Lecture IV.
Deism in England previous to A.D. 1760.
This lecture contains the first of the three forms which doubt has taken in the fourth crisis. (p. [116].)—Sketch of the chief events, political and intellectual, which influenced the mind of England during the seventeenth century (p. [117]); especial mention of the systems of Bacon and Descartes, as exhibiting the peculiarity that they were philosophies of method. (pp. [117], [118].)
The history of Deism studied:
I. Its rise traced, 1640-1700. (pp. [119-125].) In this period the religious inquiry has a political aspect, as seen (1) in Lord Herbert of Cherbury (De Veritate and Religio Laici) in the reign of Charles I. (pp. [119], [120].) (2) In Hobbes's Leviathan. (pp. [121], [122].) (3) In Blount (Oracles of Reason, and Life of Apollonius), in the reign of Charles II., in whom a deeper political antipathy to religion is seen. (pp. [123], [124].)
II. The maturity of Deism (1700-1740), pp. [125-144]. This period includes (p. [127]):
1. The examination of the first principles of religion, on its doctrinal side, in Toland's Christianity not Mysterious, &c. (pp. [126-130].) 2. Ditto, on its ethical side, in Lord Shaftesbury. (pp. [130], [131].) 3. An attack on the external evidences, viz. On prophecy, by Collins, Scheme of Literal Prophecy, &c. (pp. [132-136]). [pg xxxvi] On Miracles, by Woolston, Discourses on Miracles. (pp. [136-138]); and by Arnobius. (p. [143].) 4. The substitution of natural religion for revealed, in Tindal, Christianity as old as the Creation. (pp. [138-140].), in Morgan, Moral Philosopher. (pp. [140], [141].), and in Chubb, Miscellaneous Works. (pp. [142], [143].)
III. The decline of Deism, 1740-1760. (pp. [144-153]): 1. in Bolingbroke, a combined view of deist objections. (pp. [143-147].) 2. in Hume, an assault on the evidence of testimony, which substantiates miracles. (pp. [147-153].)
Remarks on the peculiarities of Deism, the intellectual causes which contributed to produce it (pp. [154], [155]); and a comparison of it with the unbelief of other periods. (p. [156].)
Estimate of the whole period; and consideration of the intellectual and spiritual means used for repelling unbelief in it (pp. [157-161]); the former in the school of evidences, of which Butler is the type, the mention of whom leads to remarks on his Analogy (pp. [157-159]); and the latter in spiritual labours like those of Wesley. (pp. [160], [161].)