DISCOURSE, &c. THE pretensions and discourse of men, throughout these kingdoms, would, at first view, lead one to think the inhabitants were all politicians; and yet, perhaps, political wisdom hath, in no age or country, been more talked of and less understood. Licence is taken for the end of government, and popular humour for its origin. No reverence for the laws, no attachment to the constitution, little attention to matters of consequence, and great altercation upon trifles, such idle projects about religion and government, as if the public had both to choose; a general contempt of all authority, Divine and human, an indifference about the prevailing opinions, whether they tend to produce order or disorder, to promote the empire of God or the devil: these are the symptoms that strongly mark the present age; and this could never have been the case, if a neglect of religion had not made way for it. When the Jews accused Paul upon religious matters and points of their law, before Gallio, the Roman magistrate; it is said, that Gallio cared for none of those things. And, it is to be feared, there are not a few magistrates in this Christian country who think with the same indifference on the subject of religion. Herein, nevertheless, they judge amiss, and are much wanting to their duty. For, although it be admitted, that the magistrate's peculiar object, is the temporal welfare of the state; yet, this will by no means exclude a proper care about the prevailing notions and opinions of reli gion, which influence the lives and actions of men, and have therefore a mighty effect on the public. Men's behaviour is the consequence of their principles. Hence it follows, that in order to make a state thrive and flourish, care must be taken, that good principles be propagated in the minds of those who compose it. It would be vain to depend on the outward form, the constitution and structure, of a state; while the maiority are ever governed by their inward ways of thinking, which at times will break out and shew themselves paramount to all laws and institutions whatsoever. It must be great folly therefore to overlook notions, as matters of small moment to the state; while experience shews there is nothing more important; and that a prevailing disorder in the principles and opinions of its members, is ever dangerous to society, and capable of producing the greatest public evils. Man is an animal, formidable both from his passions and his reason; his passions often urging him to great evils, and his reason furnishing means to achieve them. To tame this animal, and make him amenable to order, to inure him to a sense of justice and virtue, to withhold him from ill courses by fear, and encourage him in his duty by hopes; in short, to fashion and model him for society, hath been the aim of civil and religious institutions; and in all times, the endeavour of good and wise men. The aptest method for attaining this end hath been always judged a proper education. If men's actions are an effect of their principles, that is, of their notions, their belief, their persuasions; it must be admitted, that principles early sown in the mind, are the seeds which produce fruit and harvest in the ripe state of manhood. How lightly soever some men may speak of notions, yet so long as the soul governs the body, men's notions must influence their actions, more or less, as they are stronger or weaker; and to good or evil, us they are better or worse. Our notions and opinions are a constant check on our appetites, and balance to our passions; and, although they may not in every instance control and rule, yet they will never fail strongly to affect both the one and the other. What is it that bridles the impetuous desires of men? That restrains them when they are driven by the most violent passions? In a word, what is it that renders this world habitable, but the prevailing notions of order, virtue, duty, and Providence? Some, perhaps, may imagine, that the eye of the magistrate alone is sufficient to keep mankind in awe. But, if every man's heart was set to do all the mischief his appetite should prompt him to do, as often as opportunity and secrecy presented themselves, there could be no living in the world. And although too many of those intrusted with civil power, in these our days, may be said with Gallio, to "care for none of those things ;" and many more who would pass for men of judgment and knowledge, may look on notions early imbibed, before their grounds and reasons are apprehended or understood, to be but mere prejudices; yet this will detract nothing from their truth and usefulness. To place this matter in a due light, I propose to shew, that a system of salutary notions is absolutely necessary to the support of every civil constitution. I shall enforce this point, by the testimony of those who are esteemed the wisest men; and, I shall make some remarks on the modern prevailing spirit, and the tendency of the maxims of our times. Order is necessary, not only to the well-being, but to the very being of a state. Now, order and regularity in the actions of men are not an effect of appetite or passion, but of judgment: and the judgment is governed by notions or opinions. There must, therefore, of necessity, in every state, be a certain system of salutary notions, a prevailing set of opinions, acquired either by private reason and reflection, or taught and instilled by the general reason of the public; that is, by the law of the land. True it is, that where men either cannot or will not use their own reason, think and examine for themselves; in such case the notions taught or instilled into their minds are embraced rather by the memory than the judgment. Nor will it be any objection to say, that these are prejudices; inasmuch as they are therefore neither less useful nor less true, although their proofs may not be understood by all men. Licentious habits of youth give a cast or turn to age: the young rake makes an old infidel : libertine practices beget libertine opinions: and a vicious life generally ends in an old age of prejudice not to be conquered by reasoning. Of this we see instances even in persons celebrated for parts, and who reason admirably on other points where they are not biassed; but on the subject of religion obtrude their guesses, surmises, and broken hints, for arguments. Against such there is no rea soning. Prejudices are notions or opinions which the mind entertains without knowing the grounds and reasons of them, and which are assented to without examination. The first notions which take possession of the minds of men, with regard to duties social, moral, and civil, may therefore be justly styled prejudices. The mind of a young creature cannot remain empty; if you do not put into it that which is good, it will be sure to receive that which is bad. Do what you can, there will still be a bias from education; and if so, is it not better this bias should lie towards things laudable and useful to society? This bias still operates, although it may not always prevail. The notions first instilled have the earliest influence, take the deepest root, and generally are found to give a colour and complexion to the subsequent lives of men, inasmuch as they are in truth the great source of hu→ |
