Occasional Thoughts in Reference to a Vertuous or Christian life

by Lady Damaris Masham

Conformity therefore of Mens actions to any fix'd, and unvariable Rule, is a thing of some difficulty, be the Rule what it will: And therefore Transgression against that Rule which Men profess'd themselves oblig'd to act by, has always, every where been; and but few Men comparatively, were strictly Vertuous: That is, did in all things conform, or sincerely endeavour to conform their Actions to that, which they acknowledged for the Rule of them.

Those yet who believ'd a Superior Invisible Power that made them, could not be satisfy'd with themselves in Transgressing against that which they thought ought to be their Rule: For however they understood this Rule to be deriv'd, they yet believ'd it carry'd with it, some way or other, an obligation upon them to Obedience; since otherwise they would not have look'd upon it as a Rule. Now, as they could not know that God would not punish their Disobedience to That which they look'd upon as obliging them to Obedience; but, on the contrary, had more, or less, Reason to apprehend that he would do so, They therefore (thinking him to be an exorable as well as an Omniscient, and Omnipotent Being) were hereby on These occasions taught to deprecate his Vengeance, and implore his Mercy: And hence the more Guilty and Fearful came to invent Attonements, Expiations, Penances and Purgations, with all that various Train of Ceremonies which attended those Things; Naturally imagining that the Divine Nature resembled their own; and thence believing that they should the more easily appease his Anger, and avert the effects of his Wrath, if by such means, as these, they did, as it were, in Gods behalf Revenge upon themselves their Disobedience to him. And as the Solemnity of these Matters requir'd peculiar Hands to Execute them; and Devotion exacted that such should be liberally rewarded, and highly respected for their Pious performances; from hence the profit which some reap'd by these things, as well as the satisfaction that others found therein, who were unwilling to be rigorously restrain'd by the Rule of their Actions, yet were uneasie under the reproaches of their Consciences when they transgressed against it, made these Inventions, and the value set upon them, to be daily improv'd; till Men at last have sought to be, and have effectually been perswaded that they might render themselves acceptable to God without indeavouring sincerely to obey the Rule by which they profess'd to believe they were oblig'd to live; and that even when they did think that this was a Law giv'n them by God himself.

Now the great practicers, and promoters of the abovesaid things, are every where Those who are generally esteem'd, and call'd Religious. Whence the Term Religion appears ordinarily to have stood for nothing else, but some Expedient, or other, found out to satisfy Men that God was satisfied with them, notwithstanding that their Consciences reproach'd them with want of Conformity to the acknowledg'd Rule, or Law of their Actions.

Having premis'd thus much concerning the Notions Men vulgarly have had of Vertue and Religion, let us now proceed to see how it has come to pass, That they have with Allowance, Approbation, and oftentimes, with injunction of their Lawmakers and Governours, transgress'd against the most visible Dictates of the Law of Nature, or Reason, in Things not favourable to their Natural Passions and Appetites; but even, sometimes, contrary thereunto; as are denying themselves the lawfullest Enjoyments of Life; Macerating their Bodies; Prostituting their Wives; and exposing their Off-spring and Themselves to cruel Torments, and even Death it self. The cause of which I think appears plainly to be; that Mankind having been generally convinc'd that there was a Maker of themselves and of the World, who they concluded was as well able to take cognisance of what they did, as to produce them into Being; and to whom they could not believe that all the Actions of his Creatures were alike pleasing, or displeasing; they became fearful (as has been said) of incurring his displeasure, whenever they did any thing which their Consciences reproach'd them for: From the which Fear of a Superior invisible Power, inspecting their Actions, they were early induc'd to hearken to, and follow such who profess'd themselves to have some Knowledge Supernaturally reveal'd to them of God's Will. And we find, in the Histories of all Nations, that the generality of Mankind were perswaded (contrary to the Sentiments of some Modern Deists) That it was a thing very congruous to the Divine Being, that he should in this way reveal to Men his pleasure concerning them; since the greatest part, every where, did with little difficulty give Credit to such who had the confidence to affirm to them, that they were sent by God to teach them what he required of them: the which being so, a submission of Mens Reason to the dictates of suppos'd inspir'd Teachers must necessarily follow: and they from thence become liable to be impos'd upon, all the ways that could serve the ends of such who made use of this pretence to promote thereby any Interest of their own, or others.

And as there is scarce any Country can be nam'd where there has not been these pretences to Revelation; so no Instance, I believe, can be found of any Institution or generally approv'd of Practice, opposite to the obvious Dictates of Nature, or Reason, and not in Favour of Mens Appetites, which does not appear, or on good ground may not be presumed to have been receiv'd on this pretence of Supernatural Revelation; which has ever procur'd the firmest adherence to any New Institution whatsoever; and was very sufficient to make the absurdest things be swallow'd equally with the most reasonable; it being undeniably true, that whatever God does Command, his Creatures are under an equal Obligation of Obedience thereunto.

Some Men, it is likely, there have, in all Ages and Places, been, who were too Sagacious to admit of that as Revelation from God, which manifestly oppos'd Natural Light; and who needed a proof of the Divine Mission of such pretenders as these. But the unthinking Multitude were ever Credulous; and thence have been always practic'd upon in various kinds, and measures, as has best suited the occasion: Those who have had vicious Inclinations, or little Aims, and short views, having impos'd upon them suitably to their Ends: And such as have had larger comprehensions, generous designs, and Minds above Vulgar, Base and Sordid Passions, having answerably to their Aims, serv'd themselves of the same credulity. Of the last kind were such who have propos'd the reclaiming of Men from vices more obviously prejudicial to Society, and civil Government; thereby to erect or restore some flourishing Kingdom, or common-wealth; And these, tho' they have deceived Men, in making them believe that their Laws were Divinely inspir'd, have yet deservedly been Honour'd by them as Benefactors, because of that happiness which they procur'd to them thereby, in this World; beyond which, their views extended not, as having no knowledge of a future Life. The which sort of Men, however rational, and Vertuous they were, yet (like other pretenders to Revelation) that they might the better procure Authority to their Dictates, did with their civil Institutions, mix Holy Mysteries; and that usually as peculiar Secrets taught them by some Divinity. They also, how much soever they, perhaps, secretly contemn'd such things, did yet generally pay a great outward regard to matters of Religion; which have ever abounded in the best Govern'd, and most Flourishing Kingdoms, and Common-wealths.

Now (as has been already said) the exact observers of the civil Institutions of their Country, or Customs of their Ancestors, were look'd upon as Men of Vertue; and whoso apply'd himself eminently to the observation of such superstitions as consisted of Sacrifices, Processions, Lustrations, &c. with a various Train of Pompous Ceremonies, diversify'd according to the Phancies of their Authors, was look'd upon as a Religious Man; whilst there was a third sort of Men (inconsiderable always in their Number) who judged, by the true rule of Reason, what was right, and what was wrong, in the first of these; and who contemning the Fopperies of the last, were oftentimes (thro' their means who most found their Account in those Matters) in danger of passing with the silly People for Atheists: such as search for their opinions, and the Measures of their Actions in the Reason and Truth of Things, having always been very unacceptable to Those whose Interest it has been to keep up the Credit and Authority of vain Traditions and Superstitious Practices; because if These should be hearken'd to, Those Apprehended that they should become useless.

Men of this third sort are They who are vertuous in a Rational and Christian estimation; for if adherence to the Rule of Mens Actions (be that what it will) denominates Men vertuous among those of their own perswasion therein; then That which denominates a Man vertuous amongst Those who take the prescriptions of right Reason, or of the Gospel (for these are but one, and the same, differently promulg'd) for the Rule of their Actions, must be an adherence to the Law of right Reason, or of this Revelation: Which Rule, is not (as all others are) a changeable, because (as we have seen) no Arbitrary thing; it being founded in Relations, and Connexions, which are as immutable as that determinate constitution in Things, which makes every thing what it is. From whence it has been that such Men in all Ages, and Places, as were above the prejudices of their Country Religion, and Manners, viz. such as we have now spoken of, have ever had much the same Sentiments in respect of Vertue. But these have always been but a small Number: Custom, and blind Opinion, have ever govern'd the World; and the light of Reason has neither appear'd to Men to be, nor in Fact been any where sufficient to direct the generality of Mankind to Truth; as some imagine it capable of doing; who because of that clear Evidence which Reason gives to those verities that Revelation has already taught them, think that they owe, or might have ow'd to this light of Reason what they are not indebted to it for; and what it is a Thousand to One odds they would not have receiv'd from it, had they been Born where there was no other than Natural Light.

For we find not any Country in any Age of the World, wherein Men did generally acknowledge, by the meer force of Reason, Natural Religion in its full extent; or where the Law of Nature was by the Light of Nature universally own'd. Some Dictates of it as suggested by necessity, or convenience, having only been receiv'd, (as has been already said) but not distinguish'd from the most Arbitrary Institutions of Men; altho' it is probable that the greater Conformity any Law had to the dictates of right Reason, it did the more universally and easily obtain Belief of its being divinely reveal'd to him who pretended so to have receiv'd it; and this apparently it was which gave so great Success to the Peruvian Lawgivers; whose Idolatry was the most specious that was possible; and whose Rules of Living (pretended to have been receiv'd by them from the Sun, their Father, and Vicegerent of Pachacama, the Supream Invisible and Unapproachable God) were highly suitable to the dictates of right Reason.

This Law nevertheless not being receiv'd by that People but as a Supernatural Revelation, the great Morality of the Peruvians affords no Argument against, but (on the contrary) proves strongly the need of Revelation; since whatever Force of Reason these Natural Truths did appear to this People to carry with them, when represented as divine Commands, this light had never yet attracted their sight purely by its own Brightness; nor ever has any where done so, but here and there in a few Instances of Persons of more than ordinarily inquisitive Minds; and (probably) for the most part, exempted by a happy priviledge of Nature from the servitude of sensual, and sordid Passions.