Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

unavoidable infirmity. But, should you ascertain great or dangerous ones, give them no quarter; and you shall have (if really proved to be such,) both my thanks, and hearty approbation. In the numerous quotations made, both from your book and from others, although sometimes I have altered words, and abridged sentences, in order to make them more explicit; yet, I have not in any instance, intentionally or with knowledge, either altered, or impaired the sense. But in some few instances, I designedly have strengthened the objection in your favour, and against my own argument. For be assured sir, victory is not the object at which I aim; and which, if obtained at the expense of truth, I should consider as an event ever deeply to be regretted.

With these impressions, and with sentiments of real esteem, I now sir, respectfully bid you adieu.

NOTE I.

This note refers to Letter XIV, page 201.

On Moral Taste.

LORD Herbert of Cherbury, the first and most distinguished deistical writer in England, in his book entitled de Veritate, published in the year 1624 asserted five principles of a universal religion, viz. First. That there is one God. Second. That he should be worshipped. Third. That piety and virtue constitute this worship. Fourth. That repentance procures pardon. And fifth. That human souls are immortal, and will hereafter be rewarded or punished, according to their character and conduct in the present life.

This specious and inconsistent writer, not duly adverting to the indubitable fact, that a clear and distinct knowledge of whatever was strictly correct in his five general principles, was for the most part, derived from the Jewish and Christian scriptures, was, in consequence of this gross oversight, induced to endeavour to invalidate divine revelation, as a thing wholly unnecessary, impossible to be communicated to mankind; and if communicated, yet impossible to be understood by them. He indeed admitted that christianity, although in his opinion thus useless and unnecessary, yet enforced his five principles. From

the crudities of this writer, originated a host of fallacious efforts, to exalt natural religion upon the ruins of that which is contained in the holy scriptures. But these vain men whilst making these insidious attempts, were not duly apprized that their conduct was no less preposterous, than would be that of a man, who, at noon day, should exclude from his house the light of the sun, under the pretence that such light was wholly useless, because that of a lamp or candle was in all cases to be prefered.

An author of this description, endeavouring to elevate the principles of nature above those of religion, and the dictates of emulation, above those of conscience, writes after this manner, viz. "True hon"our, though it be a different principle from religion, "is that which produces the same effects. The lines "of action, though drawn from different parts, termi"nate in the same point. Religion embraces virtue as it is enjoined by the laws of God; honour, as it "is graceful and ornamental to human nature. The religious man fears, the man of honour scorns, to "do an evil action. The latter considers vice as "something that is beneath him; the former, as some"thing that is offensive to the Divine Being. The "one, as what is unbecoming; the other, as what is "forbidden."

66

[ocr errors]

Although it is not explicitly asserted, yet it is clearly manifest, that in the above quotation, emulation is represented as consisting in a sense of honour, or in a taste which relishes things graceful and ornamental. And this propension which may degenerate into the

worst of envyings and strifes, is therein elevated above all the motives and excitements to religion.

But whilst writers of this cast, have scrutinized human nature, in order thereby, if possible, to depress the great sanctions and divine authority of revealed religion: Others, who cannot be justly suspected of being inimical to either of the two testaments, have also examined the internal perceptions, propensions and operations of the human heart and mind: And for the express purpose of harmonizing natural with revealed religion; and of further harmonizing the actual moral condition of human nature, with its declared state in the holy scriptures.

The consequences of these researches have been, that, as the scriptures have declared great corruptions of human hearts and manners; so, great corruptions of human hearts and manners have been discovered to be self evident in all ages and nations. But as the scriptures have no where affirmed an universal and total depravity of all mankind, and in all ages; so, no such depravation has been discovered. And as the scriptures of truth affirm a divine law to be written upon the hearts and consciences of all men; so, some traces of it have been found discoverable, even in men, greatly corrupted and vitiated. Whilst in young persons more especially, as well as in many others of more advanced years, a moral taste or relish for justice, truth, magnanimity, compassion, benevolence, beneficence, gratitude, modest diffidence, chastity, and a reverence and veneration for the Deity, when duly characterized; have been both felt and discovered in

the bosoms of human kind. For mankind, before personal self depravation, are not only capable of discerning these moral qualities, but also, of delighting in, and approbating them. How far the following extracts may accord with the foregoing observations, and with the above ideas of a moral taste in man, is left to the readers own judgment finally to decide.

"The conclusion in which I wish to rest is, that "the beauty and sublimity which is felt, in the vari

86

ous appearances of matter, are finally to be ascribed "to their being the signs of those qualities of mind, "which are fitted by the constitution of our nature, to "affect us with pleasing or interesting emotion." "Had organick enjoyment been the only object of

[ocr errors]

our formation, it would have been sufficient to es"tablish senses for the reception of these enjoyments. "But if the promises of our nature are greater, if it is "enabled to look to the author of being himself, and "to feel its relation to him; then nature, in all its aspects around us, ought only to be felt, as signs of "his providence, and as conducting us, by the univer"sal language of these signs, to the throne of the de"ity." "And perhaps it is chiefly for this fine issue, "that the heart of man is thus finely touched, (or en"dued with a moral taste,) that devotion may spring "from delight; and that all the noblest convictions, "and confidences of religion, may be acquired in the "simple school of nature."* "It calls forth the hymn

This sentence seems to border on the extravagancies of Herbert, by unduly exalting the light of natural religion, to a par with that of revelation.

« AnteriorContinuar »