The Chief Interest of Man, Section 13
SECT. XIII. How far Religion advances the happineſs of Kingdoms and Common-wealths, not only naturally, as it preſcribes the beſt Laws, and rules to all ſorts of Perſons, and keeps Men within the bounds of their duty; But morally, as it brings down bleſſings, keeps off judgements. The falſe accuſations which Chriſtians have lain under in all Ages. Julians wicked policy.
NOw let us proceed to conſider Man in a Politick State, as part of a Kingdom or Common-Wealth: and if we would deſcribe ſome Ʋtopia, or ſet down a Model of a happy well governed, flouriſhing Common-Wealth; we need go no further than the Scriptures for our maxims, and deſcribe the ſeveral members of it according to what the Goſpel requires that they ſhould be. I know the great ones of the World have been jealous of the Kingdom of Chriſt, as Herod was troubled, when he firſt heard of his Birth. I know not what occaſion the abuſes of ſome Impoſters may have given to Mens prejudice and ſuſpition, but (as I ſaid before) that the obſervation of Chriſts precepts would prevent more diſeaſes, than his miracles cured, ſo I may boldly affirm that his ſpiritual Kingdom, were it ſet up in the World, (that is, did his Laws take place, and were they duely obſerved) they would attract more, and be more taking than his ſuppoſed earthly Monarchy, which made multitudes run after him in the dayes of his fleſh, John. 6. And it is the great honour of Religion, and an evident argument of the real worth and excellency of it, that not only thoſe whoſe corrupt affections have baffled their Judgements to believe that Religion is but a fancy, a deviſed fable, or at leaſt to wiſh and pretend it to be ſo, but the wiſeſt of ſuch men as have followed the dictates of natural reaſon, and men whom none can imagine to have been fore-ſtalled with too favourable an opinion of Religion, or to have been foreign, ſuperſtitiouſly over-aw'd by a Deity, that theſe I ſay, ſuch as Plato, Plutarch, Tully, Seneca, Machiavel, Campanella, ſhould look upon it as ſuch a good Engine for moving the huge bodies of Kingdoms and Common-Wealths; yea, a neceſſary baſis to found government upon, (as Plutarch ſheweth) without which it can no more ſubſiſt, than a Caſtle or City in the air, it ſhews clearly that there is that propoſed in Religion, which if men according to their opinion can be but flattered into a belief of it will keep them in their due place and order, that every part of ſuch a vaſt Machina may move regularly. And it is a good obſervation of the Hiſtorian, that Rome had the happineſſe in the firſt founding of it, to have ſuch Kings ſucceſſively, as did by degrees take care of ſuch things, as did moſt conduce to its flouriſhing and eſtabliſhment, and that when Romulus had built the City, and erected a new Kingdom: Numa Pompilius did immediately ſucceed him, and eſtabliſh Religion and the worſhip of God ſo far, as the light of Nature would guide him thereto. And the truth is, the belief of another life after this, and of ſome inviſible power, ſuperior to the power of man, is abſolutely neceſſary for the ſwaying and managing thoſe two great engines of Hope and Fear, which turn about the whole World, ſo that (as Campanella well obſerves) Religione e anima della Republica e diffeſa della legge naturale, &c. Religion is the Soul of a Common-Wealth, and Bulwark of the Law of Nature, becauſe the Love and Fear of God, and of eternal puniſhment and rewards do compel Men to the obſervation of the Law. What will a man care for his Life, if he apprehend that there is none after this? and there is no means to reſtrain men from, whatever inſolencies or violences they may think neceſſary to the contentment of their preſent life, if they do not look for an after-reckoning: but they might well ſay, Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we ſhall dye, and rather contemn a miſerable life, than omit any means for the bettering of it. He that ſets light by his own life, is Maſter of another mans, ſaith Seneca. And we know the form of endictments in our own law for any crime, is, ſuch a one not having the fear of God before his eyes, did wickedly, &c. commit ſuch an act. And Abraham thought when he was in Gerar that they would not ſtick at any the vileſt action, becauſe as he ſuppoſed the Fear of God was not in that place Gen. 20.10. So we find the Atheiſt in Lucretius Lib. 1. complaining of his being overaw'd by the ſuſpition which he had of an eternal puniſhment after this life; if he could have been aſſured that there ſhould be no life after this, or that then there ſhould be an end of Mens ſufferings, he could eaſily laugh at Religion, and deſpiſe the threatnings of their Vates. But, ſeeing he knew not the nature of the Soul, whether it was propagated with the body, or infuſed, whether it did dye with the Body, or were caſt into the Stygian Lake, he could not free himſelf from the fears of an eternal miſery after Death. But I will come more particularly to ſhew how Religion doth contribute to the happineſſe and welfare of the Societies of Men, ſetting the boundaries of every ones Duty, preſcribing to all from the higheſt to the loweſt, telling the great ones of the World, that they which rule over men, muſt be juſt, ruling in the fear of God, whoſe Kingdom is over all, who rules in the Kingdoms of men, and gives them to whomſoever he will, and he makes them his Miniſters, not to be terrors to good works, but to evil. To be Fathers to the poor, and to ſearch out the cauſe which they know not, to break the jaws of the wicked, and pluck the ſpoil out of their teeth. Inferiors are thereby likewiſe inſtructed to ſubmit themſelves to their ſuperiors, to give them due honour and tribute, to be Subject for Conſcience ſake, which is the beſt foundation of diſloyalty and fidelity. As Conſtantius would ſay, thoſe that would not be true to God, would not be true to him. If any ſhall here ſay, Quid verba audiam? We have found the contrary true, and have oft ſeen Religion made a Cloak to palliate Sedition and Rebellion. I might anſwer by an Antiſtrophe retorting the objection. It ſeems, Religion is good in it ſelf, becauſe it is made uſe of to palliate that which is evil: Men do not counterfeit ordinary ſtones, or Iron, but Gold and Pearls, as I have already upon occaſion obſerved. If Satan be transformed into an Angel of Light, what wonder if his Miniſters be ſometimes transformed into the Servants of God. I may again ſay with Tertullian, Si accuſaſſe ſat eſt, quis erit innocens? None can maintain their innocency, if upon a bare accuſation they ſhall be condemned, without a fair hearing. Not Chriſt himſelf. John. 19.12. Nor his followers. Acts 17.7. This odious crimination hath been uſed in ſeveral Ages, as the moſt effectual means to ſubject Chriſtians to the diſpleaſure of Princes, and to popular hatred, which they had ſome pretence for in thoſe times, when the Emperors enjoyned ſuch things by their authority as Chriſtians did juſtly ſcruple, which occaſioned that wicked policy of Julian, (that he might avoid the imputation of perſecution, which he ſaw was grown odious) to ſet the Heathen Idols by the Emperors ſtatue, that while they refuſed to give Religious honour to the one, they might be accuſed of denying civil reſpect to the other.
Let us now deſcend to conſider the aſpect that Religion hath upon fellow Citizens or Subjects, or how it conduceth to the mutual benefit and advantage of them. And firſt, let us conſider what an influence that general rule of Chriſt, Mat. 7.12. would have upon all Mankind to bring back again the Golden Age, if when we have to do with others, we would put our ſelves into their condition, and conſider how we ſhould deſire to be dealt with in ſuch a caſe: How gently and tenderly would ſuperiors carry themſelves towards their inferiors? and with how much reſpect and obſervance would inferiors carry themſelves to their ſuperiors? the Rich would not withhold from the poor, when he had wherewith to relieve him, and ſupply his wants, but would bring upon himſelf the bleſſing of him who is ready to periſh, and make the heart of the peor to rejoyce and ſing. The poor would not by his idleneſſe be unneceſſarily burdenſom to the Rich, or commit rapes upon his charity, but would labour diligently with his hands, and abate the allowance which men ordinarily give to their luſts, that ſo he might be in a capacity rather to give, than to receive. The lender would not take advantage of the neceſſity of the borrower, nor the borrower ingratefully defraud the lender; the ſeller would not deceive or over reach the buyer, nor the buyer undervalue the goods of the ſeller. Conſider further, how Chriſt more particularly requires that we ſhould be like God in goodneſſe, doing good to all, forgiving injuries, and making their condition our own, ready to be foreign, for each other (as Ignatius oft ſpeaks) laying down our lives for our brethren, dwelling in Love, which works no ill to her neighbor, envies not, vaunts not it ſelf, is not puffed up, behaves not it ſelf unſeemingly, ſeeks not her own, is not eaſily provoked, thinks no evil, rejoyceth not in iniquity, but in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, ſuffers all things. If ſuch commands of Chriſt were obſerved, Men might beat their ſwords into Plow-ſhares, their Spears into pruning hooks, there would be no leading into Captivity, no complaining in our Streets, no vexatious …, no groaning of the oppreſſed, no extremity of poverty, or want to put Men upon violence, private injuries, publick ſedition. If men would according to the command of Chriſt, obey their teachers, prove all things, hold faſt that which is good, prefer others in honour before themſelves, not thinking of themſelves above what is meet, not being wiſe in their own eyes, but humbly enquire after truth, ſuſpecting their own judgement, following after thoſe things which make for peace and edification, ſtudying to be quiet, letting their moderation be made known to all Men. And if thoſe that are Teachers and Rulers in the Church would not Lord it over the heritage of God, but be gentle towards them, as a Nurſe to her Children, not ſeeking theirs but them, doing all things for their edifying; we ſhould ſoon ſee an end of diviſions and Schiſms, and ſeparations in the Church. If any here object that I fancy a Church of Cathariſts, and ſuch purity and holineſſe in Men, as is not to be expected in this World; I anſwer, I ſpeak of what is rather to be deſired than hoped for, and what religion would do towards the happineſſe of Mankind, were the rules of it duely obſerved, and would Men be faithful to the principles of it, which is ſufficient to this Apology, which I here make againſt ſuch as would reproach it, and bring it into diſgrace in the world, and to prove that the more Religion flouriſheth in any Nation, the happier it is, and the better ordered, and that we may conclude with the Tragedian. Where modeſty, righteouſneſſe, holineſſe, piety and faithfulneſſe are neglected, that Kingdom cannot long ſtand, and if any think this would do well indeed, if all would agree to do thus. I anſwer, the neglect of others doth not diſcharge us from our duty, we owe it to God, though Men ſhould not deſerve it, or requite it with a reciprocal care of Juſtice and equity. And further, it is a great advantage for raiſing our honour, when others neglect their duty. Sometimes ſingularity is the only means to get a name, as the Satyriſt could ſay,
Aude aliquid brevibus gyaris aut carcere dignum
Si vis eſſe aliquid; probitas laudatur & alget.
There is yet another way, whereby good men do promote the weal-publick, and that is by the education of children, which in well governed Common-Wealths there hath alwayes been a ſpecial care taken for. Thoſe are counted good Common-wealths-men that build and plant ſuch things as the Common-wealth may be the better for, and enjoy the furit of when they are dead and gone. But thoſe that ſtock the Commonwealth with Plants of righteouſneſs, which may in future times bring forth the fruits of Juſtice and equity, do more promote the publick good, and thoſe who let go Foxes and Wolves are not more worthy of puniſhment, than ſuch as bring up Children in a Common-Wealth, which through their fault and neglect of good education, are addicted to nothing but idleneſs and luxury, and as Midwives form and faſhion the head while the bones are tender, ſo Parents ſhould faſhion their Childrens minds, and form their manners while they are tender and plyant, which if then neglected, do very hardly afterwards yield to Diſcipline Eccleſiaſtical or Civil. Thus far I have ſhewed how Godlineſſe doth promote the good of a Nation in a way of natural cauſality. There is yet another way whereby it doth conduce thereto, and that is by a moral cauſality: God delivering often the Iſland of the innocent, which is delivered by the pureneſſe of his hands. Job. 22. 30. Theſe are as the Trees in a Cawſey, which having life and ſubſtance in them, though ſometimes they caſt their leaves, do keep it from going to ruine and mouldering away, to which the Prophet is ſuppoſed to allude. Iſa. 6.13. I know Ahab looked upon the good Prophet as the troubler of Iſrael, who indeed was as the Chariot and Horſemen thereof for its ſecurity and defence. And he juſtly retorted that crimination upon Ahab himſelf. So in the primitive times, if there were War, Earthquakes, plague, inundations, the poor Chriſtians muſt to the Lions, as if they were the cauſe of it. When Aurelius upon experience found that they prevailed more by their prayers for the good of the Empire, than others could by prayers and arms, ſo that he deſired the Senate to ceaſe their perſecution againſt them, leſt they ſhould turn thoſe ſpiritual weapons againſt the Empire, the effects of which he had found in ſuch an eminent inſtance, and that they might pray for the good of the Empire. As Darius defired that the Jews might offer ſacrifice of ſweet ſavors unto the God of Heaven, and pray for the Life of the King, and of his Sons. Ezra. 6.10. Upon the ſame ground Juſtinian (as we may ſee Conſtit. 6. ad Epiphanium) took ſuch care for the eſtabliſhing of the true Religion, and for the obſervation of thoſe ſacred Rules which were given by the Apoſtles as that which would conduce much to the happineſſe of the Empire, and eſpecially for the ſetling of a pious Miniſtry, by whoſe prayers he hoped for ſo great bleſſings upon himſelf and his Government. And a wiſe and great Prince in our own memory doth not only acknowledge that natural influence which Religion hath upon the obedience of Subjects (whereof I have alittle before ſpoken) who himſelf doth beſt expreſſe his own ſence of it. It is no wonder (ſaith he) if Men not fearing God, ſhould not honour their King. They will eaſily contemn ſuch ſhaddows of God, who reverence not that ſupream and adorable Majeſty, in compariſon of whom all the Glory of Men and Angels is but obſcurity, but as knowing alſo how far it doth conduce morally to the happineſſe of a Nation, gives it in charge to his Son (his Majeſty now reigning in England) to begin and end with God, and alwayes to keep up ſolid Piety, and thoſe fundamental truths, which mend both the hearts and lives of Men, it being not only the Glory of Princes to advance Gods Glory, but the means to make them proſperous, and keep them from being miſerable. Whereupon his Majeſty as remembring ſuch pious words and counſels of His Royal Father, did at his firſt reſtoration expreſſe his juſt diſpleaſure againſt ſuch, as pretending a great zeal to his Cauſe and Service, did not only diſcredit it by the licence of their lives and manners; but hazard the driving away thoſe approaching mercies, which they ſhould rather have acknowledged in their ſeveral ſtations, with circumſpection, integrity, and reformation in their lives. It is ordinarily ſaid, —Delirant Reges plectuntur Achivi.
But it is true on the other hand alſo, that Rulers are puniſhed for the ſins of the People. 1 Sam. 12.25. God ordering it ſo in his wiſe and righteous Providence; not only as they partake many times in each others ſins, but as they have a joynt intereſt, ſo as one ſuffers in the ſufferings of another. I remember Machiavel (who was never thought to be over-preciſe, or to be troubled with a bogling conſcience) complains of it in his Common-wealth, as that which he feared would be the ruine of Italy, that wickedneſſe did ſo much abound, and that there was ſuch a decay of Religion amongſt them, and they were ſo far degenerated from the purity of the Primitive times, that they had reaſon to expect the vengeance of God upon them. Whereupon he ſhews how neceſſary it is for Princes to have a ſpecial care for the preſervation of the purity of Religion, which I am ſure is an innocent policy, and the wiſeſt maxim which he layes down: for beſides, that the Church hath alwayes been a burdenſom ſtone, which hath broken in pieces all that have burdened themſelves with it, Zach. 12.13. Whilſt Righteouſneſſe doth exalt a Nation, Prov. 14.34. Wickedneſſe (like the talent of lead in the Ephah, Zach. 5.8.) ſinks it down. We know ten righteous perſons would have ſaved a Sodom, and God would do nothing againſt it, whilſt there was one in it. And if God did not for the ſake of ſuch, many times ſpare Nations, and ſhew them ſome peculiar favour, there had been no ground for that which he himſelf hath pronounced of them, that they are ſuch, of whom the World is not worthy.