of Things are changed, and the Time of Probation is over; God has tried Men till they have plainly appeared incorrigible, and that 'tis to no Purpose to try them longer. And therefore the End of his punishing Men must be then, to display the infinite Integrity of his Justice and Holiness, and to shew that it is contrary to the Rec titude of his Nature, to let Sin go unpunished. Not but that God's Goodness and Mercy had a Share here too; for, by this dreadful Punishment of incorrigible Offenders, he to all Eternity gives Examples of his Vengeance in punishing Sin, and Rebellion against God; thereby to engage all his Creatures to a more hearty Love of God, and to a more ready fulfilling his Will for ever. Phil. My last Exception is against your Christian Doctrine of Heaven *, where you tell us, that Men must be rewarded for their good Actions in a fine glorious Place, no Body knows where. But these are fond Notions fitted only for vulgar and mercenary People, who will do no good, but when they are hired to it. But the generously Virtuous are they, who are Virtuous for Virtue's fake; they who choose to do good, because it is brave and honourable, and not because they think they shall get by it. Therefore, methinks, our Deist's Religion is much preferrable to yours, because it makes Men Virtuous upon a more generous Principle, than any that is to be found in your Religion, which en courages Men to Virtue only, in Hopes of being re warded for it. Cred. There is nothing in the Chriftian Doctrine of Heaven, and the Glories of another World, but what is very fober and rational, and agreeable to the wisest Thought. We are taught by our Religion, that we shall there enjoy eternal Life, which is but very confonant to a State of Glory, which a frail Mortality would fully; that we shall be cloathed with a glorious and in * Oracles of Reason, p. 121. Spinofe Eth, par. 5. prop. 42. LI corruptible corruptible Body; whose Principle shall not be a living of animal Soul, but a quickening Spirit, I Cor. xv. 45 & 49. (i.c.) not a living Soul wanting Nourishment as in this World; but fuch a quickening Spirit as shall convey Life without being beholding to eating and drinking for it. What wiser Description can there be of a State of Glory, than to represent it a Vacancy from all Pain and Diffatisfaction, When God shall wipe all Tears from our Eyes, when there shall be no more Death or Sørrow of Crying, neither shall there be any more Pain, Rev. xxi. 4. And that the Height of Fruition shall be, in the Vision of God? Blessed are the pure in Heart for they Sball fee God. We shall see him as he is, I Joh. iii. 2. This is a true rational Account of future Happiness, such as is worthy of God, and is not like the idle Dreams of a Pagan Elyfium, or the Paradife of the Alchoran, or the Talmud. But to speak a Word or two in Answer to your taxing us with Want of Generofity, in doing good for the Hopes of Heaven. Now, for my Part, I cannot fee but that it is altogether as generous, to do good for God's fake, as for Virtue's fake. For what is Virtue abstracted from God and Religion, but only an empty Name? He that does good for God's fake, or becaufe God has commanded him, does it most certainly for Virtue's fake too; that is, because it is agreeable to the trueft Reafon, for we are sure that God commands nothing but what is wife and good. Oh! But we have an Lye upon our own Happiness likewise when we do ir, and therefore we do not do good for Virtue's fake. I can understand nothing by your doing Good for Virtue's fake, but only the doing a Thing because it is wife and rational; now what can be more wife and rational, than in all our Actions to have an Eye to our chief Good; which, if we neglect, we act neither wisely, nor rationally? We act wifely and rationally, when we are charitable to our Neighbour, and are beneficent to our Friends, because our Reason tells us, that we were not tom born for our selves, but that we ought to contribute our Assistance, as far as we can, and do all possible good in our Generation. And is it not likewise very wife and rational to provide for our own Happiness too in another World, by duly worshiping God, and doing as he has commanded us? To act only for the good of others, and defperately to neglect ourselves, is Madness and Folly, and not to act for Virtue's Sake, or agreeably to Reason. For the trueft Reason tells us, that we ought to confult our own Happiness, when it is not Prejudicial to others, and when the defire of it does not degenerate into Selfishness, or a vitious Self-Love. For Reason tells us, that God has not implanted this Principle of Self-preservation, or Self-love, in us for nothing; and therefore, we must conclude, that we act very rationally, when we act in order to our own chief Happiness, which can be in no wife Prejudicial to that of other Mens. Now this is the truest Way of virtuous or rational Action, because it is to act agreeable to the Reason of God. But your way of acting, according to Virtue or Reason, as you call it, is oftentimes according to Fancy, or the whimfical Reasoning of some Opiniators, who are continually advancing new Hypotheses in Morality; as well as in Physicks, and drawing new Schemes of Virtue or Vice, as their Spleen directs them.. This is not to follow Reason, or to act for Virtue's fake; but 'tis to dance after all the Ignes Fatui of a speculative Brain. But, after all, what is this great Pretence of these Set of Men to act for Virtue's fake, which is fo brave and generous? Why, it is only to do a reputable Action to be admired and praised, which is nothing else but unregenerate Pride. Such Men will rarely do a good Action in the dark, which is like to come to no one's Knowledge; or if they do, it is with fuch a fort of inward Haughtiness, as spoils all the Goodness of it. Therefore, pray Philologus, leave off all these Heathen Principles, which are good for nothing, but to make L12 1 make Men infolent and contemptuous; and learn to do Good for God's fake, and your own Soul's fake; and this will make you better and happier, than a few empty glittering Notions of the Bravery of Virtue, which the Philosophers of old, for lack of Revelation, were forced to content themselves with. Phil. I am forry we cannot make an end of our Conference this Morning, for Dinner-time comes on; and I must bespeak your Company, good Sir, to take a Dish of Meat with me to Day, and after Dinner we may dispatch that Part of our Dispute which remains behind. FINIS. THE |