Essays on some of the peculiarities of the Christian religion

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Preface

On each of the three occasions on which I was appointed to the office of Select Preacher before the University, I judged it best that the Discourses (usually from six to eight) which it came to my turn to deliver, should be not insulated and unconnected with each other, but a series, confined to some one subject or class of subjects; which might thus be the more likely to suggest to the hearers a train of profitable reflections. The substance of the Sermons delivered on the first of these occasions I threw into the form of Essays, and published under that title. The favourable reception of that volume led to the subsequent publication of another Series of Essays, containing the substance of Sermons delivered on the second occasion of my holding the office. On the third occasion, though I published, as before, the substance of the Discourses delivered from ’^the University-pulpit, I was induced so far to depart — injudiciously, as I now think — from the former plan, as

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IK to designate as Chapters” those portions of the work, which, according to the analogy of the other volumes, would have naturally been called Essays.” This difference, in itself trifling, was not unlikely to lead to the supposition of its being a work of a much more distinct character from the former two than in fact it is. And the title of it also, which I was persuaded, somewhat against my own judgment, to adopt, led some perhaps to conclude that it was one of the many controversial treatises which appeared about that time, on what was called the Catholic-question.”

The title however — ill-chosen as it may have been — it is now too late to alter : but I have taken the liberty of changing the designation of “ (^hapters” for that of “ Essays,” and of calling the volume a Third Series of Essays, in order to point out that it has the same kind of analogy to the former two as those have to each other ; each of the three containing,

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respectively, the substance of a Course of University-sermons ; in all of which alike I have carefully abstained from political discussions, and from matters of local or transient controversy ; confining myself to questions purely religious, and which appeared to me of intrinsic and permanent importance.

Besides the alteration just alluded to, I have introduced some slight corrections, chiefly verbal, into the present edition; adding also, in a few places, such further explanations and illustrations as appeared requisite, — compressing such parts as would admit of it — and omitting whatever, either from its referring to local or temporary circumstances, or for any other reason, could without detriment be spared.

In reference to the various replies, — criticisms^ — strictures — &c. directed against what I have advanced, which have appeared from time to time, and to which

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XI some of my readers may have expected me to give a formal answer, I take this opportunity of repeating the resolution long since made, to keep clear, as much as possible, of controversy.

This resolution does not spring from an arrogant contempt of all opponents, indiscriminately. On the contrary, I have, before now, taken occasion, in subsequent editions of my works, to express more clearly what had been thought liable to misinterpretation, and to supply deficiencies which had been pointed out. And if I shall ever find reason to believe that any thing I have advanced is unscriptural, or otherwise erroneous, I shall take care to retract it.

But whenever, on the other hand, it shall appear that my statements have been misrepresented, or the force of my arguments underrated, either from carelessness, intellectual deficiency, or sophistical

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design, I shall leave to the works themselves, with the aid of time, the accomplishment of my vindication in the eyes of candid and intelligent readers ; and those of an opposite character I could not hope to convince by any reply that could be framed. At all events, I intend to engage in no paper-war with any one.

I do not mean to pass any censure on those who are engaged in controversy : but most persons, I imagine, will admit that the prevailing tendency is rather towards an excess than a deficiency of polemical writing ; and that, even when controversy is begun with the best intentions, it often does more harm than good. Men are so constituted, as to feel (whether as parties or as mere spectators) great interest in a contest of any kind, as a contest: and a mind thus occupied is seldom in the most fit state for the calm and sober investigation of truth. As fresh and fresh combatants enter the field, each generally

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Xlll becomes more solicitous than the last, about victory, and less about truth ; considering rather what may be said in answer to each argument, than how much it may contain that is just and valuable : while most of the by-standers meantime, are becoming insensibly more like the auditors of one of the ancient school-disputations, or the spectators of a tournament; more eager to see which party gets the better, than careful to make up their own minds aright, as to the question debated.

Considerations such as these, besides other reasons, have determined me to abstain strictly from all controversy, and (as far as lies in my power, without compromising important truths,) from eveiy thing likely to lead to controversy.

This declaration, though it may perhaps prevent some attacks, may very likely invite more. But whether the charges brought against me shall be many or few.

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I shall leave them all unanswered ; trusting that, if unjust, they will sooner or later fall to the ground of themselves : and earnestly hoping that the same may be the fate of my own doctrines, if they are indeed at variance with right reason or with God’s word.

It may be said, indeed, that my answering some one particular charge, would not necessarily imply my engaging in a course of polemical writing : — that I might put forth a vindication, once for all, and there stop. But such a procedure, I am inclined to think, would be less prudent than to abstain from reply altogether. Should I once begin, I should be expected to answer all, not only of the objections that have been hitherto brought forward, but of the rejoinders and surrejoinders, &c., which, in such a case, are usually called forth ; (since the beginning of strife is like the letting out of water”) lest I should appear either to treat with undue contempt those who were left

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XV unnoticed, or to be silenced by unanswerable arguments. I have thought it most advisable therefore, on the whole, to keep clear of anything like the opening of a controversy ; always protesting, however, against being understood as casting any censure on those engaged in any contest of this kind ; and only claiming for myself the same liberty of judgment and of action which I am willing to allow to every one else.

Although however I have neither any wish to excite controversy, nor any intention of engaging in it, still it is not to me a matter of wonder or of mortification that objections should have been raised to some things that I have advanced. Any one who endeavours to inculcate any neglected truths, or to correct any prevailing errors, must be prepared, if he succeed in attracting any share of public attention, to encounter more or less of opposition. It would be most extravagant to expect to

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convince at once, if at all, every one, or even many, who before thought differently. If therefore, in such a case, he meet with no opposition, he may take that as a sign either that he has excited no interest at all, or that he was mistaken as to the state of the prevailing opinions among others, or that his own have not been fully understood. Opposition does not indeed, of itself, prove either that he is right, or that he is wrong : but, at all events, the discussion which results, is likely, if conducted with temper and sincerity, to lead to the ascertainment of the truth.

And it is worth remarking, that in many cases the opposition will appear even greater than it really is. For as the great majority of those who had before thought differently from an Author, will, in general, continue to think so, and of course will be prepared, at once, loudly to censure him ; so, those, whether many or few, who are induced to alter, or to doubt, their former

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XVll opinion, will seldom be found very forward to proclaim the change, at least till after a considerable interval. Even the most candid and modest, if they are also cautious, will seldom decidedly make up their minds anew, except slowly and gradually.

Hence it often happens, I believe, that while men are led, naturally enough, to estimate the effect produced by any work, from the comparative numbers and weight of those who applaud, and those who censure it, it shall, in fact, have produced little or no effect on either : those whom it may have really influenced, in bringing them to reconsider their former opinions, being rather disposed, for the most part, to say little about it.

Such as have maintained notions at variance with mine, in Christian meekness and candour, may be assured of my perfect good-will towards them, and of my earnest

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wish that whichever of us is in the right, may succeed in establishing his conclusions. As for any who may have assailed, or who may hereafter assail me, with unchristian bitterness, with profane flippancy, or with sophistical misrepresentation, much as I, of course, lament that such weapons should ever be employed at all, I can truly say, that I had far rather see them employed against me, than on my side. There is also this consolatory reflection for any one who is so attacked : that weak or sophistical arguments are then the most likely to be resorted to, when better cannot be found ; — that one who indulges in invective, affords some kind of presumption, that he at least can find no such reasons as are even to himself satisfactory; — and that misrepresentation is the natural resource of those who find the positions they are determined to oppose, to be such, that if fairly stated, and fully understood, they could not be overthrown. Such attacks, therefore, tend rather, as far as they go.

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XIX to support, than to weaken, in the judgment of rational inquirers, the cause against which they are directed.'^

It may be observed too, that there are some particular charges often brought, without proof, against an Author, which are not only unfounded, but are occasioned by qualities the very reverse of those imputed. One may hear a Writer censured as “sophistical,” precisely because he is not sophistical ; and as “ dogmatical,” because he is not dogmatical. For with a work that is really sophistical, the obvious procedure is, either to pass it by with contempt, or, if the fallacies seem worth noticing, to detect and expose them. But if men find the arguments opposed to them to be such, that they cannot prove them sophistical, it is yet easy (and it is not unnatural) at least to call them so. The phrase “ sophistical arguments,” accordingly, is often in reality equivalent to

See Note to Essay II. § 4 ; and Note 2d to the Appendix.

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“ such as I would fain answer, but cannot.” Not that in such cases the imputation is necessarily insincere, or even necessarily false. One whose reasoningpowers are not strong, may really suspect, though he cannot point it out, a latent fallacy in some argument which leads to a conclusion he objects to ; and it may so happen that his suspicion is right, and that a fallacy may exist which he has not the skill to detect. But then he is not justified in pronouncing the argument sophistical, till he is prepared to make good the charge. A verdict without evidence, must always be unjust, whether the accused be, in fact, innocent or guilty.

Dogmatism again, to speak strictly, consists in assertions without proof But one who does really thus dogmatize, one may often see received with more toleration than might have been anticipated. Those who think with him, often derive some degree of satisfaction from the confirmation thus

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XXI afforded to their opinion, though not by any fresh argument, yet by an implied assent to such as have convinced themselves : those again who think differently, feel that the Author has merely declared his sentiments, and (provided his language be not insolent and overbearing) has left them in undisturbed possession of their own. Not so, one who supports his opinions by cogent reasons : he seems by so doing to call on them either to refute the arguments, or to alter their own views. And however mildly he may express hiinself, they are sometimes displeased at the molestation thus inflicted, by one who is not content merely to think as he pleases, leaving others to do the same, but seems aiming to compel others (the very word ‘"cogent,” as applied to reasons, seems to denote this character) to think with him, whether they like it or not. And this displeasure one may often hear vented in the application of the title “ dogmatical which denotes, when so applied, the exact

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reverse of dogmatism ; viz. that the Author is not satisfied with simply declaring his own opinions ; (which is really dogmatism ;) but, by the reasoning he employs, calls on others to adopt them.

I am aware, however, that truth may be advocated, and by sound arguments, in a needlessly offensive form. And it has always been my aim to avoid, as far as may be without a sinful compromise of truth, every thing tending to excite hostile feelings, either within or without the pale of my own Church.

In reference to the works cited or alluded to, with censure, or with approbation in various parts of these volumes, and the names of which, in the former case, I have for the most part purposely omitted, I think it right to state in this place my reason for that procedure. No one, either personally or as an individual writer, is the object of any designed

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XXIU attack. The censure I have at any time thought it necessary to pass, has been always intended for the opinions maintained, or the arguments adduced. If there are several persons by whom these are admitted, then, the censure is directed against each of these persons, as much as against the Author I may have cited. If on the contrary the opinions alluded to in any case, are obsolete, or have attracted little or no notice, that is my

mistake ; I wish the error and the refutation of it to be forgotten together. To call attention to obscure and at the same time erroneous, works, is far from my design.

When, indeed, I meet with any thing that I deem an important error in the

works of some Author on whom I may have thought it right to bestow high

praise for some other parts of his writings on the same subject, there seems to be then a sufficient reason for distinctly

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alluding to him in the censure of such error, lest his merits in other points should give it currency. And this is the single exception I have thought it right to make to the rule just mentioned.

On the other hand I have thought it proper to refer (whenever my memory would serve me) to any Author to whom I may have been indebted for a valuable remark. And I have been of course even the more careful to do this when it has happened that such an Author is one not generally known; because in that case I should be desirous, if possible, to call attention to his works.

Some of the works to which I have referred are those of living Authors whom I have the pleasure of knowing personally: and I am not sure that I may not, on that ground, incur censure for citing them with approbation ; as if I must unavoidably be biassed by partial feelings. I would rather.

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XXV however, incur the suspicion of such partiality, than of not daring to do that justice to a friend which would be due to a stranger. And it should in fairness be remembered, that though it is very possible to overrate a friend, yet, as it is also possible that a writer of real merit may possess persona' friends, so, it would be hard that this should necessarily operate to his disadvantage, by precluding them from bearing just testimony in his favour.

It may be necessary however to add, that whatever writers I may refer to, whether of small or of great reputation, I do not mean to appeal to any as of decisive authority or to adopt them as guides. Some of them may be such as to create more or less of a presumption in favour of their opinions till satisfactorily refuted. Others may supply valuable testimony as to the prevailing opinions in their time ; or may suggest arguments which are to be judged of according to their intrinsic

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weight. But I have learned to call no man Master upon earth and to make a final appeal to nothing but the records of inspiration and the force of just reasoning.

Contents

ESSAY I.

REVELATION OF A FUTURE STATE.

PAGE

Appendix

ON THE ABSENCE OF A PRIESTHOOD.

Christian religion without a priest in the ordinary sense, p. 382 ; equivocal use of the word, p. 385 ; Romish corruption in this point, ihid. ; and importance of the peculiarity in question, ihid. Christianity exempt from Priestcraft ; and danger, in practice, of introducing a vicarious religion ,...386