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

by Bernard Mandeville

Cleo. I'll endeavour it, if you'll give me Leave, and can have but Patience to hear me, for you'll stand in Need of it.

Hor. You are to prove, that Acts of Devotion, and an outward Shew of Religion, may make an Army Victorious, tho' the General was an Atheist, the Clergy were Hypocrites, and the Generality of the Men wicked Livers.

Cleo. A little more Accuracy, if you please. I said, that they might do vast Service for the obtaining of Victory; the Service I mean, consists in rousing the Courage of the Men, and throwing them into an Enthusiasm, that shall dissipate their Fears, and make them despise the greatest Dangers. There is no greater Art to make Men fight with Obstinacy, than to make them trust to, and rely with Confidence on the Assistance of the invisible Cause, they Fear.

Hor. But how can wicked Men be made to do this? What Reasons can they be furnish'd with, to hope for the Assistance of Heaven?

Cleo. If you can assure Men of the Justice of their Cause, and render that evident and unquestionable, the Business is done, and their own Wickedness will be no Obstacle to it. Therefore this, you see, is the Grand Point, which Priests have ever labour'd to gain among Fighting Men in all Countries and in all Ages. How immensely soever they have differ'd from one another in Religion and Worship, in this they have all agreed. We were speaking, you know, of Cromwell's Army; do but recollect what you have heard and read of those Times, and you'll find, that the Notions and Sentiments, that were industriously instill'd into the minds of the soldiers, had a manifest tendency to obtain this end, and that all their preaching and praying were made serviceable to the same purpose. The Credenda, which the whole army, and every individual were imbued with, even by the most moderate of their preachers, were generally these: that the King gave ear to his evil counsellours; that he was govern'd by his Queen, who was a rank Papist, bigotted to her own superstition; that all his ministers were wicked men, who endeavour'd to subvert the constitution, and aim'd at nothing more than to render him absolute, that by his arbitrary power they might be skreen'd from justice, and the resentment of an injured nation: that the bishops were in the same interest; that, tho' they had abjured the Pope's supremacy, and found fault with the luxury of the court of Rome, they wanted as much to lord it over the laity themselves, and were as fond of worldly honour, power, and authority, of pomp and splendour, and a distinguish'd manner of living, as any Popish prelates: that the worship of the church of England was above half Popery; that most of the clergy were idle drones, who lived upon the Fat of the Land, and perverted the End of their Function: That by this Means Religion it self was neglected, and, instead of it, Rights and Ceremonies were obstinately insisted upon, that were notoriousy borrow'd from the Heathen and Jewish Priests. That preaching Non-resistance was justifying Tyranny, and could have no other Meaning than to encourage Princes to be wicked, and tie the Peoples Hands, whilst they should have their Throats cut: That in Pursuance of this Doctrine, He, who should have been the Guardian of their Laws, had already trampled upon them and broken his Coronation-Oath, and, instead of being a Father to his People, had openly proclaim'd himself their Enemy, invited, a Foreign Force into the Land, and was now actually making War against the Parliament, the undoubted Representatives of the Nation. Whilst these Things were said of the Adverse Party, their own was extoll'd to the Skies; and loud Encomiums were made on the Patriotism of their Superiours, the Sanctity and Disinterestedness as well as Wisdom and Capacity of those Asserters of Liberty, who had rescued them from Bondage. Sometimes they spoke of the Care, that was taken of Religion, and a Pains-taking Ministry, that preach'd not themselves but Christ, and, by their Example as well as Precept, taught the Purity of the Gospel, and the strict Morality that is contain'd in it, without Superstition or Allowances to please Sinners: At others, they represented to their Hearers the exemplary Lives of the Generals, the Sobriety of the Soldiers, and the Goodness and Piety, as well as Zeal and Heroism of the whole Army.

Hor. But what is all this to what you was to prove? I want to know the vast Service an outward Shew of Religion can be of to wicked Men, for the obtaining of Victory: When shall I see that?

Cleo. Presently; but you must give me Leave to prove it my own Way. In what I have said hitherto, I have only laid before you the Artifice, which Every body knows was made Use of by the Roundheads haranguing their own Troops, to render the Cavaliers and the King's Cause odious and detestable to them on the one Hand, and to make them, on the other, have an high Opinion of their own, and firmly believe, that God could not but favour it. Now let us call to Mind the Situation of Affairs in the Times I speak of, and the Politicks of those, who opposed the King, and then consider, what a crafty designing General ought to have done to make the most of the Conjuncture he lived in, and the Zeal and Spirit that were then reigning among the Party he was engaged in; if he had Nothing at Heart, but to advance, per fas aut nefas, his own worldly Interest and his own Glory: In the First Place, it would never have been believed that the Presbyters were in Earnest, who found Fault with and rail'd at the Luxury and loose Morals, as well as Laziness of the National Clergy, if they had not been more diligent in their Calling, and led stricter Lives themselves. This therefore was complied with, and the dissenting Clergy took vast Pains in Praying and Preaching without Book for Hours together, and practis'd much greater Self-denial, at least to outward Appearance, than their Adversaries. The Laity of the same Side, to compass their End, were obliged to follow the Example of their Teachers in Severity of Manners, and Pretences to Religion: Accordingly they did, at least well enough, you see, to acquire the Name of the Sober Party.

Hor. Then you must think, that they had none but Hypocrites among them.

Cleo. Indeed I don't; but I believe, that most of the Ring-leaders who began the quarrel with the King had Temporal Advantages in View, or other private Ends to serve, that had no Relation either to the Service of God or the Welfare of the People; and yet I believe likewise, that many sincere and well-meaning Men were drawn into their Measures. When a Reformation of Manners is once set on Foot, and strict Morality is well spoken of, and countenanc'd by the better Sort of People, the very Fashion will make Proselytes to Virtue. Swearing and not Swearing in Conversation depend upon Mode and Custom. Nothing is more reasonable, than Temperance and Honesty to Men that consult their Health and their Interest; where Men are not debarr'd from Marriage, Chastity is easily comply'd with, and prevents a Thousand Mischiefs. There is Nothing more universal than the Love of Liberty; and there is Something engaging in the Sound of the Words. The Love of one's Country is natural and very bad Men may feel it as warm about them, as very good Men; and it is a Principle, which a Man may as sincerely act from, who Fights against his King, as he who Fights for him. But these sincere and well-meaning People, that can pray and fight, sing Psalms and do Mischief with a good Conscience, may in many Respects be Morally good, and yet want most of the Virtues, that are peculiar to Christianity, and, if the Gospel speaks Truth, necessary to Salvation. A Man may be continent and likewise never drink to Excess, and yet be haughty and insupportable in his Carriage, a litigious Neighbour, an unnatural Father, and a barbarous Husband. He may be just in his Dealings, and wrong No body in his Property, yet he may be full of Envy, take Delight in Slander, be revengeful in his Heart, and never known to have forgiven an Injury. He may abstain from Cursing and all idle as well as prophane Swearing, and at the same Time be uncharitable and wish Evil to all, that are not of his Opinion; nay, he may mortally hate, and take Pleasure in persecuting and doing Mischief to, all those who differ from him in Religion.

Hor. I see plainly now, how Men may be sincere in their Religion, and by Art be made to act quite contrary to the Precepts of it: And your Manner of accounting for this, does not only render the Sober Party less odious, than the Orthodox have represented them; but there is likewise greater Probability in it, than there is in what they generally say of them: For that an Army of a great many Thousand Men should consist of None but Hypocrites, who yet should fight well, is an inconceivable Thing. But what is it you would say of the General?