Cleo. I wave them; tho' there it is likewise very conspicuous. I only desire you to compare the Things he is indulg'd in, and which, if he pleases, he may brag of, with what he is taught to be ashamed of, the grand Offence, which, if once committed, is never to be pardon'd. If he has but Courage, and knows how to please his Officers, he may get drunk Two or Three Times a Week, have a fresh Whore every Day, and swear an Oath at every Word he speaks, little or no Notice shall be taken of him to his Dishonour; and, if he be good humour'd, and forbears stealing among his Comrades, he'll be counted a very honest Fellow. But if, what Christ and his Apostles would have justify'd him in and exhorted him to do, he takes a Slap in the Face, or any other gross Affront before Company, without resenting it, tho' from his intimate Friend, it cannot be endured; and tho' he was the soberest, and the most chaste, the most discreet, tractable and best temper'd Man in the World, his Business is done. No body will serve with a noted Coward; nay, it would be an Affront to desire it of Gentlemen Soldiers, who wear the King's Cloth; and the Officers are forc'd to turn him out of the Regiment. Those who are unacquainted with Military Affairs and Chaplains of Regiments, would not imagine, what a small Portion of Virtue and Forbearance a Soldier stands in Need of, to have the Reputation of a good Religious Man among those he converses with. Clergymen, that are employ'd in Armies, are seldom rigid Casuists; and Few of them are Saints themselves. If a Soldier seems to be less fond of strong Liquors than others generally are; if he is seldom heard to swear; if he is cautious in Love-Affairs, and not openly vicious that Way; if he is not known to Steal or Pilfer, he'll be stiled a very honest, sober Fellow. But if, moreover, such a one should behave with Decency at Devine Service, and seem now and then to be attentive to what is spoken; if ever he had been seen with a Book in his Hand, either open or shut; if he was respectful to the Clergy, and zealous against those, who are not of the same Religion which he professes to be of, he would be call'd a very Religious Man; and half a Dozen of them in a Regiment would, in a little Time, procure a mighty Character to the whole, and great Honour to the Chaplain.
Hor. I dare say, that on some Occasions he would take the Liberty from it to brag, that there were no better Christians in the World, than a great many were, whom he had under his Care.
Cleo. Considering how Things are often magnify'd without Regard to Truth or Merit, and what Advantages some Men will take, right or wrong, to advance as well as maintain the Cause they get by; it is not improbable, that three or four score thousand Men, that were kept in good Discipline, tho' they were all taken at Random from the lowest and idlest of the Vulgar, might be stiled an Army of good Christians, if they had a Chaplain to every Regiment, and but Two or Three such orderly Soldiers, as I have describ'd, in every Thousand: And I am persuaded, that the sect or Religion, which they pretended to follow and profess, would, by the Help of able and active Divines, acquire more Credit and Reputation from those Few, than all the Loosness, Debauchery and gross Vices of the Rest would ever be able to take away from them.
Hor. But from what you have said, I should think, that the Gospel must do Hurt among fighting Men. As such they must be animated by another Spirit, and can receive no Benefit from the Doctrine of Peace. What Occasion is there for Divines in an Army?
Cleo. I have hinted to you several Times, that in the Management of Human Creatures, the Fear of an invincible Cause, which they are all born with, was always to be consulted; and that no Multitudes can ever be govern'd, so as to be made useful to any one Purpose, if those, who attempt to rule over them, should neglect to take Notice of, or but any Ways seem to slight the Principle of that Fear. The worst of Men are often as much influenc'd by it as the best; or else Highwaymen and House-breakers would not swear Fidelity to one another. God is call'd upon as a Witness to the mutual Promises of the greatest Miscreants, that they will persevere in their Crimes and Villanies, and to the last Drop of their Blood be unalterably Wicked. This, you know, has been done in Massacres, the blackest Treasons, and the most horrid Conspiracies; tho' the Persons concern'd in them, perhaps, gave other Names to their Undertakings. By this we may see, what absurd Notions Men may have of the Deity, who undoubtedly believe his Existence: For how flagitious soever Men are, none can be deem'd Atheists but those, who pretend to have absolutely conquer'd, or never been influenced by the Fear of an invisible Cause, that over-rules Human Affairs; and what I say now has been and ever will be true in all Countries, and in all Ages, let the Religion or Worship of the People be what they will.
Hor. It is better to have no Religion, than to worship the Devil.
Cleo. In what Respect is it better?
Hor. It is not so great an Affront to the Deity not to believe his Existence, as it is to believe him to be the most Cruel and the most Malicious Being that can be imagin'd.
Cleo. That is a subtle Argument, seldom made Use of but by Unbelievers.
Hor. Don't you think, that many Believers have been worse Men, than some Atheists?