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Theological Seminary
PRINCETON, N. J.
(jfi^r O^— -^— ' Division
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LECTURES
I N
DIVINITY,
DELIVERED IN THE
UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE,
E V /
JOHN HEY, D. D.
AS N O K R I S I A N PROFESSOR.
■^^S5^^^;5g^
VOLUME THE SECOND. ^S5^
CAMBRIDGE,
PRINTED BY JOHN BURGES PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY;
AND SOLD BY W. H. LUNN, AND J. DEIGHTON, CAMBRIDGE;
LEIGH AND SOTHEBY, YORK-STREET, COVENT-GARDEN,
RIVINGTONS, ST. PAUL's CHURCH-YARD, PAYNE,
MEWS-GATE, AND SHEPPERSON AND REYNOLDS,
NO. 137, OXFORD-STREET, LONDON; AND
COOKE, OXFORD.
MDCXCVII.
ADVERTISEMENT.
A HE Author thinks It neceflary to declare, that the patronage of the Syndics of the Univerfity Prefs was founded on their confidence in him, and not on a previous perufal of his manufcript. This declaration feems requifite, left the Syndics fhould be confidered as giving a fandtion to fome opinions advanced in the firft thirteen Chapters of the third Book.
LECTURES
I N
DIVINITY, &c.
^=^0^
BOOK III.
OF RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES IN GENERAL.
r
THE title of this Book mud be underftood as oppofed to that of the fourth Book; " Of -particular religious Societies:^* as the particular So- cieties with which we ^re chiefly concerned, are Chriftian Societies, our general obfervations may fometimes relate only to fuch ; and may fet forth things which are common tp them only. It is na- tural to ufe the enlarged expreflion, becaufe Chrif- tian Societies have really [many things in common with other religious Societies; though in flridlnefs, no obfervation Ihould be piade under our Title which is not applicable to every reiigioas Society >yhatfoever.
VOL. II. A CHAP
I BOOK III. CHAP. I. SECT. I. II.
CHAP. I.
ARRANGEMENT OF THE SUBJECT MATTER.
I. TN treating of religious Societies in the prefent JL Times, the great bufmefs feems to be, to give a right account of what are called Articles of Religion ; including under that name. Creeds, Con- feflions of Faith, and all declarations of opinion or dodrine by which one religious community is kept diftindt from another. Thefe therefore mufl be confidered as the principal objc6ls of our atten- tion. They may be fo confidered fafely, as their nature cannot be explained without introducing all fubjefts which relate to religious Society.
II. It is fometimes found ufcful to confider a fubjedl in two different and oppofite methods: — according to the firft, we begin with the prefent fafl, inquire the caufe of it, and mount up, from caufe to caufe, till we come to firft principles : ac- cording to the fecond method, we begin from firft principles as the original caufe, and trace out a fe- ries of effeSIs, till we come to that which is the objeft of our refearches. Let us not negledt either of thefe methods.
We find Articles of religion fubfifting; we afk what is the canfc of their being made ? — the firft anfwer is, becaufe without them we could not have one body of Dodrine taught to all the people: we next afk, why do we want to have flich unity of dodrine? — in order to keep men from difjenfions. — AVherc is the great good of keeping men from dlf- fenfions ? becaufe while they are difputing and doubting, tlieir principles are unfettlcd, and they
cannot
EOOK III. CHAP. I. SECT. III. IV. 3
cannot have right rehgious fentiments. — And what is the great importance of their having right fenti- ments ? becaiife from their fentiments men a^t.
III. If we begin from firft principles, we fay, to bring men to right conduSf is the defign of all reli- gious inftitiitions : (religions conduft, when rega- iated by reafon, will be rig/it conduft) : in order to bring about religious aftions, we want religious .fentiments : or, trying to form religious fentiments is the effe^ of endeavouring to bring about reli- gious condud : to form and ftrengthen religious fentiments, we want the mind to be free from doiik and perplexity, we want an. uniformity in teaching \ in order to fecure uniformity in teaching, we want affent to one body of doftrines from every teacher belonging to any one Society.
This latter method we ihall, In efFeft, purfue ; though we fliall fometimes feem for a while to de- viate from it.
I V. According to this m.ethod then we muft firft mention, a little more particularly, the general end or defign of religious Societies. — It is, to make men perform all their feveral Duties with fpirit and con- fancy : to give them motives, and infpire them with fentime-dts and affeftions, for that purpofe : affec- tions fo well direfted, as never to carry them into any hurtful meafures; fo llrong and powerful, as to enable them to overcome all difficulties and temptations. — This fuppofes that men can be brought to agree in ufmg the fame modes of reh- gion : when they cannot, the end or defign of forming a particular religious fociety, is to affociate as many as can agree, lb far as to ufe the fame form of worlhip and inflruiftion, and' to abftain from all difputes.
If any one fays, what need is there of Religion in order to make men perform their duties ? why
A 2 cannot
4 BOOK III. CHAP. 1. SECT. V. VI.
cannot morality and laws anfwer the purpofe ? we refer him to what has been faid before in the 19th Chapter of the firft ' Book.
V. Articles of Religion mud be confidered as means of anfwering the ends of religious Society; if they are ufed for any other purpofe, they are abufed: when men are called upon tlierefore tojoin in one form of inftruiflion, and as a fecurity, to give their aflent to a colleclion of opinions, every thing ought to be done wiih a view to the end now defcribed, — And as they fliould be called upon by thofe in Aiithorhy to declare their opinions with this view, fo when they do declare them, they fliould give fome attention to the fame purpofe. — Indeed all men fliould be as open and frank as polfible; and when they can chufe their expreflions, they fliould take thofe which are the moft fimple and proper; but if forms are fixed upon for them, and one and the fame form for many different ranks and forts of perfons, they fliould then confider the reafons for which they were fixed upon : exprefTions feemingly abfolute have very frequently a particular reference, and by that they are to '' be limited and interpreted : fo that aflent muft be guided by the pirpofe which men in authority have in view when they require it. — This will be feen more plainly hereafter; it is now affirmed chiefly with a view of properly laying out our fubjed.
VI. There is one difficulty which may be men- tioned now:— aflent mufl depend upon the dcfign and purpofe of Articles of Religion; but who is competent iojud^e of Articles of Religion as means of promoting right conducft? is every man to take for granted that he underfl:ands their end and de- fign, and the manner in which they attain it ? or arc there but fezv that can limit and interpret the
cxprcfTion:; » Sea. 16 and 17. "> Book i. Chap. x.
BOOK III. CHAP. I. SECT. Vt. ^
exprefllons contained in them by fuch confidera- tions ? Perhaps the befl anfwer which we can give to thefe queftions, may partake of the imperfeftion of human things. The common people lliould be direded by the informed, (or Philofophers'); both as to doftrines and the manner of affenting to them: and fuch common people will, in eifeft, treat a Body of Doftrines only as a difcriminating mark of the community to which they belong : the beft informed fhould fearch to the bottom of the matter : intermediate perfons muft go pardy upon the judg- ment of others, and partly upon their own ; in different degrees, according to the degrees in which they are informed.
The gi-eateft nicety feems to arife in the cafe of i\\Q Miniflers of Religion; they feem to have pretenfions to judge of reafons, and yet their chief bufmefs is to teach what is prefcribed by authority. — In reality, they feem likely to be in three differ- ent capacities at different times; they will fome- times be philofophers, fometimes teachers, fometimes men. When they are to ad as Philofophers, they fhould examine into the foundations and reafons of things ; when as teachers, they have only to deliver eftablifhed dodrines; when as men, they muft avoid doubts and perplexities as much as poflible. It will require fome fairnefs of mind to diflinguifli the occafions on which they are to aifume thcfe dif- ferent chara6lers, we can only fay, they mufh dif- tinguifh them as well as they are able. And, I Ihould imagine, that they fhould give different forts of affent in thefe different capacities;— when they are lb old and fo informed as to come into our clafs of Philofophers, their affent will imply their having examined into the grounds of the opinions to which they fubfcribe : when they are lefs inform- ed, « B. II. Chap. IV. Seft. 3. A -i
6 BOOK III. CHAP. I. SECT. VII.
ed, but fufficiently fo to commence teachers, their aflent will imply that they have confidered the opinions in a competent degree, that they are wil- ling to teach according to them as far as their teaching goes; and that they have not any decided opinion againft any of them. When they attend public worlhip as mere men, they will repeat Creeds chiefly for edification and devotion. A Creed will become a kind of Hymn; a grateful recoUedtion of God's mercies. — On this principle it may be, per- haps, that Creeds are fometimcs Jung. Yet even the ordinary people may give a wrong aflent : and their aflent will be wrong if they do not really pre- fer, on religious confiderations, their Church to others.
VII. But a plain honefl: man will fay, I can tell when I fpcak truth and when I Ipcak fallhood; and that is the main matter in giving my aflent to any thing. — We anfwer, we certainly arc not to forget the duties of Veracity whenever v»c make any decla- ration : we are fincercly to fay whether die mean- ing of the Articles is our meaning, fo as to deceive no intelligent perfon whom wc undertake to inform j but the meaning of the Articles will depend upon ciraimjianccs as well as upon words ; — and veracity itfelf, though plain in many cafes, is not fo in all : there is realfaljhood, and there is apparent faljhood which is not real.
If this is a right reprefentation of the cafe, (whe- ther it is or not will appear better hereafter,) aflTent to Articles of Religion mufl: be regulated by the nature of Veracity in general, and by the particular ends for which Articles were contrived ; or, to ipeak more fully, by the nature of veracity, and the na- ture of religious Societies; that is, on the nature of r cWgious fentiments, the efficacy of unit)' of Doctrine in promoting fuch fenumpnts ; and the need there
is
BOOK III. CHAP. I. SECT. VII. f
is of Articles of Religion in order to maintain fuch Unity. — Let us then take our fubjefts in tlie order here mentioned ; beginning with Veracity.
But if any one W\\\.perjiji in faying, that nothing can properly be concerned in alfenting, but Vera- city ; I would not direcl ly contradict ilich perfon ; I would indulge him fo as to exprefs the thing dif- ferently : — and I would fay, that the occalion and purpofe in view make apart of the fenfe, and there- fore, that fpeaking according to them makes a part of veracity. Still it will lliit v.s bed, in exa- mining the nature of religious Society, to take the occafion of it, and its end and ^\ix^q{q, feparaiely from other parts of Veracity.
A 4 CHAP.
BOOK III. CHAP. II. SECT. 1. II.
CHAP. It.
OF VERACITY.
i.XTERACITY may perhaps be moft conve- V niently defined, ' an habitual abftinence irom falj/iood;* though that definition will bring on another; ^ faljiwod is deceiving thofe whom we un- dertake to injform, by the ufe ofligns, agreed upon between us."
II. This manner of defining, will fhew us the difference between real z^nA apparent fallliood: which it is often of great importance to know. For it follows from the definitions, that we cannot be guilty of real falfhood if we deceive no one; (nor attempt to deceive) : nor if we only deceive thofe whom we have not undertaken to inform : nor laftly, though we do happen to deceive thofe whom we are en- gaged to inform, if it be by the ufe oi fgns whofe meaning has not been fufhciently agreed upon be- tween us:— or without thofe ligns whofe meaning has been fufhciently determined. — Yet we may be guilty o{ apparent falfhood, even though we deceive no one, though we do not attempt to deceive, if our words, or other ligns, arc fuch as appear likely to deceive; fuch as might through cuflom deceive, if fome particular circumftances did not prevent it. — We may be guilty of apparent falfhood, if we deceive perfons who depend upon us, though in reality we have not, cxprefsly or tacitly, under- taken to inform them: — or if, when it is clear that we do addrefs ourfelves to them, the figns which we make ufe of, are haftily and raflily interpreted, on a prefumption that their meaning is known,
though
BOOK III. CHAP. II. SECT. Iir. 9
though in reality nothing has pafled to fettle it. In the firft cafe, we apparently intend to deceive ; in the fecond we Teem to undertake to inform ; in the third we feem to ufe figns in a fenfe agreed upon ; though we really do not any of the three.
That we are not guilty of real falihood in the three cafes now mentioned, may farther appear firora the confideration, that a}7ifide7icey the mutual con- fidence of men, is not hurt or diminilhed in any of them. He who is not deceived, will continue to truft what men fay :— he who is deceived by lif- tening to what is faid to other men, or by relying on information for which no one is accountable to him, will foon recoiled that he has deceived him- felf : and fo will he who has trufted to ligns, the purport of which has been conje(5tured, not agreed upon: — He may be vexed for a while, but his dif- appointment will generate caution and prudence, not diftrufl. — Now the great evil of real fahhood is, that it deftroys conhdence, and hinders men from uniting with each other, or profiting by each other's experience.
Another material deduclion from our manner of defining is, that no one can fpeak real falfhood but to fome particular perfon : no one can be charged with falfhood abfolutely-y the charge muft exhibit a milleading of fome perfon whom the fpeaker has undertaken to inform, and with whom he has agreed, exprefsly or tacitly, about the meaning of certain figns. I ufe perjon in the fmgular number, but our perfon may be an artificial perfon, a fociety or body of men, confiding of any number of indi- viduals.
III. One caufe of error, with refped to veracity, 16, that ciijhm is apt to pafs for nature ; I mean, that the connexion between words and the ideas annexed to them, which is merely arbitrary^ and the work
of
lO BOOK III. CHAP. II. SECT. III.
of cuftom, is looked upon as fomething in the nature of things. Not that perfons do not know and undcrftand die contrary, when they think; but they fuffer habit to prevent their thinking. — Even I'ijible Ji^ns are arbitrary, and fo may emblematical actions be called properly, though there is fomc faint analogy between the fign and the thing figni- fied' : fome fort of natural connexion; — but be- tween words and ideas there is none at aJl : (for it is not worth mentioning that iome few words are made to exprefs fomething by a found; fo that the found is an echo to the lenfe.) Yet cuflom tics words and ideas fo clofely together, that thinking men do not always feparate them; the unthinking fcarce ever.
When thofe who have not been ufed to examine into thcfe matters, are put in mind that any found might have been made to fland for any thing, or idea, they will be apt to afk; how has an agreement been made that a certain word fliall be a fign of a certain thing? and what is the nature of fuch HCTreement? — We may anfwer, probably a word has come to (land for a certain idea imperceptibly, by a great number of trials, the nature of which can- not be dcfcribed; it is moft likely, that thofe who made fuch trials could not have defer ibed them, even at the time they were made; fo that the man- ner in which words were fixed upon as figns, makes \ a feparate and curious fubjed'' . It is enough for us, that the connexion between a word and its meaning has been very frequently recognized; and the rcalonable expectation which men have, that it will be continued, is a claim to have it conti- .lued, when nothing is laid to the contrary. An
agreement
• See Book i . Chap, x v i r . Se6l. 6 and i8. '' The precious tnetaU\i!i\c, by alike feries of trials, come to be given and taken in exchange for all valuable commodities.
BOOK III. CHAP. II. SECT. IV. II
agreement very frequently executed, is an agree- ment ratified. — The agreement of which we now fpeak, is, in its origin at leaft, of the tacit fort, but that tacit agreements are vaHd, both morahfts and Lawyers teach. If every idea had its own ficj-n, I do not fee why this agreement would not be ftrict: and definite; but as far as the fenfes of words are indefinite, fo far muft the agreement be indefinite, by which any word is made a fign: — but agree- ments not well defined, are valid, though more eafy to be evaded than fuch as are definite.
IV. The agreement (that a certain word fhali be a fign of a certain idea) may be changed, either tacitly or exprejjly. The tacit changes in the allowed fenfe of a word, are brought about in the fam;; manner in which a ienfe is firfl given to a word : perhaps not without fome fallhood in thofe who hegi'fi changing. Words in old Englilh have verv different meanings from what they have in modern Englifh. The word Knave ufed to fignify merely a fervant ; St.Paul'' was once the Knave ofJefusChrifl : and Villain^ meant formerly only a very low kind ^i Tenant, not indeed very much above ^Jlave: fomething like one of the Spartan Helotes.
Exprefs changes may be made for vai-'ious piirporeSy as for that of writing in cyp/ier. — And for whatever purpofe they are made, if the rules expreffed are obferved, (and affirmations are according to F^c^) no falPaood can enfue. Suppofe you and I agree to call the Sun by the name oi moon, and the moon by the name of Sun j then I fpeak truth, to you, if I fay, ' The Moon is many times greater than the Sun; the Sun is an opake body, and fliines only by the light falling upon it from the moon, and reflected to the earth;' but if I fay, « the Sun is
many
« Rom. i. I. d Blackaone, Index, /V////;/. .
12 BOOK III. CHAP. I I- SECT. V.
many times larger than the moon; the moon Is opake and vifible only by means of light coming from the Sun/ — I fpeak falfhood. — Cyphers might thus be made, fo that known words fhould be ufed in interchanged fenfes; or that negative ex'^xcffious fhould be undcrflood affirmatively : — and thefe might happen to deceive thofe who accidentally faw them, but if the agreement made was obferved, they would contain no falfliood, on that account.
Hence we may fee, how fome propofitions may be true, which according to the Letter are falfe. In this cafe, cuftomary words are ufed, but not in their firfh cuflomary fenfe; they have acquired a new fenfe by fome agreement, (probably of the tacit fort,) and yet they have not quite loft their old one: an habitual feeling remains, by which the old one is deemed the right one. — ' My Mafter is not at home, ^ fays a Servant, w^hen his mafter is really within; this propofition is falfe according to the Letter, that is, according to the old cuftomary (ignification j but it is true according to the new meaning, which fear of offending has forced upon the words; this new meaning is, ' my mafter can- not receive you at this time;' — in which a doubt is left, whether real abfcnce, or bufmefs, Sec. is the caufe of the refufal. I have been told that Arch- bilhop Seeker, being afked about this matter, an- fwered, * The frjl man that ufed this excufe when he was really at home, told a Lie.' Ironical expref- lions may be ranked under this head, and fuch writings as GjiUiver^s Travels.
v. If any one imagines that I lightly efteem the duty of veracity, or that I look upon it as any mark of an improved mind to be carelcfs about it, he miftakcs me exceedingly. Nothing is farther from my wilhes, than to lay any foundation for
fubterfuge
BOOK III. CHAP. II. SECT. V. I3
fubterfuge or evafive pretences'^: I fhould be forry to have any man in the world thought a warmer friend to fmcerity and fimplicity, than myfeif. I honour and adore them; I abhor deceit j J never deceive any one; at lead it is my ftudy to avoid deceiving; I would not deceive a child, nor, when many other men would, a fick perfon. When I think of the evils v^hich mankind bring on them- felves by duplicity and artifice, by fmiuiation and diffimulation, I feel gready dejefted; when I think of the happinefs which they might procure by an univerfil fmcerity, nay, which they might imme- diately enjoy, by a general opennefs, franknefs, and a genuine efFufion of their hearts and minds, I feel myfeif filled and elated with pleafure.— Let no one think fo ill of me as to conceive me faying this through oflentation; it is a neceffary declaration; made necefTary firft by the likelihood that the fcope of my reafoning may be mifapprehended ; and next by the alarm which this third book has adually given to fome perfons of great learning and emi- nence ; who judged of it Som the printed Heads of Ledtures^
VI. This
^ Bifhop Law talks of leading the members of the Church
** into all the labyrinths of a loofeand a perfidious cafuillry."
On Subfcription, p. 22. When publlftied in 1 7S3;— Bifhop Porttus and Bifhop Hal- lifax in particular expreffed themfelves, in Letters to me, as entertaining apprehenfions concerning fome parts of the Heads relatingto Veracity. And 1 have been lately advifed to omit fome things, which had been reported from the Ledures : no one can be more willing to retraa any milbken poficion than I am; I claimed the liberty of retracing at the opening of the Leftures ; (fee Book r. Chap. i. Sed. 6.) : but, if I have publicly delivered any thing, it feems befl either to retraft or publifh it. AU I fay in this Book about Veracity, feems to me quite a plain feries of arguments or obfervations : not being able to retraft what I deem to be fuch, I think it beft to fubmit them to the judgment of others.— I once had a glimpfe (in a Review, I be- lieve,) of fomething faid by Mr. Dyer againft this book; and I had intended to examine it; but, in country retirement, I have not opportunity; and, as I remem.ber, the expreflions were chiefly declamatory.
14 BOOK III. CHAP. IT. SECT. VI.
VI. This Apologv will receive great help from confidering, in the lad place, the confequences of not feeing clearly the diftinclion between real and apparent falQiood. They feem to he thefe; that thofe who are not fcrupulous, run the more cafily into real falfliood; and that thofe who are fcrupu- lous, fuffer poignant unhappinefs becaufe they have been almoft unavoidably drav/n into that which is only apparent. — Firft, when men find that they are in fome fenle violating the obligations of vera- city, and yet that they did not mean to do wrong, and are not blamed, if they have not an idea of the boundaries between real and apparent fiKhood, they pafs imperceptibly from apparent to real, and then think they are as little wrong, and will be as little blamed, as before: and fo they get confirmed in habits of real fallhood. It is the fimc thing in Jujiice^ orHoncfty; injuilice may be, and is often, apparent when it is not real; and feeming injufl;icc gets excufed, till men who have not fbudied the difference, come to allow themfelves in that which is real. Nothing could better fervc the caufe of Juftice than to mark out the diftinclion between real and apparent (o plainly, that no one could avoid feeing it : for real injuftice would not then be tolerated. In like manner nothing can be of greater fervice to Truth than to lliew plainly the nature of apparent falfliood : for when that is clear, real falfhood has no excufe.
Thofe, who are very defirous of doing their duty in ail things, and are fcrupuloufiy anxious about every feeming tranfgreffion, fuffer as great unhap- pinefs about any apparent faldiood, which they may have run into, as if it were real; — if they are not duly aware of the di{lin(^Uon. The cale of a perfon in this fituation is truly worthy of compaf- lion, whether he foregoes aelvantages which he might lawfully enjoy, or polfelfes them with fecret
mifgivings.
BOOK III. CHAP. II. SECT. VI. I_5
mlfgivlngs, or under compundlion and felf- con- demnation. And that man who fhould negleft to comfort the feeble-minded « , and fupport the weak, when fo worthy of relief; or who fliould avoid defcribing apparent falfhood left he himfelf fhould be fufpefted of infincerity, would deferve a greater torment, if greater there can be, than that of a mind difquieted by unfettled fcruples, and flue- tuatins; remorfe.
*t3
« I Thefl*. V. 14.
CHAP.
l6 BOOK III. CHAP. III. SECT. I, II.
CHAP III.
OF RELIGIOUS SENTIMENTS.
X . TN the JirJ! place we may take notice of the
X effedls of fentiments in general. — If we fpcak of mankind from a general view of them, and foimd our obfervations upon experience, we may fay, that they acl from their habitual fentiments. Their vices arife from vicious fentiments, indulged {b as to be unduly prevalent: their virtues arife from good fentiments, to which habit has given power and authority. — Religious fentiments, of va- rious forts, have been found by experience uncom- monly forcible.
This is fo clearly feen, that corrupting a man*s fentiments, is regarded by Lawgivers as caufing him to commit wickednefs; and therefore punifh- ments are decreed againfl the caufe, as well as againft the effeft; and thofe are deemed offenders who fediice*y bribe, fuborn.
Not that there is an abfolute necejjity that a man to whom a bribe is offered fliould be dillioneft, or wicked in any way; — when we look at the nature of things, and at a<5tions, beforehand, we fee a poflibility that an impulfe of paiTion or fentiment may be refifted and overcome: but when we look back upon fads, we naturally expert that which has happened, to happen again : and all provifions fhould be made on probable expecftations : provifions, of public Laws, and private prudential maxims.
II. The fentiments which arife in the human mir.d are i7vmmerable; and, we might fay, of in- numerable * Mentioned B. \\. Chap. iv,SeA, if
Book in. chap. in. sect. in. 17
numerable kinds^ if we made every minute differ- ence to conflitute a new kind. Longhius was fen- fible of this, and exprelTes it clearly ^ : IloXXx ya,^
In order to treat of them, we divide them into claffes; which indeed is the cafe in rhany other things; no two individuals of any elafs being per- fectly like each other.
III. Religious fentiments feem as if they might mod commodioufly be formed into two claffes, one called, in an extenfive fenfe, Fear^ the other. Love. —All fentiments of the refpedlfui fort might be ranked under Fear; all thofe of a more kitid and tender fort, under Love. — The former fort would arife from contemplating the power and juftice of God; the latter, from attending to the Divine Be- nevolence.
The Church of England feems to acknowledge fuch a method of claffing; in the Litany we befeech God, that it may pleafe him to give us an heart (the feat of the fentiments and afFeCTiions) to love him, and to dread him: and in the Collect for the fecond Sunday after Trinity, we beg, that he would " make us to have a perpetual fear and love of" his " holy name." — By putting fear and love (o clofe together, the compilers of our Liturgy might have fome idea of a fentiment compounded of them as being proper for general ufe.
Under the head of Fear then, we rank refpedVj reverence, veneration, admiration, awe; befides what we call Fear ufually.
And under the head of Love^ complacency^ gratitude, confidence, refignation, and Love pro- perly fo called.
IV. Ic
'' De Subl. Sefl. 22. de Hypeibatis. VOL. II. B
l8 BOOK in. CHAP. III. SECT. IV. V.
IV. It may be as proper here as any where, to take notice of the efted; of Doubt upon the fenti- mcnts and affections". — When doubt and per- plexity let the underftandingat work, the affetftions will not rife to any confiderable height: they flou- rifh in tranquillity of mind, and fecurity.
This obfervation may feem to contradidl one of Mr. Hume^y that fufpenfe and uncertainty heighten the paffion of fear : but in the fort of fituations from which Mr. Hume draws his opinion, the in- telletlual powers are not ftrongly exerted: a perfon juft makes fuppofitions, which inftantly excite paf- fion; * my friend is in pain and mifery;' — * he is attacked and overcome ; — he is gone, loft for ever:' — thefe are fo many views of mifery; fo n\2,ny fcenes which muft move and affect: but if a man under fuch fears were to fet himfelf fliirly to reajouy or to eftimate probabilities, I doubt not but the mere exertion of his underftanding would moderate his apprehenfions.
V. We muft now confider how a due ftrength of the religious affedions can be attained. Our proper bufuiefs being with focial inftitutions, we muft not dwell on the meafures to be ufed for this purpofe bv the private individual : we muft be con- tent with briefly obferving, that he has it in his power to ufe methods which may be called internal and external: he has a power of turning his mind to fuch meditations as will warm his affections ; and he has alfo the power of throwing himlelf into fuch fcenes " and fuch fociety, and ot reading fuch books, as will anfwer the fame end.
But
« We have had occafion to hint at this before.
•■ ElTay on \.]\e PaJ/icvs, near end of Soft, i.— No.S. 8vo. Vol. ii. p. 189, 190. In Mr. Hume's quotation from Hor. Lib. 5. Od. I. for pull I'.s read pullis.
« Contemplation of the Heavenly Bodies raifcs and fobers the mind.
fiOOK III. CHAP. III. SECT. VI. Ig
But if we think only of our own proper bufinefs, of the manner in which facial authority iliall be ufed in order to excite devout afFeftions in numbers of men; we muft confider and fludy chiefly the prin- ciples of Jfociation and Sympathy .
VI. Two ideas are faid to be ajfociated^ when, if one of them comes into the mind, it will bring the other along with it.— That Ideas do get to be fo aflbciated, is plain from experience; the affociation is formed after the manner of habits: and, confider- ing the innumerable and perpetual inllances which We have of it, it is wonderful, that Mr. Locke (hould be the firft philofopher who made regular obferva- tions upon it: this feems to have been the cafe, by his manner of introducing the ^fubject.— When we come into any place where we have converfed with a perfon, the idea of the perfon recurs with that of iht place. And not only ideas recur thus, but they revive the old fentiments and affe5iions. — We feel terror ^ at the appearance of an object which we faw when we were terrified; we feel plea- fnre at the fight of any thing which once made us happy. Love and hatred feem to be generated by habitual aflociations between pleafure and a certain perfon; and pain and a certain perfon. — Grief is fometimes fo ilrdng, on coming into a room where one has attended a dying friend, that m.any perfons have been obliged to avoid fuch fcencs, for a great length of time, or for their whole Lives'".
Affociation
f Hum. Und. B. 2. Chap, xxxiii. See alfo Prelim. DlfT. to King's Origin of Evil, Seft. 14.— afcribed to Mr. Gay; and Hartley's Preface.
s A friend of mine ufed to be under terror during an high wind: the houfe where he had boarded when at fchool had been blown down; he had left it a few minntes before.
^ I remember when I was a Boy feeing a young man fall into a fit on the found of the word Dantzick : he had been very ill, with fits, and a foldier had amufed him with ftories about Dant- zick ; after he got better, the mention of that City recalled the Jlcries, and with them, iaciltne/s; repeatedly.
B 2
20 BOOK III. CHAP. III. SECT. VII.
AfToclation feems to be one foundation of oui* habits.
VII. Sympathy need not be defined j it is feeling as others feel; or having a fenfation or fentiment merely becaufe another perfon has the fame, or fomething very near it; ibmething rather y/rov^fr of the fame fort. When afbroke' is aimed at ano- ther, we draw back our own leg or arm ; — when a dancer on a rope twifts himfelf, thofe ot his fpecta- tors who are quite artlefs, do the fame: — even robuR; men have, on feeing inflamed eyes, felt their own eyes in fome degree as it were inflamed. — Grief and Joy, well ^ exprelTed, excite grief and joy. When we fee benevolent actions, we fympa- thize both with the benefactor and the objedt'; and thele fympathies forward each other. Some- times we fird conceive others to fympathize with us, and then wc feel with them. A fon who, by diftlnguifning himfelf, gives his Parents pleafure, fvmpathizes With their fympathy, or congratula- tion. Plcafures are heightened by Sympathy ; we relKh mufic, profpeds, painting, poetry, or the chace, more in company with thofe who have the fame taftes with ourfelves, than with others. And if a man diilikes what we like, he leflens our plea- fure; this, being oppofite to Sympathy, might be called Autipathw — Seditions are the more violent through Sympathy. — I think Sympathy is fpoken of as having had great eftefts in the Crufades. — Sympathy icems to be the ground of our principle of imitation.
But we mud not proceed farther with AfTocia- tlon and Sympathy in general: whoever wiihcs to fee thofe fubjefts treated at large, may confult Hart- ley on Man for the former, and Smith's Theory of
moral
» Smith's Theory of moral Sentiments, p. 3. 8vo. ^ lb. p. 6. Rom. xii. 15. ' lb. p. Si.
BOOK III. CHAP. III. SECT. VIII. 21
moral Sentiments for the latter. Both thefe works feem very ufeful for analyzing fentiments; and each author finds fo much matter, as to think that what he has is fufficient: but united, they would be ftill more ufeful than feparate: probably moft of our fentirnents and affeftions would be found, upon examination, to be owing to a great number of both ajjbciations and fympathies.
VIII. If we apply to Religion what has been faid about Aflbciation, we obferve, that whatever has been ufed for purpofes of religion only, will imme- diately bring religious fentiments into our minds : or, in other words, our ideas of fuch a thing will be aflbciated with our ideas of loving or fearino- God. — This is applicable to buildings, veffels^ robes, perfons. — If, for inftance, a Church had been always ufed by any one fimply as a place of worfliip; if his mind had always, whilft he was in it, been wholly given up to thoughts of God and Religion; if his thoughts had never wandered to other fubjecls; if he had never confidered the build- ing as in any manner connefted with his worldly interefts; &c. ; every part of it, every pillar in it, would feem to be in a manner animated; every part of it would feem to breathe a Ipirit of devo- tion:—one might almoft lay, it would be as a Body of which the Divinity liimfelf was the Soul.
It may be afked, would not a particular chfet in an Houfe, if fet apart, aniwei the fame purpofe ? in fome degree it would : but we have previoufly a general aflbciation between the rooms of a family manfion, and the cares, riches, pleafures, follies of this world :— -however this would have fome efFec^f. In fhort, Aflbciation is that on which we rnuft chiefly depend for getting our attention at any time taken ft-om worldly and^ lenfual objeds, quickly, immediately ; and for getting it at once fixed on B 5 ' Xht
22 BOOK III. CHAP. III. SECT. IX. X.
the bufinefs of Devotion : though its effeds by no means end here.
IX. Sympathy ferves to heighten our affec- tions, in a variety of ways. Not only in prayer, but in receiving inftruclion. It acls powerfully, not only on thofe who pray or give thanks with one mind, but on thofe who hear with one mind. Nay, inftruftors themfelves are animated by a good au- dience ; and the audience fympathize with their animation: fo that new fympathies between the hearer and the fpeaker, keep continually arifing.
It is a remarkable effedl: of Sympathy, that it not only hinders our affeftions from being too dull^ but from being"" w//^ and violent ; from running into any extravagant vehemence, any impotent or efi'c- minate excefles. In folitude, a man will be a.t one time phlegmatic, or melancholy j at another, en- thufiaftic, or frantic: — but when, many others are prefcnt with him, the idea of their prefence will both route him from Ltikewarmnefs, and r.ejlra'm him from excefs of paffion: will make him afliamed of ftupidity, and yet afraid to venture beyond the boundaries of fobriety and common fenfe.
One caufe of public worlliip might in fad be, that defire which men naturally have of commu- nicating and fympathizing with one another in all matters of importance; in all tranfaftions which have any thing noble or fublime in them.
X. Laftly, Affociation and Sympathy heighten one another, in Religion as well as in other things. If a man came into a church, and it had its proper cffcdl upon him in the way ot ajjociatmiy he wouki more ix^oiy fynipathizi; with the reft of the congre- gation: and, on the other hand, the recoliedtion of his having fympathized, would add (Irength to the aifociation between the building and the worfliip.
The
*" Book II. Chap, i. Se«il. vu.
BOOK III. CHAP. III. SECT. X. 23
The fefl called ^lakers'", have fometimes^/t';// vieetings', that is, they aflemble together^ and in buildings appropriated \.o religion-, luch meetings may have all the benefits oi ajjhciation^ and fome of Sym- pathy^ though none of inJiruEtion : and one does not fee why a public meditation in a place of worfhip, might not nourij/i religious fentiments, though I am at a lofs to conceive why it fhould be preferred to inftrudiion and exprefs worfhip of the Deity : the benefit of fuch a meeting may afford a fufficient anfzver to thofe who plead mediocrity of talents, &c. in the ofliciating rainifler or preacher, as an excufe for ahjence from Church.
' Though we are upon religious Society in general, we may mention particular feds, heathen or Chrifllan, as exutnpks, for die fake of illuftration.
i. 4 CHAP,
24 BOOK III. CHAP. IV. SECT. I.
CHAP. IV.
OF UNITY OF DOCTRINE.
IT is a fatisfaftion to find that this expreffion. Unity of DoSirine^ which when I firfl ufed it arofe from the nature of the thing to be exprelfcd, is one which was ufed at the time of the Reforma- tion; this appears by the orders, or advertifements, or Articles, publiflied by Queen Elizabeth in the year I564^
I. Our firft bufinefs, in treating of unity of Do5tnne, is to diftingyilh between that and unity of private opinion. Sterne fays, all who think, think alike; w^e fay, no two men think alike: but he means, in one thing, we mean in all things ; or at leaft in all the doftrines of any one fed. Probably he would not have afferted, that in fact many are to be found v^^ho in his fenfe can be faid to think', if any: his alTertion feems rather to belong to theory than practice. That the nearer men ap- proach to thinking with fimplicity and precifion, the nearer they are to unanimity, I doubt not; but we are more remote than we are aware of, from pure and accurate reafoning, free from rhetoric and declamation. If men thought alike in one thing, they might pofiii:)ly in all things: but, in the pre- fent ftate of thing?, experience forbids us to hope that any two men will think fo reafonably as to agree in fuch a number of opinions as generally conftitute the Body of Dodlrines of a religious fo- ci ety.
This
» See IJifliop Sparrow's Colleflion, p. 122, 123.
BOOK III. CHAP. IV. SECT. II. 2^
This being the cafe, it follows, that if men mud hold all the fame opinions in order to worlhip together, no two men could join in religious du- ties. But, properly fpeaking, it is not unity of opinion thai we \va.nty hut united a^ion. Adopting, by focial authority, a certain fet of ceremonies, inftruclions, repetitions; and obeying that autho- rity, is properly a5lion. It is acting as politicians ad, who agree upon, and follow one {et of meafures, though they think and judge differently from one another. Governors of Armies and of Communi- ties of different kinds, aft in the fame manner.
Some likenefs of opinion may be wanted in every one of thefe cafes; but not 2, total coincidence. — We may fay fomething more on this hereafter''; at prefent the , bufmefs is only to conceive, that you and I and five thoufand more, may agree to unite in public worfliip ; may jointly ena6t, that a certain mode of inftrudling fhall be purfued, that no con- fufion or wrangling fliall be allowed in religious aflembliesj and yet that each of us may differ from the reft in feveral opinions''.
II. We need not have a more proper place than this to mention the good of Uniformity in Ceremo- nies. Uniformity in ceremonies is extremely ufeful, and in a manner neceffary to religious worfliip ; without it, all things cannot be done " decently^ and in order." A ceremony affects both him who performs it, and him who lees it: and in congre- gations, each perfon is both a performer and a fpec- tator. If ip one's clofet kneeling generates humi- lity, '' Sedt. IV. of this Chapter.
' Baxter is very unwilling to fuppofe, that, though men differ about fuch a Doftrine as that of Perfe'veranc'e, a Doftrine, in his eftimation, very important, they Ihould not be in every thing as members of the fame Church, —on Perfev. prop. 6. — What is meant by this Doiflrine, will appear under Article id of the Church of England. ** I Cor. xiv. 40.
z6 BOOK III. CHAP. IV. SECT. III.
lity, it will, by the help of fympathy, generate a ftronger tentinient when many join in the fame pofture; though a weaker, if many are prefent, and fome kneel whUft others ftand: in that cafe, there will be what we iiavc called an Jntipathy. A cere- mony regularly performed by a large number, if mild, firaple, exprefiive, has a fine eflfe6l on all minds, from the moft rude to the beft informed : it pleafes, it elevates, yet it calms or checks any turbulent emotions; it fobers the thoughts, and makes them orderly and decent. — To thofe who cannot read, or are apt to be inconfiderate, it af- fords a fpecies of inftruftion: what the FGilmift fays' about the language of the heavenly bodies, mio-ht be faid of the language of ceremonies. " There is neither fpeech nor language, but their voices are heard among them :" — in whatever way men fpeak or write, the language of ceremonies is intelligible to them and aflfefting ^
III. We come now to the principal propofition, that Unity of doftrine is neceffary towai-ds pro- curing the Benefits of focial Religion. The truth of this will appear from confidering, that diffention in public teaching, i. Dcjprives us of the benefit of thofe principles which were before fpoken of as intlrumental in promoting rehgious fentiments ;— 1. That it obliges men to exert their intellecflual powers ; and 3. That it often raifes paflions which are incompatible with devotion, i . Where diflen- fion prevails, it is evident, that Sympathy cannot have place : firings in unifon help each others vi- brations, but when difcordant, they check and obftruft one another; I might not run fo immedi- ately into this illuflration, were there not a pofli-
bility
e Pfalm xlx. 3.
\> f It is a pity when Pevjs dcilroy the uniformity of the caurca cereJiionies.
BOOK III. CHAP. IV. SECT. lY. 27
bility that it might prove mofC than a mere illuf-^ tration, as we became better acquainted with the nervous fyftem; and faw more dillindly the man- ner in which vibrations of the neryes and emotions of the mind are connecfled.
AJfociation would not anfwer our purpofe if the place of worlhip reminded us only of perplexity, difpute, and acrimony : while tKefe filled the n^nnd, we^fliould have little feeling of the divine power or goodnefs. 2. Diffenfion muft, moreover, fee our reafuning powers in motion; itnd, as the argu- ments ufed would be very fubtle, mull: put_ them upon the ^ ftretch. And 3^. it is fcarce conceivable, that we fhould keep clear of party zeal and bitter- nefs ourfelves : thefe would effeftually prevent any devout affe(ftions from fpringing forth, and flou- rifhing in our breafts.
We have three capital Difcourfes from Df. Bal- , guy on things relating to religious fociety; in thefe there are feveral paffages on our preient fubjed, highly worthy of our attention.— In the oftavo vol. of 1785,. fee p. 91. 92. 93. 99. 121. 255. 256, 257. 259.
In the above-mentioned Orders, &c. of Queen Elizabeth, publifhed in 1564, provifion is made in. the firft page, againfl diffenfion in the congrega- tion; yet we find an inftance of it in 1597, whea Bifhop Bilfon preached one doftrine about the De- fcent into Hell, and another minifter an oppofite one in the fame pulpit ''; and with a defign of dif- puting.
IV. As diffenfions then are of fo much impor- tance, we fliould confider the nature and effe6is of them more particularly, and how they may be iwoided. Though unity of Doftrine does not re- quire
E B. 1 1 1 . Chap. III. Se£l. i v.
»» At Paul's Crofs; fee Strype's Whitgift, p. 502,
28 BOOK III. CHAP. IV. SECT. IV.
quire pcrfedl unity of private opinion, yet it requires fome likcnefs*; there are fome differences of opi- nion which may be deemed inconfiftent with unity of Doclrine. Suppofing any fuch differences, of a flriking fort, there mufl be 2. fe-paration\ and then each of the differing opinions may perhaps find fa- vourers fufficient to form a focicty;— there is no very great difficulty in this; but there may be fome cafes where Diffenfions need not occafion a fepara- tion, and others where it may be doubtful whether the differences in private opinion are confiftent with unity of Dodrine, or not. Let us ccnfider what may be done in doubts and difficulties of this nature.
You and I may differ about fome one point which we may think ejjhitial to right worfliip, or right condudl ; the Unity of God, worfliipping- him in fpirit, human facrifices, &c. — or we may differ about fo many points, that omitting them all, might leave us too few fubjecls of public inftruc- tion, or too few cxprcffions for public devotions : which would give too much to private devotion and meditation. In fuch cafes, we had beft fee whether we can form two religious focieties; if numbers are infufficient, that will be reafon enough for our uniting, though we differ very confiderably, as Chriftians would do in a Heathen country. — Break- ing the Unity of the Catholic Church lightly, or without fufficient reafon, is what has been called Sc/iifm, and is an important offence.
In general. Separations are apt to feem more. Ecceffary than they really are: it is not about fun- damental doftrines, or about dodrines level to the human judgment, which men are apt to divide ^ but about thofe which are moft peculiar to a few, and mofl: oblcure and difficult : yet it can fcarce
ever * Dr. Balgiiy, Ser. vii. p. 119.
BOOK II li CHAP. IV. SECT. IV. 2^
ever be really important to divide about thefe : it is rather impatience under our own ignorance, and pride, difdaining to lubmit, than Reafon, which occafion diirenfions about them, and, therefore, which occafion feparations : we fhould avoid fepa- rations, if poffible : efpecially as religious focieties, like others, have many advantages by being exten- iive. Let us then confider the beft methods of preventing feparations, and fuch Dijfenjioiis as have been fhewn to hurt religious fentiments.
I. Thofe whofe bufinefs it is to frame any body ofdo6lrines, or forms of devotion, ceremonies, &c. might contribute a good deal towards uniting men, and keeping them united, by being difcreet in their expreffions, and liberal in their notions; not en- couraging contrafted ideas, but the mod enlarged and comprehenlive. 2. When thofe who had framed doftrines, &;c. had been too confined in their notions, feparations and hurtful diffenfions might fometimes be avoided by moderation in in- forcing or carrying into execution. 3. Some good might follow trom prudence in the public teacher Sy parcicularly in chufing fuch topics ^ as were leaft hkely to give offence. 4. Separations and hurtful diffenfions might be avoided by patience, forbear- ance and candour on the part of private individuals: when any thing occurred, in a religious affembly, which they vviihed to have been omitted, as bear- ing hard on their private opinions, they might be contented to fufpend their affent and concurrence, for a time, — as is done in the Church of Eno-land by fome, when the Athanafian Creed is read, or the Commination.
It could not but tend to keep men united in fo- ciety, if it was generally conlidered, by all ranks and orders, v/hat great force there is in /peaking
alike; ^ Dr. Balguy allows thb, Difc. vii. p. nS.
30 RDOK III. CHAI'. IV. 5ECt. V.
alike \ how much it contribures cither to make men M//;/cahke, or to forget that they differ, which comes much to the fame thing in the prcfent cafe. — Such is the habitual connexion between our words and ideas, that thofe vVho ufe the fame words, cannot cafily pcrluade thcmfclves that they have not the fame ideas: fometimes this connexion is an evil, when difputes want deciding, and you wifh to (hew that the fame words are ufed in different fenfesj but here it would be a good.
Archbilhop Sharp flievvs', that if men would fpeak. alike, they would ere long find that they had already thought alike, and that they had been hin- dered from perceiving it by different modes of ex- preffion; and by the different points of view in which they had placed the fame thouglit.
Dr. Powell opens his fecond Difcourfe with a remark to our purpofe; and the earneftnefs of St. Paul in his"* text Oiould not pafs unnoticed. — One of the Fathers aiks ", rogo vos, cum fenfu incolumes fitis, cur 'vocihus infanitis?— thofe whom he ad- dreiies, might be fafe as to their meaning, if they did not materially differ from each other : fome dif- ference it is evident they had.
We have bcfovc" mentioned from Moflieim, that the followers and oppofers of Nejiorins held opinions the fame in effeft.
V. As what has here been offered, or recom- mended, may be thought more difficult in pradice than it really is it may be proper to mention a few injiances.
In
• Vol. i. Scr. I. 3cl rule. This is not the cxprrjjion of Abp. Sharp, but w!:a: he fays Jkei.<:5 this.
"> I Cor. i. lo.
" Vigilius ad Eutych. L. 2. quoted in Pcarfon on the Creed, Art. 2. p. 141. Fol.
» B. I r. Chap. v. Se6t. 1 1 1. or Moihcim, Cent. 5. 25. 9. Vol.ii. 8vo. p. 70.
BOOK III. CHAP. IV, SECT. V. ^t
In primitive times, though men had different ideas wiien they '' faid that Chrift was the Logos, yet they called him fo, and agreed in expreffion as if they had agreed in idea; fo that no diflenlion enfued.
The Ebionites and Nazarenes called Chrift *' the Son of God "^^ but in different fenfes.
Some perfons underlland the petition in the Lord's Prayer " deliver us from evil," as if the evil were natural evil, contradiftinguifhed to temp- tation or moral tvW; others as if evil meant the evil oncy or Satan: yet thefe join in the pra5^er without inconvenience '.
Bifhop Burnet, fpeaking' of thofe who held dif- ferent opinions concerning Predeftination, adds, " how much foever they may differ and difpute in the Schools, their worfhip being the fame, they do all join in it." — He tells us alfo that the Lutherans and Calvinifts agree in " a6ls of wor/Jiip'"' with re- gard to the Eucharift, though they differ in opinion as to the manner in which Chrift is prefent.
Clement the 9th made peace in his Church, by only fubftituting the \MOXi\fincerely, in a declaration of faith, for the words purely^ and /imply. —The queftion related to the Divine Decrees, and influ- ence on the human will. — In fuch queftions as the three laft referred to, if difpute begins, there is nothing likely to end it; therefore difcretion ftiouid be ufed to prevent its beginning: ^t fuch a time the alternative is, perpetual peace, or perpe- tual difcord ; or, in effeft, perpetual encourage- ment or perpetual difcouragement of religious prin- ciples.
VI. One
P See MIchaells's Tntrod. Lecl. Seft. 100. end. Quarto. ^ See Lard. Works, Vol. iii. p. 541. tranll. from Beaufobre. ' People differ about charity covering fins, yet worfhip toge- ther, and ufe prayers, &c. concerning Charity. ^ Pref. to Art. p. 17 and 18. 8vo. * Voltaire's Louis 1 4. Janlenifme. p. 276. izmo.
$Z BOOK III. CHAP. IV. SECT. VI.
VI. One thing which has flood in the way of fuch Unity of Doctrine as we are treating of, is the right of private judgment ^ the defence of which is ahvays very popular: — On this right there has been much unfatisfaftory arguing. Some have argued as if this right was always infringed when men were required to fubmit to the Rules of the Society to which they belonged: though thofe men enjoy the greateft poffibic freedom who live in well-ordered fociety. (Dr. Balguy, p. 121.) Some, as if it was violated when men were refufed as Minijlers in certain churches whofe doctrines they would not teach: that is, vitxt prohibited in certain locietics, from teaching their own opinions : fome, as if no man could have right of private judgment, whd judged it befl to act after the opinion of another. But fuch reafoning feems fubverfive of all religious Society i nay, of all focial action whatfoever. Are the rights of private judgment violated becaufe a man cannot fpcak as long as he pleafes in certain clubs?— or becaufe a farming fervant may not ufe a drill plow?— or becaufe a meflenger is forbidden to deliver any meffagc but that which his employer fends?
Neal, in his Hiflory of the Puritans, has fome- thing upon the right of private judgment, which feems to me inapplicable to religious Society. Vol. i . 4to. p. 1^1. — is each man to worlliip alone? are a thcufandmcn to worlhip, each in his own way, and call themfclves a Society? a Church ? Suppofe a man to fpeak in favour of private judgment about ihc difea/es of the Body; it would be immediately aikcd, do you mean that no man Ihail follow tlie judgment of a Fhyfician? that every Shop-keeper ihall dilieCt? every rarmerfludy the materia me- dica? Chemiib-v, Botany, 8:c. ? — no one would think it rcalbnable; thcretore it is not merely truth
and
BOOK III. CHAP. IV. SECT. VII, 33
and equity that thofe perfons aim at, who plead for private judgment in religion; there is either in^ tereft or ambition at the bottom, though they niay not know it: or a plan of evading Duties, and in- dulging in Vice : or of recommending particular alterations under general expreffions of Liberty and Riglit". Any one who is really defirous of keeping clear of error muft be aware, when he hears enco- miums fpoken generally of religious Liberty, that they may mean no more than Liberty to change d, prefent eflabliOiment into a new one,
VII. Another thing which has been a great hin^ drance to men's acquiefcing in the kind of fituation here recommended, is the notion, that eftablifhr ments, by cramping men's freedom of inquiry, prevent improvement ; that they are modes ot Ty^ ranny exercifed by Priefts; and that under Tyrants no powers of improving can be exerted.- Whereas, eftabhthments feem as if they were in reality the beft means of improvement : — ^they may have been abufed, and may be liable to abule; Bigotry and Prieftcraft may have tyrannized over confciences, and kept them confined in fetters, though even diis has been chiefly in times of ignorance, when priefts polTefTed moft forts of ufeful knowledge m being, ^nd the people were very little able to guide them^ felves; but now no mifchief of this kind is to be apprehended from them.—Suppofe no eftablifh- ment, all is confufion ; from which no improve^ ment can arife : fuppofe an eflabliihment, ail is orderly and quiet: the people follow their feyeraj
occupations^
" I have heard Unitarians fpeak much of Liberty, right of private judgment, &c. ; but, on afking them whether Papip were to be free from all tefts and reltraints, 1 never found them
.confiftent with their ovj'n principles, generally exprefled. -r
See Dr. Balguy, p. 273. 278. 279, and the opening of my stlj of November Sermon.
VOL, II, C
34 BOOK III. CHAP. IV. SECT. VII.
occupations, and improvement comes into the hands of thofe, who arc bed qualified to promote it. Some of thcfe may be too forward to reform, others too backward ^ but, when improvement has been made by the moft enlightened, it will be fure to defcend to the People, as they are able to bear it J a little fooner or a little later. — Other things are under eftablilTiments as well as religion"; they improve, and the more for being fo ; why may not religion? In Phyfic, men have kept obfei-ving re- ceived maxims in mod things, and improving them in fomething ; Heat, in the fmall-pox and fevers, ufed to be prefcribed generally ; but com- pliance with eftablilhed rules has not prevented their being improved ; thofe eftabliflied rules were always capable of improvement ; but to follow them, was always better than to fet them wholly afide. — I have met with perfons, who look upon the Newtonian Philofophy as only ellablillied for a. rime ; who think, that it will be fuperfeded, as the Cartefian has been: — it is needlefs to enter into the qucflion : fuppofing this not improbable, yet flill 1 Ihould now fay, ftudy the Newtonian Philofo- phy y it is the efiablijhed Philofophy ; whatever im- provements it may hereafter receive, you will profit moft by learning what it teaches: if you neglc(5t it, you will, comparatively, knov/ nothing. — The fame kind of reafoning might be apphed to Agri- culture; if I wanted to educate a perfon even for the very purpofe of making improvements, I would put him firfl under fome Steward or Farmer, who followed eftabliflied rules. Eftabliflied agriculture cannot be improved till it is pradiccd; neither can eilabliflied Virtue, or Religion. — In Religion, men have or affeft fomething of a falfe pride or a falfe fliame about being directed ; but there fcems no
reafon » Book II. Chap. iv. Seft. iv.
BOOK III. CHAP. IV. SECT. VIII. 35
reafoii for being more afliamed of trufting to a Prieft, than a Cobler : from whence it is natural again to conclude, that, when men are more afhamed, it is not merely through reafon.— The refuk of what has been faid feems ftrongly in fa- vour of Religious eflablifliments*
VIII. It follows from this view of religious efta- blifhments, that a man may, reafonably and law- fully, live under any one, and conform to it, who is not againft reforming it ; and who allows, that it has imperfedions : for one ufe of eftablilhments is, to promote improvements, or reformations, with the leaft difturbance poffible.
But moreover, many perfons have tzvo capacities to improve in, indeed all thofe have, who are likely to improve eftablifliments : thofe of the Man and the Philofopher, As a reUgious Philofopher, it has juft now appeared, that I may improve myfelf under an eftablifliment; but, as a man, 1 Hand no chance of improving without one : my principles can in no other way have any likelihood of being nouriflied and fupported ; were I ever fo defirous, in the charafter of a Philofopher, to reform and improve the eftablifliment to which I belong, yet I muft a6t under it regularly, as a man. Nay, I muft take care, while I am purfuing improvement in the for- mer capacity, that I do not forget my interefts in the latter. A man may look fo much beyond his eftablifhment, as to lofe a great deal of private improvement; and indeed he may fo give himfelf up to his private improvement, and confine his views fo much to his prefent eftablifliment, as never to improve that.
But fuppofe a man had not thefe vievvs to im- provement, in becoming a member of religious fociety, but only found himfelf fettled in an efta- blilhment, he knew not why, by birth, education, c 2 &C.
36 BOOK III. CHAP. IV. SECT. VIII.
&:c. imperfeftions in it would not, always at leafi, afford any good realon for his removing: yet, when- ever he finds an imperfection, he muft wifli it al- tered. All human inftitutions will be imperfeifl'', and the particular regulations of every religious ibciety are human. He is under eftabliiliments in Law and Phytic, thefe are imperfect, but that is no good reafon for throwing them afide. Who dare break through all eftabliflied rules of what we
D
call Fafliion, in drefs, &c. on the plea of their being imperfeft? a man may be thoroughly con- vinced, that it is abfurd to cut away the beard, to throw' white dull into the hair, and ufe a tena- cious fluid to keep it there ; but a wife man will judge, that more good will arife from compliance than from fingularity : yet, at the iame time that he complies, he will be m.aking fome advances towards reformation.
Men of the world feom very unreafonable, in not fubmitting to a6t under reHgious eflablidiments ; they think themfelves above it; all are quacks in Divinity ; men in atftive life will talk as Reformers, lightly and frivoloufly ; and they would notfcruple to undertake the tafk of reforming, without judg- ment, knowledge, or any confiftent plan ; and without any probability of not falling into great errors. Would they not acfl more reafonably, if they conformed to cftabliQmients, and only men- tioned their ideas of improvement to thofe, who were prudent and informed enough to judge of them maturely ? only prcffing them if they law, that
they
y Dr. Balguy, p. 125. Bifcourfe vu.
^ " In the days of Clemens Alexanddnus, the Chriftians thought it a very horrible thing to wear falfe hair; aiid
Calvo turpius eft nihil comnto, f lid Martial to Marinus," kc. (Lib. x. Epigr. 83.) fee Taylor's Duclor dubitantivim, 3. i. 5. p. 434.
Did not Charles tl^e cd write fome Letter againfl perukes to tlie Univcrfity of Cambridge?
BOOK Iir. CHAP. IV. SECT. IX. 3^
they were oppoled more through indolence than reafon.
IX. When a body of Doftrlne is to be fixed upon, in order that unity of teaching may have place, it may happen, that feveral doiflrines will be fet up or propofed, in competition with each other. In this cafe, it may fometimes promote unity to have different parties enter into a compromije. It feems odddX firfl, that men fliould prefume to fettle truths, as if they could order a propofition to be true or not true, as they pleafed ; and Mr. VoU taire ridicules fuch kind of compromife; Ipeaking of the Janfenifts and Jefuits, and of one Jefuic Achilles Gaillard^ in particular, he fays, " Ilpropofa gravement d'accepter la predefti nation gratuite, a condition que les Dominicains admettraient la fci- ence'' moienne; et qu' on ajufterait ces deux fyf- temes comme on pourrait." This at iirfb has the air, as if the Jefuits could allow Predefhination to be true in v;hat degree they chole, and in like man- ner the Janfenifts the Doctrine of Grace: bur, though this might be ridiculous in theory, yet in practice fomething of the fort might rcafonably take place. Suppofe the Jefuits not to allow gra- tuitous predefli nation in their private opinion, they might agree, for the fake of peace, not to oppole it, or reqijire fubfcriptions or declarations in contra- diction to it : and fo might the Janfenifts do, with regard to the Jefuitical notion about the afTiftance of the Holy Spirit. — And accordingly, in confe- quence of this compromife, we are told, " On "
compofa
* Siecle de Louis x i v, Janfenifme, not far from tlie beginning, p. 263. i2mo.
'' Ic or fcientia media fee Vitringa Theol. Vol. i. De attri- butis — (Sapientia.)
^ See Voltaire's Janfenifme, in Louis xiv. towards end. p. 296. i2mo.
Dr. Balguy allows of" mutual concelllons :" p. 125. in Difc. VII.
9 3
38 BOOK III. CHAP. IV. SECT. IX.
compofa un corps de docirine^ qui contenta prefque les deux partis."
Allied to mutual concefllons, is obedience to injun5lions of the civil power to put an end to dif- putes on fpeculative dodlrincs : in this, the open profeflion and maintaining of opinion, is facrificed to good order, and to that good turn of mind, which arifes from order and peace. It might feem, as if no earthly Governor had a power to filence the preacher of truth ; as if he might follow the exam- ple of ^ Peter and John, who preferred the com- mand of God to that of the Council : — but the bu- linefs of the ordinary teacher, in the cafes we fpeak of, is not to propagate a fyftem of religion like the Chriftian; nor has he miraculous power, to fhew that he is to judge for himfelf ; he fhould think what is the leaft evil, to obey the Magiftrate, or to deftroy the peace of the Church.
Injunftions of the kind we fpeak of are, that of • Charles ifl. prefixed to our Articles ; and thofe of feveral Popes, who endeavoured to bring the Jan- fenifts and their opponents to teach the common moral duties. — The title of our Articles fhews, that they were made " for avoiding of diverfities of opinions, and for the eflablifhing oi confent touch- ing true religion."
Dr. Balguy fhould be read ; particularly his fe- venth Difcourfe.
^ A£ls iv. 19. Dr. Balguy, p. iig.
« That this was by Charles ift. fee Pamphlet called " A DifC on the 17th Art, &c.— Oxf. 1773.
CHAP.
BOOK III. CHAP. V. SECT. I. 39
CHAP. V.
OF ARTICLES OF RELIGION.
I. -r XTE have now, according to our plan, fliewn, VV that the way to promote right condn5l is, to ftudy the nature of Senthnents, rehgious ones in particular: and that the way to promote good fen- tlments is, to maintain unity ofdodrine; the laft thing is to fhew, that the way to maintain unity of Dodrine is, to require, from thofe who are to teach, fome kind of ajfent to that which is to be taught.
Attempts have been made to fliew, that fuch affent is medlefs ' j if it is fo, it mufl be owned that they do wrong, who infift upon it. The Remon- flrants in Holland\ a very rerpecT:able fet o&peo- ple, made one attempt of this fort; the Minifters of c^ur own Church made another, not many years ago: but I coniider both as mere expedients of p!eformers, aiming to change particular Doftrines, not as coming from objeftions of mere reafon to all Articles. If reformers can get rid of one efta- blifhrnent, they can more eafily introduce *= another; and I have no idea, that either the Dutch Remon- flrants or our own countrymen would have gone
on
a See end of JefFerfon's Notes on Virginia: the experiment is not yet fully tried there, and whilft it is trying, it corner under an obfervation to be made in this Chapter.
" See Dr. Jortin's Six Differtations, p. 104, 105. The Sy- nod of Dort was in 1618 and 16 19. ^ ' rr c u
«= Were ever any perfons known to wifli to throw off lub- fcriptions to any dodrines, who meant to continue the profef- fion of the fame dodrines? thefe would be the perfons to be heard z^zin^ /uhjcr lotions .
C 4
4<^ fiOOK III. CHAP. V. SECT. II.
on without one, or without declarations on the |5art of the teachers, for any length of time*^.
II. Not but there are fome fpecious things to be faid in favour of leaving men at liberty; there are fome fuppofitions on which, and fome circumftances in which, afTent to do(ftrines would be needlefs; and we (hall not go to the bottom of the fubjed, if we do not inquire what they are. Till it is (hewn, that none of them can be expelled to be realized in the prefent flate of things, they will be perpetually iirged as obje(5lions to our manner of managing religious Society. Befides, to conceive different cafes, muft enlarge the mind, and let us fee the nature of all religious eftablifhments, without the peculiarities of any one. If we do not think in this way, we do not diftinguifh between peculiari- ties, and thofe properties which are inherent in the nature of Religious Society as fuch.
Dr. Powell lays% very fenfibly, " Since it cannot be imagined, that men fliould explain with clear- iiefs, or enforce v/ith earneftnefs, or defend with accuracy of judgment, fuch doftrines as they do not believe ; the Church requires of thofe, who are appointed to teach religion, a folemn declaration of their Faith." When Dr. Powell fays, " it can- not be imagined^'' he does not fay it is impojfibk'y lie reafons from experience, his conclufion is pro^ lable.—Dr. Balguy, in that admirable compofition his fifth Charge, does, as I conceive, the fame. This method was bed fuited to their purpofe;— we have only to hope, that our plan may be fuit- able to a courfe of Lectures. I know not that there is amongft us any difference of opinion.
III. The mofl obvious, though not the moft probable^ fuppofition is, that there was no mate- rial
^ Oliver Ctomwell wis for making an ecclefiallical eflablifl;- ffientj or national Church, at laft. See Hurtie, A. D. 1656. * Dire. p. 33.
BOOK III. CHAP. V. SECT. III. 41
irial difference of Opinion amongft the ftudents of religion in any number of men who lived together,. Kone which could occafion any dijfenjions hurtful to religious fentiments; none which feemed to the perfons concerned inconfiftent with the carrying on of a religious Society. This may Teem too im- probable a fuppofition to bear mentioning; but yet it fhould be made, as no affent to doctrines need be given in fuch a cafe : and we fhould ob- ferve, that it would come to much the fame thing, if there was great moderation about the different modes of expreffmg thofe dodrines, which we can- not comprehend; for it is chiefly about thefe ^that any diffenfions arife, which difturb the peace of the Church, fo as to defeat the ends of religious fociety. We and the Socinians are faid to differ, but about what ? not about morality, or natural religion, or the divine authority of the Chriffcian Religion ; we differ only about what we do not underiland : and about what is to be done on the part of God : and, if we allowed one another to ufe expreffions at will, (and what great matter could that be in what might almoft be called unmeaning expreflions ?) we needneverbe uponourguard againfl each other: a heathen Socrates, 1 think, would be furprized at thofe, who agreed in fo many things, requiring declarations and fubfcriptions in order to exclude one another; he would judge, that we might worfhip together, and even have the fame body of dodrine : each party thinking freely in private, and ufing difcreet expreffions in public^.
IV. The
^ Chap. IV. Seft. iv.
s The Epiftle of the Emperor Conftantine to the heads of the parties when Arianifm firft broke out, does him honour. It is eafily found in Eufebius's Life of Conftantine, or in Socrates'3 Ecclefiaftical Hidory. Lardner commends it; Works, Vol. iv, p. 188 and 200. It is mentioned again, in our B. iv. Art. i. Se.^, XV. end, . ' *
4* BOOK III. CHAP. V. SECT. IV. V.
IV. The fecond fuppofition, on which no folemn aflent need be given, or no Articles fubfcribed, is, that no dijlurbance has happened; — mere apprehen- fion of the poffibility of dillurbance, without ex- perience, is not a fufficient reafon for laying re- ftraints : by difturbance we mean, fuch as would prevent the growth of religious fentiments. Our Church has not publilhed any new articles iince 1562, when the national Religion was changedy (and then they cut off fome few of 1552) yet, if they had given way to every apprehenfion of dif- turbance, they probably would have framed fome new Confefli'>n. — Neverthelefs, though mere fufpi- cion is not fufficient to juftify rellraints, ftrong marks of a turbulent difpofition may ; fuch as in Law are, with regard to Treafon, called overt a^s^: a man may not attack an ill-looking perfon whom he meets, merely becaule he is afraid of being attacked by him ; yet he may take fome figns as proofs of an hoftile intention; if he ftays till he has certainty of an attack, felf-defence may be impofiible.
v. A third fuppofition, on which affent to doc- trines need not be required, is, that there were fome mechanical way of fpreading thofe which were eflablifhed. Homilies are fomething of this fort, fuppofing them wholly to exclude preaching. If the whole duly of a teacher confifled in reading an Homily, it would be matter of little moment whether his opinions exactly coincided with thofe he read. And it would be much the fame, if he would look upon himfelf as a mere inftrument in the hand of the Church : or as having no concern with truth, as not being accountable for fallhood, in the mere character of a teacher. —This need only relate to the more obfcure dodrines ; in points not controverted, he might be warm and earneft. — I
have
*» Blackllone. Index, Onjcrt afl.
BOOK III. CHAP. V. SECT. VI. 43
have fometimes told my Congregation, in Sermons, that I fpeak as a minifter, and not as a man ; that, though I believe the doftrines I preach, I deliver them not as my own, but as the do6lrines of the Church: and on this account fuch doftrines de- mand greater attention.
It would come to much the fame thing, if teach- ers agreed in judgment to what has been here laid down, and looked upon themfelves as hound to promote unity of Dodtrine : of that Doftrine, which was prefcribed by the Authority under which they taught : if they were convinced, that peace of mind, by producing good fentiments, was of greater con- fequence than the difference between this myfte- rious opinion and that, whilft it generated difcord and difunion.
VI. If then we find no great difference o^ opinion, —or, if men fufFer one another to exprefs themfelves as they pleafe about do6lrines above the reach of man; — or, if difference of opinion occafions no dijiurhance or confufion; or, if mechanical ways of Ipreading doflrines are contrived and enjoined, or teachers turn themfelves into mere inftruments ;— or, laftly, if teachers highly efteem unity of doftrine, and maintain it confcientioufly ; in any of thefe cafes, affent to articles of religion is not to be re- quired:—each fet of people muft aik themfelves, therefore, --<7r^ we nearly of the fame opinions? do we leave men to exprefs themfelves as they pleafe about myfteries ? have we any mechanical contri- vances for teaching what authority prefcribes?— do teachers confider themfelves as mere machines in the hands of the Church .? are they ftrongly im- prefTed with the infinite Importance of unity of do6lrine ? Upon the anfvvers, which we are able to give to thefe queftions, muft our condud depend, in particular churches ; — but the adual ftatc of par- ticular
44 BOOK III. CHAP. V. SECT. VI.
ticular churches is not now the fubject of our confideration. One word may be faid on the ex- pedient of fpreading Dodtrines by means' of i/ow/- lies: it feems eafy, but it does more harm, when a number of good preachers can be had, than re- training thofe preachers to deliver the fame doc- trine, and taking the fecurity of their private judg- ment that they will do fo. There would be, from time to time, if preachers were encouraged, new illuftrations of virtue and religion; of natural reli- gion as well as revealed : there would be, probably, in the natural courfe of improvement, numberlefs new lights thrown upon the Scripture : — now the conftant ufe of Homilies would preclude all this : and to reform them would be nearly as difficult as to reform Liturgy, or Articles, even though they would become infipid by frequent repetition.
Dr. Balguy fays\ " It fhould never be forgotten by minlfters, that they are fubjeft to higher au- thority. They are to execute Law, not to make if" — And afterwards', " Every word that comes from our mouths in oppofition to the eftablilhed faith, is a violation of the moil: folemn engagements, and an ad of difobedience to lawful authority."^ Though this is faid with particular relation to the Church of England, in which Minifters make ex- prefs engagements, yet it would bejuft, though our engagements were only tacit and implied : it exprefles perfectly well the general rights of reli- gious Society over its minifters ; but rights are not the whole matter; on the prefent fubjeft, we would fee moreover {omt fecurity, that fuch rights will not be loft, or violated. — The kind of fecurity to be required, in any particular cafe, will depend upon the anfwers which can be given to the queftions
juft
> Mentioned Sea. 5. " P. 113. Ser. vii.
' P. 1x9. See alfop. iiB
BOOK III, CHAP. V. SECT. VI. 45
juft now propofed ; but fomething may be obferved upon general confideratlons.
If a new religious fociety was to be formed, quite as a res integra^ of perfons well difpofed, but un- conne6ted, if they were tolerably well informed, though ibme Body of do6trine Qiould be conflrudt- ed, the teachers fhould be left to their own con- fciences to deliver it faithfully. — And this fliould continue till fome abufes fhould arife, which were likely to difturb men's minds, and defeat the ends of religious fociety "".
But, if men began to contend, got to be vehe- ment, to form feparate parties, to prefer men of their own religious perfualion, even in civil offices, in all forts of employments of truft or profit, to exert themielves in fhewing fuch preference; if they were found labouring fecretly to gain profelytes, and infinuating themfelves amongll thofe, whom they accounted enemies, as fpies, or feducers; then the public tranquillity, and the nature of religious principles, would require, that thofe of one party fhould be rendered dijcernihle from thofe of ano- ther, by certain marks. And, as it is not to be fup- pofed, that any man would be alhamed of his own opinion, or afraid to own it, what mode of diftin- guifliing religious parties could be fo fimple and natural, as drawing out a lift of the opinions of one or more parties, and afking any man, who feemed likely to occafion any diflurbance by his fituation or employment, whether thofe opinions were his r* whether, if he was a teacher, he would teach thofe opinions ? whether, if he was a common
man,
^ This is the obfervation promifed in Note to-Sefl. i. about America. Let the experiment of requiring no judgment on the Doftrines to be taught, be tried there: but let us not be impatient whilft we are watching the ifliie: nor, if the Spirit of party fufFers it to fucceed there for a considerable time, let us be ralh in concluding our iituation to be exadly fiinilar to theirs.
46 BOOK III. CHAP. V. SECT. VI.
man, he would chufe to be ranked with fuch as held thofe opinions, and be a member of their Society ?
This may give an idea of what might occafion Articles of rehgion to be made, and aiTent to them to be required. One of thefe parties might perhaps be very opulent, another very poorj and, in the courfe of a few years, they might change ficuations with refped: to wealth and poverty; but all this is merely incidental^ and does not at all affect our reafoning.
CHAP.
BOOK III. CHAP. VI. 47
CHAP VI.
OF ARTICLES OF RELIGION, WHICH HAVE BEEN CONTINUED FOR A LENGTH OF TIME^ WHILST OTHER THINGS HAVE BEEN CHANGING.
WE have now completed our Plan ; we have propofed what is the main confideration in religious Societies of modem times, that is to fay, affent to Articles of ReHgionj we have fhewn, from the nature of Veracity, what is the nature of fuch affent, and, from the general nature of religious fociety, when fuch affent may be requifite% when it may be difpenfed with.
But what has been advanced in this Book, has all gone upon the fuppofition, that Articles of Re- ligion are compofed at the time they are affented to 5 whereas, in faft, there are fo many difficulties in forming a Body of Articles, that, once made, the fame continues for a great number of a^es. And yet, in a great number of ages, great changes, of one fort or other, generally take place. If the faculties of the mind are well employed, great improvements ; if otherwife, great abufes, founded on great errors.
If the Forms to be affented to continue the fame, while many things relating to them change, the nature of the affent will change; and fo may its expediency.
Something therefore remains to be faid, on fup- pofition of long continuance of Articles of Reli- gion J and the whole of what is to come, in the prefent Book, will confift of obfervations either arifing im- mediately * Chap. V.
48 BOOK III. CHAP. VI. SECT. I.
mediately out of llich fuppofition, or in fome mea- fure conneifled with it. Other fubjedts may be introduced which mighty in part, be treated inde- pendently, but none which will not be treated to more advantage by being made to belong to it.
It may be proper to fugged a caution, that every thing that is faid be not applied, or thought ap- plicable, to the Articles of the Church of England in particular. I am not the perfon, who would in- finuate, that any of our own Articles fland in need of any thing beyond plain interpretation; but fome may think, that fome of them do: and it cannot but be ufeful to thofe, who fubfcribe Articles made 230 years ago, to purfue a train oi general reafon- ing, concerning the effedl of antiquity on fixed forms, whether any one applies it to his own forms or not.
The foundation of every thing, which I have to obferve on this I'ubjeft, is what I would call a Tacit Reformation : let us therefore examine the nature of that.
I . Our firfl ftep may be to take a general idea of the efFedls of age, in Articles of Religion. It has appeared, in the firftBook\ that few if any propo- rtions are ftriftly univerfal ; things exprefled as if they were univcrfally meant, have generally fome particular references^ by which they are to be limited-y now, when propofitions are new, thefe references are perfeftly intelligible; nay, they feem to be no references at all ; the mind makes them fo eafily, as not to be confcious of making them : but, when the propofitions are o/d, thecircumftances, to which reference is made, are no longer feen; the references therefore are loft, and the propofitions come to be interpreted in a more ftrid and literal fenfe, with fewer exceptions and limitations than any one
wouM »> Chap. jf.
BOOK Iir. CHAP. VI. SECT. II. 49^
would have interpreted them with, at the time they were made. Or, if it is feen that the ftricft literal univerfal fenfe could not originally be the true one, and allowances are made on that account, fuch allov/ances mufl be made at random, and mufl often be wrongly imagined or conjeftured; ftill, therefore, the old references are different from the new; and therefore the old y^;//£?. Inftances would illufhrate this to thofe, who thought it obfcure ; but, in the firfl: book, fo many were brought, that I am unwilling to add more.
But, moreover, iuppofing the propolit ions them- felves to continue intelligible, and to be underftood in their right icnfe j yet ftill changes in ot/ier things, in other parts of knowledge, would fet them in a different point of view. There is luch a connexion and affinity between different parts of knowledge, that whatever much affedts one part will, in fome degree, affed another.
II. Befidcs thefe changes in the fenfe of expref- fions which arife in a general way, in the natural courfe of things, we may, v/ithout improbability, fuppofe fome particular refearches to bring to light fome particular error in the forms, to which affent is to be given, or v/hich are ufed in public worfliip. This might happen from the ftudy of manufcripts, or other parts of ,criticifm: — it feems really to have happened with regard to i Pet. iii. 19. which, in the third Article of the Church of England, as made in 1551, is interpreted of Chrift's defcent; into Hell, h did indeed happen, that the re- formed doftrine of the Englilh Church was not finally fettled in 1552; and, therefore, ten years afterwards, this Article was altered; but we may eafily fuppofe fuch alteration not to have taken place: and, in truth, this part of Scripture is ftill ufed as the Epiflle for Eafter Even; if there is any
VOL. II. D particular
50 BOOK III. CHAP. VI. SECT. III.
particular propriety in ufing it on that daj', tiie fame conftrudlion muft remain. Denouncing fen- tence of eternal damnation upon unworthy receivers of the Lord's Supper, is now acknowledged to be an error, but the forms are not changed. — Praying that Magiftrates may maintain Truth (as we do in our Litany) was beft fuited to times prior to the fettlement of Toleration".
When thefe things happen, what is to be done? an unthinking man would fay, repeal, alter, when you find errors j this is the mod obvious meafure to fugged, but it is often extremely difficult to pradtife: fo difficult, that it may be beft in many, nay in moft, inftances, to let the errors Jtand as they did, in the Letter, and only depart from them in the Spirit.
III. The Reafons for this had better make a fe- parate confideration ; here we will obferve, that, when forms are left in words, but taken away or altered in meaning, it may be either fiid, that they grow obfolete, or that the Law which enjoins them is tacitly repealed. And we will add, that a tacit repeal is of equal ^ validity with an exprefs one. The authority of the Lawgiver is on the fame foot- ing with that of the Mafter, or Proprietor ^ it may be relaxed in different degrees, it may be withdrawn totally, and yet in filence; and, when authority of any kind is withdrawn, in any way, fubjediion, or obligation to obey, can no longer fublift. Right to command may be relinqui/Jied in the fame man- ner with right to polfefs or enjoy; and, with right, muft ceafe its correlative, obligation: that which is relinquiOied requires no attention, as a matter of duty.
But
^ See Dr. Bnlguy; opening of 3d Charge: and Chap. xiv. SeA. r I . of this Book. - ^ My Aflize Sermon, p. 4.
BOOK III. CHAP. VI. SECT. III. ^t
But the reafons for leaving errors uncorre6led, and fuffering forms to grow obfolete, or repealing only taa'ily the Laws which enjoin them, are to be confidered more particularly.— It muft not be iin- derftood, that this method is recommended as po- litive good in itfelfj it is only recommended as ne- gative good, or as the leq^ evil. It occafions the lead interruption of Peace, and therefore of reli- gious affeftions and principles. It feems ftridly defenfible and right; and capable of being explained to thofe, who have fcruples about its reditude* Errors of the kind we fpeak of generally make part o^2ifyJiem; and the authority of a part cannot be deftroyed, without firft ailing contrary to the au- thority of the whole: when that habitual veneration for the fyftem of dodrines, on. which religion (o much depends, mufb be broken in upon, and greatly damaged. When the parts of any machine are feparated, it is found, that taking to pieces is a much eafier work than putting together. And the difference is at leaft as great in a religious machine, or fyftem, where every part may be changed, as in any other : it has been found, that, when fuch a fyftem has been diflbived, all men turn Lawgivers^ Reformer?, founders of fefts : — and the moft quiet can agree on rejeding an error, when they cannot agree upon accepting a fubftitution in its place. — - In order to fettle fuch fubftitution, numbers muft: confult together; thefe it will be often difficult to aflemble, often difficult to diflblve : they get into debates on fubjefts, which v/ere, in many conjunc- tures, better left untouched ; they run into ftfife and contention, to which there is no end ; Solomon fays% " the beginning of ftrife is as when one letteth out water;" and his faying is not more applicable to any kind of ftrife than to religious.
But,
« Prov. xvii. 14.
D 2
52 BOOK III. CHAP. VI. SECT. III.
But, though a council would probably be nu- merous, they would have to fatisfy a much greater tiumber than themfelves, whofe acceptance is ne- ceflary : the people at large muft be fatisfied, whe- ther thofe in authority are many or few. Here we come into the regions of ignorance and prejudice; amongft thofe, who ad: from their habitual/d-f/Zw^j. Reafon and good fenfc will not prevail here againft eftabliflied cuftom*^ : the fudden impofition of new Laws will exafperate and revolt the generality of thofe, whofe minds are unprepared^ to receive them: but, leave erroneous notions to fliew them- felves gradually, and efteem '' for them will decay; and others adopted in their place will at lafl; be quietly received. Nay, if the people were to be told this, and were determined to throw afide cuf- tom, and follow reafon, the matter would be full as bad. All would run into confufion.
Thofe, who were enemies to this method, if con- tinued for a great length of time, muft, one would think, allow of it as a temporary expedient. Teach- ers of religion muft not ftop ; a fucceffion of them muft be ordained; though fome things appear, in the forms to be uled or aliented to by them, which want amendment. And, if things go on thus for a while, it muft appear, that they might go on longer: making alterations cannot feem a work of immediate neccfllty.
IV. If
^ There Is an old flory of a Romifli Prieft, who had in his Book mufnpfitnus , inflead of fumpfimus ; the error was pointed out to him, but he declared he would never give up his mump- Jimus ior l\iC:Jump/imus oi sny man, let him be who he would.
The change ot 5///^ (fromO. S. to N. S.) produced many murmurmgs, iind fuperllitious terrors; fome anile perfonages have thought, that nothing has ever gone quite right, fmcc that change wab matle.
« Spirit of Laws, B. xix. Chap. ii.
*> My Aflize-Sermon, p. 7.
BOOK III. CHAP. VI. SECT. IV. V. ^^
IV. If we conceive a number of improvements to be made in the manner here defcribed, we may- conceive what I {hould call a tacit Reformation: the reafons for continuing a number of errors are the fame as for one : when the number is fufficiently large, and has continued a fufficient time, it may produce an exprefs reformation ; butfo long as, on a footing of probability, we (hould judge, that it would produce more mifchief than the continuance of the errors in form or appearance, folong we are to avoid making exprefs alterations. — In pradice, there will be a difficulty to know and fettle what to allow as an improvement : or as an improvement ■duly ratified : the beft method feems to be, to ob- ferve what the generality of learned and judicious men allow to be fuch ; only they fliould be men, who fliew no particular love of innovation ; no ambition to diftinguifh themfelves by reforming ; no reflleflhefs under authority, no want of refped to the wifdom of preceding generations. In ge- neral, fuch as have thefe faults are but few in com- parifon of the fleady, prudent, and fober-minded. And therefore we may fay, without thinking much of exceptions, that the moft rational and 'improved are to be attended to ; that what they adopt may be eftabliflied as an improvement; or even what they do not oppofe, when fuggefted by others. Thefe are thofe, who ought to take the lead, and they will do fo after a time, if not at firft.
V, It is poffible to conceive fuch a feries of im- provements, that all the Laws enjoining forms fliould be repealed; in this cafe, there would be a perfect Liberty, And one does not fee why that Liberty might not continue, till frelli diffenfions and difturbances " called for frefh reftraints and de- clarations of opinion. This conception may feem
extravagaiir, * Powell, p. 35* '' Chap. v. Seft, iv.
i> 3
54 BOOK I II. CHAP. VI. SECT. VI.
extravagant •, but one cafe, which will be mentioned amongft the inliances in the next Section, leems to come very near it. The mere conception may give lis an idea how tacit improvements generate Liberty. Whatever is exprelTed in v/ords lately fettled, muft require obedience without abatement ; whatever is old, becomes more indefinite, and is to be con- ftrued with greater latitude. If you expunge any thing, and lubftitute fomething el!e in its place, what is fubftitutcd muft be conllrued hterally, or what would be called fo; with only fuch references, as the words at the time are feen to imply. It was uncertain what references the expunged words im- plied, and therefore a reafonable freedom of inter- pretation might be allowed, left they Ihould lay a greater reftraint than they had been intended to lay. — Dr. Powell fays, at the end of his fecond difcourfe, fomething to the fame purpofe. — This liberty is only to be confidered, I think, as an ///n- ^t';//(?/ advantage ; not as one, which would deter- mine men to avoid exprefs improvements.
VI. After all, it is not perhaps to be expeded, that all perfons will htfatisfied with this realbning, and with the method of tacit Reformation. Some will fee, that it is liable to abnfe; others will call it crafty, evafive, and Jefuitical. It does feem liable to abufe; but what is not fo? Every duty may be evaded by an unfair mind, and a fair ingenuous mind will not treat rules and forms as obfolete, which are really ftill in force. Cautions may be made fo determinate, as to ferve for guides and directions in doubts concerning this matter, full as well as concerning many others. As to the rea- lbning being evafive and Jefuitical, that cannot be laid from an attentive confideration of the argu- ment; it will l)ear that teft very well ; but luch blame may arife from a flight view of it; from re- flexion
BOOK III. CHAP. VI. SECT. VI. 55
i!exion upon it cut fhort by paffion or fentiment; by abhorrence of duplicity and deceit: — it may arife from that honeft abruptnefs, which will not liflen to any thing that feems calculated to perplex plain integrity, to entangle common fenfe, to con- found truth with falfliood. — Now, nothing can obviate difficulties of this kind better than a few faEls: and amongft facts may be reckoned y^^/;/^j of eminent perfons, who fpoke with no view to the prefent inquiry. We will firft then mention fome inftance or two of civil Laws lofing their force tacitly and gradually; then a few /^6?j- relating to matters ecclefiajlical \ and laftly we will produce a few fayings to fhew, that our notion is fuch as has been recognized and approved by men of fenfe and judgment.— -We have before ^ mentioned the tenure of lands called Villenage-, in the 15th and i6th Centuries, Improvements took place in deriving be- nefit from land, both to the Owner and Tenant : the confequence was, that " Villenage "" went gra- dually into difiife throughout the more civilized parts of Europe." — " And, though" the ancient ftatutes on this fubjedl remain ftill unrepealed by Parliament, it appears that, before the reign of Elizabeth, the diftindion of Villain and Freeman was totally though infenfibly abolifhed." — In 1529, Cardinal tVolfey was indicted on a Statute of Rich- ard 2d. for procuring Bulls from Rome : on this Indidment, Mr. Hume remarks", " befides that this ftatute was fallen altogether into difufe, no- thing could be more rigojous and fevere than to impute to him, as a crime, what he had openly, during a courfe of fo many years, pradifed with the confent and approbation of the King, and the acquiefcence of the Parliament and Kingdom.'*
Th * Chap. ii.Sedl. IV. ■" Hume, Vol.n. 4:0. p. 444. " Ibid. p. 445, « Vol. iii. 4to. p. 162. D 4
56 BOOK III. CHAP. VI. SECT. VI.
The difufe was fufficient proof, that this ftatute was virtually repealed : the acting contrary to it, with approbation or acquielcence, was demonftration. Inflead, therefore, of calling the Indictment " rigo- rous and fevere," I fhould call it unjull: and ini- 'quitous in the greateft degree. The fame ftatute of Richard 2d. (called the Statute of l^rovifors) was afterwards ^ made ufe of to dcprcfs the Clergy in general.— We find a fimilar inftance of injuftice, in the convi6tion of Lord Chancellor Macclesfield, recorded in the Life of Bi/Jwp Pearce"^.
In ecclefiajlical matters, nothing is more to our purpofe than feeing, that the difficulties of altering forms have been really fuch as we have fuppofed thern ; an inftance of this might be, the troubles and difturbances occafioned by fubftituting the French for the Spanilh Liturgy or Mais, called the Mofarabic\ or Liturgy of Toledo ; or thofe occa- fioned by our Charles ift. attempting to cftablifli the ufe of the EnglilTi Liturgy in Scotlmid^ — In 1780, the Protejlant JJjoaation occafioned dreadful Riots in London j how far attachment to the Pro- teftant Religion was concerned in thefe, may be difficult to determine. ZuinzHus^ the Reformer at Zurich, in 1523 preached againft the eitablilhed Religion, the Roman; the Senate ordered him to continue to do fo, at the fame time that they con- tinued the fame' outward worlhip, which was con- trar}"^ to the preaching that they themfclves ordered. But, in the modern Church oi Geneva^ the moft complete tacit Reformation feems to have taken place.
Geneva
P Ibid. p. 170. Jan. 16, r<;3i. ^ P. xtv.
' Gomecius de rebus geltis Ximciiis, Lib. ii. Card. Bona Liturg. Lib. i. Cap. xi. Sed. 3.
* Hume, Vol. v. 410. p. 2.14. A. D 1637. The Jealoufies might be metitioned occafioned by Charles ift.'s Queen bcia^ a Papift. Ibid. p. 189.
' Dupui's comp. Hift. Cent. 16. Chap. v'.i. 1
BOOK It I. CHAP. VI. SECT. VI. 57
Geneva was the metropolis of Calvinifm; Calvin himfelf taught there; and, after him, Beza: but the Genevele have now in faft quitted their Calvi- niftic Docftrines, though inform they retain them: one reafon for retaining the form is, left they Ihould be thought Heretics by the Dutch Churches.— When the Catechumens are admitted to the Sacra- ment, they only give an aflent to the Scriptures, and the Apoftles Creed ; but, when the Minifter is admitted, he takes an oath of aflent to the Scrip- tures, and profefles to teach them * according to theCatechifm o^ Calvin;'' but this laft claufe, about Calvin, he makes a (eparate bufinefs ; fpeaking lower, or altering his pofture, or fpeaking after a confiderable interval. — There feems ftill to be fome obligation to read public Le5iures at Geneva on Calvin's Catechifm, for the Ledlurers propofe a part of it as z.fubje5t or text; but then they imme- diately go ofFto lomething elfe: they do not adhere to it, nor even treat of it. — The Youth are chiefly taught Ofliervald's Catechifm, which feems to con- tain what may now be called the real religion of Geneva".
Laftly, I will mention a few Jciyings or expref- ■fions, which may fhew, that the notion of tacitly repealing, or of defuetude^ has been profefl^ed by men of judgment. Cicero fays% " Non vides vc- teres leges aut ipsa fua vetuftate confenuifl>, aut novis legibus ti!^^ fublatas?" — In the Digefts, we have, '* Re(5liflime etiam itlud receptum eft, uc leges non folum fuffragio Legiflatoris, fed etiam tacito confenfu omnium, per defuetudinem abro-
gentur.'*
" This account is taken from a Letter written 'by a late Mi- nifter of Geneva, to a refpeflable Fellow of a College in Cam- bridge: written, I believe, for my information ; with a view to jfiiy Hiftory of Predeftijoation.
* Cic. de Oratore, 1. 58.
V
53 BOOK III. CHAP. VI. SECT. VI.
gentur." Here, the Laws muft be fuppofed to keep their place in tlie Code, and in their old forms. Bifliop Taylor'' feems to fay, that, when a cttjiom gets eftablifhed, though againft Law, it is valid, if the Supreme Magiftrate futfers the Law to go for nothing ; which he may do by his tacit confcnt or fecret approbation of the cuftom, " as by not punilhing, by not complaining, and by filence."— He fays, indeed, that a " curious xoufcience^* might not be at peace in fuch a cafe, — and he fays, that doubt may arife (when a cuftom is againft a Law) *' whether for the abrogation of the Law ' a mere Defiieiiide or omiffion is fufHcienti" — but this man- ner of fpeaking rather confirms our general prin- ciples.— Dr. Balguy^, in his heads of Moral Lec- tures, treating of Society in general, has the follow- ing titlej " The obligation m.en are under of fup- plying the defects and correfting the errors of efla- bhrtiedLaws; whilft the Laws themfelves continue lYi forced — This being relative to Society in ^(f/z^rj/, mull relate as much to ccclefiaflical fociety as any other. — What Puffendorf fays of Interpretation is eafily applied to the prefent fubjeft:—" eximendi funt iUi cafus, quos exemturus fuerat ipfe Legifla- tor, fi fuper tali cafu confultus fuilTet:" — we are to conceive the Lawgiver to be conjulted^ and, if it is clear, that he would wifli a certain Law to be ne- gleded, we may negledt it, though in words it is not altered. It was once ''Herefy to aflert the being of Antipodes; fuppofe a perfon to have founded a College, when that notion prevailed, and to have required his Fellows to abjure, deteft,
and
y Duflor diibitantuim, 3. 6. 8. * 3. 6. 7.
» Part 2. Cliap. i. ii. Thefe have not been printed, but I can depend upon my auihority, as he lent me his. own copy to read Ledlures from, which I did for fomc years.
*• B^ n. V. xu
BOOK III. CHAP. VI. SECT. VI. 59
'and abhor, as impious and heretical, the do6trine . of Antipodes; I fay, that, when it came to be uni- verfally agreed, that any inhabitants of the earth might have Antipodes, fuch requifition became cbfolete, or was virtually abrogated: for, if the Foun- der could have been *" confulied, he would undoubt- edly have ordered it to be expunged. Yet the words of the Statute ought for ever to continue. It feems, that, when a Reformation took place in our national Religion expreflly, a tacit reformation might be conceived to take place in thofe religious feminaries, which were ufed to prepare men for the Miniftry in the national Church. In our Univerjity indeed, it feemed to our Governors worth while to make an exprefs Reformation; Statutes were given by Queen Elizabeth ; — but, the Statutes of parti- cular Colleges undergoing no alteration, the refor- mation in them was tacit; — m.any Statutes, I pre- fume, are now to be found in Books of College Statutes, which have loft their force. Preaching at Paul's Crofs, I have heard, is enjoined in fomc Statutes.
The learned and worthy Dr. Law, late Bifhop of Carlifle, feems to have intended what he fays in his Conji derations, hc.^ on Subfcription to Articles of Faith, as a ftrifture on my Aflize-Sermon. But, if he did, he miftook the tendency of my obfer- vations. He is fpeaking of fecial Laws againft Dif- fe^iters, of which I had no thoughts- " We are told indeed," fays he, ** that it is fometimes better and fafer to let a Law drop by difufe, than to abo- liQi it by a formal repeal. But no example of this is given:" — no example feemed required; none of
what
«= I was glad to hear Sir William Wynne and Mr. ChriHian (ProfeflbrofEngliftiLawin Cambridge) agree, June 30, 1793, in thinking this a right principle, in interpreting Statutes.
*• Confiderations, &c. p. 29, 30.
6o BOOK III. CHAP. VI. SECT. VI.
what his Lordfliip meant could be given, for it was not in my thoughts; I did not advife having penal laws to hang over Diflenters i I only wanted to com- fort the feeble-minded and fcrupulous, who feared, that they muft offend againft the fpirit of a Law, if they offended againft the letter. His Lordfhip goes on. " It is fo far from being the general fenie of our Legiflature, that hardly a feflion is fviffered to pafs without expunging from their Sta- tute Books fome or other of thefe antiquated " ordi- nances.''^ I know not that I faid any thing about our Legiflators in particular; and I am not well ikilled in the Statute Law ; but I really do not think, that they do much attend to expunging old Laws ; they make new ones, which fuperlcde the old ones of courfe; or they reduce fcveral old Laws into one new one; but, fuppollng I did fpcak of our Legiflators, and fuppofing they did expunge fome old Laws every feffion, yet that cannot affedt me, while they leave any old ones unexpunged,. which they never mean to enforce. I would have all old Laws repealed, that can be repealed without inconvenience. The worthy Prelate (for fuch he i-cally was) concludes by faying, with a fort of a controverfial fnecr, " And wc may well prefume they" (our Lawgivers) " would have thought it no good objection to a repeal of the Laws againft IVitckes or GypfieSy that it had been many years fince one of that fort of criminals fuffered under fuch Laws." I never, in ftridlnefs, faid a word againft the repeal of any Law : but, on fuppofition that fome Laws could not be conveniently repealed in form, or were not repealed, when fome parts of them were viriually repealed, I exhorted all honeft perfons not to make themfelves unhappy about
ncs;Ic(ftincr
« The title of my A^ize-Sermon is, " The Nature of Obfor Icte Ordinances."
BOOK III. CHAP. VI. SECT. VI. 6l
neglefting fuch parts as were fo virtually repealed. To (hew that fuch fuppofition was reafonable, in- deed, it was proper, to (hew how and why laws might, mfome cafes, be left in the Code, when they were virtually repealed. There was not the leaft inconvenience or difficulty in repealing exprefsly the Statute againft Witches or Gypfies, and there- fore that Statute was not to the purpofe. Had any people been uneafy in mind about negledting it, and could it not have been exprefsly repealed, without great mifchiefs and inconveniences, then k would have afforded a pertinent inftance.
CHAP.
6i BOOK III. CHAP. VII. SECT. I.
CHAP. VII.
OF TRUTH OPPOSITE TO THE LETTER.
1. T TAVING got an idea of a tacit Reforma- X JL lion, let us pnrfiie our train of thought, and fee what will refult from it.— Time, or that change of circumflances which ufually attends it, may take away the firft meaning of a fet of words, and may give them a new meaning; that is, they may acquire a new meaning by various accidents, in a courfc of time. We have mentioned the fe- parate words, ^ Knave and Villam-y and it is full as cafy to conceive 2i form of words to change their meaning by a tacit reformation, as to conceive thefe to change their meaning without one; the caufe of the change being known, the change be- comes more intelligible. — If words, acknowledged to contain an error, are ftill to be ufed, repeated, or alfented to; they mufl be ufed either in no fenfe, or in a new fenfe. — It will, I think, more frequently happen, that they will contain yo.'^it' fenfe ; as the fubflance of the fame duty or obfervance, in dif- ferent circumflances, or fomething of that fort. — An inftance of a tacit Reformation changing a {cw^c might be conceived to take place in the doctrine of the defcent of Chrifl into Hell: by Hell is moft ufually meant the habitation of thofe who, after death, are in a flate of condemnation and punilh- ment; *■ Chrifl defcendcd into Hell,' taken literally, might mean, he defccnded thither; and taken in the new fenfe, he defcended into the Grave, or was buried. * I will fiy fo many mafles for the Soul
of » Chap. II. Sea. IV.
BOOK III. CHAP. VII. SECT. ir. 63
of Henry vi,' may come to mean, ' I will perform the religious duties required of me by thofe who have authority.' — ' I will commonly wear a gown with flanding collar; in my journiesa Prieft's cloak, without gards, welts, long buttons or cuts.' This may come to mean, « I will obferve a decency in drefs fuitable to my profeflion.'— * I will preach at Paul's Crofs,' may mean, I will endeavour to pro- pagate true religion.
II. The primitive fenfe is called the literal fenfe, becaufe made according to common cuftom of language, plainly and fimply; the new fenfe is often made through neceffity, or to avoid a greater evil; fometimes, on purpofe to avoid plainnefs offpeech, in cafes where plainnefs would give offence.
Any one may adopt the new fenfe without real falfhood; (always fuppofmg it is agreeable to his opinions:) he may fpeak what would, accordino- to the literal fenfe, be falfe, if only he does it fo ^ not to deceive any one, whom he undertakes to inform. The inftance of ' 7iot at home^ may be mentioned again^ — It feems to have been, of old, allowed on all fides, as we fay the Good Ship, &c. to call in 3. form of advertifement, any Farm Houfe (or Country Houfe) expofed to fale, a good and well- built /lojife:— qui profcribunt, nilam bonam beneqne adificatanu non exiftimantur fefelliffe, etiamfi ilia nee bona eft, nee sedificata rationed — A man may truly fay he is the jervant of another, though he does not mean to carry bis burdens, if only he is willing to perform all cuflomary offices towards him of courtefy and civihty: indeed it muft be fuppofed, that the perfon, to whom he makes the profeflion, will be ready to underftand it in that
fenfe.
"^ Chap, II. Seft. IV,
' Cic. de OfF. 3.13. This notion is mentioned by Cicero as what no oiiputants would contradifb.
64 BOOK III. CHAP. Vri. SECT. Ill,
fenfe''. And the reafon of this extends to religloiHi forms.
III. This brings us, from eonfidering the fpeaker,. to confider how far veracity, irt afibnting to formsy depenus upon the Hearer, or perfon addrelTed.
What was faid on the fubjecfl of veracity in gene- ral, may be apphed here. As, in common dif- courfe or correfpondence, it was in the power ot' the fpeakcr'' and the perfon addrcfled to ufe words in any fenfe they pleated, fo the fenfe of a declara- tion of religious opinions, made according to a form, mufl depend upon agreement between him who makes it, and him to whom it is made, as to the figns by which ideas fhall be communicated : no one elfe can be concerned. This is founded on the nature of falfliood, which is deceiving thofe, whom we undertake to inform : if you exprefs your real mind in any manner, which will not deceive thofe, whom you undertake to inform, you tpeak truth.
The Ideas affixed to figns, or tlic meaning of figns or vv'ords, may be changed tacitly in expreflions of religious doctrine, as well as when common words are ufedj as has appeared in Chap. vi. This mode of change is foniewhat lefs definite than the expreis one at lirll, and till after pretty long experience : but this makes no difference as to the right or wrono-. Notwithilanding the likencfs between this and what was obferved before, it feems proper to fay what we now fay; becaufe, in common fpeak- ing, we have no doubt to whom we (peak, or whom we undertake to inform: in making a de- claration of religious opinions according to a fixed
form,
<» I would be willino; to iinderftand a Pope to mean romething- bv his b'ing Servus Seworum, if he was veiy humble to thofe, who did their duty to him.
" Chap. II. Seel. iv.
BOOK III. CHAP. VII. SECT. IV. 6^
form, that matter is lefs evident and ftriking. It may be matter of inquiry, not only what our decla- ration properly means, but to whom it is direded, or who has authority to receive it.
IV. If then you afk, who is the perfon addreffed, or the perfon I undertake to inform, when I give affent to a fet of rehgious propofitions; it is moft obvious to anfwer, the Church : that artificial per- fon: your concern is only with the Church; you can hurt no other perfon; nor has any other perfon any right to enquire into your opinions. A church indeed may be a large body, too large to concert with you in what fenfe your declaration (hall be underllood. Let us, for the eafe of our minds, conceive (ome f mall number ofperfons to poxTefs the mind of the Church, in the way of committee or reprefentation; let the number be «/W: (fixed upon only as a name^ for convenience in fpeaking and reafoning:) — now, if he who gives his affent ex- plains to thefe nine the fenfe in which he gives it, and they accept that fenfe, it is impoffible for him to deceive, or to be guilty of fallhood. — Others, who are not concerned, may poffibly take up wrong notions of the opinions of him, who makes the declaration ; but that is their own fault; they deceive themfelves. Were the fenfe, in which he affents, ever fo far from the literal fenfe, I cannot fee any breach of veracity in his conduft. He might affrnt -to new dodiines in- old words; and it might be as neceffary, if diffenfion was thought ■ likely to hurt religious principle?, to require fuch affent, as any other.
Having, by means of fuppofing a fmall number, got clear ideas of the cafe, we may fubftitute, in the place of our nine, thofe with whom we are in reality to agree, though their fituation will make oyr duty and our views more indelinite. I mean,
VOL. II, E acuordingi;-
66 EOOKIII.CHAP.VII.SECT.lv.
according to what was faid in the'^ laft Chapter, the generality of learned and Judicious men; of thofe, who oug/it to take the lead in ecclefiaftical affairs : ceteris paribus thofc muft have the grcateft weight, who are invcflcd with ecclefiaftical authority: — thefe muft, in pra6tice, be conceived to pofl'efs the mind of the Church: and the multitude, to adl on their authority.
It is not our prefent bufmefs to fpeak of the cuftoms of particular churches, except in the way of illuftration. In that light it muft be confidered, if we mention, that, in England, a national Synod, or the Convccntion has been^ confidered as the Church, though now its authority feems obfolete : and that Dr. John Burges confidered fo fmall a num- ber as the King and the Archbiftiop of Canterbury, (Abbot) as capable of accepting his explanations of his affent, and of affirming ** them to be the true fenfe and intention of the Church of Eng- land\"— This laft is a fmaller number than even our nine: confifting only of the Heads of the Church and Slate.
It may not be amiis to add here, that, in other inftitutions befides a Church, where tacit reforma- tion has taken place, if it can be fettled who has a power of receiving a declaration, whether of opi- nion, or of purpofe of conformity to rules and cuf- toms, the perfon who makes it may lawfully make it in that fenfe, in which it will be received. This applies to what is called matriculation in Univer- fities, engagements to obey Statutes in Colleges, orders of Knighthood, Chapters, and other ancient aflbciations. There feem, in forms of Indentures,
to
' Chap. VI. Sedl. iv.
s Canon. 139. about a national Synod. King's Declaration prefixed to 39 Articles.
" Dr. John Burges's Anfwer rejoined, &c. London, 1631. p. 26.
BOOK III. CHAP. VII. SECT. V. 67
to be very old expreffions; though one would think they might be drawn up according to modern cuftoms; but there is fome ufe in feeing examples of ancient regularity and frugality.
V. Where it is not eafy to afcertam the per- fpn, who has authority to receive a declaration, it may be very ufeful to confider the end for which it is required'. There is nothing which will bring us nearer to a right conception, and one on which we may rely. The ideas of thofe, who require our affent, mufl appear in a good degree from the purpofe for which they require it\ T\\t general end and defign of requiring alTent to a body of re- ligious tenets is, to maintain Unity of DoBrine^ : if then fuch Unity is maintained, the principal end is accompli ilied. But is not that, in other words, to fay, it is more the defiga of Articles of Religion to make men agree, whatever may be the opinions in which they agree, than to make them agree in any particular opinions ?—Moft principles maybe carried too farj but if the cafe be as we ftate it, the views of thofe in authority will gene- rally be, to have that fenfe taken, in which all agree: or as nearly all as may b.e. This reafoning will make our fincerity to be intimately connefted with
our conformity We are plainly told, that
our 39 Articles are " for the avoiding oi Biverfities of Opinions, and for the ftablilhingof fo;7/^;i/ touch- incr true religion;" — (every man calls his own re- ligion true religion;) fo as there is no diverfity of opinions, fo as there is confent, the main end is
anfwered.
^ Chap. I. Sea. v.
k A commander at fea, a very long way from home, mull make ufe of this rule in interpreting and apply ing^ his orders. A man, who has a Body of Dodrine before him, is fometimes very far from having thofe at hand, who have authority to deter- mine its precife fenfe.
1 Chap. I. and III. and V.
E 2
68 BOOK III. CHAP. VII. SECT. VI.
anfwered. It is to our prefent piirpofe to remark, that a preamble to a Law, or a preface to a body of Statutes, is a good ground of interpreting any am- biguous palfagcs, as it fhews the end and defign of the Lawgiver. But it happens, that the King's declaration or injundion prefixed to our 39 Arti- cles fpeaks of the literal fenfe; the "^ general^ plain, fillip grammatical {^Vi{<t: what it has particularly in view", can be determined only by Hiftory: but we may {ay, in general, that the literal fenfe of any form can be the right fenfe only whilft it is new". And, though the Preamble of any Statute is a great help to the right interpretation of it, by fhewing us the end and defign for which fuch Stature was made, yet it mufl alwaj^s be fuppofed, that fuch preamble was firft made and publilhed ivith the Statute; whereas, our Articles were made in 1562, and the Injundion moft probably not till 1628.— But, had the Preamble been made with the Arti- cles, yet, in whatever degree they grow obfolete, the Injunction mufl grow fo, notwithftanding it commands interpretation in the literal fenle.
VI. What has been faid, may tend to explain a paflage in Dr. Powell's fccond Difcourfe^. " How unjuftthcn is the charge brought againft the Eng- lifli Clergy that, having departed from the mean- ing of their articles, they all continue to fubfcribe what none believes! The accufation is not only falfe, but the crime impoflible." The Englifh Clergy comprehends both parties; that which makes the Declaration, and that which receives it. If thefe are agreed, there can be no falfliood. — This (hews how' a Minifter of the Church of Geneva is now clear of the crime of prevarication, though there is fo ftrong an appearance of it in the manner
of
*^ SeeBln^h'im, Vol. ii. p. 745.
" Moft likely Prcdeftinatiea. • Sec Chap. vi. Sed. i.
' P. 37.
BOOK III. CHAP. VII. SECT. VII. 69
of affenting''. I do not fay, that ^xfirfi every Minif- ter there was innocent; new fenfes have generally their origin in fome degree of falfliood'; but, when any man comes to be perfedly underftood, he cannot deceive. This may explain the paffage of Dr. Powell, immediately following the laft. "_ That cannot be the fenfe of the Declaration, which no one imagines to be the fenfe; nor can that inter- pretation be erroneous, which all have received. With whatever violence it was at firft introduced, yet pofleffion is always a fufficient title; and a long and quiet pofleffion renders tliat tide indifpuiable."
VII. In fome circumftances, it might be thought hurtful to reafon in this manner openly; the very end of tacit improvements is, to keep things in a train of that quiet and tranquillity, which is requi- fite for the encouragement of religious* fentiments: and, while errors are newly difcovered, and few in number, it may be the ieaft evil to obferve a de- gree of referve and prudence about them. The principal ends of religion continue to be anfwered, though fome few enlightened perfons have difco- vered errors, with which the common people are unacquainted. But, when calumny begins to fall heavy upon Minifters, as if they were confulting^ private, not public good, as if they were guilty of faKhood, for the fake of honours and emoluments; and, when weak brethren begin to be fcandalized, and honeft men avoid the Miniftry, bccaufe an- cient conflitutibns do not exadtly fuit their judg- ment; then, it becomes the iefs evil to fpeak plainly, and fhew, that thofe who aflent, are as honeft as thofe who do not affent; that thfy go upon principles, which will bear rational examina- tion, though, to the unthinking, they are not ftrikingly evident.
5 Chap. VI. Sea. vi. ' Chap. n. Seft. iv.
» Chap. HI. Sea. iv.
^ E 3 CHAP.
JO BOOK III. CHAP. VlII, SECT. I. II.
CHAP. VIII.
OF FALSHOOD IN SPEAKING ACCORDING TO THE LETTER.
I. T TERE we have no concern with plain wih'"ul Jl JL falfhood; we conceive men to fpeak their real opinions, only to ufc words fo as to deceive others, and to think it a fufScient excufe for fuch deception, that their words bore the literal lenfe.
We firft affirm, that, when words have acquired a new meaning, what in the new fenfe would be truth, maj"-, in the primitive or literal fenfe, be jalJJwod: this feems to follow immediately from what has been faid; moft men would fay, not only may, but muft be faldiood. Yet fentences may be fo conftrudled, that a propofition may be true in both fenfes. * My Mafher is not at home,' may be fo : as alfo Villam bonam beneque edificaiam.
II. A fevv injlances may be proper to fliew the nature of the kind of falfhood, of which we are fpeaking ; yet inftanccs do not fcem numerous; the reafon may be, bccaufe occafions tor them are not numerous. Such indances are all reducible to one general form, ufing words in the literal fcnfc, when that fenfe muft deceive; which it muft do, when they would be underftood in the new or ac- quired fenfe. Suppofe, when Captain Henry Wil- fon brou2;ht Lee boo from the Pelcw Iflands to England, he had Ihewn him King George, laymg " that is the King of France^' he would have been guilty of flilihood, though, according to the titles of our King, his words were true. — Suppofe a Gen- tleman iiiid, in public company, Ipeakmg of one
wiio
EOOK III. CHAP. VIII. SECT. III. 71
who was his Steward and 'Tenant^ that he was a Knave and Villain; and, upon being fued for de- famation, alledged, that Knave only meant Servant, and Villain, 'Tenant; would he be allowed to have Ipoken the plain harmlefs truths becaufe he ufed thefe words in their primitive literal fenfe*? — Sup- pofing the third Article (of the Englifh Church) of 1552 had httn tacitly, inftead of exprefsly, re- pealed, and a Minifter had been of opinion, that I Pet. iii. 19. was there rightly applied; yet, if he declared his affent to the Article in that fenfe to a Church, in which it v/as unanimoufly agreed, that it was wrongly applied, I fliould fay he was guilty oifal/Iwod. — Such an inftance of fallhood would do no harm, and therefore would not be treated as falfhood; but, if a Pap i ft was to admit himfelf of a College, which had been founded before the Re- formation, and excufe himfelf for doing fo as in- tending to fay Mafs, and do every thing exad:ly as prefcribed by the Statutes, I apprehend he would be treated 2i% falfe and prevaricating: and yet, by the way, what fhould hinder this, if there were no tefts ? Neverthelefs, fome diftinguifhed enemies to Popery are for wholly removing them=
III. Men have certainly a prejudice in favour of the literal fenfe, and againft all fuch departure from it as we are defcribing ; and Ibme notice fhould be taken of it, left it Ihould prevail farther than it ought. This prejudice may be confidered as general, and as particularly forcible in matters of religion. — As to the general prejudice in favour of the literal fenfe, it may be faid, that mere habit makes prejudice; and habit is certainly on the fide
of
* One receives Letters from an Houfekeeper : Ihe figns herfelf one's " obedient humble fervant^'' — which is juft as falfe as if fhe had written, ' J am a Gentlewoman, and «o/ your feryant, but willing to fhew you any civility."
E 4
72 BOOK III. CHAP, VIII. SECT. IV.
of the primitive meaning. — This primitive or lite- ral meaning; is moreover affociated in the mind with truths and is therefore efteemed and honoured: the new fenfe, having originated in fome degree in fahhood, is afTociated with falJJiood. The one is always like keeping one's word, the other has always the appearance of quirk and evafion : it is indeed invented, in order to avoid oflfenfive plain- Jiefs.
Prejudice is alfo on the fide of the literal fenfe in religious matter? particularly ; a man, who feems to ad: without ariilice and duplicity, is judged to be more pious and religious than one, who feems to be evading his duty. And he, who follows the literal fenfe, in religious forms, does nothing which in efFedt counteradis this prejudice, even vvhen he is lefs ftridly right than he, who ufes the new and acquired feiile : he mixes with thofe, who dirier from him, and there is nothing which hinders tJiem from worihipping together; nay, from fympa- thizing in many parts of devotion. To require from any one an interpretation of his form of af- fenting would be, to impofe a new form.
IV. We have ^ already mentioned the podibtlity, that a tacit reformation might be total ; as eacli part might become obfolete, every part might be- come fo ; or at leaft every diftinguilhing part: in this cafe, a religious fociety would change its doc- trines, and yet retain the expreffions by which they were defined. But now, at the fame time that one fociety did this, another might adhere to the old fenfe of the forms; this laft will be eafily allowed; but, if both happened together, there would be two religious focieties, difl'enting from each other, yet iifing the fawe Articles of Faith. We have feen the more llrangc of thefe fuppolitions exem- plified ^ Chap. VI. Seel, y*
BOOK III. CHAP. VIII. SECT. IV. 73
plified in the Church of Geneva; the multitude may poffibly retain the C.lviniflic notions, efpe- . cially if any teachers do : and then the whole cafe would be exemplified.
I have heard it faid, that thofe, v;ho have been commonly called Methodifts amongft us, have fpoken of themfelves '^ as the true Church of Eng- land, and have faid, that we have departed from the true fenfe of our Articles, &c. which they re- tain: I do not derive this from any undeniable authority, but by way of illuftration we will fup- pofe fomething of the kind to be true: — as far as I can judge, Mr. Wefley, Mr. Whitfield, &c. give too literal a conftrudtion to expreffions of Scripture^ which fhould be underftood popularly or figura- tively: they may therefore underfland articles too literally, into which thofe expreffions of Scripture are introduced: but no matter: fuppofing they underftood parts of our Articles in a literal fenfe, which we alTent to in a different fenfe, we are two different Churches of England, ufing the fame forms'*. — Which is the true Church may not be clear; we might be called i\\Q prefent Church, and they perhaps the ^antiquated Church; each party may be fmcere ; in each the Minifter may affent in the fenle in which he is iinderjiood to affent by thofe, whom he accounts the moft judicious. — Amongft the ancient pagans^ we are told, that the Philolophers, or initiated, had one religion, and
the
* See Burn's Ecclef. La'v, under DiJ/enters, in his explanation of Sea. 8. of the Toleration Aft.
Warbuiton on Grace, p. 264. lamo.
'' In Welley's Letters, Mr. Samuel Wefley writes thus: p. 113 — or Lr. 27. ** It is in vain for Whitfield to 'pretend he is of the Church of England, unlefs there be txvo, one fubordi- nate, the other oppofite, to i.he prefcnt ecclefiallical eftablilh- ment and authority; one within doors, the other without."
^ if), at Gene-va, there may be a prefent Church, and an «;///- quoted Church.
74 BOOK III. CHAP. VI I I. SECT. V, VI.
the profanum vulgus another ; and thefe feem to have gone on together as one, in fome refpedis. — Could the Eleft and auditors amonoft the Mani- chcans be mentioned as a fimilar inftance?
V. Here, another palTage of Dr. Powell's fecond Difcourfe occurs^, which ufed to feem difficult to me. " That he may underfland them (the Arti- cles) in their mofl obvious and primitive fignifica- tion, will fcarce be doubted. And yet, if there is any place for doubt, it can be only here." This may mean, common men will fcarce doubt, that a man fpeaks truth, who fpeaks according to the literal fenfe; but thofe, who have conlldered tl>e nature of veracity and of tacit reformations, will fee, that a man, by fpeaking according to the li- teral fenfe, may fpeak falfliood.
VI. I will conclude this Chapter with fome illuf- trations of fome things, which have been advanced in this and the two foregoing chapters. Let any one read the 74th Canon of our Church ; and keep in mind, that every Minifteris under ^engagement, made expreisly or tacidy, to obey canonical autho- rity^.— It appears, Firft, that a tacit reformation has,
lince
^ Vol. ofDifc. p. 36.
8 It may be convenient to conceive this eng.ngement to be made with regard to every particular feparatelyj as a general promife is the fame thing, in efFeft, with a number oi promifes to perform each particular; and as then theobfolete duties would be diftinguifhed from thofe which were ftill in force.
^ " The true, ancient, and flourifhing Churches ofChrift, being ever defirous that their Prelacy and Clergy might be had as well in outward reverence, as otherwife regarded for the worthinefs of their miniftry, did think it fit, by a prefcript form of decent and comely apparel, to have them known to the people, and thereby to receive the honour and eftimation due to the fpecial Meflengers and Miniflers of Almighty God. We therefore fol- lowing their grave judgement, and the ancient cuilom of the Church of England, and hoping that in time new-fanglenefs of apparel in fome faftious perfons will die of itfelf, do conftitute
and
BOOK III. CHAP. VIII. SECT. VI. 75
fince 1603, taken place in the Church of England, with regard to the habiu of its Minifters. 2. That he, who engages himfelf to obey the laws with re- gard to Apparel, is underftood to engage himfelf according tt> prefent notions oi decency and gravity, that is, in the new and acquired, not in the literal fenfe of fuch engagement: and therefore that the perfon, who does a6t after the new and acquired fenfe, fpeaks truth though contrary to the Letter; whereas any one, who (hould make the engagement in the literal fenfe, would fpeak falfhood though according to the Letter. He would deceive thofe, who were authorized to receive his promife: nor would his deceit be wholly harmlefs ; as it would
bring
and appoint. That the Archbifhops and Eifhops (hall not inter- mit to ufe the accuftomed apparel of their degrees. J.ikewife all Deans, Matters of Colleges, Archdeacons, and Prebendaries in Cathedral and Collegiate Churches (being Priefts or Deacons) Doftors in Divinity, Law, and Phyfic, Bachelors in Divinity, Matters of Arts, and Bachelors of Law, having any eccleliaflical living, fhall ufually wear Gowns with ttanding collars, and fleeves ftrait at the hands, or wide fleeves, as is ufed in the Univerfities, with Hoods or Tippets of filk and farcenet, and Square Caps. And that all other Miniliers admitted or to be admitted into that funftion, fliall alfo ufually wear the like ap- parel, as is aforefaid, except Tippets only. We do further, in like manner ordain. That all the faid Ecclefiaftical Perfons above-mentioned fliall ufually wear in their journeys Cloaks with Sleeves, commonly called Prhjls Cloaks, with guards, welts, long buttons, or cuts. And no Ecclefiaftical Perfon fliall wear any Coif or wrought Night-cap, but only plain Night-caps of black lilk, fittin, or velvet. In all which particulars concerning the apparel here prefcnbed, our meaning is not to attribute any holinefs or fpecial wortl.inefs to the faid Garments, but for de- cency, gravity, and order, as is before fpecified. In private houfes, and in their ftuciics, the faid Perfons Ecclefiaftical may ufe any comely and fcholar-like apparel, provided that it be not cut or pinkt; and that in public they go not in their Dou- blet andHofe, without Coats or Caflbck; and that they wear not any light-coloured Stockings. Likewife poor beneficed Mea and Curates (not being able to provide themfelves with long Gowns) may go in fhort Gowns of the faftiion aforefaid."
76 BOOK III. CHAP. VIII. SECT. VI.
bring contempt and difgrace on the Church. —
3. That, in the cafe of a tacit reformation, if any one faid, that all the Minifters fubfcribed what none believed, there would be juft as much force in the obfervation as if he faid, all the fenglilh Mi- nifters engage to drefs as none of them intend to drefs ; the remark would be true, but trifling; they all do engage to drels, as they are expeffed to drefs, according to prefent ideas of clerical decency.
4. It is conceivable, that the^e might be twofets of IVlinifters obeying the Canon, one dreffing accord- ing to it, literally, the other obeying it according to modern cuftoms of grave cloathing for religious minifters; — in this cafe, it might be queftioned which fet were the true Minifters of the Church ; and it might be found more difcreet to wave that queftion, and call one fet the -prejent^ or modern, the other the cuiti({uated Minifters of the Church. —
5. Aperufalof this Canon might illuftrate the na- ture of that Liberty^ which arifes from continuance of the fame Laws for a length of '^ime. The moft decent of the Clergy, in point of drefs, is not at prefent fo much confined, as any one would be, who obeyed the Canon literally ; or who was obliged to conform ftridlly to any new Canon. —-6. It might fhew how cujlom^ in things naturally arbitrary and indifferent, once prevalent, is rights though atfirfi. it was wrong : for the departure from the precile drefs of the Canon, has, in all probability, been faulty at firji . — 7. Laftly, it is not the leaft impor- tant thing for us to learn, that, while particulars of an indifferent nature vary, general principles con- tinue firm and immoveable; and are of eternal obligation. — Owr obligation to be fubjcdt to eccle- fiallical authority is not in the leaft impaired : the duty of decency, of providing things ' honeft in
the ' K«Xa, Rom. Chap. xii. verfe 1 7.
BOOK Itl. CHAP. VIII. SECT. VI. 77
the fight of all men, is as neceflary as ever ; and indeed thefe general principles are well laid down in the Canon. — To adt according to thefe princi- ples, is the true intent and meaning of our engage- ments, and that muft always be obferved ; that is wholly indifpenjible. In all changes and relaxations, we muft be extremely cautious that our principles of honefty and lincerity do not get weakened or relaxed. And, if doubtful cafes arife, it muft be our conftant care to keep on the fafe fide, and never to venture nearer than we can help, to the limits and boundaries of our duty.
CHAP.
78 BOOK III. CHAP. IX. SECT. I,
CHAP IX.
OF THE USE OF HISTORY, IN DETERMINING THE SENSE OF ARTICLES OF RELIGION.
FIRST, let us take a general view of the fubje<ft of this Chapter.
I. We now feeni to have treated fufficiently on fiich fenfes of Forms, as may fometimes be acquu-ed by tune and change of circumftances; let us return to the primitive fenfe, againft which no prejudice is entertained: which feems the mod common, and moft free from evil.
It is an important miflake which men are apt to make concerning the primitive fcnfe of ancient forms, that they are to apply themfelves wholly to Grammar and Etymology, in order to undcrftand them ; whereas, fome of the greatcft difficulties, which attend the conftrudlion of them, are to be obviated by Hijlory. To illuftrate this, is now our proper bufinefs: but, before we wholly quit our connexion with the foregoing Chapter, let us ob- ferve, that Hiftory muft be of great ufe in giving us a right idea of the new and acquired meaning of words, when any change has taken place: this is too evident to need any tuU explanation ; it muft be Hiftory, which muft (hew us the nature of each tacit reformation, its caufes and effeds ; and on thefe muft the new and acquired fenfe of words always depend.
Nor Oiall wo have a better opportunity than the prefcnt to obierve, that there is one way, in which words acquire, or, more ftridlly, feem to acquire new fenfes, not yet mentioned ; by readers attend- ing
BOOK III. CHAP. IX. SECT. I. gy
ing to grammar and etymology and cuftom, while they negle6l hiftory : etymology may make a fenfe feem to be a right one, which really was not the fenfe of the writer : and modern cuftoms may make us affix modern meanings to old words, when thofe meanings were not really in the minds of the per- Ibns, who ufed thofe words. Thefe are not fo properly new fenies, as miftakes of the primitive fenfe : and thefe miftaken fenfes are always taken for primitive fenfes*. — A man might ufe the terms Knave and Villain with modern ideas, and think he ufed them in the primitive fenfe.
This obferved, we may proceed to our proper bufinefs. — In what way Hiftory is wanted for in- veftigating the primitive fenfe of ancient forms, has been *" already in fome degree explained. All expreffions contain references to circumftances, which Hiftory only can point out. Indeed, Hiftory can only point them out imperfectly, but it can approximate nearer to a right conception of them, than any thing elfe can. The word " accurfed'^ occurs m one of our Articles: if we depend upon Etymology to teach us its meaning, we fliall be milled: but, if we apply to Hiftory, we may get a competent notion of it. Hiftory will teach us the cuftomary manner of condemning errors, and cuftom is the jus et norma '^ loquendi. We (hall (ee, that anathemas ufually accompanied fuch con- demnation, efpecially when Heretics were excom-
municated',
" People who read the Englifh Bible fometimes affix modern ideas to ancient words; —(pfcv*!, Voice, Afl. xxiv. 21. — >) o^o?. Way, Aft. ix. 2. Lufi, paffim; Pf. Ixxviii. 18. 7neat for your luft: the luft of the eye, world.— Ka^^.a, Heart, for conception, I Cor. ii. g. — St^ecKirtxo^, apt to teach, i Tim. iii. 2. z Tim. ii. 24. — No(xtKOf, a Lazvyer, Matt. xxii. 35. Tit. iii. 13. — pro- vide things, Ka-Xoc, honcft ? Rom. xii 17, — Worjhip (witll my Body, &c.) Luke xiv. 10.
^ Chap. VI. Seft. i. referring to B. i. Chap. x.
« Hor. Art. Poet. 1. 71.
oO UOOK III. CHAP. IX. SECT. I.
mtmicatcd; and therefore, that " accurfed^* means only unworthy, on account of fbme fuppofed error, CO be a member of fome Chriftian Churcli fuppofed to be particularly pure. — Biihop Pcarfon fhews us"^, that we are to confider the Hiftory of the Septua- gint, in order to acquire a right notion of the word Ku^toj.— The title Defender of the Faith is not taken in its true fenfe^ by thofe, who are not aware, that it was given by Pope Leo x. to Henry viii. for defending the Popifh Religion by a fmall treatife. — We may add, that the true meaning of the King's Declaration prefixed to our 39 Articles is to be inveftigated by confidering the occafion of it. — Cahinifm feems to have been growing, from the time of Qaeen Mar}', when feveral Proteftant Di- vines were obliged to take refuge in foreign coun- tries, where it flourilhed, down to the reign of Charles ift; in the third^ year of which, (I take for granted) the Declaration, or injunftion, was publilhed. About this time, the Calvinifts found, that our Articles were not Jlrong enough for them, in favour of predefti nation, irrefiftible grace, and other doflrines heightening the divine agency in the falvation of man. They began to enlarge their meaning, and turn it to their own purpofe, in va- rious ways; which caufed flrong oppofuion from other Divines ; I cannot fay, that I know very par- ticularly how far they went beyond any thing, which is found in the Articles ; nor might it be proper to dwell upon the fubjed in this place ; but the declaration was made to prevent fuch freedoms;
and,
"» On the Greed: under " Our Lord,''* p. 146, fol.
* This title is ufcd in t!ie King's Decliratloii prefixed to the Articles; and in Bp. Burnet's Dedication of his Expofition of the Articles;— but it can only be proper by fome kind of ana- log^y: it iriiileads.
^ Cliap. VII. Seifl. V, See the cad of the Cxford Pamphlet on the 17th Art.
BOOK III. CHAP. IX. SECT. I. Bl
and, as it was prefixed to a frej^ publication of the Articles, there is an appearance, as if they were coming to be much neglected or abufed. — Arch- billiop Laud was an Arminian, and he, with fome other Bifliops, framed the declaration : the expref- fions therefore contained in it about plaiuy literal^ grammatical fenfe; about Preachers and Readers (or thofe who read Leclures) in the Univerfities affixing their own meaning, drazving afide articles, &G. are all to be underftood with a particular re- ference to what the authors had in view. — What' confirms this notion is, that we find the Puritans (who were rigid Calvinills) ""■ complaining of this de- claration, as abridging their Liberty of Preaching. —Neal, in his Hiftory of the Puritans, fays, " furely there was never fuch a confufed, unintelligible de- claration printed." — It does indeed ufe general ex- preffions with particular meanings : it fpeaks alfo as if fome teachers negle£iedx\\G:^n\c\ts, and yet main- tained, that they were favourable to them ; but this was an inconfiftency in the Puritans, rather than in the Declaration; it thwarts the Puritans, and yet forbids affixing new fenfes " either -way,'* that is, either in favour of Calvinifts or Arminians; but this might be for the fake of appearing impar- tial, and of promoting filence on inexplicable doc- trijies.
An additional reafon for concluding, that Pre- deftination, &:c. are particularly aimed at in this declaration, is the quotation from the 17th Article, and the expreffion *' curious points, in which the prefent differences lie :" the word " curious'' occurs feveral times.
The declaration relates to difcipline as well as dodtrine ; but the parts of difcipline, infringed by
the t See Cgllier's Ecclef. Hill. Vol. ii. p. 746.
VOL. II. F
82 BOOK. III. CHAP. IX. SECT. II.
the Puritans about 1628, muft be underflood «i particularly meant.
I will fay no more on the general nature of the fubjed. immediately before us; but proceed to other reflexions; only obferving firlt, that 1 would en- gage, if 1 was poflefled of a perfect hiflorical know- ledge, to make every thing in our Articles clear, intelligible, and familiar **; — not to make every doBrine fo, but every manner o{ ftating a doctrine. But then, by hiftorical knowledge, I mufl be un- dcrftood to mean, not only a knowledge of facts, but of opinions and feelings. Indeed it maybe deemed a knowledge o{fa£ls, if we know, that fuch an opinion had, in fa(ft or reality, many favourers at fuch a time; that fuch an affedtion or fentiment, as zeal, difguft, &c. was adtually prevalent in fuch a fet or party of men. Tf any one finds any ex- prefhon obfcure or uncouth in our articles, he may venture to afcribe the obfcurity to the imperfedlion of his hiftorical knowledge.
II. We might open what we have now to fay, by obferving, that the Articles of one fedt may be, in fome meafure, affected, as to their fenfe, by changes in ot/ier fefts. We have hitherto conceived the meaning of words to be affected only by the difcovery of errors inherent in them; by internal faults, and internal changes;— we now would con- ceive how their meaning may be affeded by exter- na/ changes. To fay, that the force of words exprefling our doctrines wit/l continue the lame, whatever changes happen in other doctrines, is to forget the end and defign of Articles of Religion, and all that has been explained in the firll and fifth Chapters. — In order to fee this, let us recoi- led: what that end or defign is.
III. The
* Strype'j Aiuials for 156a. Chap, xxvii. p. aSz.
BOOK III. CHAP. IX. SECT. III. IV. 8j
III. The end or defign of a body of dodrines is to maintain unity of doclrine; the intention of each particular article is, to find a remedy for fome adual error, which occafions fome difturbance, fo as to frufhrate fome end of focial religion, or which feems very likely to do fo. This it is, which diftin- guilhes a fet of Articles from a fyftem of Theology, or a Sermon: and a. very important diftinclion I take this to be. The defign of a Syftem and a Sermon is, to explain and enforce all dodrines ; whereas, Articles only mention thofe, by which one Society is kept feparate from another. A fet of Articles is, as it were, a partition wall ; not in- tended for war, fo much as to keep all things qiiiet: like the walls of one's hoiife^ to let the domefhic fociety within purfue its proper bufinefs in fecurity.
IV. If this notion be allowed, each article (hould be interpreted, and underftood, and affented to, as it would have been, if the error at which it aims had been fpecified; that is, however general the expreffion of any Article may be, the interpretation of it fhould be limited and reftrained to particular cafes. This appears from hence, that, as foon as the Article was made, it would be fo interpreted ; the reafons of its being made would appear to every one, and no one would think of extending it be- yond thofe reafons; and, if this would be the cafe, whilft the Article was moft clearly underftood, it certainly ought to be at all times, as far as we are able to make it fo. Propofitions ought not to grow more general and unlimited in their inter- pretation by age: but there is a falfe appearance, \vhich mifguidesi they feem' to grow more gene- ral, as references are forgotten, and that falfe ap- pearance ought to be correSied.—li feems to deceive manyj infomuch that they would be inclined to
fay, * Chap. VI. Seft, i. F 2
84 BOOK 111. CHAP. IX. SECT. V.
(iVy * fhall I allent to an erroneous propofltlon,i expreiicd in general terms, which has a plain mean- ing, merely becaufe I fee, that fome particular errors, condemned by that general propofition, have been retftified ? becaufe it is in part ufelefs ? We may at lead anfwer to fuch a queftion, let our rea- foning be remembered, let it be brought to bear, let it do what it can : and the confequence would generally be, in pra<flice, that the difficulty would be folved, and the general propofition given up, as unmeaning;. — But the reafons for fuch reftrided interpretation of Articles, as is here mentioned, will allow of a fuller explication.
V. I. If propofitions are to be underftood ab- folutely, and not as aimed at any particular errors, thofe who compiled them muft have afted wrongly, and have laid a greater reftrarnt than they had any right to lay. Thofe, who require declarations of opinion, are only to require them, when fome good end is to be anfwered by them; when they are in a manner neceflafy to prornote the ends of focial religion". And, when we look back upon men's adlions, in all doubtful cafes, they are not to be fuppofed to have meant what it would have been wrong for them to mean. Id voluiffe intelli- guntur, quod velle eos oportuit'. — What men had no right to do, is treated as if it had not been done. If a man had no right to execute a deed of gift ^ fuch a deed is unmeaning; and, if he had in part only fuch a right, the validity of the deed will be partial. VI. 2. Another reafon why we (liould interpret any body of dot5lrines, to which affent is required, by a reference to the times, is, becaufe we find that fomething of the fort has been done even by com- pilers of Articles themfelves: I mean to refer to the 35th Article of our Church, but only as I would
refer ^ Chap. V. ' Powdl, p. 358.
BOOK I i I. CHAP. IX. SECT. VII. 8 ■;
refer to anv other fa6l. A fet of very learne.] and prudent men fay, that certain compofitlons, by which the dodrines of a Church are to be taught to the people, are peculiarly fuited to the times ; that is, are, probablv, more fuited to one fituatiori of thincTs than another. By fuch an expreffion we are called upon, in aflenting, to fee how long the fuitablenefs lafts; we can tell that only by Hiftory; and, if we find the times wholly to change, fo muft the force of the Article'".— It may indeed be laid, why is reference to times here expreffed,^ if it is always implied ? does not its being exprelled here prove, that it would be always exprefled, if it was meant? I prefume the anfwer to this objedion is, that, in the particular expedient of teaching by Homilies, a change was to be clearly forefeen. Though there was a very great fcarcity of ap- proved preachers then, {for the Papifts and Puritans were poffeffed of a great fhare of the clerical learn^ ing) yet it was not probable, that this would con- tinue: and a change diftinftly forefeen was to be provided for. Our natural conclufion is, that, had other changes been forefeen, fome provifion would have been made for them alfo: and that what could not be forefeen^ muft be provided for, when a provifion appeared to be wanted, But we (hould often deprive ourfelves of the power of making fuch provifion for changes, if we inter- preted articles univerfally, and not as provifions for particular exigencies.
VII. 3. It is always a fair way of judging of the fenfe of any compofitions (if we ufe it fairly,) to put ourfelves in the place of the Authors. If we do this, in the prefent cafe, to the beftof our power,
we
« Dr. Balguy thinks, that we mvj are allowed, not requirtJ, to read Homilies inftead of Sermons. Something was faid on teaching by Homilies, Chap. v. Se£l. v. and vi.
F 3
86 BOOK III. CHAP. IX. SECT. VII.
we mud concliicle, that the compilers of articles would not provide any, would not dejire to provide any, but as remedies for prefTmg inconveniences. We have before faid, that they oiivfit not ; now we fay that, of choice, they iJuoHld not. Let us con- ceive a council compiling Articles; they condemn and exclude fever:\l errors and herefies; they get warm; a Zealot fays, ' let us profcribe this error/ * who profeffes it?' — ' no one at prefent, but fome one may hereafier^ and we had better anticipate and provide a remedy beforehand :' what can we con- ceive the wifer part of the Council to urge, but fomething of this fort ? * No! we have errors fuf- ficient to profcribe, which really exift ; we will not imagine new ones; if any fhould arife in future, we will leave them to pollerity : perhaps our pro- vifion might fugged an error, which would not elfe have been thought of-, and involve our fuccef* fors in many needlels difficulties.' If fuch would be the determination, we (hould receive and inter- pret Articles as formed after this manner. — And we may add, that the 41ft Article of our Church, as it ftood for ten years, againft Millenariam, was ex- punged when it feemed (probably) to be unneccf- fary, though the DoElrine of a Millenium would continue the fame; nay, was not revived when the new Millenarians or fifth Monarchy men arofe in the 17 th Century.
An additional confideration is, that, if Articles are fuppofed to be in force, where no remedy is wanting, why fhould fo few Articles be made? why leave fo many parts of a religious fyflem not enforced"?— Why make new ones in our Church in J 562, and never lince? and then only on a
very
» The Puritans have complained of the number of Do£lrines which an- omitted m cur Articles. See Bingham's Apology, B. ?. Chap.xiii, or Works, Vol. ii. p- 74S'
BOOK III. CHAP. IX. SECT. VIII. IX. Sj
very particular occafion ? on occafion of a change in the national religion? Bilhop Burnet" fliews, tliat our Church was compelled, by the exigency of the cafe, to make Articles when it did.
VIII. 4. The lad reafon I lliall mention why we fhould interpret human expreflions of dodrines, xvith a ftrid reference to the occafion is, becaufe the words of Chrift and his Apoftles are undoubt- edly to be fo interpreted, This has been fhewnP, but it will be proper to repeat an inftance or two, becaufe that kind of reftrided interpretation, which we fay is reafonable, will not, after all we can urge, appear nearly fo much fo without as with fuch inftances. — Take Ads x, 34^ and Matt, xviii. 3. (compare i Cor. xiv. 20.)
IX. From thefe reafons we conclude, that, not- withflanding Articles of Religion are exprefled in general terms, we fliould interpret them as mere antidotes againft particular religious maladies, ac- tually exifting at the time when they were formed, of which we can get no knowledge but from Hiftory.
If our reafoning has been juft, we may deduce from it fome Inferences, which may tend to rectify our notions, and free each honell mind from groundlefs doubt and anxiety.
I . We may deduce, that an article of religion, or a claufe of a Creed, or Liturgy of any church, may become a dead Letter, merely by improve- ments in the forms ufed by other Churches. For, if the malady no longer exifts, the prefcription againft it becomes ufelefs and of no force: if the Herefy ceafes, the provifion to keep a church clear from it ceafes, in effed, to all intents and purpofes.
We
«» Introduftlon to Ajt. p. 5. 8vo. P B. 1. Chap. X.
% B, I. Chap, X. Sccalfo Balguy, Cliarge cd. p.. 196. 197* F 4
88 BOOK III. CHAP. IX. SECT. X.
We have before' fpoken of forms lofing their force, but that was in a different way; by internal correc- tions; we now fpeak of external corrections. — In our form of Tnfant-Baptifm, the Sponfors are in- joined to provide, that the Infant be taught the Creed, &c. " in the vulgar tongue -y' this is a remedv againft teaching tlie Creed in Latin ^ but, as Sponfors have now no idea of any fuch thing, the diredlion (as far as relpcc\s Latin) is become a dead Letter; and fo would the whole 24th Article, if the Papirts came to *' have public prayer," and *' miniftcr the Sacraments" in the vulgar tongues'. Some claufes of the Athanafian Creed are oppofed to the Neftorian and Eutychian dodrines; but, if no one profcfled thofe dodrines, fuch claufes are virtually extinft: not falfe ; for, what is extinct can contain neither truth nor falfliood. — An Herefy, which is forgotten, is extinft to thofe who have forgotten it ; — and fo it fliould be deemed to thofe, who have had no opportunity of knowing it.
This reafoning affeds chiefly the main defign of an article ; perhaps little expreflion';, thrown in with a view of making the compofition totus teres atque rotundus, may not have been intended as antidotes; but ftill, as they make parts of articles which were fo, and as the compilers had no right to impofe what was not fo, they fliould be confi- dered as obliterated with the main fubftance.— Indeed fome Articles might have been inferted, becaufe others would be maimed without them: but fliould not thefe be confidered as incorporated with the reft, and fliare their fite }
X. %. It follows from what has been faid, that Articles are not to be confidered as inconfiftent with any dodrines, which were unknown to the
compilers
^ Chap. VI. Seft. i. Chap. vii. Se£t. i.
" See alfo the 33d Article, Seifl. g. " rightly cut off".**
BOOK III. CHA?. TX. SECT. \' T . 8g
compilers of them. It is doubtful, whether fuch do(5lrines would have been thou2ht erroneous : or, if they had been, whether they would have been thought likely to occafion any difturbance: nay, if they would, ftill no remedy was provided by thofe, who alone had authority to provide one : and therefore, if articles are remedies, fuch doc- trine has nothing to do with Articles. Our 6th Article fays, " Holy Scripture containeth all thino;s neceffary to Salvation:" is it therefore wrong for one of our teachers to inforce moral oblig^ations ? Dr. Balguy feems to think it is not': — but yet Dr. Balgiiy does not go againft our 6th Article; it was a remedy againfl Popi/Ii traditions : and luppofe nothing faid in Scripture againft gaming, duelling, fuicide, &c. yet a Minifter of our Church might lawfully preach againft them, and on moral prin- ciples, notwithftanding, at leaft, the 6th Article ; conceiving the Article to have only Popery in view. Bifliop Pearfon'' profeffes to reafon with even Atheifts on principles, which they would allow; — and alfo with Jews. — It is conceivable, that our Reformers, though excellently well fkilled in the Scriptures, might not attend fufficiently to morality^ nor fee how the ftudy of it confpired with Scripture to make men good and happy; nor perceive, that improvements in morality afforded additional in* ternal evidence of the truth of Chriftianity,
XI. 3. If articles are not inconfiftent with new do(5lrines, they cannot be with new folutions of old doftrines, fiich as predeftination. Trinity, &c. — compilers could not provide a remedy againft a poifon unknown :— if it be faid, it is clear that they would have provided againft a certain folution, jf it had been publiftied foon enough, then I Ihould
fay
* Charge ad. p. 188. but chiefly fee p. 134. " preface to Creed.
pO BOOK III. CHAP. IX. SECT, XTI.
fay, that fuch folution could not flriitly be called new.
XII. 4. Laftly, it feems to follow from what has been laid, that, when any common perfon, without any fault oHiis, is ignoraui of heretical no- tions aimed at in any claufe of any confellion of faith, he need not be fcrupulous of giving a verbal affcnt to it. We have lately obferved, that, when a perfon has no opportunity of knowing an here- rical notion, the cafe is the fame as if that notion did not exift; and therefore any Article againfl it becomes a dead Letter; and, what a perfon has no opportunity, humanly fpeaking, of knowing, he is ignorant of without any fault of his own. — • If fo, it may he urged, why fhould we fludy thefe matters?—" If ignorance is blifs, 'tis folly to be wife." — But, if a man be ignorant through his own fault, he is punilhable ; though rather for negligence than for infmcerity: but, as that cannot be fuppofed to leffen his puniihment, it is beft to confider only the cafe of harmlefs ignorance. As far as a man is innocently ignorant, fo far he may truft, that he need not trouble himfelf about either his alfent or diflent. I fuppofe all men are ignorant in fome degree of the references, by which the fenfe of words is to be limited, though different men in very different degrees. Every degree of fuch igno- rance will throw a kind of a mill over the expref- fionsufcd; the general effecl of which will ha, that a man will have no decided opinion ogainjl a pro- pofition or dodrine, and yet will not be clear for it. Even a teacher of religion may content himfelf under fuch a ftate of mind (as every one muft be under it in fome meafure), fo long as he is quite fatisfied, that he docs what can be required of him, in reafon, to inform himfelf, according to the op- portunities which his fuuation affords him, and to
clear
BOOK in. CHAP. IX. SECT. XII. 9I
clear up his obfcurkies and the indiftin6lnels of his notions, more and more, from time to time.
I conclude this Chapter with once more ob- ferving, that the thing which of all things will be the moji effectual towards giving us right notions of Articles, Creeds, confeffions of Faith, is, the ftady ^ of Hijlory: the parts of Scripture, on which they are built, muft be known; but that part of our duty is more eafy, and better defined, than the duty of fearching into Hiftory.
CHAP.
^2 BOCK III. CHAP. X. SECT. I.
C H A P. X.
OP ASSENTING TO PROPOSITIONS, WHICH ARE UNINTELLIGIBLE.
1, 'TPHE tranfitlon from the laft Chapter to tliis X is not difficult: in the laft, we left the per- ibn, who was not much converfant in Hiflory, treating fome parts of forms as unmeaning, be- caufe he did not know what diforders they had been intended to remedy: words which are un- meafting mufl be on the fame footing with fuch as are unintelligible. And, in Chapters vi. vii. viii. and IX. we treated of Propofitions which had loft their meaning.
It may perhaps occur, that all the fiibjeifls in this Book*, fince the beginning of the fixth Chap- ter, were to have fome relation to antiquated forms; to forms, as having continued for a great length of time. Any one who recolleds this may fay, what have unintelligible propofitions to do with age? but we were to be allowed to introduce fubjeds, which might be treated independently, fo long as there was any advantage in introducing them in this place rather than in any other, where religious fo- ciety was treated. Now it feems as ifmyfterious doftrines would be more calmly confidered, when they were old, than when they were new : when new, people are violent about them, and the terms in which they are exprelfed are fo often repeated, fo echoed and re-echoed, that they grow familiar, and people can fcarce perfuade themfelves, that they do not underftand them.
It » Preface to Chap. vi.
SOOK III. CHAP. X. SECT. 11. III. Q^
It is proper, that unintelligible propofition? fhould be treated fomewhere in the prefent Book, ;is they materially affed religious Society; and men may run into two faulty extremes about them: too cafily receiving them leads to error, and fruit- lefs controverfy; and fometimes to needlefs anxiety : - — and too eaiily rejecting them, tends to ignorance and diforder; and finally to the obftruftion of reli- gious authority.
I I . We may open the fubjeft by obferving, that many unintelligible propofitions may arile in natural religion, and in other fubjeds connedted with it. — Things have been affirmed of the foul without diftinft ideas; and propofitions have been made: this way and that, as if it was more known than it is. — The Soul is the Heart^, the blood furround- ing the Heart ; it is the brahiy feated in the brain j it is Jire, it is harmony, it is number; all thefe things^ and more, have been faid: — *' God is eternal,*^ for, *' ex nihilo nihil fit.'* Fate governs all things^ even thofe beings, who can" chiife how they will ad. That Deity, which created all the fources of // evil, is infinitely good. The fame Being ads by
fixed Laws, and interferes perpetually by his parti- cular providence. No rational man will fay, that he clearly underflands thefe propofitions. — Velleitts, the Epicurean, in Cic. de Naturi Deorum, fays, the immateriality of God, or his freedom from Body*", is unintelligible; we fhould find it very dif- ficult to conceive the Supreme Being clogged with a Body.
III. Many of the fame propofitions arife in revealed religion : but the enquiry into their mean- ing
*> Tufc. Difp. I. 9, lo.
«= Quod verd fine corpore ullo Deum (Plato) volteffe, ut Gr«d dknnt acuf».atoti id quale efle poflit, intelligi nonpoteft, DeNat. D. z. 12,
94 BOOK lit. CHAP. X. SECT. III.
ing affiimes a different fliape : bccaufe, when we have things coninmnicated to us from above by Language, we have to confidcr and inveftigate tlie precite meaning of exprefTions. In natural religion, we have no words or exprefTions to confider. Re- vealed rehgion adds moreover to the myfleries of natural — " In the beginning was the Word" — " and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Jefus Chrifl is the Son of God — he is called God — the Angels of God worfliip him. The Crea- tor made the worlds by his Son. — The Holy Spirit abides with us, guides us, inhabits our Bodies, the bodies of all men at once : as his Temple. — There is a connexion between the Father., SoUy and Holy Ghojl, which makes it proper, that Chriftians Ihould be baptized in their joint names, and that thofe jiames fhould be frequently mentioned togetlier in a folemn manner, to the exclufion of all others. — A Virgin was overfliadowed by the Holy Ghoft, and brought forth a Son without having known nian; that Son was both perfectly human and per- feftly divifie^. Prayer is to be offered to an all- wife Being, who will give us what is befl: for us.
The difficulties attending thefe proportions have engaged men in folvin^ them. Sometimes it has been feen, that Solutions were urongy even when po diftinfl idea could be attained of what was right j and attempts to explain, with defences of the Iblu- tions, have greatly increafed the number of unin- telligible propofuions. It feems as if we ihould add, to the number of unintelligible propofitions, many human forms of fpeaking, particularly thofe hinted at in the beginning of this Chapter; fuch as have become unmeaning j either by tacit refor- mations,
<* Tranjtators of Scripture, if honeft, will fometimes leave unintelligible propofitions.— See about Symmachus, B. i.Chap. VI. Sedl, VII.
fidOK 111. CliAP. X. SECT. IV. 9^
mations, or by the extinction of thofe errors, which they were intended to remedy.
IV. What has been laid ihews the importance of trying to make unintelligible queftions- as little inconvenient as poffible. They have proved in- convenient, not only in occalioning dilieniion and violation of charity, but alfo in caufmg a greater degree of uneafinefs, when allent has been required to them, than realbn and good ienfe could jullify.
It might leffen this laft-mentioned evil (of un- eafinefs) to confider, that, if propofitions are wholly unintelligible, they really exprefs nothing\ if they feem to wear an affirmative ihape, they affirm no^ thing; if a negative, they deny nothing.— Animal fpirits are £VT£A£p^f»«: — does not differ from, animal fpirits are not ^ i\)Xi\t')(t\a.. The Gods are Images flying off from bodies^; io affirmed Democritus: — no, fays Parmenides, I deny it; God is a Crown^, furrounding the Heaven, and by the brightnefs and ardor of its light keeping the orb together : will you aflent to the affirmative, or the negative ? — they feem equally unintelligible. Indeed, if ei- ther y/^<^V^ ox predicate \s unintelligible, the propo- fition muft be fo.
Yet it may be proper to obferve, according to what wasjuftnow hinted, that propofitions unin- telligible on the whole, or what would be allowed unintelligible if taken abfolutely, without any par- ticular refpedt or relation to others, may be intelli- gible relatively, or in fome refpe^iSy as, for inftance, in denying errors. The Son of God was begotten from eternity y is unintelligible taken abfolutely; but it is intelligible confidered as denying^ that any time can be afligned, when he began to exift.
This may be applied to the argument for the Eternity of God; ex nihilo nihil fit. How God is
eternal, « Tufc. Dlfp. 1 . 10. ' De Nat. Deorum. 1.12. f lb. SeiS.. 1 1 .
1)6 BOOK III. CHAP. X, SECT. V.
eternal, cannot be underftood ; yet this proves, that it is ablurd to iky, that he had a beginning.
V. When propofitions are fo unintelligible, that they neither affirm nor deny any thing, a man, by repeating them, whatever other folly he may run into, cannot be guilty of any breach of ^eraciiy: he can deceive no one: unlefs indeed he profeffes to underftand them; if he fays that, he introduces a new proportion, and one which is intelligible. — Not long after the middle of the lall centur}', the Clergy in France were obliged to fign a form to this purpofe. ' I heartily condemn the five propo- fitions contained in Janfeniufs Book; his dodlrine, though pretended to be taken from Auguftin, is not really Auguflin's:'— now it did not appear, that the five Propofitions zuere in Janfenius's Book (called Augujiiniis) ; that was queftioned, and the palFages never found; this form the Nuns of St. Cyran, whofe convent was at Port Royal in the Fields, were called upon to fign, they being great favourers of the Janfenifts:— we (ign this.? fay they; how iliould we know whether the propofitions are really in the Book or not? it is a great Folio, writ- ten in Latin, and we do not underfland Latin; we will not aflent to what we do not at all under- fland! they perfifled in their refufal till, at laft, their Monaftery was wholly defiiroyed''. Voltaire's remark is, ' one does not know which is more fin- gular, the confeffion which was required of women that five propofitions were contained in a Latin Book; or the obflinate refufal of thefe Nuns.'— The requifition was certainly very ftrange: Vol- taire did not think the refufal lefs fo:— the Form v\'as mintclli^ible, but it was known by all men to
be
*> Molheim, 17th Cent. a. i. i. 47. Voltaire— Louis xiv, Janfenifme. p. 171. 281 — lamo.
BOOK III. CHAP. X. SEC'r. VI. VII. 97
befo; Veracity was not concerned with aflenting 10 it: flich aflenting would have deceived no one'.
VI. If the end of aflenting to unintelligible pro- pofitions is not truth, what is it.? it can onl'/ be Ibme fpecies of convenience, or utility: that^ is, avoiding fome evil, or attaining fonie ^05 J; to im* pofe aflent to them without fome fuch view, would be foolifli, and oppreflive ; nay, confidering them as of a religious fort, impious or prefumptuous.
VII. The piincipal queftion is, wherein can that Utility confift f what is the nature of the evil to be avoided, and of the good to be attained? It is an evil to negleft or throw afide any thing, which it has pleafed God to reveal to mankind: if he fends a meflTage, whether it be underlliood or nor, it is to be carefully preferved ; it is to be noted and regiftered faithfully and Amply: nay, the more exadlly, for not being underftood; if we write what we underfl:and, v/e may fafely alter feveral little points and dots; we know what we are doing; but, if we copy a language which we have never learnt, we mufl: copy every thing, even blots and miilakes. — All that we can flrictly fay, in fuch a cafe, is, that we do not at prefent underfliand what God is pleafed to fay to us; we do not know how foon we may. It may be objefted here, keep the fcriptural information faithfully, only do not re- quire ajjent to it: but it is not conceivable, that we fliould value Scripture, and not throw the expref- fions of it into fome forms ; of dodrine, or devo- tion : into fermons, prayers, hymns, &c. — thefe are necelTary, if we were only to remind men of
what
i
Had they figned, they would have thought, probably, their affent equivalent to faying, ' we Janfenifts condemn Janfeniusj' — but need they have had this difficulty; fuppofe they had figiied and faid publicly, ' we do not condemn Janfenius ?' — or foine other contrivance of that fort might have been hit upou.
V O L . II . G
98 BOOK III. CHAP. X. SECT. VII;
what has been revealed : and to make them feel its value and importance : thefe mud be the ordinary means of exciting religious fentimcnts. — Care muft indeed be taken, at the Hime time, that no one de- ceives himfelf, or imagines that he underftands what he really does not.
If we throw away what comes from above, bc- caufe we do not thoroughly fee the meaning of it, we know not what we lofe. Suppofe a people, who were pretty much uncivilized, had an offer of a good body of Laivs, and accepted them : there is no doubt but there would be feveral regulations, of which they would not fee the fcope : but would they therefore be wife for expunging thofe regu- lations ? — contefts might arife from prejudices againft fuch new Laws, which might occahon fome kind of ajfent to be given to the fuperior wifdom of the new Laws: it would fcarcely be a fufficient objedion to giving fuch allent, to fay, that fome of the new Laws were unintelligible. Who indeed amongfl the ordinary people (1 do not mean the ignorant multitude) underftands law-deeds^ when he figns them, even in the mofl important con- cerns? To throw afide the notices from heaven, becaufe we did not underftand them, would be to adt like Savages, who threw gold and jewels into the fea.— And we muft throw fuch notices afide, if we never infert any of them into our forms.— And it is the fame thing if, in order to avoid diffi- culty, we lower the things revealed to what we foncy is common fenfe. — Sometimes, one fet of men are compelled to ufe unintelligible forms, by other men's perverting or lowering Scripture ; if, by fuch a meafurc, we can prevent fuch pcrverlion, the evil which we incur, mufl be lei's than that which we avoid. — And the fame, if we prevent dif- Ibnfion.
I think
EOOK III. CHAP. X. SECT. VIII. 99
I think we may fafely fay, of the Nuns of St. Cyran juft now mentioned, that the evil of their refufing to affent to an unintehigible propofitioii was, in fad, much greater than that of their af- fenting would have been; even if we allow, that they were to be commended for confcientioufly adhering to v^'hat they thought right.
But the utiHty of affenting to unintelligible pro- pofitions may confift in attaining pofitive pod, as well as in avoiding evil. There is no greater good to human kind than that, which might arife fioni a ReHgious Society well conduded, which fhould include the young and the old, the wife and the unthinking. Now, it is not conceivable, that luch a Society could be carried on, without feme mem- bers affenting to vv'hat they did not underftand: for, what would be intelligible to fome, would be un- intelligible to others; and yet there muft be an miformity, all ranks muft join in creeds, catechifms, aftd Liturgies''; on this uniformity depends that -eafe and compofure, which is fo neceiTary to en- courage religious fentiments, and to heighten de- vout lympathy. And, (we might add) as it will frequently happen, that forms of words, con- fcfli'ons, &c. continue a long time after they have been found faulty or unneceffary, en this ac- count, verbal affirmations muft be made, after the meaning of the words madeule of is evaporated.
VIII. It will add force to this reafoning, if we confider, that a perlbn, who did affent to unin-- telligible proportions for the reafons we offer, could not be faid to lie " unto GWV or to injure Man. To allow this, we need only conceive fuch a perfon
td
^ ft might be here recoUeacd, that the Copts \n Mgy^l have divine fervice in a hugiiage they do rtot underftand; Book f Chap. IX. of this, from Pocccke's Travels.
' Aas V. 4.
G 2
lOO BOOK 111. CHAP. X'. SECT. IX.
to enter into a folemn meditation, as in the fight of God; and to fay, • I have given my verbal aflent 10 what 1 did not iinderfland ; but I have done this with a good intention; 1 have done it, in order to avoid rehgious evil, and to attain religious good; I have ufed no words of my own chufing, but only fuch words as have been appointed for me by thofe in authority; I have pretended to know nothing more than I really did know: every one, who was concerned, was aware of my ignorance. Perhaps, in time, that ignorance may receive fome infor- jnation; perhaps feveral of thofe, with whom I am, for the befl purpofes, united in Society, may al- ready fee more than I do: my confcience tells me, that, whilll I acl with fuch fincerity, the omnifcient Being will not be offended with my conduci.'
As to MaUy there feems no foundation for his taking offence; he receives no harm; he is neither injured nor deceived.
IX. It will confirm and illuftrate what has been faid, if we confider the manner, in which God has aded with mankind in the revelation of his will: ever fmce the Creation of the world, he has been revealing it gradually \ at all times giving intima- tions of the whole of his plan ; but thole intima- tions were at firfl very faint and obfcure, afterwards by degrees more and more clear: — this being the cafe, different things, at different times, muft have been unintelligible; or muft have been myfterious; for the true fcriptural notion of '"/Aur*)f«ov is, a de- lign of God not yet executed, or made manifeft. Myfteries, according to this notion, may both be "kept fecret" lince the world began," — and be revealed or made known. — Yet, at all times, what was known, though not clearly comprehended, might be generally profelfcd ; and, if that be true,
then,
» Locke on i Cor. ii. 1,7. " Rom. xvi. 25. Eph. iil. 4.
BOOK III. CHAP. X. SECT, X. lOI
then, at all times unintelligible propofitions would be profeilcd by Jbm'e perfons ; though, what was once fo, would gradually lole its nature.
To confirm the notion, that parts of Scripture fliould not be thrown afide, becaufe they are nor intelligible, I will mention Eulebius's^ account o^ Dionyfiiis of Alexandria, with regard to the Book of Revelation ;and I will make ufe of Lardncr's Tran- flation. *' Some, who were before us, have utterly rejecled and confuted this Book, criticiiing every chapter [or paragraph] fhewing it to be through- cut unintelligible and inconfiftent;" *' But, for my part, I dare not rejecl the Book, llnce many of the Brethren have it in high efteem : but, allowing it to be above my underftanding, I fuppofe it to contain throuohout fome latent and wonderful meaning: for, though I do not underftand it, I fufpect there muft be fome profound lenle in the words; not meafuring and judging thele things by my own reafon, but afcribing more to faith, I efteem them too fublime to be comprehended by me." — As Dionyfius reafons on the myfteries of the Apocalypfe, we might reafon on any other myfteries. It is highly probable, he would not ha^'e been averfe to throwing expreflions of the Apocalypfe, or even others equivalent to them, into Forms, to be ufed or aflented to, when any good feemed likely to arife from fuch a meafure.
X. What has been faid, concerning the gradual opening of Revelation to mankind, is in a good meafure applicable to the gradual increale of know- ledge in each Jmman being, in any given ftate of general improvement: Each man has continually fomething unintelligible immediately before him, though the number of thofe things, which he un- derftands, is continually increafmg. — And, when
he
" See Eufcb. Hift. or Lard. Works, Vol. iii. p. 104, 10$, G 1
102 BOOK III. CHAP. X. SECT. XI. XII.
be mixes with other men, he finds others com- prehending what is unintelligible to him ; infomuch that, if he ac^s with them, he muft admit propofi- tions (for all motives and principles teem reiblvable into prcpofitions) which he docs not comprehend ; and have freOjUent occafion to alVent to their truth. — Nay, I can fancy, that all conclullons of his ex- perience, after which he con rtantly<3^7j, concerning iubftances, laws of nature, &c. if formed into pro- pofitions, would appear, as propolitions, to be unintelligible.
XI. There is nothing:, perhaps, which will make our reafoning more readily accepted, than conceiv- ing a child to repeat his catechijm. — At firfc, the whole is unintelligible to him, and always ibme part : yet it is right, upon the whole, that he fhould repeat it. The very found of the words, of which he hears fome account at other times, makes fome imprefiion upon him; and there is fcarce apart, which is not the vehicle of fome good fentiment. — Sentiments of order, decency, duty, are incul- cated, as well as thofe more immediately religious. But, as catechizing has been prafticed in all ages of the Chriflian world, the benefits of it mufl have been experienced, and the wifdom of it may be taken for granted; and, as it deceives no one, the innocence of it is evident; I mean, as being clear of any violation oi veracity.
XII. It may be proper not wholly to omit all mention of diflerent orders in the Church', of old, the lowefl were the jiarvip^sajvoi, the next the Tiroi, the higheft the %y<i\i.v;oi : — the catechumens, the faithful, and the leaders: we have juO. now ipoken of catechumens, only we muft conceive, that, when men of maturity embraced Chriftianity from con- vidlion, they were better acquainted, even while catechumens, with its principles than children are :
nevenhelefss
BOOK III, CHAP. X. SECT. XIII. 10^
tieverthelefs, a plain man is only a degree higher: very few common men would explain our catechifm well. The catechumens would have the greateft number of unintelligible dodrines to profefs, the faithful more than the Leaders; but all would have fo me. Even the teacher cannot be exempt: in many things he is, and muft be, as thofe that are taught : and the different ranks of teachers muft differ, as the different ranks do of thofe, whom they inftrudl.
XIII. It may be aiked, whether fome propofi- tions are not partially unintelligible ? I ihould be inclined to fay, fome are.— The prophecy, that the feed of woman fliould bruife the ^ Serpent's head, may be reckoned of this fort: it feems to mean fomething, fome privilege to man; but what privilege it is, could not be underftood, at leaft for fome thoufands of years. — It is intelligible to fay, that no time cart be affigned, when God was igno- rant what you would chufe; yet, when it is added, you might have chofen otherwife than you did, the moment before you fixed your choice, this, being equally intelligible, throws an obfcurity over the whole. If propofitions are taken as partly un- intelligible, the natural confequertce feems to be, that they muft partake of the nature of thofe, which are wholly fo: the lefs diftinft ideas we have to any propofition, the lefs difference will there be between the affirmative and negative fide of it; the lefs op- pofition or contradidion: confequently, affent to it means lefs; and iofing the good of focial rehgion, or incurring any evil^ on its accQUnt, is lefs ex- cufeable*^.
XIV. Since
P Gen. ill. 15.
1 Fait-ou mourlr des gens pour avoir dit que Jefvi" ell vitx // Verbe? Voltaire, 4to. Vol. xxvi. p. 129.
G 4
104 BOOK III. CHAP. X. SECT. XIV.
XIV. Since I firtl forined the reafonine in this Chapter, I have been akirmetl by a paffage in a Charge of Dr. Balguy's, dehvcred to the Clergy of his Archdeaconry in 1769, and pubhlhed in 1785: in which there feein to be lome things contradidory to what I have advanced: as I diftruft my own conclulions more than his, if, upon confideration, 50U do not judge that they aie reconciicable, I muft exhort you to confide in him, rather than in me.
When th.e views of writers are very different, they may Hiy tilings, which £em to contradict each other, though they really do not. This great man fpeaks to tlie enlightened about the moft perfect principles of reafoning in tlie mind : I take the ordinary courfe of things, fuppofe mere common men to have authority, and refer all to focial ac- tion,— One great end we have in common; to hinder men from fancying they undeilland what they really do not: this end he purliies, as a pre- ventive of error: I, left men fnould fuffer needlefs unealinefs, when they aflent to what they do not underftand; or be afr^iid to enter the Miniftry; in fliorr, left they fliould be too backward, as well as too forward, to make ufe of rcafoiiable liberty.
This difference of views affords hope of recon- ciliation: let us read the paft"age^ A propolition not underftood, cannot be bjJieved, or be an ob- jecl: of faith; in ftriclnefs, it cannot: yet we may believe, that it may be i-aluabie-, that it mas have ?i meanings though we do not fee it; (this indeed Dr. Balguy allows') — and this muft incline us to retain unintelligible propositions, and even r//^ thcni in fome way, before we come to underftand them.
Dr. Balguy inftances in Tranfubftantiation; that inftance leems too remote from fcriptural expref-
lioils ' Dr. Balguy, p. 234. ' Dr. B. p. 238.
BOOK III. CHAP. X. SECT. XIV. 10^
fions to rank with mine: yet I would not condemn a Roman ift who, as one of the people, gave a verbal aOent to it, merely in TubmilTion to autho- rity, iF he did not pretend to underftand it — I hope the remarks of us both tend to hinder myRe- rious doctrines from perplexing weak minds, and bringing contempt upon Religion.
Dr. Balguy fays, that what is even owned to come from God, muft be iinderftood before we can beheve it : in ftriftnefs, this is true. Yet, vvithout underftanding it, we m,ay refpcci it, bring it into notice^, keep it unadulterated, even write or repeat it, if our Governors, think fit, amongll things to which we give our alTent^
What is the moft difficult to reconcile with my account is, that Dr. Balguy knows no medium be- tween underftandingperfeclly, and not underftand- ing at all. I cannot fee how this is wrong; yet I think there are propofitions, ^l^izh feem to be par- iiaih unintelligible, and which, in faft, will be treated by men as fuch: if fo, provifion fhould be made for them, as if they really were fuch: obfcure propofitions may pollibly be made clear, by rightly itating what they really mean, but then it requires very great clearnefs and acutenefs to do this. — *' Chrift is the Author of eterna,! falvation," would commonly fcem obfcure, or partially uninteUigible; though Dr. Balguy makes it feem intelligible, by clearino; it of all extraneous matter: but a common m^an could not have done this. — We ourfelves haA'c Icen how a propofition which is, when taken abfo- lutely, unintelligible, may be intelligible taken re- latively.— " In the beginning was the Word" —
*' Chrift
' Dr. B. fays, that ordinary men muji take their opinions from
others, (fee p. 255, Charge 5.) Parents, teachers, &c,
mull " determine for them, what they are to belie've" Scc.-^ ►See alfo DIfc. vii. p. 124.
IC6 BOOK III. CHAP. X. SECT. XIV.
" Chrift is the Son of God.—" Whom God of old ordained to this condemnation." — Perhaps each of tlief!? propofitions might be exhibited in a form peifcclly intelligible; (lometimes, taking a neyatrje form will give diftinclnefs;) but, as this is very dillicult, it feems right, with a view to praci ice ^ to determine how propofitions partly intelligible Ihould be treated.
Notwithllanding this, it does fcem ufeful, that men Ihould be aware, how one word may render a whole fentence unintelligible, and lead to fallhood.
There is no difference between Dr. Balguy's ex- planation and mine, with regard to the fenfe of /tAurr^iov; but, though m.yflery does not always im- ply prefent ignorance, yet what is now paft igno- rance was once prefent j and prefent ignorance may be enlightened: in aflate of ignorance, at any time, intimations of future knowledge might be couched in propofitions not wholly to be underftood.
Dr. Balguy fays, " no advantage can arife from the ufe of v/ords without ideas :" here, cur different views may occafion the feeming contradidfion : in rcafoning, none ; in pradlice, it feems as if there might be fome. As, for inftance, in catechizing. In Dr. Powell's Sermons", publilhcd (and probably felefted) by Dr. Balguy, there is mention of a c/ii/d's repeating his creed^ and no mark of difap- probation.
In the particular cafe, in which St. Paul forbids fpeaking in an imbwzvn tongue^ it would have done great Jiarm-y it would have defeated the ends of religious fociety: we recommend the not rejecting of unintelligible propofitions, upon the ground, that they may promote the ends ot religious fociety.
On the whole, I do fincerely hope, that, not- withflanding the feeming oppofition between Dr,
Balguy's " P. 40, 41.
BOOK III. CHAP. X. SECT. XV. I07
Balgny's Charge and my Lectures, there is not any real one. If one could have his remarks upon what I fliy here, I doubt not but they would be very improving.
XV. I will conclude this Chapter with a few practical inferences from what has been laid down in it: they may be ufeful, both as practical direc- tions, and as proofs of the jufhnefs of our reafoning.
J- Any Church may reafonably admit ibme un- intelligible propolitions into its forms ; that fomc are found there, is no proof that fuch church is erroneous.
2. It is moft immediately to our prefent purpofe, to obfcrve, that though, in affenting, unintelligi- ble propofitions are wont to give us the mofb care and unealinefs, they ought to give us the leaft.
3. In fettling principles of adion in our minds, we ought to be very cautious, left v/e take for granted, that we underftand what in reality we do not. We (liould be aware, that moft propofitions relating to religion, if we include all particulars in them which can be included, contain fomething, which is above our comprehenfion.
4. Laftly. When we are obliged to engage in controverfy, we fhould never indulge any malevo- lence, or any Intemperate zeal, particularly about myfterious doftrines. We are moft apt to fall into difputes about thofe fubjefts, which we underftand the leaft. We do not know enoughof the myfte- rious dodrines of religion, to quarrel about them. Were we to fee two children fighting about theit creeds, we fliould think them too ignorant to ht champions of orthodoxy j but they fecni almoft as well qualified to be fo, as we are to contend, with violence, about the eternal generation of Chrift, when oppofed to his creation before * all worlds.
It
* See Aiius's Letter In Epiph?n, Her. 6g. (7. and 8.). Sec alfo Pearfon on the Creed.
I08 BOOK III. CHAP. X. SECT. XV-.
It may be faid, though both thefe dodrlnes arc myflerious, yet one may be nearer to the truth than the other : — If you arc at the top of a fleeple and I at the bottom, it is never worth our while to quar- rel about which is nearer to the Sun.
The truth is, that, in the eyes of fuperior Beinss, we are none of us right j and that a fuperior being would have difficulty in pronouncing which of us is nearejl to being right; I m.^an, in myflerious dodrines : in ceremonies, and other things of an arbitrary nature, (the other thing we quarrel about) we are ^// right; fo long as we do not difpute. — I [hould wifli to mention here the ftory of three La- dies, who were reading about Cupid and Pfyc/ie: one called Pfyche, Fijk (Phyfch); the fecond repri- manded her, and called it Fij% (Phyfc!i); the third fnatched the Book, and infifted on the word's being called Skew (Plchew) : the difpute ran high ; at laft, an agreement was made to refer it to a gentleman of the Univerfity, (for in the midft of an Univerfity the difpute is faid to have happened:) the Academic arrived: which is r/^Z'//' why I cannot fay anyone is r/^/^/; — which is near eft right ? that is a point too difficult to be determined. Now, fuppofe each of thefe Ladies to have a nimi- ber of followers in her pronunciation, and we have three feBs; what might be the event of a violent controverjy between fuch feds, it is impoffible dif- tinctly to forefee: they might want Dr. Balguy's advice, " leaft of all to cenfure and perfecute our brethren, perhaps for no better reafon, than be- caufe their nonfenfe and ours wears a different^ drefs."
Finally, if \\. JJiould ^mzx be our fate to be engaged in controverfy on incomprehenfible doctrines, let us " read, mark, learn," that beautiful paffage ol
Auguftin, y P. 192.
BOOK III. CHAP. X. SECT. XV. IO9
Auguftin, about his own controverfy with the Manicheans.— '* lUud, quovis ^ judice, impetrare me a vobis oportet, ut in iitraque parte omnis ar- rogantla deponatur. Nemo noftrum dicat fejam inveniiTe veritatem. Sic earn quseramus quafi ab utrifque nefciatur. Ita enim diligenter etconcor- diter qiiari poterit, fi nulla temeraria pr^fumtione inventa et cognita effe credatur."
Thus maj' we fpeak the truth in "■ Love, fearch for it as friends and brethren, and, at length, come to hold it in the unity of Spirit and bond of peace.
* See the end of Lardner's Account of the Mankhcans, from Aug. ContraEp. Fund. Cap. 2. n. z. 3, 4. '- Eph. iv. 15.
«#>
CHAP.
no BOOK III. CHAP. XI. SECT. I»
CRAP. xr.
QF CllVSlSG THE LEAST EVIL.
1 . T7J7'^> have beea treating ot ufmg and- allentiag V V CO Forms: and \vc have been examiiunfr into cKole Liberties, which arife from changes in' tlie meanrng and force of fuch forms; either by tacit improvements in the Rehgion, to which they belong; or by the decay or extinction of the Here- Ties, which they aire adapted to correct. —We have alfo confiCiered other' Liberties, which arife from the imperfeCiion and indiftinclnefs of our concep- tions. Thefe liberties mav all tojietlier fecm to be numerous ; but yet, m pracliice, more may be wanted: — after they have been all ufcd, there may be fome things in the religious fociety, to which we belong, that we cannot approve; fometliing that we wilh to have changed. — Even a confidcrabic number of the members may wilh for change ; or the governing part may be fatisfied, and lower orders diflatisficd; in flich diflatisfadion, what i? to be done? — the raoft obvious thing to foggifl is, chufe another church ; but, it docs not follow, as a matter of courfe, that a perfon, who defircs to have fome things changed, mufl ncceflarily quit his religious fociety; — and, if he does not quit it, he mufl continue under obligation to do every thing as a regular member; amongft other things, he nmd: affent to ufe Forms, when tliat is required of him by Authority; either as a private man, or a Minifter.
Whether he mufl quit his fociety or not, mud depend oa this principle; he mud chufe the /cq/l
evil:
BOOltIII.CHAP.XI.SECT.il. Ill
evil: of which principle, more hereafter; now we only fay, if, on the whole, it is the leaft evil for him to quit, he muft do fo; if, to continue, he muft continue, whatever difficulties he may have about affenting in form to Dodrine, which does not coincide with his private opinion : I fay alient- ing in form^ becaufe, when he has his choice of words, he mufh declare his private opinion plainly, and lay what his real meaning is, in ufmg expref- (ions inconfiftent with his private opinion j namely, to comply with rules of a Society, of which he thinks it his duty to continue a member : — he muft declare, that he fpeaks as he would a6l in any office, without interpofing his private judgment : as an Herald \Nou\A perform ceremonies, which he thought had better be altered or omitted, or would pro- claim unmeaning titles of a King.
II. But, how are evils to ht calculated^ fo that he may know, whether his retiring or his continu- ing will be attended with greater.? I apprehend this Ihould be done by the principles already laid down in the prefent Book; and by confiderations of public and private utility; to mankind in gene- ral, and to religious fcciety in particular. — Schifm is the term commonly made ufe of to exprefs need- lefs divifion of the whole Society of Chriftians, or needlefs feparation from any Church^: and the evil of it is extenfive; it confiils in interrupting uniformity, making Chriftians confider each other as enemies, or rivals; unhinging men's principles, leffeningthe number of thofe, whoaffift each others religious fentiments by fympathy; taking attention from practice to fpeculation. To thefe lliould be added, harm to civil government, and detriment done to the principles of the individual himfelf, who fcparates.
III. However
* Juft mentioned Chip. iv. Se^. iv,~^r, r, £» i;fct»;s,^i(r,o',aTa. I Cor. i. 10.
112 BOOK I 1 I. CHAP. Xr. SLCT. lir.
III. However jiift this maybe, and however plain it is that all men muft chuie the leaft evil, yet many feeni as if they would not allow it without fome reliitlance in matters of religion : it docs in- deed, when all'enting in form to things, whicli do not fatisfy us, is a confequence, wear the appear- ance of prevarication, and men arc much to be commended, who examine all iucli appearances with the greateil nicety.
But the chief thing, which would obftrufl the reception of our maxim, chufe the leaft evil, is, that it implies great imperfed.ion in religious focie- ties ; it implies, that a man may find imperfcclioa in his own church : and, if he attempts to quit it on that account, he may iind, that other churches are ftill more imperfect than his own : wiiereas, we are habituated to look up ro our church with t:;e iitmoil veneration. We are brought up to hear nothing but good of the religion to which we be- long; its do(!:l:rines, its regulations, nay its cere- monies and habits, are recommended to us, and flrongly inculcated, without any difiinction being made between them and Religion in the ftricteffc fenfe; between them and that which is moll fub- ftantial, eflential, indilpenfible. And this is found neceiliiry for maintaining rehgious fentiments in the minds of the generality of people. Such com- mendations may lometimcs make us have more refpecl for Religion ^ but they may alfo give us fome wa'ong notions and prejudices ; and prevent our doing what is beft upon the whole.
IV. And fome men increale this veneration for religious Society in general, by confidering, that the Catholic Church, or fociety of Chrifti.ms was founded by Chriil himfelf. From whence alio this conclufion may fccm deduclblc, that, if any par- ticular Church has any material imperfjCtijn, it
Cannot
BOOK III, CHAP. Xl. SECT. IV. I.I^
cannot be a part of the Church oi Chrill:. — Let us then inquh'e firft, how far Chriilian churches are of human inftitution; and then we can more freely fpeak of their imperfeclions.
That Chrift might be faid to form his Difciples into a Church, has been mentioned in the firft'' Book ; but, if a great number of Chriftians were to affemble, and let themfelves to reduce into a practical form all that he has fliid, and adf upon it, they would find themfelves much at a lofs, if they added nothing; they would be fcarce able to ftir a ftep: the obftruction would be of the dime fort, though in a lefs degree, if they feleded all paffages relating to the ecclefiaftical government of the Apollles:-— they would find focieties inftituted, and condudled, ofBcers or magiftrates named, their qualities mentioned; but all incidentally, without fyftem; and they would be in danger of milinter- preting ancient names or terms, by affixing to them modern'' ideas. — Some have ** thought, that the Apoftles accotnmodated the form of ecclefiallical government, in any place, to the form of civil government prevailing there, as falling in befl with habitual notions; — without proving this, we may fay, that no church could be carried on, without more rules than the Apoftles have laid down ; and that new rules or laws ought to depend upon par- ticular circumftances. — Baptilin and the Lord's Supper Chrift himfelf has appointed j befides thcfc, and preaching the' Gofpel to all men, requiring them to ad: on Chriftian principles, and labouring to make them " careful to maintain ^ good works," nothing at this moment occurs to me, which is ib eflential to a Chriftian church as to admit of no
variation i
'» Chap. XIX. Seft. XVI. ■* Bingham, beginning of Book 9. « Chap. IX. Sea. i. "= Mark xvi. 15! f Tit. iii. 8.
VOL. II. H
114 BOOK IIl.CilAP ^I. SECT. V.
variation: nay thele, though invariable in tliem- felves, allow of variety in the modes of executing and encouraging them. — As far as thefe things go, a perfon, in deliberating about a removal from on- church to another, may conceive himfelf as going upon divine authority; — farther, all is human. About the refl then, we may reafon freely, and compare one human inftitution with another. Men ufed, in former times, to deduce the particulars of ^/V/V ° fociety from the Scriptures; that is now given up; but Scripture being about Religion, a prejudice ftill remains for recurring to Scripture about ecckfiajlical fociety; this however is not fup- ported by reafon, except as for as we can reafon by analogy from one fituation to another, accord- ing to the principles of Book i. Chap, xi. — If an architect was to confult Scripture, in order to de- termine whether he fliould build a Church of brick or ftone, he would noc be more unreafonable than fome men have been in their conlultations.
V. As, then, we may compare one human infti- tution with another, and a Church is, in many refpec\s, an human inftitution, let us fuppofe a fociety to meet, which had been inftituted for ef- feding an inland navigation : it is debated, whe- ther certain fluices Ihall be made in certain places? you are a member, and you have your opinion, grounded on reafons : vou hear, in the courfe of the debate, notions, or doctrines, trom which you diffent, and thefe are ratified by the majority ; do you refute to a(5l after them, or to continue a m.em- ber of this Society.^ a Church is a corporation or fociety contriving human means of anfwering a good end: though you dilapprove of fome of the means (and what are profefTions of doctrines but means?) you have no more reafon to quit ir, merely
on s Sec Pr. B.nlguy, Difcourfe 6. near beginning.
BOOK I ri. CHAP. XI. SECT. VI. II5
on that account, than you have to quit the other. —When an orckr is made by a Society, fometimes peribns, members of that Society, who have voted againft it, hefitate to lign it ; but this is efteemed weaknefs ; for fignature does not, in Tuch a cafe, imply private opinion,
VI. If it is once properly felt, that Churches are, in molt things, human inftitutions ; to con- fider their imperfections will give no offence, and to aft upon them will occafion no difficulty. — Nay, we may go one ftep farther; human means of anfwering the ends of rehgious fociety, muft