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DEISM Revealed. In Two VOLUMES.
VOL.!
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OPH10UACHES
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DEISM Revealed.
Ariftot. de Mundo.
1' a
Plato in Epinom.
LONDON:
intcd for A.MILLAR, oppofite Katharine-Street^ in the £ftwi£ MDCCXLIX.
E v 3 '
PREFACE.
READER,
AL T H O', generally fpeaking, a Preface is defervedly considered as no more than a buttrefs to the front of a tottering building, which, if skilfully managed, may affume, in fome meafure, the air of a portico; yet as, on this occafion, there are a few preliminary notices which you ought to be apprifed of, give me leave to lay them before you here, at the entrance. If you begin with thefe, and do not, according to the prepofterous cuftom of fome readers, who always make a book the introduction to its preface, defer it till you have read the performance it is A 3 pre-
832989
vi PREFACE.
prefixed to ; it may happen to fave you the trouble of perufing the book itfelf : for, to be plain with you, the following Dialogues are neither as to the matter, nor manner, planned on the tafte of the preferit times. If you read merely for amufement, this work being, only in fome places, and chiefly towards the latter end, calculated for that purpofe; you muft be, in part, difappointed. If you are one of thofe grave and folid readers, whom nothing can pleafe but a clofe and well-connected chain of cool reafoning; it will be but an ad: of ju~ ftice to let you know, in time, that the characters, introduced by the prefent work, are fupported, as is ufual in con- verfation and debate, with fome ftrokes of a lower faculty than that of reafbn. If your end, in reading, is only to con- firm you in your own opinions, be ad- vifed not to meddle with thefe Dia- logues; in which the difputants, on both fides, do their utmoft to overturn the principles of their adverfaries. If
you
PREFACE. vii
you do not care to be roufed from a pleafing flumber over long-indulged opinions, or a yet more favourite courfe of life accommodated to thofe opinions, flop here ; for the very foundations of your fentiments about religion, be they what they will, are, in the following performance, examined with a feverity and impartiality not very ufual in wri- tings of this kind. For inftance ; in cafe you are inviolably pre-engaged to the religion of your country, the argu- ments, here urged home in their utmoft force by its oppofers, will fhock you not a little : or, in cafe you are fettled in Libertine and Deiftical principles ; the perfon, who here aflaults thofe princi- ples with the weapons of Revelation, may happen to give you fome difturb- ance.
Was there ever fo odd a Prefaced you will fay, who labours to diffuade his reader from the perufal of a Book, written, or at leaft publifhed, by him- felf ? Be patient, and hear me out. I A 4 do
PREFACE.
do not mean to bar up your way to th« Book by this Preface, unlefs you- are re- ducible to fome one or other of the foregoing clafles : if you are, I, who arn at prefent better acquainted with thefe Dialogues than you, know full well, they will neither be pleafing nor profitable to you. But, provided you are one who honeftly prefers the truth to all things ; and if, in order to get a thorough view of it, you are willing to fubmit your opinions, pre-conceptions, or principles, to a re-examination ; or* in cafe you are as yet under no engage- ment to any fet of fentiments about re- ligious matters ; you, and the Book I introduce to you, are well enough qua-* lined to pafs a few hours together; fo well, indeed, that, I promife you, fuch a converfation will not be altogether dif- agreeable or unprofitable to you.
Altho' no one hath a worfe talent at
compliments than your humble fervant,
yet I will take it for granted, you have
fat down to read this book, in queft of
4 truth,
PREFACE. ir
truth, and in order to a little inform- ation. If I do you juftice in this, do not wrong yourfelf by turning critic 5 examine clofely into the reafonings, that you may judge of their ftrength; and weigh the reflections, in order to find out whether they are juft and ufe- ful : but as to cenfures on the mere con- duel of the work, and its ftile, con- fider them as impertinent, and befide your purpofe. If a Phyfician (hould vifit you in your ficknefs, you would not, I foppofe, inftead of liftening at- tentively to his directions, fall to making remarks oa the impropriety or rufticity of his expreffions. This is not faid becaufe the Author is in any pain to prevent your criticizing his Book, in cafe you read only to refute. That fi* berty he hath taken with others, you, and all the world, are moft heartily welcome to ufe, in its utmoft extent, with him. Neither do I hereby inti- mate the leaft apprehenfion in him at the effe&s of that ruffle he may pofli-.
bly
x PREFACE.
bly excite in your temper : your paffion will not at all difcompofe him, if, upon looking into his performance, youfhould think fit to {hew fome refentment at feeing your principles baffled, or your practices expofed. He writes for truth with a freedom becoming fo noble a eaufe, and he lafhes the low diflembler, who, pretending to do the fame, hath recourfe to double-dealing, to impo- fture, and hypocrify, with an indigna- tion, felt by every honeft man at the fight of a detected thief or {harper. In cafe, therefore, you fhould be piqued, keep your chagrin to yourfelf, and be revenged as fecretly as you can; for, by difcovering your uneafinefs, you will but clafs yourfelf with a fet of men, who make as defpicable a figure in the eyes of all honeft and difcerning per- fons, as they do in the cenfures of this writer. He fees farther into the de- fects of his own performance than you can do, unlefs you will give as much attention to it as he hath done, which is
neither
PREFACE. xi
neither to be fuppofed, nor expected, He forefees you will, on fome occafions, be diffatisfied with his reafonings, cloyed with his repetitions, tired with the length of his harangues, difgufted at the blunt- nefs of his ftile, and perhaps offended at his putting fo many arguments into the mouth of him who oppofes your own opinions. As to his reafoning weakly on fome occafions, you ought not to be difpleafed with him for it, be- caufe he did his beft. Neither will you, it is hoped,, be fevere on his repetitions, when you find that the defence of De- ifm in one part of his work, and that of Chriftianity in the other, forced him fometimes to handle the fame to- pic in both ; and that he was often ob- liged to give the fame anfwer to feveral objections, either becaufe they did not admit of any fo good, or becaufe none fo good occurred to him. Befides, you are fenfible, that, in Dialogue, the Speakers cannot fo properly refer, as in a regular treatife, to what was formerly
urged.
xii PREFACE.
urged, but not granted ; and are there- fore frequently obliged to recal the fame arguments, as it always happens, in every extemporary debate. He hath on fet purpofe made the fpeeches fome- times run out into a greater length than thofe of Plato and Lucian : had he done otherwife, the frequent inter- ruptions and rejoindures muft, in the midft of fo much matter, and fo many topics, have fpun out the work to fuch a prolixity, as feemed too great a tref- pafs on your time and patience. You will ask, Why, then, did he write in Dialogue? He will anfwer, That he chofe that manner of performance for your entertainment; and will thank you, if you do not ask, Why he wrote at all ? As to his giving him, who holds the contrary fide of the queftion to yours, leave to fay fo much; he hath no other apology to make, but his having taken it for granted, that whoever writes for truth, writes for you; and you know, Sir, truth is not likely to be fairly
weighed 3
PREFACE. xiii weighed, when all the arguments are thrown into one fcale. Thus much I thought proper to fay to you, in cafe you fhould look into this book with a defign to fnarl.
But as I rather hope you intend to read with a difpofition more conform- able to that which gave birth to the fol- lowing Dialogues, I fhall confider you only in that view, and {peak to you as a fincere lover of truth ; than which, there is nothing you or I have ever heard of, better worth inquiring after, efpecially in relation to religion. No- thing, therefore, can be more unpar- donable than a negled, and nothing more abfurd than a wrong manage- ment, of this inquiry : yet the bulk of mankind give themfelves little or no trouble about the matter. The fafhion of a man's cloaths, the menage of his horfe, or the making his dog, often coft him as much money, and more care or pains, than the choice of his principles : yet there are fome who look
for
;b w . • \
PREFACE.
for truth with a fincere and hearty af- fection, but do it under a byafs, unper- ceived and unfelt by themfelves ; and therefore, notwithftanding the good nefs of their intentions, like perfons whole eyes are muffled, go wide of what they fearch for. Some are afraid their own opinions (hould, upon a clofe and can- did fcrutiny, appear to be ill-grounded ; and fo, in confequence of this unmanly apprehension, pafs their days in a fecret fcepticifm, covered with the mask of bi- gotry, thro' which they now and then warily peep askew at the oppofite opi- nions and arguments, as children do at fruit they are forbidden to touch ; their curiofity being checked by their fears, and their love of truth reprefled by a greater fond nefs for prejudices, long ago efpoufed, of which, however, they are a little jealous. Some, on the contrary, do indeed difpute and read with a fliew of much freedom, but, withal, under the influence of a ftrong defire or wifli to find their own opinions true; which
adds
PREFACE. xv
adds as much weight to weak argu- ments on their own fide of the queftion, as it takes off from ftrong ones on the other. Laftly, There are many able controvertifb, and men of renown in difputation, who purfue, not truth, but interefted views; fuch as the profits arifing from a very vendible book, or from lucrative principles, which they wed, more for the dowry entailed on them, than for their beauty and merit ; or the glory of well-managed debates, of peculiar fyftems, and of new and furprifing difcoveries, calculated for no other purpofe than to fet the inventors at the head of new feds and parties.
From men, thus influenced, nothing is to be hoped for but nibbling, or chi- caning. If you, my dear Reader, are of a more ingenuous turn of mind, you will be well pleafed to look into a performance, wherein if more, on fome occafious, is faid on one fide, than the other, yet juflice is done to both; inaf- much as fair and open dealing runs
thro'
xvi PREFACE.
thro' the whole, and little or nothing is omitted, that can be juftly brought in defence of either.
As for the Deifts, I muft obferve to you, that they do net, by any means, do juftice to their own caufe ; they do but in part fupport it with its own ge- nuine arguments. They ftand miier- ably in awe of fines ; they are afraid to fpeak out their principles, left they fhould (hock or alarm. It is for thefe reafons, that they are forced to borrow the name and cloak of Chriftianity, in order to attack it- and dare feldom or never rejoin to their anfwerers, left they fhould lofe the benefit of their prefent concealment, from which the greater part of their fuccefs is hoped for.
On the other hand, our modern Apologifts for Chriftianity often defend it onDeiftical principles; and, befides, are too apt to give a new model to their own credenda\ hoping, thereby, to gain fome advantage to their caufe; or, at leaft, to acquire the reputation of hav- ing
PREFACE. xvii 5ng contrived a better fort of Chriftia- nity. Among thofe of them who flick the clofeft to the old Chriftianity, and argue beft for it, there are fome, who, knowing the Libertine turn of the times, are a little afraid, on their fide, to deal roundly with their adverfaries; and therefore affume an affected gentlenefs ; foftening the fanctions, lowering the myfteries, and relaxing the ordinances of their religion.
By thefe means, the controverfy is for ever drifting, fo that nothing is brought to an end, or conclufion; and, what is ftill worfe, the real merits on both fides are kept out of fight, being covered under a world of artifice and confufion, or whiffled away into need- lefs debates about matters of little con- fequence.
To keep clear of thefe inconveni- encies, and do juftice to the contro- verfy, the writer now before you brings real Deifm, and real Chriftianity, into the field, to confront each other : if
VOL. I. a you
xviii <P R E F J C E.
you are a Deift, you will be well pleafed to fee your adverfaries held to that reli- gion which Chrlft and his Apoftles left the world : and if, from what is faid in this work, reafon, without higher affift- ance, fhall appear an infufficient guide ; if men may not be trufled altogether with themfelves ; if they cannot be their own inftrudors, their own legiflators, their own judges ; or if prefent confi- derations only are not of fufficient weight to render them virtuous \ then be juft to your own reafon, and bid Deifm a final farewel, If you are a Chriftian, you "cannot take it amifs, to fee the principles of Deifm truly repre- fented, and defended with their own proper arguments; and if myfteries, and pofitive inftitutions, and the tradi- tionary nature of the vouchers for Chri- ftianity, (hall, on a fair inquiry, appear to refute the fuppofition of its Divinity, let it fall to the ground.
Time was, when the inhabitants of thefe countries were forced to be of
what-
f R E F J C E. xix
whatfbever religion other people pleaf- ed; but it is the peculiar happinefs of the times we live in, that every man may be of what religion he himfelf pleaies, or of none, in cafe none flialj pleafe him. Let not, therefore, this Author, or any other, write with greater freedom, or boldnefs, or regard to truth, than you dare read with. If you fu- fpedl your own opinions, this alone is a fufficient reafon for your attending clofely to all that can be faid either for or againft them : if you are fully con- vinced of their foundnefs5you have no- thing to fear from the moft impartial examination of them: if you have been hitherto amufed with an artful manage- ment of this important debate, and confounded with the fight of combat- ants, ftealing weapons from each other, to annoy each other, fo as that you could not diftinguifh to whom thofe weapons did of right belong ; it will be fome fatisfaftion to you to fee, in thefe Dialogues, each opponent ftand- a 2 ing
xx 2> R E f A C E.
ing on his own ground, fairly covering himfelf with his own fhield, or ftriking with his own proper fword. You know, Sir, that, altho' this controverfy may, for a time, be managed, it can never be finally decided, by policy and (tratagem, but by the ftrength of fair and open reafoning.
After all, Sir, I am very far from con- ceitedly insinuating, that this Dialogift is the only perfon who hath managed the difpute, I fpeak of, with candour ; or that you may from the performance now in your hands, derive more fatif- faclion than from feveral others : for I am as fenfible, as any man can be, that many, who have handled the fame to- pic with the prefent writer, have done it, fo far as they went, with equal ho- nefty, and fuperior ability : but I do infiift, that, in general, the chief articles in debate, between Deifts and Chri- ftians, are not handled in fo open, or fo ingenuous a manner, as here ; nor kept fo unembarafled with the difcuflion of
points
PREFACE. xxi
points not neceffarily connected with the decifive merits of this important queftion. Give me leave., therefore, to advertife you, that the prefent perform- ance is intended, by its Author, rather as an introduction to a further, and more perfedt courfe of reading, on the reign- ing controverfy, than as a complete fy- ftem of all that can, or ought to be faid thereon.
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CONTENTS
OF THE
Firft VOLUME.
DIALOGUE the FIRST.
A Preliminary converfation, from page i to if
*fhe behaviour poor Clergymen ought to obferve towards their wealthy neighbours 2
On going to church^ and ather outward Jigns of devotion 3
The conduct of the Clergy in giving advice, particularly to men of wealth and flat ion ib.
Hew the interefl of the Church is to be /up- ported ', and how far a Clergyman ought to accommodate himfetf and his doctrine to thoje who lead the world 4
The Church's claim to fufport and ajjiflance from God ^
"The Church-lands not the Church What is
the Church When it is in danger .
The embaffadorfiip of the Clergy 'Pecu- liar ity of temper early dif covered 6, 7 a 4 Con-
CONTENTS.
Concerning the contempt of wealth and pre- ferment in the Clergy page 7
What hinders — What furthers preferment. Content in the Clergy — Ad-vantages of a fmall fortune — The anxieties attending a, great one — Cardinal Spada'j fcheme of martyrdom 8
How far zeal and merit contribute to promo- tion in the Church — Methods of arriving at preferment 9
Character of tbe prefent Bench of Bifiops. Some men prevent their own promotion by uncouth fliffnefs of temper The ad- vantages of temporizing 10 .
Whether fuccefs in the world is a proof of wifdom — Whether great wealth can afford
any thing above contentment Whether
wealth ill acquired can make a man happy n
IVhether it is neceffary to inftil principles of any fort into youth— Whether youth ought not to be injlrutted in the internal fciences, as well as thofe that are external*^ J 2
What fort of principles may, or may not, be infilled by education \ 3
The efficacy of a pliant behaviour in making a man's fortune r,Mv£\\ * tx H
The fermon of a country Parfon again/I Deifm gives occaflon to the following 'Dialogues
if-
Whether it is proper in fuch difcourfes to ani- madvert onwhat paffes in private conver- 1 fatten,
CONTENTS.
fat/on, or is carried about by report — The infignificance of fermons page 16, 17 The heads of the Par fan's fermon repeated, •" in order to be examined.
1 . The evidence of pojjlble facts, faid
to have been done in former ages, being matter of faith.
2. Query whether the disbelief of fitch faffs is not matter of faith ?
g. Query whether he who does not be- lieve in Scriptural faffs, is not as properly a believer, as he who does ?
18
Fir ft head agreed to — and the ajfent, given to credibility, examined — Whether the evi- dence of things not feen may be as fafely depended on, as that offenfe or demonjira- tion ' . A«W« ip, 20
The effects of faith on commerce, on the ftate, on the diflribution of juftice, &c. '^T Errors arifing from too great, or tvo little, dependence on credibility 2 2
Second head of the fermon examined 2 3
Third head examined No tejlimony can
procure affent to the relation of impdjfible fatJs — Whether certain Scriptural fatJs were not impojjibk) particularly the refur- rettion of Chrift '^14,^$?
Whether a re- union of foul and body ispojjibk- according to the laws of nature — If ' poffi- ' bley by what power it ,may be ejfetted"—
Con-
CONTENTS.
Concerning the perfection or imperfection of God's i^orks, particularly the moral , fart page ^6
From whence the irregularities and defeats in the moral world arife — Whether to re- medy thcfe defeats be an objett worthy of Gods goodnefs — Whether God's fufpen- fion or re'verfal of the laws of nature be natural 27
Whether at Chrifs coming a reformation was neceffary — The opinion of the Gen- tiles and Jews concerning it — How this reformation might be effected 28
Whether the refurrecJion is probable 29, 30 Whether the faith of a Chriftian, or a Li- bertine., has the beft foundation in hiftory
31
Concerning the deflruttion of records and me- morials relating to the Chrijlian religion
Whether Chriflianity was introduced the world in an ignorant age $3
Whether the Chriflian religion was propa- gated in an obfcure manner — Whether it efcaped the notice of per Jons in power g-j,
Concerning the foundation of a Deift's faith
35
Concerning tie nature of a Chrijlian s faith — Whether it is divine 36
Whether the operations of the Holy Ghoft are any proof, that the faith of a Chriflian is
divine
CONTENTS.
divine — The difference between an hiftori- cal and a facing faith — From whence the latter arijes page 37
Whether the Grace of God is irrefiftible — Whether affions proceeding from thence are rewardable 38
Whether fufficient hiftorical evidence can be rejtfted — How far men have their faith in their own power — Concerning giving and withholding affent, as to articles of faith 39, 40
Concerning *Dei{ls concealing their defigns — Their reafons for doing fo hitherto 41, 41
And for their being now more open in de- claring their principles \$^ 42
The Deiftical Creed propofed as a bafis to the following debates 43, 44
A panegyric thereon 44, 45-
DIALOGUE the SECOND.
JHE debate on the fir ft article of the 'De- iftical Creed opened — What the light of nature conpfts in — ^Definitions offentiment and reafon -~ Whether there is properly a, law of nature 50, 51
Why the inftintfs of brutes are not laws — What renders the inftinffs of man moral — Whether all men have the fame law of vwture t -n$fe f 3
CONTENTS.
A definition of a law — Whether the dictates of reafbn are fupported by fufficient autho- rity to make them laws — Concerning the functions of the law of nature — Whether a man has a court of confcience in his
. oivn breajl page 5-4, 55-
Concerning the juflice of the punijhments in^ flitted by the law of nature 5-6
Whether one faculty in a man can be a law- giver to another Whether duty can
arife out of, and terminate in, the fame perfon What authority the law of na- ture mufl have, in cafe it is perfect 57
Whether a f octet y can fubjift, if its members be not fubjeft to a law, previous to thofe of fociety 5-8
The qualifications of the fupreme Magi/Irate
The ill effetJs of folly or partiality in
him 79
The necejjlty of wifdom, juftice, and power, in the fupreme Magiflrate — The ill con- fequences of inferior magiftrates not be- lieving him to be invefted with fuch per- fections 60, 6 1
Concerning the necejjlty of teflimonies on tryals fa
What gives weight to fuch teftimonies
Who is the fupreme Magiflrate Three
obfervations on the fame JubjetT; 6$
i. Qb-
CONTENTS.
1. Obfervation. That the qualities of
the fupreme Magi/Irate may be ex- pected in all the under -magi ftr at es andfubjetJs
2. Concerning the time and manner ', in which the fupreme Magiftrate is to exert his judicial authority.
3. The fupreme Magiftrate cannot go- vern by deceit or im^ofture page 64,
Whether nature does not furnifi us witk a juft idea of God, and all our duties 65-, 66
Whether the idea of God revealed to Adam might be tranfmitted to pofterity >nd/
Whether the idea of God is innate ; and what would be the conferences of ity
if it were Whether man, created in
full maturity of mind and body, could di- ftinguijb poijbnous from nutritious fruits, or a plain from a precipice 68
Whether God taught Adam all neceffary points of knowlege 69
Whether experience is a fufficient inftruffor
Whether aclions are moral to a perfoa
unacquainted with the law of God 70
Whether a man is under a moral obligation to obey the ^ropenfties and averfions of his nature , and what would be the conferences if he was «?&
Whether reafon cannot direct the paflions, and enforce obedience with Jufficient au- thority 72
From
CONTENTS.
From whence the idea of God is acquired
page 73
Whether the idea of God arifes naturally in the mind as foon as a perfon begins to be capable of duty and obligation 74, 7f
Whether the innate idea of God ought to be flrong and evident 76
Whether the being of a God was ever de- nied by any fecJs of philojopher s What
perfons died martyrs to Atheifm. The dif- ference between the idea of God j and thofe of fenjible objects 77
Whether perfons born deaf and blind ever difcovered any knowlege ofGod~lf a Spi- rit can be the object of fenfe 78
Concerning the proof of a 'Deity drawn from
the works of Creation Whether a jufl
and adequate idea of God may be collected from thence 75), 80
Concerning natural good and evil 8 1
A definition of reafon Its operations
Whether we can have any immediate and
proper idea of fpirit Concerning the
fource of ideas 82, 83
How far unajjlfted reafon is capable of form- ing an idea of God How we ought to
form our notions of God 84
How far the mind and body ftand in need of inftrutfion and culture 85-, 86
Whether a man may be taught to reafon 87
Three definitions of re ajon> fyHobbes, Cum- berland,
CONTENTS.
berland, and Tindal, with fome obferva- tions on them page 88, 89
Concerning the operations ofreajon — Why one man can reafon better than another 90,5)1
How the foul will operate when dive/ted of material organs How we are to appre- hend wifdom and jujlice in God How
they differ from wifdom and jujlice in man
92, 93
What notion we can have of God, or his at- tributes — - How the foul after death may be fupf)ofed to retain imprtjfions of its for- mer virtues and vices 94,
How knowlege is to be acquired and propa- gated Whether a right idea of God
can be eafily found out, and in a Jlwrt time
propagated over all the world Some
inftances relative to this point 95", 96, 97,
Concerning the theology of the Pagans as re- lated by their own writers, with an ac- count of their various modes of worjhip 98, 99, 160, 101, 102, 103, 104*
Some observations on the characters of Ly- curgus, Timoleon, Cicero, Cato Uticen- fis, Brutus, and Germanicus lof, 106
An account of the enormities committed by the thirty tyrants at Athens, and fome of the Roman Emperors 107, 108
Concerning the cauje of the ftritt virtue of
the old Romans The difference between
the
CONTENTS.
the Emperors before and after Conftantine'/
time page 109
Some observations on the principles and con-
duct of the Heathen Philofophers 1 1 o,
in, 112, 113, 114,
How God communicated the knowlege of htm-
jelf to mankind 115, 1 16
DIALOGUE the THIRD.
JirHETH&R the diflates of nature are ** laws, and carry their own obligation
with them 119, 120, 121
Concerning the opposition of principles in dif-
ferent nations, with fome in fiances 122,
Whether there could be fuch different opini- ons about matters of moment, if the fit - neffesof things were jelf -evident, or clearly deducible 124, 125-
from whence moral duties arife 126
From whence Socrates and Plato acquired their knowlege - The opinion of the lat- ter concerning God and virtue 127, 128
Why Greece excelled Scythia in learning 129,
130
Whether Socrates and Plato were fceptics in religion 131
In what the beauty and deformity of actions conjifl 132
What
CONTENTS.
What would be the conference in cafe the fenfe of moral beauty and deformity were as evident and irreflftible^ as fenfations of bodily pleasures and pains ; or whence the idea of beauty is annexed tofome actions, and deformity toothers page 134
Concerning the reality of a moral fenfe 1 3 f ,
!36» I37» J38> 139> 14°' T4i, H*
Concerning the rewards andpunijbments being annexed to the law of nature - • Whether they proceed intirely from nature^ and are Jufficient to enforce the law to 'which they are annexed 143, 144, 145, 146
Whether human nature is in the Jlate God made it 147, 148, 149, ifo, ifi, 152
Conccrnivig the powers of reafon to direct the conference, and to affix its approbation and diflike to proper objects 153, 154, iff,
156
What ally reafon ought to call to her ajfift- ance when the paffions become too power- ful for her . 157
Whether the complacency attending good ac- tions^ and the remorfe attending bad ones, are Jufficient to excite mankind to the for- mer ', and deter them from the latter if 8,
Whether the rewards and punijkments of the Chriftian law take away freedom of at~tion
161
Whether human laws, and wenfocietj, would VOL. I. b not
CONTENTS.
not be unneceffary, if the law of nature was fufficiently clear Mid cogent— —What in- duces men to enter into focieties — • Whe- ther the laws of nature are Sufficient ta
fiipport them How far the Chriftian
law tends to preferve fociety page 162, 163, 164,, i6f, 166
II hat are tke real fanff ions of'Deifm —Whe- ther they are eajily difcoi)ered Tindal'j
opinion concerning future puriifiments 167,
1 68, 169
Whether tbe morality of this world is diftintt
from that of the next Whether actions
done in this life are to be rewarded or pii-
nifted in the next Whether this opi-
nion is reasonable — . Whether it is necef- faryy that great rewards and pun:fbments fiould be provided in another life, and that they ftould be clearly notified to us in this
170, 171
Shafrsbury'j opinion concerning rewards and punifiments attending 'vice and virtue—. What conclufion would follow from this dottrine, in cafe it was true 172, 173
Whether the immortality of tbe foul is dif-
cover able by the mere light of nature
St. Evrcmont'j opinion thereon 174,
What is the mofl natural argument for the immortality of the foul What this ar- gument is founded on — Whether the opi- nion, that virtue fully rewards^ and vice '
CONTENTS.
fully purifies itfelf in this world, would deftroy this argument — Why the immorta- lity of the foul was jo generally believed
page 177, 176
The opinions of fame Thilofophers concerning the immortality of the jo n I 177
Whether a [imple uncompounded fub fiance can
be annihilated Whether the dread of
annihilation is an argument f -or the immor- tality of the foul 178, 175?, 1 80
The arguments of Plato and Cicero for a fu- ture jt ate Why they did not deduce it
fr m the jujlice of God 1 8 1 , 182, 183,
184
Whether future rewards and punifiments can be inferred from the belief of the immor- tality of the foul alone 1 8 f The opinions of Cicero, and the poets, con- cerning future rewards and punifiments — PlatoV opinion thereon, and how he acquired it 186, 187, 188 Whether conference is * fufficient rule of duty
A definition of conscience — Whether
there can be confcience without religion
189, 190
A recapitulation of the controverfy concern- ing the fufficiency of reafon, with the opi- nions of federal of the Philojophers thereon
From whence the Greeks had their.
knowlege of theology and morality 191,
192, 193, 194 b 2 Some
CONTENTS.
Some texts of Scripture alleged to prove the univerfality, clear nefs, and force of the law of nature j firft text, the fecond chap- ter of the epiftle to the Romans. The purport of this text examined — What is the law, and who are the Gentiles, here mentioned page 195-, 196, 197, 198,
199, 200, 201
Second text, in the firfl chapter of the epiftle to the Romans, whether it may be inferred from thence, that all mankind can eafily arrive at a right notion of God, by con- templating the works of creation - If they may, are not all the Heathen in a ft ate of damnation ? 202, 203
Whether this text admits of another inter pr station, and what is the true one 204, 205-, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210
Third text, in the tenth chapter of the Afts - Whether it can be inferred from thence, that all mankind may, without inftruffion, know and ferve God - The cafe of Cor- nelius considered, with an explanation of the text 211, 212
Two other texts on the fame fubjecJ conft- dc red and explained 213, 2 14.
Concerning the necejjlty of 'Divine revelation
JVhether this necejjlty proceeds, or may be concluded, from the attributes of God - In what it confifts 217
S
CONTENTS.
Various opinions of heathen Thilofopher s con- cerning the necejfity of 'Divine affiftance, particularly in order to the knowlege of true religion page 218, 219
Concerning certain articles of religion, that cannot pojjlbly be known without revelation ; and concerning the falvation of thofe, to whom no revelation hath been made 220,
221
Whether natural religion hath any neceffary dependence on revelation, and that part of Chrijlianity , which is myfterious andfuper- natural 222
What is meant by divine revelation 223 Whether man Jlands in need of 'Divine af- fiftance in refpect to his will, as well as in re/pecJ to his under ft: anding 224,
Whether he can be rewarded, who is good only thro the grace of God 22$
-.
DIALOGUE the FOURTH. . |
/N a folid and ingenuous mind ajlru^gle is felt in the change of very important opi~ nions ; not fo in the mind of a bigot, who never changes his opinions, nor in that of a fickle per [on, who changes at random, and without care 227
If the light of nature were the only means of acquiring religion, it would be very clear and universal 228
b
CONTENTS.
Whether unajfifted reafon, or philofophy, or Pagan theology, are pifficient inftruffors for one who would know the true religion
page 229
Whether modern philofophy is better fitted tt anfwer this end, than the antient 230
Whether a man is to look only inward, in order to the knowlege of himfelf and reli- gion 231
Whether his looking into- himfelf is either practicable or ujeful, without experience and conversation with the world 232, 235
If a mm finds that, with all his endeavours, ings, he cannot govern himfelf, whtre he is to apply for aid 234, 235
What would be the effects of faith in the wifdomand juftice of God 236
Whether the fame efftffs may not be hoped for on other principles 237
What can procure ord, r and obedience in a mind torn, and thrown into confufion, by outrageous pajjions 238-
Exemplified by the cafe of an ijland, inhabited by the mofl wicked perfons only, whom hi- flory makes us acquainted with 239
A difcant on this exemplification 239, 240,
241
Whether that knowlege of religion, which feems the mere effect of inftruttion, fows 'not wholly from nature 242, 243
What
CONTENTS,
What is the ftrongefl injlintt or principle in the nature of man ; and how it is that man is to be governed by this inflinff page
244,, 247
How the love of God, of man, and of vir- tue, may be produced by the fear of God
24,6, 247, 248
Whether the love of God be not the fur eft
and Jlrongeft principle ', on which benevo-
lence, and every other virtue, can be
founded 249, 25-0
Whether felf-love is not at fir ft the only
fource of love towards mankind 2 5-0,
Whether felf-love is inconfiflent with virtue
and heroifm 25-4, 25-5-, 25-6
That nothing can contribute more to our obey-
ing the law of God, than the knowlege of
our chief good-, and that the antient *Phi-
lofophers were infinitely at a lofs to after-
tain the chief good 25-7
The chief good of "Deifm 25-8
Examined 259, 260, 261
The furamum bonum of Chriftianity 262
Examined 263, 264, 265-, 266, 267
Inlarged on 268, 269, 270
That it concerns us as much to know the
chief evil, as the chief good 270
What the .chief evil of *Deifm is, Jfhat
that of Chrijlianity is 271
b 4 The
CONTENTS.
The latter objected to s ijly from its impojjl- bility 5 idly, from its injufttce and difpro- portion, and thereto the imijlment oj fin ought to be proportioned page 275-, 276
The chief evil fugge fled by CLrijlianity ; ob- jetted to, -^dly, from its eompuljivenefs 277
Concerning moral freedom of choice Whe- ther it arifis only from ignorance 278
The objection fr<,m injuftice re fume d^ and further canvaffed 279, 280, 281
Several answers proposed to this objection
282, 283
Whether filf-love can be the bafis of virtue
28)-, 286, 287
Objection to the chief evil threatened by Chrijlianityj drawn from the goodnefs of God 288
^Dtfcttffed 285?, 290, 291
Whether this evil itfelf, or the notification of it, is highly expedient to the reformation and virtue of maniiind 292, 293
Whether the law of nature is eternal, and a law to God ; and whether he can on any occajion difpenfe with it 295-, 296, 297
Whether God could have made the world otherwife than it is, fo as that other du- ties mufl have refulted from another fy- flem of things 298, 299
Whether God created all things by a. plan or archetype neceffarily exijling from all fter-
nity,
C O N T E N'T'S.
nity, or whethtr he contrived every thing as he p leafed page 300, 301
JFhether we ought to believe ', that God cre- ated the very reajons of things -, and whe- ther', if we do, it will not follow -, that we mitft believe God to be an arbitrary, and pojfibly a changeable, being 302, 303
Whether every idea in the definition of a law does not prove, that there can be no law to bind the actions of God 304
How we* ought to fpeak of God in relation to law -, and what are the abufe and detortion of the word law 305, 306
Whether the 'Deiftical law of nature, if al- lowed to include the rewards and punijb- ments of futurity, will damn all mankind
306
This queftion difcufled, from 307 to 328
Whether the falvation of mankind is better
provided for upon the Chriflian fyftem ;
where of an atonement 323
Firfl objection to an atonement propofed and
considered 324,
A paffage from Ezekiel brought to fupport
the objection 32$-
Second objection 326
Third objection 326, 327
Fourth objection 328, 329, 330
Fifth objection 2 ^ !
Sixth objection, Seventh object ion 332
CONTENTS.
Eighth objection page
Ninth abjection 335-, 336
Texts of Scripture cited under the loft ob- jection 337, 338, 332, 340,
End of tbs Contents to VOL. I,
,
• r>%
, .. .
C O N
CONTENTS
OF THE
Second VOLUME.
DIALOGUE the FIFTH.
JIT" HE THE R any man can be. fure a re~
'' relation hath been made to htm Of
dreams, vifionsy &c. page 2
Concerning the pojfibility and evidence of pre- ternatural inlets to knovulege 3
Whether an infpired per Jon can give any evi- dence of his infpiration to others, and what
4* Whether miracles can prove a revelation to
be divine Of natural and fupernatural
magic Of enthujiaflic faith f
Whether evil fpir its can heal thefick, raife the dead) &c. and whether they would per form fitch wonders, if they could, in order to a good end 6
Whether therz is any connexion between a doctrine and a mirac(e, by which tke one may become a proof of the other ; and whe- ther
CONTENTS.
ther he who works a miracle, being free? •may not apply it to the proof of any doc- trine be pleafes page 7, 8
IVh ether prophecies can be a pwof of a mijfion from God p, 10
Concerning the obfcitrity of prophecies i I
Whether miracles or prophecies can evidence a 'Divine mijfion or inspiration to thofe who never faw the former per farmed, nor the latter fill filed I z
Concerning the force and effect of report for this purpofe 13, 14
Of martyrdom 14, if,
Of the atteflation of enemies 16, 17, 18
Concerning the power and wifdom of thofe 'who oppofed, and the iveaknefs and igno- rance of thofe who vouched for Chriftianity
1 8, 19
The improbability of faffs oppofed to the cre- dibility of ivitneffes 20
This opposition applied to Chrtft's re fur reft ion, and confidered ,^O
Whether any thing can render a miracle pro- bable 2 2
An in (lance brought to prove, that a rational conviction may be founded on report^ againjl the common courfe of experience, concern- ing a faff wholly improbable in itfdf 2 3, 24
Whether experience may not, in i'ome meafure, fall in with the vouchers for miracles 2 $•
Whether,
CONTENTS.
Whether, if in any cafe experience be infuffi- cient to counterbalance report, it doth not, in fuch cafe, proportionally deftroy the cre- dibility of report page 25-, 26
What kind of inter ejl it was -which the wit- neffesfor Chriftianity propofed to them/elves in vouching for it — - And whether the tef- timony of fuch, as from its moft zealous cppofers became its moft zealous affertors, is not to be added to the tejlimony of enemies in its favour T.J, 28
Whether, allowing thereafbnablenefs of their faith, who received the immediate tefti- mony of fuch as faw a miracle performed, they, fa whom this teftimony is conveyed by a long chain of tradition, can havejuf- fcient reafonfor believing 29
How far, and in what finfe, the written records of Chriftian hiftory may be vouched for by thofe thro who/e hands they have come down to us $ where of fpurmis go- Jpels, e fifties, &c. 30, 31
Of the canon of the two tcflaments 32, 33
Whether the whole New Teflament might not have been forged in tke fecond, or a later century 34
Whether \ altho' the whole could not have been forged, it might not have beenfo cor- rupted, as to make it an infufficient record for our faith to rely on ^£ ?.^Y^A;w *w\ •$A%'iAV>WP ^^"i ^VWA:> «\
The
4lvV'
CONTENTS.
The. difputes of the primitive. Chriftians urgea as an argument for tke Jhppojition offuch corruption page 36
The integrity and martyrdom of the primi- tive fathers alleged to the contrary 3 7
The difputes of the primitive Cbriftians urged to the contrary 3 8
Whether the Scriptures might not have been materially corrupted in the ages of igno- rance and monkery 39, 40
Whether the prefent is not the mofl conve- nient age of the Church, for corrupting the Scriptures, and whether they can be corrupt- at prefent 41
Whether it is enough to objeff, that the Scrip- tures might have been materially corrupted » and whether the Deijls can with reufon be obliged to prove, that they were actually fo corrupted 43, 44
Concerning various readings ; whether they dejlroy the authority of Scripture > or whe- ther they do not prove it genuine 45% 46
Whether the evidence for fatls recorded in Scriptural hi/lory, is equal to the evidence for faffs recorded in profane hi ft or y 47
Whether the Scriptures carry their evidence any farther than to fuch as are learned in
' the dead languages ; and whether they are capable of btingfo translated, as to raife a rational conviction^ and be a fufficient
rule
CONTENTS.
ruk of faith and practice among the Hit- ter ate " f*&49> 50, 71, fi
Whether juflice can be done in a tranjlation to figurative performances 53
Qf differences and difputes among tkofe who write commentaries on the Scriptures , and whether fitch differences are an objection to the Scriptures ff, f6, 57
Whether the figures, parables, my ft erics, &c. of the Scriptures •, render them unintelligi- ble 78
Whether the faith of the common people does not depend abfolutely on their Clergy -, and by no means on any certainty they can have, that the Scriptures are the word of God, or that they have been kept uncorrnpted
79> 6°
Whether they have any others but the Clergy •, to depend on for thefe matters 6 1 , 6 ^
Whether, at be ft, they can found their faith on any thing elfe, than the authority and example of others, either Laymen or Cler- gymen 6$ Another foundation for their faith conjldered
64, 65
Other internal foundations conjldered 6f,
66
Whether it requires ar many arguments to produce faith in them, as in thofe 'who have more temptations to infidelity 67,
68 Whether
CONTENTS.
Whether the poorer fort are not, by the nature of things, obliged to depend on the know- iege of others, better educated, in other matters of the great eft importance, as well as in refpecJ to religion — What duties the knowing, as fuch, owe to the ignorant 69,
70,?1 Whether the people, left to them/elves, would
be better verjed in natural, than revealed religion 7 2
Whether thofe, who have not p rev ion fly a right idea of God, can judge whether any fret ended revelation is worthy of him 73,
74, 75
DTALOGUE the SIXTH,
rr WO forts of fitneffes to be expetted fb, •*- the right religion,
The fir ft relating to him who gives it. The (econd to them who are to re- ceive it.
God needs neither honour nor obedience from his creatures, and governs them only for their good 77 Whether pojitive injunctions are a contra- diction to the foregoing doctrine Whe- ther eternal puniftments are not alfo an ob- jection to the J awe 78, 79, 80 What we are to think of anger ^ vengeance, &c. as attributed to God in Scripture 8 1
What
CONTENTS.
What kind* or degree, of punifhments and re- wards may bejufficient for the government of God's kingdom page 8 2
Whether all punifrment ought to be inflicted for the reformation of the delinquent , as well as for preventing the delinquency of others - 83, 84
Of poftive precepts, whether they are ufelejs in them] elves, and argue tyranny in the impofer 8 5-
Whether fee ondary laws may be applied in aid of the primary -, and whether they may be ufeful to thoje who do not fee into the nature of their operation 86
A detail of the pojitive duties of Chrijliaritty
86, 87, 88
Whether Juch duties, if ufeful, may not be better left to human contrivance, than added to the law of nature by Divine au- thority 88, 89
The ufefulnefs of positive duties argued for from the mifchiefs that might be expected, in cafe they were laid ajide 90, 91
And from the recourfe had to them in other matters, as well as in thoje of religion
91, 92
Whether the wifdom of eflablijbing any thing as a duty by authority, does not depend on its real ufefulnefs, whether the beneft derived from it bs natural or injlitutionzl
93 VOL. I. c God
CONTENTS.
Cod an abfolute, but not in the common ac- ceptation of the wordy an arbitrary being
page 94, 9?
The fubjett of myfteries entered on • - It is not to be fuppofed that God ftould require of man the belief of an abjurd, a contra- dictory^ or an ufelefs proportion 97
God can never make our fahation depend on a faith oppo[ite to knowlege - - Whether it is a contradiction in terms to reveal a myftery fo as to leave it ft ill a myftery 98
The Incarnation of Chrifl, and the Trinity, propofed to be examined 99
An objection to the Incarnation from the om- nipre fence of God 100
That in theprefentdifpute^ about the two my-
Jleries mentioned^ we are not concerned to
defne the word myftery in general, nor with
an eye to any other fenfe than what relates
to them joi
The word., thus retrained, is defined — And this definition applied to the text, Great is the myftery of Godlinefs, err. 102
^Debate about the meanmg of that paffage
Continued 1 04
An argument for the Incarnation drawn from
the omnipotence of God — A parallel cafe
106
Whether
CONTENTS.
Whether God canfo unite the human to the 'Divine nature as to make but one perfon of both page 107
The Incarnation of a 'Divine being familiar to the Heathens 108
Reafon did not refute it among them 108,
109
Whether the Incarnation of the 'Divine na- ture is an ufelefs article of faith, cr whe- ther it is neccffary to the belief of an atone- ment, and that to the hope of falvation
110, III
Whether this doctrine hath an ufeful and moral tendency? or not 1 1 2
An objection to the doctrine of the Trinity from the unity of God 1 1 3
The object ion confidered, and the doflrine ana- logically, defended 114, i if -^\*dnother objection drawn from God's omni- prefence 1 1 f
Whether this can be anfwered by the confi-
; jfi. deration of his incomprehenjibility 116
: Or by the inconcei-vablenefs of other inferior
things 117, 118
Whether fuch anfaers are to be admitted^ flnce we know the myfteries of inferior things by our [enfes and experience , 'whereas we recei-ve the doffrine of the Trinity from report only up
c 2 The
CONTENTS.
The doctrine of tie Trinity maintained to be contradictory — This anfwered analogically
page 120
Whether the doctrine contains a contradic- tion in terms Whether the terms are
fcriptural 121
Other myjleries concerning God, which reafon muft recrive, and yet can never account for • — • Whether any argument for receiving the doctrine cf the Trinity can be drawn from thence 122, 123
An objection to the Incarnation and Trinity drawn from the dignity of the 'Divine na- ture > an anfwer given to it from the con- f deration of the T^ivine goodnefs and hu- mility 1 24 Whether y jlnce ive can neither comprehend ourfehes, nor any thing elfe, <we can expect to comprehend God 12 f That God hath given us onlyjuch inlets and faculties for the acquijltion of knowlege, as are commenfurate to our wants 126 Whether the belief of a Trinity in God hath any relation to our wants 126, 127 Whether the doctrine of the Trinity is ejfen- tial to the Chriftian religion 127, 128 Texts of Scripture brought to prove the 'Di- vinity of Chrift, considered 129, 130,
131, 132
Texts.
CONTENTS.
Texts to prove the ^Divinity of the HolyGhoft, conjidered page 133, 134, 135% 136
The unity oftheFirftandSecondTerfons in the Trinity debated by texts of Scripture 137
As alfo that of the Holy Ghqft with both, and of the Three Perfons with one another
138, 139
Wherein confifls the great difficulty of re- ceiving the doftrine of the Trinity, and whether on account of that difficulty, the doctrine is to be rejected 140, 141
The myjleries of natural religion urged as a reafon for admitting thofe of revelation
142, 143
The myfleries of natural -philosophy applied to the fame furpofe 144, 145, 146
DIALOGUE the SEVENTH.
WHETHER the difputes and divifions
'* among Cbriftians are not a fufficient ob- jection to their religion s and whether they do not arife from the obfcurity of revela- tion 149, 15-0
Hlnjlrated by inftances of disputed doctrines
150, 151
Whether the disputes among Chrijlians do not
arij'e from t>. eir own vanity, and other paf-
[ions, and whether they are not contrary to
c 3 that
CONTENTS.
that charity fo much recommended by Scrip- ture Pa&e if* Of a per fe cut ing zeal, and whence it anjes,
Whether Chriftianity hath excited, orfuffered by, this fpecies «f zeal if4
The divifions among Chriftians make it ex- tremely difficult for any one -to become a con- vert to Chriftianity, or for one already a Chriftian, to choofe the right profejfion
This objection canvaffed if 6, if 7, if 8, if 9
IPhether men left to the light of nature do not differ as widely and as warmly about religion, as Chriftians do i f 9, 1 60, 1 6 r
Whether religious differences are of any u/e to the world 162, 163, 164
Whether the Chriftian fanttions do not tend to deftroy the nature of virtue, by fubfti- tuting, in the place of it, a mercenary obe- dience 16f, 1 66
Ifhetker the fanffions of Deifm are not liable to the fame objection 167, 168
Whether the Chrijlian fanttions compel, and whether they are not, however, of greater force thanthofe of Deifm 169
The. true avd right idea of human freedom Jlated and recommended 170, 171
Wether when freedom is deftroy ed by vice, it can be recovered by experience 172, 173
Whether,
CONTENTS.
Whether ', in order to a free choice of religi- ous principles., a man ought firjl to become an Atheift page 174, 177
Concerning courage in thinking 175, 176
Religion compared to phyjlc 176, 177
The difference between freedom and licen- tioufnefs 178
Concerning the late introduction of Chrijli- anity, as an objection to its truth 1 79
What is neceffary to make this a good objec- tion 179, i So, 181
Whether God actually hath put all men on a level in refpeff to the opportunities of ac- quiring religious knowlege, or is obliged to do it 181, 182
From what topic the necejjity of a revelation is argued for 183
Whether, if a revelation is neceffary, it ought not to have been made to Adam 184, i8f
Whether, if it had, it could not 'have been preferve.d pure, and propagated from that age, as well as any other 186, 187
Whether, as mankind degenerated gradually, they flood at frjl in as great need of a re- illation as they did in later ages 187
Whether Chriflianity was in part revealed to Adam ; and whether other revelations^ prior to the Chrijllan, were not made
188
•»VM c 4* How
CONTENTS.
How long the knowlege and worfbip of one God was preferred by the antients page
188, 189, 190
Whether any preparation was made for the
introduction of Chriftianrty > and how the
Jews were made fubfervient to that pur-
pofe, particularly among the Gentiles 190,
191, 192, 193, 194
Whether the Philofophers and Conquerors, that preceded the Chriftian *era, were made by Providence to promote the fame end 194,
19 ?
Whether the religion of nature, as being uni-
verfal, does not better Jerve the purpofes of mankind, than that of Chrift, which is more confined \\w\xp6, 197
Whether revelation was not intended to ac- company refinement and luxury ', and whe- ther the moft ignorant nations ft and not in the leafl need of it 199
This confidered 206
Whether 'Deifm, or Chriflianity, tends moft to the reprobation of mankind-, and whe- ther, if none can be fa-ued but Chriftians, it is impojfible for God himfelf to provide for the (ahation of fuch as live and die without hearing of Chrift 201, 202, 203
We are not to pry into the fecrets of Provi- dence, nor to fet bounds to bis wifdom, goodnefs, and power ^ other than he hath us 204, 2 of
An
CONTENTS.
An objecJion to Chriftianity drawn from the
ill lives of its prof effort page 2o<5^7
Considered 208, 209
The objection more particularly urged from
the ill lives of the Clergy 209
From their luxury 210
From their ambition, and disregard to
their oaths 211
From their time-ferving and pre-varica-
*&- tion ^^213
.. From their love of the world 2 14*
From their partiality 2rf
From their bigot ry, which is' charged on
their education 216
How far the Clergy may be defended 218
Againft the charge of disregard to their
-•$$* v oaths 219
Againft the objections made to their edu-
cation ibid.
Againft the charge of partiality 220,
221 How far they ought to be given up 222,
That the Clergy ought to attend to what is faid of them by their enemies 224.
Their tco general indifference for the caafe of Chriftianity 225
Whether the Clergy be all jujlly liable to the cen fares thrown on their order 226
W&£ How
CONTENTS.
ar they are culpable in converfing too much among thewfelvcs, and fere ening one another page 226, 227
What fort of Clergymen are mofl liked by the adverfaries of Chriflianity , and their cha- racter in refpeff to fincerity 227, 228
How it comes to pafs that bad men get into the Miniftry ; the effects of their admif- fion 228, 229
Whether the Clergy are ft ill as much better than the Laity, as ever they were 2 29
What ought to be the condutt of thofe* who judge of religion by the lives of its preach- ers 230
Whether the Chrgy of the Church of Eng- land are more exfiofedto cenfure, than thofe of any other Church 231, 232
Concerning want of difcipline 233
What fur t of a Layman an ordinary Clergy- man would make., were he to live after the change y as he did before it 234, 235
What ought to be the qualifications of a good Clergyman 235-, 236
How far the vices of the Clergy may be al- lowed to call Chriflianity in quejlion 236,
237, 238
Whether the truth of Chriftianity ought not to le examined into by the fame rules with other branches of knowlege 238
The origin of 'Deifm 239,240
Whether
CONTENTS.
Whether great fanflity is to be expeftcd in any man merely for his going into orders
page 241, 242
IVhether the general tenor of a man's attions always flews his principles 242, 243
Chriftianity fujf eft ed becaufe the Clergy, who know more of it than the Laity generally do, do not live agreeable to its precepts 244
Whether, if a bad Clergyman proves Chrifti- anity to be an impofturey a good Clergyman ought to prove it to be a true religion 245-
In what cafe it would be better that the Cler- gy were lefs refpefted than they are 246
Whether the bad lives of the Clergy furnifh an argument for the truth of Chriftianity
247, 248
Whether all religions require teachers ', in or- der to their being known 249 Chriftianity certainly does 2 fa Whether Libertinifm it/elf affords an argu- ment in favour of Chriftianity 25-2 Concerning jbme prophecies delivered in the New Teftament 253 Whether any of them is applicable to thepre- fcnt adversaries of Chriftianity. One or twi> of them particularly confidered 2 5-4, iff, 2f6, 25-7, 258 •
• DIALOGUE
w
CONTENTS.
DIALOGUE the EIGHTH.
HEN the mind may be faid to think '" freely, and 'when to be bigotted and en- jlaved page 261
JVhat is the befl difpojttion of mind, in order to inftruttion 262
The overture that gives occajion to the pre- fent 'Dialogue 263, 264
The effeffs, firfl, of too great diffidence in our- f elves } andfecondly, ofprefuming too much on the ftrength of our own talent s, in re- fpett to the acc[uifition of knowlege 264,
267, 266 The definition of Libertinifm •, enlarged on
The antiquity of Libertinifm 268
Its progrefs traced thro the Jewifh Hiftory from the earliefl accounts of time 269,
270
The libertinifm of the *Pagan world, and of the Philofophers 271
That it wos the chief obftacle to the reception of Chriftianity , and the chief caufe of all the divijlons among Chriftians 272
That Popery, on the one hand, borrows conji- derably from it, and that the Reformation* on the other, gave great encouragement to it 273
Who
CONTENTS.
Who among the Reformers gave moft into it
Pa?e 272, 27 d.
Wbo among the^^ifafirft diftinguified him-
felfas a fuccefsful propagator of Libert inifm
in its ut moft extent 274*
Who gave rife to another fpecies of Libert i-
nifm With what 'view On what
fyftem And with what fuccefs 2 7 f
How Chriftianity is affected by this new fort
of Libert inifm 276
Concerning the harmony of principles obferv-
able among the propagators of Libertimfm
277
Concerning their difagreement 278 Whether the felf-fufficiency of Libertinism^ or the felf -diffidence of Chriftianity i is the moft likely to open our way to true reli- gion 27x> How a young mind may be beft trained to Libert inifm — By ridicule -, exerc ifed partly on religion itfelf, and partly on its preach- ers And by preaching up Libertine
principles to fuck a mind under the appear- ance of Chriftianity 280, 281, 282 What difpojltion of mind ought to be moft carefully cultivated in a young Gentle man * in order to a thorough .proficiency in Li- btftintjtfry^.^.. 282 How a young Gentleman may be taught Li~ bertinifm out of the Bible, and Chriftia- nity
CONTENTS.
Wty out of Hobbes, Shaftsbury, Tindal, &c. page 283
How a fountain of Libertinifm may be opened for him in his own breafl 283, 284., 285- How Libertinifm paffes from one mind to another, till it comes to be publicly coun- tenanced 286 Who are under a necejjlty of embracing Li- bertinifm 287 What ad-vantages Libertinifm derived from the genius of Cromwell'* time ,• from that of Charles the Second's reign -, from the tight the Clergy flood in at, and after, the late revolution 288 From peace, commerce, and wealth 2 89 The advantage every man may derive from being cafuiji to him] elf 290 Three degrees of Libertinifm obfervable in a cert am kind of writers, whofe works have engaged the attention of the lajl and pre- Jent century. Of the fir ft, and fee and 291
292
Of Divifus 292
O/Apobles, 293,294
How it comes to pafs that men of the great -
eft abilities may be kd into errors of the
groffefl kinds 295-
€)fthe third clafs of Libertine writers 296
Of Phyodexius, and his writings 297
Of his jingular (incerity 298
Of his other virtues nwhuv,- 2P£
3 How
CONTENTS.
How truth ought to be propagated J>age 3 oo How falfe teachers are to be known 301 Concerning the ufe of art in matters of re- ligion 302 Its ejfeff on readers of moderate talents 303 Why the matter even offermons may be more commodioujly drawn from Hutchefon and Shaftsbury, than from the Scriptures
304,
What kind of fermons left fuit the prefent
times 30 5*
Which mufl be treated with indulgence ', not
f ever it y 306
Concerning a late Introductory 'Difcourfe,
&c. on the fubjett of miracles 307
Whether that T>ifcourfe is T>eiflical, or not
308
What is neceffary to f nip a T>eijl 309
The ufe of a peculiar fyftem to every one,
who would be eafy in ^Deiftical principles
310
'Upon 'what grounds the *Deifts are charged
<with vanity ^ and whether juftly 311
Of the 'Deiftical writers, and firft of Lord
Herbert 312
The advantages arifng to 'Deifm from the
nobility and great talents of this writer
3-1 Of Hobbes, and his peculiarities 3 14
Of his talents •> of his defign in writing the Leviathan 3 1 f
Of
C ON T E NTS.
Of his defgn in publifiing it page 3 1 6
Of confer (ions from 'Deifm, made by the
terrors of death 317
Of Blounr, and his Oracles, &c. 317, 318 Of the Author of the Char after iftics — Of
his benevolence 319
Of his humility and delicacy 320
His cenfure of the Englifh writers 321
His Lordftip's writings examined by the
rules of true good-breeding 322
Whether piety is not effential to true good-
breeding ibid.
Whether the fame may not be f aid offincenty
Of 'good-humour ; and humility 325"
Whether, in talking toperfons we have a re- fpeft for, good-manners will allow us' to indulge ourfehes in long digrjfions, in wild flights of imagination, and in an affected obfcurity 326
Whether good-manners will permit us to cen-
fure one man for the faults of another, or
to condemn a whole body of men by the
lump 327
Whether good-breeding will allow us to offer arguments in converfation, which we will not flay to hear anjwered, or to intermix thofe arguments with invecJives 328
Whether
CONTENTS.
Whether one who hath travelled, and is skilled in the polite arts, rmay, confidently with good manners, take a great deal of fains, on all occafions, not only to [hew he, hath travelled, and is an adept in thoj'e arts, but to upbraid others with their ig- norance therein, and their never having been abroad. Thefe ingredients in the idea, of good-breeding applied to his Lord/kip as a writer Page 33°
His Lordfiitfs new alternative for religion proposed for the ufe of the Great, and the Refined 330, 331
His new criterion of truth considered 332
His Lordjlip's method of finding out the right rules of criticifm from the excellencies of his own performances 333
His method of quoting himfelf by references, and giving no other coherence to his wri- tings, than what is found in his Index
334
His principle concerning natural and unna- tural affettions examined 337, 336
Whether his 'writings, both as to matter and Jtyle, are proper precedents for young Gen- tlemen to form their principles, their ways of thinking, and manner of exprejfing themfelves by 337
Why his performances are fo much liked by young Gentlemen. The effects of this 338
O/Toland ib.
VOL. I. d Of
CONTENTS.
Of his birth, literature, talents, principles, and mijjlon page 339
Of the province committed to his pen 340
Of the ill treatment he received from his brethren, and of his epitaph 34,1
Of Collins, and whether the Inquijition is eftablifked in England ibid.
Of his Grounds, &c. and of tie fine er it y ob- fervable in his profejjing himfelf a Chri- ftian, and writing on the JubjecJ of pro- phecies 342
Concerning his difcourfe of free -thinking, and the honefty of the author difco'vered therein
343 Of Tindal, the great Apojlle of T>eifm. Of
his changes in refpeff to religious profejjlon ; of the advantages he drew from thence
344
- Of his morals, and their tendency to re com- mend his writings 345
Whether a writer can be held to the confe- quences of his affertions 345-, 346
Of his prayers, and whether his I aft famous book is 'really a defwiceofChriftianity 346
Of Mandeville, andthe fable of the Bees \ of the confonancy between his and HobbesV idea of human nature 347
Of the diffonancy between his, and that, of Lord Shaftsbury 348
Qf their agreement about particular evil, and general good \^ . 349
Of
C;O N T E N T S.
Of the Independent Whig. Concerning the profejjions made in that book., of regard for the Minijlry and Chriftianity page 34,9
Of the invectives levelled therein againft the Clergy > of the ufeful tendency of thofe invectives 3 f o
Whether the defign of that work is really to ferve the caufe of Chriftianity 351
Whether the writers of it were Chriftiam, or not -y and who were ejieemed by themy as good, and who as bad Clergymen 35-2
The one only anfwer that can be given to this book. Why in this book f aft ing is confi- dered rather as a fin, than a duty
Whether fafting is of any ufe in fubduing
our paffions 35-5
Whether high-feeding and luxurious living*
tend tOjinflame the pajfions 35-6, 357 Woolfton 358
DodwellV Chriftianity not founded on argu-
ment. "Thefcheme of this book 3^9
Human nature requires two things in order
<>^c to its becoming truly religious , what they
are 35-9, 360
Whether reafon muft be intirely cajbiered, in
order to our continuing Chriftians 360 Whether a man muft wholly ceafe to be a
Chriftian, before he can, with fufficient « fairnefsj inquire into the merit of the con-
trover fy about Chriftianity 360, 561, 362 d 2 Of
CONTENTS.
; and why remarked on together page 363
Whether, if God made a revelation, he was difappointed of his intention in fo doing. Whether Chjiiftianity admits of a defence, Jmce thefe two writers failed in their tit- tempt to defend it 364, Morgan'.? tour of opinions both in religion and phyfc, and the fuccefs of it. ChubbV in- fpiration 365 Variety of fyjlems in the. writings of Chubb; whether the poft humous works, afcribed to himy are his or TindalV 366 ChubbV extraordinary genius, and his new gofpel 367 Whether he or the other four Evangelifls, knew left how to write the hiftory of Chrift
368
Les Mceurs -y or Manners ; whether this book
is 'Deiftical or not 369
Of the morality contained therein •, the ideas
it conveys of marriage 370
The ft He and genius of this boak 371
Of other 'Deiftical writers, and of a book in-
• titled, Heaven open to all men 372
What other fort of performances the Deiftical
writers might excel in, did they apply
themfefoes to them 373
I Whether dark 'dealings, and low artifices, be-.
come the charter of an hero. ' Whether
4 the
•wv.4
CONTENTS.
the arts of Deiftical writers are owing to cowardice or prudence page 374
The thief of opinions 375
The ufe of matter foreign to the controverfy about Chriflianity in managing that con- troverfy. The Clergy, with their beha- viour and maintenance 376 Ridicule 377 Charity and zeal 378 Whether charity canfubfifl without zeal 379 Of the refutations of Chriflianity drawn by Deiftical writers from the works of Di- vines 380 The ufe of obfcttrity in ^Deiftical writings } the liberty promifed inthofe writings 381 Tbe great propensity of young Academicians to Libertinifm. Novelty a great pro- moter of it 382 Mr. Puppy invents a new kind of picktooth* and then a new religion 383 The oppofite methods and means by which Chriflianity and Libertinifm were propa- gated 384 The flile of the Gofpel ibid. The fpirit of Chriflianity 385- How the practices of Libertines ilhiflrate their principles. People of little under- flanding are led into principles of different kinds by the admiration in which they hold the writings of eminent authors 3*87, 388
Nothing
CONTENTS.
Nothing more eafy than to determine the me- rits of the controvert) about religion, in a fummary way ; and nothing more difficult, in the way of learning 385?, 390
Whether the epithets of antient and wife, or of modern and ignorant, belong to the prefent age 391
Whether the prefent age is difpofed to a fur- ther improvement in knowlege, or to bar- bar ifm 392
Ofafpecies of readers, called Skimmers 393
Whether a Libertine or a Chriflian is the moft likely to be a man of virtue 394, 39^
Whether Libert inifin is of a good or evil ten- dency, in refpecJ to the State 396
Whether freedom and infidelity can ever be found together in the fame people 397
Whether the prevailing regard for the me- mory of Cromwell ; is confiftent 'with the republican principles of thofe who profefs it, and whether that, together ivithfome other peculiar difpojitlons of the Times, is a fign of health i or a fymptom of diforder, in the political body 398, 399
The motives, that render our Libertines fo induftrious in propagating their principles, 'not eafily feen into by their enemies, and therefore difficult to be judged of 400
Whether thefufpicion, that they are emiffa- ries tf the Tope, is u, -ell grounded 5 whe- ther
CONTENTS.
ther tfye Tapifts^ who are oppofers of Li- berty, would endeavour to propagate Liber- tinifm page 401
Whether they 'would make a conference of turning Trot eft ants into 'Deifts -, or whe-
r\fher -it would be prudence in them to at- tempt it 40 2
Whether Je/uitSj properly qualified for pro- pagating *Deifm in England, could be found
403
Whether fome of our moft noted ^Deifls may not be fuppofed to have been Tapifts 403,
404
Whether Tapifts might not as well propa- gate *Deifm, as Fanatic /fm $ and whether a T>eift is more likely ', than a Fanatic, to turn Tapift, efpecially at the approach of death 405-
Whether the 'Dei/Is ought to be fufpefled of Topery for ujlng the arguments of Tapifts againft cur Church, drawn from its de- pendence on the State 406, 407
Or for ujlng their arguments againft the Scriptures -, or for attacking Chrijlianity on Trot eft ant principles 408
Or for quoting Troteftant, not Topijb Di- vines 3 or for admitting a kind of pur- gatory and indulgence, &c. 409
Whether Topery could difpenfe with a Ta- pift's propagating 'Deijm v
CONTENTS.
The conclufan ,.v..
A generous overture
^De dined 412
Another 413
This alfo declined out of a regard to duty
End of the Contents to VOL. II
ERRATA.
VOL. I.
pAge 226. Line 4. for myfterial, read myfterioas. P. 267, 1. 25. /.good, r. God.
VOL. II.
P. 89. 1. 4. /. rules, r. rites. P. 93. 1. 24. f. prefervations, *•. preservatives.
0 <P H 1 0-
OP HIO MACHE S:
OR,
DEISM Revealed
DIALOGUE i.
CUNNINGHAM* TEMPLETON, SHEPHERD.
P
Decbaine. f*\ ARSON, a good-morning to you. Does you? pretty little garden al- ways raife you fo early ?
Shep. During the fpring and fummer it does ; and at other feafons I have other things to call me Up, for the moft part, before five in the morning.
Deck. Mr. Templeton^ be acquainted with Mr. Shepherd. — Mr. Cunningham, let me prefent the Par- fbn of our Parifh to you.
Sbep. Gentlemen, I am much obliged to you for this favour. Pray will you walk into that turret, and be feated ?
Decb. Here I fuppofe you ftudy.
Sbep. I read and fleep in the room above •, and, when any body comes to fee me, here we fit.
VOL. I. B
2 Delfm Revealed. Dial. I.
Decb. Who lives in the little houfe, thro' which we entered the garden ?
Sbep. It affords flicker to a poor relation, and his wife, with two fervants.
Decb. I am told, you are flill a fingle man yonr- felf. How comes it to pafs that, in fo long a time, you have doubled neither your perfon nor your chin ? You don't faft and mortify furely ?
Sbep. It is no fault in me, that I am not married ; For my circumftances are but narrow : nor is it a merit, that I am not fat ; for my ftate of health is but indifferent.
Decb. How modeft ! with another you would turn all this to Saintfhip.
Sbep. No, Sir, I am as far from that fpecies of diffimulation as yourfelf.
Deck. It is a long time, Shepherd, fince you and I were firft acquainted.
Sbep. Upwards of thirty years, I believe.
Decb. I haye been now three months your land- lord and neighbour, and you have never been to fee me. This, I think, was not kind.
Sbep. Indeed, Sir, I went to your houfe with that defign •, but your fervants faid you were not at leifure. Had my vifit been a thing of any con- fequence to you, I fuppofe they would have told you I was to pay my refpecls.
Decb. Methinks, however, you might have come a-fecond time.
Sbep. It is a common remark, that poor Clergy- men are too intruding on their wealthy neighbours. Their conduct, which in this refpecl is generally thought forward, and troublefome at leaft, is afcribed to low and unworthy motives. It was for this rea-
fon,
Dial. I. Deifm Revealed. 3
fon, Sir, that I thought proper to keep my diftance, till you fhould fignify a defire to fee me. The gentleman, from whom you purchafed this eilate, came every Sunday to Church, while he was in the country, and generally afked me to go home with him. This hath been hitherto the cuftom here ; and as it gave me fometimes an opportunity of feeing good company, and at the fame time defended the gentleman from my vifits, excepting at fuch feafons as were mod convenient to him, I think it was a very good one.
Decb. Altho* I do not go fo often to Church as my predeceflbr, yet I hope my way of ferving God is not the kfs acceptable for being lefs public and ihowy.
Shep. You miflake rne, Sir; I did not intend to put you on the defence of your conduct in relpect to religion ; I only intended to apologize for my own, in point of civility.
Decb. Ah Parfon ! 1 believe I can guefs what you intended well enough •, but I muft tell you, the great ftrefs, laid by your order on the mere externals of religion, is of ill confequence to the thing itfelf, and leads your hearers to believe, that running to the Church and the Sacrament may atone for great de- fects in matters of more real importance. Befides, your particular forwardnefs in reproving, or fay it were only in throwing out hints like this, by which the conduit of men in ftation is arraigned, as it proceeds from a miftakett zeal, if not from pride, anfwers no other end, but to difoblige, and to ren- der your perfon, and of confequence your advice and function, difagreeable. Your brethren, who know the world better, have, generally fpeaking, found B 2 this
4 Deifm Revealed. Dial. I.
this method fo difobliging and unfuccefsful, that they have been forced to lay it afide, and betake them- felves to a conduct more conformable to the times. Since the ceafing of miracles, and other divine in- terpofitions, the Church, I think, can fcarcely be fupported by any other, than human means. You muft therefore ply to the world, you mud keep in with the great ones, you muft cultivate their good graces, and engage their countenance and intereft, or I muft tell you, in a little time you will have no Church at all. And take my word for it, Sir, this is not to be done by reproofs and fuch-like freedoms, but by an infinuating and foothing behaviour, by making the duties of religion eafy and agreeable, by fhaping thofe and your own carriage to the politenefs and freedom of the times you live in.
Shep. As to the duties of religion, it is not in my power to change the fliape of them, and I think them agreeable enough to well-difpofed perfons, as our Saviour and his Apoftles left them. As to my own carriage, I do not pretend to juftify it. All I can fay is, that I muft fpeak the truth on pain of my own eternal ruin ; and I do not take myfelf to be- any further anfwerable for the effecT:, than as I may happen to hinder it by an improper manner of ad- dr effing myfelf to thofe with whom I have to do. Now, in that refpeft, I endeavour to difcharge my duty with all the little prudence and conduct I am mafter of. When I have not the fuccefs I could wifli, altho* I am very apt to blame my own weak- nefs for it ; yet I cannot help thinking it in fome meafure owing to the difmclination of thofe whom I fpeak to. You, Sir, I believe, will own I have not yet attacked you in a very rude or (hocking ftile.
Cttnn.
Dial. I. Deifm Revealed. $
Cunn. The ftile indeed was not uncivil ; but your hint was, I think, a little early in a convention but juft commenced.
Dech. It was not altogether on account of Mr. Shepherd's infmuation about my not going to Church, that I took the liberty, of offering my mite of advice, but becaufe I find he is cenfured by many people, and even by fome of the Clergy, for too much bold^ nefs and freedom with men of power, in what he takes to be his duty of reproving ; and the idea of his temper, which remains upon my memory, fmce our acquaintance in the College, made me think a little advice, tending to foften his conduct in this ar- ticle, not altogether unnecefifary.
Cunn. So far from it, that, if I miftake not, he who knows the temper of the age we live in, muft be lenfible the Church, and the interefts of the Clergy, are not to be fupported, as you juft now hinted, but by being well with the great.
Shep. That may be ; and yet, if I be not guilty of the imprudence charged on me, the advice that hath been given me is better intended, than applied. But I hope, Sir, I need not prove to you, who are a Clergyman, that the Church of Chrift hath promifes from fcripture of more than human afliftance ; nor need I remind you, that it gained ground and pre- vailed in oppofition to all the policy and power of greater perfons, than the minifter of this parilh hath occafion to difoblige.
Dech. It prevailed indeed, as you fay ; but, upon recollection, you will find it did not gain ground, no not a foot of ground, until it had gained the great ones to its party.
B 3 Shep.
6 Deifm Revealed. Dial. I.
Shep. The Church lands then, and the wealth of the Clergy, are what yon mean by the Church •> and in that fenfe of the word perhaps you may reafon juftly : but I mean by it, the whole body of Chri- ftians, united in one Society, for the prefervation of Chriftian principles, and the practice of Chriftian duties. Now the Church, taken in this fenfe, is never more in danger of ruin, than when its Clergy facri- fice the interefts and great ends of their function to worldly views ; when they mince and qualify their doctrines to the palate or pride of their hearers ; and when people, impatient of all reftraints, and averfe to plain and falutary truths, do all they can to keep them at a diftance from their confciences. If the Clergy are to confider themfelves as God's Ambafla- dors, they will fpeak freely ; and, if the people look upon them as fuch, they will receive their meflages with fome degree of refpect, or decency at leaft.
1'ewp. God's Ambaffadors ! 1 thought my Lord Shaftjbury had fo fully expofed their Spiritual Excel- lencies on this claim of honour, that none of them would ever have talked in that ftrain any more.
Decb. They do ftill affume that ftile in country congregations ; but I believe Mr. Shepherd is fmgular in ufing it to fuch people as us. Ah Shepherd! Shepherd! I remember, when we were in the College together, I prophefied concerning your future for- tunes. Did I not tell you then, boy as I was, and little acquainted with the world, that your warm temper, and high notions, bordering on enthufiafm, would never do, when reduced to practice ; that you would make enemies to yourfelf, inftead of friends to the Church ; that you would be always poor and defpifed, and live, if not die, a martyr to your airy
notions ?
Dial. I. Deifw Revealed. j
notions ? And was I not too true a prophet ? Could Ifaiab himfelf have predicted a chain of future events more exactly ? Your liberty of fpeech hath offended thofc among the Laity, who could have ferved you, and even given umbrage to the Bifhops.
Sbep. And did I not prophefy too ? Did I not tell you, I fliould be; very indifferent about thofe events, and poftpone all fuch confjderations to the difcharge of my duty, if God fhould ever think fit to admit me into the fucred office, which I have now the honour to fill?
Dech. And fo you would not accept of a fat Deanry or Bifhoprick ? A likely thing indeed !
Sbep. You never heard me fay fo. ' I would be glad to take a better benefice than the one I am now pofifefied of, if it were offered me -, but this does not hinder me from living contented on my prefent in- come of four-and-thirty pounds a year, and my little farm, from which I draw near as much more.
Dech. The fame turn of mind runs thro* all the Clergy. They are a mighty fpiritual fort of men ; yet they grafp at all the temporalities they can lay their hands on. Why, Shepherd, you are a mere Pope, or German Bifhop, in miniature ! While one part of you is foaring in fermons, pfalms, and prayers i the other, and that the larger, is groveling in the earth, and growing to this naughty world, which you would perfuade us to be fo much out of hu- mour with. The farmer fhews the parfon is not alto- gether fatisfied with his condition. You are juft as difcontented as any other man in the like circum- ftances •, but the pride of your heart, which will not let you ftoop, will never fuffer you to climb. You B 4 aim
8 Deifm Revealed, Dial. T.
aim at wealth and greatnefs, like the reft of your tribe -, but be affured on't, digging and grumbling never made a great man yet.
Sbep. And I know they never will. In the mean time I do neither -, nor have I any talent at thofe more fuccefsful arts of rifmg you recommend to me, than which nothing can be more foreign to my pur- pofe ; for, I thank God, my defires are as low as my circumftances. Pray Mr. Decbaine, are you ever un- eafy becaufe you are not a King ?
Decb. No indeed ; I never was once difturbed by fo wild a thought.
Sbep. Nor I, by any expectation fo chimerical, as that of better provifion in the Church, after hav- ing behaved myfelf in fuch a manner, that, unlefs mankind were made over again, I could have no reafon to entertain fuch hopes. I eat, drink, fleep, and drefs, to all reafonable intents and purpofes, as well as you do ; and what more mould one defire ? I have no family to provide for. I have none of thofe anxieties, not to fay remorfes, that attend the making, managing, or fpending, a great fortune. In a word, I have found by fweet experience, that there is no difference between a great and a moderate income, but what is either in favour of the latter, or elfe arifes wholly from a perverted imagination.
Decb. The old man ftffl! I tell thee, Shepherd, J am far from believing there is any thing more than grimace and hypocrify, in all you have been faying on this fubjeft thefe thirty years paftf It is true I heard a very great Clergyman, fince I came into the country, do you the honour to compare you to Car- dinal Spada, who, while the Reformation was going
on
Dial. I. Deifm Revealed. g
on brifldy in Switzerland, went thither, and engaged in warm difputes with Proteftants, in hopes they would put him to death for his religion •, but, to his great difappointment, found them a very peaceable and well-conditioned people. This reflection fprung from fome inftances that had been given in company of your flaming zeal againft the prevailing opinions of the times. However, I no more believed you was feeking for the crown of martyrdom, than I did, that his Reverence, who entertained us with this fneer at your expence, would fnatch it from you, and put it on his own bacon-head. I believe I underftand you better. As you have no friends, you fcheme upon the idle reputation of great zeal, difmtereftednefs, and merit, in hopes by thofe means to force fome Bifhop to provide for you. But the Bifliops know too well how to unriddle fuch a conduct, and form very dif- ferent notions of your merit, from thofe erected in that proud bread of yours. Nothing on earth can be more airy and whimfical, than hopes founded oa a fcheme like this, which I think the woful experience of twenty years might by this time have put you out of humour with. Be advifed by a friend to enter even yet, for perhaps it may not be too late, upon a more prudent courfe. Give a more genteel cut to your principles, at leaft to your profeflions. Be more obfequions to men in power. Endeavour to wriggle yourfelf in with their favourites, and do not neglect to cultivate even their fervants. Let the Bi- fliops have your attendance. Pay them the court they expect. Be always a conformift to the com- pany you are in. Let the principles or practices of your acquaintances, efpecially your great acquaint- ances, point which way they will, befure you go
i
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along ; for no good, no reformation of them, nor promotion of yourfelf, is to be expected from con- tradition and oppofition.
Sbep. I hope promotion in the Church is not to be obtained by fuch arts as thefe ; and as to the Bifhops, I have no reafon to think fo meanly of them, as to hope, that any court I could pay them, would induce them to prefer me to more deferving objects of their favour. Akho' the times are fuch, that it is not to be fuppofed, report is kinder to them than they deferve, yet I queftion, whether at any time fince the eftablifh- ment of our Church, that order ftood higher in the juft efteem of all who are competent judges of either their abilities or behaviour. This alone is fufikient to prevent in me the leaft hope of their regard, at lead of obtaining it by fuch means as you recommend, which they have too much fenfc not to fee thro', and I too little addrefs and obfequioufnefs to employ.
Dech. Be always poor and defpicable then. There are fome men of fo unhappy a make, and cafl in a mould fo uncouth, and crofs to ail the courfcs of the world, that unlefs the world will bend to them, their advancement in it is impoffible. A perfon of this ftamp is always in the wrong, and therefore always unfuccefsful in every thing he undertakes.
Sbep. How much more happy is he, who is fo framed by nature, and prepared by art, as to be al- ways in the right, who never errs in his reafonings, nor fails in his fchemes ! Nothing about fuch a perfon as this can go wrong. His very watch partakes the infallibility of its owner, and is always in the right.
Dech. If your hint is intended for me, give me leave to fay, I think the reputation and fortune, to which I have raifed myfelf by acting on maxims quite
oppofite
Dial. I. Deifm Revealed. n
oppofite to yours, (hew in good carneft, I have been much oftener in the right than your Reverence, and that to much better purpofe.
Sbep. Not unlefs you have alfo raifed yourfelf to higher contentment than mine.
Decb. Contentment! Do you think an eftate of four thoufand a year, great reputation and bufmefs at the bar, and an honourable place at court, can afford a man nothing above contentment ? I have laboured for the wind indeed, if that only felicity of beggars is all I can extraft from fuch ample means. Take my word for it, Parfon, my fortune affords me plea- fures, to which a fat capon at a Chriftening, the higheft delight you know, is not to be compared.
Shep. My ignorance of them makes me fadsfied without them, and I mail take your own word for it, that you are happy enough, provided you have pre- fer ved the confcience and character of an honelt man, which is not always the cafe with thole who have amafled vaft fortunes in the fpace of a few years.
Decb. As to my reputation, I can appeal to my bufmefs for the moft folid kind of voucher in its fa- vour. People of high rank, and good underftanding, do not ufually truft their fortunes to Lawyers of fmall reputation. As to my confcience, the late Mr. Tern- pleton, father to this young Gentleman here, left him it the age of fifteen, with an eftate of five thoufand a year, and upwards of fifty thoufend pounds in mo- ney, to my care ; and no one can fay, I have not dif- charged this important truft like a man of honour. I have improved his fortune ; I have given him a polite education ; and I have bred him a defenfive Lawyer, infomuch that it will hereafter be in his power, at leaft to preferve what he has.
12 Deifm Revealed. Dial. I.
Sbep. You forget to tell us with what principles you formed his mind, that being, in my opinion, a matter of far greater confequence to him, than all his wealth, Jaw, and politenefs.
Decb. What if I inftiHed no principles into him at all ; but only endeavoured to root out thofe he had before?
Sbep. Provided they were bad ones, you did one half of what a good friend fhould do.
Decb. They were fuch as a forry Parfon, and two or three nurfery-maids, thought fit to obtrude upon an ingenuous nature, that needed noinftruction.
Sbep. It may be, the principles were good for all that. You fay you gave him a polite education ; did you not, among other things, take care to have him well inftru&ed in mufic, dancing, and riding the great horfe?
Decb. I did.
Sbep. His mind mud be of a very different make From the minds of other men, if it did not require to be taught certain internal fciences, analogous to thofe, and infinitely more ornamental, as well as ufeful. Pray Mr. Templeton have you read my Lord Shaftsburfs charafteriftics ?
Temp. Yes, Sir ; and think them very fine per- formances.
Sbep. I guefled as much by your quoting him a little while ago. You do not forget, I fuppofe, what he fays concerning the internal mufic and harmony of
Temp. He fpeaks incomparably on that, as well as all other topics.
Sbep. Does he not take the grofs of mankind to be
void
Dial. I. tieifm Revealed. 13
void of that harmony, and the grace of moral aflion, refulting from it ?
'Temp. I think he does.
Sbep. And does he not endeavour to remedy this great defect in his readers ?
'Temp. He does.
Deck. Ay, and it was in order to give the young mind of my ward an happy and graceful turn, that I put my Lord Shaft sbur-fs works into his hands, as foon as ever he came under my care •, and directed Mr. Cunningham, who was his tutor, to imprefs the notions of that incomparable writer as ftrongly on his mind as poffible.
Sbep. If they were better fitted to anfwer that end than the principles he had imbibed in the nurfery, you did very well: but it feems, I mifunderflood you ; for I thought your whole endeavour, on the article of his education, had been to root out the principles of the nurfery from a nature fo ingenuous as to need no inftruftion.
Dech. My Lord Sbaftsbury hath an admirable hand at rooting out the exotic weeds of a wrong education, __ • which is in my opinion the only work of education worth labouring in ; for, as foon as they are removed* the beautiful and wholfome plant of virtue, which is natural to the foil, {hoots up without any furdier cul- ture, and quickly comes to maturity.
Sbep. It is very well. Every thing, I find, may be taught, but Chriftianity ; and all that is faid againft inftruftion in general, is levelled only againft Chri- ftian inftruclion. And pray, Mr. Cunningham, did you not fometimes think it an odd employment in a Parfon to eradicate from the mind of your pupil the principles of God's word, and to implant, in the place: of them, a Syftem of Dcifm ? Cunn.
1^ Deifm Revealed. Dial. I.
Cunn. What if I did not look on the principles I found -in him, as derived from the word of God, but rather from the fuperftition of an ignorant Clergy- man, and two or three filly women ? And what if I think my Lord Shaft shiry.^ who was a man of can- dour and honour, fincere in his frequent profeffions of Chriftianity ?
Sbep. Be fo good, Mr. Templeton, as to let us know whether the fubftance of what you was taught in the nurfery, is not contained in the Catechifm of the Church of England, and whether you was not made to get the Catechifm itfelf by rote.
Deck. There is no need of catechifing at prefent either Mr. fempteton or his tutor. As to the latter, at whom I perceive you are ftriking in this fly inquiry of yours, I take him to be full as found a Chriftian as yourfelf, without any of that ftiffnefs, or fournefs, or formality, that render your fort of Chriftianity fo troubiefome to yourfelf and others. You don't care for him perhaps, becaufe you may have heard he was educated at Glafcow, where, if we may judge by thofc, who come from thence, the minds of young perfons are formed to a much more open and liberal turn, than in the Univerfities of England. The good effects of his education appear in his behaviour, which is humane and prudent. I do believe he hath not a fmgle enemy upon the face of the earth. He hath many and powerful friends, and hath already rafted the fruits of his own merit, and their attach- ment to him, in two rich benefices, which he is now in the enjoyment of. Nay, I think I may afifure him, his rife in the world is not yet at its meridian.
Cunn. You are always very good, Sir -, and I mail
have more merit a great deal, than I dare think my-
i ftlf
Dial. I. Deifm Revealed. \$
felf pofleffed of, if I can deferve the fmalleft part of your favours. While I am fo happy as to be well with fuch perfons as you, I have enough to comfort and defend me againil the envy of lower people.
Decb.T HAVE been, I know not how, diverted A from mentioning to Mr. Shepherd the occa- fion of our vifit. Pray, Parfon, do you often hold forth to your plain congregation on fuch topics as em- ployed you laft Sunday ?
Shep. Very feldom, Sir.
Deck. Why, fo I thought. It was then, I fup- pofe, to honour us on our firft appearance in your Church, that you chofe to be fo refined.
Shep. It was not with a view to do you any honour, that I preached as I did, but to lay before yon fome reafbnings which I judged proper for your confi- deration.
Deck. And why proper for our confideration, I pray you ? Had any body told you we were Liber- tines or Deifts ?
Shep. I have indeed heard it faid, that you are but too inclinable to Deifm, and that you have brought Mr. Temple ton partly into your own fentiments about religion. I was the more confirmed in my fears, that it might be fo, by your not coming to Church, and by what hath been lately whifpered about the neigh- bourhood concerning an odd fort of induftry, faid to be ufed by you, in propagating loofe principles among our country Gentlemen over a bottle, both at your own, and fome of your neighbours houfes. Thefe things laid together, gave me occafion to recollect, that, when we ftudied at Oxford, you even then began
to
1 6 Deifm Revealed. Dial. I.
to difcover the feeds of libertinifm, particularly by fpeaking flightly of feveral matters in the fcriptural hiftcry •, and I remember, one day, more efpecially, you undertook to prove, that the Theatre was by far a more magnificent and fumptuous building, than the Temple of Solomon.
Decb. I am not much furprifed, that your country- people, who are but an ignorant and clumfy fort of .folk?, can't tell how to diftinguifh between one's talk- ing freely on certain points of religion, purely for the fake of fpeculation and exercife, and making a folemn confefllon of one's faith by a creed ; but the inge- nious Mr. Shepherd^ who had his education in a place where every thing is difputed, amazes me, when I hear him recollecting the remarks of a boy, to con- firm thofe of his ignorant neighbours, upon a liberty, which we cannot be deprived of, without finking im- mediately into Barbarifm.
Shep. There is the more occafion, you fee, for thofe who defue to be thought Chrillians, to take care how they fpeak in the hearing of fuch people as us.
Decb. It is of no confequence what opinion Squire this one, and Parfon t'other one, entertains of one's principles, unlefs principles are afTumed for Ihew and parade. But, fuppofing I was really a Deift, could you have the vanity to hope, that, by flipping your fierce triple-headed Cerberus of a Sermon at me, you might bark or worry me out of my way of thinking ? Indeed, Doctor, the fermons of you Clergy have but little weight with people of any tolerable tafte or un- derftanding. The brute thunders of the Pulpit can neither hurt nor frighten any, but the Vulgar.
Shep. I never intended to frighten, much lefs to hurt any body, by my fermons ; and in that particu- larly.
t)ial. I. T>eifm Revealed. • 17
larly, which, it feems, you have taken offence at, I am fure there was nothing, that could either hurt or ter- rify thofe for whofe ufe it was defigned.
Decb. That is very true, and I am fure there was as little that could convince. It could have no effect any way, but to fatisfy the underftanding part of your audience, that the Parfon was a weak man ; and had you been modeft enough to think fo before you preached it, you might have faved yourfelf the trou- ble of an impertinent harangue, that kept you about forty minutes longer from your beef and pudding, than there was any fort of occafion for.
Shep. Yet, as long as I am convinced I was doing my duty, nothing you can fay, even though it were, if poffible, more genteel and witty, than your jeft about beef and pudding^ fhall make me wifh it undone.
Decb. Blefs us! how polite we mail grow under the corrections of a country Parfon ! But enough of this. Do you really think you could fupport the po- fitions you undertook to prove in that fermon, now that you are out of the pulpit, and one may have word about with you ?
Shep. I think I can, and will very readily undertake it, provided you will promife to moderate the keen- nefs of your wit a little, and enter on the point with fomewhat lefs contempt for the reafonings of a man fo far below you in circumflances. If we do not con- tend for a mere triumph, but feriouQy fet ourfelves to fearch for truth, reafon, even from me, will have its full weight with you ; and I fhall readily fubmit on my fide, as foon as ever reafon mews itfelf on yours.
VOL. I. C Decb.
,|8 Deifm Revealed. Dial.!.
Deck. Agreed, agreed ; do you however take your own way of arguing, and don't pretend to tie me to it, becaufe I am as free to ufe mine.
Shep. With all my heart.
Deck. If I forget not, the chief pofitions, on which the reft of your difcourfe depended, were thefe : ift, That the evidence of pojfible faffs, faid to. be done in ages long fmce paft, is matter of faith. 2dly, That he who denies fuch faffs to have been done, can found his di/ent on nothing elfe but faith. And, gdly, That, of confequence, he who denies the hiftorical fart of the Chriftian religion, the faffs of which are all pqffible, cannot be fure it is falfe, can only believe it to be fo. Do I rightly reprefent the points you en- deavoured to prove, and afterwards to draw conclu- fions from, in your Sermon ?
Shep. You do, Sir, in the faireft manner.
Dcch. Thefe doctrines were new and furprifing to me. But before I enter upon the difcuffion of points^ that may poffibly carry us out into fome length of de- bate, give me leave to premife, that altho* I fre* quently may have occafion to ferve myfelf with the arguments and exprefllons of a Deift, you are only ^o confider me as perfonating a man of Deiftical prin- ciples, merely for argumentation's fake •, and let me at the fame time allure you, Sir, that I am fmcerely a Chriftian.
Shep. May I then fpeak to you, without offence, as if it were to a profefled Deift, provided I underftand yotr to be no more than arguing, merely for {pecula- tion, in the character and malk of a Deift ?
Dech. You may ; and I in return will confider you as arguing, merely for your bread, in the character and malk of a Chriftian. & •:-.,
i Shep.
Dial. I. £5etfm Revealed. ig
Shep. Well, that will mew a kind of benevolence in you as humane and tender, as if it had fprung from the heart and pen of a Sbaftsbury himfelf. Be pleafed to proceed.
Deck. \ S to your firft propofition, namely, that the /Y. evidence of pojjible fatts, faidtobe donein ages longfmce-paft, is matter cffaitb,Irezdi\y grant it. We can only believe fuch facts, they being in them- felves neither felf-evident nor demonflrable. But, before we go any further, it will be proper to obferve to you, that as faith is the loweft and weakeft among the three degrees of aflent, fo it is that only, and no more, that can be afforded to Chriflianity.
Shep. It is very true. But as a demonftration, which, in the order and progrefs of knowlege, follows from, and depends on felf-evidence, if it is once fully and fairly made out, juftly claims as intire an aflent, as felf-evidence itfelf, fo there are, in fome cafes, cer- tain degrees of report and credibility, to which an aflent, as full and intire, is given by all men, as to the moft felf-evident or demonftrable propofitions.
Decb. Pray, Sir, will you favour me with an in- ftance or two ?
Shep. Were you ever at Conftantinople, Sir ?
Decb. Never.
Shep. Yet I believe you have no more doubt there is fuch a city, than that the three angles of a triangle are equal to two right ones.
Temp. I am fure I have not.
Decb. Nor I ; but what then ?
Shep. Pray, Mr. Dechaine, did you fee Julius C<efar aflaffinated in the capitol ?
Dsch. A pretty queftion ! No, indeed, Sir.
C 2 Sbep.
lo Deifm Revealed. Dial. I.
Shep. Have you any doubts about the truth of what is told us by hiftorians concerning that memo- rable tranfaction ?
__ * , n
Not the leaft.
( N c »« i M( j n • o't Vr^t^fri t*
^^. Pray, is it either felf-evident or demonftrable to you, at this time and place, that there is any fuch city as Conftantinople* or that there ever was fuch a manasGf/ar?
Deck. By no means.
Shep. And you have all you know, concerning the being of either the city, or the man, merely from the report of others, who had it from others, and fo on, thro* many links of tradition ?
Dech. I have.
: niLc 3iK aJlil •v.mimLU DC*£ Shep. You fee then, that there are certain cafes, in
which the evidence of things not feen^ nor either len- fibly or demonftrably perceived, can juftly challenge fo intire an afTent, that he who mould pretend to re- fufe it in the fulleft meafure of acquiefcence, would be defervedly efteemed the moft ftupid or perverfe of mankind.
Dech. Suppofe I mould, to fhorten our work, grant you all this ; are you fo weak as to imagine you can put the facts related in the four gofpels, or any of them, for inftance the refurrection of Jefus, on the fame footing of authority and evidence, with the af- faffination of C<efar ?
Shep. If I cannot put it on an higher and firmer foundation, I ill defer ve the pay and livery of my Mafter. Let us, however,for the prefent, keep clofe to the method prefcribed to us by the three propofitions, cited from my difcourfe. And, as to the firft, with the obfervation you juft now introduced under it) tend- ing to Ihew, that the evidence of the Chriftian religion
is
Dial. I. Deif?n Revealed. 21
is of the weakeft kind, altho' I think I have faid enough to prove that kind of evidence capable of cer- tainty, yet I am far from being fatisfied with your granting it merely to fhorten our work ; and fliall therefore beg leave to obferve to you, that the mod important affairs of life are founded and tranfacted upon this fort of evidence. A merchant trufts all his fortune to advices from foreign countries, fuch as that there are cities, commodities, traders, in Turky or China, none of which he ever faw, and often relies on factors, with whom he is not in the lead acquainted. On this bottom is built all foreign commerce, and even the greater part of our domeflic trade. The civil and military lifts are paid by it, and every thing you, or his Lordfhip, or his Majefty, enjoys, that is better than acorns and water, are derived from it. The Judge determines property, and liberty, and life, by oaths, which are only the evidence of things not feen by him ; and neither he nor all the Lawyers upon earth can find out any other evidence, more to be depended on, for the execution of law and juftice ; nay, the nature of thofe important matters mentioned doth not, in one cafe among ten thoufand, admit of any other evi- dence. The King is reprefented, and his power ex- ercifed, by Sheriffs, Juftices, Conftables, &c. whom he never faw, and in places vaftly remote ; and fub- jects obey them fo far as to furrender their goods, li- berties, lives, without ever having feen either his Ma- jefty, or his commiffion •, nay, his Majefty himfelf never faw one among a thoufand of the commiflions, by which his authority is delegated. From hence it may appear, that wealth, liberty, property, life, place, and fociety, depend almoft wholly on faith 5 and that Kings, Judges, Merchants, the wifeft of C 3 men,
a a Deifm Revealed. Dial. I.
men, as well as the weakeft, are obliged to fee with other peoples eyes, to hear with other peoples ears, to judge by other peoples reafon, and to act by other peoples hands, over the face of the whole earth, and in matters of the laft confequence.
Deck. And are they not often deceived by trufting to imperfect lights, by confiding in other peoples eyes and judgments ?
Sbep. They are indeed ; but I think not oftener than by trufting too confidently to their own. The pur- blind man muft fee for himfelf ; and the half-witted wretch muft judge for himfelf; and thofe who can fee very well, muft take upon them to diftinguifh ob- jects, that lie beyond the verge of fight ; and thofe who have good judgments, muft canvafs and decide fuch points, as are above human comprehenfion and reafon^ This proceeds from pride j and what is the confequence ? Why, an infinity of errors in matters of fenfe, and of ftrict and undeniable demonftrations, that are really falfe.
'Temp. The Doctor hath ftruck out a beautiful field for thought, that is intirely new to me.
Sbep. And yet, Sir, one would think there is fcarcely a day in which the common affairs of life might not fuggeft it to one.
'Temp. It is very true, and I now wonder how it could efcape me. So it fares with the proofs for the being of a God. The world is full of them ; every atom of matter carries an evidence for that great truth •, and yet I know not but an ordinary eye might gaze for a long time on the fun, an animal, or a tree, without tracing the connexion between thofe works of wifdom and their Author, if no-body hinted it to him.
Sbep.
Dial. I. Dezfin Revealed. 23
Sbep. Your obfervation is good, and thofe who had the care of your education, ought, I mould think, to have taught you the ftrength of moral evidence long ago. They might have led you thro* great part of this field, as you call it, the hither fide of it being open time out of mind.
Cunn. Reflections thrown upon his education, now that he is full five-and-twenty, and can think for himfelf, turn to flouts upon him, rather than his tutor.
Temp. If there was a flout intended, I believe it was not for me ; however, I wifh the appearance of it had been avoided.
Sbep. All I intended, Sir, was to mew you by that inftance, that, notwithstanding all the boafts I have heard of the open and candid education you have got, certain notices of the greateil confequence may have been induftrioufly kept out of your fight, and, with the fame intention, others, as prejudicial, thrown in your way. This hint, which, for ought I can fee to the contrary, may be very neceffary to you, neither Mr. Decbaituh two great eftates, nor Mr. Cunning- ham's two fat parifhes, high as they fet them above me, can hinder me from repeating to you, becaufe I have fome reafon to think it concerns your happinefs in this world and the next.
Dech. We are obliged to believe your duty forces you to be rude, and fo muft bear with you the beft we can. But let us return to your fecond propofi- tion ; which was this, that he who denies fuch poffible faffs as are Jaid to have been done in ages long Jince t can found bis diffent on nothing elfe, but faith.
C 4 Sbep.
24 Delfm Revealed. Dial, I.
T
.JL
H O P E that point will not detain us long, becaufe I think it feems to be almoft evident in itfelf.-.> v^^
Deck. To me I am fare it appears exceedingly ftrange. I thought faith had been the very reverfe of difbelieving ; that it had confided in actually and pofi- tively believing ; and that he who hath not faith, is called in Scripture, and by all the world, an unbe- lieverv { .... in too
Sbep. That is but playing with words. Are there not four kinds of evidence ; and, correfponding with them, four kinds or degrees of aflent ?
Decb. There are ; namely, Self-evidence^ Demon- ftration* Probability ', and Credibility : And the aflent given to the firft, is Intuition ; to the fecond, Know- lege ; to the third, Opinion ; and to the fourth, Belief.
Sbep. Do you intuitively perceive, that pomble facts, faid to have been done in former ages, were not done ?
Decb. No.
Sbep. Can you demonftrate, that fuch facts were not done ?
Decb. Not, unlefs there were other facts to render thofe impracticable and impoffible.
Shep. But you cannot demonftrate, that there ever were fuch other facts.
Decb. It is very true.
Sbep. It follows then, that you can only believe, fuch facts were never done ; for as you cannot de- monftrate, fo neither can you render it probable, that fuch facts never happened,
• ,<3i rrnoh-xf lljjoa 54 aiul H33d bns /,-; :il§nCK^
Decb.
Dial. I. Delfm Revealed. 25*
Decb. Not fo faft, Sir. The third head of your difcourfe was to this effect -, In conference of what bath been laid down in the two former propofitions, be who denies the hijlorical part of the Chriftian Religion^ the faft s of which are all pojfible, cannot be fare it is falfe, can only believe it Jo to be. Let me obferve to you, Sir, that no degree of teftimony can ever prove an impoffible faft to have been done ; and that if the higheft degree of teftimony is oppofed by as high a degree of improbability, the opinion founded on the one will deftroy, or at leaft fufpend, the belief that may be claimed by the other.
Sbep. This I readily acknowlege.
Decb. In confequence of this, I muft infift, that if fome of the facts delivered in the Gofpel-hiftory, be impoffible, or extremely improbable, this will de- monftrate that hiftory to be falfe, or at leaft put the negative faith of a Deift, if faith you will call it, on a very firm foundation.
Sbep. I own it will.
Decb. To avoid prolixity then, let us fix on a fingle fij#, among feveral of the fame kind, and confider a little, whether it be not impoffible, or ex- tremely unfeafible. If I miftake not, Jefus himfelf put the truth and reality of his Meffiahfhip on his rifing again from the dead ; fo that, if he did not actually die, and rife again, he could not have been that Son and Mefienger of God, he gave himfelf out for.
Sbep. He did,
Decb. Pray now, in fober and good earned, was that a very poffible faft ?
Sbep. I think it was. If our Saviour had not thought fo, and been fure he could perform it, he
had
26 foeifm Revealed. Dial. J.
had fenfe enough to have put the truth of his mif- fion on fomewhat more within his power, or to avoid the leaving it to any further trials.
Deck. For my part, that which is againft nature, I fhall always think impoflible. The iaws of the creation are ftated and invariable things, and, as long as the world lafts, make fuch a reunion of foul and body, fuch a revivifcence of a dead carcafe, as im- pofiible, as it is for water to burn, or fire to wet us.
Shep. They certainly do, unlefs the power of God, who made all things, and can alter them as he pleafes, fhould fufpend thofe laws, and, by a force fuperior to them, fhould compel matter to produce effects con- trary to theirs. To reftore a dead body to life, is at leaft as eafy, as it was to give it life at firft.
Decb. But before you fly to the power of God, in Order to account for fuch an amazing fact, you would do well to confider, whether it is confiftent with the Majefty of an Almighty Being, who can bring about all his purpofes in a natural way, whofe works do not, like thofe of men, need to be taken in pieces, in order to be mended, to break in upon his owii*fcheme of creation by an act of violence, that muft plainly ftiew him fenfible of a defect in what he had made. His works are all perfect, and the moral part, which is the moft excellent of his works, being the moft perfect of all, cannot be fuppofed to want afiiftance from any fufpenfion or reverfal of the natural
Sbep. Does not morality confift in the goodnefs or badnefs of actions ?
Decb. It does.
Sbep. And can any action be either morally good or evil, if the agent hath it not in his power to do it, or let it alone ?
Decb.
Dial. I. Deifm Revealed. 27
Decb. It cannot.
Shep. All moral actions therefore, as fuch, depend upon the freedom of the agent, to do that which is good or evil.
Decb. No doubt on't they do.
Shep. Now man, who is a free and moral agent, may do that which is evil.
Decb. He may.
Shep. As this is the privilege of men in general, Ib men in general may do evil, and be wicked. -svjjj,
Decb. This I grant.
Sbep. It follows therefore, that irregularities and defects may arife in the moral world, thro* an abufe of the aforementioned privilege, notwithftanding the perfection, in which this part of the creation may have been fent into being. Now to remedy thefe defects, if they mould at any time happen, and be- come general, bring the means from whence you will, can be no unreafonable object of God's goodnefs ; and we cannot, I think, without great prefiimption, fay, either that God would not, or could not, for a time at lead, fufpend or reverfe the laws of the material world, for fo excellent a purpofe. Now this fuipen- fion, or reverfal, is as natural, as the courfe of nature itfelf; for what is nature, but the free-will of God exerted in the works of creation ? The fupreme will, .Sir, may act as naturally, and as wifely, when at any time it inverts the common courfe of things, as you do, when you turn back the hand of your watch, in order to bring it near to the time of day. Thus I hope it appears, that both in refpect to the fact itfelf of the refurrection, and to God the Agent, it may have been pofllble enough, unlefs it be faid, that there were no defects nor corruptions in the mo-
0 • ral
28 Deifm Revealed. Dial. I.
ral world, that required a reformation ; or that the miracle of our Saviour's refurrection, no more than the reft of his miracles, could be judged by God to be a proper proof of the Reformer's mifTion.
Dech. And may not this be laid ?
Shep. It may ; but not, I think, with any mew of reafon. There was wickednefs enough in the world, at our Saviour's coming, to make a reformation ne- cefiary. The wifeft of the Gentiles, as well as the Jews, thought fo ; and that the miracles, particu- larly the refurrection, wrought in proof of our Sa- viour's mifiion, were very ftrong and effectual argu- ments in favour of it, and therefore worthy to be employed by the Divine wifdom for that purpofe, may appear evident to any one, who confiders, not only the nature of the cafe, which to human appre- henfion feems incapable of any other fatisfactory proofs, but alfo the conviction actually wrought by their means in prodigious numbers of people, who, had they not been eye-witnefTes of demonftrations fo irre- fiftible, could never, by any other means, have been induced to fuffer and die, as they did, for facts fo hard to be believed, and for principles fo irreconcileable to the corruptions of human na- ture.
Decb. As to the difficulty of believing fuch facts, you will not furely infift on that as an argument for your faith, fmce, in the apprehenfion of every fober perfon, it muft appear an infuperable obftacle there- unto.
Sbep. Ordinary facts are believed upon common report, or even flight appearances •, and therefore, in refped to fuch, miftakes are eafy and ufual ; but no one will become evidence for a miracle at the ex- pence,
Dial. I. Deifm Revealed. 29
pence, or even rifque, of his life, without the higheft and ftrongeft conviction the nature of the thing will bear.
Temp. Surely the refurrection of Cbrift, or any other man, cannot be a thing impoffible with God. It is neither above his power, nor, when employed for a fufficient purpofe, inconfiftent with his majefty, wifdom, and goodnefs.
Dech. Well, Templeton^ die Parfon is likely to make a very ftrong believer of you. He could not reafonably hope for a more forward difciple.
Temp. It is not juft now that I began to think the refurrection pofllble.
Dech. No, I believe not. You probably thought it fo, ever fmce you was fed with that, and other the like food for babes, in the nurfery. Children fuck in marvellous tales at a ftrange rate, and find it dif- ficult to clear their heads of them at a riper age.
Temp. That is not my cafe, if I know any thing of my own mind. I think it, in itfelf, a very ama- zing fact ; and, were it not well attefted, mould never believe it ; but I muft be excufed, if I can fee no impoflibility in it, nor in any of the miracles faid to have been wrought by Cbrift, or his Apoftles. What do you think, Mr. Cunningham ?
Cunn. I do not think it impoflible.
Sbep. So much, at lead, I expected from you. But what if it mould, all things confidered, appear highly probable ?
Dech. That, I believe, you will find it hard to prove, take what you will into coniideration.
Sbep. If fin, univerfally fpread, brought univerfal death into the world, if it was worthy of a compaf- fionate God to lend fome one into the world to take
away
30 Deifm Revealed. Dial. I.
away fin, if miracles were the beft proof of his mi£ fion, if his own refurre<5lion was the mofl convincing miracle that could be wrought, and at the fame time carried with it the moft experimental affurance of an happy victory over all the effects of fin, and a com- fortable renovation of the moral world, and if it was as eafy for God to raife up his Son from death, as it is for one man to awake another out of deep, I think the refurrection of Cbrift very far removed from im- probability.
Dech. Ay, very far, no doubt on't ; but methinks you took a great many ifs to eke out that argument.
Shep. I intended it rather as matter for you to form arguments out of, and as an appeal to common fenfe, than as a regular fyllogifm, raifed by mood and figure.
Deck. Oh ! Sir, you may fpare yourfelf the trou- ble of furnifhing me with matter.
Sbep. But, Sir, while you throw into one fcale the improbability of certain facts related in the gofpel- hiftory, and aggravate it as much as you can, give me leave to put into the other that authority, and thofe vouchers, on which the credibility of the facts objected to is founded, and hint a little the weak authorities the Deifts are forced to fupport their oppo- fite faith with, in relation to thofe facts. We are all, both Chriftians and Libertines, believers ; but which fide believes aright, is the point to be confidered.
Dech. If it is, proceed to it.
Shep. Thofe believers, whofe faith is to rely on the truth of the Chriftian hiftory, reft their affent on a written report, made by eye-witnefles ; which report the various Churches and Sects, jealous of one another, took care to preferve genuine and uncorrupted, at
leaft
Dial. I. Dsifm Revealed. 31
Jeaft in all material points, and all the religious writers in every age fmce have amply attefted. That the firft fpreaders of this report were competent witnefles, can hardly be queftioned, when it is confidered, that, in refpect to facts, they only reported what they faw ; in doing which they were fo far from having any intereft, that they forfeited every comfort and plea- fure of life, and life itfelf, for the fake of gaining followers to a better. In the cafe of ordinary facts, indifferent witnefifes may fuffice ; but, when miracles were to be recorded, Providence, for the fatisfaction of diftant places and ages, gave witneiTes, who embraced the terrors of death to confirm their tefti- mony, who, if I may be allowed the expreflion, were fworn on their own blood to the truth of their evidence. The Libertine believers, on the other hand, whofe faith confifts in a perfuafion, that the Chriftian religion is an impofture, found their opi- nion on that of the Jews, who perfecuted and cruci- fied Chrift, and on that of the Romans, who put his followers to death, by way of anfwer to the doctrines they taught, and to the evidence of the facts they reported. From them only can any teftimony againft: Cbrijl, or his followers, be derived. Now as it is plain, from a favourite principle in Libertinifm, that they were prejudiced againft Chriftianity by their per- fecuting it, their teftimony is not to be relied on. The Jews caufed our Saviour to be put to death, left the Romans mould come, and take away their place and nation. And the Romans, if they had fuffered the Chriftian religion to fpread itfelf without oppofition, faw they muft have given up their Gods, to whom they were blindly bigotted, and their vices, to which they were ftill more ftrongly attached. They * therefore
3 2 Detfm 'Revealed. Dial. I.
therefore let themfelves tcl refute it with fire and fagot, and thought to fubdue it, as they had done every thing elfe, by force. To believe in Vouchers like thefe, againft the teftimony given in favour of Chri- ftianity, is to have a ftrange redundancy of faith. Yet no one contemporary Jew or Roman hath left any thing on record, to invalidate the truth of our Saviour's refurrec~lion, or the reality of any one mi- racle, in the Gofpel-hiftory ; fo that the Libertine is deftitute of any teftimony to found his faith on, and is forced to build on the mere cruelty of tyrants and perfecutors.
Dech. The Chriftians had the world long enough to themfelves to deftroy all records and memorials, that made againft them.
Shep. And fo the faith of a Deift refts upon this, that there might have been fuch records, and that thofe records might have been fufficient to expofe the falfity of the Chriftian hiftory. Prodigious faith ! not refembling a grain of muftard-feed, but like a mountain ! Indeed I have not feen fuch, no not among Papifts. But, Sir, had there been fuch tefti- mony as you fpeak of, againft the refurrection, and other miracles of our Saviour, his religion did not then want enemies as bitter, and as watchful to de- ftroy it, as the modern Deifts, who- certainly had not failed to ftifle it in its very birth, could they have brought fo good evidence againft it.
Decb. The Chriftian religion, for many years, ran fo low among the people, was confined to fo ob- fcure a corner of the world, and made, in every re- fpect, fo inconfiderable a figure, as not to come even into the notice of perfons fufficiently awake to an inquiry about the proofs either for or againft it. All
this
Dial. I. Z>effm Revealed. 3 3
this time its own ignorant preachers were heaping up vouchers to fupport it •, and thofe who might have produced a better fet to refute it, having either never fo much as heard of it, or thought it not worth their while to trouble themfelves about it, took no care to record the marks of impofture, which, confider- ing the extravagance of its pretenfions, could hardly efcape the notice of fenfible obfervers, had there been fuch, who thought it worth their attending to. It grew, like a weed in fome neglected ground, to a large fize, before it was feen by any, who had eyes to fee in things of fuch a nature.
Sbep. Surely you muft be miftaken. At the time" when Chriftianity was introduced into the world, the Jews were a very fenfible and knowing people, and Jived intermixed with Greeks and Romans^ whofe un- derftanclings had all the opportunities of being well cultivated and enlightened, that could be expected in the moft intelligent age of the world. The Jews were then in great expectation of a Mefliah, and the Romans were alarmed at certain prophecies, im- porting, that the Eaft was about to give a King to the whole world. When Cbrijt appeared, his miracles made too great a noife, not to draw the attention of mankind, and the religion he preached with all ima- ginable boldneis and freedom, fo directly oppofed the notions, fo feverely reproved the vices, both of Jews and Gentiles, and drew after it fo many followers, as could not fail to excite, not only the curiofity, but the refentment of the world. Although the firft preachers of Chriftianity were men of mean condi- tion, yet fo great was their fuccefs in making con- verts, fome of whom were by no means in the lower clafs of mankind, that it was impofiible for their ad- VOL. I. D verfaries,
34 *Delfm Revealed. Dial, I.
verfaries, the Roman and Jewijh rulers, to be indif- ferent to the progrefs they were making. Our Saviour, and his Apoftles, were arraigned, crucified, ftoned, &c. infomuch that the caufe of Chriftianity was pleaded before high-priefts, governors, and kings. Nothing in the world was farther from being done in a corner. It was openly preached to the greateft cities in the world, and even in Rome itfelf as early as the reign of Clau- dius ; and that the greateft men in the world did not look upon it as an obfcure or inconfiderable bufinefs in that of Nero, is but too plain from the inhuman per- fecution it underwent at that time. Now, Sir, had our religion betrayed itfelf by any primitive figns of impofture, it is plain they could not have pafled un- noticed, nor unrecorded, confidering the ad verfaries it had to deal with, whofe power, policy, and ma- lice, had they been helped out by the detection of only a few impoftures, muft infallibly have fupprefled it in its very infancy. I hope, Sir, it will feem un- neceflary to vindicate the Deifts from the charge of infidelity by any further arguments, fmce it hath already been fufficiently proved, that they are be- lievers of a very high clafs.
Decb. You will find it an hard matter, I believe, to draw any advantage to Chriftianity from fo fingular a pofition, were it never fo fully proved on the one fide, and granted on the other •, for if faith is fo very firm a foundation to build on, in matters of this na- ture, as you reprefent it, we Deiftical believers may, after all, perhaps with more fafety truft our caufe to it, than you can do.
Sbep. It was not in order to bring any argument from thence in favour of revelation, that I endea- voured to prove the Deifts to be believers ; but that, 1 after
Dial. I. Deifm Revealed. 3 $
after all their dealing in demonftrations, and pre- tending to certainties, they might have the mortifica- tion to lee themfelves (landing at leafl on no higher nor firmer ground, than their adveriaries, that is, on faith, a principle fb long delpifed, and Ib feverely ridiculed by them all.
Deck. Oh ! but fince you have fo cleverly raifed this ground under us, as well as yourfelves, to a level with demonftration, we fliall not for the future have Ib much reafon to be afhamed of it.
Sbep. I have not raifed it all fo high. . There is a part of it left for you to fland on, that is low and flippery enough. Your faith, when clofely exa- mined, will be found to have all the properties of a weak credulity, which you fo contemptuoufly, and fo unjuftly, afcribe to ours. You build it either on the fuppofed impoflibility of facts, as eafy to be per- formed, as it is for you to walk and fpeak ; or elfe on the oppofition given to our religion by the moft partial adverfaries, by the very worft and cruelleft of mankind, who have left you no teftimony againfl its miracles, but their inhuman perfecutions, nor the leaft argument againft the purity of its doctrines, but fuch as arofe from the ftupid abfurdity of their own principles, and the wild licentioufnefs of their own vices. The oppofition of fuch men is fo far from giving you any foundation to build on, that no one thing in the world can fpeak fo ftrongly in behalf of Chriftianity ; for fo great is the tenderncfs of human nature in the worft of men, that they never choofe to refute by the fword, when they can do it by argu- ment •, and, befides, this demonftrares, that while the grounds of your faith were maintained by human power, thofe of ours were fupported by die Divine. D 2 Decb+
36 <Deifm Revealed. Dial. I.
Deck. And fo yours is a Divine faith ?
Sbep. Yes, Sir, this alone is fufficient to intitle it to that epithet ; for nothing but the power of God could have upheld a religion againft the aflfociation of all the policy, and power, and corruptions, of the world.
Dech. But for all this oppofition, given to your religion by the Jews and Romans, you have no other evidence, but the teftimony of men ; and therefore your faith is purely human.
Sbep. Our faith is the fame with that of the firft Chriftians, and therefore originally Divine. Altho', however, it fhould be allowed, that we in thefe re- moter ages have nothing elfe to found our faith on, but the teftimony of men ; yet this is rendered fo full and clear, in refpect to the prodigious progrefs of Chriftianity in fpite of perfecution, by what is left on record in the writings of enemies, as well as friends, that nothing of this nature can be more firm and certain, than the grounds of our faith. But once we are perfoaded, be it by what argument it will, that the New Teftament is the word of God, our belief that God will make good to us the promifes con- tained therein, is an act of truft in, and dependence on God ; and therefore merits the appellation of Divine faith. However, Sir, I am very far from grant- ing you, that our faith concerning the truth of the Scriptures refts intirely on the teftimony of men. Thofe writings are, on all hands, allowed, and known -to be very antient, more antient by far, than tnany events foretold in them. Now the completion t>f fuch prophecies, as relate to thefe events, is a late, a prefent atteftation, given by Providence, to the truth and genuinenefc of thofe writings ; and
there^
t>ial. t. Dei fin Revealed. 37
therefore, on this fcore, our faith, relying on the tefti- mony of God, is a Divine faith. But you Chrifli- ans, before the publication of a late treatife («), had a furer way of proving your faith to be Divine, namely, from the atteftation given to it by the in- ward workings of the Holy Ghoft upon your own minds. This, however, you do not infift on now, not only becaufe that treatife hath bantered you out of a pretence fo bold and groundlefs, but becaufe fuch continual infpirations, being known only to yourfelves, cannot be urged as proofs to us.
Shep. You wholly miftake the matter. We to this day actually infift on the reality of the thing.
Cunn. Enthufiafts do ; but men of fenfe have long fince difclaimed thefe extraordinary convictions and experiences.
Shep. Men of fenfe then have difclaimed the Scrip- tures ; for in them we are told, that by grace we are fayed tbro' faith ; and that not ofourfehes ; // is the gift of God. The external teftimony given to our religion, is fufficient to excite an hiftorical faith in. the worft of men, and even in devils ; but this faith is only a foundation for fears, not for a new life and converfation, nor for the comfortable hope of an happy immortality. A lively, operative, and effec- tual faith, is never found, but where the Spirit of God hath raifed it by his immediate grace and affift- ance. After faith hath taken poffeflion of the under- ftanding, fomething further is neceflary to urge it home upon the heart, in order to give it a fufficient afcendency over the will and affections. Now this is the work of God only, iwthout whom we can do nothing.
(a) Christianity not founded on argument.
D 3 Decb.
38 Deifm Revealed. Dial. I.
Deck. Do you not look upon the effectual faith you fpeak of, as the only fpring of a good life, and the only inftrument of your falvation ? Sbep. I do.
Decb. How then can your good actions be deemed virtuous, or held rewardable, fince, in refpedt to the faith that produces them, you are but mere machines, moved and acted on by the Divine power ?
Sbep. We lay no ftrefs on the merit of our good actions, nor are we fo prefumptuous as to claim a reward from God •, we only hope for his mercy. However, as we do not hold the grace of God to be irrefiftiblej if we have any thing to recommend us in his fight, it is our yielding up the reluctant motions of a corrupt and degenerate heart to the dictates of his Holy Spirit. As often as we do this, and, in con- fequence of it, betake ourfelves to a life of piety and virtue, we demonftrate to all, who know us, the prefence and power of God within us ; for a good life is a miracle, exceeding the ftrength of man, and to be hoped for only from the hand of God. Thus, Sir, every good Chriftian can as fully prove to others, as fatisfy himfelf, that the Divine Being is both the author and finijher of his faith.
Decb. After all, he is a ftrange fort of a good man, whofe goodnefs is not his own.
Sbep. He is a much better man, who will fuffer hirn- felf to be made good by another, than him, who hav- ing no goodnefs of his own growth, will fuffer none to be grafted or planted in him.
Decb. Whether we fuppofe the happinefs of another life to be the mere effect of faith, or to follow the good actions produced by faith, the fuppofition will be equally abfurd. All actions are to be eftimated by the prin- ciples
Dial. t. Deifm Revealed. ^p
ciples and motives, from whence they proceed. The good actions of a Chriftian proceeding from his faith only, and his faith neither proceeding from his choice, nor depending on his power, I cannot fee how either the caufe or effect can recommend him to God, who approves only of thofe who are good by choice, and, we may prefume, will never condemn thofe who are wicked only thro' a want of that faith, which he hath not given them.
Sbep. He will never condemn any man for a want of that goodnefs which he hath not afforded him the means of. But when the evidence of an hiftorical faith in Chriftianity is beftowed on any man, if he re- fifts that evidence, it is not to be expected, that God mould inlpire him with the more practical kind of faith, which can never be found, where the hiftorical hath not firft taken place.
Dech. If the hiftorical evidence is fufficient, it can- not be refitted ; if it is not, we are in the right to re- ject it.
Sbep. But whether it is or not, can never be known to any man, till he hath fairly and fully weighed that evidence. Moft men have their faith in their own power, and find a way to believe as they pleafe, be- caufe they can turn away their minds from the evidence on the one fide, and attend to that on the other ; they can read fuch books, and converfe with fuch perfons, as lean the fame way with themfelves ; and, if they fhould at any time do otherwife, the evidence for a dif- agreeable perfuafion, being received with fome aver- fion, hath little or no effect. There is nothing more common than to find men deaf to all arguments that thwart their interefts or pleafures, and yielding an eafy afient to fuch as fall in with either. Now, as thinking D 4 under
40 Deifm Revealed. Dial. T.
under fuch a byafs is certainly vicious, fo thinking with an honeft regard to truth only is as undoubtedly vir- tuous. But if an article of faith is propofed, the na- ture and tendency of which are calculated to promote virtue, to allow the evidence of that article of faith its full weight, is virtuous in an higher fenfe ; and to refiife a due attention to it, or to refift it, in cafe it is fufficient, is, we muft own, criminal in a very high degree. If the faith of a real Chriftian leads him to virtue, and if that faith is in fome meafure the effect of his own choice, his faith is itfelf a virtue. If, on the other hand, the faith of a Libertine is at all chofen by himfelf, and tends in the lead to make him wicked, then his faith is not only or fimply an error of his judgment, but alfo the reigning vice of his heart. Confidered as an error, it is fo grofs, fo fuperftitious an excefs of faith, that I cannot help advifing thofe who are addicted to it, as the beft means to preferve the reputation of good fenfe, which they claim, to a little more incredulity. Nothing lays a man fo open to all manner of impofition, as a ftrong faith erected on a weak foundation. Confidered as a vice, I forbear to expatiate on it, being unwilling to give offence, and not knowing how far what I mould fay might concern the perfons, who have done me the honour of this vifit.
Deck. Do you really imagine we Deifts have no principles to make us virtuous, becaufe we reject the fictitious or compulfory principles of revelation ?
Shep. Your creed may contain other articles of faith, better founded than this we have been confidering. As, no doubt on't, you think it does, will you be fo good, Sir, as to give us it at large? This act of con- delcenfion might afford us an occafion to enter more
folly
Dial. I. Deifm Revealed. 41
fully into the points already confidcred, and alfo to handle fome others of no lefs importance. The Deifts, and indeed the Libertines of all degrees and denominations, are accufed as men of dark and deep defigns, who artfully attack the principles of other men, and ftill more artfully conceal their own, feldom declaring themfelves by their writings in favour of any particular fyftern of opinions, and, when they do feeming frequently to contradict one another. J have read over, with all the attention I was mafter of, the celebrated performances of my Lord Shaftsbury\ Mr. Collins, Mr. Toland, Dr. Tindal, and fome others of lefs note ; and, to my great concern, altho1 I can per- ceive what it is they would overturn, yet I cannot fo ealily and clearly difcern what they intend to eftablifh, any further, than that they labour to recommend the religion and law of nature, inftead of revelation ; and that their readers may gather, in fome few inftances, what they maintain by what they deny. This obfcu- rity, proceed it from whence it will, is turned againft them by their adverfaries, and afcribed by fome to the crudity or evil tendency of their tenets, by others, to artifice and chicane. Now I think it concerns them much to remove this unhand fome reflection by an open declaration of their opinions, both for truth's lake, and their own. You will pleafe to pardon me, Sir, if I be too prefuming in this requeft.
Deck. As the Deifts are far from being dogmatifts,' fo no one of them attempts to impofe his own notions on the reft, or thinks himfelf obliged to follow thofe of the greateft man among them. They leave to others to think together in Churches and nations, and take the liberty each man to think freely for himfelf. Yet this doth not hinder them from harmonizing in
main
42 Dclfm Revealed. Dial. f.
main matters •, and thofe I will fum up to you in a few words, their tenets being few and plain. And as to the artifice, with which they have been malicioufly charged by their adverfaries, you will fee fufficient reafons afiigned for it in feveral pafiages of the Cha- rafferifticS) and in Chriftianity as old as the creation. Riveted prejudices cannot be beaten down by regular attacks ; nor can the oppofite opinions be introduced, without fome difguife. Befides, nobody, you know, would care to rifque his own fafety with a fet of per- fecuting antagonifts, who are ready, on all occafions, to argue with us from acts of parliament, and to call us to an uncouth fort of difputations before courts of judicature, where bigotry often prefides on the bench* and always reigns in both the boxes.
Shep. You are very obliging, Sir ; and in my opi- nion do more honour to Deifm, by frankly telling us what it is, than he who thinks it wants art, either to conceal or infinuate it.
Decb. Sir, it was not becaufe the Deifts were afhamed of their principles, that they chofe to intro- duce them with fo much addrefs, and under the co- lour of more received notions. A little art was ne- ceflary to render old prejudices difagreeable, and take away the ftrangenefs of new truths. But now that people do, generally Ipeaking, lean rather to our fide, we make lefs fcruple of declaring what we hold, and begin to open our fyftem by degrees.
Dial. I. Deifm Revealed. 43
lie Deiftical Creed.
i J f\ H E Deifts maintain, that the light of nature JL is fufficient to difcover to every man, without inftruction, all that is necefiary or expedient for him, as a moral Agent, to know (a}.
2. By this light every man perceives there is a God (£), that is, a being of infinite goodnefs, wifdom, juftice, mercy, power, who is eternal, immutable, and perfect ; who, being infinitely happy in himfelf, made nothing for his own fake, and confequently feeks no honour nor fervice from his creatures, it being im- pofiible for their actions, be they good or bad, to affect him in any fenfe (c) ; and who, as Governor of the world, takes care to make his will fufficiemly known to all his fubjects (d).
3. It appears by the light of nature, that the law, or the religion, by which God governs the world, and which is written in the heart of every man, is enforced, not by future and uncertain fandtions, but by the pre- fent pleafure ever attending on a good action, and the prcfent remorfe infeparably annexed to an evil one(?) ; that to do good merely thro* hope of reward, and to abftain from evil, merely thro* dread of punimment, hath neither virtue nor goodnefs in it (/) -, that to aft up to the dictates of that nature, which God hath given us, is the way to pleafe God ; and to do other- wife, is to affront, difhonour, and difpleafe him(^);
(a) Chriftianity as old as the creation, chap. 1,3. Shaftf. In- quiry concerning virtue. (i) Chr. as old as the creation, chap, i, 2. (C) Chap. 4, & 5. (cf) Chap, i, & z. (e) Chap. 3. (/) Chap. 14. (g] Chap. 3, 13, 14.
that
44 Tklfm Revealed. Dial. I.
that the natural light, which fhines in the breads of all men, and enables them to difcover the fitnefs of things, in which co'nfifts the law of nature, is divine ; and that this law is eternal, and indifpenfable, and binds the actions of God himfelf (£).
4. The Deifts maintain, that alcho* the dictates of natural religion are univerfal, and plain to all men, yet, fince men have been led away from them by craft and fuperftition, it is neceffary to reduce them to the light of nature again by difcourfes oral and written (/). But, however,
5. As the more knowing kind of men may do this For the more ignorant, there is.no neceflity, nor even, the leaft occafion, for calling in miracles and divine revelations for this purpofe ; and therefore they deny the reality of any revelation (k).
Here is an amiable and glorious fyftem of princi- ples. In this all fuperftition, and prieftcraft, and ty- ranny over the minds and opinions of mankind, are kid afide. In this the Deity is truly reprefented, not as in your fcheme of religion, full of wrath, indigna- tion, jealoufy, impofing arbitrary and ufelefs com- mands on free and rational beings, and placing his honour and glory in feverely exacting obedience to fuch impofitions ; but full, of lenity and indulgence to the infirmities of his creatures. In the next place, here is a law, not depending upon authority and traditions, not darkened by hyperbolical and figurative expref- fions, not mutilated by interpolations, corruptions, and imperfect or wrong tranflations, not capable of
(*) Chap. 13. (/)Chap.8. (*) Chap. 7. For
this fee the whole book, and all other Deiftical writings.
being
Dial. I. Deifm Revealed. 45
being explained away by arbitrary, or fplit into oppo- fite and contradictory doctrines, by various and fanciful interpretations, but written on the heart of every man in capital lettersj^> Place a man in what circumftances /you piealeT and thofe circumftances (hall fuggeft his duty to him. The whole creation is his teacher, and the relations and fitnefies of things are his {landing monitors. He thinks for himfelf, and becomes his own cafuift, divine, and priell, without either ex- pence or trouble. TN*» vjr^e of individuals, and the peace and happinefs of focieties, are not built by this fyftem on a mere belief of future rewards and punifli- ments, but on rewards enjoyed, and punifhments in- flicted, by the confcience of every man, immediately upon his doing a good or evil action. This difpen- fation, far from being partial, like fome other pre- tended ones, is communicated univerfally to all ages and nations ; its found is gone out into all lands, and its words unto the ends of the world. It is to reduce mankind to this univerfal and natural law, it is to turn away their eyes from falfe and foreign lights, and fix them on this internal illumination, that the great phi- lofophers of this age do labour in their writings and converfations with a force of reafon, and a fublimity of foul, which the whole Helvetic body of thofe who militate in the caufe of revelations are ftrangers to.
Sbep. You have almoft perfuaded me to be in love with Deifm.
Dech. Almoft! Why, Shepherd, I know you are a man of fenfe, and therefore can hardly take you for any other than a real Deift in your heart, altho' your craft, and the fubfiftence you earn by it, compel you to profefs the contrary ,
Shep.
46 Detf/n Revealed. Dial. I.
Sbep. Your compliment to my underftanding, Sir, cofts me too much, in point of fincerity, to be re- ceived. I am not yet aDeift, nor can the moft rapid torrent of eloquence or wit carry me down with it to Deifm, unlefs its principles are fupported by clofe and convincing arguments. If you can bring fuch in its favour, you will then have the honour of converting to it an honeft and candid inquirer after truth.
Dech. Would you really profcfs yourfelf a Deift, if you were thoroughly convinced of the truth and foli- dity of our principles ?
Sbep. You know, Sir, as well as any-body, how little I have to hinder me from making fuch a pro- feflion, did it appear to go againft my confcience, no more than it does againft my worldly intereft. You yourfelf would take care your convert mould not die a martyr to your principles, merely for want of ne- ceflaries.
Decb. Your prefent income of thirty-four pounds a year, as you intimate, ought not to tie you to difin- genuous profefiiens -, and it would be very hard, if I could not provide for an honeft fellow, of my own making, at a better rate than that. If all other expe- dients failed, I could procure or purchafe you a much better living than this, furely, which you might leave to the care of fome forry curate, and fpend the re- mainder of your days in the enjoyment of the town, and my table, and in writing, as fome very ingenious Divines, whom I could name, have done, in defence of fuch doctrines as feem to put Chriftianity on a new and clearer footing ; but tend, in the conclufion, intirely to overturn it.
Sbep.
Dial. I. Deifm Revealed. 47
Sbep. Whether you are in jeft or earneft, this, I am afraid, would feem fomewhat bafe and difingenuous ; tho% now I think on't, if I could once heartily clofe with the principles you recommend, I ihould probably make but little fcruple or difficulty of ufmg fome art in the fupport of opinions fo foothing and beneficial tome.
Dec h. Ah Parfon ! you are very fly. However, I am ready to defend the Deiftical Creed againft all your objections, and {hall leave your future conduct to your own difcretion. But as this defence will take up a good deal of time, are you willing we mould pafs a few mornings together for fo good a purpofe ?
Temp. O, by all means. Mr. Shepherd does not feem to be fo diffident of his caufe as to decline it. If I was well enough acquainted with the gentleman to afk a favour, I would beg his compliance with this overture, as a fmgular kindnefs to me.
Sbep. Sir, I do moft readily agree to it, both for your fatisfaction, and my own information.
<fbe End of the Firft DIALOGUE.
DIALOGUE
r, io ilotn t* * •*'• K*t ob.I tirt.tjMtoft' ifir 01 3iofrt jWi;<fi^»"^. f'l"( biuoa usfi* ,?> n. i 'to 1 !j r»* >;tl 10 1
ii fli *- <i ob i .gflfeiom sdj .'Ti
[49]
DIALOGUE II
DECHAINE, CUNNINGHAM,.
TEMPLETON, SHEPHERD.
En tie men, I am very glad to fee you here fo early. It is however matter of fur- prize to me, that you fhould be abroad at this hour, when fome others of your rank are but going to bed.
Deck. I have been always an early rifer in the country ; in town I am a conformift.
'Temp, For my part, I am never fo chearful as the day I rife betimes. Lying long in bed relaxes the fpring both of body and mind. As early hours in the morning are impofiible without early hours over night, and as moft of our excefles are committed by candle-light, I do not know any thing that would contribute more to virtue, than a rule, or fome call of bufmefs, that could roufe one every day at five or fix in the morning. I had formerly a fettled prejudice againft poiitive duties; but the great fer- vice, that might be drawn from fuch a duty for this purpofe, reconciles me a little to inftitutions of that nature i fo that I begin to doubt whether we do not really ftand in need of them, and to wifh we were obliged by fufficient authority to rife always at five in the morning. It would deliver us from a cuftom infinitely prejudicial to health, and virtue, and
VOL. I. £ give
50 Delfm Revealed. Dial. IT.
give us a longer and an happier life. I honour him much who faid, He that lengthens bis nights Jbortens his days.
Deck. When you make a revelation, ?empleton> you may take care to put in this new pofitive infti- tution j and that you will not in time become a pro- phet, or a revealer, I am by no means certain. You was feized with fome flight fymptoms of enthu- fiafm in this very place on Tuefday laft ; and they feem to grow upon you fo faft, that I am really not altogether free from apprehenfions of a new Temple- tonian Tcjtament or Difpenfaticn. Virtue confifts not in rifing either late or early, nor in any artificial me- thods of managing ourfelves, but in following na- ture, whofe light is fufficient, according to the firft article of our creed, to difcover to every man, with- out inftruction or inftitution, all that is neceflary for him, as a moral agent, either to know or practife.
Sbep. Will you be fo good, Sir, as to tell me in what the light of nature confifts ?
Deck. It confifts in two things, fentiment and reafon. By fentiment I mean, firft, that imprefiion made on the heart of every man, by which he is na- turally led to feek his own good, and to preferve himfelf ; fqcondly, that love of the fexes, by which they are prompted to propagate and preferve the fpecies; thirdly, thztftorge by which the parents are moved to cherifh and preferve their offspring ; fourthly, that benevolence, by which one human creature is inclined to benefit and preferve another ; and laftly, that perception of beauty in a good, and of deformity in a bad, action, which every man feels in himfelf. By reafon I mean that divine faculty of the mind, by which all men are enabled to judge and 2 direct
Dial. II. Deifm Revealed. 5!
direct themfelvts in the choice of fuch means, as are necefTary to bring about the ends fuggefted to them by their natural fentiments, to decide between them according to the fitneffes of things, when they inter- fere, and to reftrain.them within due bounds, when at any time they tend to excefs or irregularity. This, Sir, is what I mean by the light or law of nature, im- planted in the breads of all men, and adequate to all their moral purpofes. As every one muft acknow- lege there is fuch a law within him, independent of all inftruction, there can be no need of a revelation. It was in full confidence of forcing you to own this, that I fuffered you to carry your arguments, relating to the hiftory of miracles and refurrections, to their full length, knowing well, that as foon as the natural and univerfal revelation came to be confidered and demonftrated, all your talk about the proofs of a particular difpenfation, and the neceffity of it, would come to the ground. Pray, Sir, do you own the clearnefs of this law, as I have defcribed it, within yourfelf ?
Sbep. I do not.
Dec b. You do not ! Then you deny, I fuppofe, you have any defire to preferve yourfelf, to propagate your fpecies, to cheriih your offspring, to do good to mankind, to cultivate virtue, and extirpate vice from your mind ; you deny the exigence of a rational fa- culty within you ; you deny, in a word, that you are a man.
Shep. I deny none of thefe things ; but I doubt indeed whether any, or all of thefe, can be properly called a law.
' ' ' Ji-'l"! -' -I-*" -!j ««..•*; -"•<«:•'
E 2 Deck.
7 1 Deifm Revealed. Dial. II.
De ch. Do they not oblige and bind the actions of men ? And is not that which binds the actions of moral agents, a law?
Sbep. Does the law of nature confift in fentiment, or in reafon ?
Deck. In both.
Sbep. So far as it confifts in fentiment, the brutes, having thofe inftincts, which you call fentiments, are moral agents, as well as men.
Dech. By no means. Brutes are not ftruck with a moral fenfe of good and evil, as men are. Brutes are deftitute of reafon and choice, and therefore their inftincts are not laws ; but man being directed by his reafon to act in' conformity to his fentiments, and being free to obey or difobey its dictates, thofe fentiments become a law to him.
Skep. No fenfe, perception, or inftinct, can be called moral, till fome higher faculty injoins obe- dience to it as a duty. It is reafon therefore in which the law of nature confifts •, for men are only accountable for their actions, fo far as they are ra- tional creatures ; and that man, who is wholly de- prived of reafon, is, for the time, neither a moral, nor an accountable agent. But pray, Sir, have all men one and the fame law of nature ? Or hath every man a diftinct natural law of his own ?
Dech. All men have the fame natural law. The fentiments I mentioned, and the faculty of reafon, are the fame in every man.
Sbep. As men are to deal with one another, and live in community, they ought certainly to have but one univerfal law ; for if this man were to act by one law, and that by another, it is eafy to fee, that great mifchiefs and claftiings would arife from thence.
You
Dial. II. Delfm Revealed. 5-3
You know better than I do, that no trial can be had, nor a judge determine in any caufe, but upon, a common law, which parties on both fides muft fubmit to. If men had different laws, that which is right by one man's law, might be wrong by another's, and confequently right or wrong could never be diftinguifhed. Now, Sir, it is a common obfervation, that the fentiments and reafonings of mankind are very different. Altho' all men have thofe fentiments you fpeak of, and reafon too, yet this fentiment is ftronger in one man, and that in, another ; and reafon, which is clear and ftrong in fome men, is weak and ill-informed in others. Hence it comes to pafs, that Mr. Tempkton may do a thing, which you think right, and I wrong, tho* both you and I are perfectly unprejudiced in the matter. In this refpect, therefore, the mere fen- timents and reafons of men cannot be a perfect law. Were it not for this great diverfity, the breaft of every man might be appealed to, as containing the common law, and no judge could ever miftake in his decrees. But as the contrary is evident to expe- rience, mankind are forced to form themfeives into focieties, and determine what fhall be the common law of all the members.
Deck. Yet if reafon were not able to direct, the fociety could frame no common law, capable of an- fwering the end.
Sbep. Altho' it mould mix unjuft with equitable laws, which all focieties have done, partly by mif- take, and partly with defign ; yet thofe who are to be judged by thofe laws, are in a better condition, than if every man were left to be his own lawgiver.
E 2 Deck,
f4 DeJfm Revealed. Dial. II.
Deck. When you fay, this or that law of fociety is unjuft, is it not reafon that tells you fo ?
S-hep. I cannot tell whether it be or not. My reafon fays one thing, that of the fociety fays an- another -, and two focieties are as apt to differ, as two men. But if reafon were never fo uniform in all men, yet I cannot fee what authority it hath to fet up for a legiflator. If any man mould deny its authority, and act againft reafon ; and, as it often happens, be powerful enough to defend himfelf againft all the confequences of fuch a procedure ; what could reafon do to enforce or vindicate its laws ? A law is a rule of action impofed on a free and moral agent, by a known fuperior, whofe authority can- not be quefticned, with a reward or penalty, or both, annexed ; and if the law is perfect, it muft bejuft, and its functions muft be adequate to the juft and good end propofed by it. Be pleafed to fhew, Sir, that the dictates of mere reafon are fup- ported by fuch authority, and by rewards and punim- ments of weight and cogency equal to the fecurity and happinefs of all mankind.
Decb. To act againft nature is mocking to a ra- tional being, and therefore the authority of na- ture is fufficient. As to the rewards and punim- ments annexed to the Jaw of nature, they too feem to be fufficient. No man can be more furely re- warded for a good action, than he who hath his re- ward in his own hand, and can beftow it as plenti- fully on himfelf as he pleafes, in that greateft of all pleafures, the pleafure of doing good. Nor can any man be more terribly punifhed, than by being left, after doing an evil action, to the fevere ftings of his own guilty confcience.
Sbep.
Dial. II. Deifm Revealed. 5-5-
Sbep. Every man therefore is fubject to the kw of his own heart, and that law is founded on the mere authority of his own nature. He is likewife his own judge, rewarder, and punifher. By this, which we may call the felf-fufEcient fcheme, a man muft either be fubjecl: to no law of nature, that is, in any proper fenfe of the word law ; or elfe he muft be fuperior to himfelf ; for every law is the will of fome fuperior impofed upon one, who is in- ferior and fubjcdr..
Decb. Are not the nature and reafon of a man fuperior to his will and paflions, and every thing elfe about him, that can be faid to ad ? There is certainly in every man a fuperior part that impofes, and an inferior that obeys, the law.
Sbep. I find the felf-fufficient fcheme is more perfect than I imagined. Every man, it feems, hath a legislator, and fubjects, with a court of juf- tice, and executioners, in his own bread.
Decb. Yes •, every one of us is a moral, as well as a phyfical, microcofm. Did you never hear of the forum confcientia ?
Sbep. I have ; but I imagined, till now, it had, only been a metaphorical forum, or court of juftice. It hath been received as a maxim by fbme, that the will obeys and executes the laft refult of the under- ftanding or reafon. Whenever therefore a man does wrong, the legiflator hath been deficient, and the law unjuft ; whereas you and Tindal maintain,
that the Jaw of nature is perfect, and univerfally • , , , *•
right and clear.
Decb. But, good Sir, that maxim is no maxim
with me. I fay, a man may a<5b againft nature and
reafon, If he might not, he could never be guilty
E 4 of
$6 Deifm Revealed. Dial. II.
of a culpable action •, for all that is required of any man is, to aft up to the dictates of his reafon, and that nature which God hath given him.
Sbep. When the reward annexed to the natural law is conferred on any man for doing well, or the punimment inflicted on him for doing ill, is the man, properly Jpeaking, faid to be rewarded or puni Hied ?
Decb. No doubt on' t he is.
Shep. It is not then his will or pafiions, or the active part of him- alone, that is faid to be rewarded or puniihed, but the whole man ; and when he acts againft the laws of nature, poor nature herfelf, who hath rightly dictated the law to him, is puniihed together with the more peccant part. I really pity that unhappy legiflatrix, who, without any fault of hers, muft, as often as her fubjects difobey her, come down from her tribunal, and faffer with them under the hand of her own executioner. The con- ftitution of this internal court of confcience is ill re- gulated, in my opinion. I find there are great dif- orders in the moral microcofm, as well as in the na- tural, and, what is worfe, great injuftice. However, I muft own, it is a great alleviation of this griev- ance, that the puni foments which nature undergoes on fuch occafions, being inflicted only by her own directions, are very gentle. Befides, if (he be fo corrupt and ill-difpofed, as fome fay me is, it is little matter what me fuffers. It feems very ftrange, Mr. Decbaine, that you, who I fuppofe cannot con- ceive the poffibility of a perfonal diftinction in the Divine Nature, mould neverthelefs have found out a fufficient number of perfonalities in one individual man, to furnifh a court of confcience. If the mind
of "
Dial. II. Detftn Revealed. tf
qf a man is fo populous, the pooreft beggar may fcy, We, as well as the King.
Deck. You have a ftrange knack at allegory. Sbep. Nay, it was of your own ftarting ; and, befides, you did not make an allegory of it alto- gether, but fomewhat worfe. In order to give au- thority to your law of nature, you found out a ruler and fubjects in the fame man. But one faculty in a man can never be lawgiver to another; nor can the duty and obligation lying upon any man, arife out of, and terminate in, himfelf. He muft be fubject to fome higher power, if he is to be go- verned at all.
Decb. If there is any defect in the authority of the natural law, it is abundantly fupplied by the authority of fociety. If each man contains not a perfect moral world within himfelf, fociety, into which he is by natural inclination, and I had almoft laid by neceffity, obliged to enter, is a perfect body, and fufficiently authorizes the laws of nature and reafon.
Sbep. This is giving up the whole matter in que- ftion, and flying from a natural to an artificial and factitious authority. If the law of nature is a per- fect law, it muft have a natural authority, and not a borrowed one.
Decb. Society is neceflary and natural, and there- fore the authority it derives on the law of nature is purely natural.
Sbep. I thought Tindal, and the reft of you, had maintained, that every man hath a perfect law of nature in his own breaft, whether in fociety, or out of it, go whither he will. I have alfo hitherto. ima- gined, that all the abettors of the felf-fufficient
fcheme
5-8 Deifm Revealed. Dial. II.
fcheme had founded fociety on the law of nature, inftead of fending the law of nature to borrow its bafis from civil fociety. For my part, I think it evident to demonftration, that fociety cannot at all fubfift, if its fcveral members be not fubject to Ibme authority and law, previous to thofe of fociety. And as to the inward uprightnefs and virtue of in- dividuals, fociety, which hath to do with nothing more than our outward actions, can never provide for them. The magiftrate bears no rule over the confciences of men, into which he cannot dive ; and therefore, unlefs virtue, contrary to all your maxims, confifts in mere exterior conduct, allured or forced by civil reward sand punimments, the political Levia- than can afford no afiiftance towards the fincere and real goodnefs of his members, and is of confequence but an huge body, without foul or ftrength. You fay, I think, mankind cannot fubfift out of fociety.
Deck. If we comprehend families in the number of focieties, I believe they cannot.
Shep. Nay, for that matter, families cannot fub- fift without the protection of greater focieties ; for as children depend abfolutely on families for fubfift- ence, fo do families on kingdoms and common- wealths for peace, fecurity, property, life, and every thing. Pray, can fociety fubfift without laws ?
Dech. No, its members muft know by what con- ftitutions* or cuftoms they are to regulate their actions, and what is lawful or penal ; or they can never anfwer either the public ends of fociety, or their own private purpofes of entering into it.
Sbep. Magiftrates too feem to be as neceflary as laws ; for altho' the laws were never fo good and juft, they could not execute themfdves.
Dscb:
Dial. II. ^ Deifm Revealed. 5-9
Deck. I grant it.
Sbep. As to the lower magiftrates, we need not inquire about their qualifications, becaufe we may prefume they will take care to accommodate their difpofitions and conduct to the mind of the Su- preme. But how, think you, ought he to be qua- lified, who is to be fet at the head of fociety ?
Dcch. The better to anfwer the ends of fociety, he ought to be wife and juft.
Sbep. So I think ; becaufe the ill effeds of folly or partiality in him will be feverely and extenfively felt among his fubjects. If the inferior magiftrates find him to be weak or foolifh, they will impofe on his blindnefs ; and if they think him unjuft, they will take the liberty to be fo too, and hope for his connivance ; and on both accounts will be apt to abufe fuch portions of his power, as may happen to be lodged in their hands. The people too will always either defpife fuch a magiftracy, and run into rebellions and infurrections, or they will by intereft made with the magiftrates, by bribes, and evafions of the laws, by parties and fadtions, endeavour to re- ftrain the common advantages of the fociety, each man, or party of men, to themfelves. By thefe means good men will be oppreffed, and bad men advanced and enriched, contrary to the well-being and ends of fociety.
Deck. This is all very true ; but I think it is little to our prefent purpofe.
Shep. You will be of another opinion very fbon. The better intelligence the fupreme magiftrate hath of what is doing among his fubjecls, and the more perfectly he underftands the rules of government,
you
60 Delfm Revealed. Dial. II.
you will grant, I believe, that he will be the better qualified to fuperintend the public affairs.
Decb. I will.
Shep. For my part, I think it evidently necefiary, he fhould be perfectly well acquainted with the principles and conduct of all his under-officers, and of his fubjects * for if he is not, he can never, in any fort, keep either the one or the other in their duty. The greateft irregularities and enormities may be committed by both, without being either animadverted upon, or brought within a pofiibility of being punifhed. Crimes not cognizable are not punimable. Again, if he be not moft ftrictly and fteadily juft, it will be little matter how knowing or wife you fuppofe him to be, becaufe he may opprefs the innocent, and promote the wicked, or fuffer others to do it, notwithftanding the higheft and moft perfect knowlege you can imagine him vefted with. As to his power, it muft be proportionable to his wifdom and juftice, or thofe qualifications will be ufelefs. He muft be able fufficiently to reward every good action, and punilh every ill one, or he will never be fit to fill the place of a fupreme magi- ftrate ; becaufe otherwife virtue might go unre- warded, and vice unpunifhed, tho' he were never ib well apprifed of both, and never fo defirous of chaftifmg the one, and encouraging the other. Now it is not only neceflary to the very being and pofli- bility of fociety, that he mould be wife, juft, and powerful, in this high degree ; but it is alfo necef- lary, that his under-officers and fubjects mould firmly believe him to be fo, becaufe their behaviour will not be regulated by his unknown qualifications,
but
Dial. II. Deifm Revealed. <£f
but by their opinion or knowlege of them. A bad man in power, who thinks he may efcape unpu- nifhed for his male-adminiftration, thro* the igno- rance, injuftice, or weaknefs of his fupreme, will turn that portion of power he is poflefled of, di- rectly againft the good of fociety •, nay, he will be- come, in his own opinion, effectually fupreme, in- afmuch as he will not expect to be called to account for his conduct. That man, who does not believe he is to account in the fevereft manner for the ufe and application of his power, ought never to be trufted with any power, becaufe he will endeavour to draw all the advantages of the fociety to himfelf, and his inftruments, and turn all its weight and ftrength againft thofe who thwart his ufurpations. How can mankind be more unhappy, than under a fallible, or I mould rather fay, a corrupt and wicked adminiftration, that ftands in awe of no fu- perior, that is under a lawlefs power ? As to the fubjects, if they do not look upon themfelves as ac- countable to fuch wifdom as there is no hiding from, fuch juftice as there is no byaffing, and fuch power as there is no refilling or efcaping, they will never pay any more than an outward refpect to the civil power, and that only when it is too ftrong for them. Whenever the magiftracy can be refifted, or the truth, on which right and juftice depend, concealed, or the laws evaded, which you know may be done in moft cafes, they will follow their own private ends, without any regard to thofe of the public. There is, in Ihort, no enormity, which under the influence of a perfuafion, that the admini- ftration is at all defective in wifdom, juftice, or power, they will not be ready to commit. Thus,
Sir,
62 Deifm Revealed. Dial. II.
Sir, I think it appears, that a community confifting of magiftrates and fubjects, who do not think their fupreme governor qualified as aforefaid, is but a rope of fand, and, inftead of meriting the name of fociety, Ihould rather be called a confederacy againft all the rights of men, all the comforts of life, and all the ends of civil government. Pray, Mr. Decbaine, is there any juftice, peace, or fafety to be expected in civil fociety, without fuch tryals in capital and other cafes, as are brought on in our courts of law and juftice ?
Dech. No.
. Shep. Is it not by thofe tryals, that the benefits and punimmems of fociety are applied ?
Deck. It is.
Shep. Can there be any fuch thing as a tryal with- out evidence ?
Dech. It is impofiible.
Shep. Can thofe, who on tryals are to bring ver- dicts, or pronounce decrees, have perfonal know- lege of the merits in every point difputed before them ?
Dech. They can have it in few or none.
Shep. How then are they to come at infor- mation ?
Dech. By the teftimony of indifferent perfons, who know the cafe inquired into.
Shep. Can the judge or jury fee into the hearts of witneOes, and fatisfy themfelves whether they are depofmg the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth ?
Dech. No indeed.
Shep. If the witnefles then are not firmly per- fuaded, that he who holds the fupreme power over
them,
Dial.il. Deifin Revealed. 65
them, can fee into their hearts, is perfectly ac- quainted with the cafe they fwear to, and is both juft and able to punilh them in the moft terrible manner for prevarication, they may depofe a falf- hood, and thereby fruftrate the whole intention of the tryal.
Dech. God, I find, is your Supreme Magi- ftrate.
Sbep. Yes, it is God alone who can be fupreme in a civil, as well as a phyfical fenfe. No mortal, no Angel, is able to fill that high ftation. None but he, who is prefent at all tranfadions, to whom all hearts, tho' never fo dark and manifold, are tranfparent, whofe juftice there is no by ailing, and from whofe power there is no efcaping, againft whom the grave itfelf is no defence ; none but he can be an infallible and univerfal witnefs, a compe- tent judge in all cafes, and a fupreme governor. Society depends abfolutely on him, and all king- doms and communities are but provinces of his uni- verfal kingdom. He is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, and the Judge of Judges. You fought in vain for a law within yourfelf, and when you could not find an authority there, you had re- courfe to fociety for it ; but fociety could furnifh you with no other, than what it borrows from the author of its being, and the fource of all power, wbofe kingdom ruletb over all. Now, Sir, I have three things to obferve to you concerning what hath been faid. In the fir ft place, if God were rightly and firmly believed in, by the under-magi- ftrates and fubjects of any community, the wif- dom, juftice, and power of the Divine Head would derive themfelves in the chanel of that faith upon
all
64. Detfm Revealed. Dial. II.
all the members of the public body, and make the whole extremely happy ; and I may fafely venture to fay, that all the defeats of civil fociety, all the injuftice, opprefiion, rapine, rebellion, faction, all inteftine ftruggles for power, and all the civil wars, that make or tear fociety to pieces, fpring only from a want of faith in God, and inattention to his fuperintendence. Secondly, as God's kingdom reaches to all places, and comprehends all things, fo it extends likewife to all times •, and as he neither manifefts what he knows of the fecret virtues or vices of mankind, as he neither inflicts an ade- quate punimment on the latter, nor confers a full reward on the former, in this life, fo there muft be a time hereafter, when he will aflemble all the members of his wide-extended dominion to judg- ment, and do ample juftice on them all. Thirdly, As mankind cannot fubfift out of fociety, nor fociety itfelf fubfift without religion, I mean without faith in the infinite wifdom, juftice, and power of God, and a judgment to come, religion cannot be a falmood. Is it pofiible, that all the happinefs of mankind, that the whole civil world, that peace, fafety, juftice, and truth itfelf, mould have no- thing to ftand on, but a lye ? Is it to be fuppofed, that a God of infinite power could give the world no other foundation ; or that a God of infinite truth and goodnefs could be obliged to help out his creation with deceit and fraud, and was able no otherwife to provide for the happinefs of all his ra- tional creatures, but by a grofs and univerfal im- pofture ? Thefe things cannot be fuppofed, and therefore religion is, and muft be, true.
Dial. II. Deifm Revealed. 6f
Temp. I really think it a clear and irrefiftible de- monftration ; 'and as it is intirely new to me, I cannot with-hold the pleafure I know it will afford Mr. Shepherd, to hear me fay, I think myfelf happy in the acquaintance of a man, who hath given me intire fatisfaction on a point of the laft import- ance to me.
Deck. Well ; but as it is what I mould in a great meafure have granted, without any difficulty, the Doctor needed not to have taken fo great a com- pafs in the proof of it. We Deifts are far from denying religion, as you may fee by our creed.
Shep. But you feem, Sir, to forget that you were for terminating your natural law in yourfelf, and carrying its authority no higher, than nature or fociety. This made it neceffary to fhew the true fource of all law, authority, and obligation.
Deck. The real matter in debate wants yet to be inquired into, namely, whether nature or reafon cannot give us a right idea of God, and our de- pendence on him ; for all you have faid, Mr. Shepherd^ is only a proof of religion in general, whereas we are not at all difputing, whether there is any true religion, or not, but whether there is any occaGonfor revelation. Religion, on which fo much depends, ought to be univerlal and clear ; whereas no revelation can have either of thofe properties. It may be materially altered or corrupted by the inventions, and interefted views, it may be varioufly interpreted by the prejudices, and falfe reafonings, and it may be wholly loft by the negligence, of thofe, through whofe hands it ought to pafs to the reft of the world. In matters of far lefs confequence God hath afforded us means of knowlege, which are VOL. I. F in
66 'Deifm Revealed. Dial. IT.
in no danger of being ill interpreted, or imperfectly tranfmitted, becaufe they fpeak in a plain and intel- ligible language to every body. Is it to be fup- pofed, that an infinitely wife God, who knows fo well how to adapt the means to the end in all cafes, fhould have given fenfes to all men, by which they can eafily diftinguifh objects, not only thofe which are of fome importance to them, but even fuch as they are lictle, or not at all, concerned in, and rea- fon to judge even in matters of curiofity ; is it, I fay, to be fuppofed, that he fhould have left us to uncertain or defective means of knowing himfelf, fmce the happinefs of every individual, and confe- quently of all communities, depends abfolutely on that knowlege ? No man needs to be taught there • is a God, who governs the world he hath made, with infinite goodnefs and power. He finds the idea of this great Being imprefTed by nature on his mind, and fuggefted to him by all her works. No deduction of reafon, no idea of fenfe, can be more clearly formed, or ftrongly apprehended by the foul of man, than the being of God, independent of all revelation and inftruction. Accordingly we find, that all men in all nations believe in God ; which had never been the cafe, if the idea of that Divine Being were not univerfally natural. Thus, Sir, it appears, that the religion or law of nature hath its authority from the light of nature, and is perfect, without the aid of revelation.
Shep. If it fhould happen to be proved, that na- ture alone does not clearly fuggeft a right idea of God to us, it will follow, that revelation mufl do it, or we be deftituteof it. And howfoever defective the methods of propagating this revelation may be, we are not
now
Dial. II. *Deifm Revealed. 6j
now inquiring about them, but only whether, from the mere light of nature, every man hath a right idea of God. For my Lord Shaftsbury and you will own, that wrong ideas of God will hurt focie- ties as much, if not more, than ignorance of him could do. Yet before we go any further, I muft obferve to you, that altho' the idea of God were derived from a revelation only vouchfafed to our common parents, that idea could never be wholly loft or wanting to any of their pofterity. The idea of an infinitely great and glorious Creator and Go- vernor, once revealed, will ftrike deep into the mind, and cannot be forgotten. The parent, who hath himfelf received this idea from revelation, can- not conceal it from his children, without a dired: rebellion againft his Maker, and the moft fenfelefs fort of cruelty to them. Upon the increafe of man- kind, if any parent mould neglect to tell his fon there is a God, which however cannot be fup- pofed, that fon could not pofiibly fail of hearing it from others. An article of knowlege, on which all duty, all obligation, all law and juftice fo necefiarily depends, could not be a fecret to him. All mankind, and the whole courfe of his dealings in the world, would be his inftructors in this ; and therefore, altho' we were to depend on revelation alone for our idea of God, yet no rational man, unlefs he were to grow up from his infancy, like a tree, on fome mountain remote from his parents and all mankind, could poflibly fail to have fome idea or other of God. It is true, indeed, there is this objection to the fuppofition of our having the idea of God from revelation only, that fome men may eafily, and all men pofiibly, depart from the F 2 right
68 *Deifm Revealed. Dial. II.
right idea, and, in procefs of time, entertain a Wrong notion of the Deity -, but this, of which there are but too many actual proofs, evidently de- monftrates to us, that we have no natural innate idea of God ; for if we had, and that idea were as plain and ftrong, as any idea of fenfe, in all men, no mortal could ever entertain an abfurd or unworthy notion of him. All the falfe or abfurd theology in the world, proves inconteflably to us, that every man hath not a right idea of the Divine nature from within himfclf ; nay, I believe I may fafely queftion, whether any man hath it from the mere light of na- ture. Nothing can feem more flrange, than that the wifefl and mod fagacious of all men, I mean the philofophers, mould have fearched with all ima- ginable candour and anxiety for this idea, and fearched in vain, if it had been impreffed as clearly and ftrongly on their own minds, as the idea of a tree, or any other common object of fenfe. Do you really believe, Mr. Decbaine, that all know- lege, abfolutely neceflary to the fubfiftence of man, muft fpring from the light of nature ?
Deck. Moft undoubtedly.
Sbep, If a man and woman were created in full maturity of mind and body, with all their faculties and fenfes in the higheft natural perfection, would they be able to diftinguifh poifonous from nutri- tious fruits ?
Deck. I believe fcarcely.
Sbep. Would they be able to diftinguim between the effects of walking over a plain and a precipice, till they had made a trial ?
Deck Hardly.
Sfaf.
Dial. II.' Deifm Revealed. 69
Sbep. Would they know what pain, ficknefs, and death are, having not yet feen an inftance of the laft, or ftlt the former ?
Decb. They would not.
Sbep. It feems then, that it is not neceflary to our fubfiftence, to know what will preferve or de- ftroy life ; for if it were, nature would teach the aforefaid pair the difference between life and death, and between fuch things as are fitted to preferve the firft, and thofe that unavoidably bring on the laft.
Decb. But nature, Sir, fufficiently inftrufls us to act according to the natural fitnefles of things, once they are known by experience •, to avoid dan- ger, pain, and death, together with their caufes ; and to defire fafety, to purfue pleafure, to preferve life, and to life the neceflary means for thefe pur- pofes, as foon as they are difcovered.
Sbep. This I grant, and natural reafon teaches us to clofe with the true notions of God and religion, as foon as they are found out. You fpoke juft now of acting according to the natural fitnefles of things, once they are difcovered by experience. Pray is it agreable to your notions of God's good- nefs to imagine, he would leave our firft parents, on whofe lives the being of all their pofterity de- pended, to experiments that might prove fatal to them ? For my part, I am forced to believe he taught them the difference between life and death, between wholfome and poifonous fruits, between walking over plains and precipices, with all other neceflary points of knowlege, their natural fenfes only fupplying them with the mere ideas of things. The o.lice of the fenfes is to furnifh us with ideas ; that of reafon, to compare thofe ideas, and form F 3 judgments
70 Deifm Revealed. Dial. II.
judgments out of them •, and that of the inflinfts, fentiments, pafiions, appetites, &V. to give us de- fires towards that which is good, and averfions to that which is hurtful to us. But none of thefe, nor all of them together, can ftrike out any ufeful point of knowlege, till either experience or in- ftriKftion have fhewn us the natures, the fitneffes, and the differences of things. Now experience is- too late an inftruftor in all things immediately and abfolutely necefTary to be known. We don't leave our children to the hazardous or dreadful tutorage of experience in fuch matters ; and we may prefume God, who is the tendereft of all parents, would not leave his expofed to dangers, I mould rather fay, to certain ruin, for want of knowlege, which he placed them under the abfolute necefilty of deriving either from his inftruftions, or from trials of the moft ha- zardous nature, fome one or other of which could hardly fail to deftroy them. Actions moral or im- moral in the higheft degree, to one who knows the tendency of thofe adlions, and the law of God, are perfectly indifferent to a perfon unacquainted with that law ; and, what is ftill more, before experience or fome other inftruclior hath taught him the ten- dency of thofe actions, he knows neither the natural good or evil, fitnefs or unfitnefs of them. If the man already defcribed faw the woman a drowning, let him love her never fo tenderly, as he could neither be fenfible of her danger, nor know how to relieve her, tho' ftretching out his hand to her would be fufficient, it would be neither cruelty nor fin in him to let her fink. He might give her poifon, or let a ftone drop from a precipice on her head, if he were not told, that fuch an adion would put her to
exceffive
Dial. II. Dclfm Revealed. j\
exceffive pain, or kill her, and if the evil of pain and death were not previoufly made known to him.
Dech. But fuppofing him well apprifed, no mat- ter by what means, of the natural evil proceeding from fuch actions, would he not then abhor them ?
Shep. He would ; yet this abhorrence artiing only from inftinct, natural affection, or what you call Sentiment, .as it does in beafts, would be purely ani- mal, and by no means either moral or religious, if he were not ftrft convinced, that he was to regulate his life by the dictates of fentiment and reafon, and to look upon thofe dictates as the laws of God, by which he was to be judged. The propenfuies and averfions of his own mind could never become laws to him, till he was once apprifed, that God made him, was his fupreme Governor, had planted thofe propen- fities and averfions in him, and would be pleafed or difpleafed with him, according as he ailed conforma- bly to, or inconfiilently with them. If you mould find a printed paper, drawn up in the form of a ftatute, and pretending to oblige you and all your countrymen to allow your wives a certain proportion of your fortunes yearly, to be difpoled of by them as they mould think proper, altho' you fliould, thro* your great regard for your wife, judge the al- lowance reafonable, yet you would never think yoiir- felf legally obliged to pay it to her, till you found the faid itatute had actually paffed both houfes of parliament, and gained the royal afient. Befides, if a man mould think himfelf under a moral obliga- tion to obey all the propenfities and averfions of his own nature, as many of them are irregular, ex- ceflive, or vicious, he would quickly find himfelf fubject to a moil iniquitous law ; or, if he did not, F 4 others
72 Deifm Revealed. Dial. II.
others with whom he might happen to have deal- ings, would feel it to their coft.
Deck. But would not reafon, which is the go- verning principle in man, fet the irregularities of the paflions ftrair, and diftinguifli between fuch inclinations or averfions as are good, and thofe that are evil ?
Sbep. I am afraid it would not, if every man were to reafon and think for himfelf. All men do not reafon alike. Some men reafon weakly from right principles, others draw their premiflfes from thofe very paflions that ought to be corrected or fup- prefied ; and, what is as bad, reafon doth not dictate with fufficient authority, and confequently cannot en- force obedience. She may judge of the fitnefs of a law, once it is given, and perfnade us to obey it ; but me can give no laws herfelf, as we have already feen. The mind of man is in itfelf a beautiful and convenient palace, with all the neceflary furniture and utenfils in their proper places. At firft its doors and windows are fliut up, all is dark within, and reafon, its owner and inhabitant, lies faft afleep. But as foon as it is thrown open to the outward light, reafon begins to roufe by degrees, and look about it ; yet knows not the ufes of the apartments, or the fur- niture, till it is taught their convenience and fitnefs. The architect inftrucls it in the ufes of fuch as are from the beginning abfolutely neceflary, and leaves it to exercile its fagacity in finding out the more re- mote fitnefles by degrees. He leads it to the win- dows, from whence he mews it the profpect on all fides, and gives it a juft notion of its own fituation, in refpect to its neighbours, and the places from whence it is to bring its necefiaries \ he carries it up
the
Dial. II. Delfm Revealed. 73
the flairs, and places it on the roof, from whence he fhews it the things above, and defcribeS the heavens to it. He demonftrates to it, that all the light it enjoys is derived from the illuftrious orb that fhines on high, and Iheds its beams around, and thro' all the palace.
Deck If we muft talk in allegory, I am of opi- nion this palace is well enlightened from within, and that its inhabitant hath an excellent lamp, by which he can direct himfelf thro' all the apartments, and view all the furniture j nor is he ib ftupid as not eafily to difcover their ufes, without the help of a guide, and an inftructor, to explain his own dwelling to him .
Sbep. Pray, Sir, whence did you receive the idea you have of God ? Was it from the mere light of nature, from the internal lamp, or from inftruction ?
Deck. It was from inftruction ; but my teachers might have faved themfelves the pains, becaufe I fhould have had it, without their documents.
Sbep. Did you ever know, or even hear of, any perfon who had an idea of God, without ever having been taught it ?
Decb. No ; for the good old people, our parents, are fo officious in this refpect, as to teach us their own notions of God as foon as it is poifible for us to apprehend them.
Sbep. They teach you then, I fuppofe, what you knew before •, but I ihould think they would never have given themfelves the trouble, had they perceived by your infant acts of devotion, or by your expref- fions when you came to the ufe of fpeech, that you had a right idea of God from the firft moment of your appearance in the world.
Decb.
74 Dei fin Revealed. Dial. II.
Deck. I do not fay, Sir, that infants perceive in themfelves an idea of God. They have no fort of occafion for that idea, till they grow up a little, and begin to be capable of duty and obligation ; and then it would (hew itfelf in them, altho* nobody had ever fuggefted it to them.
Sbep. This you are not fure of, becaufe you never knew nor heard an inftance of it in your life. And to fay it would be fo, contrary to the fenfe of all mankind, who think it neceflary to imprint this idea on the minds of children by inft.rucT.ion, without any other grounds for your opinion, but mere con- jectures, feems not a little bold and arbitrary. For my part, I think it evident, beyond all contradiction, that we have no innate ideas at all. We need not go to Locke to be informed of this, which the ob- fervation of every parent and nurfe on earth can fo fully confirm to us. For nature, to give us ideas which we muft, and do receive afterwards by the ufual inlets of our fenfes, would be contrary to that frugality of means and caufes, which flie obferves in all things elfe. But it feems flill more abfurd to fup- pofe we have ideas, which we are not fenfible of till a certain age ; that they lie dormant in the mind for a good many years ; that when they do make their appearance, it is to no fort of purpofe, inafmuch as they do not help in the lead to fet us right in our notions of their objects, which happened to be amifs • before they (hewed themfelves in the mind ; nay, and that we are never fenfible of their birth within us, nor even of any druggie between them and our ir- rational preconceptions.
Deck. This which you make fuch a wonder of, happens to air men in refpect to all or nioft of their
other
Dial. II. Deifm Revealed. 7?
other ideas, which, being ftored in the memory, lie there frequently for whole years fo dormant, that the mind never recollects them, nor finds itfelf confcious of their exifttnce, till their own objects, or fome other ideas, with which they were afifembled, happen to recal them to the mind.
Sbep. This is very true, and I own would fully anfwer my argument againft innate ideas, drawn from their not mewing themfelves in the mind for fome time, were it not that whenever the mind recollects any idea, it is at the fame time confcious of having had that idea formerly, whereas when it firft per- ceives in itfelf the idea of God, imprefled by in- flruction, it is not in the leaft confcious that any fuch idea was ever perceived in it before. But, not to infift on this, I am flill furprifed, that when the time for its appearance is come, and the mind, which before that time hath entertained the moft unworthy idea of Divinity, ftands in great need of better information, this innate idea never rectifies its notions, nor reduces them to a right way of thinking about God.
Decb. That I think is eafily enough accounted for. The mind having been long ufed to, and prejudiced in favour of, its erroneous conceptions of God, will not refign them for the right impreflion, when it does appear. You cannot but be fenfible how diffi- cult a thing it is to diilodge a religious prejudice from the mind, and introduce a truth in the place of it. This you will own is a work too hard for moft of your teachers, who, if we may believe