Page images
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

Obfervations on the chief objections made to the morality of the gospel, as being extravagant and fanatical.

In the preface it has been fhewn in what ftrong terms the morality of the gospel has been accused of fanaticifm; and in the 6th chapter, those characters have been pointed out which feem moft decidedly contrary to fuch a fpirit-characters which, it is hoped, will vindicate it from this accufation. It would be extremely tedious to quote all the texts which have been overftrained or misrepresented by the mistaken friends, or the prejudiced enemies of Chriftianity, fo as to afford pretexts for this imputation, and it is fcarcely poffible to interpret doubtful or obfcure paffages of fcripture without an immediate comparison with the original context; commentators must therefore be reforted to for the explanation of particular texts. It may be fufficient here to enumerate the general grounds on which this accufation has been fupported, hinting at the answers which may be made and referring to authors, where fuch questions will be found fatisfactorily discuffed.

The first pretext is derived from the strong terms in which the writers of the New Teftament speak of the little value which is to be fet on the things of this world, or the severity with which they condemn them, and enjoin men to look to the favour of God, and the rewards of another life, as the great, nay, almoft the fole object worth their attention. *Love not the

66

66

"Take no

world, neither the things of the world." thought (it fhould be no anxious thought) for to-morrow, "what ye fhall eat or what ye fhall drink, or wherewithal ye "shall be clothed; whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever "ye do, do all to the glory of God: the friendship of the "world is enmity with God." Thefe, and fuch paffages as these, are adduced to shew that Chriftianity inculcates a scheme of morality wholly impracticable and enthufiaftic, inconfiftent with the feelings of human nature, and the business of human life. On this charge it may be observed, that it is most certain Christianity does not give any reasonable ground to fuppofe that

I John ii. 15.

Matt. vi. 31.

1 Cor x. 31. S James iv. 4.

it encourages men to * forfake the neceffary business, or the useful relations of human life; that it fuppofes the stations of hufband, and wife, and children; of masters and fervants, of rulers and fubjects, of rich and poor, of teachers and learners; and that it gives fuch rules for human conduct in all these different fituations, as require ftrict integrity, active benevolence, unaffuming humility, patience and refignation; in short, every quality which tends to promote the happiness of the individual, and the welfare of fociety; rules, which if practifed, would make the whole world a fcene of virtue, piety, and peace.

It is equally certain that † induftry, attention to the interefts of those with whom we are connected, or for whom we are concerned, far from being prohibited or discountenanced, are recommended, and even enjoined. It may in the next place eafily be fhewn, that thofe paffages which feem most strongly to condemn the world, the things of the world, and the cares of the world, mean only to condemn the ‡ fordid pursuits, and vicious pleafures, and exceffive love of the world; to condemn fenfuality, ambition, covetousness, extreme folicitude, repining at the difpenfations, and diftrufting the providence of God. But while we vindicate the gofpel from fuch mifinterpretations as would pervert its exalted, but rational precepts, into fanatical rants, we must never forget that its precepts, and its motives are really § exalted, far exalted above the general ideas, and general practice of mankind. That it proposes the fear and the love of God as the leading principles of action, to which every other motive must be fubordinate, and by which every action ought to be controuled. That these facred principles are not to confine their operations to occafional prayers, to a temporary and transitory influence in the church or the closet, but

* Vid. Supra, p. 94, 95, and compare Rom. xii. xiii. and xv. chapters. Gal. v. and vi. Col. iii. and iv. 1 Tim. iii. and iv. v. and vi. Titus ii. and iii. How admirably the principles and precepts of Christianity may be applied to illustrate and enforce the different duties of every rank of life, confult Gisborne's Excellent Enquiry into thefe Duties paffim; his Conclufion on the Truth of Christianity, is peculiarly worthy attention.

+ Vid. fupra, p. 95, 96-101.

Vid. Maclaine's Letters to Soame Jenyns, Letter 4th.

§ Vid. Mr. Wilberforce's excellent View of Profeffed Christianity, con-trafted with real Christianity, particularly chap. iv, v. and vii.

[ocr errors]

to regulate our conduct in active life as conftantly as in religious retirement. This will feem to a worldly or depraved mind enthufiaftic; but the true philofopher and the enlightened statefman know that the perpetual effort at improvement, the humble and self-distrusting watchfulness which thefe precepts of the gofpel require, most directly tend to promote the perfection of the individual and the * happiness of fociety. Far therefore from inducing a suspicion that they originate in fanaticisin, they strongly confirm the divine original of the Christian scheme.

'

A fecond pretext on which the charge of fanaticism has been advanced against the morality of the gospel, is derived from the manner in which it teaches men to feel and act towards enemies, and the strong terms in which it inculcates, patience under injury; and totally forbids retaliation and revenge. †“ Love your enemies, bless them which curfe you, and pray for them. "that defpitefully use and perfecute you. Refift not evil, but "whofoever shall fmite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the "other alfo."

66

Thefe, and fuch paffages as thefe, are condemned as fanatical and extravagant, inculcating an abject and flavish temper, directing what it is impoffible to practife, and what, if poffible, would be pernicious to fociety, and deftructive to the individual. That fuch objections fhould be strongly urged and readily allowed is not much to be wondered at, in an age when duelling is still permitted to difgrace civilized fociety, ennobling the infliction of perfonal revenge, and punishing injury, or vindicating character on the principles first taught by the favage barbarifm of that Gothic ignorance, which unable to distinguish guilt from innocence by reafon and evidence, fubftituted trial by battle as an appeal to God; but the philanthropist and the philofo

* Vid. an honourable Testimony of the Importance of Chriftianity to social Happiness, in Montefquieu's Spirit of Laws, book 24th, chap. iii. and vi. and a Letter of his to Warburton, preserved in the divine legation, book 3, fect.1. near the conclufion.

† Matt. v. 44. Ibid. 39. Vid. in explanation of thefe and fimilar paffages, Newcome's Obfervations on our Lord's Character, &c. part 1 chap. i. particularly feet. 1 and y. Vid. alfo Leland's Anfwer to Morgan chap. xiii. and xvi. his View of the Deiftical Writers, letter 21, in his obfervations on Mr. Hume's Ideas of Chriftian Morality. Alfo Letter 22, in Anfwer to Lord Bolingbroke.

[ocr errors]

pher

[ocr errors]

pher will not form his decifion on fuch principles, but will candidly criticise the texts of Scripture thus condemned, and confider the true nature of that * general spirit and temper they recommend. He will obferve, that to take these texts, in their rigorous literal sense, is in many inftances totally unreasonable. They were meant, in many cases, (as in the texts here quoted) to counteract the mifinterpretations of the Jewish doctors, who, because the Mofaic + code enjoined the law of equal retaliation to be observed in the punishment of crimes by the regular fentence of a public judge, transferred this rule to the indulgence of private revenge; and were notorious alfo for want of charity in their feelings and conduct to all perfons not of their own nation and their own fect, and even to whole bodies of men, whose profeffions, though neceffary and innocent, they branded as difgraceful and infamous. Hence the contrary principles of forbearance under injuries, and love to all, were inculcated by our Lord with peculiar emphasis, and illuftrated by the moft ftriking and familiar inftances, which however, so far as immediate patience and fufferance of injury without resistance is enforced, are all taken from injuries of a more tolerable kind, from fuch encroachments, as it is really wiser to bear, than litigiously to contend againft. But it appears from various paffages, that it is not the particular literal rule which it is meant ftrictly to enforce as an example in every inftance to be imitated; but that it is meant to recommend in the strongest manner the general temper of humility, mildness, patience, fubmiffion, ready forgiveness, and active benevolence, even under the greatest provocations; and to condemn as ftrongly what the world fo generally admires, or at least tolerates, high spirit, quick refentment, prompt retaliation, unyielding enmity.

And confidering these precepts in this view, we immediately fee the neceffity of expreffing them in the strongest manner, with no other limitations or exceptions, than what reason and neceffity would plainly point out in each particular inftance; for had the general rule been attended with any limitation of a general nature, how would human depravity and violence force every

* Confult Paley's Evidences of Christianity, part 2, ch. ii. and Newcome's Obfervat. ut fupra.

↑ Vid. Exod. xxii. 22 to 26.

particular

*

particular inftance within this limitation, and plead the divine permiffion to fanction the greatest exceffes of malignity. Who is there who reviews the perfecutions which have difgraced the profeffion of Christianity, and the conftant power of the angry and malignant paffions in human life, and will not perceive the fatal use which would have been made of any relaxation or exception in those precepts of the gospel which relate to this fubject? Yet notwithstanding this, we find in the inftructions of our Lord and his apoftles, and even in their conduct, fufficient proofs that they did not recommend or practife that total infenfibility under injury, and that indifference as to their safety and their character, which might give fome plaufible reafon to charge them with fanaticifm. They diftinguished clearly and strongly between juftice and injuftice, malignity and benevolence in the conduct of those with whom they were concerned, and in the treatment they themselves received. They reforted to fuch legal and innocent means of guarding both their safety and their good name as were compatible with their particular fituation and the peculiar object of their miffion; and they enjoin men to † difcriminate, and to avoid, nay even, when their station authorizes it, to cenfure and punish the obftinately vicious and perverfe. When therefore, men's conduct towards ourselves, difplays clearly that perverseness and malignity which we should be bound to cenfure and punish when it is practised towards others; it cannot be meant that we fhould be fo blind as to view them with the fame affection and regard, as if they had displayed no fuch qualities. We are certainlyjuftified in guarding against them, in avoiding them, and if it is neceffary to the welfare of individuals, and the peace and order of fociety, we are bound to warn others against them, and to adopt fuch means of exposing their crimes, and punishing them, as the laws of the society to which we belong require. But we are also bound by the precepts of Christianity, not to fuffer our conduct to be guided by any mixture of perfonal refentment. We are never to permit ourselves to lose the inclination, or neglect any opportunity of doing every thing in our power to benefit even our greatest enemies. "If

* Vid. our Lord's reply to the officer who smote him, John xiii. 23. and fupra, chap. iii. fect. 4, p. 115 to to 124.

† Vid. Matt. xviii. 15 to 18, I Cor. v. 13. Rom. xvi. 17. Phil. iii. 18. Rom. xii. 20.

❝thine

« PreviousContinue »