Cleo. Because he never gave any Signs to the contrary; and in a Christian Country, I suppose all Men to believe the Existence of a God and a Future State, who, by speaking or writing, never declared, that they did not. Wickedness consisting in an unreasonable Gratification of every Passion that comes uppermost, it is so far from implying Unbelief, or what is call'd Atheism, that it rather excludes it. Because the Fear of an invisible Cause is as much a Passion in our Nature, as the Fear of Death. I have hinted to you before, that great Cowards, whilst they are in Health and Safety, may live many Years without discovering the least Symptom of the Fear of Death, so as to be visibly affected by it; but that this is no Sign, that they have it not, is evident when they are in Danger. It is the same with the Fear of an invisible Cause; the one is as much born with us as the other, and to conquer either, is more difficult than is easily imagin'd. The Fear of an invisible Cause is universal, how widely soever men may differ in the worship of it; and it was never observed among a Multitude, that the worst were more backward than the best in believing whatever from their Infancy they had heard concerning this invisible Cause; how absurd or shocking soever that might have been. The most Wicked are often the most Superstitious, and as ready as any to believe Witchcraft, consult Fortune-tellers, and make Use of Charms. And tho' among the most brutish Part of the Mob, we should meet with Some, that neither pray nor pay Worship to any Thing, laugh at Things sacred, and openly disclaim all Religion, we could have no Reason to think, even from these, that they acted from Principles of Infidelity, when from their Behaviour and many of their Actions, it should be manifest, that they apprehended Something or other, that could do them Good or Hurt, and yet is invisible. But as to the vilest Reprobates among the Vulgar, from their very Curses and the most prophane of their Oaths and Imprecations, it is plain, that they are Believers.
Hor. That's far fetch'd.
Cleo. I don't think so. Can a Man with himself damn'd, without supposing, that there is such a Thing as Damnation. Believe me, Horatio, there are no Atheists among the Common People: You never knew any of them entirely free from Superstition, which always implies Belief: and whoever lays any Stress upon Predictions, upon good or bad Omens; or does but think, that some Things are lucky and others unlucky, must believe, that there is an over-ruling Power, which meddles with, and interferes in Human Affairs.
Hor. I must yield this to you, I think.
Cleo. If then our wicked, obdurate Soldier believes, that there is a God, and that the World is govern'd by Providence, it is impossible, when Two Armies are to engage, but he must think, that it is very material, and a Thing of the highest Importance, which of them God will be pleas'd to favour, and wish with all his Heart, that Heaven would be of his Side. Now, if he knows that the Troops, he serves among, have gain'd several Advantages over their Enemies, and that he has been an Eye-witness of this himself, he must necessarily think, that God has a greater Regard to them, than he has to those that are beaten by them. It is certain, that a Man, who is strongly persuaded of this, will be more undaunted, and with the Same Degree of Skill, Malice and Strength, fight better than he could do, if he believ'd the Contrary. It is evident then, that the most abandon'd Rascal in a Christian Army may be made a valuable Man on the Score of Fighting, as soon as he can be persuaded, that God takes his Part, tho' he never made any further Reflection: But it is inconceivable, that a Man should firmly believe what I have said without reflecting one Time or other on what might be the Cause of this particular Favour, this visible Assistance of Heaven; and if ever he did, could he help thinking on the Preaching and Praying, which he was daily present at; and would he not be forced from all the Circumstances to believe, that those Things were acceptable to God; and conclude upon the whole, that those Religious Exercises were a proper Means to obtain God's Friendship? Would he not be very much confirm'd in this Opinion, if he saw or but heard of credible People, that, in the Enemy's Army, the men were more cold and remiss in their Worship, or at least, that they made a less outward Shew of Devotion, which is all that he should be able to judge by?
Hor. But why should you think, that such an abandon'd, obdurate Fellow, as you have supposed him to be, should ever trouble his Head with the Difference in Worship between one Army and another, or ever think at all on any Thing relating to Devotion?
Cleo. Because it would be impossible for him to help it. I have not supposed, that he was either Deaf or Blind: The Things I named, and which I imagin'd he would be forc'd to believe, would be run in his Ears, and repeated to him over and over from every Quarter: The Soldiers would be full of them; the Officers would talk of them. He would be present at the solemn Thanksgivings, they paid to Heaven. The Preachers would often be loud in commending the Godliness as well as Bravery of the Army, and roar out the Praises of their General, that sanctify'd Vessel, whom they would call a Gideon, a Joshua, a Moses, that glorious Instrument, which God had raised and made Use of to rescue his Church from Idolatry and Superstition, and his Saints from Tyranny and Oppression. They would exclaim against the Wickedness and Immorality of their Enemies, inveigh against Lawn-Sleeves and Surplices, Altar-Pieces, and Common-Prayers; call the Orthodox Clergy, the Priests of Baal, and assure their Hearers, that the Lord hated the Cavaliers; that they were an Abomination to him, and that he would certainly deliver them into the Hands of his chosen People. When a Man is obliged to hear all this, and sees moreover the Spirit and Alacrity that is raised in his Comrades after a moving extemporary Prayer, the real Enthusiasm the Men are thrown into by the Singing of a Psalm, and the Tears of Zeal and Joy run down the Cheeks of Men, whom he knows to be Faithful and Sincere, as well as Resolute and Daring. When Man, I say, such a one as I have describ'd, should be forc'd to hear and see all this, it would hardly be possible for him, not to believe, in the first Place, that God actually assisted this Army; and in the Second, that the Means, by which that Assistance was procured, were the Strictness of the Discipline and the Religious Duties, that were observed in it; tho' he himself should never Join in the one, or Submit to the other, but against his Will, and with the utmost Reluctancy. I am persuaded, that such an Opinion, well rivetted in a Man, would, in such an Army as I am speaking of, be of vast Use to him in all Adventures and Expeditions of War; and that, if he was fit at all to be made a soldier, it would in the Day of Battle inspire him with a Confidence and Undauntedness, which the same man could never have acquired, Cæaelig;teris Paribus, if he had served among other troops, where Divine Worship had been little insisted upon, or but slightly perform'd. And if this be true, I have proved to you, that Acts of Devotion, and an outward Shew of Religion, may be serviceable to the greatest Profligate for the obtaining of Victory, tho' the General should be an Atheist, most of the Clergy Hypocrites, and the greatest Part of the Army wicked Men.
Hor. I can see very well the Possibility, that a few Profligates, among a great many others, that were not so, might be kept in Awe by strict Discipline, and that Acts of Devotion might be serviceable even to those, who were present at them against their Wills. But this Possibility is only built upon a Supposition, that the Rest of the Army should be better disposed: For if the Generality of them were not in Earnest, you could have no outward Shew of Religion; and the Things which you say the obdurate wretch should be forced to hear and see, could have no Existence. No Preaching or Praying can be moving to those, that are harden'd and inattentive; and no Man can be thrown into an Enthusiasm upon the Singing of Psalms, and shed Tears of Zeal and Joy in any Part of Divine Worship, unless they give Heed to it, and are really Devout.
Cleo. I am glad you start this Objection; for it puts me in Mind of Something, that will serve to illustrate this whole Matter, and which, if you had not mention'd this, I should have had no Opportunity to speak of. I took for granted, you know, that in the Quarrel between King and the People, there had been many honest well meaning Men, among the Sober Party, that by Artifice were drawn into the Measures of cunning Hypocrites, who, under specious Pretences, carried on the Rebellion with no other View than their own Advantage. But if you recollect what I said then, you'll find, that many of those honest well-meaning Men might have been very bad Christians. A Man may be a fair Dealer, and wish well to his Country, and yet be very wicked in many other Respects. But whatever Vices he may be guilty of, if he believes the Scriptures without Reserve, is sorry for his Sins, and sometimes really afraid, that he shall be punish'd for them in another World, he is certainly sincere in his Religion, tho' he never mends. Some of the most wicked in the World have been great Believers. Consider all the Money, that has been given to pray Souls out of Purgatory, and who they were, that left the greatest Legacies to the Church. The Generality of Mankind believe what they were taught in their Youth, let that be what it will, and there is no Superstition so gross or absurd, nor any Thing so improbable or contradictory in any Religion, but Men may be sincere in the Belief of it. What I say all this for is to shew you, that an honest well-meaning Man may believe the Bible and be Sincere in his Religion, when he is yet very remote from being a good Christian. What I understand then by Sincere is evident: Now give me Leave to tell you what I mean by Wicked, and to put you in Mind of what I have said of it already; viz that I gave that Name to those, who indulge their Passions as they come uppermost, without Regard to the Good or Hurt, which the Gratification of their Appetites may do to the Society. But all wicked Men are not equally neglectful of Religious Duties, nor equally inflexible; and you won't meet with one in a Hundred so stubborn and averse to all Sense of Divine Worship, as I have supposed our Profligate to be. My Reason for drawing so bad a Character, was to convince you, that, if an outward Shew of Religion could be made serviceable to the most stubborn Reprobate, it could never fail of having a good Effect upon all others, that should be more relenting, and assist at it with less Reluctancy. Few Men are wicked for Want of good Will to be better: The greatest Villains have Remorses; and hardly any of them are so bad, that the Fear of an invisible Cause and future Punishment should never make any Impression upon them; if not in Health, at least in Sickness. If we look narrowly into the Sentiments, as well as Actions even of those that persist in evil Courses for many Years, and spend their whole Lives in Debaucheries, we shall hardly ever find, that it is because they are obstinately bent to be Wicked; but because they want either the Power to govern their Passions, or else the Resolution to set about it; that they have often wish'd, that they could lead better Lives; that they hope, God will forgive them; and that Several Times they have fix'd a Time for their Repentance, but that always Something or other interven'd, that has hinder'd them, till at last they died without having ever met with the Opportunity they wish'd for. Such Men as these perhaps would never go to Prayers, or to hear a Sermon as long as they lived, if they could help it: But most of them, if they were forc'd to it, would behave very well, and actually receive Benefit from being there; especially in Armies, where Nothing being less wanted than contrite Hearts and broken Spirits, Nothing is mention'd that is mortifying, or would depress the Mind; and if ever any thing melancholy is slightly touch'd upon, it is done with great Art, and only to make a Contrast with something reviving, that is immediately to follow, which will flatter their Pride, and make them highly delighted with themselves. All Exhortations to Battle should be chearful and pleasing. What is required of the Men, is, that they should Fight undauntedly and obstinately. Therefore all Arts are made use of to raise and keep up their Spirits on the one Hand, and their Hatred to their Enemies on the other. To dissipate their Fears, they are assured of the Justice and Goodness of their Cause, that God himself is engaged, and his Honour concern'd in it; and that therefore, if they can but shew Zeal enough for him, and are not wanting to themselves, they need not doubt of the Victory.
Hor. It is amazing, that Believers, who are so conscious of their own Wickedness, should be so easily persuaded, that God would do any Thing in their Favour.