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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/13285-0.txt b/13285-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e716a63 --- /dev/null +++ b/13285-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3253 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13285 *** + + OCCASIONAL THOUGHTS + + + In reference to a + + + Vertuous or Christian + + + LIFE. + + + + LONDON, + + + Printed for A. and J. Churchil at the + Black Swan in Pater-noster Row. + 1705. + + + +THE PREFACE. + + + +_The following discourse was written some Years since, not without the +thought that, possibly, it might be of farther use than for the +entertainment of the Writer: Yet so little express Intention was there +of Publishing the Product of those leisure Hours it employ'd, that +these Papers lay by for above two Years unread, and almost forgotten. +After which time, being perus'd and Corrected, they were communicated +to some Friends of the Authors, who judging them capable to be useful, +they are now sent into the World in that Hope. + +There is nothing pretended or suppos'd to be in them which is not +obvious: but Truths the most evident, are sometimes overlook'd, or not +sufficiently and universally attended to: And where these are Truths +of moment, it is no ill Service, by frequent representations of them, +to procure them attention. + +I think there can be few heartily concerned for the Vice and +Immorality that abounds amongst us, who have not sometimes reflected +upon loose or careless Education, as one cause thereof: But yet the +great weight that right Instruction and Discipline of Youth, is of, in +respect both of Peoples present and future Felicity, is (as I take it) +far from being generally so settl'd in the Minds of Parents, as to be +steadily look'd upon by them as the one thing to that degree +necessary, that without due care taken thereof, all other indeavours, +to render their Children happy, either in this Life, or in that which +is to come, are likely to be very inefficacious. + + +That right Instruction, in regard of Vertue, consists in joining +together, inseparably, good Principles with early Habits, either of +these being insufficient without the other, is likewise, I presume, no +new Thought: But is yet what appears to me to be very little reflected +upon. When this is duly consider'd, People cannot, I think, but be +soon convinc'd from what Hands the right Instruction spoken of, ought +to come; for nothing can, in my Opinion, be more obvious than that is. +If these_ OCCASIONAL THOUGHTS _shall produce better digested ones +from any other Hand; or shall themselves be any way serviceable to +the reducing or directing of one single Soul into the paths of Vertue, +I shall not repent the Publishing them: And however useless they may +be to this end (sincerely aim'd at) yet the very Design will intitle +them to no unfavourable reception: For but to indeavour to contribute, +in the least degree, to the Honour of God, or Good of Mankind, can +never stand in need of Pardon. And such a Modesty or Fear of +displeasing any as withholds Men from enterprising the one, or the +other of these, where nothing but their own Credit is hazarded, should +the design not succeed, is, on the contrary, very blameable. + +Besides these two Motives, could I need any other to ingage me in the +defence of Vertue, I should find yet a very powerful one in that +dutiful Affection which I pay, and which every Subject ows to a_ GOOD +PRINCE: _Since the_ QUEEN, _I am fully perswaded, would not so much +rejoyce in the Accession of great Kingdoms to her Dominions, as to see +the People, already happy in Her Government over them, indeavouring to +make themselves and one another so, in following the great Example +which She sets them of Vertue and Piety._ + + + * * * * * + + + + + + + OCCASIONAL THOUGHTS + + + In reference to a + + + Vertuous or Christian + + + LIFE. + + + + + +There is no so constant and satisfactory a Pleasure, to those who are +capable of it, as Rational Conversation gives: And to me, depriv'd of +that Enjoyment, the remembrance thereof, is, in my present Solitude, +the most delightful Entertainment: Wherein some of my leisure hours +will not, I hope, be mispent, should this engage me to prosecute such +Thoughts as were lately suggested to me by others. The which taking +their rise from a particular Enquiry, and thence proceeding to a +general Consideration of the Folly and Madness of Rational Creature's +acting, as if they had no other Principle to direct or determin them, +than the Incitements of their Passions and Appetites, comprehended at +once the unhappiness of Mankind, both Here and Hereafter. Since those +Breaches of the Eternal Law of Reason, which disorder Common-wealths +and Kingdoms; disturb the Peace of Families; and make by far the +greatest part of the Private Infelicities of Particular Persons in +this World, are what the Sovereign Disposer of all things has +ordain'd, shall render Men miserable in a future Life also. + +A survey of which Moral Irregularities, as bringing into view a large +Scene of Human Depravity, does indeed furnish matter for melancholy, +rather than pleasing Contemplations: But the Mind is sometimes no less +affected with Delight, wherein there is a mixture of sadness on +Subjects, which in themselves consider'd are ungrateful, than on +occasions the most welcome to us: And such a just zeal in any for the +interests of Vertue, as makes them, with a Charitable concern, reflect +on the miscarriages of others, and thence take occasion to examine +their own Actions by the true Rules and Measures of their Duty, +expresses a disposition of Mind too becoming Rational Creatures, and +too seldom met withal, not to please, tho' excited by Representations +which are disagreeable; provided they are of such a matter as is not +then new to our Thoughts. + +That the Gross of Mankind do every where live in opposition to that +Rule of Nature which they ought to obey, is a sad Truth; but that we +who have this Rule enforc'd by a clearer Light, are included herein, +and do in this find the source of many Evils, not only fear'd, but +which we actually feel, are Considerations yet more affecting, and not +a little aggravated in that, within Memory, this heretofore sober +Nation has been debauch'd from Principles of Vertue and Religion, to +such an excess of Vice and Prophaneness, that it has been Fashionable +to have no shame of the grossest Immoralities; and Men have thought +even to recommend themseves by avow'd Impiety. A Change which could +not be consider'd without extream regret by all who either were in +earnest Christians, or who truly lov'd the Prosperity of their +Country: And as upon this occasion there was reason to be sensible +that nothing operates so powerfully as the example of Princes; some +have been of later Years induc'd to hope for a revolution in our +Manners, no less advantageous than what has hitherto secur'd those +Civil and Religious Liberties, without which it is impossible for +Vertue to subsist among any People whatsoever. But Experience shows +that Humane Nature is much easier led into Evil, than reduc'd from it; +and that inveterate Maladies are difficultly cur'd. + +When Men's Practices have infected their Principles and Opinions; and +these have had time again reciprocally to confirm them in their +Vicious Habits and Customs, the whole Constitution is corrupted; and +the Personal Vertue then of the Prince (however conspicuous) will not, +without a concurrence of other means, influence farther than to make +(it may be) some change in the Garb, or Fashion of Men's Vices. + +A due and vigorous Execution of proper Laws against Immorality and +Prophaneness, is that alone which will effectually restrain them: And +a right care had of Education, is the only humane means of making +People truly Vertuous. Whenever our inferiour Magistrates shall be +such as will be _a terror to Evil doers, and encouragers of those who +do well_, and when Parents shall be perswaded that it is in their +power to procure to their Children more valuable Treasures than Riches +and Honours; the ancient Vertue of our Ancestors will then quickly be +equall'd, if not surpass'd, by that of their Posterity: But till then, +it is in vain to expect that any great Advances should be made towards +an Amendment, as necessary to our present and National, as to our +Personal and Future Happiness. + +What the force of Education is upon our Minds, and how by a due regard +had to it, Common-wealths and Kingdoms have flourished, and become +famous; and how much this has been recommended by Wise Men in all +Ages, requires but a small consideration of Humane Nature, and +Acquaintance with History to inform us; nor is any thing more obvious +to observe than the power of Education. This matter yet has no where +been ordinarily look'd after, proportionably to the moment it is +visibly of: And even the most sollicitous about it, have usually +employ'd their care herein but by halves with respect to the Principal +Part in so great a concernment; for the information and improvement of +the Understanding by useful Knowledge, (a thing highly necessary to +the right regulation of the Manners) is commonly very little thought +of in reference to one whole Sex; even by those who in regard of the +other, take due care hereof. But to this omission in respect of one +Sex, it is manifestly very much to be attributed, that that pains +which is often bestow'd upon the other, does so frequently, as it +does, prove ineffectual: Since the actual assistance of Mothers, will +(generally speaking) be found necessary to the right forming of the +Minds of their Children of both Sexes; and the Impressions receiv'd in +that tender Age, which is unavoidably much of it passed among Women, +are of exceeding consequence to Men throughout the whole remainder of +their Lives, as having a strong and oftentimes unalterable influence +upon their future Inclinations and Passions. + +As those Persons who afforded that agreeable Conversation I have +mention'd, were the greater part of them Ladies, it was not strange if +they express'd much displeasure at the too general neglect of the +Instruction of their Sex; a Reflection not easily to be avoided by +them, when their thoughts upon the miscarriages and unhappiness of +Mankind in general, terminated in a more peculiar Consideration of +that part which those of their own Condition had in the one, and the +other. Wherein the Conversation concluded where it had begun; the +occasion which introduced it having been the Enquiry of a Lady, What +was the Opinion of one in the Company concerning a Book Intitled +_Conseils d'Ariste sur les Moyens de conserver sa Reputation_? Of +which (she said) she had heard divers Persons of Merit and Quality, +speak very differently: Some as if it contained the most useful +Instructions that could be given for the rendring any young Lady such +as her best Friends could wish she should be; and others, as relishing +too much of an Antiquated severity, not indulgent enough either to the +natural and agreeable Gaiety of Youth, or to that innocent Liberty now +in use, deriv'd like most of our other Fashions, from that Nation +where these _Counsels_ were thought needful. + +I remember not the Book you speak of enough to answer to your desire, +(reply'd the Person to whom this Enquiry was address'd) but what you +say is objected to these _Conseils_ is without doubt impertinent, +unless the Precepts therein meant to be condemn'd, are shown to be in +themselves faulty; it being certainly otherwise no matter of exception +to them that they are not Indulgent to what an Age, the Manners +whereof they were intended to correct, had establish'd or found +agreeable. This Objection yet can hardly (I think) be less just, than +such a Character of any Book of this Nature, as some it seems give of +this: the Author whereof pretended not (as I suppose) to so much in +his Design, as these People find in his Performance. And the nature +and extent of a Christian's Duty is but little in their thoughts, who +think that any Rules dictated by Prudence, or Experience of the World, +and directed to the Glory of a good Name, are such Instructions as can +render any one what they ought to be. A _solid Vertue_ can alone do +this; the Possession whereof is infinitely preferable to that of +Reputation; with which yet it is so rarely unattended, that one may +affirm there is no so secure and easie a way (especially for a Lady) +to acquire and conserve the Reputation of being Vertuous, as really to +be so. + +But Vertue is not (tho often so misrepresented) included in Innocency; +or does consist in a partial Practice of Actions praiseworthy; for its +extent is equal to our liberty of Action; and its Principle the most +Active one of the Mind; Vertue being the natural result of a sincere +desire to conform in all things to the Law set us by our Maker; which +who so truly endeavours, will not find much occasion for such kind of +Advices as the above-mentioned ones, either to correct their Faults, +or teach them to put a mask over them; an ill use sometimes made of +this sort of Instructions: However a better might be, since it is +true, that young People from the Experience of others may learn many +things in reference to their Conduct, the knowledge whereof they would +buy too dear at their own. The difficulty yet that there is in +applying general Rules to particular Cases, makes (I presume) Books of +this sort, how good soever in the kind, of less advantage to those who +most need them, than some imagine them to be. + +This which was then said on the Subject of these _Conseils_ (lying by +accident in the way) suggests to me now two things, wherein the +Documents ordinarily given to such young Ladies, as are intended to +have the best care taken of their Instruction, are, I think, very +defective; and the fitter to be redress'd, as being of peculiar ill +consequence in a Sceptical, loose and unthinking Age; wherein Wit is +apt to pass upon many for Reason. + +The first of these is, That those Notions, or Ideas of Vertue, and +consequent Rules of Action, which are usually given to such young +Persons, do rarely carry along with them an entire conviction of their +Truth and Reasonableness: Whence if these Instructions at any time +happen strongly to cross the Inclinations of those to whom they are +given, it will appear rational to question their Solidity: And when +Principles that thwart People's passions or interests, come once to be +doubted of by them, it is great odds, that they will sooner be +slighted, than better examin'd. + +Now, this want of apparent Truth and Reasonableness, is not only +where the _Notions_ and _Precepts_ giv'n, are in themselves such as +either in Whole, or in Part, are not True or Rational; but also +(oftentimes) where they are altogether conformable to right Reason: In +which cases, the want of apparent Reasonableness, proceeds from a +defect of such Antecedent Knowledge in those who are design'd to be +instructed, as is necessary to the seeing their Reasonableness of the +Instructions giv'n them; that is to say, To their discerning the +conformity with, or evident deduction of such Instructions from some +Truths which are unquestion'd by them: the which should be the +Principles of True Religion, so clearly made out to them, as to be by +them acknowledg'd for Verities. Religion being (as I shall take it at +present for granted) the only sufficient ground or solid support of +Vertue; For the belief of a Superior, Omnipotent Being, inspecting +our Actions, and who will Reward or Punish us accordingly, is in all +Men's Apprehensions the strangest, and in truth the only stable and +irresistible Argument for submitting our Desires to a constant +Regulation, wherein it is that Vertue does consist. + +How far Natural Religion alone is sufficient for this, is very fit to +be consider'd: But I conclude that among us, there are few who pretend +to recommend Vertue, but who do so either with no respect at all to +Religion, and upon Principles purely Humane, or else with reference to +the Christian Religion. The first of these, it is already said, will +be ineffectual; and it is no less certain that the Christian Religion +cannot be a solid Foundation for Vertue, where Vertue being inculcated +upon the Declarations of the Gospel, those who are thus instructed, +are not convinc'd of the Authority and Evidence of that Revelation; +which but too commonly is the Case: Instructors, instead of Teaching +this necessary previous Knowledge of Religion, generally, supposing it +to be already in them whom they instruct, who in reality neither have +it, or have ever been so before-hand Taught, as to make it a +reasonable Presumption that they should have it. Whence all the +Endeavours of making them Vertuous in consequence of their +Christianity, are but attempting to raise a real Superstructure upon +an only imaginary Foundation; for Truths receiv'd upon any other +Ground than their own Evidence, tho' they may, perhaps, find +entertainment, yet will never gain to themselves a sure hold upon the +Mind; and so soon as they become troublesome, are in great danger of +being question'd; whereby whatever is Built upon them, must be +likewise liable to be suspected for fallacious: And however empty +Declamations do often-times make livelier impressions upon Young +People than substantial Reasoning, yet these impressions are, for the +most part, easily effac'd; and especially are so out of their Minds +who naturally are the capablest of right Reason; as among other +instances appears in this, that prophane Wits do often even railly +Women of the Best Parts (Religiously Bred as they call it) out of +their Duty: These not seeing (as they should have been early Taught to +do) that what they have learn'd to be their Duty is not grounded upon +the uncertain and variable Opinion of Men, but the unchangeable nature +of things; and has an indissolvable Connection with their Happiness or +Misery. + +Now those who have the Direction of Young Ladies in their Youth, so +soon as past Child-hood, whether they be the Parents, Governesses, or +others, do not, most commonly, neglect the Teaching them That which is +the Ground and Support of all the Good Precepts they give them; +because that Principles of Religion are by them believed to be +unnecessary; or are not in their Thoughts; but because they presume, +as has been said, that those now under their Care are already +sufficiently instructed herein; viz. When their Nurses, or Maids, +Taught them their Catechisms; that is to say, Certain Answers to a +Train of Questions adapted to some approv'd System of Divinity. + +That this is sufficient Instruction in Religion, is apparently a +Belief pretty general: And not only such Young Ladies as have newly +put off their Bibs and Aprons, but even the greatest Number of their +Parents, and Teachers themselves, would, yet less than They, be +pleas'd if one should tell them that those who know so much as this, +may nevertheless be very Ignorant concerning the Christian Religion; +these Old People no more than the Young Ones, being able to give any +farther Account thereof than they have thus been taught. It is yet +true that many who have Learn'd, and who well remember long +Catechisms, with all their pretended Proofs, are so far from having +that Knowledge which Rational Creatures ought to have of a Religion +they profess to Believe they can only be Sav'd by, as that they are +not able to say, either what this Religion does Consist in, or why it +is they Believe it; and are so little instructed by their Catechisms, +as that, oftentimes, they understand not so much as the very Terms +they have Learn'd in them: And more often find the Proportions therein +contain'd, so short in the Information of their Ignorance; or so +unintelligible, to their Apprehensions; or so plainly contradictory of +the most obvious Dictates of common Sense; that Religion (for the +which they never think of looking beyond these Systems) appears to +them indeed a thing not Built upon, or defensible by Reason: In +consequence of which Opinion, the weakest attaques made against it, +must needs render such Persons (at the least) wavering in their Belief +of it; Whence those Precepts of Vertue, which they have receiv'd as +bottom'd thereon, are, in a Time wherein Scepticism and Vice, pass for +Wit and Gallantry, necessarily brought under the suspicion of having +no solid Foundation; and the recommenders thereof, either of +Ignorance, or Artifice. + +But the not making Young People understand their Religion, is a fault +not peculiar in regard to the instruction of one Sex alone, any +otherwise than as consider'd in its Consequences; whereby (ordinarily +speaking) Women do the most inevitably suffer; as not having the like +Advantage (at least early enough) of Correcting the Ignorance, or +Errors of their Child-hood that Men have. + +The other thing which I imagine faulty, does more peculiarly concern +the Sex, but is yet chiefly practic'd in regard of Those of it who are +of Quality, and that is, the insinuating into them such a Notion of +Honour as if the praise of Men ought to be the Supreme Object of their +Desires, and the great Motive with them to Vertue: _A Term_ which when +apply'd to Women, is rarely design'd, by some People, to signifie any +thing but the single Vertue of Chastity; the having whereof does with +no more Reason intitle a Lady to the being thought such as she should +be in respect of Vertue, than a handsome Face, unaccompany'd by other +Graces, can render her Person truly Amiable. Or rather, _Chastity_ is +so essential to, singly, so small a part of the Merit of a Beautiful +Mind, that it is better compar'd to Health, or Youth, in the Body, +which alone have small Attractions, but without which all other +Beauties are of no Value. + +To perswade Ladies then that what they cannot want without being +contemptible, is the chief Merit they are capable of having, must +naturally either give them such low thoughts of themselves as will +hinder them from aspiring after any thing Excellent, or else make them +believe that this mean Opinion of them is owing to the injustice of +such Men in their regard as pretend to be their Masters. A belief too +often endeavour'd to be improv'd in them by others. + +But whether any Natural, or Design'd ill consequence follow from +hence or no, this is certain, that a true Vertue is the best Security +against all the Misfortunes that can be fear'd, and the surest Pledge +of all the Comforts that can be hop'd for in a Wife, _viz._ such a +Vertue whose Foundation is a desire above all things, of approving our +selves to God; the most opposite Principle whereunto is the making the +Esteem of Men the chief End, and Aim of our Actions; as it is propos'd +to be of Their's who have the empty Idea of Glory set before them as +the great Motive to, and high Reward of that particular Duty, which +(as if it included all others) does ordinarily ingross the Name of +Vertue, with regard to Women. A very wrong Motive this, to Those who +aim at what is truely Honourable, and such as may (and often does) as +well produce an ill, as a good effect. + +But these wrong or partial Notions of Vertue, and Honour, are the +Product only of such Men's Inventions as are unwilling to regulate +their own Actions by the Universal, and Eternal Law of Right; and +therefore are ever desirous to find out such Rules for other People, +as will not reach themselves, and as they can extend and contract as +they please. In saying of which, it is not deny'd, that the love of +Praise may be sometimes usefully instill'd into very Young Persons, to +give them the desire of Eminence in things wherein they should +endeavour to excel: But as this ought never to be made the incitement +to any Vertue but in the earliest Childhood of our Reason, so also at +no time should Glory (which is the Reward only of Actions +transcendently Good, either in kind, or degree) be represented as the +purchase of barely not meriting Infamy: The apprehension of which, is +a much stronger perswasive to most People not to do amiss, than that +of Glory, which cannot consist with it: For no Body can rationally +think that Glory can be due to them for doing that, which it would be +shameful in them not to do. But there is yet a farther Folly and ill +Consequence in Men's intitling Ladies to Glory on account of Chastity +which is, that the conceit hereof (especially in those who are +Beautiful) does ordinarily produce in them a Pride and Imperiousness, +that is very troublesome to such as are the most concern'd in them. + +One whose business it was to remark the Humours of the Age, and of +Mankind in general, has, I remember, made a Husband on this occasion +to say, + + + _Such Vertue is the Plague of Human Life, + A Vertuous Woman, but a Cursed Wife._ + + +And he adds, + + + _In Unchaste Wives, + There's yet a kind of recompencing Ease, + Vice keeps 'em Humble, gives 'em care to please. + But against clamorous Vertue, what Defence?_ + + +If Mr. _Dryden_ did distinguish herein, between real Vertue and that +Idol one of Men's Invention, he was, perhaps, not much in the wrong in +what he suggests: But if he design'd in this a Satyr against Marriage, +as a state in the which a Man can no way be happy, it appears then how +much Vertue is prejudiced by this foreign Support, whilst it becomes +thereby expos'd to such a Censure; which if it may be Just in +reference to a vain Glorious Chastity, yet can never be so of a truly +Vertuous one: Obedience to the Law of God, being an Universal +Principle, and admitting of no Irregularity in one thing any more than +in another, which falls under it's Direction. + +It is indeed only a Rational Fear of God, and desire to approve our +selves to him, that will teach us in All things, uniformly to live as +becomes our Reasonable Nature; to inable us to do which, must needs be +the great Business and End of a Religion which comes from God. + +But how differently from this has the Christian Religion been +represented by those who place it in useless Speculations, Empty +Forms, or Superstitious Performances? The Natural Tendency of which +things being to perswade Men that they may please God at a cheaper +Rate than by the Denial of their Appetites, and the Mortifying of +their Irregular Affections, these Misrepresentations of a pretended +Divine Revelation have been highly prejudicial to Morality: And, +thereby, been also a great occasion of Scepticism; for the Obligation +to Vertue being loosen'd, Men easily become Vicious; which when once +they are, the Remorse of their Consciences bringing them to desire +that there should be no future Reckoning for their Actions; and even +that there should be no God to take any cognizance of them; they often +come (in some degree at least) to be perswaded both of the one, and +the other of these. And thus, many times, there are but a few steps +between a Zealous Bigot, and an Infidel to all Religion. + +_Scepticism,_ or rather _Infidelity,_ is the proper Disease our Age, +and has proceeded from divers Causes: But be the remoter or original +ones what they will, it could never have prevail'd as it has done, had +not Parents very generally contributed thereto, either her by +negligence of their Children's Instruction; or Instructing them very +ill in respect of Religion. + +It might indeed seem strange to one who had no experience of Mankind, +that People (however neglected in their Education) could, when they +came to years of Judgment, be to such a degree wanting to themselves, +as not to seek right Information concerning Truths of so great Moment +to them not to be Ignorant of, or mistaken in, as are those of +Religion. Yet such is the wretched Inconsideration Natural to most +Men, that (in fact) it is no uncommon thing at all to see Men live day +after day, in the pursuit of their Inclinations, without ever exerting +their Reason to any other purpose than the gratification of their +Passions; and no wonder can it then be if they give in to the belief, +or take up with a blind Perswasion of such Opinions as they see to be +most in Credit; and which will also the best suit their turn? + +_Absolute Atheism_ does no doubt the best serve Their's, who live as +if there was no God in the World; but how far so great Non-sense as +this, has been able to obtain, is not easie to say: downright Atheism +being what but few Men will own. To me it appears (in that Those who +will expose themselves to argue against the Existence of a God, do +rarely venture to produce any Hypothesis of their own to be fairly +examin'd and compar'd with that which they reject: But that their +opposition to a Deity, consists only in Objections which may as well +be retorted upon themselves, and which at best prove nothing but the +shortness of Humane Understanding) to me, I say, it appears from hence +probable that the greatest part of Atheistick Reasoners, do rather +desire, and seek to be Atheists, than that in reality they are so. +Men, who are accustom'd to Believe without any Evidence of Reason for +what they Believe, are, it is likely, more in earnest in this wild +Opinion: And in all appearance very many there are among us of such as +a Learned Man calls _Enthusiastick Atheists, viz._ who deny the +Existence of an Invisible, Omniscient, Omnipotent, first Cause of all +things, only through a certain Sottish disbelief of whatsoever they +cannot either see or feel; never consulting their Reason in the Case. +That there are some who do thus, their Discourses assure us: The +Actions of many others, are unaccountable without supposing them to be +of this Number; and it is very suspicious that to this Atheism as to a +secret Cause thereof, may be attributed the avow'd Averseness of many +Men to reveal'd Religion, since in a Country where People are +permitted to read the Scriptures, and to use their Reason freely in +matters of Religion; and where, in effect, there are so many Rational +Christians, 'tis hard to conceive that Men can be long Scepticks in +regard of Christianity, if they are indeed hearty Deists; and fully +perswaded of the Truths of Natural Religion. + +But it being sufficiently obvious that want of Instruction concerning +Religion does in a Sceptical Age dispose Men to Scepticism and +Infidelity, which often terminates in downright Atheism; let us see +whether, or no, Ill, by which I mean, all irrational Instruction in +regard of Religion, has not the same Tendency. + +It is as undeniable as the difference between Men's being in, and out +of their Wits, that Reason ought to be to Rational Creatures the Guide +of their Belief: That is to say, That their Assent to any thing, +ought to be govern'd by that proof of its Truth, whereof Reason is the +Judge; be it either Argument, or Authority, for in both Cases Reason +must determine our Assent according to the validity of the Ground it +finds it Built on: By Reason being here understood that Faculty in us +which discovers, by the intervention of intermediate Ideas, what +Connection Those in the Proposition have one with another: Whether +_certain_; _probable_; or _none at all_; according whereunto, we ought +to regulate our Assent. If we do not so, we degrade our selves from +being Rational Creatures; and deprive our selves of the only Guide God +has given us for our Conduct in our Actions and Opinions. + +Authority yet is not hereby so subjected to Reason, as that a +Proposition which we see not the Truth of, may not nevertheless be +Rationally assented to by us. + +For tho' Reason cannot from the Evidence of the thing it self induce +our assent to any Proposition, where we cannot perceive the Connexion +of the Ideas therein contain'd; yet if it appears that such a +Proposition was truly reveal'd by God, nothing can be more Rational +than to believe it: since we know that God can neither Deceive, nor be +Deceived: That there are Truths above our Conception, and that God may +(if he so pleases) communicate these to us by Supernatural Revelation. + +The part of Reason then, in regard of such a Proposition as this, is, +only to examine whether it be indeed a Divine Revelation: which should +Reason not attest to the Truth of; it is then evidently Irrational to +give, or require assent to it as being so. + +And as plainly Irrational must it be to give, or require assent to +any thing as a Divine Revelation, which is evidently contrary to +Reason; no less being herein imply'd than that God has made us so as +to see clearly that to be a Truth, which is yet a Falshood; the which, +were it so, would make the Testimony of our Reason useless to us; and +thereby destroy also the Credit of all Revelation; for no stronger +proof can be had of the Truth of any Revelation than the Evidence of +our Reason that it is a Revelation. + +Now if the Christian Religion be very often represented as teaching +Doctrines clearly contrary to Reason; or as exacting belief of what we +can neither perceive the Truth of, nor do find to be reveal'd by +Christ, or his Apostles: And, (what is still more) that this pretended +Divine Religion does even consist in such a Belief as This; so that a +Man cannot be a Christian without believing what he neither from +Arguments or Authority has any Ground for believing; what must the +Natural Consequence of this be upon all whoever so little consult +their Reason, when in riper Years they come to reflect hereupon, but +to make them recal, and suspend, at least, their assent to the Truth +of a Religion that appears to them thus Irrational? since an +Irrational Religion can never Rationally be conceived to come from +God. + +And if Men once come to call in question such Doctrines as (tho' but +upon slender Grounds for it) they had received for unquestionable +Truths of Religion, they are ordinarily more likely to continue +Scepticks, or to proceed to an intire disbelief of this Religion, than +to take occasion from hence to make a just search after its Verity: +The want either of Capacity, Leisure or Inclination for such an +inquiry, disposing Men, very generally, to neglect it; and easily to +satisfy themselves in so doing, from a perswasion that the Christian +Religion is indeed self condemn'd: Those whom they imagine to have +understood it as well as any Men, having never taught them that this +Religion does so much as pretend to any Foundation in, or appeal to +Reason, that Faculty in us which distinguishes us from Beasts, and the +Actual use thereof from Mad-Men; but indeed Taught them the contrary: +And thus prejudg'd, it truly is that the Christian Religion, by those +who disbelieve it, has usually come to be rejected; without ever +having been allow'd a fair Examination. + +From what has been said, I think it does appear, that Ill, that is to +say, Irrational Instruction concerning Religion, as well as want of +Instruction, disposes to Scepticism: And this being so, what wonder +can it be that Scepticism having once become fashionable, should +continue so? the un-instructed, and the ill-instructed, making by so +great odds, the Majority. For Those who have no Religion themselves, +do not often take care that others should have any: And They who +adhere to a misgrounded Perswasion concerning Religion, retaining a +Reverence for their Teachers, do, in consequence thereof, commonly +presume that their Children cannot be better taught than they have +been before them; which is generally (as has been said) only by the +learning of some approved Catechism; wherein, commonly enough, the +first principles of Religion are not, as they should be, laid down, +but suppos'd: and from whence Those who learn them, learn nothing +except that certain Propositions are requir'd to be Believed, which +perhaps, they find inconceivable by them; or (at best) whereof they +see neither use, nor certainty: These Catechisms yet being +represented to Children by those whom they the most Esteem, and +Credit, as containing Sacred verities on the Belief of which Salvation +does depend, they quickly become afraid to own that they are not +convinc'd of the Truth of what is deliver'd in them: For the greater +part among our selves are instructed in Religion much after the same +manner that that good Lady of the Church of _Rome_ instructed her +Child; who when the Girl told her, she _could not believe +Transubstantiation_; Reply'd, _What? You do you not believe +Transubstantiation? You are a naughty Girl, and must be whip'd._ + +Instead of having their reasonable Inquiries satisfy'd, and +incourag'd, Children are ordinarily rebuk'd for making any: from +whence not daring in a short time to question any thing that is taught +them in reference to Religion; they, (as the Girl above-mention'd was) +are brought to say, that they _do Believe_ whatever their Teachers +tell them they must Believe; whilst in Truth they remain in an +ignorant unbelief, which exposes them to be seduc'd by the most +pitiful Arguments of the Atheistical, or of such as are disbelievers +of reveal'd Religion. + +The Foundation of All Religion is the belief of a God; or of a Maker +and Governour of the World; the evidence of which, being visible in +every thing; and the general Profession having usually stamp'd it with +awe upon Children's Minds, they ought perhaps most commonly to be +suppos'd to Believe This, rather than have doubts rais'd in them by +going about to prove it to them: because those who are uncapable of +long deductions of Reason, or attending to a train of Arguments, not +finding the force thereof when offer'd to prove what they had always +taken for a clear, and obvious verity, would be rather taught thereby +to suspect that a Truth which they had hitherto look'd on as +unquestionable, might rationally be doubted of, than be any ways +confirm'd in the belief of it. But if any doubts concerning the +Existence of God, do arise in their Minds, when they own this, or that +this, can be discover'd by discoursing with them: such doubts should +always be endeavour'd to be remov'd by the most solid Arguments of +which Children are capable. Nor should They ever be rebuk'd for having +those doubts; since not giving leave to look into the grounds of +asserting any Truth, whatever it be, can never be the way to establish +that Truth in any rational Mind; but, on the contrary, must be very +likely to raise a suspicion that it is not well grounded. + +The belief of a Deity being entertain'd; what should be first taught +us should be what we are in the first place concern'd to know. + +Now it is certain that what we are in the first place concern'd to +know, is that which is necessary to our Salvation; and it is as +certain that whatever God has made necessary to our Salvation, we are +at the same time capable of knowing. All Instruction therefore which +obtrudes upon any one as necessary to their Salvation, what they +cannot understand or see the evidence of, is to that Person, wrong +Instruction; and when any such unintelligible, or unevident +Propositions are delivered to Children as if they were so visible +Truths that a reason, or proof of them was not to be demanded by them, +what effect can this produce in their Minds but to teach them betimes +to silence and suppress their Reason; from whence they have afterwards +no Principle of Vertue left; and their practices, as well as +opinions, must needs (as is the usual consequence hereof) become +expos'd to the Conduct of their own, or other Men's Fancies? + +The existence of God being acknowledg'd a Truth so early receiv'd by +us, and so evident to our Reason, that it looks like Natural +Inscription; the Authority of that Revelation by which God has made +known his Will to Men, is to be firmly establish'd in People's Minds +upon its clearest, and most rational evidence; and consequentially +They are then to be refer'd to the Scriptures themselves, to see +therein what it is that God requires of them to _believe_ and _to do_; +the great Obligation they are under diligently to study these Divine +Oracles being duly represented to them. But to exhort any one to +search the Scriptures to the end of seeing therein what God requires +of him, before he is satisfy'd that the Scriptures are a Revelation +from God, cannot be rational: since any ones saying that the +Scriptures are God's Word, cannot satisfy a rational and inquisitive +Mind that they are so: and that the Books of the Old and New Testament +were dictated by the Spirit of God, is not a self evident Proposition, +but a Truth that demands to be made out, before it can be rationally +assented to. + +It should also be effectually Taught, and not in Words alone, That it +is our Duty to study and examine the Scriptures, to the end of seeing +therein what God requires of us to _believe_, and to _do_. But none +are effectually, or sincerely taught this, if notwithstanding that +this is sometimes told them, they are yet not left at liberty to +believe, or not believe, according to what, upon examination, appears +to them to be the sense of the Scriptures: for if we must not receive +them in that sense, which, after our best inquiry, appears to us to be +their meaning, it is visible that it signifies nothing to bid us +search, and examine them. + +These two things, _viz._ a rational assurance of the Divine Authority +of the Scriptures, and a liberty of fairly examining them, are +absolutely necessary to the satisfaction of any rational Person, +concerning the certainty of the Christian Religion, and what it is +that this Religion does consist in: and He who when he comes to be a +Man, shall remember that being a Boy he has been check'd for doubting, +instead of being better inform'd when he demanded farther proof than +had been given him of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures: or that +he has been reprehended for thinking that the Word of God contradicted +some Article of his Catechism; has just ground, when he reflects +thereupon, to question, whether or no, the Interaction of his +Childhood has not been an Imposition upon his Reason; which he will no +doubt be apt to believe the more, when others shall confidently affirm +to him that it has been so: And in that Age of Men's Lives when they +are in the eagerest pursuit of Pleasure, it is great odds (as has been +already observ'd) that if, in regard of Religion, they come to lose +the belief of what they have once thought unquestionable, they will +more often be perswaded that there is no Truth at all therein, than +set themselves seriously to find out what is so. + +How dangerous a thing then is such Instruction in Religion, as teaches +nothing unless it be to stifle the Suggestions of our Natural Light? +But that such Instruction as this, is all that the far greatest Number +of People have, there is too much ground to conclude, from the +visible Ignorance even of the most of Those who are Zealous in some +Profession of Christian Faith, and Worship: Few of These not being at +a loss to answer, if ask'd, either, _What the Faith of a Christian +does consist in_? Or, _Why they believe such Articles concerning it, +as they profess to believe_? + +That their God-fathers, and God-mothers ingag'd for them that they +should believe so; is a reason for their doing it that I suppose, +there are but Few who would not be asham'd to give; as seeing that a +_Mahumetan_ could not be thought to assert his Faith more absurdly in +the Opinion of any indifferent By-stander, and yet it is evident that +no better a reason than this have very many for their Belief. + +_What is the chief and highest end of Man_? is a Question which, +methinks, supposes the resolution of more antecedent Questions, than +Children, untaught, can be presum'd to be resolv'd in. But be this +Question ever so proper to begin a Catechism withal, the answer +hereto, _viz. That Man's chief and highest end is to glorifie God, and +enjoy him for ever_; is not surely very instructive of an ignorant +Child. It is a good Question in the same Catechism; _How doth it +appear the Scriptures are the Word of God_? But who would imagine that +for the information of any one who wanted to be inform'd herein, it +should be answer'd, _That the Scriptures manifest themselves to be the +Word of God by their Majesty and Purity: by the consent of all the +Parts, and by the scope of the whole; which is to give all Glory to +God: by their Light and Power to convince, and convert Sinners; to +comfort and build up Believers to Salvation: But the Spirit of God +bearing Witness by and with the Scriptures, in the Heart of Man is +alone able fully to perswade that they are the very Word of God._ One +would almost be tempted to suspect that Men who talk'd thus, were not +themselves thorowly perswaded that the Scriptures were indeed the Word +of God; for how is it possible not only for a Young Boy, or Girl, but +even for an _Indian_ Man, or Woman, to be by this answer more +convinc'd than they were before, of the Scriptures being what they are +pretended to be? To assure any rational inquirer of Which, it is +necessary they should be satisfied, That the Scriptures were indeed +written by those whose Names they bear; That these Persons were +unquestionable Witnesses, and Faithful Historians of the matters they +relate; and that they had such a Guidance, and Direction from the +Spirit of God as led them to deliver all necessary Truth, and to +preserve them from all error prejudicial thereunto: which Things have +so good evidence, that none who are not manifestly prejudic'd, can +refuse assent thereto, when they are duly represented to them: but +without having weigh'd this evidence, the Divine Authority of the +Scriptures may, possibly, be by some firmly believ'd, but cannot be so +upon the conviction of their Reason. + +The Instruction then of most Peoples Younger Years being such as we +have seen in regard of Religion: and _Vertue_, viz. The right +regulation of our Passions, and Appetites, having (as has been +abovesaid) no other sufficient inforcement than the Truths of +Religion; can it reasonably be thought strange, that there is so +little Vertue in the World as we find there is? or that +correspondently to their Principles, Peoples Actions generally are (at +best) unaccountable to their Reason? For Time, and more Years, if they +give strength to our Judgments whereby we may be thought able to +inform our selves, and correct the errors and defects of our +Education, give also strength to our Passions; which grown strong, do +furnish and suggest Principles suited to the purposes and ends that +they propose; besides, that Ill Habits once settl'd, are hardly +chang'd by the force of any principles of which Reason may come to +convince Men at their riper Age: A Truth very little weigh'd; tho' +nothing ought more to be so with respect to a vertuous Education; +since rational Religion, so soon as they are capable thereof, is not +more necessary to the ingaging People to Vertue, than is the fixing, +and establishing in them good Habits betimes, even before they are +capable of knowing any other reason for what they are taught to do, +than that it is the Will of Those who have a just power over them that +they should do so. For as without a Knowledge of the Truths of +Religion, we should want very often sufficient Motives, and +Encouragements to submit our Passions and Appetites to the Government +of Reason; so without early Habits establish'd of denying our +Appetites, and restraining our Inclinations, the Truths of Religion +will operate but upon a very few, so far as they ought to do. + +By Religion I understand still _Reveal'd Religion_. For tho' without +the help of Revelation, the Commands of Jesus Christ (two positive +Institutions only excepted) are, as dictates likewise of Nature, +discoverable by the Light of Reason; and are no less the Law of God to +rational Creatures than the injunctions of Revelation are; yet few +would actually discern this Law of Nature in its full extent, meerly +by the Light of Nature; or if they did, would find the inforcement +thereof a sufficient Ballance to that Natural love of present +pleasure which often opposes our compliance therewith; since before we +come to such a ripeness of understanding as to be capable by +unassisted Reason to discover from the Nature of Things the just +measures of our Actions, together with the obligations we are under to +comply therewithal; an evil indulgence of our Inclinations has +commonly establish'd Habits in us too strong to be over-rul'd by the +Force of Arguments; especially where they are not of very obvious +deduction. Whence it may justly be infer'd that the Christian Religion +is the alone Universally adapted means of making Men truly Vertuous; +the _Law of Reason, or the Eternal Rule of Rectitude_ being in the +Word of God only, to those of all capacities, plainly, and +Authoritatively deliver'd as the Law of God, duly inforc'd by Rewards +and Punishments. + +Yet in that Conformity with, and necessary support which our Religion +brings to the Law of Reason, or Nature, that is to say, to Those +dictates which are the result of the determinate and unchangeable +Constitution of things (and which as being discoverable to us by our +rational Faculties, are therefore sometimes call'd the Law of Reason, +as well as the Law of Nature) Christianity does most conspicuously and +evidently appear to be a Divine Religion; _viz._ to be from the Author +of Nature; however incongruous some Men may phancy it to be for God +supernaturally to reveal to Men what is naturally discoverable to +them, by those Faculties he has given them: The which conceit together +with not considering, or rightly weighing the inforcements which +Natural Religion needs, and receives from Revelation, has very much +dispos'd many to reject reveal'd Religion. Whereunto such Notions of +Christianity as agree not to the Attributes of an Infinitely Wise and +Good Being, which Reason teaches the first cause of all things to be, +have also not a little contributed; for from hence many Men, zealous +for the Honour of God and lovers of Mankind, have been prejudic'd +against the Truth of the Christian Religion: In consequence whereof +they have reasonably concluded that there was no such thing as +reveal'd Religion; and from thence have again infer'd that Men had no +need thereof to the Ends of Natural Religion. + +Those yet who think Revelation to be needless in this regard, how well +soever they may, possibly, intend to Natural Religion, do herein +entertain an Opinion that would undermine it: Experience shewing us +that Natural Light, unassisted by Revelation, is insufficent to the +Ends of Natural Religion: A Truth necessary to be acknowledg'd to the +having a due value for the benefit that we receive by the Revelation +of Jesus Christ; and many, who profess belief in him, have not a right +estimation of that benefit on this very account, _viz._ as thinking +too highly, or rather wrongly of Natural Light: notwithstanding that +nothing is more undeniably true than that from the meer Light of +Nature Men actually were so far from discovering the Law of Nature in +its full extent or force, as that they did not generally own, and but +very imperfectly discern, its prescriptions or obligation. 'Tis also +alike evident that as Christianity has prevail'd, it has together with +Polytheism, and (in great measure) Idolatry, beaten out likewise the +allow'd Practice of gross Immorality; which in the Heathen World was +countenanc'd, and incourag'd by the examples of their very Gods +themselves; and by being frequently made even a part in Religious +Worship. For the Truth of this effect of Christianity we must appeal +to History; from whence if any one should imagine they could oppose +any contrary example, it could (I think) be taken but from one only +Country; wherein (if the Historian says right) Morality was more +exemplary than in any other that we know of for near 400 Years that +its Pagan Natives possess'd it; whose exterminators (calling +themselves Christians) made it a most deplorable Scene of Injustice, +Cruelty and Oppression, bringing thither Vices unknown to those former +Inhabitants. But what only can follow from this example is, That a +People, having a continu'd Succession of Princes, who study to advance +the good of the Community, making that the sole Aim of their +Government; and directing all their Laws, and Institutions to that +End (which was the peculiar felicity of those happy _Americans_) will +without other than Natural Light much better practice all social +Vertues, than Men set loose from Law and Shame; who tho' Baptiz'd into +the Name of Christ have not yet so much as a true Notion of +Christianity, to the which, may certainly be added, or than any other +People, who tho' they have the Light of the Gospel among them, yet are +not govern'd by the Laws thereof; and a truly Christian Common-wealth +in this sense, remains yet to be seen in the World; which when it is, +the Vertue, and Felicity of such a People will be found much to +surpass the (perhaps partial) account which we have of that of the +_Peruvians_; whose so long uninterrupted Succession of Excellent +Princes, is what only is admirable in the account we have of them; and +not the Force of the Light of Nature in those People, who being +apparently of tractable, gentle dispositions, and tir'd with the +Miseries of a Life to the last degree Brutish, did from the visible +wretchedness and inconveniences thereof, gladly obey such whom they +believed were (as they told them they were) Divinely sent to teach +then a happier way of living. And in the Vertues which these their +first Lawgivers taught them, their Successors easily retain'd them; +continuing still to maintain in them a perswasion of their Divine +Extraction, and Authority. From the which it will be found that this +instance of the _Peruvian_ Morality makes for the need of Revelation +to inforce Natural Religion, and not against it. But how far +Revelation is needful to assist Natural Light, will be the best seen +in reflecting a little upon what we receive from each of these Guides +that God has given us. And if it shall appear from thence that +Natural Religion has need of Revelation to support it; and that the +Revelation which we have by Jesus Christ is exquisitely adapted to the +end of inforcing Natural Religion; this will both be the highest +confirmation possible, that to inforce Natural Religion or Morality, +was the design of Christianity; and will also shew that to the want of +their being in earnest Christians, is to be attributed the immorality +of such who, professing Christianity, live immoral Lives. The +consequence from whence must be, That to reclaim a Vicious People, it +should be consider'd, as the most effectual means of doing so, how to +make Men really, and in earnest Christians. + +To see what light we receive from Nature to direct our Actions, and +how far we are Naturally able to obey that Light; Men must be +consider'd purely as in the state of Nature, _viz._ as having no +extrinsick Law to direct them, but indu'd only with a faculty of +comparing their distant Ideas by intermediate Ones, and Thence of +deducing, or infering one thing from another; whereby our Knowledge +immediately received from _Sense_, or _Reflection_, is inlarg'd to a +view of Truths remote, or future, in an Application of which Faculty +of the mind to a consideration of our own Existence and Nature, +together with the beauty and order of the Universe, so far as it falls +under our view, we may come to the knowledge of a _First Cause_; and +that this must be an _Intelligent Being, Wise_ and _Powerful_, beyond +what we are able to conceive. And as we delight in our selves, and +receive pleasure from the objects which surround us, sufficient to +indear to us the possession and injoyment of Life, we cannot from +thence but infer, that this _Wise_ and _Powerful Being_ is also most +_Good_, since he has made us out of nothing to give us a Being wherein +we find such Happiness, as makes us very unwilling to part therewith. + +And thus, by a consideration of the Attributes of God, visible in the +Works of the Creation, we come to a knowledge of his Existence, who is +an Invisible Being: For since _Power, Wisdom_ and _Goodness,_ which we +manifestly discern in the production and conservation of our selves, +and the Universe, could not subsist independently on some substance +for them to inhere in, we are assur'd that there is a substance where +unto they do belong, or of which they are the Attributes. + +Which Attributes of God would not be discoverable by us, did we not +discern a difference in Things; as between _Power_ and _Weakness, +Benevolence_ and _no Benevolence_, or its contrary; and betwixt +directing means to an End, and acting at hap-hazard without any +design, or choice: A knowledge, which, by whatever steps convey'd into +the mind, is no other than a seeing things to be what they are, and +that they cannot but be what they are. + +From which diversity and immutability in the Nature of things, there +necessarily arises a diversity of respects and relations between them, +as unchangeable as the things themselves: wherein the Will of the +Creator in reference hereunto is reveal'd to every intelligent Agent, +so far as he is made capable of discerning these relations, +dependencies and consequences; and whatsoever with respect to his own +Actions, such a Being finds resulting from any of these as most +conformable to the design of his Creator in making him such a part as +he is of the whole, he cannot but consider as the Will of God, thereby +dictated to him; since otherwise, God would act contradictiously to +his Wisdom in making him what he is. + +We being then indu'd, as we are, with a capacity of perceiving and +distinguishing these differences of Things; and also with a liberty of +acting, or not, suitably and agreeably hereunto; whence we can +according to the preference of our own minds, act either in conformity +to, or disconformity with, the Will of the Creator (manifested in his +Works no less than the Will of any Humane Architect is in his) it +follows, That to act answerably to the nature of such Beings as we +are, requires that we attentively examine, and consider the several +natures of Things, so far as they have any relation to our own +actions. + +Which attentive consideration of the Works of God objected to our +view, implies an exercise thereupon of that Faculty in us by which we +deduce, or infer, one thing from another: Whence (as has been said) +our knowledge immediately deriv'd to us from sensation, or reflection, +is inlarg'd by the perception of remote, or distant Truths. The more +obviously eminent advantages accruing to us from which faculty of +reason, plainly make known the Superiority of its Nature; and that its +suggestions, ought to be hearken'd to by us preferably to those of +Sense; where these (as it too often happens) do not concur. For did we +know nothing by _Inference_ and _Deduction_, both our knowledge and +injoyment would be very short of what they now are; many considerable +pleasures depending almost intirely upon Reason; and there being none +of the greatest Enjoyments of Sense which would not lose their best +Relish, separated from those concomitant satisfactions which +accompany them only as we are rational Creatures. Neither is it our +greatest happiness alone which is manifestly provided for in our being +indu'd with this Faculty; but our much greater safety, and +preservation likewise; since _these_ require a capacity in us of +foreseeing distant Events, and directing means to an End, oftentimes +through a long train of Actions; which is what we can only do by that +in us, whereby the Relations, Dependencies and Consequences of things +are discoverable to us. + +But as _Reason_ is that which either in kind or degree, differences +Men from Brutes; and that there are few, if any, who would lose this +distinction, it is by common consent acknowledg'd that Reason is in +respect of all others, a preferable indowment. And if Beasts, only +inferiour to Men in the advantages of this Faculty, appear hereby +intended to be subjected to Men, it cannot be less evident That that +part in Men which they have in common with Beasts, was likewise +design'd by their Maker to be subjected to their Reason also. From All +which, it undeniably follows that we do not act answerably to the +Will, or pleasure of God, in making us such Creatures as we are, if we +either neglect the Search of those Measures of our Actions prescrib'd +to us by the discernable Natures of Things; or, if seeing these, we +yet conform not our selves thereunto. + +Now for any Creature knowingly to oppose the Will of its Creator, is +not only disingenuity in regard of what is owing from it to its +Sovereign Benefactor, and Folly in respect of that dependence which it +has on him for its Being, as it is commonly represented to us to be; +but is also in the Nature of Things (simply consider'd) so repugnant +to right Reason, that were such a Creature consistent with it self +herein, and could act pursuantly to That Will, it would operate to its +own destruction; since its Existence evidently depends upon That of +its Maker; whose Will, as reveal'd to us, being but a different +consideration of his Attributes, the knowledge whereof is all the +Knowledge we have of God, cannot be so much as conceiv'd by us +separable from the Being of God; unless the God, which we conceive, be +a Fiction of our own Imagination, and not the Creator of All Things; +who is an invisible Being only knowable to us in, and by, the +exemplifications of his Attributes: The infinite Perfection, and the +inseparable Correspondence, and Harmony of which (discernable in the +Frame and Government of the Universe) plainly tells us, That the +Divine Will cannot be (like ours) successive Determinations without +dependance, or connection one upon another; much less inconsistent, +contradictory, and mutable; but one steady, uniform, unchangeable +result of infinite Wisdom and Benevolence, extending to, and including +All his Works. So that Sin, or disobedience to our Maker is manifestly +the greatest Nonsense, Folly and contradiction conceivable, with +regard purely to the immutable perfection of the Divine Nature; and to +the Natural constitution of things, independently upon any positive +command of God to us, or his irresistible power over us. + +But as without a capacity in The Creature to act contrary to the will +of the Creator there could be no defect, or self-excellency in any +Created Being; contrariety to the Will of God is therefore permitted +in the Universe as a necessary result of Creaturely imperfection, +under the greatest endowment that a Created Being is capable of +having, viz. _That of Freedom or Liberty of Action_: And as the +constitution of such Creature, as this, implies that what is _best_ in +reference to the design of the Creator, and of its own Happiness, +should not be always necessarily present to the Mind as Best; such a +Creature may oppose the Will of his Maker with various degrees of +Guilt in so doing; or (possibly) with none at all; for no Agent can +offend farther than he wilfully abuses the Freedom he has to act. + +But God having made Men so as that they find in themselves, very +often, a liberty of acting according to the preference of their own +Minds, it is incumbent upon them to study the Will of their Maker; in +an application of the Faculty of Reason which he has given them, to +the consideration of the different respects, consequences, and +dependencies of Things, so as to discern from thence, the just +measures of their actions in every circumstance and relation they +stand plac'd in; which _measures_ are nothing else but the dictates +resulting from those views which such a consideration of things as +this gives us, of what is consonant, or not so, to the design of the +Creator in every particular, wherein we are concern'd to act. And +these manifestations of his Will, thus discoverable to us, ought to be +regarded by us, as his Commands. + +Yet however certain it is, that the dictates of _Reason_, or _Nature_, +discernable by our natural Faculties, are the commands of God to us, +as rational Creatures; it is equally true that the love of happiness +(which consists in pleasure) is the earliest, and strongest principle +of Humane Nature; and therefore whatever measures Reason does, or +might, prescribe, when particular occasions occur, the sentiment of +what Men find pleasing or displeasing to them, however contrary to +those dictates of right Reason, is very apt to determine their choice. +God yet who is the Author of Order, and not of Confusion, has fram'd +all things with Consistency, and Harmony; and however, in Fact, it too +often happens that we are misled by that strong desire of happiness +implanted in us, yet does this no way necessarily interfere with our +acting in an intire conformity to the prescriptions of the Law of +Reason; but the contrary: For from hence it is that this Law has its +Sanction, _viz._ That, duly considering it, we shall evidently find +our happiness, and misery, are annex'd to the observance, or neglect, +of that unalterable Rule of Rectitude, discoverable to us by the +Nature of Things; so that this Rule of Rectitude, or Eternal Will of +God, has also the force of a Law given to it by that inseparable +accord that there is betwixt our happiness or misery, with our +obedience, or disobedience, hereunto. Thus our duty and happiness, can +never be divided, but when we prefer a less happiness to a greater; +and therein act not conformably to the dictates of our natural desire +of happiness, or pleasure; which two Terms differ only in this, that +we apply the Term _Pleasure_ to any agreeable Sentiment, or Sensation, +how small, or short soever in its duration; but that of _Happiness_, +only to such degrees of pleasure, as do, in some considerable degree, +out-ballance our Evils. + +That we are many ways capable of receiving pleasure, we experimentally +find; every sense furnishes something to delight, and please us, in +its Application to Objects suited to a grateful exercise thereof. And +the operations of our own Minds upon the Ideas presented to them by +our Senses, afford us also other pleasures, oftentimes preferable by +us to those that we receive immediately from Sense. But be our +pleasures excited how they will; or whatsoever they consist in, Those +that Men receive from the Gratification of antecedent desire, are the +pleasures that they have the strongest relish of. _A Good_ not +desir'd, making (comparatively) but a small Impression upon us. + +Now the Gratification of their desires is not always in Men's Power, +but oftentimes it is so. It is then often in their choice to procure +to themselves pleasure, or not. Whence it is reasonable for them to +inquire, since happiness consists in pleasure; and the Gratification +of their Desires, and Appetites, always gives them pleasure; whether, +or no, to Gratifie _These_ should not therefore always be that which +should determine their actions in pursuance of this their chief End? + +That happiness consisting in pleasure, we are so much the happier as +we enjoy more pleasure, must unquestionably, be found true; but that +the Gratification of Men's Desires and Appetites cannot therefore be +that which should always, as they are rational Agents, determine, or +regulate their actions in pursuit of happiness, is no less evident; in +that we perceive our selves, and the Things to which we have relation, +to be so fram'd, and constituted, in respect one of another, that the +Gratification of our present Desires and Appetites, does sometimes for +a short, or small pleasure, procure to us a greater, and more durable +Pain: and that on the contrary, the denial, or restraint of our +present Desires, and Appetites, does sometimes for a short, or small +Pain, procure to us a greater, or more durable Pleasure. Since then +that we should act contrary to our own end therein, and prefer less +pleasure to greater, it is apparent that the Gratification of our +present Appetites cannot be that which always, as we are rational +Agents, proposing to our selves happiness for our chief end, should +determine, or regulate our voluntary actions; present Appetite telling +us only what will give us present pleasure; not what will, in the +whole, procure to us the most pleasure. What else then appears to be +the Rule, or Measure of Men's actions acting purely with respect to +the pursuit of happiness as their chief End, but the determinations of +that Faculty in them which, in reference to the different properties +and relations discernable in Things, can alone be the Judge what will, +in the whole, procure to them the most pleasure? And thus the very +desire of happiness, or love of pleasure, rightly pursu'd, does oblige +us to make the determinations or dictates of Reason, and not the +suggestions of present Appetite, the Measure, and Rule of our actions +in our pursuit after happiness. Which that we might possess was no +doubt the end of our Creator in giving us Being; since he could not +stand in need of, or be better'd by our Existence. And if that we +might be happy was the end for which God made us, it is most certain +that he has neither set any such measures to our Actions, or put any +such unhappy Biass upon our Minds, as shall necessarily contradict +this his end. Whence it again appears that the love of Pleasure +implanted in us (if we faithfully pursue it in prefering always that +which will, on the whole, procure to us the most pleasure) can never +mislead us from the observance of the Law of Reason: And that this Law +enjoyns only a right regulation of our natural desire of pleasure, to +the end of our obtaining the greatest happiness that we are capable +of: so that there is an inseparable connection, or relation of Moral +Good and Evil, with our Natural Good, and Evil. To assert therefore +that our chief Good does consist in pleasure, is far from drawing +after it any such consequence as many have pretended it does, in +prejudice to the Law of Reason, that Natural Revelation of Gods Will +to us; since no Man can upon due consideration thereof Judge, That the +Gratification of his present Appetites ought to be to him the Measure +or Rule of his Actions in consequence of Pleasures being his chief +Good: experience it self, we see, contradicting such a consequence: +and that so evidently that I think we do not in fact find that even +Those, who the most indulge to their Passions and Appetites, do so as +believing upon a cool examination thereof, that to do thus is the +truest Wisdom, in consequence of our greatest Good consisting in +pleasure; but such Men indulge to their present Appetites meerly as +being strongly induc'd (contrary oftentimes to the suggestions of +their own minds therein) thro' the love of pleasure, and abhorrence of +pain, to do, or forbear whatever they find will procure to them the +one, or free them from the other at the present Time; the +Gratification whereof They prefer to that which is Future. It is +however true that such declamations as are sometimes made against +pleasure absolutely (not the irregular pursuit of it) as if pleasure +was in its own Nature, a false, and deceitful, not a real and solid +Good, have produc'd this ill effect, that many from the absurdity +hereof are confirm'd in an evil indulgence of their Appetites, as if +to Gratifie These was indeed the truest Wisdom of a rational Creature, +in consequence of pleasure, being his chief Good. But they judge not +thus from a due examination, or any examination at all of the nature +of Things, but from a Reason (if it may be call'd so) of opposition. +For so ridiculously weak are a great part of Men in their Reasoning, +that seeing they are in the wrong who oppose them, they become from +thence as much perswaded, and as well satisfy'd that the contrary to +such Mens Assertions is true; or that themselves are in the right, as +if they saw that these things really were so. This arguing yet is no +more irrational than that whereby a palpable Truth is deny'd, only +because some have indeavour'd to draw, or have been thought to have +drawn ill consequences from it: Which is yet all the ground of not +allowing that Pleasure, and Pain, are truly Good, and Evil; the +denying of which, can be of no Service to Morality, but the contrary, +since Moral Good, and Evil, consider'd antecedently to any positive +Law of our Maker, are apt to be thought but a Notion where that +inseparable Relation is overlook'd which there is between actions +denominated by us vertuous, or vicious, and the Natural Good, and Evil +of Mankind. + +Christians, perhaps, need not the confederation of this to inforce +their obedience to the Will of their Maker; but as it is a great +recommendation of the Precepts of the Gospel to find that they have an +exact correspondence with, and conformity to the Nature of Things: So +also those who are not influenc'd by, as not being yet thorowly +perswaded of this Divine Revelation, will sooner be induced to imbrace +Vertue, and contemn the allurements of Vice, when they see These to +have the very same reality, in Nature as their Happiness and Misery +have; than when (tho' ever so pompously set out) Vertue appears +founded only upon nice, or subtle Speculations. But some Men there +are so far from approving of any Notion or Theorem being advanc'd with +respect to Deists whereby, as such, they may be induc'd to the love of +Vertue (which is the best predisposition to the entertainment of +Christianity) that they are ready to treat as not being themselves +Christians if not as Atheists, any one who in the view of gaining thus +much upon these Men assert Vertue by any other Arguments than such as +they will not admit of, _viz._ those drawn from Revelation. + +However true yet it is that happiness, or our chief Good, does consist +in pleasure; it is no less true that the irregular Love of pleasure is +a perpetual source to us of Folly, and Misery. That we are liable to +the which irregularity, is but a necessary result of our Creaturely +imperfection: for we cannot love pleasure, and not love present +pleasure: and the love of present pleasure it is which misleads our +narrow, and unattentive Minds from a just comparison of the present, +with what is future. Nor is it a wonder if we are oftentimes thus +mislead; since we frequently wander from the right way with less +excuse for doing so: Men, not seldom, going astray from Reason, when +the love of present pleasure is so far from misguiding their variously +frail Natures, that its allurements will not retain them in the paths +of Vertue; and tho' Reason only has Authority to set Bounds to their +desires, they subject both Them, and Her to an Unjust and Arbitrary +Dominion, equally Foreign to both: A thing manifest, not only in +instances here and there, but in the examples of whole Nations; who +either by positive institution, or allow'd of Custom, have +transgressed against the plainest prescriptions of Reason, in things +so far from gratifying their Appetites, as that they are contrary, +and even sometimes grievous to Mens natural desires. To account for +which, will not here be impertinent; nor (in order to the doing so) to +consider first what the Terms _Vertue_ and _Religion_ have, in their +vulgar acceptation, every where generally stood for. + +_Religion_ has, I think, been rightly defin'd to be _the knowledge how +to please God_, and thus taken, does necessarily include vertue, that +is to say, _Moral Rectitude_; but as Men have usually apply'd these +Terms _Vertue_ and _Religion_, they stand for things very different +and distinct, one from another. For by a Vertuous Man, in all +Countries of the World, or less Societies of Men, is commonly meant, +by those who so call any one, such a Man as steadily adheres to that +Rule of his Actions which is establish'd for a Rule in his Country +Tribe, or Society, be that what it will. Hence it has been that +_Vertue_ has in different Times and Places chang'd Face; and sometimes +so far, as that what has been esteem'd Vertuous in one Age, and in one +Country, has been look'd upon as quite the contrary in others: tho' in +all Times and Places, wherein Men have not degenerated into a +downright Brutish, or altogether Animal Life (as some whole Nations +have done) but have set any Rules, or Measures to their Actions, the +dictates of right Reason have more, or less, taken Place with them, so +far as the manifest advantages, or rather necessity thereof to the +subsistence or convenience of Society, has directed Men. And so much +as Custom, or the Injunctions of some Lawgiver inforc'd these dictates +of Reason, or Nature, so far and no further, did obedience thereunto +denominate Men Vertuous; without any distinction made in reference to +these prescriptions, as being Precepts of the Eternal Law of Right, or +as obligatory any other ways than as being part of the Law, or Fashion +of that Country, or Society, wherein these Rules had prevail'd or were +establish'd. A firm and steady adherence to which, whether +conformable, or not, to the Law of Reason, being alike that which ever +intitled Men to be esteem'd Vertuous among those who profess'd to live +by the same Rule. + +Now since Man is a Creature that has variable, and disagreeing +Inclinations, as having passions very changeable, and oftentimes +contradictory one to another, there is not any fix'd Rule, or Measure, +whatsoever that can possibly be set to his Actions, which can +constantly be adher'd to by him, without some difficulty, or +uneasiness; because any steady, and unalterable Rule must necessarily +oftentimes, thwart and cross his changeable Appetites, and differing +Inclinations; even altho' that Rule was contriv'd, and intended ever +so much, to be indulgent to the Passions, and Desires of Humane Nature +in general. + +Conformity therefore of Mens actions to any fix'd, and unvariable +Rule, is a thing of some difficulty, be the Rule what it will: And +therefore Transgression against that Rule which Men profess'd +themselves oblig'd to act by, has always, every where been; and but +few Men comparatively, were strictly Vertuous: That is, did in all +things conform, or sincerely endeavour to conform their Actions to +that, which they acknowledged for the Rule of them. + +Those yet who believ'd a Superior Invisible Power that made them, +could not be satisfy'd with themselves in Transgressing against that +which they thought ought to be their Rule: For however they +understood this Rule to be deriv'd, they yet believ'd it carry'd with +it, some way or other, an obligation upon them to Obedience; since +otherwise they would not have look'd upon it as a Rule. Now, as they +could not know that God would not punish their Disobedience to That +which they look'd upon as obliging them to Obedience; but, on the +contrary, had more, or less, Reason to apprehend that he would do so, +They therefore (thinking him to be an exorable as well as an +Omniscient, and Omnipotent Being) were hereby on These occasions +taught to deprecate his Vengeance, and implore his Mercy: And hence +the more Guilty and Fearful came to invent Attonements, Expiations, +Penances and Purgations, with all that various Train of Ceremonies +which attended those Things; Naturally imagining that the Divine +Nature resembled their own; and thence believing that they should the +more easily appease his Anger, and avert the effects of his Wrath, if +by such means, as these, they did, as it were, in Gods behalf Revenge +upon themselves their Disobedience to him. And as the Solemnity of +these Matters requir'd peculiar Hands to Execute them; and Devotion +exacted that such should be liberally rewarded, and highly respected +for their Pious performances; from hence the profit which some reap'd +by these things, as well as the satisfaction that others found +therein, who were unwilling to be rigorously restrain'd by the Rule of +their Actions, yet were uneasie under the reproaches of their +Consciences when they transgressed against it, made these Inventions, +and the value set upon them, to be daily improv'd; till Men at last +have sought to be, and have effectually been perswaded that they +might render themselves acceptable to God without indeavouring +sincerely to obey the Rule by which they profess'd to believe they +were oblig'd to live; and that even when they did think that this was +a Law giv'n them by God himself. + +Now the great practicers, and promoters of the abovesaid things, are +every where Those who are generally esteem'd, and call'd _Religious_. +Whence the Term _Religion_ appears ordinarily to have stood for +nothing else, but _some Expedient, or other, found out to satisfy Men +that God was satisfied with them, notwithstanding that their +Consciences reproach'd them with want of Conformity to the +acknowledg'd Rule, or Law of their Actions._ + +Having premis'd thus much concerning the Notions Men vulgarly have had +of _Vertue_ and _Religion,_ let us now proceed to see how it has come +to pass, That they have with Allowance, Approbation, and oftentimes, +with injunction of their Lawmakers and Governours, transgress'd +against the most visible Dictates of the Law of Nature, or Reason, in +Things not favourable to their Natural Passions and Appetites; but +even, sometimes, contrary thereunto; as are denying themselves the +lawfullest Enjoyments of Life; Macerating their Bodies; Prostituting +their Wives; and exposing their Off-spring and Themselves to cruel +Torments, and even Death it self. The cause of which I think appears +plainly to be; that Mankind having been generally convinc'd that there +was a Maker of themselves and of the World, who they concluded was as +well able to take cognisance of what they did, as to produce them into +Being; and to whom they could not believe that all the Actions of his +Creatures were alike pleasing, or displeasing; they became fearful +(as has been said) of incurring his displeasure, whenever they did +any thing which their Consciences reproach'd them for: From the which +Fear of a Superior invisible Power, inspecting their Actions, they +were early induc'd to hearken to, and follow such who profess'd +themselves to have some Knowledge Supernaturally reveal'd to them of +God's Will. And we find, in the Histories of all Nations, that the +generality of Mankind were perswaded (contrary to the Sentiments of +some Modern Deists) That it was a thing very congruous to the Divine +Being, that he should in this way reveal to Men his pleasure +concerning them; since the greatest part, every where, did with little +difficulty give Credit to such who had the confidence to affirm to +them, that they were sent by God to teach them what he required of +them: the which being so, a submission of Mens Reason to the dictates +of suppos'd inspir'd Teachers must necessarily follow: and they from +thence become liable to be impos'd upon, all the ways that could serve +the ends of such who made use of this pretence to promote thereby any +Interest of their own, or others. + +And as there is scarce any Country can be nam'd where there has not +been these pretences to Revelation; so no Instance, I believe, can be +found of any Institution or generally approv'd of Practice, opposite +to the obvious Dictates of Nature, or Reason, and not in Favour of +Mens Appetites, which does not appear, or on good ground may not be +presumed to have been receiv'd on this pretence of Supernatural +Revelation; which has ever procur'd the firmest adherence to any New +Institution whatsoever; and was very sufficient to make the absurdest +things be swallow'd equally with the most reasonable; it being +undeniably true, that whatever God does Command, his Creatures are +under an equal Obligation of Obedience thereunto. + +Some Men, it is likely, there have, in all Ages and Places, been, who +were too Sagacious to admit of that as Revelation from God, which +manifestly oppos'd Natural Light; and who needed a proof of the Divine +Mission of such pretenders as these. But the unthinking Multitude were +ever Credulous; and thence have been always practic'd upon in various +kinds, and measures, as has best suited the occasion: Those who have +had vicious Inclinations, or little Aims, and short views, having +impos'd upon them suitably to their Ends: And such as have had larger +comprehensions, generous designs, and Minds above Vulgar, Base and +Sordid Passions, having answerably to their Aims, serv'd themselves of +the same credulity. Of the last kind were such who have propos'd the +reclaiming of Men from vices more obviously prejudicial to Society, +and civil Government; thereby to erect or restore some flourishing +Kingdom, or common-wealth; And these, tho' they have deceived Men, in +making them believe that their Laws were Divinely inspir'd, have yet +deservedly been Honour'd by them as Benefactors, because of that +happiness which they procur'd to them thereby, in this World; beyond +which, their views extended not, as having no knowledge of a future +Life. The which sort of Men, however rational, and Vertuous they were, +yet (like other pretenders to Revelation) that they might the better +procure Authority to their Dictates, did with their civil +Institutions, mix Holy Mysteries; and that usually as peculiar Secrets +taught them by some Divinity. They also, how much soever they, +perhaps, secretly contemn'd such things, did yet generally pay a great +outward regard to matters of Religion; which have ever abounded in the +best Govern'd, and most Flourishing Kingdoms, and Common-wealths. + +Now (as has been already said) the exact observers of the civil +Institutions of their Country, or Customs of their Ancestors, were +look'd upon as Men of Vertue; and whoso apply'd himself eminently to +the observation of such superstitions as consisted of Sacrifices, +Processions, Lustrations, &c. with a various Train of Pompous +Ceremonies, diversify'd according to the Phancies of their Authors, +was look'd upon as a Religious Man; whilst there was a third sort of +Men (inconsiderable always in their Number) who judged, by the true +rule of Reason, what was right, and what was wrong, in the first of +these; and who contemning the Fopperies of the last, were oftentimes +(thro' their means who most found their Account in those Matters) in +danger of passing with the silly People for Atheists: such as search +for their opinions, and the Measures of their Actions in the Reason +and Truth of Things, having always been very unacceptable to Those +whose Interest it has been to keep up the Credit and Authority of vain +Traditions and Superstitious Practices; because if _These_ should be +hearken'd to, _Those_ Apprehended that they should become useless. + +Men of this third sort are They who are vertuous in a Rational and +Christian estimation; for if adherence to the Rule of Mens Actions (be +that what it will) denominates Men vertuous among those of their own +perswasion therein; then That which denominates a Man vertuous amongst +Those who take the prescriptions of right Reason, or of the Gospel +(for these are but one, and the same, differently promulg'd) for the +Rule of their Actions, must be an adherence to the Law of right +Reason, or of this Revelation: Which Rule, is not (as all others are) +a changeable, because (as we have seen) no Arbitrary thing; it being +founded in Relations, and Connexions, which are as immutable as that +determinate constitution in Things, which makes every thing what it +is. From whence it has been that such Men in all Ages, and Places, as +were above the prejudices of their Country Religion, and Manners, +_viz._ such as we have now spoken of, have ever had much the same +Sentiments in respect of Vertue. But these have always been but a +small Number: Custom, and blind Opinion, have ever govern'd the World; +and the light of Reason has neither appear'd to Men to be, nor in +Fact been any where sufficient to direct the generality of Mankind to +Truth; as some imagine it capable of doing; who because of that clear +Evidence which Reason gives to those verities that Revelation has +already taught them, think that they owe, or might have ow'd to this +light of Reason what they are not indebted to it for; and what it is a +Thousand to One odds they would not have receiv'd from it, had they +been Born where there was no other than Natural Light. + +For we find not any Country in any Age of the World, wherein Men did +generally acknowledge, by the meer force of Reason, Natural Religion +in its full extent; or where the Law of Nature was by the Light of +Nature universally own'd. Some Dictates of it as suggested by +necessity, or convenience, having only been receiv'd, (as has been +already said) but not distinguish'd from the most Arbitrary +Institutions of Men; altho' it is probable that the greater Conformity +any Law had to the dictates of right Reason, it did the more +universally and easily obtain Belief of its being divinely reveal'd to +him who pretended so to have receiv'd it; and this apparently it was +which gave so great Success to the _Peruvian_ Lawgivers; whose +Idolatry was the most specious that was possible; and whose Rules of +Living (pretended to have been receiv'd by them from the Sun, their +Father, and Vicegerent of _Pachacama_, the Supream Invisible and +Unapproachable God) were highly suitable to the dictates of right +Reason. + +This Law nevertheless not being receiv'd by that People but as a +Supernatural Revelation, the great Morality of the _Peruvians_ affords +no Argument against, but (on the contrary) proves strongly the need +of Revelation; since whatever Force of Reason these Natural Truths did +appear to this People to carry with them, when represented as divine +Commands, this light had never yet attracted their sight purely by its +own Brightness; nor ever has any where done so, but here and there in +a few Instances of Persons of more than ordinarily inquisitive Minds; +and (probably) for the most part, exempted by a happy priviledge of +Nature from the servitude of sensual, and sordid Passions. + +And tho' nothing can be more evident to those who reflect thereupon, +than that Mens Actions should be regulated, and directed by that +Faculty in them which shows them the different properties, relations, +and dependencies of things, and not by their Appetite, which only can +tell what will at the present please, or offend them; not what will, +upon the whole, procure to them the most pleasure, or uneasiness; yet +such appears to be the unreflecting Nature of the generality of +Mankind, and such their fondness of present pleasure, as either not to +consider this Truth, or when they do so, to be induc'd (in consequence +thereof) to obey the most manifest dictates of Reason, or Natural +Light, which will lay any restraint upon their pleasing, and, +oftentimes, violent Inclinations: Much less will they be at pains to +search for any such Measures of their Actions in the Constitution and +dependances of things; which is indeed what the far greater part of +Men have not the Capacity, or Leisure to do: Neither are Any able to +do this so early as to prevent their irregular Inclinations from being +first strengthen'd and confirm'd by ill habits: which when once they +are, Reason does in vain oppose them, how clear soever her dictates +appear. On the contrary, our Passions grown strong, do usually so far +corrupt our Reason as to make her joyn parties with them against her +self; we not only doing amiss, but likewise finding Arguments to +justify our so doing, even to our selves as well as others. + +But there is still, beyond this, a farther impediment to Mens obeying +the Law of Nature, by vertue of the meer Light of Nature; which is, +that they cannot, in all circumstances, without Revelation, make +always a just estimate in reference to their happiness. For, tho' it +is demonstrable that the Law of Reason is the Law of God, yet the want +of an explicite knowledge of the penalty incur'd by the breach of that +Law, makes it not to be evident to all Men that the incuring of this +penalty shall (in all cases) make the preference of breaking this Law, +an ill Bargain: which it may, sometimes not be to many, in regard of +the discernable natural consequences of such a Transgression. For tho' +observance of the Law of Reason is, in the constitution of Natural +Causes, visibly to those who consider it (generally speaking) the +means of our greatest happiness, even in this present World, yet if +there be no future Life (which that there is, is made certain to us, +only by the Revelation thereof in the Gospel) to answer in for +Transgression of this Law; the breach of it may, tho' not naturally, +yet accidentally, in some cases, conduce to Mens greater happiness; +and, very often, notwithstanding that to have obey'd the Law of Reason +they may discern would have been better for them than to have follow'd +their Appetites, had they been early so accustom'd, yet now that they +have contracted different Habits, which are like a _Right Hand_, or +_Eye_ to them, the difficulty of a new course of Life may appear too +great for the attempt of it to be adviseable; since the consideration +of the shortness and uncertainty of Life may make Men apt to say to +themselves on such occasions, + + + _Who would lose the present Hour, + For one that is not in his Power? + Or not be happy now he may, + But for a Future Blessing stay: + Who know not he shall live a Day?_ + + +The Revelation of an Eternal Life after this, with an express +Declaration of Everlasting Rewards and Punishments annex'd to our +Obedience, or Disobedience, to the Law of Nature (tho' such a Future +State may be reasonably infer'd from all things happening alike to the +Good, and to the Bad in this World, and from Men's Natural desire of +Immortality) is yet but a necessary inforcement of the Law of Nature +to the far greatest part of Mankind, who stand in need of this +knowledge, and are uncapable of an Inference so repugnant to what +their Senses daily tell them in the case; and wherein the Truth +asserted has scarcely ever procur'd an unwavering assent from the most +rational of the Heathen Philosophers themselves. Now the +unquestionable certainty of a Future State, wherein Men shall receive +Everlasting Rewards, and Punishments, we alone owe the knowledge of to +Jesus Christ, _who only has brought Life and Immortality to Light_. +The willingest to believe the Souls Immortality were before our +Saviours coming, at best, doubtful concerning it; and the generality +of Mankind, were yet far less perswaded of it. + +Fables indeed concerning a life hereafter (wherein there were Rewards +and Punishments) the _Greeks_ had; and from them, they were deriv'd +to some other Nations; but that for Fables they were taken is evident, +and we are expressly told so by _Diodorus Siculus_, who applauding the +Honours done to Good Men at their Funerals, by the _Egyptians, because +of that warning and encouragement which it gave to the Living to be +mindful of their Duty_, says, _That the Greeks, as to what concern'd +the Rewards of the Just, and the Punishment of the Impious, had +nothing among them but invented Fables and Poetical Fictions which +never wrought upon Men for the Amendment of their Lives; but on the +contrary, were despis'd and laugh'd at by them_. + +Whether, or no, Men should subsist after Death depending plainly upon +the good Pleasure of their Maker, the Pagan World (to whom God had not +reveal'd his Will herein) could not possibly have any certainty of a +Life after this. Arguments there were (as has been said) that might +induce rational Men to hope for a future Existence as a thing +probable; and they did so: But the Gross of Mankind saw not the Force +of these Reasonings to be perswaded thereby of a thing so +inconceivable by them as that the Life of the Person was not totally +extinguish'd in the Death of the Body; and a Resurrection to Life, was +what they thought not of, the certainty of which, together with future +Reward and Punishment, by enabling us to make a right estimate +concerning what will most conduce to our happiness, plainly brings +this great encouragement to our Observance of the Law of God, that it +lets us see our happiness, and our Duty, are inseparably united +therein; since whatever pleasure we voluntarily deprive our selves of +in this World from preference of Obedience to God's Commands, it +shall be recompenced to us manifold in the World that is to come: So +that now we can find our selves in no Circumstance, wherein our +Natural Desires of Happiness, or love of Pleasure, can rationally +induce us to depart from the Rule of our Duty. + +The little which has been said, do, methinks, sufficiently evince the +need of Revelation both to Teach and inforce Natural Religion: But the +defectiveness of the Light of Nature to this end, is a Verity of so +great use to be establish'd, that the consideration thereof should not +be left upon such short Reflections as these; was not this Truth at +large made out in a late Treatise intitled, _The reasonableness of +Christianity as delivered in the Scriptures_. + +A work which the unhappy mistakes and disputes among us concerning the +Christian Religion, makes useful to all Men; and which has been +peculiarly so to many, as the only Book wherein they have found the +insufficiency of Natural Light to Natural Religion, has been fully +shewed, although that to reconcile Men to, or establish them in the +belief of Divine Revelation, nothing was more requisite to make this +appear, in an Age wherein the prevalency of Deism has been so much and +so justly complain'd of. + +But against the insufficiency of Natural Light to the ends of Natural +Religion, the World having been so many Ages without it, is, by some, +thought an Objection: For, if Supernatural Light had been so needful +as is pretended to be, how could it comport, say they, with the Wisdom +of God not to have given it to Men sooner and more universally? + +To judge of all the Ends and Designs of the Divine Wisdom in the +Creation or Government of the World, is to suppose that we have a +comprehension of God's Works, adequate or commensurate thereunto; +which is not only to conceive of his Wisdom as not being infinite, but +even to circumscribe it within very narrow bounds. If the Wisdom of +God, (like his other Attributes) does infinitely surpass our reach, +his Views must, for that reason, be necessarily oftentimes, as much +beyond our short Sight. For us then, when we see not the reason why +any thing is, to take upon us to say that such a thing does, or does +not comport with the Wisdom of God, must needs be the highest Folly +that can be, since it implies a presumption, that we see all in +respect of such a Subject that God sees: And the Objection here made +turns only upon the _unaccountableness_ of the Divine Wisdom herein +to our Understandings. For God's dealing thus with Men, can by no +means be said by us to imply any _contradiction_ to his Wisdom. Whilst +we having an assurance highly Rational (from those numberless Worlds +which surround us) that we are but a small part of the Intellectual +Creation of our Maker; and being certain that our abode here bears but +a very inconsiderable proportion of Time to millions of Ages, and is +as nothing to Eternity, cannot tell but that to know much more than we +do, in this State, of the intire Scheme of Providence with respect to +the whole extent of intelligent Beings, may be necessary to our seeing +the Beauty of anyone part of the design of our Creator. And it is the +most suitable to the All-comprehensive Wisdom of God for us to +conceive, that without having this knowledge, we may be far less able +to judge of the Divine oeconomy, in reference to his Dealings with us +here, than he who should see but one Scene of a Dramma, would thereby +be capacitated to judge of the Plot or Design of the whole. In +Objecting therefore against the need of Revelation to support Natural +Religion, because that we understand not why, if Revelation was +necessary to this end, the World had it no sooner: Men are guilty of +so great an Absurdity as to argue from a Matter only unknown to them +against the reality of that evidently _is_: Which is always irrational +to do; but is especially so, when, if we cannot answer what is +Objected, we yet see plainly that That Objection may be very +answerable, and accountable for, even to our Conceptions; were but our +views a little more enlarged, and such as, perhaps, they shall be +hereafter. + +But in urging this consideration as sufficient to silence any +Objection to the needfulness of Revelation from its lateness and want +of Universality; I suppose not that the Divine, oeconomy is herein +actually incomprehensible by Men; or at least, may not be accounted +for, if not demonstratively aright, yet suitably to the Divine +Attributes: and a due reflection upon the intire design of +Christianity, so far as it is reveal'd to us, will, it is likely, +conduct us best to a sight hereof. But our present business is not +this inquiry, but to see what those advantages are which we receive by +the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the design of whole coming into the +World appears to have been, to inforce the Rule of Rectitude, by +setting it in a clearer Light, with the manifest Attestation of Divine +Authority, and promulging it as the Law of God, by Declaration of +eternal Rewards and Punishments, annexed to the observance or breach +thereof. + +Yet to deliver clearer and more excellent Precepts of Morality; to +attest to the Divinity hereof by Miracles; or to bring Immortalitie to +light, were not (as the means of inforcing Natural Religion) the whole +business for which Christ took our Nature upon him. It was a Decree as +immutable as the Divine Nature, that no unrighteous thing should have +everlasting Life: Wherefore all, both Jews and Gentiles having broken +the Law, and being thereby condemn'd (since the Law necessarily +requir'd perfect Righteousness, and could admit of no abatement +thereof) Christ came to establish betwixt God and Man, a Covenant of +Grace in order to Mens obtaining eternal Life, which they could not +obtain by the Works of the Law. The which Covenant of Grace was, that +to as many as believe in his Son, taking him for their King, and +submitting to his Law, God would grant remission of their Sins; and +that this _their Faith should be imputed to them for Righteousness_; +that is, accepted of by him, in lieu of perfect Obedience, in all such +who sincerely indeavour'd to live up to the Precepts of Christ, their +Lord. + +Men have ever been solicitous, to reconcile Pardon of Sin to the +Purity of God's Nature, which has expos'd them (as we have seen) to +divers Delusions, and to wearisome and costly Superstitions; even +sometimes to the giving _the Fruit of their Bodies to attone for the +sins of their Souls_. All the Forms of Pagan Religion have abounded +with Institutions of this Nature; and that of the Jews consisted very +much of tiresome and unpleasant performances; which being Types and +Shadows of him that was to come, were practis'd to the same purpose. +All which things we are freed from by the Gospel; _Christ having +offer'd up himself once for all, through whom forgiveness of Sin is +preached to as many as believe in him_, truly repenting of their past +Sins, and _walking in newness of Life_, conformably to the Law of him +their Master; but and if, thro' humane Weakness or Imbecillity, we do +Sin, he is our _Advocate with the Father_, who for the sake of him his +Beloved Son, will justify, or accept as Righteous, those who truly +believe in him, whence we are justify'd by God's free Grace or Favour, +and not by the Works of the Law, against which all have transgressed, +and fail'd of a perfect Obedience. + +The great end then of Christianity is (in short) to teach us +effectually to _renounce all Ungodliness and every evil work_, by +declaring to us, that if we sincerely repent of our Sins past, and +indeavour, for the time to come, to obey the Law of our Lord and +Master Jesus Christ, which is no other than the Law of Reason, or the +eternal Rule of Right, we need not despair of God's Mercy from the +Imperfection of our Obedience; since he will for the sake of his Son, +pardon their Sins who believe in him: Sincere indeavours after perfect +Righteousness being accepted in those who believe in Christ as if they +attained it, which is call'd, _the Righteousness of Faith_. And thus +our Blessed Lord, that he might _purchase to himself a peculiar people +zealous of good Works_, has propos'd to his Followers the strongest +Motives and Encouragements that are conceivable to induce free Agents +to Obedience, putting them at once upon using their utmost Diligence +to _fullfil_ _the Law_; yet, at the same time, delivering them from +the fear that their defective _Righteousness should_ render their +Labour vain in the Lord, by assuring them that he will be merciful to +their Sins. + +The which Christian Doctrine concerning the forgiveness of Sins +(contrary to that of other Religions) effectually obliges Men to use +their utmost care not to commit Sin, and leaves no room for the Lusts +of their Hearts, or devices of cunning Men to deceive them by any +Superstitious Inventions of expiating or attoning for Transgression; +whereby Vertue (as we have seen) was always undermin'd. For, tho' in +the Christian Religion, there is an abatement of the rigour and +severity of the Law, which could not but require an unsinning +Obedience; yet we are therein taught, that Jesus Christ is the only +Attonement for Sin: And such a Faith in him as makes us to become his +obedient Subjects, is the only means to us of Salvation: An +inforcement of the Law of Righteousness which was wanting to the Pagan +World; whose persuasion of the placability of the Divine Nature (as we +have seen) generally taught them, only to find out such imaginary ways +of appeasing God's Anger, and expiating for their Sins, as did more or +less supersede their indeavours after Obedience to the Law. + +Whence it appears that the assurance of future Existence, with the +knowledge of eternal Rewards and Punishments annex'd to Mens +Observance, or not observance of the Law of Reason had Men had it, +without the Revelation of the Gospel, would not have been so universal +or powerful an inforcement of Obedience to them as it is to us; to +whom together with this, is preach'd also the Doctrine of forgiveness +of Sins, through Faith in Jesus Christ. For the consciousness of +transgression against this Law, which, under such a Penalty exacted +their Obedience, must either have driven Men into despair of being +accepted by God, whence they would have given over the indeavours of +obeying him as a fruitless Labour; or else if they believ'd that God +would accept of some Compensation for their defective Righteousness, +they would have been induc'd no less, but even more strongly from +their knowledge of a future Life, than they were without it, to seek +to attone the Divine Wrath by such ways as would inevitably draw on a +neglect of conformity to his Law. Whereas Christianity doth provide +against both these Mistakes, in that it assures us that God will +accept of our imperfect Obedience for the sake of his Son, if we +believe in him, and withal sincerely indeavour to obey him; whereby +Faith does plainly _not make void, but establish the Law_, it laying +the highest Obligation as well as Encouragement that is possible upon +Men to do their utmost to live up to the Prescriptions of it. + +And thus the Christian Religion, we find, is every way admirably +adapted by the Divine Wisdom, to the end of inforcing the eternal Law +of Reason or Nature; which evidently needed this inforcement. From +whence it is manifest, that whoso directly or indirectly teaches Men +to look upon Christianity as separable from Morality, does the most +that is possible misrepresent it; and therein (as effectually as they +can do so) undermine both Natural and Reveal'd Religion; the latter of +which dispences not with any breach of the former; and exempts us only +from the burthen of such outward performances as have no Efficacy to +the making Men better, but often do make them very much worse; they +conceiving that they are able, thereby, to expiate or attone for their +Sins; whence they become less careful in regard of their Duty: A +Natural effect of all those things, beneficial alone to the contrivers +or directors of them; who, by means thereof, have liv'd in Ease and +Plenty upon other Peoples Labours, whilst they (instead of repining +thereat) were skilfully taught to reverence them for their usefulness. + +Such Men as these profited not a little by the superstition of the +People; and therefore could not but always have an interest opposite +to that of Vertue: Since the more vertuous Men were, the less they +stood in need of, or minded those Matters, of which these managers of +Mysteries and Ceremonies had the gainful direction. No wonder then at +all was it that the Gospel found so much opposition, whose design was +so Diametrically contrary to the interest of a Party every where in +such Power and Credit; and whose Author so expresly declared, that his +coming was to abolish all such Institutions and Practices. + +The Power of God yet prevail'd in spight of that of Men; and +Christianity in a little time had spread itself through the Roman +Empire. + +What remedy then remain'd more fit to be devis'd by the Devil or evil +Men, to make the Gospel of no effect, than under specious pretences of +owning and honouring it, to corrupt it with the old Pagan Principles +and Practices, introduc'd under a Christian Disguise? But it being so +plainly deliver'd in the whole Tenour of the New Testament, that +_Christ being once for all offer'd up, there remained no more +Sacrifice for Sin_; and that he came to teach Men _to worship God in +Spirit and, in Truth_. There was no room left for the searchers for +their Religion in these Holy Oracles to be led into the formerly +mention'd Pagan Superstitions. The Scriptures therefore must be +discarded, or, what was the same thing, shut up from vulgar Readers: +Which were all but those who had made it their interest to mislead +others by their Explications: The which, together with vain +Traditions, supported by the Authority of reverend Names, coming in +the place of Scripture, were enjoyn'd to be receiv'd equally with +Divine Truths on Terrour of eternal Punishment to as many as could be +so persuaded, but to be sure of Temporal Penalty to all who durst +withstand this violence done to the common reason of Mankind. + +The which Spirit of Imposition and Persecution began to shew itself +very early among the Professors of Christianity: And so soon as these +were arm'd with secular Power, they fail'd not to make use of it one +against another, for imposing of Humane Inventions to the neglect of +what all profess'd to believe God indispensibly requir'd of them. The +which _Mystery of Iniquity_, tho' it _already worked_, in the Apostles +Days, yet could not be reveal'd even 'till the power of Heathen _Rome_ +was taken out of the way: And Christianity had Civil as well as +Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, by their Religions, becoming that of the +Empire: Which, when it did, Antichrist soon appear'd in his full +Dimensions; and the Christian World became a very Aceldama; A History +of which (sad as it is) might perhaps, with some pleasure, be perus'd, +were those Tragedies now at an end; or the Reformed part of +Christendom had no share in the Guilt. + +We generally indeed exclaim against the Cruelties of the _Roman_ +Church exercis'd over Men, on account or pretence of Religion: And it +is true, that they have excell'd herein; yet all Parties among us, +proportionally to the extent of their Power, have practis'd the same +thing; and the _Best_, when restrain'd from it by the Civil +Magistrate, make it evidently appear, that they bear that restraint +uneasily. + +But whilst the first Spring, which moves such _Animosities_ is a +desire in _ambitious_ and _ill_ Men or _Dominion_; well-meaning +ignorant People are misled by these from the Truth of the Gospel, to +such Zeal for some distinguishing Tenets or Forms as if the stress of +Christianity lay in those things: And that our Religion consisted not +in such a Faith in Jesus Christ, as to receive him for our King, +becoming his obedient Subjects; but in the belief of Opinions, which +have no influence upon our Practice, to the making us live more +vertuously; or in Worshipping God after some peculiar Mode or Fashion. +And thus among us Christians, as heretofore in the Heathen World, +_Vertue_ and _Religion_ are again distinguish'd; and Religion as +something more excellent (and, to be sure, more easy) does still, as +formerly it did, eat out Vertue. + +Among our selves it is true, that those of the Establish'd Church do +generally dislike a distinction often made by some others of a _Moral_ +and a _Religious_ Man; Nor, usually, are our Divines wanting to +represent from the Pulpit the necessity there is of a good Life to +render Men acceptable to God. But many who condemn such a Doctrine as +separates Religion from Morality, do yet in their practices make the +like distinction, which may well be presum'd to have been one great +cause of their having preach'd up Vertue so ineffectually as they have +done. That which People _say_ having ordinarily less influence upon +others, than what they see them _Do_. And in regard of our earliest +Apprehensions concerning Vertue and Religion, it is certain that these +are form'd in Children much more from what they observe in the +Conversations or Actions of such Persons as they esteem, than by set +Discourses that they now and then hear from the Pulpit; which they can +neither understand nor attend to early enough to receive from those +Principles that shall influence them. But so soon (at the least) as +they are capable of minding and understanding Sermons, they (where the +thing is remarkable by others) do also take notice of it, if he who +frequently recommends a good Life to them, does not in his own +Conversation, and in the respect he expresses for Vertue in the +Persons of others, shew that he indeed prefers it answerably to the +Praises he gives it. And if such a Preacher, as this, shall openly +live in the practice of any known Immorality; or not doing so himself +shall yet manifestly prefer in his esteem those who do so, is it not +natural, for them who look upon this Man as a guide to Heaven, to +conclude from hence, that in reference to the obtaining of Eternal +Happiness, Vertue is not the thing, the most essentially requisite; +and much less certainly will they think it to be so with respect to +this present World, if they find their pious Instructor not only to +choose the Society of Persons Profligate and Debauch'd for his Friends +and Companions; but also (on all occasions) to labour the promotion of +the like Men to Employments of the highest Truth, in preference of +others of acknowledg'd Integrity and Sobriety of Life: The avow'd +Reason whereof being only that the first of these are by the Doctor +held the more Orthodox in Religion; is it not unavoidable, even to a +Child, to conclude, that Vertue is not the best recommendation in his +Opinion, whatever he sometimes seems to assert, when he is shewing his +Rhetorick in the Pulpit. And since he is an Authoriz'd Teacher of +Religion, will not (so far as his example influences) Vertue and +Religion be probably consider'd as distinct things, the latter of +which, as it always has had, always will have the preference. + +The same Consequence with this must needs, in like manner, follow, +where Parents (whose Practices have usually the greatest Authority +with their Children) do in this manner express their uncharitable +Zeal for their Opinions, by them call'd Orthodoxy: And such, no less +effectually, teach the separating of Religion from Vertue, than those +whom they, perhaps, greatly condemn for making this distinction in +Terms; tho' it is true, that That sort of Men who do use this +distinction in their Discourses, do seldom fail of practising +accordingly: None having usually a more fiery Zeal than such People +have for their Orthodox, or, what is call'd by them, sound Doctrine; +and the only difference is, that these Men are herein more consistent +with themselves than the former, since their Words and their Actions +correspond. + +Nor less consentaneous to their Opinions are they, in not taking much +Pains to inculcate into their Children (as they not often do) the +Principles and early Habits of Vertue: For if Vertue, or Morality is +so far from being any way that which shall intitle Men to Salvation, +that it is not so much as a means, or good predisposition to what +shall do so, (God oftentimes to shew his Free Grace preferring the +greatest Persons to the most Moral Reasons) which is what these +Peoples Teachers frequently tell them; as there appears indeed but +little Reason why they should be vertuous, so there cannot be any more +why they should indeavour to make others so. Those of these Sentiments +are yet generally (tho' not methinks alike conformable to their +Doctrines) very Solicitous for what they call _Religious Education_. +But how little this will supply the defect of early Principles, and +Habits of Vertue, will be visible when we reflect upon what that, +which they esteem to be Religious Education does consist in; for +commonly it is only in Teaching Children some Form of sound Words as +they conceive them to be; in the greatest part, unintelligible to +their Learners, or uninstructive of their Ignorance; and in +accustoming them to hear many Sermons; which do as little inform them; +and wherein Morality is too often represented as, no ways, available +to Salvation: and, what is still worse, even (sometimes) as that which +shall rank Men among the hateful to, and accursed of God. + +The reading of the Bible is, I presume (at the least) as much +practic'd by those as by the generality of any other Perswasion; but +they study no more than others do to understand it; and (on the +contrary) are rather with greater tenaciousness so possess'd by the +Sentiments and Opinions of their Teachers, as to be almost uncapable +of consulting the word of God without prejudice; or observing any +thing therein that is contrary to the Doctrines of their Sect: that +_Analogy of Faith_ by which they are sure the Scriptures ought always +to be interpreted; the obscurest parts whereof their Teachers insist +the most upon; whence the Ignorantest Persons of these as well as the +more knowing, are usually far less conversant in the plain Doctrines +of Jesus Christ, than in St. _Pauls_ difficult Epistles; which, as +heretofore, _many who are unlearn'd wrest to their own Destruction_, +tho' their needs, I think, no skill but that of Attention to what the +Apostle is speaking of, to see that he teaches none of those Doctrines +which many are taught to believe he delivers to the prejudice of +Morality, or good Works; but quite the contrary. + +Now what help can such Instruction as this give to the subduing the +corrupt Affections, and the bridling betimes the inordinate Desires +and Appetites of Humane Nature, whereby Men are inabled to live like +rational Creatures, and to acquit themselves well in all the Relations +they shall be hereafter plac'd in, in the World? When it does not so +much as perswade them, or even allow them to think that these are the +things by which they shall be judg'd at the Last Day; but substitutes +in the place hereof groundless Conceits, and a presumptious, Faith, +which so far teaches them to neglect Obedience as that if they pursu'd +the just consequence of their own Doctrine (a thing few People do) +they would have no Morality at all: And how rarely soever these +consequences are follow'd so far as they would lead Men, yet that they +are too much so, is visible in that little concern which such People +take (as has been now observ'd) in training up their Children betimes +in the knowledge and practice of Vertue; so necessary to the making +them hereafter Vertuous, that rarely are any found eminently to be so, +where this means has been neglected; even many who are always very +sincere in the Profession of Religion, having (thro' the want of this +early care taken of them) their Passions never subjected to their +Reason; which renders them all their Lives long uneasie to themselves, +and others: Whereby also the very profession of Religion is +dishonour'd, and evil spoken of. + +In the Church of _England_, (whatever her Articles may be thought to +teach) there are not many now who hold these Opinions; and such as do +not so, rightly looking upon Vertue as the great perfection of Humane +Nature, and the End which Christianity is intended to promote, do +accordingly (if they are serious in their Religion) instruct their +Children much better than those abovementioned are wont to do theirs; +at least, they design it: For it is true that the performance does +often fall short; because (as has been said) their Actions correspond +not with their Instructions; and also from hence That Zeal for +Morality makes some, in recommending thereof, too forgetful of that +Doctrine of Faith, without which, as works avail not, so also the +greatest encouragement to, and inforcement of Morality, is lost. And +when any who are profess'd Teachers of the Christian Religion do this, +such Men do frequently confirm in their wrong Apprehensions concerning +it, those whom they would convince of mistaking the design of the +Gospel; since _Faith_ is so evidently therein the Doctrine of +Salvation, that They who never preach it, are not altogether without +Reason suspected either of not understanding Consequences, or else of +not being in earnest Christians, but conceal'd Deists, and Betrayers +of the Christian Religion. Altho' the Truth herein for the most part +is, that one Error unhappily produces another, and the partial regard +of some to the Doctrine of Faith (which yet they misrepresent) as if +the whole business of our Salvation consisted in That, has been an +occasion to other Men of as partially espousing the Doctrine of Good +Works; whilst in their heat against what is contrary to Truth in +respect thereof, they establish not sufficiently that Justifying Faith +of the Gospel, by which alone Men shall obtain Eternal Life, and not +by their Works: the best Men's Obedience having (as has been already +observ'd) imperfection in it; from whence all are necessarily +condemn'd by the Rigour of the Law, and must accordingly be found +Guilty, by him, _Who is of Purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity_; had +not God, in Mercy to Mankind, been pleas'd to establish _a New +Covenant of Grace_ in compliance with the Terms whereof, _viz._ Faith +in his Son, they may obtain Eternal Life. A Doctrine (as has been +seen) the most highly conducing that is possible to the making Men +labour after the perfectest Obedience. The Exalters of _Faith_ +therefore in opposition to _Good Works_ do not more undermine +_Morality,_ than the Advancers of the Doctrine of _Good Works_ to the +Exclusion of _Free Grace,_ do undermine Reveal'd, and in consequence +thereof, Natural Religion also. The which two sort of Men divide, if +one may so say, a good Christian betwixt them; the latter whereof take +the Soul and Spirit of Christianity, but cannot be acquitted of +neglecting what is not less essential in the Doctrine of our +Salvation; and that not only because what God has joyn'd Man cannot +disjoyn; but also because it is an Eternal Verity, that such Creatures +as we are, cannot consistently with the Attributes of God, any other +way than that of Justification by Faith, be intitled to Eternal Life. +For the Dispensation of the Gospel is not a meerly Arbitrary thing; +but is the result of Infinite Wisdom, and Goodness, for the Salvation +of Men. And if the Beauty and Harmony of its Divine Contrivance is not +to all Men evident, it is because they search not for the Christian +Religion purely, as it is deliver'd in the Scriptures, but take it up +together with the mixtures of Humane inventions, and conceits; wherein +Additions and Substractions have been made to the Truth of God, at +Mens Pleasure: Whose several Systems and Notions, whilst every one yet +indeavours to support by Scripture Authority, many become thereby +discourag'd from the study of those Holy Oracles, as being perswaded +from hence that the Bible is (at best) a Book too difficult to be +understood by them; if not truly, a Rhapsodie of contradictions, that +may be brought alike to assert any thing that shall come into Men's +Fancies to prove from thence. + +What then should those who would cure, or prevent all Mistakes +prejudicial to the right understanding the Christian Religion so +carefully do, as to perswade and ingage People diligently and with +unprejudic'd Minds to study the Scriptures; and not (as is usual) to +embrace Opinions concerning Religion first, and then consult the +Scriptures only to fortifie from thence their preconceiv'd Sentiments? +for doing thus they do in effect, but rely blindly upon the Teachings +of Men, and such Men too (as God knows have themselves for the most +part) as blindly follow'd others; whilst here and there some few (as +having more refin'd Wits, and disdaining such Shackles as the +generality like to wear, yet not loving the Truth in the Simplicity +thereof) have sought to improve and adorn it by their Philosophical +Conceits, and Notions; a Thing no less dangerous than the Former. For +to such as are better pleas'd with curious Speculations, than plain +and obvious Verities, it is very apt to happen that a Favourite +Hypothesis, or Opinion, shall run quite away with their Reason and +Judgment: which when it does, the Scriptures are sure to be +interpreted with conformity to that as if it were an Eternal, and +Unquestionable Principle of Truth. And thus too often is it seen that +the Sacred Doctrines of Divine Revelation are submitted to be try'd by +Philosophical Fancies, as a Criterion of their Truth; which is truly a +more direct disservice to Christianity than the above-mentioned +implicite Faith, since this evidently exposes even the Divine +Authority of the Christian Religion to be question'd. For when any, +especially if such whose profession it is to be Teachers of this +Religion, shall either argue against the plain Sense of what is +deliver'd in the Scriptures, meerly because it is not reconcileable to +their preconceiv'd Sentiments: or to those of their Admir'd Masters of +Reason; or else shall insist upon some of their own or these Mens +Theorems as necessary to be believ'd in confirmation of any thing +taught by our Saviour, or his Apostles; what can the Natural effect of +this be, but to make such as have not the leisure, or inclination to +examine the Truth of this Revelation, Sceptical in regard thereof; by +perswading them that those themselves who are rational Men amongst the +very Teachers of the Christian Religion, are not very clearly and +fully convinc'd of its Divine Authority; since if they were, they +would certainly submit their Opinions to be try'd by the Scriptures, +and not warp the Scriptures to a compliance with their Opinions; or +think the Doctrines contain'd in them needed any other confirmation to +support them. And wherefore must it be thought that such Men, as +these, are not convinc'd of the divine Revelation of the Christian +Religion, but from hence, that they (who will be presum'd to have +examin'd this matter the best of any Men) do find indeed some flaw or +just cause of doubt in the evidence thereof? From whence it is that +they prefer their Natural Reason as a surer Teacher than that +Revelation; however on some occasions they speak highly of it. And as +Men of this Philosophical Genius have usually more Vertue than those +who hoodwink'd follow their Leaders; or than such who look upon +Vertue as no part of Religion; there will, on this account, as also +for the Reputation of their uncommon Science, be probably a +distinguishing esteem had of such: Whence the apparent want of +deference in these Men to the Scriptures (liable to be look'd upon as +some degree of Scepticism) is of dangerous Example; which is obviously +manifest in that direct tendency this has to satisfie those in their +infidelity, who cannot, or will not, find leisure to examine for +themselves the Truths of Religion. But there is also a farther ill +influence which apparent want of deference to Scripture Authority in +those who pretend to believe (and, much more, to teach the Gospel) +has: And that is to the countenanceing too much that Multitude who +preferring the Christian Religion, do in their Practical that which +these Men do in their Speculative Opinions, _viz._ make the dictates +of the Gospel their Rule so far only, as they are vouch'd for and +Authoriz'd by their Reason, infected, as it is, by Custom, Passion, or +Worldly Interest; which is done by very many who would be offended to +have their belief of the Scriptures Question'd. But however they +profess to own them, none who act thus can be rationally thought to be +sincerely perswaded of their divine Authority, altho' it is possible +that many such Men may have no intire disbelief thereof neither; it +being barely not assenting, which is the Natural Effect of Ignorance +in those who have good Sense enough to see that it is irrational, to +be confidently assur'd of what they have not sufficient Reason to be +so assur'd of. + +Now this want of a firm assent to the Divine Authority of the +Scriptures in such as yet profess to own them for the word of God, is +unquestionably evident when such Men acquiesce not in the Precepts of +the Gospel, as the Rule of their Actions, any farther than they find +those Precepts to be Authoriz'd by the Testimony of their Reason: Of +which manner of acting many very common examples may be easily +brought. + +It is true that how much soever a Man is perswaded of the Authority of +any Rule, a strong Passion, or Apparent Interest may yet seduce him +from the Obedience due to its prescriptions; but such a Transgression +being accompanied with Regret, or followed with Repentance, the Rule +is still as much acknowledg'd as if it were obey'd; and none, on the +score of a contrary practice, are chargeable with a disbelief thereof, +but such who do, on a deliberate Choice and without Remorse, +transgress against it; which many professing to be Christians not +only themselves do, but even teach their Children the like: in which +latter case it cannot be suppos'd that they are misled by the strength +of any prevailing Passion. + +That we should forgive our Enemies and be patient under injuries (for +instance) are, as plainly as words can make them so, commanded in the +Scriptures; yet how many are there professing to believe that the +Scriptures are the Word of God, who, as if no such Commands as these +were deliver'd by Christ, or his Disciples, do both Practice and +Teach, the not putting up Affronts unreveng'd; and this only because +the Fashion of the Country has establish'd it, that a Gentleman cannot +do so with _Honour_? A Term which herein signifies nothing, but +agreeably to certain measures of acting that Men have Arbitrarily made +for themselves, and which are not founded upon any Principle of right +Reason; however to be obey'd, it seems, by a Gentleman preferably to +the Commands of Christ. If there are Cases wherein from want of a due +provision in Governments against some sort of Injuries it may be +thought that Men are excusable in asserting their own Cause, yet thus +much is at the least certain, That this Precept of Forgiveness could +not be transgress'd against, as it very frequently is, by Men +professing to believe the Authority of the Scriptures, if such were +indeed fully perswaded that it was a divine Command which prohibited +the avenging of our selves. + +But others there are (contrary to these Men) who would find it +altogether condemnable for a Man to hazard his own, and anothers Life +in a Duel, or Rencounter (tho' caus'd by the Transport of ever so just +a provocation) who would see no Evil in his mispending of his Time, +consuming Day after Day, and Year after Year, uselesly to himself, or +others, in a course of continual Idleness and Sauntring; as if he was +made only to Eat and to Drink, or to gratifie his Senses. And how few +Parents are there of Quality, even among such as are esteem'd the most +vertuous, who do not permit their Daughters to pass the best part of +their Youth in that Ridiculous Circle of Diversions, which is pretty +generally thought the proper business of Young Ladies; and which so +ingrosses them that they can find no spare Hours, wherein to make any +such improvements of their understanding, as the leisure which they +have for it exacts from them as rational Creatures; or as is requisite +or useful to the discharging well their present, or future Duties? + +Some formal Devotions are (perhaps) necessary to some of These, to +preserve them even in their own good esteem; and they that can +regularly find half an Hour, or an Hour in a Day to employ in private +upon this, and in reading some pious Book, together with, it may be, a +certain Number of Chapters in the Bible, need nothing more to make +them be cry'd up for great examples to the Age they live in; as if all +this while there were no Precepts for these People in the Gospel, +concerning the improvement of their Time, and Talents, as things +whereof they must one Day be accountable. For others it may be they +cannot but see that there are such Commands; but the Sacred Law of +Fashion has made endless Idle Visits, and less Innocent +Entertainments, the indispensibly constant Employment of those of +their Condition: and when they are grown Old in the perpetually +repeated round of such Impertinence and Folly, they have but labour'd +much in their Calling. + +Another Instance how little many, who profess to believe the +Scriptures, do apparently look upon them as the Rule of their Actions, +we have in regard of the Precept _not to Covet_; which is as much +forbidden by the Law of God as _not to Steal_, or Cozen a Man of what +is his property: And yet the same Parents who have bred their Children +in such a Sense of the Enormity of these last Vices, as that they +oftentimes seem to them like things that they are Naturally uncapable +of, are so far from teaching them to restrain their Exorbitant +Desires, that very oft they themselves with care inspire these into +them: Whence it is sufficiently clear that the difference made between +Stealing and Cheating, or Coveting (alike forbidden by the Law of God) +is from hence, That Ambition is thought a Passion becoming some Ranks +of Men, but Cheating or Stealing not Vices proper for a Gentleman. A +distinction that must needs refer to some other Rule than that of the +Gospel; which therefore is not That which, as a Divine Law, does +prescribe to such Men the Measures of their Actions. + +To bring but one instance more of the Commands of Christ being +comply'd with but so far only, as they do comply with some other Rule +prefer'd thereto by such as yet pretend to be Christians; _Chastity_ +(for example) is, according to the Gospel, a Duty to both Sexes, yet a +Transgression herein, even with the aggravation of wronging another +Man, and possibly a whole Family thereby, is ordinarily talk'd as +lightly of, as if it was but a Peccadillo in a Young Man, altho' a far +less Criminal Offence against this Duty in a Maid shall in the +Opinion of the same Persons brand her with perpetual Infamy: The +nearest Relations oftentimes are hardly brought to look upon her after +such a dishonour done by her to their Family; whilst the Fault of her +more guilty Brother finds but a very moderate reproof from them; and +in a little while, it may be, becomes the Subject of their Mirth and +Raillery. And why still is this wrong plac'd distinction made, but +because there are measures of living establish'd by Men themselves +according to a conformity, or disconformity with which, and not with +the Precepts of Jesus Christ, their Actions are measur'd, & judg'd of? +A thing which would be unaccountable if Men were indeed heartily +perswaded of the Divine Revelation of our Saviours Doctrine; and did +not profess to believe this but because it is the Fashion of their +Country so to do; and that their Parents have done so before them; +or, at most, that possibly they may have receiv'd from their Education +some impressions which will not permit them to reject the Christian +Religion, any more than firmly induce their Assent to the Truth of it. + +That Men who have any Vertue, or Sobriety, and who are not intirely +destitute of good Sense, can suffer in themselves such an uncertainty +about what is of so great moment to them as the Truths of the +Christian Religion, is indeed strange; but as the slightest Arguments +against any Truth have some weight to those who know not the Evidence +of that Truth, so also such as have never been accustom'd, whilst +Young, to exercise themselves in any Rational Inquiry, do usually in a +more advanc'd Age look upon the easiest Labour of this kind as +painful: And thence (for the most part) do either lazily think it +best to acquiesce, as well as they can, in such Mens Sentiments as +they have imagin'd the best to understand this matter; or else are +readily inclin'd from the disagreement, and contrariety of Peoples +thoughts about it, to take a Resolution of not troubling themselves at +all concerning it; as being a thing wherein there is no certainty to +be found, and probably therefore but little Truth: An Opinion which +the too commonly avow'd Scepticism of the Age helps much to confirm +unthinking People in; and that the more, because to doubt of what the +most believe (tho' few have any other Reason for so doubting but that +others do not doubt) has very much prevail'd in our Days to intitle +Men to the Reputation of more than ordinary Wit and Sagacity. But the +Scepticism among us has truly been so far from being the effect of +uncommon Light, and Knowledge; as that it has been, and is much owing +to the preceding fashionableness of a very general Ignorance, both in +regard of Religion, and also of other useful Sciences; for Men's not +knowing how profitably, and with pleasure to employ their Time, is +apparently one great cause of their Debauchery; and so long as the +Consciousness and Shame of not acting like rational Creatures is not +extinguished in them, the uneasiness of that remorse puts them +Naturally upon seeking out Principles to justifie their Conduct upon; +few Men being able to indure the constant Reproaches of their own +Reason: Whence if they do not conform their Actions to the dictates of +that, they will Naturally indeavour to warp their Reason to a +compliance with their practices: A reconcilement one way, or other, +between these, being necessary to the making Men, that are not very +profligate indeed, in good conceit, or even at Peace with themselves. + +By that want of Knowledge which I have ventur'd to say is fashionable, +I understand not only ignorance among Men, who have leisure for it, of +Arts and Sciences in general; but also, and especially the want of +such particular Knowledge as is requisite to every one for the well +discharging either their Common or peculiar Business and Duty; wherein +Religion is necessarily included, as being the Duty of all Persons to +understand, of whatever Sex, Condition, or Calling they are of. Now to +affirm that the greater part of People are ignorant concerning that +which is not only their Duty to know, but which also many are so +sensible they ought to know, as that they pretend to understand it +enough to be either zealous about, or else to contemn it; and to +assert likewise that they want the knowledge of what is peculiarly +belonging to them, in their particular Station, to understand; are +such Charges as ought not to be alledg'd, if they are not so evidently +true, as that we cannot open our Eyes without seeing them to be so. + +In respect of Religion, it is, I think, universally allow'd to be true +of the common People of all sorts (tho' surely not without Matter of +Reproach to some, or other, whose Care their better Instruction ought +to be) that they are very ignorant. But we will consider here only +such superior Ranks of Persons, in reference to whom what has already +been said, has been spoken: And to begin with the Female Sex, who +certainly ought to be Christians; how many of these, comparatively, +may it be presum'd that there are, from the meanest Gentlewoman to the +greatest Ladies, that can give any such account of the Christian +Religion, as would inform an inquisitive Stranger what it consisted +in; and what are the grounds of believing it? Such Women as understand +something of the distinguishing Opinions of that Denomination they +have been bred up in, are commonly thought highly intelligent in +Religion; but I think there are but very few, even of this little +number, who could well inform a rational Heathen concerning +Christianity itself: Which is an Ignorance inexcusable in them, tho', +perhaps, it is very often the effect only of the want of other useful +Knowledge, for the not having whereof, Women are much more to be +pitty'd than blam'd. + +The improvements of Reason, however requisite to Ladies for their +Accomplishment, as rational Creatures; and however needful to them for +the well Educating of their Children, and to their being useful in +their Families, yet are rarely any recommendation of them to Men; who +foolishly thinking, that Money will answer to all things, do, for the +most part, regard nothing else in the Woman they would Marry: And not +often finding what they do not look for, it would be no wonder if +their Off-spring should inherit no more Sense than themselves. But be +Nature ever so kind to them in this respect, yet through want of +cultivating the Tallents she bestows upon those of the Female Sex, her +Bounty is usually lost upon them; and Girls, betwixt silly Fathers and +ignorant Mothers, are generally so brought up, that traditionary +Opinions are to them, all their lives long, instead of Reason. They +are, perhaps, sometimes told in regard of what Religion exacts, That +they must _Believe_ and _Do_ such and such things, because the Word +of God requires it; but they are not put upon searching the Scriptures +for themselves, to see whether, or no, these things are so; and they +so little know why they should look upon the Scriptures to be the Word +of God, that but too often they are easily perswaded out of the +Reverence due to them as being so: And (if they happen to meet with +such bad examples) are not seldom brought from thence, even to scoff +at the Documents of their Education; and, in consequence thereof, to +have no Religion at all. Whilst others (naturally more dispos'd to be +Religious) are either (as divers in the Apostles Days were) _carry'd +away with every wind of Doctrine, ever learning and never coming to +the knowledge of the Truth_; Weak, Superstitious, Useless Creatures; +or else, if more tenacious in their Natures, blindly and conceitedly +weded to the Principles and Opinions of their Spiritual Guides; who +having the direction of their Consciences, rarely fail to have that +also of their Affairs and Fortunes. A Wife of which sort proves, very +often, no small unhappiness to the Family where she comes; for this +kind of ignorant Persons are, of all others, the most Arrogant; and +when they are once intitl'd to Saintship for their blind Zeal, as +nothing is more troublesome than they in finding fault with, and +censuring every one that differs from them, so to their Admirers (who +lead them as they please) they think they can never pay enough for +that Incence which is offer'd them: The dearest Interests of Humane +Life being, oftentimes, thus sacrific'd to a vain Image of Piety; +_whilst makers of long Prayers_ have _devour'd Widows Houses_. + +But what is here said implying that Ladies should so well understand +their Religion, as to be able to answer both to such who oppose, and +to such who misrepresent it; this may seem, perhaps, to require that +they should have the Science of Doctors, and be well skill'd in +Theological Disputes and Controversies; than the Study of which I +suppose there could scarce be found for them a more useless +Employment. But whether such Patrons of Ignorance as know nothing +themselves which they ought to know, will call it Learning, or not, to +understand the Christian Religion, and the grounds of receiving it; it +is evident that they who think so much knowledge, as that, to be +needless for a Woman, must either not be perswaded of the Truth of +Christianity; or else must believe that Women are not concern'd to be +Christians. For if Christianity be a Religion from God, and Women +have Souls to be sav'd as well as Men; to know what this Religion +consists in, and to understand the grounds on which it is to be +receiv'd, can be no more than necessary Knowledge to a Woman, as well +as to a Man: Which necessary Knowledge is sufficient to inable any one +so far to answer to the Opposers or Corrupters of Christianity, as to +secure them from the danger of being impos'd upon by such Mens +Argumentations; which is all that I have thought requisite for a Lady; +and not that she should be prepar'd to challenge every Adversary to +Truth. + +Now that thus much knowledge requires neither Learned Education, or +great Study, to the attaining of it, appears in that the first +Christians were mean and illiterate People; to which part of Mankind +the Gospel may rather be thought to have had a more especial regard +than that they are any way excluded from the Benefits thereof by +incapacity in them to receive it. In the Apostles Days _there were not +many Wise who were call'd_, and he tells us that _after that the World +by Wisdom knew not God: it pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching +to save them that believe_, and tho' _to the perfect_ the same Apostle +says, he did _Preach Wisdom_, yet it was the simplicity and plainness +of the Christian Religion that made it _to the Jews a stumbling block, +and to the Greeks foolishness_. From whence, we see that all Theorems +too abstruse for Vulgar Apprehensions, which Christianity is believ'd +to Teach, however Divine Truths, are yet no part of the Doctrine of +Salvation. There is not therefore this pretence to impose upon any one +the belief of any thing which they do not find to be reveal'd in +Scripture; the doing of which, has not only caus'd deplorable +dissentions among Christians, but also been an occasion to multitudes +of well meaning People of having so confus'd and unsatisfactory +conceptions and apprehensions concerning the Christian Religion as +tho' perhaps not absolutely, or immediately prejudicial to their +Salvation, yet are so to their seeing clearly that Christianity is a +rational Religion; without which few will be very secure from the +infection of Scepticism, or Infidelity, where those are become +fashionable, and prevailing. A danger to which many Women are no less +expos'd than Men, and oftentimes, more so. Whence it is but needful +that they should so well understand their Religion as to be Christians +upon the Convictions of their Reason; which is indeed no more than one +would think it became every Christian, as a rational Creature, to be; +were this not requisite in regard of Scepticism, and Infidelity, as +to some it is not; there being, no doubt, many a Country Gentlewoman +who has never in her Life heard Question'd, or once imagined that any +one in their Wits could Question the Articles of her Faith; which yet +she her self knows not why she believes. + +From the too Notorious Truth of what has been said in reference to the +little that Women know concerning Religion, it must be granted that +the generality of them are shamefully Ignorant herein. As for other +Science, it is believ'd so improper for, and is indeed so little +allow'd them, that it is not to be expected from them: but the cause +of this is only the Ignorance of Men. + +The Age, we live in, has been, not undeservedly, esteem'd a knowing +one: But to the Learned Clergy much has been owing for its having +obtain'd that Character; and tho' some few Gentlemen have been the +greatest advancers of Learning amongst us; yet they are very rare who +apply themselves to any Science that is curious: And as for such +knowledge as is no less than requisite for Men of Families, and +Estates to have in regard of the proper business of their Station; it +may, I think, be said that never was this more neglected than at +present; since there is not a commoner complaint in every County than +of the want of Gentlemen Qualified for the Service of their Country, +_viz._ to be Executors of the Law, and Law Makers; both of which it +belonging to this Rank of English Men to be, some insight into the Law +which they are to see Executed, and into that Constitution which they +are to support, cannot but be necessary to their well dischargeing +these Trusts: Nor will this Knowledge be sufficiently Servicable to +the Ends herein propos'd, without some Acquaintance likewise with +History, Politicks, and Morals. Every one of these then are parts of +Knowledge which an English Gentleman cannot, without blame, be +Ignorant of, as being essential to the duly Qualifying him for what is +his proper business. + +But whether we farther look upon such Men as having Immortal Souls +that shall be for ever Happy or Miserable, as they comply with the +Terms which their Maker has propos'd to them; or whether we regard +them as Protestants, whose Birthright it is not blindly to _Believe_, +but to Examine their Religion; Or consider them only as Men whose +ample Fortunes allow them leisure for so important a Study, they are +without doubt oblig'd to understand the Religion they profess. Adding +this then to what it is above concluded a Gentleman ought to know, +let us examine how common such Knowledge only is amongst our +Gentlemen, as we see, without just matter of Reproach to them, they +cannot want: No one, I think, will deny that so much knowledge as this +is so little ordinary, as that those are apparently the far greater +number who have never consider'd any part hereof as an Acquisition, +which they ought to make; and that they are but a few comparatively, +and pass among us for Men extraordinary, who have but a competent +knowledge in any one of the above-mention'd things. + +What is by the Obligations of their Duty exacted from them in this +regard, seems to be very little reflected on by them; and as for other +Considerations, which, as Gentlemen, might be thought to induce them, +their Ancestors care has distinguish'd them from their Tenants, and +other inferior Neighbours, by Titles and Riches; and that is all the +distinction which they desire to have; believing it, in respect of +Knowledge, sufficient, if they did once understand a little Latin or +Logick in the University; which whoso still retains, altho' he has +made no use thereof to the real improvement of his understanding, is +yet thought very highly accomplish'd, and passes (in the Country) for +Learned. + +As to Religion, by the little which most Gentlemen understand of that, +and by the no shame which they ordinarily enough have in avowing this +their ignorance, one cannot but suppose that it is pretty commonly +thought by them a matter, the understanding whereof does not concern +them: That the Publick has provided others to do this for them: And +that their part herein is but to maintain (so far as by their +Authority they can) what those Men assert. + +Thus wretchedly destitute of all that Knowledge which they ought to +have, are (generally speaking) our English Gentlemen: And being so, +what wonder can it be, if they like not that Women should have +Knowledge; for this is a quality that will give some sort of +superiority even to those who care not to have it? But such Men as +these would assuredly find their account much better therein, if +tenderness of that Prerogative would teach them a more legitimate way +of maintaining it, than such a one as is a very great impediment or +discouragement, at the least, to others in the doing what God requires +of them. For it is an undeniable Truth that a Lady who is able but to +give an account of her Faith, and to defend her Religion against the +attaques of the Cavilling Wits of the Age; or the Abuses of the +Obtruders of vain Opinions: That is capable of instructing her +Children in the reasonableness of the Christian Religion; and of +laying in them the Foundations of a solid Vertue; that a Lady (I say) +no more knowing than this does demand, can hardly escape being call'd +Learned by the Men of our days; and in consequence thereof, becoming a +Subject of Ridicule to one part of them, and of Aversion to the other; +with but a few exceptions of some vertuous and rational Persons. And +is not the incuring of general dislike, one of the strongest +discouragements that we can have to any thing? + +If the assistance of Mothers be, as I have already affirm'd it is, +necessary to the right forming of the Minds, and regulating of the +Manners of their Children; I am not in the wrong in reckoning (as I +do) that this care is indispensibly a Mothers Duty. Now it cannot, I +think, be doubted, but that a Mothers Concurrence and Care is thus +necessary, if we consider that this is a work which can never be too +soon begun, it being rarely at all well performed, if not betimes +undertaken; nothing being so effectual to the making Men vertuous, as +to have good Habits and Principles of Vertue establish'd in them +before the Mind is tainted with any thing opposite or prejudicial +hereunto. Those therefore must needs much over-look the chief Business +of Education, or have little consider'd the Constitution of Humane +Nature, that reckon for nothing the first eight or ten Years of a Boys +Life; an Age wherein Fathers, who seldom are able to do it at any +time, can neither charge themselves with the care of their Children, +nor be the watchful inspectors of those that they must be trusted to; +who usually and unavoidably by most Parents, are a sort of People far +fitter to be Learners than Teachers of the Principles of Vertue and +Wisdom; the great Foundation of both which consists in being able to +govern our Passions, and subject our Appetites to the direction of our +Reason: A Lesson hardly ever well learnt, if it be not taught us from +our very Cradles. To do which requires no less than a Parents Care and +Watchfulness; and therefore ought undoubtedly to be the Mothers +business to look after, under whose Eye they are. An exemption from +which, Quality (even of the highest degree) cannot give; since the +Relation between the Mother and Child is equal amongst all Ranks of +People. And it is a very preposterous Abuse of Quality to make it a +pretence for being unnatural. This is a Truth which perhaps would +displease many Ladies were it told them, and therefore, probably, it +is that they so seldom hear it: But none of them could be so much +offended with any one for desiring hereby to restrain them from some +of their expensive and ridiculous Diversions, by an employment so +worthy of Rational Creatures, and so becoming of maternal tenderness, +as it is just to be with them for neglecting their Children: A Fault +that women of Quality are every way too often guilty of, and are +perhaps more without excuse for, than for any other that they are +ordinarily taxable with. For tho' it is to be fear'd that few Ladies +(from the disadvantage of their own Education) are so well fitted as +they ought to be, to take the care of their Children, yet not to be +willing to do what they can herein, either as thinking this a matter +of too much pains for them, or below their Condition, expresses so +senseless a Pride, and so much want of the affectionate and +compassionate Tenderness natural to that Sex and Relation, that one +would almost be tempted to question whether such Women were any more +capable of, than worthy to be the Mothers of Rational Creatures. + +But natural Affection apart, it should be consider'd by these, that no +one is Born into the World to live idly; enjoying the Fruit and +Benefit of other Peoples Labours, without contributing reciprocally +some way or other, to the good of the Community answerably to that +Station wherein God (the common Father of all) has plac'd them; who +has evidently intended Humane kind for Society and mutual Communion, +as Members of the same Body, useful every one each to other in their +respective places. Now in what can Women whose Condition puts them +above all the Necessities or Cares of a mean or scanty Fortune, at +once so honourably and so usefully, both to themselves and others, be +employ'd in as in looking after the Education and Instruction of their +own Children? This seems indeed to be more particularly the Business +and Duty of such than of any others: And if example be necessary to +perswade them that they will not herein do any thing mis-becoming +their Rank, the greatest Ladies amongst us may be assur'd that those +of a Condition superior to theirs, have heretofore been so far from +thinking it any abasement to them to charge themselves with the +instruction of their own Children, that (to their Immortal Honour) +they have made it part of their Business to assist to that of other +Peoples also, who were likely one day to be of consequence to the +Common-wealth. And could the bare Love of their Country induce, among +many more, the great _Cornelia_, Mother of the _Gracchi_, and +_Aurelia_ the Mother of _Julius Caesar_, to do this for the Sons of +Noble-men of _Rome_ to whom they had no Relation but that of their +common Country, and shall not the like consideration, or what is +infinitely beyond this, that of their Children being hereafter for +ever happy or miserable, accordingly as they live in this World, +prevail with the Ladies of our Days, who call themselves Christians, +to employ some of their Time and Pains upon their own Off-spring? The +care of which (as has been said) should begin with the first Years of +Childrens Lives, in curbing at the earliest appearance thereof, every +their least evil inclination; and accustoming them to an absolute, +constant, and universal Submission and Obedience to the Will of those +who have the disposal of them: Since they will hardly ever after +(especially in a great Fortune) be govern'd by their own Reason, who +are not made supple to that of others, before they are able to judge +of fit and unfit, by any other measure than as it is the Will, or not, +of such whom they believe to have a just Power over them. As they do +become capable of examining and determining their Actions by Reason, +they should be taught never to do any thing of consequence heedlesly; +and to look upon the Dictates of their Reason as so inviolable a Rule +of their Determinations, that no Passion or Appetite must ever make +them swerve therefrom. But instead of following this Method, it is +commonly thought too soon to correct Children for any thing, 'till the +Season is past for this sort of Discipline; which, if it come too +late, is commonly so far from producing the good it was design'd for, +that losing the benefit of Correction (which, if duly apply'd, is of +infinite use) it turns to a Provocation; and renders stiff and +incorrigible a Temper it was meant to supple. Nor is it seldom that +through this wrong tim'd Discipline, together with that remisness and +inequality wherewith Childrens Inclinations are over-rul'd, their +Parents Government over them seems to them not a Natural, and just +right establish'd for their benefit, but a Tyrannick and Arbritary +Power, which accordingly they without Remorse disobey, whenever they +believe that they can do so with Impunity: And what is still worse, +their evil Dispositions, for the most part, are not only not timely +enough restrain'd, but Children are actually taught to indulge to +their naturally irregular Inclinations, by those Vicious or wretchedly +ignorant People, who are plac'd about them; and who almost +universally instil down-right Vice into them, even before they can +well speak; as Revenge, Covetousness, Pride and Envy: Whilst the silly +Creatures who do them so unspeakable Mischiefs are scarce capable of +being made to understand the harm that they do; but think Parents +ill-natur'd, or that they have fancies fit only to be smil'd at, who +will deny their Child a thing for no other reason, it may be, but +because he has desir'd it: And who before he is trusted to go alone +will check his Resentment, Impatience, Avarice, or Vanity, which they +think becomes him so prettily; neither will suffer him to be rewarded +for doing what they bid him to do. + +This I am sure, that who so has try'd how very little Sense is to be +met with, or can be infus'd into Nurses, and Nurse-Maids; and with +what difficulty even the best of them by those who make it their +business to watch over them, are restrain'd from what they are +perswaded has no hurt in it, will soon be satisfy'd how little fit it +is to trust Children any more than is necessary, in such Hands. And no +wiser than such, if not much worse, are the greatest part of those who +are usually their immediate Successors, _viz._ young Scholars and +French Maids, erected into Tutors and Governesses, only for the sake +of a little Latin and French. + +In Mr. L---- s excellent _Treatise of Education_, he shews how early +and how great a Watchfulness and Prudence are requisite to the forming +the Mind of a Child to Vertue; and whoso shall read what he has writ +on that Subject, will, it is very likely, think that few Mothers are +qualify'd for such an undertaking as this: But that they are not so +is the Fault which should be amended: In the mean time nevertheless, +their presum'd willingness to be in the right, where the Happiness of +their Children is concerned in it, must certainly inable them, if they +were but once convinc'd that this was their Duty, to perform it much +better than such People will do, who have as little Skill and Ability +for it as themselves; and who besides, that they rarely desire to +learn any more than they have, are not induc'd by Affection to do for +those under their care all the Good that they can. Since then the +Affairs either of Men's Callings, or of their private Estates, or the +Service of their Country (all which are indispensibly their Business) +allows them not the leisure to look daily after the Education of their +Children; and that, otherwise, also they are naturally less capable +than Women of that Complaisance and Tenderness, which the right +Instruction and Direction of that Age requires; and since Servants are +so far from being fit to be rely'd upon in that great concern, that to +watch against the Impediments they actually bring thereto, is no small +part of the care that a wise Parent has to take; I do presume that +(ordinarily speaking) this so necessary a Work of forming betimes the +Minds of Children so as to dispose them to be hereafter Wise and +Vertuous Men and Women, cannot be perform'd but by Mothers only. It +being a thing practicable but by a very few to purchase the having +always Wise, Vertuous and well Bred People, to take the place of a +Parent in governing their Children; and together with them such +Servants and Teachers, as must peculiarly be employ'd about them; For +the World does not necessarily abound with such Persons as these, and +in such circumstances as not to pretend to more profitable +employments than Men of one or two thousand Pounds a Year (and much +less those great numbers who have smaller Estates) can often afford to +make the care of governing their Children from their Infancy to be. +The procuring of such a Person as this may (by accident) sometimes be +in such a ones Power; but to propose the ingaging for reward whenever +there shall be need for them, vertuous, wife, and well-bred Men and +Women, to spend their time in taking care of the Education of young +Children, is what can be done but by a very few; since the doing this +would not be found an easy charge to the greater part of almost any +rank amongst us; unless they would be content for the sake hereof to +abridge themselves of some of their extravagant Expences; which are +usually the last that Men will deny themselves. + +It is indeed wonderful (if we consider Men as rational Creatures) to +see how much Mony they will often bestow, not upon their Vices only, +(for this is not so unaccountable) but upon meerly fashionable +Vanities, which give them more Trouble than Pleasure in the enjoyment: +Yet at the same time be as sparing, as is possible, of cost upon a +Child's Education; and it is certain, that for Rewards considerable +enough to make it worth their while, those of a far different +Character from such as for the most part undertake it, would be +induc'd to accept even the early charge of Childrens Instruction. But +every Gentleman of a good Family, or good Estate also, is not in +Circumstances to propound such sufficient Rewards; and for what the +most can afford to give, very few capable of performing this matter +well, will trouble themselves about it; at least with such Pupils as +must be attended with Nurses or Maids. Wherefore no other remedy, I +believe, can be found but in returning still to our Conclusion, That +this great concernment, on which no less than Peoples Temporal and +Eternal Happiness does mightily depend, ought to be the Care and +Business of Mothers. Nor do Women seem less peculiarly adapted by +Nature hereunto, than it can be imagin'd they should be, if the Author +of Nature (as no doubt he did) design'd this to be their Province in +that division of Cares of Humane Life, which ought to be made between +a Man and his Wife. For that softness, gentleness and tenderness, +natural to the Female Sex, renders them much more capable than Men are +of such an insinuating Condescention to the Capacities of young +Children, as is necessary in the Instruction and Government of them, +insensibly to form their early Inclinations. And surely these +distinguishing Qualities of the Sex were not given barely to delight, +when they may, so manifestly, be profitable also, if joyn'd with a +well informed Understanding: From whence, _viz._ from Womans being +naturally thus fitted to take this care of their little Ones, it +follows, that besides the injustice done to themselves thereby, it is +neglecting the Direction of Nature for the well breeding up of +Children, when Ladies are render'd uncapable hereof, through the want +of such due improvements of their Reason as are requisite hereunto. + +That this has been no more reflected upon from a Principle of Pitty to +that tender Age of Children which so much requires help, seems very +strange: For what can move a juster Commiseration than to see such +poor innocents, so far from having the Aid they stand in need of, that +even those who the most wish to do them good, and who resent, with +the deepest Compassion, every little Malady which afflicts their +Bodies, do never attempt to rescue them from the greatest evils which +attend them in this Life, but even themselves assist to plunge them +therein, by cherishing in them those Passions which will inevitably +render them miserable? A thing which can never be otherwise whilst +Women are bred up in no right Notions of Religion and Vertue; or to +know any use of Reason but in the service of their Passions and +Inclinations; or at best of their (comparatively trivial) Interests. + +To assert upon this occasion, that Ladies would do well, if, before +they came to the care of Families, they did imploy some of their many +idle Hours in gaming a little Knowledge in Languages, and the useful +Sciences, would be, I know, to contradict the Sense of most Men; but +yet, I think, that such an Assertion admits of no other Confutation +than the usual one which opposite Opinions to theirs are wont to +receive from People who Reason not, but live by Fancy, and Custom; +_viz._ being laugh'd at: For it cannot be deny'd that this Knowledge +would hereafter be more, or less, useful to Ladies, in inabling them +either themselves to teach their Children, or better to over-see and +direct, those who do so: And tho' Learning is perhaps the least part +in Education, it is not to be neglected; but even betimes taken some +care of, least a Habit of Idleness, or Inapplication of the Mind be +got, which once contracted, is very hardly cur'd. + +This being so, and that the beginnings of all Science are difficult to +Children (who cannot like grown People fix their Attention) it is +justly to befear'd that they should by the ill usage they receive from +the impatience and peevishness of such Teachers, as Servants, or Young +Tutors, take an Aversion to Learning (and we see in effect, that this +very frequently happens). For the Teaching of little Children so as +not to disgust them, does require much greater Patience and Address, +than common People are often capable of; or than most can imagine, who +have not had experience hereof. But should such Teachers as we have +spoke of, have the necessary complaisance for those they Teach, there +is then, on the other side, a yet greater danger to be apprehended +from them, which is that their Pupils will become fond of them; the +bad effect of which will be, That by an Affectation Natural in +Children of imitating those they Love, they will have their Manners +and Dispositions Tinctur'd and Tainted by those of Persons so dear to +them. + +Now both the inconveniences here mention'd, might, at least in great +measure, if not wholly, be Remedy'd, would Mothers but be at so much +Pains as to Teach their Children either altogether, or in good part +themselves, what it is fit for them to learn in the first Eight or Ten +Years of their Lives. As to Read English perfectly; To understand +ordinary Latin; and Arithmetick; with some general knowledge of +Geography, Chronology, and History. Most, or all of which things may +at the above-said Age be understood by a Child of a very ordinary +capacity; and may be so taught Children as that they may learn them +almost insensibly in Play, if they have skilful Teachers: It seems to +me therefore that Young Ladies cannot better employ so much of their +Time as is requisite hereto, than in acquiring such Qualifications as +these, which may be of so great use to them hereafter; however, if any +who have not made this early Provision of such Science, are yet truly +desirous to do their Children all the good that is in their Power to +do them, they may, tho' not with the same Facility, yet be able to +instruct them alike, notwithstanding that disadvantage; and Mr. L---- +on the Experience thereof, has asserted, That a Mother who understands +not Latin before hand, may yet teach it to her Child; which, if she +can, it is not to be doubted but that she may do the same of all the +rest; for such a Superficial Knowledge as will serve to enter any one +in every of the above-named Sciences, is much easier attain'd than the +Latin Tongue; and if a Mother have ever so little more Capacity than +her Child, she may easily keep before him, in teaching both him and +her self together; whereby she will make herself the best Reparation +that she can for her past neglect, or that of her Parents herein: Who +yet, perhaps, not from negligence may have declin'd giving her this +advantage. For Parents sometimes do purposely omit it from an +apprehension that should their Daughters be perceiv'd to understand +any learned Language, or be conversant in Books, they might be in +danger of not finding Husbands; so few Men, as do, relishing these +accomplishments in a Lady. Nor, probably, would even the example of a +Mother herself who was thus qualify'd, and likewise understood, as is +afore-said, her Religion, be any great incouragement to her Daughters +to imitate her example, but the contrary. For this Knowledge, one part +whereof is so strictly the Duty of a Christian, and the other so +inconsiderable to those whose Time commonly lies upon their Hands, +would in itself, or in the consequences of it, expose a young Woman of +Quality (especially if not thought unfit for the fashionable Commerce +of the World) to be characteriz'd or censur'd, as would not be very +pleasing to her. For if it be consider'd, that she who did seriously +desire to make the best use of what she knew, would necessarily be +oblig'd (for the gaining of Time wherein she might do so) to order the +Course, and manner of her Life something differently from others of +her Sex and Condition, it cannot be doubted but that a Conduct, which +carry'd with it so much Reproach to Woman's Idleness, and +disappointment to Men's Vanity, would quickly be judg'd fit to be +ridicul'd out of the World before others were infected by the example. +So that the best Fate which a Lady thus knowing, and singular, could +expect, would be that hardly escaping Calumny, she should be in Town +the Jest of the _Would-be-Witts_; tho wonder of Fools, and a Scarecrow +to keep from her House many honest People who are to be pitty'd for +having no more Wit than they have, because it is not their own Fault +that they have no more. But in the Country she would, probably, fare +still worse; for there her understanding of the Christian Religion +would go near to render her suspected of Heresy even by those who +thought the best of her: Whilst her little Zeal for any Sect or Party +would make the Clergy of all sorts give her out for a _Socinian_ or a +_Deist_: And should but a very little Philosophy be added to her other +Knowledge, even for an Atheist. The Parson of the Parish, for fear of +being ask'd hard Questions, would be shy of coming near her, were his +Reception ever so inviting; and this could not but carry some ill +intimation with it to such as Reverenc'd the Doctor, and who, it is +likely, might be already satisfy'd from the Reports of Nurses, and +Maids, that their Lady was indeed a Woman of very odd Whimsies. Her +prudent Conduct and Management of her affairs would probably secure +her from being thought out of her Wits by her near Neighbours; but the +Country Gentlemen that wish'd her well, could not yet chuse but be +afraid for her, lest too much Learning might in Time make her Mad. + +The saving of but one Soul from Destruction, is, it is true, a noble +recompense for ten Thousand such Censurers as these; but it is +wondrous strange that only to be a Christian, with so much other +Knowledge as a Child of Nine or Ten Years Old may, and ought to have, +should expose a Lady to so great Reproaches; And what a shame is this +for Men whose woful Ignorance is the alone Cause thereof? For it is +manifestly true that if the inimitable Author of _Les Caracteres, ou +les Moeurs de ce Siecle_, had demanded in _England, who forbids +Knowledge to Women_? It must have been answer'd him, the Ignorance of +the Men does so; and the same Answer I think he might have receiv'd in +his own Country. + +_Monsieur Bruyere_ says indeed, and likely it is, _That Men have made +no Laws, or put out any Edicts whereby Women are prohibited to open +their Eyes; to Read; to Remember what they Read, and to make use +thereof in their Conversation, or in composing of Works_. But surely +he had little Reason to suppose, as he herein does, that Women could +not otherwise than _by Laws and Edicts_ be restrain'd from Learning. +It is sufficient for this that no body assists them in it; and that +they are made to see betimes that it would be disadvantageous to them +to have it. For how few Men are there, that arrive to any Eminence +therein? tho' Learning is not only not prohibited to them _by Laws and +Edicts;_ but that ordinarily much Care, and Pains, is taken to give it +them; and that great Profits, oftentimes, and, always, Honour attends +their having it. + +The Law of Fashion, establish'd by Repute and Disrepute, is to most +People the powerfullest of all Laws, as Monsieur _Bruyere_ very well +knew; whose too Satyrical Genius makes him assign as Causes of Womens +not having Knowledge, the universally necessary consequences of being +bred in the want thereof. But what on different occasions he says of +the Sex, will either on the one part vindicate them, or else serve +for an Instance that this Ingenious Writers Reflections, however +witty, are not always instructive, or just Corrections. For either +Women have generally some other more powerful Principle of their +Actions than what terminates in rendering themselves pleasing to Men +(as he insinuates they have not) or else they neglect the improvement +of their Minds and Understandings, as not finding them of any use to +that purpose; whence it is not equal in him to charge it peculiarly +(as he does) upon that Sex (if it be indeed so much chargeable on them +as on Men) that they are diverted from Science by _une curiositĂ© toute +differente de celle qui contente l'Espirt: ou un tout autre gout que +celuy d'exercer leur Memoire_. + +Yet since I think it is but Natural, and alike so in both Sexes, to +desire to please the other, I may, I suppose, without any Injurious +Reflexion upon Ladies, presume, that if Men did usually find Women the +more amiable for being knowing, they would much more commonly, than +now they are, be so. + +But the Knowledge hitherto spoken of has a nobler Aim than the +pleasing of Men, and begs only Toleration from them; in granting +whereof they would at least equally consult their own advantage: as +they could not but find, did They not by a common Folly, incident to +Humane Nature, hope that contradictions should subsist together in +their Favour; from whence only it is that very many who would not that +Women should have Knowledge, do yet complain of, and very impatiently +bear the Natural, and unavoidable consequences of their Ignorance. + +But what sure Remedy can be found for Effects whose Cause remains? and +on what ground can it be expected that Ignorance and uninstructed +Persons should have the Venues which proceed from a rightly inform'd +Understanding, and well cultivated Mind? or not be liable to those +Vices which their Natures incline them to? And how should it otherwise +be than that they, who have never consider'd the Nature and +Constitution of Things, or weigh'd the Authority of the Divine Law, +and what it exacts of them, should be perswaded that nothing can be so +truly profitable to them as the Indulgence of their present Passions, +and Appetites? Which whoso places their Happiness in the satisfaction +of, cannot fail of being themselves miserable, or of making those so +who are concern'd in them. + +Humane Nature is not capable of durable satisfaction when the Passions +and Appetites are not under the direction of right Reason: And whilst +we eagerly pursue what disappoints our expectation, or cloys with the +Enjoyment, as all irregular pleasures, however Natural, do; and whilst +we daily create to our selves desires still more vain, as thinking +thereby to be supply'd with new Delights, we shall ever (instead of +finding true Contentment) be subjected to uneasiness, disgust and +vexation: The unhappy state more, or less, of all who want that +Knowledge which is requisite to direct their Actions suitably to the +Ends which as rational Creatures they ought to propose: and as can +inable them profitably to employ their Time. + +But since Examples do the best perswade, let us see, with respect to +Women, in the most considerable Instances, what plainly are the +Natural consequences of that Ignorance which they usually are bred in; +and which Men think so advantageous to themselves. We will suppose +then a Lady bred, as the generality of Men think she should be, in a +blind belief concerning Religion; and taught that it is even +ridiculous for a Lady to trouble her Head about this matter; since it +is so far from being a Science fit for her, that it indeed properly +belongs only to Gown-Men: and that a Woman very well Merits to be +laugh'd at who will act the Doctor: Her Duty in the case being plain +and easie; as requiring only of her to believe and practice what she +is taught at Church, or in such Books of Piety as shall be recommended +to her by her Parents, or some Spiritual Director. + +This is generally, I think, the Sense of Men concerning the Knowledge +which Ladies ought to have of Religion: And thus much, I doubt not may +suffice for their Salvation. But the saving of their Souls (tho' it +were herein as sure as it is possible) is not, I suppose, all that +Men are Solicitous for in regard of their Wives; their own Honour in +that of those so near to them, does I think, much more frequently and +sensibly employ their Care: And that, too often, appears to be but +very weakly secur'd by such an implicit Faith as this. For these +Believers (especially if they are thought to have any Wit, as well as +Beauty) will hardly escape meeting some time or other, with those who +will ask them _why they Believe_; and if they find then that they have +no more Reason for going to Church than they should have had to go to +Mass, or even to the Synagogue, had they been bred amongst Papists or +Jews, they must needs, at the same time, doubt whether, or no, the +Faith they have been brought up in, is any righter than either of +these; from whence they will, (by easy steps) be induc'd to question +the Truth of all Religion, when they shall be told by those who have +insinuated themselves into their Esteem and good Graces, that indeed +All Religions are, alike, the Inventions and Artifices of cunning Men +to govern the World by; unworthy of imposing upon such as have their +good Sense: That Fools only, and Ignorants are kept in Awe, and +restrain'd by their Precepts; which, if they observe it, they shall +ever find, are the lest obey'd by those who pretend the most to +obtrude them upon others. + +That this is Language which Women often hear is certain: And such a +one as knows no reason for what she has been taught to believe, but +has been reprov'd, perhaps, for demanding one, can very hardly avoid +being perswaded that there is much appearance of Truth in this; whence +she will soon come to conclude, that she has hitherto been in the +wrong, if upon any scruple of Religion, she has not gratify'd her +Inclination, in whatever she imagines might tend to make her Life more +pleasing to her. And should a young Lady, thus dispos'd, find a Lover +whom she thinks has a just value for all her good Qualities, which at +best, perhaps, procure her but the cold Civility of her Husband, it is +odds that she may be in danger of giving him cause to wish she had +been better instructed, than may possibly suffice for her Salvation: +Which, whatever happens, none can pronounce, may not be secur'd from +the allowances due to so great Ignorance, or at least by any timely +Repentance: Whilst Honour, if not intirely Ship-wrack'd, it is scarce +reasonable to hope, should suffer no Diminution on such an occasion; +the which, that Women the most vertuously dispos'd, may never be +within distance of, will, in an Age like this, be best provided for +by their being betimes instructed in the true Reasons and Measures of +their Duty; since those, who are so, are not only better able to +defend their Vertue, but have also the seldomest occasion for such a +defence. Men, how ill soever inclin'd, being aw'd by, and made asham'd +to attaque with so pittiful Arguments, as Vice admits of, such as they +see are rationally Vertuous; whilst easy ignorance is look'd upon as a +Prey expos'd to every bold Invader: And whatever Garb of Gravity or +Modesty it is cloath'd withal, invites such very often, even where the +Charms of the Person would not otherwise attract them. + +But as such Men who think that the understanding of Religion is a +thing needless to Women, do commonly much more believe all other +rational Knowledge to be so; let us see how reasonably these same Men +who willingly allow not to Ladies any employment of their Thoughts +worthy of them as rational Creatures, do yet complain, that either +Play is their daily and expensive pastime; or that they love not to be +at home taking care of their Children, as did heretofore Ladies who +were honour'd for their Vertue; but that an eternal round of idle +Visits, the Park, Court, Play-houses and Musick Meetings, with all the +costly Preparations to being seen in publick, do constantly take up +their Time and their Thoughts. For how heavy an Accusation soever +this, in itself, is, may it not justly be demanded of such Men as we +have spoken of, what good they imagine Mothers who understand nothing +that is fit for their Children to know, should procure to them by +being much in their Company: And next, whether they indeed think it +equitable to desire to confine Ladies to spend the best part of their +Lives in the Society and company of little Children; when to play with +them as a more entertaining sort of Monkeys or Parroquets, is all the +pleasing Conversation that they are capable of having with them? For +no other Delight can ignorant Women take in the Company of young +Children; and if to desire this, is not equitable or just, must it not +be concluded, that the greatest part of those, who make the +above-mention'd Complaints, do really mean nothing else thereby, but, +by a colourable and handsome pretence, to oblige their Wives, either +to be less expensive, or to avoid, it may be, the occasions of gaining +Admirers which may make them uneasy? Neither can such, possibly, be +presum'd upon any Principle of Vertue, to disapprove those ways of +anothers spending their Time, or Mony, which themselves will either +upon no consideration forbear; or else do so only, from a preference +of things as little, or yet less reasonable; as Drinking, Gaming, or +Lew'd Company. Such Persons of both Sexes as These, are indeed but fit +Scourges to chastise each others Folly; and they do so sufficiently, +whilst either restraint on the one side begets unconquerable hatred +and aversion; or else an equal indulgence puts all their Affairs into +an intire confusion and disorder: Whence Want, mutual ill Will, +Disobedience of Children, their Extravagance, and all the ill effects +of neglected Government, and bad Example follow; till they make such a +Family a very Purgatory to every one who lives in it. And as the +Original cause of all these mischiefs is Peoples not living like +rational Creatures, but giving themselves up to the blind Conduct of +their Desires and Appetites; so all who in any measure do thus, will +accordingly, more or less, create vexation to each other, because it +is impossible that they should ever be at ease, or contented in their +own Minds. + +There being then so very few reasonable People in the World, as are, +that is to say, such who indeavour to live conformably to the Dictates +of Reason, submitting their Passions and Appetites to the Government +and Direction of that Faculty which God has given them to that end; +what wonder can it be that so few are happy in a Marry'd Estate? And +how little cause is there to charge their Infelicity, as often is +done, upon this Condition, as if it were a necessary Consequence +thereof? + +The necessities of a Family very often, and the injustice of Parents +sometimes, causes People to sacrifice their Inclinations, in this +matter, to interest; which must needs make this State uneasy in the +beginning to those who are otherways ever so much fitted to live well +in such a Relation; yet scarce any vertuous and reasonable Man and +Woman who are Husband and Wife, can know that it is both their Duty +and Interest (as it is) reciprocally to make each other Happy without +effectually doing so in a little time. But if no contrary Inclination +obstruct this Felicity, a greater cannot certainly be propos'd, since +Friendship has been allow'd by the wisest, most vertuous, and most +generous Men of all Ages to be the solidest and sweetest pleasure in +this World: And where can Friendship have so much advantage to arrive +to, and be maintain'd in its Perfection, as where two Persons have +inseparably one and the same Interest; and see themselves united, as +it were, in their common Off-spring? All People, it is certain, have +not a like fitness for, or relish of this pleasure of Friendship, +which therefore, however preferable to others in the real advantages +of it, cannot be equally valuable to all. But where there is mutually +that predominant Disposition to vertuous Love, which is the +Characteristick of the most excellent Minds, I think we cannot frame +an Idea of so great Happiness to be found in any thing in this Life, +as in a Marry'd State. + +It seems therefore one of the worst Marks that can be of the Vice and +Folly of any Age when Mariage is commonly contemn'd therein; since +nothing can make it to be so but Mens Averseness to, or incapacity for +those things which most distinguish them from Brutes, Vertue and +Friendship. + +But it were well if Mariage was not become a State almost as much +fear'd by the Wise, as despis'd by Fools. Custom and silly Opinion, +whose consequences yet are (for the most part) not imaginary, but real +Evils, do usually make it by their best Friends thought adviseable for +those of the Female Sex once to Marry; altho' the Risque which they +therein run of being wretched, is yet much greater than that of Men; +who (not having the same inducements from the hazard of their +Reputation, or any uneasie dependance) are, from the examples of +others Misfortunes, often deter'd from seeking Felicity in a condition +wherein they so rarely see, or hear of any who find it; it being too +true that one can frequent but little Company, or know the Story of +but few Families, without hearing of the publick Divisions, and +Discords of Marry'd People, or learning their private Discontents from +their being in that state. But since the cause of such unhappiness +lies only in the corruption of Manners, were that redress'd, there +would need nothing more to bring _Mariage_ into credit. + +Vice and Ignorance, thus, we see, are the great Sources of those +Miseries which Men suffer in every state. These, oftentimes, mingle +Gall even in their sweetest Pleasures; and imbitter to them the +wholesomest Delights. But what remedy hereto can be hop'd for, if +rational Instruction and a well order'd Education of Youth, in respect +of Vertue and Religion, can only (as has been said) rectify these +Evils? For vicious and ignorant Parents are neither capable of this, +or generally willing that their Children should be instructed or +govern'd any other ways, than as themselves have been before them. + +One might hence therefore, it may be, reasonably believe, that God +reserves to himself, by some extraordinary interposition of his +providence, that Reformation which we are assur'd, will some time be +effected. But yet if all Persons, eminent by their Quality, who merit +not to be rank'd among the Vicious and Ignorant, would give the +Example, much would thereby be done towards the introducing of a +general amendment: Since these could make a greater care of Education +in the above-mention'd Respects, become, in some degree, Fashionable: +And even a reasonable thing will not want Followers, if it be once +thought the Fashion. We have seen also that Mothers, in regard of +their Childrens Instruction, ought to take upon themselves, as their +proper Business, a very great part in that concernment; and one would +think that there were no inconsiderable number of Ladies amongst us, +who might, with hopes of success, be address'd to, that they would +indeavour to acquit themselves herein of their Duty. I mean all such +as are unhappily Marry'd; for what so good Reparation can they find +for the misfortune of having foolish and vicious Husbands, who neglect +or treat them ill, as the having Children honour'd for their Vertue, +and who shall honour and love them, not only as their Parents, but as +those to whom they owe much more than their Being? + +To perswade such whose Heads are full of Pleasure, and whose Hours +pass gaily, to seek their satisfaction in things of which they have +never yet had any tast, could not reasonably be thought other than a +vain Attempt: But they who are wretched, one would think, should be +easily prevail'd with to hearken to any Proposition, which brings but +the least glimpse of Happiness to them; and were that tenderness of +their Children, which ingages Mothers to do them all the good they +can, less natural than it is to Vertuous Women, one would imagine, +that when from these alone they must expect all their Felicity in +this Life, they should readily contribute what is in their Power to +the securing to themselves this only Blessing which they can propose; +and which they cannot miss of, without the greatest increase +imaginable to their present unhappiness: Childrens Ill-doing being an +Affliction equal to the Joy of their doing well. Which must be an +unspeakable one to such Parents as are conscious, that this is in +great measure the Fruit and Effect of their right direction. Nor is +there any thing which a vertuous Man or Woman does not think they owe, +or is too much for them to return to those to whom they believe +themselves indebted for their being such. How great a Felicity then +may a Mother, unhappy in the Relation of a Wife, (by procuring to +herself such Friends as these) lay up for her declining Age, which +must otherwise be more miserable than her unfortunate Youth? And how +much better would she employ her time in this care, than in the +indulging to a weakness, very incident to tender Minds, which is to +bemoan themselves, instead of casting about for Relief against their +Afflictions, whereby they become but yet more soften'd to the +Impressions of their Sorrow, and every day less able to support them? + +They are usually (it is true) the most Vertuous Women who are the +aptest to bear with immoderate Grief, the ill Humour, or unkindness of +their Husbands: But it is pitty that such, who (in an Age wherein the +contrary is too often practis'd) have more Vertue than to think of +returning the Injuries they receive, should want so much Wit as not to +repay unkindness, with a just contempt of it: But instead thereof, +foolishly sacrifice their Lives, or the Comforts of them (which is our +All in this World) to those who will not sacrifice the least +inclination to their reasonable Satisfaction: And how much wiser and +more becoming Christians would it be for such Ladies to reflect less +upon what others owe to them, and more upon what they owe to +themselves and their Children, than to abandon themselves, as too many +do, to a fruitless Grief; which serves for nothing else, but to render +them yet less agreeable to those whom they desire to please; and +useless in the World: Diseases, and, in time, constant ill Health +being the almost never failing Effects of a lasting Discontent upon +such feeble Constitutions. But I take leave to say, that the fault of +those who make others thus miserable, and the weakness of such who +thus suffer their Minds to think under Adversity, are in a great +measure both owing to one and the same Cause, viz. Ignorance of the +true Rules and Measures of their Duty; whereby they would be taught +to correct every excess; together with the want of such other +Knowledge (suitable to the Capacity and Condition of the Person) as +would both usefully and agreably employ their Time: This Knowledge, +tho' not perhaps of a Nature immediately conducing to form, or rectify +the Manners, yet doing so, in a great measure, by restraining or +preventing the irregularities of them. For as ill natur'd and vicious +Men, if they know but how pleasantly and profitably to employ those +tedious hours which lye upon their Hands, would be generally less +Vicious, and less ill Humour'd than they are; so Women of the most +sensible Dispositions would not give up themselves to sorrow that is +always hurtful, and sometimes dangerous both in their Honour and +Salvation (excess of Tenderness, when abus'd, too often producing +Hatred, and that Revenge) if they were not only very little inform'd +as to what God requires of them; but also very Ignorant in regard of +any kind of Ingenious Knowledge, whereby they might delightfully +employ themselves, and divert those displeasing Thoughts which +(otherwise) will incessantly Torment, and Prey upon their Minds. She +who has no Inclinations unbecoming a Vertuous Woman, who prefers her +Husbands Affection to all things in the World; and who can no longer +find that pleasure in the ordinary Circle of Ladies Diversions, which +perhaps, they gave her in her first Youth, is but very ill provided to +bear Discontent where she proposes her greatest satisfaction, if she +has nothing within her self which can afford her pleasure, +independently upon others: Which is what none can lastingly have, +without some improvement of their rational Faculties; since as +Childhood, and Youth, wear off, the relish of those pleasures that +are suited to them, do so too; on which account the most happy would +not ill consult their advantage, if by contracting betimes a Love of +Knowledge (which is ever fruitful in delight to those who have once a +true taste of it) they provide in their Youth such a Source of +Pleasure for their Old Age as Time will not dissipate, but improve; by +rendring their Minds no less vigorous, and its Beauties yet more +attracting, when the short Liv'd ones of their Faces are impair'd, and +gone. Whilst those whose Youthful Time has been devoted to Vanities, +or Trifles, Age does inevitably deliver over either to melancholy +Repentance, or (at best) to the wearisome Languishings which attend a +Life deprived of Desire and Enjoyment. + +Now in the pursuit of that Pleasure which the exercise and improvement +of the understanding gives, I see no Reason why it should not be +thought that all Science lyes as open to a Lady as to a Man: And that +there is none which she may not properly make her Study, according as +she shall find her self best fited to succeed therein; or as is most +agreeable to her Inclination: provided ever, that all such Knowledge +as relates to her Duty, or is, any way, peculiarly proper to her Sex, +and Condition, be principally, and in the first place her Care: For it +is indeed very preposterous for a Woman to employ her Time in +enquiries, or speculations not necessary for her, to the neglect of +that for Ignorance whereof she will be guilty before God, or blameable +in the Opinion of all Wise Men; And to do this, is plainly no less +irrational and absurd, than for one destitute of necessary Cloathing, +to lay out what should supply that want upon things meerly of +Ornament. There is yet, methinks, no difference betwixt the Folly of +such Learned Women, and that of Learned Men, who do the same thing, +except that the one is the greater Rarity. + +But it is not perhaps very seasonable to propose that Ladies should +have any greater Accomplishments or Improvements of their +Understandings than the well discharging of their Duty requires, till +it is thought fit for them to have that: The advantages of which to +Men themselves, and the necessity thereof to a right Education of +their Children of both Sexes are too evident, when reflected upon, not +to obtain Encouragement of so much Knowledge in Women from all who are +Lovers of Vertue, were it not true that Conviction does not always +operate. The Law of Fashion or Custom, is still to be obey'd, let +Reason contradict it ever so much: And those bold Adventurers are +look'd upon but as a sort of _Don Quixots_; whose Zeal for any +Reformation puts them upon Combating generally receiv'd Opinions, or +Practices; even tho' the Honour of their Maker be concern'd therein: +Or (what is nearer to most) their own Private and Temporal Interests. +I am sure that a just consideration of both these furnishes every one +with very cogent inducements to make what opposition they can to +Immorality, both by amending their own faults, and by indeavouring to +prevail upon others to correct whatever has contributed to the making +us a vicious People. For, not to say that it is a rational as well as +Pious Fear that God by some signal Judgment upon such as have abus'd +many Mercies, should make an example of them for the deterring of +others, it is more certain (tho' usually less reflected upon) that it +is no way necessary to the punishment of any Wicked Ungrateful Nation, +that God should interpose, by some extraordinary act of his +Providence, to inflict upon them the due Reward of their +Disobedience, and Ingratitude: Since so fitly are all things dispos'd +in their Original Constitution, and the order of Nature to the +All-wise ends of their Maker, that (without his especial Interposition +in the case) the establish'd course of things does bring to pass the +effects that he sees fit in respect of the Moral, as well as of the +Natural World; nor scarcely can any People from the avenging Hand of +the Almighty, in the most astonishing Judgments which can render them +an eminent example of his Displeasure, receive any severer +Chastisement, than what they will find in the Natural result and +consequences of their Moral Corruption when grown to an Extremity. + +It would be to enter into a large Field of Discourse to shew how +experience has always attested this. And we perceive, but too +sensibly, that Vice proportionably to its measure, carries along with +it, its own Punishment, to need that we should search for Foreign, or +Remote examples in proof hereof. + +A general Contempt of Religion towards God: Want of Truth and Fidelity +amongst Men: Luxury and Intemperance, follow'd with the neglect of +industry, and application to useful Arts and Sciences, are necessarily +attended with misery, and have been usually also, the Fore-runners of +approaching Ruine to the best and most flourishing Governments which +have been in the World. And as in the same proportion that these +things do any where prevail, so must naturally the unhappiness of such +a People; it is evident, that for any Prophane, Debauch'd, or Vicious +Nation to expect a durable Prosperity, is no other than to hope that +God will in their Favour (who have justly incur'd his Indignation) +withhold the natural Effects of that Constitution and Order of things, +which he has with infinite Wisdom Establish'd: A Conceit too +contradictious to Reason, as well as too Presumptuous for any one, I +suppose, to entertain. + +FINIS. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Occasional Thoughts in Reference to a +Vertuous or Christian life, by Lady Damaris Masham + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13285 *** diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Occasional Thoughts in Reference to a Vertuous or Christian life + +Author: Lady Damaris Masham + +Release Date: August 25, 2004 [EBook #13285] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VERTUOUS OR CHRISTIAN LIFE *** + + + + +Produced by Anna C. Haugen, Frank van Drogen, Victoria Dean-Woosley +and PG Distributed Proofreaders. + + + + + + OCCASIONAL THOUGHTS + + + In reference to a + + + Vertuous or Christian + + + LIFE. + + + + LONDON, + + + Printed for A. and J. Churchil at the + Black Swan in Pater-noster Row. + 1705. + + + +THE PREFACE. + + + +_The following discourse was written some Years since, not without the +thought that, possibly, it might be of farther use than for the +entertainment of the Writer: Yet so little express Intention was there +of Publishing the Product of those leisure Hours it employ'd, that +these Papers lay by for above two Years unread, and almost forgotten. +After which time, being perus'd and Corrected, they were communicated +to some Friends of the Authors, who judging them capable to be useful, +they are now sent into the World in that Hope. + +There is nothing pretended or suppos'd to be in them which is not +obvious: but Truths the most evident, are sometimes overlook'd, or not +sufficiently and universally attended to: And where these are Truths +of moment, it is no ill Service, by frequent representations of them, +to procure them attention. + +I think there can be few heartily concerned for the Vice and +Immorality that abounds amongst us, who have not sometimes reflected +upon loose or careless Education, as one cause thereof: But yet the +great weight that right Instruction and Discipline of Youth, is of, in +respect both of Peoples present and future Felicity, is (as I take it) +far from being generally so settl'd in the Minds of Parents, as to be +steadily look'd upon by them as the one thing to that degree +necessary, that without due care taken thereof, all other indeavours, +to render their Children happy, either in this Life, or in that which +is to come, are likely to be very inefficacious. + + +That right Instruction, in regard of Vertue, consists in joining +together, inseparably, good Principles with early Habits, either of +these being insufficient without the other, is likewise, I presume, no +new Thought: But is yet what appears to me to be very little reflected +upon. When this is duly consider'd, People cannot, I think, but be +soon convinc'd from what Hands the right Instruction spoken of, ought +to come; for nothing can, in my Opinion, be more obvious than that is. +If these_ OCCASIONAL THOUGHTS _shall produce better digested ones +from any other Hand; or shall themselves be any way serviceable to +the reducing or directing of one single Soul into the paths of Vertue, +I shall not repent the Publishing them: And however useless they may +be to this end (sincerely aim'd at) yet the very Design will intitle +them to no unfavourable reception: For but to indeavour to contribute, +in the least degree, to the Honour of God, or Good of Mankind, can +never stand in need of Pardon. And such a Modesty or Fear of +displeasing any as withholds Men from enterprising the one, or the +other of these, where nothing but their own Credit is hazarded, should +the design not succeed, is, on the contrary, very blameable. + +Besides these two Motives, could I need any other to ingage me in the +defence of Vertue, I should find yet a very powerful one in that +dutiful Affection which I pay, and which every Subject ows to a_ GOOD +PRINCE: _Since the_ QUEEN, _I am fully perswaded, would not so much +rejoyce in the Accession of great Kingdoms to her Dominions, as to see +the People, already happy in Her Government over them, indeavouring to +make themselves and one another so, in following the great Example +which She sets them of Vertue and Piety._ + + + * * * * * + + + + + + + OCCASIONAL THOUGHTS + + + In reference to a + + + Vertuous or Christian + + + LIFE. + + + + + +There is no so constant and satisfactory a Pleasure, to those who are +capable of it, as Rational Conversation gives: And to me, depriv'd of +that Enjoyment, the remembrance thereof, is, in my present Solitude, +the most delightful Entertainment: Wherein some of my leisure hours +will not, I hope, be mispent, should this engage me to prosecute such +Thoughts as were lately suggested to me by others. The which taking +their rise from a particular Enquiry, and thence proceeding to a +general Consideration of the Folly and Madness of Rational Creature's +acting, as if they had no other Principle to direct or determin them, +than the Incitements of their Passions and Appetites, comprehended at +once the unhappiness of Mankind, both Here and Hereafter. Since those +Breaches of the Eternal Law of Reason, which disorder Common-wealths +and Kingdoms; disturb the Peace of Families; and make by far the +greatest part of the Private Infelicities of Particular Persons in +this World, are what the Sovereign Disposer of all things has +ordain'd, shall render Men miserable in a future Life also. + +A survey of which Moral Irregularities, as bringing into view a large +Scene of Human Depravity, does indeed furnish matter for melancholy, +rather than pleasing Contemplations: But the Mind is sometimes no less +affected with Delight, wherein there is a mixture of sadness on +Subjects, which in themselves consider'd are ungrateful, than on +occasions the most welcome to us: And such a just zeal in any for the +interests of Vertue, as makes them, with a Charitable concern, reflect +on the miscarriages of others, and thence take occasion to examine +their own Actions by the true Rules and Measures of their Duty, +expresses a disposition of Mind too becoming Rational Creatures, and +too seldom met withal, not to please, tho' excited by Representations +which are disagreeable; provided they are of such a matter as is not +then new to our Thoughts. + +That the Gross of Mankind do every where live in opposition to that +Rule of Nature which they ought to obey, is a sad Truth; but that we +who have this Rule enforc'd by a clearer Light, are included herein, +and do in this find the source of many Evils, not only fear'd, but +which we actually feel, are Considerations yet more affecting, and not +a little aggravated in that, within Memory, this heretofore sober +Nation has been debauch'd from Principles of Vertue and Religion, to +such an excess of Vice and Prophaneness, that it has been Fashionable +to have no shame of the grossest Immoralities; and Men have thought +even to recommend themseves by avow'd Impiety. A Change which could +not be consider'd without extream regret by all who either were in +earnest Christians, or who truly lov'd the Prosperity of their +Country: And as upon this occasion there was reason to be sensible +that nothing operates so powerfully as the example of Princes; some +have been of later Years induc'd to hope for a revolution in our +Manners, no less advantageous than what has hitherto secur'd those +Civil and Religious Liberties, without which it is impossible for +Vertue to subsist among any People whatsoever. But Experience shows +that Humane Nature is much easier led into Evil, than reduc'd from it; +and that inveterate Maladies are difficultly cur'd. + +When Men's Practices have infected their Principles and Opinions; and +these have had time again reciprocally to confirm them in their +Vicious Habits and Customs, the whole Constitution is corrupted; and +the Personal Vertue then of the Prince (however conspicuous) will not, +without a concurrence of other means, influence farther than to make +(it may be) some change in the Garb, or Fashion of Men's Vices. + +A due and vigorous Execution of proper Laws against Immorality and +Prophaneness, is that alone which will effectually restrain them: And +a right care had of Education, is the only humane means of making +People truly Vertuous. Whenever our inferiour Magistrates shall be +such as will be _a terror to Evil doers, and encouragers of those who +do well_, and when Parents shall be perswaded that it is in their +power to procure to their Children more valuable Treasures than Riches +and Honours; the ancient Vertue of our Ancestors will then quickly be +equall'd, if not surpass'd, by that of their Posterity: But till then, +it is in vain to expect that any great Advances should be made towards +an Amendment, as necessary to our present and National, as to our +Personal and Future Happiness. + +What the force of Education is upon our Minds, and how by a due regard +had to it, Common-wealths and Kingdoms have flourished, and become +famous; and how much this has been recommended by Wise Men in all +Ages, requires but a small consideration of Humane Nature, and +Acquaintance with History to inform us; nor is any thing more obvious +to observe than the power of Education. This matter yet has no where +been ordinarily look'd after, proportionably to the moment it is +visibly of: And even the most sollicitous about it, have usually +employ'd their care herein but by halves with respect to the Principal +Part in so great a concernment; for the information and improvement of +the Understanding by useful Knowledge, (a thing highly necessary to +the right regulation of the Manners) is commonly very little thought +of in reference to one whole Sex; even by those who in regard of the +other, take due care hereof. But to this omission in respect of one +Sex, it is manifestly very much to be attributed, that that pains +which is often bestow'd upon the other, does so frequently, as it +does, prove ineffectual: Since the actual assistance of Mothers, will +(generally speaking) be found necessary to the right forming of the +Minds of their Children of both Sexes; and the Impressions receiv'd in +that tender Age, which is unavoidably much of it passed among Women, +are of exceeding consequence to Men throughout the whole remainder of +their Lives, as having a strong and oftentimes unalterable influence +upon their future Inclinations and Passions. + +As those Persons who afforded that agreeable Conversation I have +mention'd, were the greater part of them Ladies, it was not strange if +they express'd much displeasure at the too general neglect of the +Instruction of their Sex; a Reflection not easily to be avoided by +them, when their thoughts upon the miscarriages and unhappiness of +Mankind in general, terminated in a more peculiar Consideration of +that part which those of their own Condition had in the one, and the +other. Wherein the Conversation concluded where it had begun; the +occasion which introduced it having been the Enquiry of a Lady, What +was the Opinion of one in the Company concerning a Book Intitled +_Conseils d'Ariste sur les Moyens de conserver sa Reputation_? Of +which (she said) she had heard divers Persons of Merit and Quality, +speak very differently: Some as if it contained the most useful +Instructions that could be given for the rendring any young Lady such +as her best Friends could wish she should be; and others, as relishing +too much of an Antiquated severity, not indulgent enough either to the +natural and agreeable Gaiety of Youth, or to that innocent Liberty now +in use, deriv'd like most of our other Fashions, from that Nation +where these _Counsels_ were thought needful. + +I remember not the Book you speak of enough to answer to your desire, +(reply'd the Person to whom this Enquiry was address'd) but what you +say is objected to these _Conseils_ is without doubt impertinent, +unless the Precepts therein meant to be condemn'd, are shown to be in +themselves faulty; it being certainly otherwise no matter of exception +to them that they are not Indulgent to what an Age, the Manners +whereof they were intended to correct, had establish'd or found +agreeable. This Objection yet can hardly (I think) be less just, than +such a Character of any Book of this Nature, as some it seems give of +this: the Author whereof pretended not (as I suppose) to so much in +his Design, as these People find in his Performance. And the nature +and extent of a Christian's Duty is but little in their thoughts, who +think that any Rules dictated by Prudence, or Experience of the World, +and directed to the Glory of a good Name, are such Instructions as can +render any one what they ought to be. A _solid Vertue_ can alone do +this; the Possession whereof is infinitely preferable to that of +Reputation; with which yet it is so rarely unattended, that one may +affirm there is no so secure and easie a way (especially for a Lady) +to acquire and conserve the Reputation of being Vertuous, as really to +be so. + +But Vertue is not (tho often so misrepresented) included in Innocency; +or does consist in a partial Practice of Actions praiseworthy; for its +extent is equal to our liberty of Action; and its Principle the most +Active one of the Mind; Vertue being the natural result of a sincere +desire to conform in all things to the Law set us by our Maker; which +who so truly endeavours, will not find much occasion for such kind of +Advices as the above-mentioned ones, either to correct their Faults, +or teach them to put a mask over them; an ill use sometimes made of +this sort of Instructions: However a better might be, since it is +true, that young People from the Experience of others may learn many +things in reference to their Conduct, the knowledge whereof they would +buy too dear at their own. The difficulty yet that there is in +applying general Rules to particular Cases, makes (I presume) Books of +this sort, how good soever in the kind, of less advantage to those who +most need them, than some imagine them to be. + +This which was then said on the Subject of these _Conseils_ (lying by +accident in the way) suggests to me now two things, wherein the +Documents ordinarily given to such young Ladies, as are intended to +have the best care taken of their Instruction, are, I think, very +defective; and the fitter to be redress'd, as being of peculiar ill +consequence in a Sceptical, loose and unthinking Age; wherein Wit is +apt to pass upon many for Reason. + +The first of these is, That those Notions, or Ideas of Vertue, and +consequent Rules of Action, which are usually given to such young +Persons, do rarely carry along with them an entire conviction of their +Truth and Reasonableness: Whence if these Instructions at any time +happen strongly to cross the Inclinations of those to whom they are +given, it will appear rational to question their Solidity: And when +Principles that thwart People's passions or interests, come once to be +doubted of by them, it is great odds, that they will sooner be +slighted, than better examin'd. + +Now, this want of apparent Truth and Reasonableness, is not only +where the _Notions_ and _Precepts_ giv'n, are in themselves such as +either in Whole, or in Part, are not True or Rational; but also +(oftentimes) where they are altogether conformable to right Reason: In +which cases, the want of apparent Reasonableness, proceeds from a +defect of such Antecedent Knowledge in those who are design'd to be +instructed, as is necessary to the seeing their Reasonableness of the +Instructions giv'n them; that is to say, To their discerning the +conformity with, or evident deduction of such Instructions from some +Truths which are unquestion'd by them: the which should be the +Principles of True Religion, so clearly made out to them, as to be by +them acknowledg'd for Verities. Religion being (as I shall take it at +present for granted) the only sufficient ground or solid support of +Vertue; For the belief of a Superior, Omnipotent Being, inspecting +our Actions, and who will Reward or Punish us accordingly, is in all +Men's Apprehensions the strangest, and in truth the only stable and +irresistible Argument for submitting our Desires to a constant +Regulation, wherein it is that Vertue does consist. + +How far Natural Religion alone is sufficient for this, is very fit to +be consider'd: But I conclude that among us, there are few who pretend +to recommend Vertue, but who do so either with no respect at all to +Religion, and upon Principles purely Humane, or else with reference to +the Christian Religion. The first of these, it is already said, will +be ineffectual; and it is no less certain that the Christian Religion +cannot be a solid Foundation for Vertue, where Vertue being inculcated +upon the Declarations of the Gospel, those who are thus instructed, +are not convinc'd of the Authority and Evidence of that Revelation; +which but too commonly is the Case: Instructors, instead of Teaching +this necessary previous Knowledge of Religion, generally, supposing it +to be already in them whom they instruct, who in reality neither have +it, or have ever been so before-hand Taught, as to make it a +reasonable Presumption that they should have it. Whence all the +Endeavours of making them Vertuous in consequence of their +Christianity, are but attempting to raise a real Superstructure upon +an only imaginary Foundation; for Truths receiv'd upon any other +Ground than their own Evidence, tho' they may, perhaps, find +entertainment, yet will never gain to themselves a sure hold upon the +Mind; and so soon as they become troublesome, are in great danger of +being question'd; whereby whatever is Built upon them, must be +likewise liable to be suspected for fallacious: And however empty +Declamations do often-times make livelier impressions upon Young +People than substantial Reasoning, yet these impressions are, for the +most part, easily effac'd; and especially are so out of their Minds +who naturally are the capablest of right Reason; as among other +instances appears in this, that prophane Wits do often even railly +Women of the Best Parts (Religiously Bred as they call it) out of +their Duty: These not seeing (as they should have been early Taught to +do) that what they have learn'd to be their Duty is not grounded upon +the uncertain and variable Opinion of Men, but the unchangeable nature +of things; and has an indissolvable Connection with their Happiness or +Misery. + +Now those who have the Direction of Young Ladies in their Youth, so +soon as past Child-hood, whether they be the Parents, Governesses, or +others, do not, most commonly, neglect the Teaching them That which is +the Ground and Support of all the Good Precepts they give them; +because that Principles of Religion are by them believed to be +unnecessary; or are not in their Thoughts; but because they presume, +as has been said, that those now under their Care are already +sufficiently instructed herein; viz. When their Nurses, or Maids, +Taught them their Catechisms; that is to say, Certain Answers to a +Train of Questions adapted to some approv'd System of Divinity. + +That this is sufficient Instruction in Religion, is apparently a +Belief pretty general: And not only such Young Ladies as have newly +put off their Bibs and Aprons, but even the greatest Number of their +Parents, and Teachers themselves, would, yet less than They, be +pleas'd if one should tell them that those who know so much as this, +may nevertheless be very Ignorant concerning the Christian Religion; +these Old People no more than the Young Ones, being able to give any +farther Account thereof than they have thus been taught. It is yet +true that many who have Learn'd, and who well remember long +Catechisms, with all their pretended Proofs, are so far from having +that Knowledge which Rational Creatures ought to have of a Religion +they profess to Believe they can only be Sav'd by, as that they are +not able to say, either what this Religion does Consist in, or why it +is they Believe it; and are so little instructed by their Catechisms, +as that, oftentimes, they understand not so much as the very Terms +they have Learn'd in them: And more often find the Proportions therein +contain'd, so short in the Information of their Ignorance; or so +unintelligible, to their Apprehensions; or so plainly contradictory of +the most obvious Dictates of common Sense; that Religion (for the +which they never think of looking beyond these Systems) appears to +them indeed a thing not Built upon, or defensible by Reason: In +consequence of which Opinion, the weakest attaques made against it, +must needs render such Persons (at the least) wavering in their Belief +of it; Whence those Precepts of Vertue, which they have receiv'd as +bottom'd thereon, are, in a Time wherein Scepticism and Vice, pass for +Wit and Gallantry, necessarily brought under the suspicion of having +no solid Foundation; and the recommenders thereof, either of +Ignorance, or Artifice. + +But the not making Young People understand their Religion, is a fault +not peculiar in regard to the instruction of one Sex alone, any +otherwise than as consider'd in its Consequences; whereby (ordinarily +speaking) Women do the most inevitably suffer; as not having the like +Advantage (at least early enough) of Correcting the Ignorance, or +Errors of their Child-hood that Men have. + +The other thing which I imagine faulty, does more peculiarly concern +the Sex, but is yet chiefly practic'd in regard of Those of it who are +of Quality, and that is, the insinuating into them such a Notion of +Honour as if the praise of Men ought to be the Supreme Object of their +Desires, and the great Motive with them to Vertue: _A Term_ which when +apply'd to Women, is rarely design'd, by some People, to signifie any +thing but the single Vertue of Chastity; the having whereof does with +no more Reason intitle a Lady to the being thought such as she should +be in respect of Vertue, than a handsome Face, unaccompany'd by other +Graces, can render her Person truly Amiable. Or rather, _Chastity_ is +so essential to, singly, so small a part of the Merit of a Beautiful +Mind, that it is better compar'd to Health, or Youth, in the Body, +which alone have small Attractions, but without which all other +Beauties are of no Value. + +To perswade Ladies then that what they cannot want without being +contemptible, is the chief Merit they are capable of having, must +naturally either give them such low thoughts of themselves as will +hinder them from aspiring after any thing Excellent, or else make them +believe that this mean Opinion of them is owing to the injustice of +such Men in their regard as pretend to be their Masters. A belief too +often endeavour'd to be improv'd in them by others. + +But whether any Natural, or Design'd ill consequence follow from +hence or no, this is certain, that a true Vertue is the best Security +against all the Misfortunes that can be fear'd, and the surest Pledge +of all the Comforts that can be hop'd for in a Wife, _viz._ such a +Vertue whose Foundation is a desire above all things, of approving our +selves to God; the most opposite Principle whereunto is the making the +Esteem of Men the chief End, and Aim of our Actions; as it is propos'd +to be of Their's who have the empty Idea of Glory set before them as +the great Motive to, and high Reward of that particular Duty, which +(as if it included all others) does ordinarily ingross the Name of +Vertue, with regard to Women. A very wrong Motive this, to Those who +aim at what is truely Honourable, and such as may (and often does) as +well produce an ill, as a good effect. + +But these wrong or partial Notions of Vertue, and Honour, are the +Product only of such Men's Inventions as are unwilling to regulate +their own Actions by the Universal, and Eternal Law of Right; and +therefore are ever desirous to find out such Rules for other People, +as will not reach themselves, and as they can extend and contract as +they please. In saying of which, it is not deny'd, that the love of +Praise may be sometimes usefully instill'd into very Young Persons, to +give them the desire of Eminence in things wherein they should +endeavour to excel: But as this ought never to be made the incitement +to any Vertue but in the earliest Childhood of our Reason, so also at +no time should Glory (which is the Reward only of Actions +transcendently Good, either in kind, or degree) be represented as the +purchase of barely not meriting Infamy: The apprehension of which, is +a much stronger perswasive to most People not to do amiss, than that +of Glory, which cannot consist with it: For no Body can rationally +think that Glory can be due to them for doing that, which it would be +shameful in them not to do. But there is yet a farther Folly and ill +Consequence in Men's intitling Ladies to Glory on account of Chastity +which is, that the conceit hereof (especially in those who are +Beautiful) does ordinarily produce in them a Pride and Imperiousness, +that is very troublesome to such as are the most concern'd in them. + +One whose business it was to remark the Humours of the Age, and of +Mankind in general, has, I remember, made a Husband on this occasion +to say, + + + _Such Vertue is the Plague of Human Life, + A Vertuous Woman, but a Cursed Wife._ + + +And he adds, + + + _In Unchaste Wives, + There's yet a kind of recompencing Ease, + Vice keeps 'em Humble, gives 'em care to please. + But against clamorous Vertue, what Defence?_ + + +If Mr. _Dryden_ did distinguish herein, between real Vertue and that +Idol one of Men's Invention, he was, perhaps, not much in the wrong in +what he suggests: But if he design'd in this a Satyr against Marriage, +as a state in the which a Man can no way be happy, it appears then how +much Vertue is prejudiced by this foreign Support, whilst it becomes +thereby expos'd to such a Censure; which if it may be Just in +reference to a vain Glorious Chastity, yet can never be so of a truly +Vertuous one: Obedience to the Law of God, being an Universal +Principle, and admitting of no Irregularity in one thing any more than +in another, which falls under it's Direction. + +It is indeed only a Rational Fear of God, and desire to approve our +selves to him, that will teach us in All things, uniformly to live as +becomes our Reasonable Nature; to inable us to do which, must needs be +the great Business and End of a Religion which comes from God. + +But how differently from this has the Christian Religion been +represented by those who place it in useless Speculations, Empty +Forms, or Superstitious Performances? The Natural Tendency of which +things being to perswade Men that they may please God at a cheaper +Rate than by the Denial of their Appetites, and the Mortifying of +their Irregular Affections, these Misrepresentations of a pretended +Divine Revelation have been highly prejudicial to Morality: And, +thereby, been also a great occasion of Scepticism; for the Obligation +to Vertue being loosen'd, Men easily become Vicious; which when once +they are, the Remorse of their Consciences bringing them to desire +that there should be no future Reckoning for their Actions; and even +that there should be no God to take any cognizance of them; they often +come (in some degree at least) to be perswaded both of the one, and +the other of these. And thus, many times, there are but a few steps +between a Zealous Bigot, and an Infidel to all Religion. + +_Scepticism,_ or rather _Infidelity,_ is the proper Disease our Age, +and has proceeded from divers Causes: But be the remoter or original +ones what they will, it could never have prevail'd as it has done, had +not Parents very generally contributed thereto, either her by +negligence of their Children's Instruction; or Instructing them very +ill in respect of Religion. + +It might indeed seem strange to one who had no experience of Mankind, +that People (however neglected in their Education) could, when they +came to years of Judgment, be to such a degree wanting to themselves, +as not to seek right Information concerning Truths of so great Moment +to them not to be Ignorant of, or mistaken in, as are those of +Religion. Yet such is the wretched Inconsideration Natural to most +Men, that (in fact) it is no uncommon thing at all to see Men live day +after day, in the pursuit of their Inclinations, without ever exerting +their Reason to any other purpose than the gratification of their +Passions; and no wonder can it then be if they give in to the belief, +or take up with a blind Perswasion of such Opinions as they see to be +most in Credit; and which will also the best suit their turn? + +_Absolute Atheism_ does no doubt the best serve Their's, who live as +if there was no God in the World; but how far so great Non-sense as +this, has been able to obtain, is not easie to say: downright Atheism +being what but few Men will own. To me it appears (in that Those who +will expose themselves to argue against the Existence of a God, do +rarely venture to produce any Hypothesis of their own to be fairly +examin'd and compar'd with that which they reject: But that their +opposition to a Deity, consists only in Objections which may as well +be retorted upon themselves, and which at best prove nothing but the +shortness of Humane Understanding) to me, I say, it appears from hence +probable that the greatest part of Atheistick Reasoners, do rather +desire, and seek to be Atheists, than that in reality they are so. +Men, who are accustom'd to Believe without any Evidence of Reason for +what they Believe, are, it is likely, more in earnest in this wild +Opinion: And in all appearance very many there are among us of such as +a Learned Man calls _Enthusiastick Atheists, viz._ who deny the +Existence of an Invisible, Omniscient, Omnipotent, first Cause of all +things, only through a certain Sottish disbelief of whatsoever they +cannot either see or feel; never consulting their Reason in the Case. +That there are some who do thus, their Discourses assure us: The +Actions of many others, are unaccountable without supposing them to be +of this Number; and it is very suspicious that to this Atheism as to a +secret Cause thereof, may be attributed the avow'd Averseness of many +Men to reveal'd Religion, since in a Country where People are +permitted to read the Scriptures, and to use their Reason freely in +matters of Religion; and where, in effect, there are so many Rational +Christians, 'tis hard to conceive that Men can be long Scepticks in +regard of Christianity, if they are indeed hearty Deists; and fully +perswaded of the Truths of Natural Religion. + +But it being sufficiently obvious that want of Instruction concerning +Religion does in a Sceptical Age dispose Men to Scepticism and +Infidelity, which often terminates in downright Atheism; let us see +whether, or no, Ill, by which I mean, all irrational Instruction in +regard of Religion, has not the same Tendency. + +It is as undeniable as the difference between Men's being in, and out +of their Wits, that Reason ought to be to Rational Creatures the Guide +of their Belief: That is to say, That their Assent to any thing, +ought to be govern'd by that proof of its Truth, whereof Reason is the +Judge; be it either Argument, or Authority, for in both Cases Reason +must determine our Assent according to the validity of the Ground it +finds it Built on: By Reason being here understood that Faculty in us +which discovers, by the intervention of intermediate Ideas, what +Connection Those in the Proposition have one with another: Whether +_certain_; _probable_; or _none at all_; according whereunto, we ought +to regulate our Assent. If we do not so, we degrade our selves from +being Rational Creatures; and deprive our selves of the only Guide God +has given us for our Conduct in our Actions and Opinions. + +Authority yet is not hereby so subjected to Reason, as that a +Proposition which we see not the Truth of, may not nevertheless be +Rationally assented to by us. + +For tho' Reason cannot from the Evidence of the thing it self induce +our assent to any Proposition, where we cannot perceive the Connexion +of the Ideas therein contain'd; yet if it appears that such a +Proposition was truly reveal'd by God, nothing can be more Rational +than to believe it: since we know that God can neither Deceive, nor be +Deceived: That there are Truths above our Conception, and that God may +(if he so pleases) communicate these to us by Supernatural Revelation. + +The part of Reason then, in regard of such a Proposition as this, is, +only to examine whether it be indeed a Divine Revelation: which should +Reason not attest to the Truth of; it is then evidently Irrational to +give, or require assent to it as being so. + +And as plainly Irrational must it be to give, or require assent to +any thing as a Divine Revelation, which is evidently contrary to +Reason; no less being herein imply'd than that God has made us so as +to see clearly that to be a Truth, which is yet a Falshood; the which, +were it so, would make the Testimony of our Reason useless to us; and +thereby destroy also the Credit of all Revelation; for no stronger +proof can be had of the Truth of any Revelation than the Evidence of +our Reason that it is a Revelation. + +Now if the Christian Religion be very often represented as teaching +Doctrines clearly contrary to Reason; or as exacting belief of what we +can neither perceive the Truth of, nor do find to be reveal'd by +Christ, or his Apostles: And, (what is still more) that this pretended +Divine Religion does even consist in such a Belief as This; so that a +Man cannot be a Christian without believing what he neither from +Arguments or Authority has any Ground for believing; what must the +Natural Consequence of this be upon all whoever so little consult +their Reason, when in riper Years they come to reflect hereupon, but +to make them recal, and suspend, at least, their assent to the Truth +of a Religion that appears to them thus Irrational? since an +Irrational Religion can never Rationally be conceived to come from +God. + +And if Men once come to call in question such Doctrines as (tho' but +upon slender Grounds for it) they had received for unquestionable +Truths of Religion, they are ordinarily more likely to continue +Scepticks, or to proceed to an intire disbelief of this Religion, than +to take occasion from hence to make a just search after its Verity: +The want either of Capacity, Leisure or Inclination for such an +inquiry, disposing Men, very generally, to neglect it; and easily to +satisfy themselves in so doing, from a perswasion that the Christian +Religion is indeed self condemn'd: Those whom they imagine to have +understood it as well as any Men, having never taught them that this +Religion does so much as pretend to any Foundation in, or appeal to +Reason, that Faculty in us which distinguishes us from Beasts, and the +Actual use thereof from Mad-Men; but indeed Taught them the contrary: +And thus prejudg'd, it truly is that the Christian Religion, by those +who disbelieve it, has usually come to be rejected; without ever +having been allow'd a fair Examination. + +From what has been said, I think it does appear, that Ill, that is to +say, Irrational Instruction concerning Religion, as well as want of +Instruction, disposes to Scepticism: And this being so, what wonder +can it be that Scepticism having once become fashionable, should +continue so? the un-instructed, and the ill-instructed, making by so +great odds, the Majority. For Those who have no Religion themselves, +do not often take care that others should have any: And They who +adhere to a misgrounded Perswasion concerning Religion, retaining a +Reverence for their Teachers, do, in consequence thereof, commonly +presume that their Children cannot be better taught than they have +been before them; which is generally (as has been said) only by the +learning of some approved Catechism; wherein, commonly enough, the +first principles of Religion are not, as they should be, laid down, +but suppos'd: and from whence Those who learn them, learn nothing +except that certain Propositions are requir'd to be Believed, which +perhaps, they find inconceivable by them; or (at best) whereof they +see neither use, nor certainty: These Catechisms yet being +represented to Children by those whom they the most Esteem, and +Credit, as containing Sacred verities on the Belief of which Salvation +does depend, they quickly become afraid to own that they are not +convinc'd of the Truth of what is deliver'd in them: For the greater +part among our selves are instructed in Religion much after the same +manner that that good Lady of the Church of _Rome_ instructed her +Child; who when the Girl told her, she _could not believe +Transubstantiation_; Reply'd, _What? You do you not believe +Transubstantiation? You are a naughty Girl, and must be whip'd._ + +Instead of having their reasonable Inquiries satisfy'd, and +incourag'd, Children are ordinarily rebuk'd for making any: from +whence not daring in a short time to question any thing that is taught +them in reference to Religion; they, (as the Girl above-mention'd was) +are brought to say, that they _do Believe_ whatever their Teachers +tell them they must Believe; whilst in Truth they remain in an +ignorant unbelief, which exposes them to be seduc'd by the most +pitiful Arguments of the Atheistical, or of such as are disbelievers +of reveal'd Religion. + +The Foundation of All Religion is the belief of a God; or of a Maker +and Governour of the World; the evidence of which, being visible in +every thing; and the general Profession having usually stamp'd it with +awe upon Children's Minds, they ought perhaps most commonly to be +suppos'd to Believe This, rather than have doubts rais'd in them by +going about to prove it to them: because those who are uncapable of +long deductions of Reason, or attending to a train of Arguments, not +finding the force thereof when offer'd to prove what they had always +taken for a clear, and obvious verity, would be rather taught thereby +to suspect that a Truth which they had hitherto look'd on as +unquestionable, might rationally be doubted of, than be any ways +confirm'd in the belief of it. But if any doubts concerning the +Existence of God, do arise in their Minds, when they own this, or that +this, can be discover'd by discoursing with them: such doubts should +always be endeavour'd to be remov'd by the most solid Arguments of +which Children are capable. Nor should They ever be rebuk'd for having +those doubts; since not giving leave to look into the grounds of +asserting any Truth, whatever it be, can never be the way to establish +that Truth in any rational Mind; but, on the contrary, must be very +likely to raise a suspicion that it is not well grounded. + +The belief of a Deity being entertain'd; what should be first taught +us should be what we are in the first place concern'd to know. + +Now it is certain that what we are in the first place concern'd to +know, is that which is necessary to our Salvation; and it is as +certain that whatever God has made necessary to our Salvation, we are +at the same time capable of knowing. All Instruction therefore which +obtrudes upon any one as necessary to their Salvation, what they +cannot understand or see the evidence of, is to that Person, wrong +Instruction; and when any such unintelligible, or unevident +Propositions are delivered to Children as if they were so visible +Truths that a reason, or proof of them was not to be demanded by them, +what effect can this produce in their Minds but to teach them betimes +to silence and suppress their Reason; from whence they have afterwards +no Principle of Vertue left; and their practices, as well as +opinions, must needs (as is the usual consequence hereof) become +expos'd to the Conduct of their own, or other Men's Fancies? + +The existence of God being acknowledg'd a Truth so early receiv'd by +us, and so evident to our Reason, that it looks like Natural +Inscription; the Authority of that Revelation by which God has made +known his Will to Men, is to be firmly establish'd in People's Minds +upon its clearest, and most rational evidence; and consequentially +They are then to be refer'd to the Scriptures themselves, to see +therein what it is that God requires of them to _believe_ and _to do_; +the great Obligation they are under diligently to study these Divine +Oracles being duly represented to them. But to exhort any one to +search the Scriptures to the end of seeing therein what God requires +of him, before he is satisfy'd that the Scriptures are a Revelation +from God, cannot be rational: since any ones saying that the +Scriptures are God's Word, cannot satisfy a rational and inquisitive +Mind that they are so: and that the Books of the Old and New Testament +were dictated by the Spirit of God, is not a self evident Proposition, +but a Truth that demands to be made out, before it can be rationally +assented to. + +It should also be effectually Taught, and not in Words alone, That it +is our Duty to study and examine the Scriptures, to the end of seeing +therein what God requires of us to _believe_, and to _do_. But none +are effectually, or sincerely taught this, if notwithstanding that +this is sometimes told them, they are yet not left at liberty to +believe, or not believe, according to what, upon examination, appears +to them to be the sense of the Scriptures: for if we must not receive +them in that sense, which, after our best inquiry, appears to us to be +their meaning, it is visible that it signifies nothing to bid us +search, and examine them. + +These two things, _viz._ a rational assurance of the Divine Authority +of the Scriptures, and a liberty of fairly examining them, are +absolutely necessary to the satisfaction of any rational Person, +concerning the certainty of the Christian Religion, and what it is +that this Religion does consist in: and He who when he comes to be a +Man, shall remember that being a Boy he has been check'd for doubting, +instead of being better inform'd when he demanded farther proof than +had been given him of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures: or that +he has been reprehended for thinking that the Word of God contradicted +some Article of his Catechism; has just ground, when he reflects +thereupon, to question, whether or no, the Interaction of his +Childhood has not been an Imposition upon his Reason; which he will no +doubt be apt to believe the more, when others shall confidently affirm +to him that it has been so: And in that Age of Men's Lives when they +are in the eagerest pursuit of Pleasure, it is great odds (as has been +already observ'd) that if, in regard of Religion, they come to lose +the belief of what they have once thought unquestionable, they will +more often be perswaded that there is no Truth at all therein, than +set themselves seriously to find out what is so. + +How dangerous a thing then is such Instruction in Religion, as teaches +nothing unless it be to stifle the Suggestions of our Natural Light? +But that such Instruction as this, is all that the far greatest Number +of People have, there is too much ground to conclude, from the +visible Ignorance even of the most of Those who are Zealous in some +Profession of Christian Faith, and Worship: Few of These not being at +a loss to answer, if ask'd, either, _What the Faith of a Christian +does consist in_? Or, _Why they believe such Articles concerning it, +as they profess to believe_? + +That their God-fathers, and God-mothers ingag'd for them that they +should believe so; is a reason for their doing it that I suppose, +there are but Few who would not be asham'd to give; as seeing that a +_Mahumetan_ could not be thought to assert his Faith more absurdly in +the Opinion of any indifferent By-stander, and yet it is evident that +no better a reason than this have very many for their Belief. + +_What is the chief and highest end of Man_? is a Question which, +methinks, supposes the resolution of more antecedent Questions, than +Children, untaught, can be presum'd to be resolv'd in. But be this +Question ever so proper to begin a Catechism withal, the answer +hereto, _viz. That Man's chief and highest end is to glorifie God, and +enjoy him for ever_; is not surely very instructive of an ignorant +Child. It is a good Question in the same Catechism; _How doth it +appear the Scriptures are the Word of God_? But who would imagine that +for the information of any one who wanted to be inform'd herein, it +should be answer'd, _That the Scriptures manifest themselves to be the +Word of God by their Majesty and Purity: by the consent of all the +Parts, and by the scope of the whole; which is to give all Glory to +God: by their Light and Power to convince, and convert Sinners; to +comfort and build up Believers to Salvation: But the Spirit of God +bearing Witness by and with the Scriptures, in the Heart of Man is +alone able fully to perswade that they are the very Word of God._ One +would almost be tempted to suspect that Men who talk'd thus, were not +themselves thorowly perswaded that the Scriptures were indeed the Word +of God; for how is it possible not only for a Young Boy, or Girl, but +even for an _Indian_ Man, or Woman, to be by this answer more +convinc'd than they were before, of the Scriptures being what they are +pretended to be? To assure any rational inquirer of Which, it is +necessary they should be satisfied, That the Scriptures were indeed +written by those whose Names they bear; That these Persons were +unquestionable Witnesses, and Faithful Historians of the matters they +relate; and that they had such a Guidance, and Direction from the +Spirit of God as led them to deliver all necessary Truth, and to +preserve them from all error prejudicial thereunto: which Things have +so good evidence, that none who are not manifestly prejudic'd, can +refuse assent thereto, when they are duly represented to them: but +without having weigh'd this evidence, the Divine Authority of the +Scriptures may, possibly, be by some firmly believ'd, but cannot be so +upon the conviction of their Reason. + +The Instruction then of most Peoples Younger Years being such as we +have seen in regard of Religion: and _Vertue_, viz. The right +regulation of our Passions, and Appetites, having (as has been +abovesaid) no other sufficient inforcement than the Truths of +Religion; can it reasonably be thought strange, that there is so +little Vertue in the World as we find there is? or that +correspondently to their Principles, Peoples Actions generally are (at +best) unaccountable to their Reason? For Time, and more Years, if they +give strength to our Judgments whereby we may be thought able to +inform our selves, and correct the errors and defects of our +Education, give also strength to our Passions; which grown strong, do +furnish and suggest Principles suited to the purposes and ends that +they propose; besides, that Ill Habits once settl'd, are hardly +chang'd by the force of any principles of which Reason may come to +convince Men at their riper Age: A Truth very little weigh'd; tho' +nothing ought more to be so with respect to a vertuous Education; +since rational Religion, so soon as they are capable thereof, is not +more necessary to the ingaging People to Vertue, than is the fixing, +and establishing in them good Habits betimes, even before they are +capable of knowing any other reason for what they are taught to do, +than that it is the Will of Those who have a just power over them that +they should do so. For as without a Knowledge of the Truths of +Religion, we should want very often sufficient Motives, and +Encouragements to submit our Passions and Appetites to the Government +of Reason; so without early Habits establish'd of denying our +Appetites, and restraining our Inclinations, the Truths of Religion +will operate but upon a very few, so far as they ought to do. + +By Religion I understand still _Reveal'd Religion_. For tho' without +the help of Revelation, the Commands of Jesus Christ (two positive +Institutions only excepted) are, as dictates likewise of Nature, +discoverable by the Light of Reason; and are no less the Law of God to +rational Creatures than the injunctions of Revelation are; yet few +would actually discern this Law of Nature in its full extent, meerly +by the Light of Nature; or if they did, would find the inforcement +thereof a sufficient Ballance to that Natural love of present +pleasure which often opposes our compliance therewith; since before we +come to such a ripeness of understanding as to be capable by +unassisted Reason to discover from the Nature of Things the just +measures of our Actions, together with the obligations we are under to +comply therewithal; an evil indulgence of our Inclinations has +commonly establish'd Habits in us too strong to be over-rul'd by the +Force of Arguments; especially where they are not of very obvious +deduction. Whence it may justly be infer'd that the Christian Religion +is the alone Universally adapted means of making Men truly Vertuous; +the _Law of Reason, or the Eternal Rule of Rectitude_ being in the +Word of God only, to those of all capacities, plainly, and +Authoritatively deliver'd as the Law of God, duly inforc'd by Rewards +and Punishments. + +Yet in that Conformity with, and necessary support which our Religion +brings to the Law of Reason, or Nature, that is to say, to Those +dictates which are the result of the determinate and unchangeable +Constitution of things (and which as being discoverable to us by our +rational Faculties, are therefore sometimes call'd the Law of Reason, +as well as the Law of Nature) Christianity does most conspicuously and +evidently appear to be a Divine Religion; _viz._ to be from the Author +of Nature; however incongruous some Men may phancy it to be for God +supernaturally to reveal to Men what is naturally discoverable to +them, by those Faculties he has given them: The which conceit together +with not considering, or rightly weighing the inforcements which +Natural Religion needs, and receives from Revelation, has very much +dispos'd many to reject reveal'd Religion. Whereunto such Notions of +Christianity as agree not to the Attributes of an Infinitely Wise and +Good Being, which Reason teaches the first cause of all things to be, +have also not a little contributed; for from hence many Men, zealous +for the Honour of God and lovers of Mankind, have been prejudic'd +against the Truth of the Christian Religion: In consequence whereof +they have reasonably concluded that there was no such thing as +reveal'd Religion; and from thence have again infer'd that Men had no +need thereof to the Ends of Natural Religion. + +Those yet who think Revelation to be needless in this regard, how well +soever they may, possibly, intend to Natural Religion, do herein +entertain an Opinion that would undermine it: Experience shewing us +that Natural Light, unassisted by Revelation, is insufficent to the +Ends of Natural Religion: A Truth necessary to be acknowledg'd to the +having a due value for the benefit that we receive by the Revelation +of Jesus Christ; and many, who profess belief in him, have not a right +estimation of that benefit on this very account, _viz._ as thinking +too highly, or rather wrongly of Natural Light: notwithstanding that +nothing is more undeniably true than that from the meer Light of +Nature Men actually were so far from discovering the Law of Nature in +its full extent or force, as that they did not generally own, and but +very imperfectly discern, its prescriptions or obligation. 'Tis also +alike evident that as Christianity has prevail'd, it has together with +Polytheism, and (in great measure) Idolatry, beaten out likewise the +allow'd Practice of gross Immorality; which in the Heathen World was +countenanc'd, and incourag'd by the examples of their very Gods +themselves; and by being frequently made even a part in Religious +Worship. For the Truth of this effect of Christianity we must appeal +to History; from whence if any one should imagine they could oppose +any contrary example, it could (I think) be taken but from one only +Country; wherein (if the Historian says right) Morality was more +exemplary than in any other that we know of for near 400 Years that +its Pagan Natives possess'd it; whose exterminators (calling +themselves Christians) made it a most deplorable Scene of Injustice, +Cruelty and Oppression, bringing thither Vices unknown to those former +Inhabitants. But what only can follow from this example is, That a +People, having a continu'd Succession of Princes, who study to advance +the good of the Community, making that the sole Aim of their +Government; and directing all their Laws, and Institutions to that +End (which was the peculiar felicity of those happy _Americans_) will +without other than Natural Light much better practice all social +Vertues, than Men set loose from Law and Shame; who tho' Baptiz'd into +the Name of Christ have not yet so much as a true Notion of +Christianity, to the which, may certainly be added, or than any other +People, who tho' they have the Light of the Gospel among them, yet are +not govern'd by the Laws thereof; and a truly Christian Common-wealth +in this sense, remains yet to be seen in the World; which when it is, +the Vertue, and Felicity of such a People will be found much to +surpass the (perhaps partial) account which we have of that of the +_Peruvians_; whose so long uninterrupted Succession of Excellent +Princes, is what only is admirable in the account we have of them; and +not the Force of the Light of Nature in those People, who being +apparently of tractable, gentle dispositions, and tir'd with the +Miseries of a Life to the last degree Brutish, did from the visible +wretchedness and inconveniences thereof, gladly obey such whom they +believed were (as they told them they were) Divinely sent to teach +then a happier way of living. And in the Vertues which these their +first Lawgivers taught them, their Successors easily retain'd them; +continuing still to maintain in them a perswasion of their Divine +Extraction, and Authority. From the which it will be found that this +instance of the _Peruvian_ Morality makes for the need of Revelation +to inforce Natural Religion, and not against it. But how far +Revelation is needful to assist Natural Light, will be the best seen +in reflecting a little upon what we receive from each of these Guides +that God has given us. And if it shall appear from thence that +Natural Religion has need of Revelation to support it; and that the +Revelation which we have by Jesus Christ is exquisitely adapted to the +end of inforcing Natural Religion; this will both be the highest +confirmation possible, that to inforce Natural Religion or Morality, +was the design of Christianity; and will also shew that to the want of +their being in earnest Christians, is to be attributed the immorality +of such who, professing Christianity, live immoral Lives. The +consequence from whence must be, That to reclaim a Vicious People, it +should be consider'd, as the most effectual means of doing so, how to +make Men really, and in earnest Christians. + +To see what light we receive from Nature to direct our Actions, and +how far we are Naturally able to obey that Light; Men must be +consider'd purely as in the state of Nature, _viz._ as having no +extrinsick Law to direct them, but indu'd only with a faculty of +comparing their distant Ideas by intermediate Ones, and Thence of +deducing, or infering one thing from another; whereby our Knowledge +immediately received from _Sense_, or _Reflection_, is inlarg'd to a +view of Truths remote, or future, in an Application of which Faculty +of the mind to a consideration of our own Existence and Nature, +together with the beauty and order of the Universe, so far as it falls +under our view, we may come to the knowledge of a _First Cause_; and +that this must be an _Intelligent Being, Wise_ and _Powerful_, beyond +what we are able to conceive. And as we delight in our selves, and +receive pleasure from the objects which surround us, sufficient to +indear to us the possession and injoyment of Life, we cannot from +thence but infer, that this _Wise_ and _Powerful Being_ is also most +_Good_, since he has made us out of nothing to give us a Being wherein +we find such Happiness, as makes us very unwilling to part therewith. + +And thus, by a consideration of the Attributes of God, visible in the +Works of the Creation, we come to a knowledge of his Existence, who is +an Invisible Being: For since _Power, Wisdom_ and _Goodness,_ which we +manifestly discern in the production and conservation of our selves, +and the Universe, could not subsist independently on some substance +for them to inhere in, we are assur'd that there is a substance where +unto they do belong, or of which they are the Attributes. + +Which Attributes of God would not be discoverable by us, did we not +discern a difference in Things; as between _Power_ and _Weakness, +Benevolence_ and _no Benevolence_, or its contrary; and betwixt +directing means to an End, and acting at hap-hazard without any +design, or choice: A knowledge, which, by whatever steps convey'd into +the mind, is no other than a seeing things to be what they are, and +that they cannot but be what they are. + +From which diversity and immutability in the Nature of things, there +necessarily arises a diversity of respects and relations between them, +as unchangeable as the things themselves: wherein the Will of the +Creator in reference hereunto is reveal'd to every intelligent Agent, +so far as he is made capable of discerning these relations, +dependencies and consequences; and whatsoever with respect to his own +Actions, such a Being finds resulting from any of these as most +conformable to the design of his Creator in making him such a part as +he is of the whole, he cannot but consider as the Will of God, thereby +dictated to him; since otherwise, God would act contradictiously to +his Wisdom in making him what he is. + +We being then indu'd, as we are, with a capacity of perceiving and +distinguishing these differences of Things; and also with a liberty of +acting, or not, suitably and agreeably hereunto; whence we can +according to the preference of our own minds, act either in conformity +to, or disconformity with, the Will of the Creator (manifested in his +Works no less than the Will of any Humane Architect is in his) it +follows, That to act answerably to the nature of such Beings as we +are, requires that we attentively examine, and consider the several +natures of Things, so far as they have any relation to our own +actions. + +Which attentive consideration of the Works of God objected to our +view, implies an exercise thereupon of that Faculty in us by which we +deduce, or infer, one thing from another: Whence (as has been said) +our knowledge immediately deriv'd to us from sensation, or reflection, +is inlarg'd by the perception of remote, or distant Truths. The more +obviously eminent advantages accruing to us from which faculty of +reason, plainly make known the Superiority of its Nature; and that its +suggestions, ought to be hearken'd to by us preferably to those of +Sense; where these (as it too often happens) do not concur. For did we +know nothing by _Inference_ and _Deduction_, both our knowledge and +injoyment would be very short of what they now are; many considerable +pleasures depending almost intirely upon Reason; and there being none +of the greatest Enjoyments of Sense which would not lose their best +Relish, separated from those concomitant satisfactions which +accompany them only as we are rational Creatures. Neither is it our +greatest happiness alone which is manifestly provided for in our being +indu'd with this Faculty; but our much greater safety, and +preservation likewise; since _these_ require a capacity in us of +foreseeing distant Events, and directing means to an End, oftentimes +through a long train of Actions; which is what we can only do by that +in us, whereby the Relations, Dependencies and Consequences of things +are discoverable to us. + +But as _Reason_ is that which either in kind or degree, differences +Men from Brutes; and that there are few, if any, who would lose this +distinction, it is by common consent acknowledg'd that Reason is in +respect of all others, a preferable indowment. And if Beasts, only +inferiour to Men in the advantages of this Faculty, appear hereby +intended to be subjected to Men, it cannot be less evident That that +part in Men which they have in common with Beasts, was likewise +design'd by their Maker to be subjected to their Reason also. From All +which, it undeniably follows that we do not act answerably to the +Will, or pleasure of God, in making us such Creatures as we are, if we +either neglect the Search of those Measures of our Actions prescrib'd +to us by the discernable Natures of Things; or, if seeing these, we +yet conform not our selves thereunto. + +Now for any Creature knowingly to oppose the Will of its Creator, is +not only disingenuity in regard of what is owing from it to its +Sovereign Benefactor, and Folly in respect of that dependence which it +has on him for its Being, as it is commonly represented to us to be; +but is also in the Nature of Things (simply consider'd) so repugnant +to right Reason, that were such a Creature consistent with it self +herein, and could act pursuantly to That Will, it would operate to its +own destruction; since its Existence evidently depends upon That of +its Maker; whose Will, as reveal'd to us, being but a different +consideration of his Attributes, the knowledge whereof is all the +Knowledge we have of God, cannot be so much as conceiv'd by us +separable from the Being of God; unless the God, which we conceive, be +a Fiction of our own Imagination, and not the Creator of All Things; +who is an invisible Being only knowable to us in, and by, the +exemplifications of his Attributes: The infinite Perfection, and the +inseparable Correspondence, and Harmony of which (discernable in the +Frame and Government of the Universe) plainly tells us, That the +Divine Will cannot be (like ours) successive Determinations without +dependance, or connection one upon another; much less inconsistent, +contradictory, and mutable; but one steady, uniform, unchangeable +result of infinite Wisdom and Benevolence, extending to, and including +All his Works. So that Sin, or disobedience to our Maker is manifestly +the greatest Nonsense, Folly and contradiction conceivable, with +regard purely to the immutable perfection of the Divine Nature; and to +the Natural constitution of things, independently upon any positive +command of God to us, or his irresistible power over us. + +But as without a capacity in The Creature to act contrary to the will +of the Creator there could be no defect, or self-excellency in any +Created Being; contrariety to the Will of God is therefore permitted +in the Universe as a necessary result of Creaturely imperfection, +under the greatest endowment that a Created Being is capable of +having, viz. _That of Freedom or Liberty of Action_: And as the +constitution of such Creature, as this, implies that what is _best_ in +reference to the design of the Creator, and of its own Happiness, +should not be always necessarily present to the Mind as Best; such a +Creature may oppose the Will of his Maker with various degrees of +Guilt in so doing; or (possibly) with none at all; for no Agent can +offend farther than he wilfully abuses the Freedom he has to act. + +But God having made Men so as that they find in themselves, very +often, a liberty of acting according to the preference of their own +Minds, it is incumbent upon them to study the Will of their Maker; in +an application of the Faculty of Reason which he has given them, to +the consideration of the different respects, consequences, and +dependencies of Things, so as to discern from thence, the just +measures of their actions in every circumstance and relation they +stand plac'd in; which _measures_ are nothing else but the dictates +resulting from those views which such a consideration of things as +this gives us, of what is consonant, or not so, to the design of the +Creator in every particular, wherein we are concern'd to act. And +these manifestations of his Will, thus discoverable to us, ought to be +regarded by us, as his Commands. + +Yet however certain it is, that the dictates of _Reason_, or _Nature_, +discernable by our natural Faculties, are the commands of God to us, +as rational Creatures; it is equally true that the love of happiness +(which consists in pleasure) is the earliest, and strongest principle +of Humane Nature; and therefore whatever measures Reason does, or +might, prescribe, when particular occasions occur, the sentiment of +what Men find pleasing or displeasing to them, however contrary to +those dictates of right Reason, is very apt to determine their choice. +God yet who is the Author of Order, and not of Confusion, has fram'd +all things with Consistency, and Harmony; and however, in Fact, it too +often happens that we are misled by that strong desire of happiness +implanted in us, yet does this no way necessarily interfere with our +acting in an intire conformity to the prescriptions of the Law of +Reason; but the contrary: For from hence it is that this Law has its +Sanction, _viz._ That, duly considering it, we shall evidently find +our happiness, and misery, are annex'd to the observance, or neglect, +of that unalterable Rule of Rectitude, discoverable to us by the +Nature of Things; so that this Rule of Rectitude, or Eternal Will of +God, has also the force of a Law given to it by that inseparable +accord that there is betwixt our happiness or misery, with our +obedience, or disobedience, hereunto. Thus our duty and happiness, can +never be divided, but when we prefer a less happiness to a greater; +and therein act not conformably to the dictates of our natural desire +of happiness, or pleasure; which two Terms differ only in this, that +we apply the Term _Pleasure_ to any agreeable Sentiment, or Sensation, +how small, or short soever in its duration; but that of _Happiness_, +only to such degrees of pleasure, as do, in some considerable degree, +out-ballance our Evils. + +That we are many ways capable of receiving pleasure, we experimentally +find; every sense furnishes something to delight, and please us, in +its Application to Objects suited to a grateful exercise thereof. And +the operations of our own Minds upon the Ideas presented to them by +our Senses, afford us also other pleasures, oftentimes preferable by +us to those that we receive immediately from Sense. But be our +pleasures excited how they will; or whatsoever they consist in, Those +that Men receive from the Gratification of antecedent desire, are the +pleasures that they have the strongest relish of. _A Good_ not +desir'd, making (comparatively) but a small Impression upon us. + +Now the Gratification of their desires is not always in Men's Power, +but oftentimes it is so. It is then often in their choice to procure +to themselves pleasure, or not. Whence it is reasonable for them to +inquire, since happiness consists in pleasure; and the Gratification +of their Desires, and Appetites, always gives them pleasure; whether, +or no, to Gratifie _These_ should not therefore always be that which +should determine their actions in pursuance of this their chief End? + +That happiness consisting in pleasure, we are so much the happier as +we enjoy more pleasure, must unquestionably, be found true; but that +the Gratification of Men's Desires and Appetites cannot therefore be +that which should always, as they are rational Agents, determine, or +regulate their actions in pursuit of happiness, is no less evident; in +that we perceive our selves, and the Things to which we have relation, +to be so fram'd, and constituted, in respect one of another, that the +Gratification of our present Desires and Appetites, does sometimes for +a short, or small pleasure, procure to us a greater, and more durable +Pain: and that on the contrary, the denial, or restraint of our +present Desires, and Appetites, does sometimes for a short, or small +Pain, procure to us a greater, or more durable Pleasure. Since then +that we should act contrary to our own end therein, and prefer less +pleasure to greater, it is apparent that the Gratification of our +present Appetites cannot be that which always, as we are rational +Agents, proposing to our selves happiness for our chief end, should +determine, or regulate our voluntary actions; present Appetite telling +us only what will give us present pleasure; not what will, in the +whole, procure to us the most pleasure. What else then appears to be +the Rule, or Measure of Men's actions acting purely with respect to +the pursuit of happiness as their chief End, but the determinations of +that Faculty in them which, in reference to the different properties +and relations discernable in Things, can alone be the Judge what will, +in the whole, procure to them the most pleasure? And thus the very +desire of happiness, or love of pleasure, rightly pursu'd, does oblige +us to make the determinations or dictates of Reason, and not the +suggestions of present Appetite, the Measure, and Rule of our actions +in our pursuit after happiness. Which that we might possess was no +doubt the end of our Creator in giving us Being; since he could not +stand in need of, or be better'd by our Existence. And if that we +might be happy was the end for which God made us, it is most certain +that he has neither set any such measures to our Actions, or put any +such unhappy Biass upon our Minds, as shall necessarily contradict +this his end. Whence it again appears that the love of Pleasure +implanted in us (if we faithfully pursue it in prefering always that +which will, on the whole, procure to us the most pleasure) can never +mislead us from the observance of the Law of Reason: And that this Law +enjoyns only a right regulation of our natural desire of pleasure, to +the end of our obtaining the greatest happiness that we are capable +of: so that there is an inseparable connection, or relation of Moral +Good and Evil, with our Natural Good, and Evil. To assert therefore +that our chief Good does consist in pleasure, is far from drawing +after it any such consequence as many have pretended it does, in +prejudice to the Law of Reason, that Natural Revelation of Gods Will +to us; since no Man can upon due consideration thereof Judge, That the +Gratification of his present Appetites ought to be to him the Measure +or Rule of his Actions in consequence of Pleasures being his chief +Good: experience it self, we see, contradicting such a consequence: +and that so evidently that I think we do not in fact find that even +Those, who the most indulge to their Passions and Appetites, do so as +believing upon a cool examination thereof, that to do thus is the +truest Wisdom, in consequence of our greatest Good consisting in +pleasure; but such Men indulge to their present Appetites meerly as +being strongly induc'd (contrary oftentimes to the suggestions of +their own minds therein) thro' the love of pleasure, and abhorrence of +pain, to do, or forbear whatever they find will procure to them the +one, or free them from the other at the present Time; the +Gratification whereof They prefer to that which is Future. It is +however true that such declamations as are sometimes made against +pleasure absolutely (not the irregular pursuit of it) as if pleasure +was in its own Nature, a false, and deceitful, not a real and solid +Good, have produc'd this ill effect, that many from the absurdity +hereof are confirm'd in an evil indulgence of their Appetites, as if +to Gratifie These was indeed the truest Wisdom of a rational Creature, +in consequence of pleasure, being his chief Good. But they judge not +thus from a due examination, or any examination at all of the nature +of Things, but from a Reason (if it may be call'd so) of opposition. +For so ridiculously weak are a great part of Men in their Reasoning, +that seeing they are in the wrong who oppose them, they become from +thence as much perswaded, and as well satisfy'd that the contrary to +such Mens Assertions is true; or that themselves are in the right, as +if they saw that these things really were so. This arguing yet is no +more irrational than that whereby a palpable Truth is deny'd, only +because some have indeavour'd to draw, or have been thought to have +drawn ill consequences from it: Which is yet all the ground of not +allowing that Pleasure, and Pain, are truly Good, and Evil; the +denying of which, can be of no Service to Morality, but the contrary, +since Moral Good, and Evil, consider'd antecedently to any positive +Law of our Maker, are apt to be thought but a Notion where that +inseparable Relation is overlook'd which there is between actions +denominated by us vertuous, or vicious, and the Natural Good, and Evil +of Mankind. + +Christians, perhaps, need not the confederation of this to inforce +their obedience to the Will of their Maker; but as it is a great +recommendation of the Precepts of the Gospel to find that they have an +exact correspondence with, and conformity to the Nature of Things: So +also those who are not influenc'd by, as not being yet thorowly +perswaded of this Divine Revelation, will sooner be induced to imbrace +Vertue, and contemn the allurements of Vice, when they see These to +have the very same reality, in Nature as their Happiness and Misery +have; than when (tho' ever so pompously set out) Vertue appears +founded only upon nice, or subtle Speculations. But some Men there +are so far from approving of any Notion or Theorem being advanc'd with +respect to Deists whereby, as such, they may be induc'd to the love of +Vertue (which is the best predisposition to the entertainment of +Christianity) that they are ready to treat as not being themselves +Christians if not as Atheists, any one who in the view of gaining thus +much upon these Men assert Vertue by any other Arguments than such as +they will not admit of, _viz._ those drawn from Revelation. + +However true yet it is that happiness, or our chief Good, does consist +in pleasure; it is no less true that the irregular Love of pleasure is +a perpetual source to us of Folly, and Misery. That we are liable to +the which irregularity, is but a necessary result of our Creaturely +imperfection: for we cannot love pleasure, and not love present +pleasure: and the love of present pleasure it is which misleads our +narrow, and unattentive Minds from a just comparison of the present, +with what is future. Nor is it a wonder if we are oftentimes thus +mislead; since we frequently wander from the right way with less +excuse for doing so: Men, not seldom, going astray from Reason, when +the love of present pleasure is so far from misguiding their variously +frail Natures, that its allurements will not retain them in the paths +of Vertue; and tho' Reason only has Authority to set Bounds to their +desires, they subject both Them, and Her to an Unjust and Arbitrary +Dominion, equally Foreign to both: A thing manifest, not only in +instances here and there, but in the examples of whole Nations; who +either by positive institution, or allow'd of Custom, have +transgressed against the plainest prescriptions of Reason, in things +so far from gratifying their Appetites, as that they are contrary, +and even sometimes grievous to Mens natural desires. To account for +which, will not here be impertinent; nor (in order to the doing so) to +consider first what the Terms _Vertue_ and _Religion_ have, in their +vulgar acceptation, every where generally stood for. + +_Religion_ has, I think, been rightly defin'd to be _the knowledge how +to please God_, and thus taken, does necessarily include vertue, that +is to say, _Moral Rectitude_; but as Men have usually apply'd these +Terms _Vertue_ and _Religion_, they stand for things very different +and distinct, one from another. For by a Vertuous Man, in all +Countries of the World, or less Societies of Men, is commonly meant, +by those who so call any one, such a Man as steadily adheres to that +Rule of his Actions which is establish'd for a Rule in his Country +Tribe, or Society, be that what it will. Hence it has been that +_Vertue_ has in different Times and Places chang'd Face; and sometimes +so far, as that what has been esteem'd Vertuous in one Age, and in one +Country, has been look'd upon as quite the contrary in others: tho' in +all Times and Places, wherein Men have not degenerated into a +downright Brutish, or altogether Animal Life (as some whole Nations +have done) but have set any Rules, or Measures to their Actions, the +dictates of right Reason have more, or less, taken Place with them, so +far as the manifest advantages, or rather necessity thereof to the +subsistence or convenience of Society, has directed Men. And so much +as Custom, or the Injunctions of some Lawgiver inforc'd these dictates +of Reason, or Nature, so far and no further, did obedience thereunto +denominate Men Vertuous; without any distinction made in reference to +these prescriptions, as being Precepts of the Eternal Law of Right, or +as obligatory any other ways than as being part of the Law, or Fashion +of that Country, or Society, wherein these Rules had prevail'd or were +establish'd. A firm and steady adherence to which, whether +conformable, or not, to the Law of Reason, being alike that which ever +intitled Men to be esteem'd Vertuous among those who profess'd to live +by the same Rule. + +Now since Man is a Creature that has variable, and disagreeing +Inclinations, as having passions very changeable, and oftentimes +contradictory one to another, there is not any fix'd Rule, or Measure, +whatsoever that can possibly be set to his Actions, which can +constantly be adher'd to by him, without some difficulty, or +uneasiness; because any steady, and unalterable Rule must necessarily +oftentimes, thwart and cross his changeable Appetites, and differing +Inclinations; even altho' that Rule was contriv'd, and intended ever +so much, to be indulgent to the Passions, and Desires of Humane Nature +in general. + +Conformity therefore of Mens actions to any fix'd, and unvariable +Rule, is a thing of some difficulty, be the Rule what it will: And +therefore Transgression against that Rule which Men profess'd +themselves oblig'd to act by, has always, every where been; and but +few Men comparatively, were strictly Vertuous: That is, did in all +things conform, or sincerely endeavour to conform their Actions to +that, which they acknowledged for the Rule of them. + +Those yet who believ'd a Superior Invisible Power that made them, +could not be satisfy'd with themselves in Transgressing against that +which they thought ought to be their Rule: For however they +understood this Rule to be deriv'd, they yet believ'd it carry'd with +it, some way or other, an obligation upon them to Obedience; since +otherwise they would not have look'd upon it as a Rule. Now, as they +could not know that God would not punish their Disobedience to That +which they look'd upon as obliging them to Obedience; but, on the +contrary, had more, or less, Reason to apprehend that he would do so, +They therefore (thinking him to be an exorable as well as an +Omniscient, and Omnipotent Being) were hereby on These occasions +taught to deprecate his Vengeance, and implore his Mercy: And hence +the more Guilty and Fearful came to invent Attonements, Expiations, +Penances and Purgations, with all that various Train of Ceremonies +which attended those Things; Naturally imagining that the Divine +Nature resembled their own; and thence believing that they should the +more easily appease his Anger, and avert the effects of his Wrath, if +by such means, as these, they did, as it were, in Gods behalf Revenge +upon themselves their Disobedience to him. And as the Solemnity of +these Matters requir'd peculiar Hands to Execute them; and Devotion +exacted that such should be liberally rewarded, and highly respected +for their Pious performances; from hence the profit which some reap'd +by these things, as well as the satisfaction that others found +therein, who were unwilling to be rigorously restrain'd by the Rule of +their Actions, yet were uneasie under the reproaches of their +Consciences when they transgressed against it, made these Inventions, +and the value set upon them, to be daily improv'd; till Men at last +have sought to be, and have effectually been perswaded that they +might render themselves acceptable to God without indeavouring +sincerely to obey the Rule by which they profess'd to believe they +were oblig'd to live; and that even when they did think that this was +a Law giv'n them by God himself. + +Now the great practicers, and promoters of the abovesaid things, are +every where Those who are generally esteem'd, and call'd _Religious_. +Whence the Term _Religion_ appears ordinarily to have stood for +nothing else, but _some Expedient, or other, found out to satisfy Men +that God was satisfied with them, notwithstanding that their +Consciences reproach'd them with want of Conformity to the +acknowledg'd Rule, or Law of their Actions._ + +Having premis'd thus much concerning the Notions Men vulgarly have had +of _Vertue_ and _Religion,_ let us now proceed to see how it has come +to pass, That they have with Allowance, Approbation, and oftentimes, +with injunction of their Lawmakers and Governours, transgress'd +against the most visible Dictates of the Law of Nature, or Reason, in +Things not favourable to their Natural Passions and Appetites; but +even, sometimes, contrary thereunto; as are denying themselves the +lawfullest Enjoyments of Life; Macerating their Bodies; Prostituting +their Wives; and exposing their Off-spring and Themselves to cruel +Torments, and even Death it self. The cause of which I think appears +plainly to be; that Mankind having been generally convinc'd that there +was a Maker of themselves and of the World, who they concluded was as +well able to take cognisance of what they did, as to produce them into +Being; and to whom they could not believe that all the Actions of his +Creatures were alike pleasing, or displeasing; they became fearful +(as has been said) of incurring his displeasure, whenever they did +any thing which their Consciences reproach'd them for: From the which +Fear of a Superior invisible Power, inspecting their Actions, they +were early induc'd to hearken to, and follow such who profess'd +themselves to have some Knowledge Supernaturally reveal'd to them of +God's Will. And we find, in the Histories of all Nations, that the +generality of Mankind were perswaded (contrary to the Sentiments of +some Modern Deists) That it was a thing very congruous to the Divine +Being, that he should in this way reveal to Men his pleasure +concerning them; since the greatest part, every where, did with little +difficulty give Credit to such who had the confidence to affirm to +them, that they were sent by God to teach them what he required of +them: the which being so, a submission of Mens Reason to the dictates +of suppos'd inspir'd Teachers must necessarily follow: and they from +thence become liable to be impos'd upon, all the ways that could serve +the ends of such who made use of this pretence to promote thereby any +Interest of their own, or others. + +And as there is scarce any Country can be nam'd where there has not +been these pretences to Revelation; so no Instance, I believe, can be +found of any Institution or generally approv'd of Practice, opposite +to the obvious Dictates of Nature, or Reason, and not in Favour of +Mens Appetites, which does not appear, or on good ground may not be +presumed to have been receiv'd on this pretence of Supernatural +Revelation; which has ever procur'd the firmest adherence to any New +Institution whatsoever; and was very sufficient to make the absurdest +things be swallow'd equally with the most reasonable; it being +undeniably true, that whatever God does Command, his Creatures are +under an equal Obligation of Obedience thereunto. + +Some Men, it is likely, there have, in all Ages and Places, been, who +were too Sagacious to admit of that as Revelation from God, which +manifestly oppos'd Natural Light; and who needed a proof of the Divine +Mission of such pretenders as these. But the unthinking Multitude were +ever Credulous; and thence have been always practic'd upon in various +kinds, and measures, as has best suited the occasion: Those who have +had vicious Inclinations, or little Aims, and short views, having +impos'd upon them suitably to their Ends: And such as have had larger +comprehensions, generous designs, and Minds above Vulgar, Base and +Sordid Passions, having answerably to their Aims, serv'd themselves of +the same credulity. Of the last kind were such who have propos'd the +reclaiming of Men from vices more obviously prejudicial to Society, +and civil Government; thereby to erect or restore some flourishing +Kingdom, or common-wealth; And these, tho' they have deceived Men, in +making them believe that their Laws were Divinely inspir'd, have yet +deservedly been Honour'd by them as Benefactors, because of that +happiness which they procur'd to them thereby, in this World; beyond +which, their views extended not, as having no knowledge of a future +Life. The which sort of Men, however rational, and Vertuous they were, +yet (like other pretenders to Revelation) that they might the better +procure Authority to their Dictates, did with their civil +Institutions, mix Holy Mysteries; and that usually as peculiar Secrets +taught them by some Divinity. They also, how much soever they, +perhaps, secretly contemn'd such things, did yet generally pay a great +outward regard to matters of Religion; which have ever abounded in the +best Govern'd, and most Flourishing Kingdoms, and Common-wealths. + +Now (as has been already said) the exact observers of the civil +Institutions of their Country, or Customs of their Ancestors, were +look'd upon as Men of Vertue; and whoso apply'd himself eminently to +the observation of such superstitions as consisted of Sacrifices, +Processions, Lustrations, &c. with a various Train of Pompous +Ceremonies, diversify'd according to the Phancies of their Authors, +was look'd upon as a Religious Man; whilst there was a third sort of +Men (inconsiderable always in their Number) who judged, by the true +rule of Reason, what was right, and what was wrong, in the first of +these; and who contemning the Fopperies of the last, were oftentimes +(thro' their means who most found their Account in those Matters) in +danger of passing with the silly People for Atheists: such as search +for their opinions, and the Measures of their Actions in the Reason +and Truth of Things, having always been very unacceptable to Those +whose Interest it has been to keep up the Credit and Authority of vain +Traditions and Superstitious Practices; because if _These_ should be +hearken'd to, _Those_ Apprehended that they should become useless. + +Men of this third sort are They who are vertuous in a Rational and +Christian estimation; for if adherence to the Rule of Mens Actions (be +that what it will) denominates Men vertuous among those of their own +perswasion therein; then That which denominates a Man vertuous amongst +Those who take the prescriptions of right Reason, or of the Gospel +(for these are but one, and the same, differently promulg'd) for the +Rule of their Actions, must be an adherence to the Law of right +Reason, or of this Revelation: Which Rule, is not (as all others are) +a changeable, because (as we have seen) no Arbitrary thing; it being +founded in Relations, and Connexions, which are as immutable as that +determinate constitution in Things, which makes every thing what it +is. From whence it has been that such Men in all Ages, and Places, as +were above the prejudices of their Country Religion, and Manners, +_viz._ such as we have now spoken of, have ever had much the same +Sentiments in respect of Vertue. But these have always been but a +small Number: Custom, and blind Opinion, have ever govern'd the World; +and the light of Reason has neither appear'd to Men to be, nor in +Fact been any where sufficient to direct the generality of Mankind to +Truth; as some imagine it capable of doing; who because of that clear +Evidence which Reason gives to those verities that Revelation has +already taught them, think that they owe, or might have ow'd to this +light of Reason what they are not indebted to it for; and what it is a +Thousand to One odds they would not have receiv'd from it, had they +been Born where there was no other than Natural Light. + +For we find not any Country in any Age of the World, wherein Men did +generally acknowledge, by the meer force of Reason, Natural Religion +in its full extent; or where the Law of Nature was by the Light of +Nature universally own'd. Some Dictates of it as suggested by +necessity, or convenience, having only been receiv'd, (as has been +already said) but not distinguish'd from the most Arbitrary +Institutions of Men; altho' it is probable that the greater Conformity +any Law had to the dictates of right Reason, it did the more +universally and easily obtain Belief of its being divinely reveal'd to +him who pretended so to have receiv'd it; and this apparently it was +which gave so great Success to the _Peruvian_ Lawgivers; whose +Idolatry was the most specious that was possible; and whose Rules of +Living (pretended to have been receiv'd by them from the Sun, their +Father, and Vicegerent of _Pachacama_, the Supream Invisible and +Unapproachable God) were highly suitable to the dictates of right +Reason. + +This Law nevertheless not being receiv'd by that People but as a +Supernatural Revelation, the great Morality of the _Peruvians_ affords +no Argument against, but (on the contrary) proves strongly the need +of Revelation; since whatever Force of Reason these Natural Truths did +appear to this People to carry with them, when represented as divine +Commands, this light had never yet attracted their sight purely by its +own Brightness; nor ever has any where done so, but here and there in +a few Instances of Persons of more than ordinarily inquisitive Minds; +and (probably) for the most part, exempted by a happy priviledge of +Nature from the servitude of sensual, and sordid Passions. + +And tho' nothing can be more evident to those who reflect thereupon, +than that Mens Actions should be regulated, and directed by that +Faculty in them which shows them the different properties, relations, +and dependencies of things, and not by their Appetite, which only can +tell what will at the present please, or offend them; not what will, +upon the whole, procure to them the most pleasure, or uneasiness; yet +such appears to be the unreflecting Nature of the generality of +Mankind, and such their fondness of present pleasure, as either not to +consider this Truth, or when they do so, to be induc'd (in consequence +thereof) to obey the most manifest dictates of Reason, or Natural +Light, which will lay any restraint upon their pleasing, and, +oftentimes, violent Inclinations: Much less will they be at pains to +search for any such Measures of their Actions in the Constitution and +dependances of things; which is indeed what the far greater part of +Men have not the Capacity, or Leisure to do: Neither are Any able to +do this so early as to prevent their irregular Inclinations from being +first strengthen'd and confirm'd by ill habits: which when once they +are, Reason does in vain oppose them, how clear soever her dictates +appear. On the contrary, our Passions grown strong, do usually so far +corrupt our Reason as to make her joyn parties with them against her +self; we not only doing amiss, but likewise finding Arguments to +justify our so doing, even to our selves as well as others. + +But there is still, beyond this, a farther impediment to Mens obeying +the Law of Nature, by vertue of the meer Light of Nature; which is, +that they cannot, in all circumstances, without Revelation, make +always a just estimate in reference to their happiness. For, tho' it +is demonstrable that the Law of Reason is the Law of God, yet the want +of an explicite knowledge of the penalty incur'd by the breach of that +Law, makes it not to be evident to all Men that the incuring of this +penalty shall (in all cases) make the preference of breaking this Law, +an ill Bargain: which it may, sometimes not be to many, in regard of +the discernable natural consequences of such a Transgression. For tho' +observance of the Law of Reason is, in the constitution of Natural +Causes, visibly to those who consider it (generally speaking) the +means of our greatest happiness, even in this present World, yet if +there be no future Life (which that there is, is made certain to us, +only by the Revelation thereof in the Gospel) to answer in for +Transgression of this Law; the breach of it may, tho' not naturally, +yet accidentally, in some cases, conduce to Mens greater happiness; +and, very often, notwithstanding that to have obey'd the Law of Reason +they may discern would have been better for them than to have follow'd +their Appetites, had they been early so accustom'd, yet now that they +have contracted different Habits, which are like a _Right Hand_, or +_Eye_ to them, the difficulty of a new course of Life may appear too +great for the attempt of it to be adviseable; since the consideration +of the shortness and uncertainty of Life may make Men apt to say to +themselves on such occasions, + + + _Who would lose the present Hour, + For one that is not in his Power? + Or not be happy now he may, + But for a Future Blessing stay: + Who know not he shall live a Day?_ + + +The Revelation of an Eternal Life after this, with an express +Declaration of Everlasting Rewards and Punishments annex'd to our +Obedience, or Disobedience, to the Law of Nature (tho' such a Future +State may be reasonably infer'd from all things happening alike to the +Good, and to the Bad in this World, and from Men's Natural desire of +Immortality) is yet but a necessary inforcement of the Law of Nature +to the far greatest part of Mankind, who stand in need of this +knowledge, and are uncapable of an Inference so repugnant to what +their Senses daily tell them in the case; and wherein the Truth +asserted has scarcely ever procur'd an unwavering assent from the most +rational of the Heathen Philosophers themselves. Now the +unquestionable certainty of a Future State, wherein Men shall receive +Everlasting Rewards, and Punishments, we alone owe the knowledge of to +Jesus Christ, _who only has brought Life and Immortality to Light_. +The willingest to believe the Souls Immortality were before our +Saviours coming, at best, doubtful concerning it; and the generality +of Mankind, were yet far less perswaded of it. + +Fables indeed concerning a life hereafter (wherein there were Rewards +and Punishments) the _Greeks_ had; and from them, they were deriv'd +to some other Nations; but that for Fables they were taken is evident, +and we are expressly told so by _Diodorus Siculus_, who applauding the +Honours done to Good Men at their Funerals, by the _Egyptians, because +of that warning and encouragement which it gave to the Living to be +mindful of their Duty_, says, _That the Greeks, as to what concern'd +the Rewards of the Just, and the Punishment of the Impious, had +nothing among them but invented Fables and Poetical Fictions which +never wrought upon Men for the Amendment of their Lives; but on the +contrary, were despis'd and laugh'd at by them_. + +Whether, or no, Men should subsist after Death depending plainly upon +the good Pleasure of their Maker, the Pagan World (to whom God had not +reveal'd his Will herein) could not possibly have any certainty of a +Life after this. Arguments there were (as has been said) that might +induce rational Men to hope for a future Existence as a thing +probable; and they did so: But the Gross of Mankind saw not the Force +of these Reasonings to be perswaded thereby of a thing so +inconceivable by them as that the Life of the Person was not totally +extinguish'd in the Death of the Body; and a Resurrection to Life, was +what they thought not of, the certainty of which, together with future +Reward and Punishment, by enabling us to make a right estimate +concerning what will most conduce to our happiness, plainly brings +this great encouragement to our Observance of the Law of God, that it +lets us see our happiness, and our Duty, are inseparably united +therein; since whatever pleasure we voluntarily deprive our selves of +in this World from preference of Obedience to God's Commands, it +shall be recompenced to us manifold in the World that is to come: So +that now we can find our selves in no Circumstance, wherein our +Natural Desires of Happiness, or love of Pleasure, can rationally +induce us to depart from the Rule of our Duty. + +The little which has been said, do, methinks, sufficiently evince the +need of Revelation both to Teach and inforce Natural Religion: But the +defectiveness of the Light of Nature to this end, is a Verity of so +great use to be establish'd, that the consideration thereof should not +be left upon such short Reflections as these; was not this Truth at +large made out in a late Treatise intitled, _The reasonableness of +Christianity as delivered in the Scriptures_. + +A work which the unhappy mistakes and disputes among us concerning the +Christian Religion, makes useful to all Men; and which has been +peculiarly so to many, as the only Book wherein they have found the +insufficiency of Natural Light to Natural Religion, has been fully +shewed, although that to reconcile Men to, or establish them in the +belief of Divine Revelation, nothing was more requisite to make this +appear, in an Age wherein the prevalency of Deism has been so much and +so justly complain'd of. + +But against the insufficiency of Natural Light to the ends of Natural +Religion, the World having been so many Ages without it, is, by some, +thought an Objection: For, if Supernatural Light had been so needful +as is pretended to be, how could it comport, say they, with the Wisdom +of God not to have given it to Men sooner and more universally? + +To judge of all the Ends and Designs of the Divine Wisdom in the +Creation or Government of the World, is to suppose that we have a +comprehension of God's Works, adequate or commensurate thereunto; +which is not only to conceive of his Wisdom as not being infinite, but +even to circumscribe it within very narrow bounds. If the Wisdom of +God, (like his other Attributes) does infinitely surpass our reach, +his Views must, for that reason, be necessarily oftentimes, as much +beyond our short Sight. For us then, when we see not the reason why +any thing is, to take upon us to say that such a thing does, or does +not comport with the Wisdom of God, must needs be the highest Folly +that can be, since it implies a presumption, that we see all in +respect of such a Subject that God sees: And the Objection here made +turns only upon the _unaccountableness_ of the Divine Wisdom herein +to our Understandings. For God's dealing thus with Men, can by no +means be said by us to imply any _contradiction_ to his Wisdom. Whilst +we having an assurance highly Rational (from those numberless Worlds +which surround us) that we are but a small part of the Intellectual +Creation of our Maker; and being certain that our abode here bears but +a very inconsiderable proportion of Time to millions of Ages, and is +as nothing to Eternity, cannot tell but that to know much more than we +do, in this State, of the intire Scheme of Providence with respect to +the whole extent of intelligent Beings, may be necessary to our seeing +the Beauty of anyone part of the design of our Creator. And it is the +most suitable to the All-comprehensive Wisdom of God for us to +conceive, that without having this knowledge, we may be far less able +to judge of the Divine oeconomy, in reference to his Dealings with us +here, than he who should see but one Scene of a Dramma, would thereby +be capacitated to judge of the Plot or Design of the whole. In +Objecting therefore against the need of Revelation to support Natural +Religion, because that we understand not why, if Revelation was +necessary to this end, the World had it no sooner: Men are guilty of +so great an Absurdity as to argue from a Matter only unknown to them +against the reality of that evidently _is_: Which is always irrational +to do; but is especially so, when, if we cannot answer what is +Objected, we yet see plainly that That Objection may be very +answerable, and accountable for, even to our Conceptions; were but our +views a little more enlarged, and such as, perhaps, they shall be +hereafter. + +But in urging this consideration as sufficient to silence any +Objection to the needfulness of Revelation from its lateness and want +of Universality; I suppose not that the Divine, oeconomy is herein +actually incomprehensible by Men; or at least, may not be accounted +for, if not demonstratively aright, yet suitably to the Divine +Attributes: and a due reflection upon the intire design of +Christianity, so far as it is reveal'd to us, will, it is likely, +conduct us best to a sight hereof. But our present business is not +this inquiry, but to see what those advantages are which we receive by +the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the design of whole coming into the +World appears to have been, to inforce the Rule of Rectitude, by +setting it in a clearer Light, with the manifest Attestation of Divine +Authority, and promulging it as the Law of God, by Declaration of +eternal Rewards and Punishments, annexed to the observance or breach +thereof. + +Yet to deliver clearer and more excellent Precepts of Morality; to +attest to the Divinity hereof by Miracles; or to bring Immortalitie to +light, were not (as the means of inforcing Natural Religion) the whole +business for which Christ took our Nature upon him. It was a Decree as +immutable as the Divine Nature, that no unrighteous thing should have +everlasting Life: Wherefore all, both Jews and Gentiles having broken +the Law, and being thereby condemn'd (since the Law necessarily +requir'd perfect Righteousness, and could admit of no abatement +thereof) Christ came to establish betwixt God and Man, a Covenant of +Grace in order to Mens obtaining eternal Life, which they could not +obtain by the Works of the Law. The which Covenant of Grace was, that +to as many as believe in his Son, taking him for their King, and +submitting to his Law, God would grant remission of their Sins; and +that this _their Faith should be imputed to them for Righteousness_; +that is, accepted of by him, in lieu of perfect Obedience, in all such +who sincerely indeavour'd to live up to the Precepts of Christ, their +Lord. + +Men have ever been solicitous, to reconcile Pardon of Sin to the +Purity of God's Nature, which has expos'd them (as we have seen) to +divers Delusions, and to wearisome and costly Superstitions; even +sometimes to the giving _the Fruit of their Bodies to attone for the +sins of their Souls_. All the Forms of Pagan Religion have abounded +with Institutions of this Nature; and that of the Jews consisted very +much of tiresome and unpleasant performances; which being Types and +Shadows of him that was to come, were practis'd to the same purpose. +All which things we are freed from by the Gospel; _Christ having +offer'd up himself once for all, through whom forgiveness of Sin is +preached to as many as believe in him_, truly repenting of their past +Sins, and _walking in newness of Life_, conformably to the Law of him +their Master; but and if, thro' humane Weakness or Imbecillity, we do +Sin, he is our _Advocate with the Father_, who for the sake of him his +Beloved Son, will justify, or accept as Righteous, those who truly +believe in him, whence we are justify'd by God's free Grace or Favour, +and not by the Works of the Law, against which all have transgressed, +and fail'd of a perfect Obedience. + +The great end then of Christianity is (in short) to teach us +effectually to _renounce all Ungodliness and every evil work_, by +declaring to us, that if we sincerely repent of our Sins past, and +indeavour, for the time to come, to obey the Law of our Lord and +Master Jesus Christ, which is no other than the Law of Reason, or the +eternal Rule of Right, we need not despair of God's Mercy from the +Imperfection of our Obedience; since he will for the sake of his Son, +pardon their Sins who believe in him: Sincere indeavours after perfect +Righteousness being accepted in those who believe in Christ as if they +attained it, which is call'd, _the Righteousness of Faith_. And thus +our Blessed Lord, that he might _purchase to himself a peculiar people +zealous of good Works_, has propos'd to his Followers the strongest +Motives and Encouragements that are conceivable to induce free Agents +to Obedience, putting them at once upon using their utmost Diligence +to _fullfil_ _the Law_; yet, at the same time, delivering them from +the fear that their defective _Righteousness should_ render their +Labour vain in the Lord, by assuring them that he will be merciful to +their Sins. + +The which Christian Doctrine concerning the forgiveness of Sins +(contrary to that of other Religions) effectually obliges Men to use +their utmost care not to commit Sin, and leaves no room for the Lusts +of their Hearts, or devices of cunning Men to deceive them by any +Superstitious Inventions of expiating or attoning for Transgression; +whereby Vertue (as we have seen) was always undermin'd. For, tho' in +the Christian Religion, there is an abatement of the rigour and +severity of the Law, which could not but require an unsinning +Obedience; yet we are therein taught, that Jesus Christ is the only +Attonement for Sin: And such a Faith in him as makes us to become his +obedient Subjects, is the only means to us of Salvation: An +inforcement of the Law of Righteousness which was wanting to the Pagan +World; whose persuasion of the placability of the Divine Nature (as we +have seen) generally taught them, only to find out such imaginary ways +of appeasing God's Anger, and expiating for their Sins, as did more or +less supersede their indeavours after Obedience to the Law. + +Whence it appears that the assurance of future Existence, with the +knowledge of eternal Rewards and Punishments annex'd to Mens +Observance, or not observance of the Law of Reason had Men had it, +without the Revelation of the Gospel, would not have been so universal +or powerful an inforcement of Obedience to them as it is to us; to +whom together with this, is preach'd also the Doctrine of forgiveness +of Sins, through Faith in Jesus Christ. For the consciousness of +transgression against this Law, which, under such a Penalty exacted +their Obedience, must either have driven Men into despair of being +accepted by God, whence they would have given over the indeavours of +obeying him as a fruitless Labour; or else if they believ'd that God +would accept of some Compensation for their defective Righteousness, +they would have been induc'd no less, but even more strongly from +their knowledge of a future Life, than they were without it, to seek +to attone the Divine Wrath by such ways as would inevitably draw on a +neglect of conformity to his Law. Whereas Christianity doth provide +against both these Mistakes, in that it assures us that God will +accept of our imperfect Obedience for the sake of his Son, if we +believe in him, and withal sincerely indeavour to obey him; whereby +Faith does plainly _not make void, but establish the Law_, it laying +the highest Obligation as well as Encouragement that is possible upon +Men to do their utmost to live up to the Prescriptions of it. + +And thus the Christian Religion, we find, is every way admirably +adapted by the Divine Wisdom, to the end of inforcing the eternal Law +of Reason or Nature; which evidently needed this inforcement. From +whence it is manifest, that whoso directly or indirectly teaches Men +to look upon Christianity as separable from Morality, does the most +that is possible misrepresent it; and therein (as effectually as they +can do so) undermine both Natural and Reveal'd Religion; the latter of +which dispences not with any breach of the former; and exempts us only +from the burthen of such outward performances as have no Efficacy to +the making Men better, but often do make them very much worse; they +conceiving that they are able, thereby, to expiate or attone for their +Sins; whence they become less careful in regard of their Duty: A +Natural effect of all those things, beneficial alone to the contrivers +or directors of them; who, by means thereof, have liv'd in Ease and +Plenty upon other Peoples Labours, whilst they (instead of repining +thereat) were skilfully taught to reverence them for their usefulness. + +Such Men as these profited not a little by the superstition of the +People; and therefore could not but always have an interest opposite +to that of Vertue: Since the more vertuous Men were, the less they +stood in need of, or minded those Matters, of which these managers of +Mysteries and Ceremonies had the gainful direction. No wonder then at +all was it that the Gospel found so much opposition, whose design was +so Diametrically contrary to the interest of a Party every where in +such Power and Credit; and whose Author so expresly declared, that his +coming was to abolish all such Institutions and Practices. + +The Power of God yet prevail'd in spight of that of Men; and +Christianity in a little time had spread itself through the Roman +Empire. + +What remedy then remain'd more fit to be devis'd by the Devil or evil +Men, to make the Gospel of no effect, than under specious pretences of +owning and honouring it, to corrupt it with the old Pagan Principles +and Practices, introduc'd under a Christian Disguise? But it being so +plainly deliver'd in the whole Tenour of the New Testament, that +_Christ being once for all offer'd up, there remained no more +Sacrifice for Sin_; and that he came to teach Men _to worship God in +Spirit and, in Truth_. There was no room left for the searchers for +their Religion in these Holy Oracles to be led into the formerly +mention'd Pagan Superstitions. The Scriptures therefore must be +discarded, or, what was the same thing, shut up from vulgar Readers: +Which were all but those who had made it their interest to mislead +others by their Explications: The which, together with vain +Traditions, supported by the Authority of reverend Names, coming in +the place of Scripture, were enjoyn'd to be receiv'd equally with +Divine Truths on Terrour of eternal Punishment to as many as could be +so persuaded, but to be sure of Temporal Penalty to all who durst +withstand this violence done to the common reason of Mankind. + +The which Spirit of Imposition and Persecution began to shew itself +very early among the Professors of Christianity: And so soon as these +were arm'd with secular Power, they fail'd not to make use of it one +against another, for imposing of Humane Inventions to the neglect of +what all profess'd to believe God indispensibly requir'd of them. The +which _Mystery of Iniquity_, tho' it _already worked_, in the Apostles +Days, yet could not be reveal'd even 'till the power of Heathen _Rome_ +was taken out of the way: And Christianity had Civil as well as +Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, by their Religions, becoming that of the +Empire: Which, when it did, Antichrist soon appear'd in his full +Dimensions; and the Christian World became a very Aceldama; A History +of which (sad as it is) might perhaps, with some pleasure, be perus'd, +were those Tragedies now at an end; or the Reformed part of +Christendom had no share in the Guilt. + +We generally indeed exclaim against the Cruelties of the _Roman_ +Church exercis'd over Men, on account or pretence of Religion: And it +is true, that they have excell'd herein; yet all Parties among us, +proportionally to the extent of their Power, have practis'd the same +thing; and the _Best_, when restrain'd from it by the Civil +Magistrate, make it evidently appear, that they bear that restraint +uneasily. + +But whilst the first Spring, which moves such _Animosities_ is a +desire in _ambitious_ and _ill_ Men or _Dominion_; well-meaning +ignorant People are misled by these from the Truth of the Gospel, to +such Zeal for some distinguishing Tenets or Forms as if the stress of +Christianity lay in those things: And that our Religion consisted not +in such a Faith in Jesus Christ, as to receive him for our King, +becoming his obedient Subjects; but in the belief of Opinions, which +have no influence upon our Practice, to the making us live more +vertuously; or in Worshipping God after some peculiar Mode or Fashion. +And thus among us Christians, as heretofore in the Heathen World, +_Vertue_ and _Religion_ are again distinguish'd; and Religion as +something more excellent (and, to be sure, more easy) does still, as +formerly it did, eat out Vertue. + +Among our selves it is true, that those of the Establish'd Church do +generally dislike a distinction often made by some others of a _Moral_ +and a _Religious_ Man; Nor, usually, are our Divines wanting to +represent from the Pulpit the necessity there is of a good Life to +render Men acceptable to God. But many who condemn such a Doctrine as +separates Religion from Morality, do yet in their practices make the +like distinction, which may well be presum'd to have been one great +cause of their having preach'd up Vertue so ineffectually as they have +done. That which People _say_ having ordinarily less influence upon +others, than what they see them _Do_. And in regard of our earliest +Apprehensions concerning Vertue and Religion, it is certain that these +are form'd in Children much more from what they observe in the +Conversations or Actions of such Persons as they esteem, than by set +Discourses that they now and then hear from the Pulpit; which they can +neither understand nor attend to early enough to receive from those +Principles that shall influence them. But so soon (at the least) as +they are capable of minding and understanding Sermons, they (where the +thing is remarkable by others) do also take notice of it, if he who +frequently recommends a good Life to them, does not in his own +Conversation, and in the respect he expresses for Vertue in the +Persons of others, shew that he indeed prefers it answerably to the +Praises he gives it. And if such a Preacher, as this, shall openly +live in the practice of any known Immorality; or not doing so himself +shall yet manifestly prefer in his esteem those who do so, is it not +natural, for them who look upon this Man as a guide to Heaven, to +conclude from hence, that in reference to the obtaining of Eternal +Happiness, Vertue is not the thing, the most essentially requisite; +and much less certainly will they think it to be so with respect to +this present World, if they find their pious Instructor not only to +choose the Society of Persons Profligate and Debauch'd for his Friends +and Companions; but also (on all occasions) to labour the promotion of +the like Men to Employments of the highest Truth, in preference of +others of acknowledg'd Integrity and Sobriety of Life: The avow'd +Reason whereof being only that the first of these are by the Doctor +held the more Orthodox in Religion; is it not unavoidable, even to a +Child, to conclude, that Vertue is not the best recommendation in his +Opinion, whatever he sometimes seems to assert, when he is shewing his +Rhetorick in the Pulpit. And since he is an Authoriz'd Teacher of +Religion, will not (so far as his example influences) Vertue and +Religion be probably consider'd as distinct things, the latter of +which, as it always has had, always will have the preference. + +The same Consequence with this must needs, in like manner, follow, +where Parents (whose Practices have usually the greatest Authority +with their Children) do in this manner express their uncharitable +Zeal for their Opinions, by them call'd Orthodoxy: And such, no less +effectually, teach the separating of Religion from Vertue, than those +whom they, perhaps, greatly condemn for making this distinction in +Terms; tho' it is true, that That sort of Men who do use this +distinction in their Discourses, do seldom fail of practising +accordingly: None having usually a more fiery Zeal than such People +have for their Orthodox, or, what is call'd by them, sound Doctrine; +and the only difference is, that these Men are herein more consistent +with themselves than the former, since their Words and their Actions +correspond. + +Nor less consentaneous to their Opinions are they, in not taking much +Pains to inculcate into their Children (as they not often do) the +Principles and early Habits of Vertue: For if Vertue, or Morality is +so far from being any way that which shall intitle Men to Salvation, +that it is not so much as a means, or good predisposition to what +shall do so, (God oftentimes to shew his Free Grace preferring the +greatest Persons to the most Moral Reasons) which is what these +Peoples Teachers frequently tell them; as there appears indeed but +little Reason why they should be vertuous, so there cannot be any more +why they should indeavour to make others so. Those of these Sentiments +are yet generally (tho' not methinks alike conformable to their +Doctrines) very Solicitous for what they call _Religious Education_. +But how little this will supply the defect of early Principles, and +Habits of Vertue, will be visible when we reflect upon what that, +which they esteem to be Religious Education does consist in; for +commonly it is only in Teaching Children some Form of sound Words as +they conceive them to be; in the greatest part, unintelligible to +their Learners, or uninstructive of their Ignorance; and in +accustoming them to hear many Sermons; which do as little inform them; +and wherein Morality is too often represented as, no ways, available +to Salvation: and, what is still worse, even (sometimes) as that which +shall rank Men among the hateful to, and accursed of God. + +The reading of the Bible is, I presume (at the least) as much +practic'd by those as by the generality of any other Perswasion; but +they study no more than others do to understand it; and (on the +contrary) are rather with greater tenaciousness so possess'd by the +Sentiments and Opinions of their Teachers, as to be almost uncapable +of consulting the word of God without prejudice; or observing any +thing therein that is contrary to the Doctrines of their Sect: that +_Analogy of Faith_ by which they are sure the Scriptures ought always +to be interpreted; the obscurest parts whereof their Teachers insist +the most upon; whence the Ignorantest Persons of these as well as the +more knowing, are usually far less conversant in the plain Doctrines +of Jesus Christ, than in St. _Pauls_ difficult Epistles; which, as +heretofore, _many who are unlearn'd wrest to their own Destruction_, +tho' their needs, I think, no skill but that of Attention to what the +Apostle is speaking of, to see that he teaches none of those Doctrines +which many are taught to believe he delivers to the prejudice of +Morality, or good Works; but quite the contrary. + +Now what help can such Instruction as this give to the subduing the +corrupt Affections, and the bridling betimes the inordinate Desires +and Appetites of Humane Nature, whereby Men are inabled to live like +rational Creatures, and to acquit themselves well in all the Relations +they shall be hereafter plac'd in, in the World? When it does not so +much as perswade them, or even allow them to think that these are the +things by which they shall be judg'd at the Last Day; but substitutes +in the place hereof groundless Conceits, and a presumptious, Faith, +which so far teaches them to neglect Obedience as that if they pursu'd +the just consequence of their own Doctrine (a thing few People do) +they would have no Morality at all: And how rarely soever these +consequences are follow'd so far as they would lead Men, yet that they +are too much so, is visible in that little concern which such People +take (as has been now observ'd) in training up their Children betimes +in the knowledge and practice of Vertue; so necessary to the making +them hereafter Vertuous, that rarely are any found eminently to be so, +where this means has been neglected; even many who are always very +sincere in the Profession of Religion, having (thro' the want of this +early care taken of them) their Passions never subjected to their +Reason; which renders them all their Lives long uneasie to themselves, +and others: Whereby also the very profession of Religion is +dishonour'd, and evil spoken of. + +In the Church of _England_, (whatever her Articles may be thought to +teach) there are not many now who hold these Opinions; and such as do +not so, rightly looking upon Vertue as the great perfection of Humane +Nature, and the End which Christianity is intended to promote, do +accordingly (if they are serious in their Religion) instruct their +Children much better than those abovementioned are wont to do theirs; +at least, they design it: For it is true that the performance does +often fall short; because (as has been said) their Actions correspond +not with their Instructions; and also from hence That Zeal for +Morality makes some, in recommending thereof, too forgetful of that +Doctrine of Faith, without which, as works avail not, so also the +greatest encouragement to, and inforcement of Morality, is lost. And +when any who are profess'd Teachers of the Christian Religion do this, +such Men do frequently confirm in their wrong Apprehensions concerning +it, those whom they would convince of mistaking the design of the +Gospel; since _Faith_ is so evidently therein the Doctrine of +Salvation, that They who never preach it, are not altogether without +Reason suspected either of not understanding Consequences, or else of +not being in earnest Christians, but conceal'd Deists, and Betrayers +of the Christian Religion. Altho' the Truth herein for the most part +is, that one Error unhappily produces another, and the partial regard +of some to the Doctrine of Faith (which yet they misrepresent) as if +the whole business of our Salvation consisted in That, has been an +occasion to other Men of as partially espousing the Doctrine of Good +Works; whilst in their heat against what is contrary to Truth in +respect thereof, they establish not sufficiently that Justifying Faith +of the Gospel, by which alone Men shall obtain Eternal Life, and not +by their Works: the best Men's Obedience having (as has been already +observ'd) imperfection in it; from whence all are necessarily +condemn'd by the Rigour of the Law, and must accordingly be found +Guilty, by him, _Who is of Purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity_; had +not God, in Mercy to Mankind, been pleas'd to establish _a New +Covenant of Grace_ in compliance with the Terms whereof, _viz._ Faith +in his Son, they may obtain Eternal Life. A Doctrine (as has been +seen) the most highly conducing that is possible to the making Men +labour after the perfectest Obedience. The Exalters of _Faith_ +therefore in opposition to _Good Works_ do not more undermine +_Morality,_ than the Advancers of the Doctrine of _Good Works_ to the +Exclusion of _Free Grace,_ do undermine Reveal'd, and in consequence +thereof, Natural Religion also. The which two sort of Men divide, if +one may so say, a good Christian betwixt them; the latter whereof take +the Soul and Spirit of Christianity, but cannot be acquitted of +neglecting what is not less essential in the Doctrine of our +Salvation; and that not only because what God has joyn'd Man cannot +disjoyn; but also because it is an Eternal Verity, that such Creatures +as we are, cannot consistently with the Attributes of God, any other +way than that of Justification by Faith, be intitled to Eternal Life. +For the Dispensation of the Gospel is not a meerly Arbitrary thing; +but is the result of Infinite Wisdom, and Goodness, for the Salvation +of Men. And if the Beauty and Harmony of its Divine Contrivance is not +to all Men evident, it is because they search not for the Christian +Religion purely, as it is deliver'd in the Scriptures, but take it up +together with the mixtures of Humane inventions, and conceits; wherein +Additions and Substractions have been made to the Truth of God, at +Mens Pleasure: Whose several Systems and Notions, whilst every one yet +indeavours to support by Scripture Authority, many become thereby +discourag'd from the study of those Holy Oracles, as being perswaded +from hence that the Bible is (at best) a Book too difficult to be +understood by them; if not truly, a Rhapsodie of contradictions, that +may be brought alike to assert any thing that shall come into Men's +Fancies to prove from thence. + +What then should those who would cure, or prevent all Mistakes +prejudicial to the right understanding the Christian Religion so +carefully do, as to perswade and ingage People diligently and with +unprejudic'd Minds to study the Scriptures; and not (as is usual) to +embrace Opinions concerning Religion first, and then consult the +Scriptures only to fortifie from thence their preconceiv'd Sentiments? +for doing thus they do in effect, but rely blindly upon the Teachings +of Men, and such Men too (as God knows have themselves for the most +part) as blindly follow'd others; whilst here and there some few (as +having more refin'd Wits, and disdaining such Shackles as the +generality like to wear, yet not loving the Truth in the Simplicity +thereof) have sought to improve and adorn it by their Philosophical +Conceits, and Notions; a Thing no less dangerous than the Former. For +to such as are better pleas'd with curious Speculations, than plain +and obvious Verities, it is very apt to happen that a Favourite +Hypothesis, or Opinion, shall run quite away with their Reason and +Judgment: which when it does, the Scriptures are sure to be +interpreted with conformity to that as if it were an Eternal, and +Unquestionable Principle of Truth. And thus too often is it seen that +the Sacred Doctrines of Divine Revelation are submitted to be try'd by +Philosophical Fancies, as a Criterion of their Truth; which is truly a +more direct disservice to Christianity than the above-mentioned +implicite Faith, since this evidently exposes even the Divine +Authority of the Christian Religion to be question'd. For when any, +especially if such whose profession it is to be Teachers of this +Religion, shall either argue against the plain Sense of what is +deliver'd in the Scriptures, meerly because it is not reconcileable to +their preconceiv'd Sentiments: or to those of their Admir'd Masters of +Reason; or else shall insist upon some of their own or these Mens +Theorems as necessary to be believ'd in confirmation of any thing +taught by our Saviour, or his Apostles; what can the Natural effect of +this be, but to make such as have not the leisure, or inclination to +examine the Truth of this Revelation, Sceptical in regard thereof; by +perswading them that those themselves who are rational Men amongst the +very Teachers of the Christian Religion, are not very clearly and +fully convinc'd of its Divine Authority; since if they were, they +would certainly submit their Opinions to be try'd by the Scriptures, +and not warp the Scriptures to a compliance with their Opinions; or +think the Doctrines contain'd in them needed any other confirmation to +support them. And wherefore must it be thought that such Men, as +these, are not convinc'd of the divine Revelation of the Christian +Religion, but from hence, that they (who will be presum'd to have +examin'd this matter the best of any Men) do find indeed some flaw or +just cause of doubt in the evidence thereof? From whence it is that +they prefer their Natural Reason as a surer Teacher than that +Revelation; however on some occasions they speak highly of it. And as +Men of this Philosophical Genius have usually more Vertue than those +who hoodwink'd follow their Leaders; or than such who look upon +Vertue as no part of Religion; there will, on this account, as also +for the Reputation of their uncommon Science, be probably a +distinguishing esteem had of such: Whence the apparent want of +deference in these Men to the Scriptures (liable to be look'd upon as +some degree of Scepticism) is of dangerous Example; which is obviously +manifest in that direct tendency this has to satisfie those in their +infidelity, who cannot, or will not, find leisure to examine for +themselves the Truths of Religion. But there is also a farther ill +influence which apparent want of deference to Scripture Authority in +those who pretend to believe (and, much more, to teach the Gospel) +has: And that is to the countenanceing too much that Multitude who +preferring the Christian Religion, do in their Practical that which +these Men do in their Speculative Opinions, _viz._ make the dictates +of the Gospel their Rule so far only, as they are vouch'd for and +Authoriz'd by their Reason, infected, as it is, by Custom, Passion, or +Worldly Interest; which is done by very many who would be offended to +have their belief of the Scriptures Question'd. But however they +profess to own them, none who act thus can be rationally thought to be +sincerely perswaded of their divine Authority, altho' it is possible +that many such Men may have no intire disbelief thereof neither; it +being barely not assenting, which is the Natural Effect of Ignorance +in those who have good Sense enough to see that it is irrational, to +be confidently assur'd of what they have not sufficient Reason to be +so assur'd of. + +Now this want of a firm assent to the Divine Authority of the +Scriptures in such as yet profess to own them for the word of God, is +unquestionably evident when such Men acquiesce not in the Precepts of +the Gospel, as the Rule of their Actions, any farther than they find +those Precepts to be Authoriz'd by the Testimony of their Reason: Of +which manner of acting many very common examples may be easily +brought. + +It is true that how much soever a Man is perswaded of the Authority of +any Rule, a strong Passion, or Apparent Interest may yet seduce him +from the Obedience due to its prescriptions; but such a Transgression +being accompanied with Regret, or followed with Repentance, the Rule +is still as much acknowledg'd as if it were obey'd; and none, on the +score of a contrary practice, are chargeable with a disbelief thereof, +but such who do, on a deliberate Choice and without Remorse, +transgress against it; which many professing to be Christians not +only themselves do, but even teach their Children the like: in which +latter case it cannot be suppos'd that they are misled by the strength +of any prevailing Passion. + +That we should forgive our Enemies and be patient under injuries (for +instance) are, as plainly as words can make them so, commanded in the +Scriptures; yet how many are there professing to believe that the +Scriptures are the Word of God, who, as if no such Commands as these +were deliver'd by Christ, or his Disciples, do both Practice and +Teach, the not putting up Affronts unreveng'd; and this only because +the Fashion of the Country has establish'd it, that a Gentleman cannot +do so with _Honour_? A Term which herein signifies nothing, but +agreeably to certain measures of acting that Men have Arbitrarily made +for themselves, and which are not founded upon any Principle of right +Reason; however to be obey'd, it seems, by a Gentleman preferably to +the Commands of Christ. If there are Cases wherein from want of a due +provision in Governments against some sort of Injuries it may be +thought that Men are excusable in asserting their own Cause, yet thus +much is at the least certain, That this Precept of Forgiveness could +not be transgress'd against, as it very frequently is, by Men +professing to believe the Authority of the Scriptures, if such were +indeed fully perswaded that it was a divine Command which prohibited +the avenging of our selves. + +But others there are (contrary to these Men) who would find it +altogether condemnable for a Man to hazard his own, and anothers Life +in a Duel, or Rencounter (tho' caus'd by the Transport of ever so just +a provocation) who would see no Evil in his mispending of his Time, +consuming Day after Day, and Year after Year, uselesly to himself, or +others, in a course of continual Idleness and Sauntring; as if he was +made only to Eat and to Drink, or to gratifie his Senses. And how few +Parents are there of Quality, even among such as are esteem'd the most +vertuous, who do not permit their Daughters to pass the best part of +their Youth in that Ridiculous Circle of Diversions, which is pretty +generally thought the proper business of Young Ladies; and which so +ingrosses them that they can find no spare Hours, wherein to make any +such improvements of their understanding, as the leisure which they +have for it exacts from them as rational Creatures; or as is requisite +or useful to the discharging well their present, or future Duties? + +Some formal Devotions are (perhaps) necessary to some of These, to +preserve them even in their own good esteem; and they that can +regularly find half an Hour, or an Hour in a Day to employ in private +upon this, and in reading some pious Book, together with, it may be, a +certain Number of Chapters in the Bible, need nothing more to make +them be cry'd up for great examples to the Age they live in; as if all +this while there were no Precepts for these People in the Gospel, +concerning the improvement of their Time, and Talents, as things +whereof they must one Day be accountable. For others it may be they +cannot but see that there are such Commands; but the Sacred Law of +Fashion has made endless Idle Visits, and less Innocent +Entertainments, the indispensibly constant Employment of those of +their Condition: and when they are grown Old in the perpetually +repeated round of such Impertinence and Folly, they have but labour'd +much in their Calling. + +Another Instance how little many, who profess to believe the +Scriptures, do apparently look upon them as the Rule of their Actions, +we have in regard of the Precept _not to Covet_; which is as much +forbidden by the Law of God as _not to Steal_, or Cozen a Man of what +is his property: And yet the same Parents who have bred their Children +in such a Sense of the Enormity of these last Vices, as that they +oftentimes seem to them like things that they are Naturally uncapable +of, are so far from teaching them to restrain their Exorbitant +Desires, that very oft they themselves with care inspire these into +them: Whence it is sufficiently clear that the difference made between +Stealing and Cheating, or Coveting (alike forbidden by the Law of God) +is from hence, That Ambition is thought a Passion becoming some Ranks +of Men, but Cheating or Stealing not Vices proper for a Gentleman. A +distinction that must needs refer to some other Rule than that of the +Gospel; which therefore is not That which, as a Divine Law, does +prescribe to such Men the Measures of their Actions. + +To bring but one instance more of the Commands of Christ being +comply'd with but so far only, as they do comply with some other Rule +prefer'd thereto by such as yet pretend to be Christians; _Chastity_ +(for example) is, according to the Gospel, a Duty to both Sexes, yet a +Transgression herein, even with the aggravation of wronging another +Man, and possibly a whole Family thereby, is ordinarily talk'd as +lightly of, as if it was but a Peccadillo in a Young Man, altho' a far +less Criminal Offence against this Duty in a Maid shall in the +Opinion of the same Persons brand her with perpetual Infamy: The +nearest Relations oftentimes are hardly brought to look upon her after +such a dishonour done by her to their Family; whilst the Fault of her +more guilty Brother finds but a very moderate reproof from them; and +in a little while, it may be, becomes the Subject of their Mirth and +Raillery. And why still is this wrong plac'd distinction made, but +because there are measures of living establish'd by Men themselves +according to a conformity, or disconformity with which, and not with +the Precepts of Jesus Christ, their Actions are measur'd, & judg'd of? +A thing which would be unaccountable if Men were indeed heartily +perswaded of the Divine Revelation of our Saviours Doctrine; and did +not profess to believe this but because it is the Fashion of their +Country so to do; and that their Parents have done so before them; +or, at most, that possibly they may have receiv'd from their Education +some impressions which will not permit them to reject the Christian +Religion, any more than firmly induce their Assent to the Truth of it. + +That Men who have any Vertue, or Sobriety, and who are not intirely +destitute of good Sense, can suffer in themselves such an uncertainty +about what is of so great moment to them as the Truths of the +Christian Religion, is indeed strange; but as the slightest Arguments +against any Truth have some weight to those who know not the Evidence +of that Truth, so also such as have never been accustom'd, whilst +Young, to exercise themselves in any Rational Inquiry, do usually in a +more advanc'd Age look upon the easiest Labour of this kind as +painful: And thence (for the most part) do either lazily think it +best to acquiesce, as well as they can, in such Mens Sentiments as +they have imagin'd the best to understand this matter; or else are +readily inclin'd from the disagreement, and contrariety of Peoples +thoughts about it, to take a Resolution of not troubling themselves at +all concerning it; as being a thing wherein there is no certainty to +be found, and probably therefore but little Truth: An Opinion which +the too commonly avow'd Scepticism of the Age helps much to confirm +unthinking People in; and that the more, because to doubt of what the +most believe (tho' few have any other Reason for so doubting but that +others do not doubt) has very much prevail'd in our Days to intitle +Men to the Reputation of more than ordinary Wit and Sagacity. But the +Scepticism among us has truly been so far from being the effect of +uncommon Light, and Knowledge; as that it has been, and is much owing +to the preceding fashionableness of a very general Ignorance, both in +regard of Religion, and also of other useful Sciences; for Men's not +knowing how profitably, and with pleasure to employ their Time, is +apparently one great cause of their Debauchery; and so long as the +Consciousness and Shame of not acting like rational Creatures is not +extinguished in them, the uneasiness of that remorse puts them +Naturally upon seeking out Principles to justifie their Conduct upon; +few Men being able to indure the constant Reproaches of their own +Reason: Whence if they do not conform their Actions to the dictates of +that, they will Naturally indeavour to warp their Reason to a +compliance with their practices: A reconcilement one way, or other, +between these, being necessary to the making Men, that are not very +profligate indeed, in good conceit, or even at Peace with themselves. + +By that want of Knowledge which I have ventur'd to say is fashionable, +I understand not only ignorance among Men, who have leisure for it, of +Arts and Sciences in general; but also, and especially the want of +such particular Knowledge as is requisite to every one for the well +discharging either their Common or peculiar Business and Duty; wherein +Religion is necessarily included, as being the Duty of all Persons to +understand, of whatever Sex, Condition, or Calling they are of. Now to +affirm that the greater part of People are ignorant concerning that +which is not only their Duty to know, but which also many are so +sensible they ought to know, as that they pretend to understand it +enough to be either zealous about, or else to contemn it; and to +assert likewise that they want the knowledge of what is peculiarly +belonging to them, in their particular Station, to understand; are +such Charges as ought not to be alledg'd, if they are not so evidently +true, as that we cannot open our Eyes without seeing them to be so. + +In respect of Religion, it is, I think, universally allow'd to be true +of the common People of all sorts (tho' surely not without Matter of +Reproach to some, or other, whose Care their better Instruction ought +to be) that they are very ignorant. But we will consider here only +such superior Ranks of Persons, in reference to whom what has already +been said, has been spoken: And to begin with the Female Sex, who +certainly ought to be Christians; how many of these, comparatively, +may it be presum'd that there are, from the meanest Gentlewoman to the +greatest Ladies, that can give any such account of the Christian +Religion, as would inform an inquisitive Stranger what it consisted +in; and what are the grounds of believing it? Such Women as understand +something of the distinguishing Opinions of that Denomination they +have been bred up in, are commonly thought highly intelligent in +Religion; but I think there are but very few, even of this little +number, who could well inform a rational Heathen concerning +Christianity itself: Which is an Ignorance inexcusable in them, tho', +perhaps, it is very often the effect only of the want of other useful +Knowledge, for the not having whereof, Women are much more to be +pitty'd than blam'd. + +The improvements of Reason, however requisite to Ladies for their +Accomplishment, as rational Creatures; and however needful to them for +the well Educating of their Children, and to their being useful in +their Families, yet are rarely any recommendation of them to Men; who +foolishly thinking, that Money will answer to all things, do, for the +most part, regard nothing else in the Woman they would Marry: And not +often finding what they do not look for, it would be no wonder if +their Off-spring should inherit no more Sense than themselves. But be +Nature ever so kind to them in this respect, yet through want of +cultivating the Tallents she bestows upon those of the Female Sex, her +Bounty is usually lost upon them; and Girls, betwixt silly Fathers and +ignorant Mothers, are generally so brought up, that traditionary +Opinions are to them, all their lives long, instead of Reason. They +are, perhaps, sometimes told in regard of what Religion exacts, That +they must _Believe_ and _Do_ such and such things, because the Word +of God requires it; but they are not put upon searching the Scriptures +for themselves, to see whether, or no, these things are so; and they +so little know why they should look upon the Scriptures to be the Word +of God, that but too often they are easily perswaded out of the +Reverence due to them as being so: And (if they happen to meet with +such bad examples) are not seldom brought from thence, even to scoff +at the Documents of their Education; and, in consequence thereof, to +have no Religion at all. Whilst others (naturally more dispos'd to be +Religious) are either (as divers in the Apostles Days were) _carry'd +away with every wind of Doctrine, ever learning and never coming to +the knowledge of the Truth_; Weak, Superstitious, Useless Creatures; +or else, if more tenacious in their Natures, blindly and conceitedly +weded to the Principles and Opinions of their Spiritual Guides; who +having the direction of their Consciences, rarely fail to have that +also of their Affairs and Fortunes. A Wife of which sort proves, very +often, no small unhappiness to the Family where she comes; for this +kind of ignorant Persons are, of all others, the most Arrogant; and +when they are once intitl'd to Saintship for their blind Zeal, as +nothing is more troublesome than they in finding fault with, and +censuring every one that differs from them, so to their Admirers (who +lead them as they please) they think they can never pay enough for +that Incence which is offer'd them: The dearest Interests of Humane +Life being, oftentimes, thus sacrific'd to a vain Image of Piety; +_whilst makers of long Prayers_ have _devour'd Widows Houses_. + +But what is here said implying that Ladies should so well understand +their Religion, as to be able to answer both to such who oppose, and +to such who misrepresent it; this may seem, perhaps, to require that +they should have the Science of Doctors, and be well skill'd in +Theological Disputes and Controversies; than the Study of which I +suppose there could scarce be found for them a more useless +Employment. But whether such Patrons of Ignorance as know nothing +themselves which they ought to know, will call it Learning, or not, to +understand the Christian Religion, and the grounds of receiving it; it +is evident that they who think so much knowledge, as that, to be +needless for a Woman, must either not be perswaded of the Truth of +Christianity; or else must believe that Women are not concern'd to be +Christians. For if Christianity be a Religion from God, and Women +have Souls to be sav'd as well as Men; to know what this Religion +consists in, and to understand the grounds on which it is to be +receiv'd, can be no more than necessary Knowledge to a Woman, as well +as to a Man: Which necessary Knowledge is sufficient to inable any one +so far to answer to the Opposers or Corrupters of Christianity, as to +secure them from the danger of being impos'd upon by such Mens +Argumentations; which is all that I have thought requisite for a Lady; +and not that she should be prepar'd to challenge every Adversary to +Truth. + +Now that thus much knowledge requires neither Learned Education, or +great Study, to the attaining of it, appears in that the first +Christians were mean and illiterate People; to which part of Mankind +the Gospel may rather be thought to have had a more especial regard +than that they are any way excluded from the Benefits thereof by +incapacity in them to receive it. In the Apostles Days _there were not +many Wise who were call'd_, and he tells us that _after that the World +by Wisdom knew not God: it pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching +to save them that believe_, and tho' _to the perfect_ the same Apostle +says, he did _Preach Wisdom_, yet it was the simplicity and plainness +of the Christian Religion that made it _to the Jews a stumbling block, +and to the Greeks foolishness_. From whence, we see that all Theorems +too abstruse for Vulgar Apprehensions, which Christianity is believ'd +to Teach, however Divine Truths, are yet no part of the Doctrine of +Salvation. There is not therefore this pretence to impose upon any one +the belief of any thing which they do not find to be reveal'd in +Scripture; the doing of which, has not only caus'd deplorable +dissentions among Christians, but also been an occasion to multitudes +of well meaning People of having so confus'd and unsatisfactory +conceptions and apprehensions concerning the Christian Religion as +tho' perhaps not absolutely, or immediately prejudicial to their +Salvation, yet are so to their seeing clearly that Christianity is a +rational Religion; without which few will be very secure from the +infection of Scepticism, or Infidelity, where those are become +fashionable, and prevailing. A danger to which many Women are no less +expos'd than Men, and oftentimes, more so. Whence it is but needful +that they should so well understand their Religion as to be Christians +upon the Convictions of their Reason; which is indeed no more than one +would think it became every Christian, as a rational Creature, to be; +were this not requisite in regard of Scepticism, and Infidelity, as +to some it is not; there being, no doubt, many a Country Gentlewoman +who has never in her Life heard Question'd, or once imagined that any +one in their Wits could Question the Articles of her Faith; which yet +she her self knows not why she believes. + +From the too Notorious Truth of what has been said in reference to the +little that Women know concerning Religion, it must be granted that +the generality of them are shamefully Ignorant herein. As for other +Science, it is believ'd so improper for, and is indeed so little +allow'd them, that it is not to be expected from them: but the cause +of this is only the Ignorance of Men. + +The Age, we live in, has been, not undeservedly, esteem'd a knowing +one: But to the Learned Clergy much has been owing for its having +obtain'd that Character; and tho' some few Gentlemen have been the +greatest advancers of Learning amongst us; yet they are very rare who +apply themselves to any Science that is curious: And as for such +knowledge as is no less than requisite for Men of Families, and +Estates to have in regard of the proper business of their Station; it +may, I think, be said that never was this more neglected than at +present; since there is not a commoner complaint in every County than +of the want of Gentlemen Qualified for the Service of their Country, +_viz._ to be Executors of the Law, and Law Makers; both of which it +belonging to this Rank of English Men to be, some insight into the Law +which they are to see Executed, and into that Constitution which they +are to support, cannot but be necessary to their well dischargeing +these Trusts: Nor will this Knowledge be sufficiently Servicable to +the Ends herein propos'd, without some Acquaintance likewise with +History, Politicks, and Morals. Every one of these then are parts of +Knowledge which an English Gentleman cannot, without blame, be +Ignorant of, as being essential to the duly Qualifying him for what is +his proper business. + +But whether we farther look upon such Men as having Immortal Souls +that shall be for ever Happy or Miserable, as they comply with the +Terms which their Maker has propos'd to them; or whether we regard +them as Protestants, whose Birthright it is not blindly to _Believe_, +but to Examine their Religion; Or consider them only as Men whose +ample Fortunes allow them leisure for so important a Study, they are +without doubt oblig'd to understand the Religion they profess. Adding +this then to what it is above concluded a Gentleman ought to know, +let us examine how common such Knowledge only is amongst our +Gentlemen, as we see, without just matter of Reproach to them, they +cannot want: No one, I think, will deny that so much knowledge as this +is so little ordinary, as that those are apparently the far greater +number who have never consider'd any part hereof as an Acquisition, +which they ought to make; and that they are but a few comparatively, +and pass among us for Men extraordinary, who have but a competent +knowledge in any one of the above-mention'd things. + +What is by the Obligations of their Duty exacted from them in this +regard, seems to be very little reflected on by them; and as for other +Considerations, which, as Gentlemen, might be thought to induce them, +their Ancestors care has distinguish'd them from their Tenants, and +other inferior Neighbours, by Titles and Riches; and that is all the +distinction which they desire to have; believing it, in respect of +Knowledge, sufficient, if they did once understand a little Latin or +Logick in the University; which whoso still retains, altho' he has +made no use thereof to the real improvement of his understanding, is +yet thought very highly accomplish'd, and passes (in the Country) for +Learned. + +As to Religion, by the little which most Gentlemen understand of that, +and by the no shame which they ordinarily enough have in avowing this +their ignorance, one cannot but suppose that it is pretty commonly +thought by them a matter, the understanding whereof does not concern +them: That the Publick has provided others to do this for them: And +that their part herein is but to maintain (so far as by their +Authority they can) what those Men assert. + +Thus wretchedly destitute of all that Knowledge which they ought to +have, are (generally speaking) our English Gentlemen: And being so, +what wonder can it be, if they like not that Women should have +Knowledge; for this is a quality that will give some sort of +superiority even to those who care not to have it? But such Men as +these would assuredly find their account much better therein, if +tenderness of that Prerogative would teach them a more legitimate way +of maintaining it, than such a one as is a very great impediment or +discouragement, at the least, to others in the doing what God requires +of them. For it is an undeniable Truth that a Lady who is able but to +give an account of her Faith, and to defend her Religion against the +attaques of the Cavilling Wits of the Age; or the Abuses of the +Obtruders of vain Opinions: That is capable of instructing her +Children in the reasonableness of the Christian Religion; and of +laying in them the Foundations of a solid Vertue; that a Lady (I say) +no more knowing than this does demand, can hardly escape being call'd +Learned by the Men of our days; and in consequence thereof, becoming a +Subject of Ridicule to one part of them, and of Aversion to the other; +with but a few exceptions of some vertuous and rational Persons. And +is not the incuring of general dislike, one of the strongest +discouragements that we can have to any thing? + +If the assistance of Mothers be, as I have already affirm'd it is, +necessary to the right forming of the Minds, and regulating of the +Manners of their Children; I am not in the wrong in reckoning (as I +do) that this care is indispensibly a Mothers Duty. Now it cannot, I +think, be doubted, but that a Mothers Concurrence and Care is thus +necessary, if we consider that this is a work which can never be too +soon begun, it being rarely at all well performed, if not betimes +undertaken; nothing being so effectual to the making Men vertuous, as +to have good Habits and Principles of Vertue establish'd in them +before the Mind is tainted with any thing opposite or prejudicial +hereunto. Those therefore must needs much over-look the chief Business +of Education, or have little consider'd the Constitution of Humane +Nature, that reckon for nothing the first eight or ten Years of a Boys +Life; an Age wherein Fathers, who seldom are able to do it at any +time, can neither charge themselves with the care of their Children, +nor be the watchful inspectors of those that they must be trusted to; +who usually and unavoidably by most Parents, are a sort of People far +fitter to be Learners than Teachers of the Principles of Vertue and +Wisdom; the great Foundation of both which consists in being able to +govern our Passions, and subject our Appetites to the direction of our +Reason: A Lesson hardly ever well learnt, if it be not taught us from +our very Cradles. To do which requires no less than a Parents Care and +Watchfulness; and therefore ought undoubtedly to be the Mothers +business to look after, under whose Eye they are. An exemption from +which, Quality (even of the highest degree) cannot give; since the +Relation between the Mother and Child is equal amongst all Ranks of +People. And it is a very preposterous Abuse of Quality to make it a +pretence for being unnatural. This is a Truth which perhaps would +displease many Ladies were it told them, and therefore, probably, it +is that they so seldom hear it: But none of them could be so much +offended with any one for desiring hereby to restrain them from some +of their expensive and ridiculous Diversions, by an employment so +worthy of Rational Creatures, and so becoming of maternal tenderness, +as it is just to be with them for neglecting their Children: A Fault +that women of Quality are every way too often guilty of, and are +perhaps more without excuse for, than for any other that they are +ordinarily taxable with. For tho' it is to be fear'd that few Ladies +(from the disadvantage of their own Education) are so well fitted as +they ought to be, to take the care of their Children, yet not to be +willing to do what they can herein, either as thinking this a matter +of too much pains for them, or below their Condition, expresses so +senseless a Pride, and so much want of the affectionate and +compassionate Tenderness natural to that Sex and Relation, that one +would almost be tempted to question whether such Women were any more +capable of, than worthy to be the Mothers of Rational Creatures. + +But natural Affection apart, it should be consider'd by these, that no +one is Born into the World to live idly; enjoying the Fruit and +Benefit of other Peoples Labours, without contributing reciprocally +some way or other, to the good of the Community answerably to that +Station wherein God (the common Father of all) has plac'd them; who +has evidently intended Humane kind for Society and mutual Communion, +as Members of the same Body, useful every one each to other in their +respective places. Now in what can Women whose Condition puts them +above all the Necessities or Cares of a mean or scanty Fortune, at +once so honourably and so usefully, both to themselves and others, be +employ'd in as in looking after the Education and Instruction of their +own Children? This seems indeed to be more particularly the Business +and Duty of such than of any others: And if example be necessary to +perswade them that they will not herein do any thing mis-becoming +their Rank, the greatest Ladies amongst us may be assur'd that those +of a Condition superior to theirs, have heretofore been so far from +thinking it any abasement to them to charge themselves with the +instruction of their own Children, that (to their Immortal Honour) +they have made it part of their Business to assist to that of other +Peoples also, who were likely one day to be of consequence to the +Common-wealth. And could the bare Love of their Country induce, among +many more, the great _Cornelia_, Mother of the _Gracchi_, and +_Aurelia_ the Mother of _Julius Caesar_, to do this for the Sons of +Noble-men of _Rome_ to whom they had no Relation but that of their +common Country, and shall not the like consideration, or what is +infinitely beyond this, that of their Children being hereafter for +ever happy or miserable, accordingly as they live in this World, +prevail with the Ladies of our Days, who call themselves Christians, +to employ some of their Time and Pains upon their own Off-spring? The +care of which (as has been said) should begin with the first Years of +Childrens Lives, in curbing at the earliest appearance thereof, every +their least evil inclination; and accustoming them to an absolute, +constant, and universal Submission and Obedience to the Will of those +who have the disposal of them: Since they will hardly ever after +(especially in a great Fortune) be govern'd by their own Reason, who +are not made supple to that of others, before they are able to judge +of fit and unfit, by any other measure than as it is the Will, or not, +of such whom they believe to have a just Power over them. As they do +become capable of examining and determining their Actions by Reason, +they should be taught never to do any thing of consequence heedlesly; +and to look upon the Dictates of their Reason as so inviolable a Rule +of their Determinations, that no Passion or Appetite must ever make +them swerve therefrom. But instead of following this Method, it is +commonly thought too soon to correct Children for any thing, 'till the +Season is past for this sort of Discipline; which, if it come too +late, is commonly so far from producing the good it was design'd for, +that losing the benefit of Correction (which, if duly apply'd, is of +infinite use) it turns to a Provocation; and renders stiff and +incorrigible a Temper it was meant to supple. Nor is it seldom that +through this wrong tim'd Discipline, together with that remisness and +inequality wherewith Childrens Inclinations are over-rul'd, their +Parents Government over them seems to them not a Natural, and just +right establish'd for their benefit, but a Tyrannick and Arbritary +Power, which accordingly they without Remorse disobey, whenever they +believe that they can do so with Impunity: And what is still worse, +their evil Dispositions, for the most part, are not only not timely +enough restrain'd, but Children are actually taught to indulge to +their naturally irregular Inclinations, by those Vicious or wretchedly +ignorant People, who are plac'd about them; and who almost +universally instil down-right Vice into them, even before they can +well speak; as Revenge, Covetousness, Pride and Envy: Whilst the silly +Creatures who do them so unspeakable Mischiefs are scarce capable of +being made to understand the harm that they do; but think Parents +ill-natur'd, or that they have fancies fit only to be smil'd at, who +will deny their Child a thing for no other reason, it may be, but +because he has desir'd it: And who before he is trusted to go alone +will check his Resentment, Impatience, Avarice, or Vanity, which they +think becomes him so prettily; neither will suffer him to be rewarded +for doing what they bid him to do. + +This I am sure, that who so has try'd how very little Sense is to be +met with, or can be infus'd into Nurses, and Nurse-Maids; and with +what difficulty even the best of them by those who make it their +business to watch over them, are restrain'd from what they are +perswaded has no hurt in it, will soon be satisfy'd how little fit it +is to trust Children any more than is necessary, in such Hands. And no +wiser than such, if not much worse, are the greatest part of those who +are usually their immediate Successors, _viz._ young Scholars and +French Maids, erected into Tutors and Governesses, only for the sake +of a little Latin and French. + +In Mr. L---- s excellent _Treatise of Education_, he shews how early +and how great a Watchfulness and Prudence are requisite to the forming +the Mind of a Child to Vertue; and whoso shall read what he has writ +on that Subject, will, it is very likely, think that few Mothers are +qualify'd for such an undertaking as this: But that they are not so +is the Fault which should be amended: In the mean time nevertheless, +their presum'd willingness to be in the right, where the Happiness of +their Children is concerned in it, must certainly inable them, if they +were but once convinc'd that this was their Duty, to perform it much +better than such People will do, who have as little Skill and Ability +for it as themselves; and who besides, that they rarely desire to +learn any more than they have, are not induc'd by Affection to do for +those under their care all the Good that they can. Since then the +Affairs either of Men's Callings, or of their private Estates, or the +Service of their Country (all which are indispensibly their Business) +allows them not the leisure to look daily after the Education of their +Children; and that, otherwise, also they are naturally less capable +than Women of that Complaisance and Tenderness, which the right +Instruction and Direction of that Age requires; and since Servants are +so far from being fit to be rely'd upon in that great concern, that to +watch against the Impediments they actually bring thereto, is no small +part of the care that a wise Parent has to take; I do presume that +(ordinarily speaking) this so necessary a Work of forming betimes the +Minds of Children so as to dispose them to be hereafter Wise and +Vertuous Men and Women, cannot be perform'd but by Mothers only. It +being a thing practicable but by a very few to purchase the having +always Wise, Vertuous and well Bred People, to take the place of a +Parent in governing their Children; and together with them such +Servants and Teachers, as must peculiarly be employ'd about them; For +the World does not necessarily abound with such Persons as these, and +in such circumstances as not to pretend to more profitable +employments than Men of one or two thousand Pounds a Year (and much +less those great numbers who have smaller Estates) can often afford to +make the care of governing their Children from their Infancy to be. +The procuring of such a Person as this may (by accident) sometimes be +in such a ones Power; but to propose the ingaging for reward whenever +there shall be need for them, vertuous, wife, and well-bred Men and +Women, to spend their time in taking care of the Education of young +Children, is what can be done but by a very few; since the doing this +would not be found an easy charge to the greater part of almost any +rank amongst us; unless they would be content for the sake hereof to +abridge themselves of some of their extravagant Expences; which are +usually the last that Men will deny themselves. + +It is indeed wonderful (if we consider Men as rational Creatures) to +see how much Mony they will often bestow, not upon their Vices only, +(for this is not so unaccountable) but upon meerly fashionable +Vanities, which give them more Trouble than Pleasure in the enjoyment: +Yet at the same time be as sparing, as is possible, of cost upon a +Child's Education; and it is certain, that for Rewards considerable +enough to make it worth their while, those of a far different +Character from such as for the most part undertake it, would be +induc'd to accept even the early charge of Childrens Instruction. But +every Gentleman of a good Family, or good Estate also, is not in +Circumstances to propound such sufficient Rewards; and for what the +most can afford to give, very few capable of performing this matter +well, will trouble themselves about it; at least with such Pupils as +must be attended with Nurses or Maids. Wherefore no other remedy, I +believe, can be found but in returning still to our Conclusion, That +this great concernment, on which no less than Peoples Temporal and +Eternal Happiness does mightily depend, ought to be the Care and +Business of Mothers. Nor do Women seem less peculiarly adapted by +Nature hereunto, than it can be imagin'd they should be, if the Author +of Nature (as no doubt he did) design'd this to be their Province in +that division of Cares of Humane Life, which ought to be made between +a Man and his Wife. For that softness, gentleness and tenderness, +natural to the Female Sex, renders them much more capable than Men are +of such an insinuating Condescention to the Capacities of young +Children, as is necessary in the Instruction and Government of them, +insensibly to form their early Inclinations. And surely these +distinguishing Qualities of the Sex were not given barely to delight, +when they may, so manifestly, be profitable also, if joyn'd with a +well informed Understanding: From whence, _viz._ from Womans being +naturally thus fitted to take this care of their little Ones, it +follows, that besides the injustice done to themselves thereby, it is +neglecting the Direction of Nature for the well breeding up of +Children, when Ladies are render'd uncapable hereof, through the want +of such due improvements of their Reason as are requisite hereunto. + +That this has been no more reflected upon from a Principle of Pitty to +that tender Age of Children which so much requires help, seems very +strange: For what can move a juster Commiseration than to see such +poor innocents, so far from having the Aid they stand in need of, that +even those who the most wish to do them good, and who resent, with +the deepest Compassion, every little Malady which afflicts their +Bodies, do never attempt to rescue them from the greatest evils which +attend them in this Life, but even themselves assist to plunge them +therein, by cherishing in them those Passions which will inevitably +render them miserable? A thing which can never be otherwise whilst +Women are bred up in no right Notions of Religion and Vertue; or to +know any use of Reason but in the service of their Passions and +Inclinations; or at best of their (comparatively trivial) Interests. + +To assert upon this occasion, that Ladies would do well, if, before +they came to the care of Families, they did imploy some of their many +idle Hours in gaming a little Knowledge in Languages, and the useful +Sciences, would be, I know, to contradict the Sense of most Men; but +yet, I think, that such an Assertion admits of no other Confutation +than the usual one which opposite Opinions to theirs are wont to +receive from People who Reason not, but live by Fancy, and Custom; +_viz._ being laugh'd at: For it cannot be deny'd that this Knowledge +would hereafter be more, or less, useful to Ladies, in inabling them +either themselves to teach their Children, or better to over-see and +direct, those who do so: And tho' Learning is perhaps the least part +in Education, it is not to be neglected; but even betimes taken some +care of, least a Habit of Idleness, or Inapplication of the Mind be +got, which once contracted, is very hardly cur'd. + +This being so, and that the beginnings of all Science are difficult to +Children (who cannot like grown People fix their Attention) it is +justly to befear'd that they should by the ill usage they receive from +the impatience and peevishness of such Teachers, as Servants, or Young +Tutors, take an Aversion to Learning (and we see in effect, that this +very frequently happens). For the Teaching of little Children so as +not to disgust them, does require much greater Patience and Address, +than common People are often capable of; or than most can imagine, who +have not had experience hereof. But should such Teachers as we have +spoke of, have the necessary complaisance for those they Teach, there +is then, on the other side, a yet greater danger to be apprehended +from them, which is that their Pupils will become fond of them; the +bad effect of which will be, That by an Affectation Natural in +Children of imitating those they Love, they will have their Manners +and Dispositions Tinctur'd and Tainted by those of Persons so dear to +them. + +Now both the inconveniences here mention'd, might, at least in great +measure, if not wholly, be Remedy'd, would Mothers but be at so much +Pains as to Teach their Children either altogether, or in good part +themselves, what it is fit for them to learn in the first Eight or Ten +Years of their Lives. As to Read English perfectly; To understand +ordinary Latin; and Arithmetick; with some general knowledge of +Geography, Chronology, and History. Most, or all of which things may +at the above-said Age be understood by a Child of a very ordinary +capacity; and may be so taught Children as that they may learn them +almost insensibly in Play, if they have skilful Teachers: It seems to +me therefore that Young Ladies cannot better employ so much of their +Time as is requisite hereto, than in acquiring such Qualifications as +these, which may be of so great use to them hereafter; however, if any +who have not made this early Provision of such Science, are yet truly +desirous to do their Children all the good that is in their Power to +do them, they may, tho' not with the same Facility, yet be able to +instruct them alike, notwithstanding that disadvantage; and Mr. L---- +on the Experience thereof, has asserted, That a Mother who understands +not Latin before hand, may yet teach it to her Child; which, if she +can, it is not to be doubted but that she may do the same of all the +rest; for such a Superficial Knowledge as will serve to enter any one +in every of the above-named Sciences, is much easier attain'd than the +Latin Tongue; and if a Mother have ever so little more Capacity than +her Child, she may easily keep before him, in teaching both him and +her self together; whereby she will make herself the best Reparation +that she can for her past neglect, or that of her Parents herein: Who +yet, perhaps, not from negligence may have declin'd giving her this +advantage. For Parents sometimes do purposely omit it from an +apprehension that should their Daughters be perceiv'd to understand +any learned Language, or be conversant in Books, they might be in +danger of not finding Husbands; so few Men, as do, relishing these +accomplishments in a Lady. Nor, probably, would even the example of a +Mother herself who was thus qualify'd, and likewise understood, as is +afore-said, her Religion, be any great incouragement to her Daughters +to imitate her example, but the contrary. For this Knowledge, one part +whereof is so strictly the Duty of a Christian, and the other so +inconsiderable to those whose Time commonly lies upon their Hands, +would in itself, or in the consequences of it, expose a young Woman of +Quality (especially if not thought unfit for the fashionable Commerce +of the World) to be characteriz'd or censur'd, as would not be very +pleasing to her. For if it be consider'd, that she who did seriously +desire to make the best use of what she knew, would necessarily be +oblig'd (for the gaining of Time wherein she might do so) to order the +Course, and manner of her Life something differently from others of +her Sex and Condition, it cannot be doubted but that a Conduct, which +carry'd with it so much Reproach to Woman's Idleness, and +disappointment to Men's Vanity, would quickly be judg'd fit to be +ridicul'd out of the World before others were infected by the example. +So that the best Fate which a Lady thus knowing, and singular, could +expect, would be that hardly escaping Calumny, she should be in Town +the Jest of the _Would-be-Witts_; tho wonder of Fools, and a Scarecrow +to keep from her House many honest People who are to be pitty'd for +having no more Wit than they have, because it is not their own Fault +that they have no more. But in the Country she would, probably, fare +still worse; for there her understanding of the Christian Religion +would go near to render her suspected of Heresy even by those who +thought the best of her: Whilst her little Zeal for any Sect or Party +would make the Clergy of all sorts give her out for a _Socinian_ or a +_Deist_: And should but a very little Philosophy be added to her other +Knowledge, even for an Atheist. The Parson of the Parish, for fear of +being ask'd hard Questions, would be shy of coming near her, were his +Reception ever so inviting; and this could not but carry some ill +intimation with it to such as Reverenc'd the Doctor, and who, it is +likely, might be already satisfy'd from the Reports of Nurses, and +Maids, that their Lady was indeed a Woman of very odd Whimsies. Her +prudent Conduct and Management of her affairs would probably secure +her from being thought out of her Wits by her near Neighbours; but the +Country Gentlemen that wish'd her well, could not yet chuse but be +afraid for her, lest too much Learning might in Time make her Mad. + +The saving of but one Soul from Destruction, is, it is true, a noble +recompense for ten Thousand such Censurers as these; but it is +wondrous strange that only to be a Christian, with so much other +Knowledge as a Child of Nine or Ten Years Old may, and ought to have, +should expose a Lady to so great Reproaches; And what a shame is this +for Men whose woful Ignorance is the alone Cause thereof? For it is +manifestly true that if the inimitable Author of _Les Caracteres, ou +les Moeurs de ce Siecle_, had demanded in _England, who forbids +Knowledge to Women_? It must have been answer'd him, the Ignorance of +the Men does so; and the same Answer I think he might have receiv'd in +his own Country. + +_Monsieur Bruyere_ says indeed, and likely it is, _That Men have made +no Laws, or put out any Edicts whereby Women are prohibited to open +their Eyes; to Read; to Remember what they Read, and to make use +thereof in their Conversation, or in composing of Works_. But surely +he had little Reason to suppose, as he herein does, that Women could +not otherwise than _by Laws and Edicts_ be restrain'd from Learning. +It is sufficient for this that no body assists them in it; and that +they are made to see betimes that it would be disadvantageous to them +to have it. For how few Men are there, that arrive to any Eminence +therein? tho' Learning is not only not prohibited to them _by Laws and +Edicts;_ but that ordinarily much Care, and Pains, is taken to give it +them; and that great Profits, oftentimes, and, always, Honour attends +their having it. + +The Law of Fashion, establish'd by Repute and Disrepute, is to most +People the powerfullest of all Laws, as Monsieur _Bruyere_ very well +knew; whose too Satyrical Genius makes him assign as Causes of Womens +not having Knowledge, the universally necessary consequences of being +bred in the want thereof. But what on different occasions he says of +the Sex, will either on the one part vindicate them, or else serve +for an Instance that this Ingenious Writers Reflections, however +witty, are not always instructive, or just Corrections. For either +Women have generally some other more powerful Principle of their +Actions than what terminates in rendering themselves pleasing to Men +(as he insinuates they have not) or else they neglect the improvement +of their Minds and Understandings, as not finding them of any use to +that purpose; whence it is not equal in him to charge it peculiarly +(as he does) upon that Sex (if it be indeed so much chargeable on them +as on Men) that they are diverted from Science by _une curiosité toute +differente de celle qui contente l'Espirt: ou un tout autre gout que +celuy d'exercer leur Memoire_. + +Yet since I think it is but Natural, and alike so in both Sexes, to +desire to please the other, I may, I suppose, without any Injurious +Reflexion upon Ladies, presume, that if Men did usually find Women the +more amiable for being knowing, they would much more commonly, than +now they are, be so. + +But the Knowledge hitherto spoken of has a nobler Aim than the +pleasing of Men, and begs only Toleration from them; in granting +whereof they would at least equally consult their own advantage: as +they could not but find, did They not by a common Folly, incident to +Humane Nature, hope that contradictions should subsist together in +their Favour; from whence only it is that very many who would not that +Women should have Knowledge, do yet complain of, and very impatiently +bear the Natural, and unavoidable consequences of their Ignorance. + +But what sure Remedy can be found for Effects whose Cause remains? and +on what ground can it be expected that Ignorance and uninstructed +Persons should have the Venues which proceed from a rightly inform'd +Understanding, and well cultivated Mind? or not be liable to those +Vices which their Natures incline them to? And how should it otherwise +be than that they, who have never consider'd the Nature and +Constitution of Things, or weigh'd the Authority of the Divine Law, +and what it exacts of them, should be perswaded that nothing can be so +truly profitable to them as the Indulgence of their present Passions, +and Appetites? Which whoso places their Happiness in the satisfaction +of, cannot fail of being themselves miserable, or of making those so +who are concern'd in them. + +Humane Nature is not capable of durable satisfaction when the Passions +and Appetites are not under the direction of right Reason: And whilst +we eagerly pursue what disappoints our expectation, or cloys with the +Enjoyment, as all irregular pleasures, however Natural, do; and whilst +we daily create to our selves desires still more vain, as thinking +thereby to be supply'd with new Delights, we shall ever (instead of +finding true Contentment) be subjected to uneasiness, disgust and +vexation: The unhappy state more, or less, of all who want that +Knowledge which is requisite to direct their Actions suitably to the +Ends which as rational Creatures they ought to propose: and as can +inable them profitably to employ their Time. + +But since Examples do the best perswade, let us see, with respect to +Women, in the most considerable Instances, what plainly are the +Natural consequences of that Ignorance which they usually are bred in; +and which Men think so advantageous to themselves. We will suppose +then a Lady bred, as the generality of Men think she should be, in a +blind belief concerning Religion; and taught that it is even +ridiculous for a Lady to trouble her Head about this matter; since it +is so far from being a Science fit for her, that it indeed properly +belongs only to Gown-Men: and that a Woman very well Merits to be +laugh'd at who will act the Doctor: Her Duty in the case being plain +and easie; as requiring only of her to believe and practice what she +is taught at Church, or in such Books of Piety as shall be recommended +to her by her Parents, or some Spiritual Director. + +This is generally, I think, the Sense of Men concerning the Knowledge +which Ladies ought to have of Religion: And thus much, I doubt not may +suffice for their Salvation. But the saving of their Souls (tho' it +were herein as sure as it is possible) is not, I suppose, all that +Men are Solicitous for in regard of their Wives; their own Honour in +that of those so near to them, does I think, much more frequently and +sensibly employ their Care: And that, too often, appears to be but +very weakly secur'd by such an implicit Faith as this. For these +Believers (especially if they are thought to have any Wit, as well as +Beauty) will hardly escape meeting some time or other, with those who +will ask them _why they Believe_; and if they find then that they have +no more Reason for going to Church than they should have had to go to +Mass, or even to the Synagogue, had they been bred amongst Papists or +Jews, they must needs, at the same time, doubt whether, or no, the +Faith they have been brought up in, is any righter than either of +these; from whence they will, (by easy steps) be induc'd to question +the Truth of all Religion, when they shall be told by those who have +insinuated themselves into their Esteem and good Graces, that indeed +All Religions are, alike, the Inventions and Artifices of cunning Men +to govern the World by; unworthy of imposing upon such as have their +good Sense: That Fools only, and Ignorants are kept in Awe, and +restrain'd by their Precepts; which, if they observe it, they shall +ever find, are the lest obey'd by those who pretend the most to +obtrude them upon others. + +That this is Language which Women often hear is certain: And such a +one as knows no reason for what she has been taught to believe, but +has been reprov'd, perhaps, for demanding one, can very hardly avoid +being perswaded that there is much appearance of Truth in this; whence +she will soon come to conclude, that she has hitherto been in the +wrong, if upon any scruple of Religion, she has not gratify'd her +Inclination, in whatever she imagines might tend to make her Life more +pleasing to her. And should a young Lady, thus dispos'd, find a Lover +whom she thinks has a just value for all her good Qualities, which at +best, perhaps, procure her but the cold Civility of her Husband, it is +odds that she may be in danger of giving him cause to wish she had +been better instructed, than may possibly suffice for her Salvation: +Which, whatever happens, none can pronounce, may not be secur'd from +the allowances due to so great Ignorance, or at least by any timely +Repentance: Whilst Honour, if not intirely Ship-wrack'd, it is scarce +reasonable to hope, should suffer no Diminution on such an occasion; +the which, that Women the most vertuously dispos'd, may never be +within distance of, will, in an Age like this, be best provided for +by their being betimes instructed in the true Reasons and Measures of +their Duty; since those, who are so, are not only better able to +defend their Vertue, but have also the seldomest occasion for such a +defence. Men, how ill soever inclin'd, being aw'd by, and made asham'd +to attaque with so pittiful Arguments, as Vice admits of, such as they +see are rationally Vertuous; whilst easy ignorance is look'd upon as a +Prey expos'd to every bold Invader: And whatever Garb of Gravity or +Modesty it is cloath'd withal, invites such very often, even where the +Charms of the Person would not otherwise attract them. + +But as such Men who think that the understanding of Religion is a +thing needless to Women, do commonly much more believe all other +rational Knowledge to be so; let us see how reasonably these same Men +who willingly allow not to Ladies any employment of their Thoughts +worthy of them as rational Creatures, do yet complain, that either +Play is their daily and expensive pastime; or that they love not to be +at home taking care of their Children, as did heretofore Ladies who +were honour'd for their Vertue; but that an eternal round of idle +Visits, the Park, Court, Play-houses and Musick Meetings, with all the +costly Preparations to being seen in publick, do constantly take up +their Time and their Thoughts. For how heavy an Accusation soever +this, in itself, is, may it not justly be demanded of such Men as we +have spoken of, what good they imagine Mothers who understand nothing +that is fit for their Children to know, should procure to them by +being much in their Company: And next, whether they indeed think it +equitable to desire to confine Ladies to spend the best part of their +Lives in the Society and company of little Children; when to play with +them as a more entertaining sort of Monkeys or Parroquets, is all the +pleasing Conversation that they are capable of having with them? For +no other Delight can ignorant Women take in the Company of young +Children; and if to desire this, is not equitable or just, must it not +be concluded, that the greatest part of those, who make the +above-mention'd Complaints, do really mean nothing else thereby, but, +by a colourable and handsome pretence, to oblige their Wives, either +to be less expensive, or to avoid, it may be, the occasions of gaining +Admirers which may make them uneasy? Neither can such, possibly, be +presum'd upon any Principle of Vertue, to disapprove those ways of +anothers spending their Time, or Mony, which themselves will either +upon no consideration forbear; or else do so only, from a preference +of things as little, or yet less reasonable; as Drinking, Gaming, or +Lew'd Company. Such Persons of both Sexes as These, are indeed but fit +Scourges to chastise each others Folly; and they do so sufficiently, +whilst either restraint on the one side begets unconquerable hatred +and aversion; or else an equal indulgence puts all their Affairs into +an intire confusion and disorder: Whence Want, mutual ill Will, +Disobedience of Children, their Extravagance, and all the ill effects +of neglected Government, and bad Example follow; till they make such a +Family a very Purgatory to every one who lives in it. And as the +Original cause of all these mischiefs is Peoples not living like +rational Creatures, but giving themselves up to the blind Conduct of +their Desires and Appetites; so all who in any measure do thus, will +accordingly, more or less, create vexation to each other, because it +is impossible that they should ever be at ease, or contented in their +own Minds. + +There being then so very few reasonable People in the World, as are, +that is to say, such who indeavour to live conformably to the Dictates +of Reason, submitting their Passions and Appetites to the Government +and Direction of that Faculty which God has given them to that end; +what wonder can it be that so few are happy in a Marry'd Estate? And +how little cause is there to charge their Infelicity, as often is +done, upon this Condition, as if it were a necessary Consequence +thereof? + +The necessities of a Family very often, and the injustice of Parents +sometimes, causes People to sacrifice their Inclinations, in this +matter, to interest; which must needs make this State uneasy in the +beginning to those who are otherways ever so much fitted to live well +in such a Relation; yet scarce any vertuous and reasonable Man and +Woman who are Husband and Wife, can know that it is both their Duty +and Interest (as it is) reciprocally to make each other Happy without +effectually doing so in a little time. But if no contrary Inclination +obstruct this Felicity, a greater cannot certainly be propos'd, since +Friendship has been allow'd by the wisest, most vertuous, and most +generous Men of all Ages to be the solidest and sweetest pleasure in +this World: And where can Friendship have so much advantage to arrive +to, and be maintain'd in its Perfection, as where two Persons have +inseparably one and the same Interest; and see themselves united, as +it were, in their common Off-spring? All People, it is certain, have +not a like fitness for, or relish of this pleasure of Friendship, +which therefore, however preferable to others in the real advantages +of it, cannot be equally valuable to all. But where there is mutually +that predominant Disposition to vertuous Love, which is the +Characteristick of the most excellent Minds, I think we cannot frame +an Idea of so great Happiness to be found in any thing in this Life, +as in a Marry'd State. + +It seems therefore one of the worst Marks that can be of the Vice and +Folly of any Age when Mariage is commonly contemn'd therein; since +nothing can make it to be so but Mens Averseness to, or incapacity for +those things which most distinguish them from Brutes, Vertue and +Friendship. + +But it were well if Mariage was not become a State almost as much +fear'd by the Wise, as despis'd by Fools. Custom and silly Opinion, +whose consequences yet are (for the most part) not imaginary, but real +Evils, do usually make it by their best Friends thought adviseable for +those of the Female Sex once to Marry; altho' the Risque which they +therein run of being wretched, is yet much greater than that of Men; +who (not having the same inducements from the hazard of their +Reputation, or any uneasie dependance) are, from the examples of +others Misfortunes, often deter'd from seeking Felicity in a condition +wherein they so rarely see, or hear of any who find it; it being too +true that one can frequent but little Company, or know the Story of +but few Families, without hearing of the publick Divisions, and +Discords of Marry'd People, or learning their private Discontents from +their being in that state. But since the cause of such unhappiness +lies only in the corruption of Manners, were that redress'd, there +would need nothing more to bring _Mariage_ into credit. + +Vice and Ignorance, thus, we see, are the great Sources of those +Miseries which Men suffer in every state. These, oftentimes, mingle +Gall even in their sweetest Pleasures; and imbitter to them the +wholesomest Delights. But what remedy hereto can be hop'd for, if +rational Instruction and a well order'd Education of Youth, in respect +of Vertue and Religion, can only (as has been said) rectify these +Evils? For vicious and ignorant Parents are neither capable of this, +or generally willing that their Children should be instructed or +govern'd any other ways, than as themselves have been before them. + +One might hence therefore, it may be, reasonably believe, that God +reserves to himself, by some extraordinary interposition of his +providence, that Reformation which we are assur'd, will some time be +effected. But yet if all Persons, eminent by their Quality, who merit +not to be rank'd among the Vicious and Ignorant, would give the +Example, much would thereby be done towards the introducing of a +general amendment: Since these could make a greater care of Education +in the above-mention'd Respects, become, in some degree, Fashionable: +And even a reasonable thing will not want Followers, if it be once +thought the Fashion. We have seen also that Mothers, in regard of +their Childrens Instruction, ought to take upon themselves, as their +proper Business, a very great part in that concernment; and one would +think that there were no inconsiderable number of Ladies amongst us, +who might, with hopes of success, be address'd to, that they would +indeavour to acquit themselves herein of their Duty. I mean all such +as are unhappily Marry'd; for what so good Reparation can they find +for the misfortune of having foolish and vicious Husbands, who neglect +or treat them ill, as the having Children honour'd for their Vertue, +and who shall honour and love them, not only as their Parents, but as +those to whom they owe much more than their Being? + +To perswade such whose Heads are full of Pleasure, and whose Hours +pass gaily, to seek their satisfaction in things of which they have +never yet had any tast, could not reasonably be thought other than a +vain Attempt: But they who are wretched, one would think, should be +easily prevail'd with to hearken to any Proposition, which brings but +the least glimpse of Happiness to them; and were that tenderness of +their Children, which ingages Mothers to do them all the good they +can, less natural than it is to Vertuous Women, one would imagine, +that when from these alone they must expect all their Felicity in +this Life, they should readily contribute what is in their Power to +the securing to themselves this only Blessing which they can propose; +and which they cannot miss of, without the greatest increase +imaginable to their present unhappiness: Childrens Ill-doing being an +Affliction equal to the Joy of their doing well. Which must be an +unspeakable one to such Parents as are conscious, that this is in +great measure the Fruit and Effect of their right direction. Nor is +there any thing which a vertuous Man or Woman does not think they owe, +or is too much for them to return to those to whom they believe +themselves indebted for their being such. How great a Felicity then +may a Mother, unhappy in the Relation of a Wife, (by procuring to +herself such Friends as these) lay up for her declining Age, which +must otherwise be more miserable than her unfortunate Youth? And how +much better would she employ her time in this care, than in the +indulging to a weakness, very incident to tender Minds, which is to +bemoan themselves, instead of casting about for Relief against their +Afflictions, whereby they become but yet more soften'd to the +Impressions of their Sorrow, and every day less able to support them? + +They are usually (it is true) the most Vertuous Women who are the +aptest to bear with immoderate Grief, the ill Humour, or unkindness of +their Husbands: But it is pitty that such, who (in an Age wherein the +contrary is too often practis'd) have more Vertue than to think of +returning the Injuries they receive, should want so much Wit as not to +repay unkindness, with a just contempt of it: But instead thereof, +foolishly sacrifice their Lives, or the Comforts of them (which is our +All in this World) to those who will not sacrifice the least +inclination to their reasonable Satisfaction: And how much wiser and +more becoming Christians would it be for such Ladies to reflect less +upon what others owe to them, and more upon what they owe to +themselves and their Children, than to abandon themselves, as too many +do, to a fruitless Grief; which serves for nothing else, but to render +them yet less agreeable to those whom they desire to please; and +useless in the World: Diseases, and, in time, constant ill Health +being the almost never failing Effects of a lasting Discontent upon +such feeble Constitutions. But I take leave to say, that the fault of +those who make others thus miserable, and the weakness of such who +thus suffer their Minds to think under Adversity, are in a great +measure both owing to one and the same Cause, viz. Ignorance of the +true Rules and Measures of their Duty; whereby they would be taught +to correct every excess; together with the want of such other +Knowledge (suitable to the Capacity and Condition of the Person) as +would both usefully and agreably employ their Time: This Knowledge, +tho' not perhaps of a Nature immediately conducing to form, or rectify +the Manners, yet doing so, in a great measure, by restraining or +preventing the irregularities of them. For as ill natur'd and vicious +Men, if they know but how pleasantly and profitably to employ those +tedious hours which lye upon their Hands, would be generally less +Vicious, and less ill Humour'd than they are; so Women of the most +sensible Dispositions would not give up themselves to sorrow that is +always hurtful, and sometimes dangerous both in their Honour and +Salvation (excess of Tenderness, when abus'd, too often producing +Hatred, and that Revenge) if they were not only very little inform'd +as to what God requires of them; but also very Ignorant in regard of +any kind of Ingenious Knowledge, whereby they might delightfully +employ themselves, and divert those displeasing Thoughts which +(otherwise) will incessantly Torment, and Prey upon their Minds. She +who has no Inclinations unbecoming a Vertuous Woman, who prefers her +Husbands Affection to all things in the World; and who can no longer +find that pleasure in the ordinary Circle of Ladies Diversions, which +perhaps, they gave her in her first Youth, is but very ill provided to +bear Discontent where she proposes her greatest satisfaction, if she +has nothing within her self which can afford her pleasure, +independently upon others: Which is what none can lastingly have, +without some improvement of their rational Faculties; since as +Childhood, and Youth, wear off, the relish of those pleasures that +are suited to them, do so too; on which account the most happy would +not ill consult their advantage, if by contracting betimes a Love of +Knowledge (which is ever fruitful in delight to those who have once a +true taste of it) they provide in their Youth such a Source of +Pleasure for their Old Age as Time will not dissipate, but improve; by +rendring their Minds no less vigorous, and its Beauties yet more +attracting, when the short Liv'd ones of their Faces are impair'd, and +gone. Whilst those whose Youthful Time has been devoted to Vanities, +or Trifles, Age does inevitably deliver over either to melancholy +Repentance, or (at best) to the wearisome Languishings which attend a +Life deprived of Desire and Enjoyment. + +Now in the pursuit of that Pleasure which the exercise and improvement +of the understanding gives, I see no Reason why it should not be +thought that all Science lyes as open to a Lady as to a Man: And that +there is none which she may not properly make her Study, according as +she shall find her self best fited to succeed therein; or as is most +agreeable to her Inclination: provided ever, that all such Knowledge +as relates to her Duty, or is, any way, peculiarly proper to her Sex, +and Condition, be principally, and in the first place her Care: For it +is indeed very preposterous for a Woman to employ her Time in +enquiries, or speculations not necessary for her, to the neglect of +that for Ignorance whereof she will be guilty before God, or blameable +in the Opinion of all Wise Men; And to do this, is plainly no less +irrational and absurd, than for one destitute of necessary Cloathing, +to lay out what should supply that want upon things meerly of +Ornament. There is yet, methinks, no difference betwixt the Folly of +such Learned Women, and that of Learned Men, who do the same thing, +except that the one is the greater Rarity. + +But it is not perhaps very seasonable to propose that Ladies should +have any greater Accomplishments or Improvements of their +Understandings than the well discharging of their Duty requires, till +it is thought fit for them to have that: The advantages of which to +Men themselves, and the necessity thereof to a right Education of +their Children of both Sexes are too evident, when reflected upon, not +to obtain Encouragement of so much Knowledge in Women from all who are +Lovers of Vertue, were it not true that Conviction does not always +operate. The Law of Fashion or Custom, is still to be obey'd, let +Reason contradict it ever so much: And those bold Adventurers are +look'd upon but as a sort of _Don Quixots_; whose Zeal for any +Reformation puts them upon Combating generally receiv'd Opinions, or +Practices; even tho' the Honour of their Maker be concern'd therein: +Or (what is nearer to most) their own Private and Temporal Interests. +I am sure that a just consideration of both these furnishes every one +with very cogent inducements to make what opposition they can to +Immorality, both by amending their own faults, and by indeavouring to +prevail upon others to correct whatever has contributed to the making +us a vicious People. For, not to say that it is a rational as well as +Pious Fear that God by some signal Judgment upon such as have abus'd +many Mercies, should make an example of them for the deterring of +others, it is more certain (tho' usually less reflected upon) that it +is no way necessary to the punishment of any Wicked Ungrateful Nation, +that God should interpose, by some extraordinary act of his +Providence, to inflict upon them the due Reward of their +Disobedience, and Ingratitude: Since so fitly are all things dispos'd +in their Original Constitution, and the order of Nature to the +All-wise ends of their Maker, that (without his especial Interposition +in the case) the establish'd course of things does bring to pass the +effects that he sees fit in respect of the Moral, as well as of the +Natural World; nor scarcely can any People from the avenging Hand of +the Almighty, in the most astonishing Judgments which can render them +an eminent example of his Displeasure, receive any severer +Chastisement, than what they will find in the Natural result and +consequences of their Moral Corruption when grown to an Extremity. + +It would be to enter into a large Field of Discourse to shew how +experience has always attested this. And we perceive, but too +sensibly, that Vice proportionably to its measure, carries along with +it, its own Punishment, to need that we should search for Foreign, or +Remote examples in proof hereof. + +A general Contempt of Religion towards God: Want of Truth and Fidelity +amongst Men: Luxury and Intemperance, follow'd with the neglect of +industry, and application to useful Arts and Sciences, are necessarily +attended with misery, and have been usually also, the Fore-runners of +approaching Ruine to the best and most flourishing Governments which +have been in the World. And as in the same proportion that these +things do any where prevail, so must naturally the unhappiness of such +a People; it is evident, that for any Prophane, Debauch'd, or Vicious +Nation to expect a durable Prosperity, is no other than to hope that +God will in their Favour (who have justly incur'd his Indignation) +withhold the natural Effects of that Constitution and Order of things, +which he has with infinite Wisdom Establish'd: A Conceit too +contradictious to Reason, as well as too Presumptuous for any one, I +suppose, to entertain. + +FINIS. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Occasional Thoughts in Reference to a +Vertuous or Christian life, by Lady Damaris Masham + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VERTUOUS OR CHRISTIAN LIFE *** + +***** This file should be named 13285.txt or 13285.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/2/8/13285/ + +Produced by Anna C. 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