The Reasons of the Christian Religion Part 1, Conclusion · Objection 20
OBJECTION XX.
THe belief of the immortality of ſouls doth fill men with fears, and draw them to ſuperſtition, Sic ille (Strato) Deum opere magno liberat, & me timore: Quis enim poteſt cum exiſtimet à Deo ſe curari, non & dies & noctes divinum numen ho…rere? & ſiquid adverſi acciderit, (quod cui non accidit) extimeſcere ne id jure evenerit. Cic. Acad. quaſt. l. 4. p. 44.and trouble the peace of Kingdoms by unavoidable ſects, in the proſecution of thoſe things which are of ſuch tranſcendent weight; when otherwiſe men might live in quietneſs to themſelves and others, and in promoting of the publick good.
Anſw. This is the maddeſt objection of all the reſt; but in our days there are men found that are no wiſer than to make it. I have anſwered it fully in divers popular Treatiſes, as that called, A Saint, or a Bruit, &c.
1. The greateſt and beſt things are liable to the worſt abuſes. Thus you may argue againſt Reaſon, that it doth but fill mens brains with knaviſh craft, and enable them to do miſchief, and to trouble the world, and to live themſelves in cares and fears, &c. Upon many ſuch reaſons, Cotta, in Cic. de Nat. Deor. doth chide God for making man a rational creature, and ſaith, he had been happier without it. And were it not for this wit and reaſon, we ſhould have none of theſe evils which you have here now mentioned. Why then is not reaſon as well as Religion on that account to be rejected?
On the ſame reaſon, Philoſophy and Learning may be accuſed, (as it is with the Turks and Moſcovites.) What abundance of ſects, and voluminous contentions, and tired conſuming ſtudies have they cauſed? witneſs all the volumes of Philoſophers and School-men.
On the ſame account you may cry down Kings, and Civil Government, and Riches, and all that is valued in the world: for what wars and bloudſhed hath there been in the world for Crowns and Kingdoms? what hatred and contention for honour and wealth? If you could make all men ſwine, they would not ſtir for gold or pearls; or if they were dogs, they would not fight for Kingdoms: and if they be blind and impious worldlings, they will not be zealous about Religion, unleſs to dis-ſpirit it, and to reduce it to the ſervice of their fleſhly intereſt, (which is the hypocrites zeal.) No man will contend for that which he valueth not.
But, 2. Conſider, that though dogs will not fight for Crowns, they will fight for bones, and ſome times need men of reaſon to ſtave them off. And though ſwine fight not for gold, they will fight for draff, and burſt their bellies if they be not governed. And though unbelievers and Atheiſts trouble not the world to promote Religion, they ſet Families, Towns, and Countries, and Kingdoms together by the ears for their worldly pelf, and fleſhly intereſt. Enquire whether the wars of the world be not moſt for carnal intereſt, (even where Religion hath been pretended:) and hearken in Weſtminſter-hall, and at the Aſſizes, whether moſt of the contendings there are ſuch as are cauſed by Religion, or by the love of the world and of the fleſh. And where Religion ſeemeth to be a part of the cauſe, it is the Atheiſts and ungodly that are commonly the chief contenders; who think it not enough to hope for no life to come themſelves, but they cannot endure other men that do it, becauſe they ſeem wiſer, and better, and happier than they, and by their holineſs gall their conſciences and condemn them.
3. The extremity of this objections impudency appeareth in this above all; that it is moſt notorious, that there is no effectual cure for all the villanies of the world but true Religion; and ſhall the cure be made the cauſe of that diſeaſe? 1. Read and judge in Nature and Scripture, whether the whole matter of Religion be not perfectly contrary to the vices of the world. Will it trouble Kingdoms, or diſquiet ſouls, to love God above all, and to honour and obey him, and be thankful for his mercies, and to truſt his promiſes, and to rejoice in hope of endleſs glory: and to love our neighbours as our ſelves, and to do no injuſtice or wrong to any: to forbear wrath and malice, luſt, adultery, theft and lying, and all the reſt expreſſed in this treatiſe. 2. Is it not for want of Religion that all the vices and contentions of the world are? Would not men be better ſubjects, and better ſervants, and better neighbours, if they had more Religion? Would not they lie, and deceive, and ſteal, and wrong others leſs? Do you think he that believeth a life to come, or he that believeth it not, is liker to cut your purſe, or rob you by the high way, or bear falſe witneſs againſt you, or be perjured, or take that which is not his own, or any ſuch unrighteous thing? Is he liker to live as a good ſubject or ſervant, who looketh for a reward in heaven for it, or he that looketh to die as a beaſt doth? Is he liker to do well and avoid evil, who is moved by the effectual hopes and fears of another life, or he that hath no ſuch hopes and fears, but thinketh that if he can eſcape the Gallows there is no further danger? Had you rather your ſervant, that is truſted with your eſtate, did believe that there is a life to come, or that there is none? Nay, why doth not your objection militate as ſtrongly againſt the thief's believing, that there will be an Aſſize? For if the belief of an Aſſize did not trouble him, he might quietly take that which he hath a mind to, and do what he liſt: but this fills his heart with fears and troubles. 3. Compare thoſe parts of the world (Braſil and Soldania, &c.) which believe not a life to come,… (if any ſuch there be) with thoſe that do, and ſee which belief hath the better effects. 4. What is there of any effectual power, to reſtrain that man from any villany which he hath power to carry out, or policy to cover, who doth not believe a life to come. 5. And if you believe it not, what will you do with Reaſon, or any of your faculties, or your time? How will you live in the world, to any better purpoſe, than if you had ſlept out all your life? What talk you of the publick good, when the denying of our final true felicity, denyeth all that is truely Good, both publick and private.
But ſo ſottiſh and malignant an objection deſerveth pity more than confutation. Whatever Religious perſons did ever offend theſe men with any reall Crimes, I can aſſure them, that the Cure had been to have made them more Religious and not leſs; And that the true Belief of a Life to come, is the end, the motive, the poiſe of all wiſe and regular actions, and of Love and Peace, of right Government and obedience, and of juſtice, mercy, and all that is lovely in the world.