ib. The whole Species formed naturally ca- Difficulties to be expected, and even to That our Species, and all Rational A- gents, in order to their performing their Part properly, and contributing to Universal Perfection and Happi ness, must resolve to act agreably to the threefold Obligation which they are under, to wit, with regard to Themselves, their Fellow-creatures, Cur Duty, with respect to Ourselves, consists in the proper Care of the two Parts of our Nature, the men- Of the Passions or Motions of the Mind Previous Directions necessary towards the due Regulation of the Passions Of Justice and Injustice, with respect to our Neighbour's Property-to his Reputation-to his Person-and to Of social Duties, and first, Of the Love Reciprocal Duties of Parents and Chil- dren-of Spiritual Pastors and their Flocks-of Teachers and Scholars-of Masters and Servants-ot Husbands and Wives--of collateral Relations -of Friends-of the Rich and poor Duty of the Wise and learned, and all Duty to Benefactors and Enemies Divine Intention in engaging us in of our Obligations with respect to our Of his Right to our Obedience and Ado- On the Omnipresence of God--his 34 Amazing Stupidity of Numbers of Man- kind, who altogether neglect their Of Fear ib. Previous Objections against a Revela- tion in general, and that of Scripture in particular, considered. And first, The Hottentots, and other barbarous Na- tions, the only fair Examples of the Reach of mere Human Reason; most Parts of the civilized World have been partly illuminated by Revela- tion, and therefore not altogether in a Of the State of the Antediluvian and succeeding Times, and Countries, in which Revelation was but little Of the Incapacity of mere Human Rea- son, in religious Matters, as it ap pears in the Mahometan and Popish Revelation not intended to supersede, Objection, Of the Abuse of Revelation, by weak or designing Men, consider Of its being unworthy of the Divine The Doctrine of Providence, though a Arguments for its Truth, first, from Reason, as from the Necessity of a continued Divine Interposition, and Simplicity of the Narration, an Argu- 146 148 Revelation analogous to the Constitu Difficulties to be expected in a Reve. Difficulties no objection; though direct absurdities and Contradictions are 150 That Revelation might be expected SECTION II. A Compendious View of the Scheme 153 155 156 157 That Christ must have either been truly the Son of God and Saviour of the World, or an Impostor, or Madman 234 That he could not be either of the lat Presumption in Favour of Christianity from the Conduct of those who lived at the Time of its first Appearance- of the Apostles, and particularly of The Character and Conduct, or Christ himself considered more particularly, as a Presumption in Favour of his Self-examination recommended to the 239 DIGNITY OF HUMAN NATURE. = BOOK III.-CONTINUED. = OF VIRTUE. SECTION V. The present very proper for a state of Discipline. Objections answered. WERE we to imagine a plan of a state of discipline, for improving a species of beings, such as ours, for high stations, and extensive usefulness, in future states; how could we suppose it contrived in any manner that should be materially different from the state we find ourselves in? What scheme could be imagined, likely to answer the purposes of planting in the mind of the creature the necessary habit of obedience to the Supreme Being; of giving it an inviolable attachment to virtue, and horror at irregularity; and of teaching it to study a rational and voluntary concurrence with the general scheme of the Governor of the Universe; what method, I say, can we conceive of for these noble purposes, that should not take in, among others, the following particulars, viz. That the species should be furnished with sufficient capacity, and advantages of all kinds, for distinguishing between right and wrong that the ingenuity of their dispositions, and the strength of their virtue, should have full exercise, in order both to its trial, and its improvement: that they should have rewards and punishments set before them, as the most powerful motives to obedience: and that, upon the whole, they should have it fairly in their power to attain the end of their being put in a state of discipline ? If we consider the present as a state of discipline, all is ordered as should be. We enter into life with minds wholly unfurnished with ideas, attachments, or biasses of any kind. After a little time, we find certain instincts begin to act pretty strongly within us, which are necessary to move us to avoid what might be hurtful, and pursue what is useful to the support of the animal frame; and these instincts are appointed to anticipate reason, which does not at first exert itself; and bring us that by mechanical means, which we are not capable of being worked to by rational considerations. Nature has ordered that our parents shall be so engaged to us by irresistible affection, as to be willing to undertake the office of caring for us in our helpless years; of opening and cultivating our reason, as soon as it begins to appear; and of forming us by habit, by precept, and example, to virtue and regularity. As we advance in life, our faculties, by habitually exerting them upon various objects, come to enlarge themselves so as to take in a wider compass. We become then capable of reasoning upon actions, and their consequences, and accordingly, do, in general, reason justly enough about matters of right and wrong, where passion does not blind and mislead us. When we come into the vigorous and flourishing time of life, excited by our passions and appetites, without which, with the slow degree of reason we then enjoy, we should be but half animated, we proceed to enter into various scenes of action. It is true, that innumerable irregularities and follies are the consequence. But without passions and appetites, we could not be the compounded creatures we are, nor consequently fill our proper station between the angelic and animal ranks. Here then is the proper opportunity for exercising our virtue; for habituating us to keep continually on our guard against innumerable assaults; for watching over ourselves, that we may not be surprized, and fall before temptation; or if we fall, that by suffering from our errors, we may be moved to greater diligence and attention to our duty, to a stronger attachment to virtue, and a more fixed hatred to the crimes which have brought such sufferings upon us. And though the necessary propensions of our nature do indeed eventually lead us, through our own folly, into irregularity and vice, it must yet be owned at the same time, that by the wise and kind constitution of nature, we have innumerable natural directions, and ad |