An Inquiry chiefly on Principles of Religion into the nature and discipline of human motives. Appendix. (Of the practical influence and application of religious motives: a sermon [on Heb. xiv. 16] .)

Front matter

AN INQUIRY, CHIEFLY ON PRINCIPLES OF RELIGION, INTO THE NATURE AND DISCIPLINE Of HUMAN MOTIVES. By JOHN PENROSE, M.A. FORMERLY OF C.C. C. OXFORD; AND AUTHOR OF THE BAMPTOX LECTURE SERMONS FOR 1808. Hanc igitur partem (quando præstantiatn ejus in animo recolo) in corpus doctrinæ nondum redactam non possum non yehementer mirari. Earn igitur, ex more nostro, cum inter desiderata collocemus, aliqua ex parte adumbrabimus.— Bacon de Aug. Sci. lib. vii. cap. 3. LONDON: PRINTED FOR BALDWIN, CRADOCK, AND JOY, PATERNOSTER ROW. 1820. C. Baldwin, Printer, "Vew Brldge-gtrt^t, London.

Preface

. xLi VERY person who has been accustomed to reflect on his duty, or on the means by which true happiness may be attained, will perceive, from the title which this treatise assumes, that it pro poses an exceedingly comprehensive inquiry. Hu man motives, though they can be indicated only by act, are notoriously the source from which all actions flow, the direct subject of all morality and religion. Accordingly, the intention of the following pages is no less than that of applying to the whole science of morals the principles of reli gion ; or, in other words, to show the dependancy on religion in which all human thoughts and actions ought reasonably and prudently to be held. If the views I take of this question be correct, the importance of following them into their prac tical applications, and by a thread of argument, which, if not rigidly systematical, is yet enough a

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. IV so to make the deduction intelligible, must be plain to all who have seen the manifest evil which theories of morals, not false perhaps, but imperfect, often produce. If religion, either remotely or im mediately, has a bearing on the whole conduct of life, and that, not as a sanction only, but also as a rule, we may be led into error by any partial criterion ; and accordingly I know not of any error which is more inveterate, or which does more mischief, even in honest minds, than the error of those who have learned indeed to believe that religion is the first business of every man, but whose notions concerning the practice of morals are not ingrafted on religious belief. To show the connexion be tween religion and morals, or rather that the two sciences are in fact one, must of this error be the natural remedy.

That the asserting of this connexion is any thing new, or that there is any thing new in thus sub jecting to religion all the thoughts and all the ac tions of men, I cannot, I presume, be supposed to imagine. No new truth of the same nature or import can possibly be reserved for the present age to discover ; and this great truth in particular, to say nothing of the writers of antiquity, or of the

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. V doctrines or declarations of Scripture, is either ex pressly affirmed, or at least is taken for granted, in almost every sermon that is preached. But to recognize any given truth is one thing ; to show its consequences and the maxims deducible from it, and its connexion with other maxims or with ex perience, is another and a very different thing. How far this last end may have been accomplished by the many writers on religion and on morality, with whom all ages and all countries have abound ed, I am far from thinking myself competent to say. I could quote a thousand just positions on all the points which this inquiry professes to comprehend, positions applicable to almost all cases that can be supposed ; but, if I had known where to find the principle which combines them pursued legitimately into its practical consequences, I should not have meddled with so arduous a task as that in which I have here ventured to engage.

On the method adopted to attain the proposed end it may now be necessary to make a few ob servations. My first attempt is to describe that character of mind which forms the object at which all men VI

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. should aim who embark wisely in the pursuit of true happiness, the desire of happiness being both the greatest of motives, and that motive which is most appealed to by religion. This character is shown essentially to consist in the habits formed by the cultivation and discipline of the specific motives of which our frame is susceptible ; and, in the first place, of those motives of affection, which in part constitute the very excellence we have to seek, the affection of piety, of Christian piety in particular, that of benevolence, and some other affections. Each of these I take up in its turn, and show of each what I believe to be its place or dependancy in the truly religious, or the truly Christian temper, that sole end which comprehends all habits to which the title of moral habits can be justly due.

My next point is to make an estimate of the means by which we may be enabled, according to the course prescribed to us both by the written and the unwritten law of God, to pursue and attain the moral object which was laid down. The power of conscience is of these means the chief; but the wise guidance, not of our virtues alone, but also of all those ordinary pursuits which form naturally

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. VII the common business of human life, and to which men are stimulated by the several desires of know ledge, honour, power, or profit, ranks eminently among the subordinate instruments which both may and ought to be used to further it. I proceed therefore to discuss the nature of these motives, the uses and the moral regimen of each, in re ference to the great and ultimate end ; and I con clude the treatise with a brief survey of those moral and intellectual differences which various states of civilization present to us, that I may so gain a sort of exemplification of what has been said. In some parts of the division which is thus made, perhaps there may be something arbitrary; but the judicious reader will see the propriety of draw ing broadly the true line of separation between those qualities which are essentially moral, and those which are only instrumental to morals, though these qualities melt insensibly into each other, and can scarcely be separated in any individual mind.

In the whole execution of the design thus pro posed, it has been my first wish to be lucid and easy ; and I am willing to hope that in no part of the work will any difficulty be found not insepara* ble from the nature of the argument, and of a

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. VIII kind which must be conquered, not evaded, by every man who would know the reasons of his duty, or the principles of those dispensations of Providence which we are all invited to study. — There is one point, however, from which I have not swerved ; and, indeed, to have swerved from it, would have defeated the purpose which I have had most at heart. That purpose has been to esta blish incontrovertibly the religious principles of moral practice and discipline, on a foundation clear of all metaphysical subtilties by which their force •might be eluded or broken. On this account, it has been absolutely necessary for me to recur occa sionally, and particularly at the commencemept of both parts of the volume, to a few certain and elementary principles. Of course, no principles can ever be understood without some deg-ree of thought or reflection ; and I should have lost the main end I had in view, if, for the ambition of writing in a more popular style, I had been silent concerning those general maxims, which, to a mind perplexed with doubt or controversy, offer the clue by which the moral ordinances of God may be traced into one consistent scheme. Any reader, however, who will exert for a brief space that patience which every argument demands, will, I

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. IX believe, soon find himself on ground which he may traverse with a very cursory degree of attention. Or if any difficulty, of which I am not aware, be found in the opening, or in any after portion of the volume, by a reader unaccustomed to the habits of reasoning, and yet desirous to examine what is here said on a subject in which all men are alike interested, may I be permitted to say, that he may safely pass that portion over, and recur to it, when the perusal of some of the practical chapters shall have put him in possession of the drift of the whole. The notes, and the frequent references that are made from one part of the treatise to another, may, of course, be altogether neglected by those who may want the leisure, or the inclination, or may not find any just reason, to study the various points to which they relate. — All the pure metaphysics, into which I have en tered, are reserved in an appendix to a place by themselves, and though they apply to questions of moment in moral and theological science, are not indispensable to that practical object which it has been my primary wish to gain. To the Appendix is subjoined a sermon lately preached for the benefit of a hospital in the county X

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. in which I live. — When the office of preaching this sermon devolved on me, the following treatise was very nearly completed. I thought, therefore, that I could not do better than try the application to this very easy case of those views of the religious motive or principle which were become familiar to me, and fully settled in my mind. Such was the occasion on which this sermon was produced ; and I am now induced to subjoin it to that treatise in which the same principles are more fully detailed, because no duty can be more unquestioned or com prehensive than that to which they are here shown to be applicable, and therefore no touchstone can be fairer for trying them. Though, for the inves tigation of truth, the form of a sermon is not hap pily suited, no form can be better devised for the application of it : at least, long practice has ren dered it for me the best form no less than the easiest.

I hope and believe that no arrogance will be imputed to me for making that claim on the atten tion of the public, which either the nature of the treatise itself, or the explanation now given of my purpose in writing it, may seem to imply. Per sonally, I have no claim to make, except that to

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. XI which I may be entitled by the love of truth, and the earnest wish to show the true place of religion in the great and practical science of human life. When I compare the worth of the subject with the imperfect manner in which it is here treated of, I feel nothing but humility, and the apprehension that I have indeed been too presumptuous in daring to touch so great a cause. I have thought it my duty, however, to do in it what I can. The not coming up to the " height of the argument" is not, I hope, a very heavy offence. If I have fallen into a perplexed argumentation, or have been guilty of precipitation in judgment, I do not refuse to abide by the censure which any truly Christian or truly philosophical mind may be justly autho rized to pronounce; I shall even rejoice in it, if any failure of mine shall lead to the erection of a better edifice on the same unchanged and un changeable foundation on which I have attempted to build.

J. P. Bracebridge, March 20, 1820. ERRATA. Page 10, in both notes, for \ 3, read <j 2. 43, line 1, for If a, read Ipo.. — , — 4 from the bottom, after vice, insert and might even borrow the emphatic language of Scripture. 44, — 4, 5, for to the monarch or to, read against the monarch or against. 61, — 9, for All abstract contemplation, read Theories of the nature. . 76, note 2, for chap. viii. read chap. vii. S6, line 4 from the bottom, for the minds, read few minds. 90, — 3, for work, read worth. 110, — 6, for advantages, read advantage. 137, — 4 from the bottom, for properly speaking, read popularly speaking. 192, — 7, for guilt, read crime. Since the sheets which compose this volume have been printed off, it has been suggested by a very able friend, that in Part II. chap. iii. sect. 1, it would have been advisable to have unfolded particularly the more important of those practical cautions which are requisite to secure the conscience from error.

On this point I hope it will be sufficient here to observe, agreeably to what is said, p. 168, that Christians cannot ever be betrayed by any error of conscience into actions visibly for bidden by the word of God ; that word, wherever it speaks decisively, being not only an authority which they recognise, but also the test which they must apply. One chief object of the chapter referred to, is to show the connexion between the obedience due to conscieuce, and that which is due to authority. The authority for all Christians is, of course, the Scripture. Where Scripture is clear, they need look no farther for the sake of ascertaining the rule of life; though it is, for various reasons, useful and satisfactory to trace all coincidences between revelation and the law of nature. Another object of the same chapter is to explain the principles to which we have to resort, in all cases in which revelation does not speak, or rather in all those in which it may seem to want an interpreter. CONTENTS. Page Preface iii

Part I. Of Motives Essential To That Habit Or Character Which Forms

THE OBJECT OR MORAL PATTERN OF HUMAN LIFE. Chap. I. Of the prudential Motive, or the Expectation of Happiness 1 Chap. II. General Description of the Moral Habit or Character, which forms the Object at which it is prudent to aim 3 Chap III. — Sect. 1 . Of the Importance of cultivating, without Exception, all the Qualities by which this Character is formed 13 Sect. 2. Supplementary Observations on the same Subject 16 Sect. 3. Of proposing Objects of a lower Standard of Excellence 20 Chap. IV. Of Motives, according to their several Classes, and of the respective Places and Influence of each Class in the Formation of the Character described 28 Chap. V. Of the Moral Influence of the Principles of Christianity . . : 37 Sect. 1. Of our Relation towards God as he is personally our Father and Judge 39 Sect. 2.

Of that Humiliation before God which our Lapse and Disobedience require 42 Sect. 3. Of Gratitude and Love to our Saviour in particular CONTENTS. Page Sect. 4. Of the present Agency on our Minds, and the continual Superintendance of the Holy Spirit . . 48 Chap. VI. Of certain Objections to the Christian Doctrine of Sacrifice 52 Chap. VII. Of the Motive of the Love of God, or of Piety 58 Chap. VIII. Of the Combination of Piety with other Affections, and of the Moral Motives generally with the Immoral 69 Chap. IX. Osethe Affections of Benevolence and SynT pathy 81 Chap. X. Of the Affection of Friendship 100 Chap. XI. Of the Sentiments usually entitled Malevolent 115 Chap. XII. Of Temper 125 Chap. XIII. Of the moral Influence of the Desires . . 130

Part II. Of Moral Discipline, Of Conscience Especially

; AND OF THE NATURE AND PLACE OF THE SUBORDINATE MO- TIVES. Chap. I. Of the moral Powers and Tendencies of Mankind 133 Chap. II. — Sect. 1. Of Effort, and of the Production of Habit 137 Sect. 2. Of Merit, or of the Difference which subsists between relative and actual Virtue 141 Sect. 2. Of Repentance 147 Chap. III. Of Conscience 150 Sect. 1. Of the universal Obedience due to this Principle 150 Sect. 2. Of the Errors to which Conscience is liable 154 Sect. 3. Of the Principle by which Conscience is to be guided, and the Necessity of definite and particular Rules CONTENTS. XV Page Sect. 4. Of the principle on which these Rules are to be constructed 167 Chap. IV. Of Pursuit in general, and of the Moral Regulation to which, in all Cases, it is properly subject. 170 Chap. V. Of the Pursuit of the Objects of the Moral Affections 182 Chap. VI.

Of the Pursuit of the Objects of the Desires. 186 Sect. 1. Of the Dependancy of the Pursuit of these Objects on the primary moral Motives 186 Sect. 2. Of the Degree and Nature of that specific Attention which the Pursuit of these Objects seems to require 206 Chap. VII. Of the Desire of Knowledge 219 Sect. 1. Of the moral Utility of Knowledge and Intellect 219 8ect. 2. Of Qualities formed by a Combination of the moral and intellectual Powers 229 Sect. 3. Of the Advantages derived to the Intellect from Concentration on some particular Objects. . . . 238 Sect. 4. Of moral Restraint on the intellectual Powers. 2f8 Sect. 5. Of Compensations for intellectual Defects. 261 Sect. 6. Of the Re-action of Morals on Intellect . . 265 Chap. VIII. Of the Desire of Power 268 Chap. IX. Of the Desire of Money 281 Chap. X. Of the Desire of Honour 292 Sect. 1.

That Honour, in the true meaning of the Word, is a less inaccurate Measure of Desert than jealous Moralists sometimes represent it 295 Sect. 2. That Honour, for the Sake of its Subservience to moral Ends, may be an Attainment of great Value or Import ; though Praise adds little comparatively to the moral Powers which almost every Man possesses whose Character is unblemished by Censure CONTENTS. Page Sect. 3. That the Pursuit of Honour may be useful and right in certain Circumstances particularly, but that in all Cases the moral Nature of the Pursuit depends solely on the Virtues combined with it ... . 309 Sect. 4. That this Desire exacts a peculiar Watchfulness, and that in many Cases in which it is used as a Stimulant, not only the moral Affections, but even the Desires of Knowledge and Power are Principles which it would be wiser to cherish 320 Chap. XL Of the moral Influence of the Progress of Civilization 327 Sect. 1.

Of the Difference which subsists in moral Character between the^savage and the civilized State 327 Sect. 2. Of the Changes introduced by the Division of Labour into the moral Circumstances of Society 335 Sect. 3. Of the subsequent Changes which take place in Society 343 Sect. 4. Of the peculiar Advantages which Civilization affords to moral or religious Effort or Industry 353