The Advantage and Necessity of the Christian Revelation: Shewn from the ... - John Leland - Google Libri

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to clear our minds from vicious prejudices, and dispel the clouds of ignorance and error, that we may receive the truth in the love of it, may behold it in its convincing light, and feel its transforming power, and may bring forth fruits suitable to it in a holy and virtuous life, to the glory of God, and our own eternal salvation.

CONTENTS

OF THE SECOND VOLUME.

Man appears from the frame of his nature to be a moral agent, and designed to

be governed by a law. Accordingly, God hath given him a law to be the

rule of his duty. The scheme of those who pretend that this law is naturally

and necessarily known to all men without instruction, contrary to fact and

experience. Yet there are several ways by which men come to a knowledge

of this law, and of the duty required of them; viz. by a moral sense implanted

in the human heart; by a principle of reason judging from the natures and

relations of things; by education, and human instruction: besides all which,

God hath made discoveries of his will concerning our duty, in a way of extraor

dinary Divine Revelation.

The principal heads of moral duty were made known to mankind from the be-

ginning, and continued to be known and acknowledged in the patriarchal ages.

When men fell from the right knowledge of God, they fell also in important

instances from the right knowledge of moral duty. The law given to the peo-

ple of Israel was designed to instruct and direct them in morals, as well as in

the knowledge and worship of the one true God. A great deal was done in

the methods of Divine Providence, to preserve the sense and knowledge of

morals among the heathen nations; but they did not make a right use of the

helps afforded them.
Page 18.

A particular enquiry into the state of morality in the Heathen world. A com-

plete rule of morals, taken in its just extent, comprehends the duties relating

to God, our neighbours, and ourselves. If the Heathens had such a rule among

them, it would appear either in the precepts of their religion, or in the pre-

scriptions of their civil laws, or customs which have the force of laws, or in the

doctrines and instructions of their philosophers and moralists. It is proposed

distinctly to consider each of these. As to what passed among them for reli-

gion, morality did not properly make any part of it, nor was it the office of their

priests to teach men virtue. As to the civil laws and constitutions, supposing

them to have been never so proper for civil government, they were not fitted

to be an adequate rule of morals. The best of them were, in several respects,

greatly defective. Various instances produced of civil laws, and of customs

which had the force of laws, among the most civilized nations, especially

among the antient Egyptians and Greeks, which were contrary to the rules of

Farther instances of civil laws and customs among the Pagan nations. Those of

the antient Romans considered. The laws of the twelve tables, though mighti-

ly extolled, were far from exhibiting a complete rule of morals. The law of

Romulus concerning the exposing of diseased and deformed children. This

continued to be practised among the Romans. Their cruel treatment of their

slaves. Their gladiatory shows contrary to humanity. Unnatural lusts common

among them as well as the Greeks. Observations on the Chinese laws and

Other laws and customs of nations mentioned, which are contrary

to good morals.

Concerning morality as taught by the antient Heathen philosophers. Some of

them said excellent things concerning moral virtue, and their writings might

in several respects be of great use. But they could not furnish a perfect rule

of morals, that had sufficient certainty, clearness, and authority. No one

philosopher, or sect of philosophers, can be absolutely depended upon as a

proper guide in matters of morality. Nor is a complete system of morals to be

extracted from the writings of them all collectively considered. The vanity of

such an attempt shewn. Their sentiments, how excellent soever, could not

properly pass for laws to mankind.

Many of the philosophers were fundamentally wrong in the first principles of

morals. They denied that there are any moral differences of things founded

in nature and reason, and resolved them wholly into human laws and customs.

Observations on those philosophers who made man's chief good consist in plea-

sure, and proposed this as the highest end of morals, without any regard to a

Divine Law. The moral system of Epicurus considered. His high pretences

to virtue examined. The inconsistency of his principles shewn, and that, if

pursued to their genuine consequences, they are really destructive of all virtue

and good morals.

The sentiments of those who are accounted the best of the Pagan moral philoso-

phers considered. They held in general, that the law is right reason. But

reason alone, without a superior authority, does not lay an obliging force upon

men. The wisest Heathens taught, that the original of law was from God, and

that from him it derived its authority. As to the question, how this law comes to

be known to us, they sometimes represent it as naturally known to all men. But

the principal way of knowing it is resolved by them into the mind and reason

of wise men, or, in other words, into the doctrines and instructions of the phi-

losophers. The uncertainty of this rule of morals shewn. They talked highly

of virtue in general, but differed about matters of great importance relating to

the law of nature: some instances of which are mentioned.

Epictetus's observation concerning the difficulty of applying general preconcep.

tions to particular cases, verified in the antient philosophers. They were gene-

rally wrong with respect to the duty and worship proper to be rendered to

God, though they themselves acknowledged it to be a point of the highest im-

portance. As to social duties, some eminent philosophers pleaded for revenge

and against forgiveness of injuries. But especially they were deficient in that

part of moral duty which relates to the government of the sensual appetites

and passions. Many of the philosophers countenanced by their principles and

practice the most unnatural lusts and vices. Those of them that did not carry

it so far, yet encouraged an impurity inconsistent with the strictness and dig-

nity of virtue. Plato very culpable in this respect, so also were the Cynics and

Stoics. Simple fornication generally allowed amongst them. Our modern deists

very loose in their principles with regard to sensual impurities.

The Stoics the most eminent teachers of morals in the Pagan world. Mightily

admired and extolled both by the antients and moderns. Observations on the

Stoical maxims and precepts with regard to piety towards God. Their scheme

tended to take away, or very much weaken, the fear of God as a punisher of

sin. It tended also to raise men to a state of self-sufficiency and independency,

inconsistent with a due veneration for the Supreme Being. Extravagant strains

of pride and arrogance in some of the principal Stoics. Confession of sin in

'their addresses to the Deity made no part of their religion.

1

The Stoics gave excellent precepts with regard to the duties men owe to one

another. Yet they carried their doctrine of apathy so far, as to be in some in-

stances not properly consistent with a humane disposition and a charitable sym-

pathy. They said fine things concerning forgiving injuries and bearing with other

men's faults. But in several respects they carried this to an extreme, and

placed it on wrong foundations, or enforced it by improper motives. This is

particularly shewn with regard to those two eminent philosophers Epictetus

and Marcus Antoninus. The most antient Stoics did not allow pardoning

mercy to be an ingredient in a perfect character.

The Stoical precepts with regard to self-government considered. They talk in

high strains of regulating and subduing the appetites and passions; and yet

gave too great indulgence to the fleshly concupiscence, and had not a due re-

gard to purity and chastity. Their doctrine of suicide considered. Some of the

most eminent wise men among the Heathens, and many of our modern ad-

mirers of natural religion, faulty in this respect. The falsehood and pernicious

consequences of this doctrine shewn.

The Stoics professed to lead men to perfect happiness in this present life, abstract-

ing from all consideration of a future state. Their scheme of the absolute sufficien-

cy of virtue to happiness, and the indifferency of all external things considered.

They were sometimes obliged to make concessions which were not very con-

sistent with their system. Their philosophy in its rigour not reducible to prac-

tice, and had little influence either on the people or on themselves. They did

not give a clear idea of the nature of that virtue which they so highly extolled.

The loose doctrine of many of the Stoics, as well as other philosophers, with

regard to truth and lying.

The nations were sunk into a deplorable state of corruption, with regard to

morals, at the time of our Saviour's appearing. To recover them from their

wretched and guilty state to holiness and happiness, one principal end for which

God sent his Son into the world. The Gospel Dispensation opened with a

free offer of pardon and salvation to perishing sinners, upon their returning

to God by faith and repentance, and new obedience: at the same time the

best directions and assistances were given to engage them to a holy and vir-

tuous practice. The Gospel scheme of morality exceeds whatsoever had been

published to the world before. A summary representation of the excellency

of the Gospel precepts with regard to the duties we owe to God, our neigh-

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