Cleo. As to Morality, there have been good and bad Men of all Sects and all Persuasions; but before we know any Thing of Men's Lives, Nothing can be worse in the Civil Society, than an Atheist, caeteris paribus. For it would be ridiculous to say, that it is less safe to trust to a Man's Principle, of whom we have some Reason to hope, that he may be with-held by the Fear of Something, than it is to trust to one who absolutely denies, that he is withheld by the Fear of any Thing. The old Mexicans worship'd Vitzliputzli, at the same Time that they own'd his Malice, and execrated his Cruelty; yet it is highly probable, that some of them were deterr'd from Perjury for Fear of being punish'd by Vitzliputzli; who would have been guilty of it, if they had not been afraid of any Thing at all.
Hor. Then not to have believed the Existence of that chimerical Monster was Atheism in Mexico.
Cleo. It certainly was among People that knew of no other invisible Cause.
Hor. But why should I wonder at the Mexicans? There are Christians enough, of whom, to judge from their Sentiments and Behaviour, it is hard to determine, which it is they are more afraid of, God or the Devil.
Cleo. I don't question, but among the Vulgar, more Persons have been deterr'd from doing Evil, by what they had heard of the Torments of Hell, than have been made virtuous by what had been told them of the Joys of Heaven, tho' both had been represented to them as equally infinite and unutterable.
Hor. But to return to my Question. When I ask'd what Occasion there was for Divines in an Army, I was not ignorant of the Necessity there is of having Religion and Priests of some Sort or other, to humour as well as awe the Multitude; but I wanted to know the Mystery, and be let into the Secret, by which the Doctrine of Peace is made serviceable to the carrying on of War; for that Preachers of the Gospel have not only exhorted Men to Battle, but likewise that they have done it effectually; and that Soldiers have been inspired with Courage, and made to fight with Obstinacy by their Sermons, the History of almost every Country can witness.
Cleo. A little Accuracy will set us to Rights. That what you say has been, and is often done by Sermons and Preachers, both Protestant and Popish, is certainly true. But I deny, that ever it was once done by a Preacher of the Gospel.
Hor. I don't understand your Distinction. Are not all Christian Divines call'd Preachers, as well as Ministers of the Gospel?
Cleo. But many People are call'd, what, strictly speaking, they are not. The Reason I have for what I say is, that there is Nothing contain'd in the Gospel, that can have the least Tendency to promote or justify War or Discord, Foreign or Domestic, Publick or Private; nor is there any the least Expression to be found in it, from which it is possible to excite or set People on to quarrel with, do Hurt to, or any ways offend one another, on any Account whatever.
Hor. But this encreases the mystery, and makes the facts less intelligible.