christian principles. In a letter to V^oltaire he says, " I cannot help remarking, Sir, a very singular contrast between you and me. Sated with glory, and undeceived with the inanity of worldly grandeur, you live at freedom, in the midst of plenty, certain of immortality ; you peaceably philoso- phize on the nature of the soul ; and if the body, or the heart are indisposed, you have Tronchin for your physician and friend. Yet with all this you find nothing but evil on the face of the earth, I, on the other hand, obscure, indigent, tormented with an incura- ble disorder, meditate with pleasure in my solitude, and find every thing to be good. Whence arise these apparent contradictions ^
C'HArrEii Ml. I A SOUIICL OF HAPPINESS.
97
Vou have vomsclf expIaiiKHl them. Vou live in a stale ofeojov- nient, 1 in a state of hope ; ami hope i^ives charms to every thin^.-»
Finally: If nothing deserves the name of happines.s which jneets nut the necessities, nor relieves the tnisenes of human life, Christiani- ty alone can claim it. Every one who looks into his own heart, and makes proper observations on the dispositions of others, will jterceive that man is possessed of a desire after something which is not to be found under the sun — after a good wmcu has no limits. We n)ay imagine ourideas are moderate, and set boundaries beyond which we may flatter ourselves we should never wish to pass; but this is self-deception. He that sets his heart on an estate, if he gain it will wish for something more. It would be the same if it were a kingdom ; or even if all the kingdoms of the world were united in one. Nor is this desire to be attributed merely to human depravity; for it is the same with regard to knowledge: the mind is never satibtied vvith its present acquisitions, it is depravity that directs us to seek satisfaction in something short of God; but it ia owing to the nature of the soul that we are never able to find it. It is not possible that a being created immortal, and with a mind ca- pable of continual enlargement, should obtain satisfaction in a lim- ited good. Men may spend their time and strength, and even sa- cri6ce their souls in striving to grasp it, but it will elude their pur- suit. It is only from an untreated source that the mind can drink its fill. Here it is that the gospel meets our necessities. Its Ian guagc is, Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the uaters, and he that hath no mo7iey; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk ■without money and 'dithout price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which satisfieth not ? Hearken diligently unto me, and cat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incliue your ear , and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live. — In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. — He that cometh to me shall never hun- ger; and he that Lelieveth on me shall never thirst. How this lan-
* Worka, Vol. IX. p. 336 Vol. III. 13
98 CHRISTIANITY [Part I.
guage has been verified, all who have made the trial can testify. To them, as to the only competent witnesses, I appeal.
It is not merely the nature of the soul however, but its depravity, from whence our necessities arise. We are sinners. Every man who believes there is a God, and a future state, or even only admits the possibility of them, feels the want of mercy. The first inquiries of a mind awakened to reflection will be, how he may escape the wrath to come; how he shall get over his everlasting ruin. A hea- then, previously to any Christian instruction, exclaimed, in the mo- ment of alarm, What must I do to be saved?* And several Ma- hometans, being lately warned by a Christian minister of their sin- ful state, came the next morning to him with this very serious ques- tion, Keman par hoibo? — " How shall we get over?"! To answer these inquiries is beyond the power of any principles but those of the gospel. Philosophy may conjecture, superstition may deceive, and even a false system of Christianity may be aiding and abet- ting; each may labor to lull the conscience to sleep, but none of them can yield it satisfaction. It is only by believing in Jesus Christ, the great sacrifice that taketh away the sin of the world, that the sinner obtains a relief which will bear reflection; a relief which, at the same time, gives peace to the mind and purity to the heart. For the truth of this also, I appeal to all who have made the trial.
Where, but in the gospel, will you find relief under the innumer- able ills oi. the present state? This is the well-known refuge of Christians. Are they poor, afflicted, persecuted, or reproached ? They are led to consider Him who endured the contradiction of sin- ners, who lived a life of poverty and ignominy, who endured per- secution and reproach, and death itself, for them; and to realize a blessed immortality in prospect. By a view of such things their hearts are cheered, and their afflictions become tolerable. Look- ing to Jesus, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross, de- spising the shame, and is now set down at the right hand of the throne of God, they run with patience the race that is set befijre
* Acts xvi. 30.
t Periodical Accounts of the Baptist Missionary Society, No. IV. p. 326,
Chapter Vll.] A SOURCE OF HAPPINESS. 99
tLem. — But what is the comfort of unbelievers ? Life being short, and having no ground to hope for any thing beyond it, if they be crossed here they become inconsolable. Hence, it is not uncom- mon for persons of this description, after the example of the philos- ophers and statesmen of Greece and Rome, when they find them- selves depressed by adversity, and have no prospect of recovering their t'ortunes, to put a period to their lives! Unhappy men! Is this the felicity to which ye would introduce us ? Is it in guilt, shame, remorse, and desperation that ye descry such charms? Ad- mitting that our hope of immortality is visionary, where is the in- jury ? If it be a dream, is it not a pleasant one? To say the least, it beguiles many a melancholy hour, and can do no mischief; but if it be a reality, what will become of you?
I may be told, that if many put a period to their lives through unbelief, there is an equal number who fall sacrifices to religious melancholy. But to render this objection of force, it should be proved that the religion of Jesus Christ is the cause of this melan- choly. Reason may convince us of the being of a God, and con- science bear witness that we are exposed to his displeasure. Now, if in this state of mind the heart refuse to acquiesce in the gospel way of salvation, we shall of course either rest in some delusive hope or sink into despair. But here, it is not religion, but the want of it, that produces the evil ; it is unbelief, and not faith that sinks the sinner into despondency. Christianity disowns such charac- ters. It records some few examples, such as Saul, Ahithophel, and Judas : but thoy are all branded as apostates from God and true re- ligion. On the contrary, the writings of unbelievers, both ancient and modern, are known to plead for suicide, as an expedient in ex- extremity. Rosseau, Hume, and others, have written in defence of it. The principles of such men both produce and require it. It is the natural offspring of unbelief, and the last resort of disappointed pride.
Whether Christianity, or the want of it be best adapted to re- lieve the heart under its various pressures, let those testify who have been in the habit of visiting the afflicted poor. On this sub- ject the writer of these sheets can speak from his own knowledge. In (hi<! situation characters of very opposite descriptions are
♦.> a \} .1 \ '
]00 CHRISTIANITY [Part I.
found. Some are serious and sincere Christians ; others, even among those who have attended the preaching of the Gospel, ap- pear neither to understand nor to feel it. The tale of woe is told perhaps by both : but the one is unaccompanied with that discon- tent, that wretchedness of mind, and that inclination to despair, which is manifest in the other. Often have I seen the cheerful smile of contentment under circumstances the most abject and afflictive. Amidst tears of sorrow, which a full heart has ren- dered it impossible to suppress, a mixture of hope and joy has glistened. The cup which my Father has given me to drink, shall I not drink it ? Such have been their feelings, and such their ex- pressions ; and where this has been the case, death has generally been embraced as the messenger of peace. Here, I have said, participating of their sensations, — here is the patience and the faith of the saints. Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. — This is the victory that overcumeth the world even our faith. — Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
From individual happiness, let us proceed to examine that of society. Let us inquire, whether there be any well-grounded hope of the future melioration of the state of mankind, besides that which is afforded by the gospel. Great expectations have been raised of an end being put to wars, and of universal good- will pervading the earth, in consequence of philosophical illumin- ation, and the prevalence of certain modes of civil government. But these speculations proceed upon false data. They suppose that the cause of these evils is to be looked for in the ignorance, rather than in the depravity of men : or if depravity be allowed to have any influence, it is confined to the precincts of a court. Without taking upon me to decide which is the best mode of civil government ; or what mode is most adapted to promote the peace and happiness of mankind, it is sufficient in Ibis case, to show that wars generally originate, as the apostle James says, ii: the lusts, or corrupt passions of mankind. If this be proved, it will follow, that, however some forms of government may be more friendly to peace and happines than others, yet no radical cure can be ef- fected till the disposition of men are changed. Let power be
ruAPTERVll.l A SOURCE OF IIMTINF.S?. JOJ
j»laced where il in:iy, with ono or with iiuii»\ , still it must be in tliH liands of men. If all governments were so friimed ;i^ that every national act should be expressive of the real will of the people. still, if the preponderating part of them be i^ovirned by pridi- and self-love rather than equity, we are not much the nearer. Governors taken from the common mas« of Society, mu>t iieetl- resemble it. If there be any dillerence at the time of their fir.si elevation to office, owing, as may be supposed, to the preference which all men give to an upright character lor the management ol their concerns, yet this advantage will be balanced, if not over- balanced by the subsequent temptations to injustice which are al- forded by situations of wealth and power.
What is the source of contentions in conuuon life ? Observe the discords in neighbourhoods and families ; which, notwithstand- ingallthe restraints of relationship, interest, honour, law, and rea- son, are a fire that never ceases to burn ; and which were the} no more controlled by the laws than independent nations are by each other, would in thousands of instances break forth into assas- sinations and murders. From whence spring these wars ? Are they the resiilts of ignorance ? If so, they wouhl chietly be con- fined to the rude, or uninformed part of the community. But is it so ? There may, it is true, be more pretences to peace and good will, and fewer bursts of open resentment in the higher, than in the lower order of people : but their dispositions are much the same. The laws of politeness can only polish the surface ; and there are eome parts of the human character wiiich still appear very rough. Even politeness has its regulations for strife and murder, and establishes iniquity by a law. The evil disposition is a kind ofsubterraneous fire ; and in some form it will have vent. Are they the result of court influence'! No. 'J'he truth is, if civil government in some form did not influence the tears of the unjust and contentious part of the community, there would be no security to those who are peaceably inclined, and especially to those who are withal religious, and who?-" ,'io ..-> conduct, like that of Noah, condemns the world. Now the same disposition which, in persons whose power extends only 4o a cottage, wdl operate iu a way of domestic discord ; in others whose influence extends
102 CHRISTIANITY [Part I.
to the affairs of nations will operate on a more enlarged scale, producing war and ali the dire calamities which attend it. The sum of the whole is this : When the preponderating part of the world shall cease to be proud, ambitious, envious, covetious, lovers of their ownselves, false, malignant, and intriguing; when they shall love God and one another out of a pure heart ; then, and not till then, may we expect wars to cease, and the state of man- kind to be essentially meliorated. While these dispositions re- main, they will be certain to show themselves. If the best laws or constitution in the world stand in their way, they will, on cer- tain occasions, bear down all before them.
An anonymous writer in the Monthly Magazine* (a work which, without avowing it, is pretty evidently devoted to the cause of infidelity,) has instituted an inqtiiry into " The probability of the future melioration of the state of mankind." A dismal pros- pect indeed it is which he holds up to his fellow-creatures ; yet were 1 an Infidel, like him, I should acquiesce in many things which he advances. The anchor of his hopes is an increase of knowledge, and the effects of this are circumscribed within a very narrow boundary. With respect to what we call civilization, he reckons it to have undergone all the vicissitudes of which it is capable. Scientijic rehnement may contribute to the happiness of a few indivicuals ; but, he fears, cannot be made a ground of much advantage to the mass of mankind. Great scope, indeed, remains for the operation of increased knowledge in improvement in gov- ernment: but even here it can only cure those evils which arise from ignorance, and not those which proceed from intention ; which, '' while the propensity to prefer our own interests above that of the community is," as he acknowledges, "interwoven into our very nature," will always form the mass of existing ills. If", indeed, the majority of a community, he says, became so enlight- ened concerning their interests, and so wise, steady, and unanim- ous in the pursuit of Ihem, as to overcome all that resistance which the possessors of undue advantages will always make to a change unfavourable to themselves, something might be hopeti
* For Tebrmry, 1799, p P.
( UAPTLK VII. ^ A SOURCE OF HAPPINKSo. [03
lor. Hut thj*, while they are uiuler their old masters, he reckons as next to impossible. As to political revolutions, he dirl form high expectations from them ; but his hopes are at an end. " 1 have only the wish left," says he, *' the confidence is gone." As to improved si/stcms of morality, which he considers as the art of living happy, though it mi<!;ht serm promising, yet history, he verv justly remarks, does not allow us to expect that men, in propor- tion as they advance in this species of knowledge, will become more just, more temperate, or more benevolent. Of the extinc- tion of wars, he has no hope. The new order of things which seemed opening in Europe, and to bid fair for it, has rathci mcrcased the evil : and as to Christianity, 'it has been tried, it seems, and found to be insufficient for the purpose. Commerce, instead of binding the nations in a golden chain of mutual peace and friendship, seems only to have given additional motives for war.
'J'he amount is. There is little or no hope of the slate of man- kind being meliorated on public principles. All the improrement he can discern in this way consists in there being a little more len- ity in the government of some countries than formerly : as to this, it is balanced by the prodigious increase of standing armies, and other national burdens.
The only way in which an increase in kncndedge is to operate to the melioration of the state of mankind is in private life. It is to soften and humanize men's manners, and emancipate theii minds from the shackles of superstition and bigotry ; names which writers of this class commonly bestow upon Christianity. This is the boundary beyond which, whatever be his wishes, the hopes of this writer will not sutler him to pass : and even this respects only Europe and her immediate connexions, and not the whole of them. The great mass of mankind are in an absolutely hopeless condi- tion : for there are no means of carrying our improvements amont; them but by conquest, and conquest is a Pandora's box, at tht mention of which he shudders.
Such are the prospects of unbelievers ; such is the horrid despondency under which they sink when providence counteracts their favourite schemes ; and such the spirit which they labour U' infuse into the minds of men in order to make them happy ! Chri-
10i\ CmilS'l'IAiNITY [Part I.
lian reader, Have you no better hopes than these ? Are you not acquainted with a principle, which, like the machine of Archi- medes, will remove this mighty mass of evils? Be they as great and as numerous as they may, if all can be reduced to a single cause, and that cause removed, the work is done. All the evils of which this writer complains are reducible to that one principle, which, he says, (and it is well he says it,) " is interwoven into our very nature ; namely, The propensity to prefer our own interests above that of the community." It is this propensity that operates in the great, and induces them to '' oppose every thing that would be unfavourable to their power and advantage ;'' and the same thing operates among common people ; great numbers of whom it is well known, would sell their country for a piece of bread. If this principle cannot be removed, I shall, with this writer, for ever despair of any essential changes for the better in the state of mankind, and will content myself with cultivating private and domestic happiness, and hoping for the blessedness of a future life ; but if it can, I must leave him to despair alone.
My hopes are not founded on forms of government, nor even on an increase of knowledge, though each may have its value ; but oti the spirit hy which both the rvlers and the people will be governed. All forms of government have hitherto rested on the basis of self- love. The wisest and best statesmen have been obliged to take it for granted that the mass of every people will be governed by this principle ; and, consequently, all their schemes have been direct- ed to the balancing of things in such a manner as that people, in pursuing their own interest, should promote that of the public. If in any case they have presumed on the contrary, experience has soon taught them that all their schemes are visionary, and inappli- cable to real life. But if the mass of the people, composed of all the different orders of society, were governed by a spirit of justice and disinterested benevolence, systems of government might safely be formed on this basis. It would then be sufficient for statesmen to ascertain what was right, and best adapted to promote the good of the community, and the people would cheerfully pursue it ; and, pursuing this, would find their own good more effectually promo- ted, than by all the little discordant arts of a selfish mind.
Chapter VII.] A SOURCE OF HAPPlNEss. 105
The excellence of the most admired conslilulions wliicb Lave hitherto appeared in the world, has chiefly consisted in the balance of power being so distributed anionii the different orders of society, as that no one sliould m.ileri illy oppressor injure the other. They have endeavoured to set boundaries to each other's encroachments, and contrived, in some degree, to counteract venality, corruption, and tumult. I'lUt all this supposes a corrupt state of .society: and amounts to no more than making the best of things, taking them as they are. As things are, locks, keys, bolts and bars are necessary in our houses; but it were better if there were