Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

AN

APPEAL TO COMMON SENSE

ON THE SUBJECT OF

CHRISTIANITY.

As it is certain, Christianity was given for the bulk of mankind, who neither are, nor ever can be, what the world calls learned; it is equally certain, that the knowledge of it must lie open to common sense, that is to the perception and capacity of the multitude. To understand and believe it, and to live up to its moral rules and precepts, as far as the infirmities of human nature will permit, or in other words, as far as its author requires, no long, tedious, subtle arguings, no deep learning or philosophy, are necessary. Of these the unlearned are incapable. By these, and their own vanity, the learned have been miserably bewildered, and led far away from the divine simplicity and wisdom of our holy religion, the fundamental articles whereof are few, and equally intelligible to all capacities. Some shorter and easier way therefore, than that of the learned, must be taken to clear up all controversies among Christians; and before this can be done, the teacher, the divine, must level himself (and why not, for God hath done it!) to the apprehension of the vulgar first, and then to their modes of thinking and reasoning, I say reasoning, for they can reason, and that with a force and clearness on subjects of far more difficulty, than those of religion, fully equal to the reasonings of such as (it is hard to say whether therein blessed or cursed) have passed their youth under the influence of the most refined education. This is evident in their discussions on points of property, wherein these plain men happen to be concerned as parties. To clear up a necessary point of religion, wherein every thing is made incomparably more easy, requires not half the capacity. Such points therefore should by their teachers be brought

down and home to their understandings in short instructions, familiarly expressed. About sixty or seventy years ago, there was a poor man in Dublin, who earned a scanty subsistence on a loom, but found time on Sundays to read the Scriptures, and a few other books of easy digestion. This man entered, in the shops, streets, &c. into frequent controversies with Jesuits, and other abettors of Popery, wherein he was thought, at least by Protestants, to have generally the advantage. After some time, a Jesuit of more than common eminence gave him a challenge to enter into an argument with him in the Tholsel of Dublin, on a day and hour prefixed. A vast concourse of people, and some bishops, assembled on the remarkable occasion. The Jesuit asked him, Where was his religion before Harry the Eighth? The weaver, looking attentively at his countenance, as if he there observed somewhat extraordinary, asked him, if he had washed his face that morning, and had an affirmative answer. Where then, said the weaver, was your face before you washed it? Here ended the dispute in a very sensible peal of laughter, set up by common sense. This poor man, whose name is lost, as that of the poor man in Ecclesiastes, who saved a city by his wise counsel, knew perfectly well, that our reformers did not undertake, as the Genevians did, to form a new church, but to reform the church of England. There are thousands in the lowest class of mankind, who might be ranked with this modern Socrates, did they search for information, as he did, and were they not frightened from that search by the parade of knowledge, falsely so called, in the upper classes, among which good sense is rarely met with, or lost in a wilderness of words.

To you, the Peters, the Andrews, the Nathaniels, &c. of the present times, whether you hold a plough, handle a spade, carry a musket, work a ship, serve a gentleman, or sweat at a trade, I turn myself, and appeal to your common sense, from that haughty philosophy, which hath begotten. such an infinity of absurdities and blasphemies, for the divinity of Christ Jesus and his religion. In addressing you, the plainest of mankind, I shall endeavour to be as plain and as easily understood as your language and mine shall allow me to be. God, of his infinite mercy, and by his Holy Spirit, enable me to speak the truth with power, and you to read or

hear it with profit; in which prayer I earnestly call upon you to join with all the fervour of your hearts, that the God of truth may guard you against the errors of me and every teacher, and against all the arts of false prophets, and 'guide you into all truth.' But do not presume to hope, that God will either guard or guide you, if you do not give your minds to instruction, and use your own honest endeavours. By nature you know nothing of religion, but by that very nature, feeble and corrupt as it is, you are made teachable and capable of religious knowledge, sufficient for your own salvation. This knowledge is most easily attained, and the means of attaining to it lie so open to you, that if you neglect them, you must remain, not only inexcusable, but guilty of all the blood shed for you by the prophets, the apostles, and Christ himself; for so much it cost to purchase these means for you, on the right use of which your eternal happiness absolutely depends. Put therefore this question of Christ home to your hearts, What shall it profit us, if we should gain the whole world and lose our own souls?'

[ocr errors]

Having thus done justice to the common sense of your heads, let me now ask you how hard you would labour, and how far would you go, for such an annual fortune as should raise you, during the remainder of your lives, above the necessity of working for bread, which you must so soon part with, even if you should succeed in your endeavour? and why your common sense should not rouse you to a small share of those labours, journeys, and endeavours, for the bread of eternal life, which, if you eat of, you shall live for ever in joy and glory'unutterable?' And let me also, by way of appeal to the common sense of your hearts, now ask you, what gratitude, what love, those hearts should feel for the prince, who should settle a large estate upon you in this world? and what then is due from you to the King of kings, and the Prince of peace, for an everlasting crown and kingdom, offered to you, which he hath purchased for you with his blood? If you believe this, and I suppose you do, how are you lost to common sense, and sunk below the dignity of a horse or dog, that love their feeders and benefactors, if you do not labour to know your Saviour and his religion, and labour to serve him, to honour him, with that knowledge of religion, in a life governed by that religion.

[ocr errors]

Whether in this I am speaking to men, brutes, or devils, after a long life spent in this very work, I, now on the verge of eternity, am going once more to try.

The order of this appeal, you will easily see, requires that it should set out with calling you to a serious consideration of yourselves. I appeal then to your common sense and experience, whether you do not find your understandings incapable of discovering, without help or instruction, a right knowledge of the true religion; whether you can hope to reform your sinful corruptions, and become good and happy men, without that knowledge; whether the goodness of God hath not afforded you the means of a knowledge, so necessary to you; whether if he hath, you can, as men of common sense, rest a moment in ignorance of those means, since while you do, you expose yourselves to somewhat more than the danger of everlasting misery; whether poor and weak as you are now in your mortal bodies, you have not, each of you, a living soul, which must be happy or miserable for ever; whether you have in yourselves a power to preserve your health and understanding, or to prolong your lives, for a single moment, without having recourse to the providence of God for his protection; whether you are, by your own understanding and strength, able to provide food, raiment, or the comforts of life, without the guidance and assistance of the same good Providence; and lastly, whether you can reasonably hope for either, in regard to soul or body, while you continue to trust to your poor ignorant and weak selves, the wind, the weather, or the world, and stupidly neglect the knowledge of God and his religion, which you might easily obtain in a few hours. Can God be pleased with such behaviour, or count you for his servants or children? Is he not wise? And does he not see where you have placed your hearts and affections? These things I say, as to men asleep (which possibly you may be) in order to awaken you. Or, do you believe, there is no God? While you continue unconcerned about religion, you surely act, as if you did not believe in him who made you, and the world for you; in him who governs whatsoever he hath made, and will infallibly call you to an account for your wilful ignorance of him, and the laws by which he hath over and over again declared, he will judge you. Your ignorance is your

« AnteriorContinuar »