ON THE First Part of a Book, ENTITLED 66 THE AGE OF REASON," ADDRESSED TO THOMAS PAINE, ITS AUTHOR. BY S. DREW, OF ST. AUSTLE, CORNWALL. "It were to be wished, that the enemies of religion would at least Addison. "The good and evil of eternity, are too ponderous for the wings SECOND EDITION, Revised, and Considerably Enlarged. NEW-YORK: PUBLISHED BY S. KING, Rev. W, E, Caldwell at Heirs of 10-20-43 PREFACE. WHEN civilized nations adopt a profaneness of manners, under a pretence of throwing off mental restraints, it is but natural for a thinking mind to inquire into the occasion, on a larger scale than the mere action presents. The deeds which we perceive, confine our observations; but a retrospection on the past, and a calculation on the future, will open sources of information, on human conduct, which the visibility of things cannot afford. Between the past, the present, and the future, in every thing of a moral nature, there is a close and an intimate connexion; for, as future events are, in a great degree, produced by present actions, so present actions are occasioned by causes, which, from their relation to their own results, may be known with a tolerable degree of certainty. When we behold the profaneness of manners, and the contempt of things sacred, which prevail; and notice that practical disregard of every moral principle, which, in many instances, is but too conspicuous; we cannot but inquire into the cause or causes, which have conspired to produce these effects, and into the consequences, of which they seem to be the ominous presages. The former, no doubt, are variously combined; but, how diverse soever they may be in their operations, they all unite to establish mental anarchy, and to prepare the mind for the reception of principles correspondent with that practice which is already established. To this practice, the nature of which is too conspicuous, great pains have lately been taken, to add the establishment of infidelity in theory. To these attempts, the dominion of vice gives but too many facilities, of which those, whose aim is to disseminate the fatal opiate, know but too well how to avail themselves. How far they have been successful, on this wicked errand, I take not upon me to determine. I can, nevertheless, easily satisfy myself, that, in proportion as infidelity takes root in the mind, those principles, by which vice is counteracted, will be eradicated, and iniquity, founded upon sanctions of public opinion, like a destructive torrent, will inundate the civil and the religious world. I would not, however, insinuate from hence, that every Deist in theory must be immoral in practice; because I frequently observe the contrary: but I am satisfied, that morality cannot arise from principles of infidelity. It is possible for men to derive a practice from principles which Deism derides, and to attribute the effect to causes which are incapable of producing it; but, in proportion as infidelity gains dominion over the human mind, these restraints will lose |
