An Enquiry into an Origin of Honour; and the Usefulness of Christianity in War

by Bernard Mandeville

Cleo. I will unfold it to you. As all Priests have ever maintain'd, that they were the Interpreters of the will of the deity they pretended to serve, and had an undoubted Right of construing and explaining the Doctrine and the Meaning of the Religion they taught and presided over: As, I say, all priests have ever maintain'd this, so the Christian Clergy, as soon as they took it in their Heads to be priests likewise, claim'd the same Privilege; and finding several things, which they had a Mind to, denied them in the Gospel; and that many Conveniencies, which all other Priests had ever, not only been fond of, but likewise enjoy'd, were in express words forbid, and absolutely prohibited in the New Testament, they had recourse to the Old, and providently took Care from thence to supply the Deficiency of the New.

Hor. So, when they had no settled Revenue or Pomp of Dress from the Gospel, they took up with the Tithes and Sacerdotal Ornaments of the Levites, and borrow'd from the Jewish Priests and Prophets every Thing that was worth having.

Cleo. This would open too large a Field, and therefore I would look into the Clergy's Behaviour no farther, than as it relates to Armies and military Men, and take Notice, that whenever Pillage or shedding of Blood are to be justified or encouraged by a Sermon, or Men are to be exhorted to Battle, to the Sacking of a City or the Devastation of a Country, by a pathetick Discourse, the Text is always taken from the Old Testament; which is an inexhaustible Fund for Declamation on almost every Subject and every Occasion: And there is no worldly End, which the most ambitious Man, or the most cruel Tyrant can have to serve, but from some Part or other of that Book a Divine of middling Capacity may find out a proper Text to harangue upon, that shall answer the Purpose. But to make it evident, that Divines may be useful to all Fighting Men, without preaching of the Gospel, we need but to consider, that among all the Wars and Dissentions, which Christians have had with one another on innumerable Accounts, there never was a Cause yet, so unreasonable or absurd, so unjust or openly wicked, if it had an army to back it, that has not found Christian Divines, or at least such as stiled themselves so, who have espoused and call'd it Righteous. No rebellion was ever so unnatural, nor Tyranny so cruel, but if there were men who would fight for it, there were Priests who would pray for it, and loudly maintain, that it was the Cause of God. Nothing is more necessary to an Army, than to have this latter strenously insisted upon, and skilfully unculcated to the soldiers. No body fights heartily, who believes himself to be in the wrong, and that God is against him, Whereas a firm persuasion of the Contrary, inspires Men with Courage and Intrepidity; it furnishes them with arguments to justify the Malice of their Hearts, and the implacable Hatred they bear their Enemies; it confirms them in the ill opinion they have of them, and makes them confident of victory; si Deus pro nobis quis contra nos? In all wars it is an everlasting Maxim in Politicks, that whenever Religion can be brought into the Quarrel, it ought never to be neglected, and that how small soever the Difference may be between the contending Parties, the Divines on each Side, ought to magnify and make the most of it; for Nothing is more comfortable to Men, than the Thought, that their Enemies are likewise the Enemies of God.

Hor. But to make Soldiers laborious as well as governable, would it not be useful to exhort them to Virtue, and a close Attachment to the Principle of Honour?

Cleo. The principle of Honour is never forgot; and as to Virtue, what is required of them is Fortitude, and to do as they are bid. And if you'll consider what Pains are taken to make them ashamed of Cowardice above all other Vices; and how prompt, as well as severe, the Punishment for Disobedience is in the least Trifles among Soldiers, beyond what it is any where else; if, I say, you'll consider these Things on the one Hand, and on the other the great Latitude that is given them as to Morals, in what has no Regard to the Service, you'll find, that for the First, Divines are not wanted, and that for the other they can do but little Good. However Morality is often preach'd to them, and even the Gospel at seasonable Times, when they are in Winter Quarters, or in an idle summer, when there is no Enemy near, and the Troops perhaps are encamped in a Country, where no Hostilities should be committed. But when they are to enter upon Action, to besiege a large Town, or ravage a rich Country, it would be very impertinent to talk to them of Christian Virtues; doing as they would be done by; loving their enemies, and extending their Charity to all Mankind. When the Foe is at Hand, the Men have Skirmishes with him every Day, and perhaps a main battle is expected; then the mask is flung off; not a Word of the Gospel, nor of Meekness or Humility; and all Thoughts of Christianity are laid aside entirely. The men are prais'd and buoy'd up in the high value they have for themselves: their Officers call them Gentlemen and Fellow-Soldiers; Generals pull off their Hats to them; and no Artifice is neglected that can flatter their Pride, or inspire them with the Love of Glory. The Clergy themselves take Care at such Times, not to mention to them their Sins, or any Thing that is melancholy or disheartning: On the Contrary, they speak chearfully to them, encourage and assure them of God's Favour. They take Pains to justify, and endeavour to encrease the Animosities and Aversion, which those under their Care have against their Enemies, whom to blacken and render odious, they leave no Art untried, no Stone unturn'd; and no Calumny can be more malicious, no Story more incredible, nor Falsity more notorious, than have been made Use of knowingly for that Purpose by Christian Divines, both Protestants, and Papists.

Hor. I don't use to be an Advocate for Bigots of any sort, much less for Fanaticks, whom I hate; but facts are stubborn things. It is impossible to reflect on the sharp and bloody Engagements in the Rebellion, and the Devotion of Cromwell's army, without being convinced, that there must have been Men at that Time, that were both Valiant and Religious. It is certain, that the Rebels fought well, and that they had more Days of Fasting and Humiliation, than ever were known among any other Soldiers.

Cleo. That there was a greater Appearance of Religion among them, than ever was among any other regular Troops, I allow; but that none of it could proceed from a Principle of Christianity is demonstrable.

Hor. They had Men of unquestionable Honour among them; and some of them must have been sincere.

Cleo. A great many, I verily believe, were sincere; but let us look into this Affair a little more narrowly. What do you think of the General? Do you think, that Cromwell was a good Christian and a pious Man, who had Nothing so much at Heart as Religion and Liberty, and, void of Selfishness, had devoted himself to procure Happiness Eternal as well as Temporal to the People of England? Or that he was a vile wicked Hypocrite, who, under the Cloak of Sanctity, broke through all Human and Divine Laws to aggrandize himself, and sacrifis'd every Thing to his own Ambition, and the Interest of his Family?

Hor. There is no Doubt, but all impartial Men must believe the latter. But then he understood Mankind very well; his very Enemies, that were his Contemporaries, allow'd him to be a Man of great Parts. If he had had the the same Opinion of Christianity, which you have, and the Unfitness of it to make Men quarrel and fight with Obstinacy, he would never have made Use of it among his Soldiers.