Sermons and Discourses Volume 1, Sermon 3
PROV. xiv. 34.
Righteouſneſs exalteth a Nation; but ſin is the reproach of any people.
ONE of the firſt principles that is planted in the nature of man, and which lies at the very root and foundation of his being is the deſire of his own preſervation and happineſs. Hence it is that every man is led by intereſt, and does love or hate, chuſe or refuſe things, according as he apprehends them to conduce to this end, or to contradict it. And becauſe the happineſs of this life is moſt preſent and ſenſible, therefore humane nature (which in this degenerate ſtate is extremely ſunk down into ſenſe) is moſt powerfully affected with ſenſible and temporal things. And conſequently, there cannot be a greater prejudice raiſed againſt any thing than to have it repreſented as inconvenient and hurtfull to our temporal intereſts.
Upon this account it is that Religion hath extremely ſuffer'd in the opinion of many as if it were oppoſite to our preſent welfare, and did rob men of the greateſt advantages and conveniences of life. So that he that would do right to Religion and make a ready way for the entertainment of it among men, cannot take a more effectual courſe than by reconciling it with the happineſs of mankind and by giving ſatisfaction to our reaſon, that it is ſo far from being an enemy that it is the greateſt friend to our temporal intereſts; and that it doth not onelyonly tend to make every man happy conſider'd ſingly and in a private capacity, but is excellently fitted for the benefit of humane ſociety.
How much Religion tends even to the temporal advantage of private perſons I ſhall not now conſider, becauſe my Text leads me to diſcourſe of the other, namely, to ſhew how advantageous Religion and Vertue are to the publick proſperity of a Nation, which I take to be the meaning of this Aphoriſm of Solomon, Righteouſneſs exalteth a Nation, &c.
And here I ſhall not reſtrain righteouſneſs to the particular vertue of juſtice, (though in this ſenſe alſo this ſaying is moſt true) but enlarge it according to the genius and ſtrain of the Book of the Proverbs, in which the words wiſdom and righteouſneſs are commonly uſed very comprehenſively ſo as to ſignifie all Religion and Vertue. And that this word is ſo to be taken in the Text may appear farther from the oppoſition of it to ſin or vice in general; Righteouſneſs exalteth a Nation, but Sin is the reproach of any People.
You ſee then what will be the ſubject of my preſent diſcourſe; namely, that Religion and Vertue are the great cauſes of publick happineſs and proſperity.
And though the truth of this hath been univerſally acknowledged and long enough experienced in the world, yet becauſe the faſhion of the age is to call every thing into queſtion it will be requiſite to ſatisfie mens reaſon about it. To which end I ſhall do theſe two things.
1. Endeavour to give an account of this Truth.
2. To vindicate it from the pretences and inſinuations of atheiſtical perſons.
I. ſhall give you this two-fold account of it.
1. From the juſtice of the Divine providence.
2. From the natural tendency of the thing.
1. From the juſtice of the Divine providence. Indeed, as to particular perſons, the providences of God are many times promiſcuouſly adminiſtred in this world; ſo that no man can certainly conclude God's love or hatred to any perſon by any thing that befalls him in this life. But God do's not deal thus with Nations. Becauſe publick bodies and communities of men, as ſuch, can onelyonly be rewarded and puniſhed in this world. For in the next, all thoſe publick ſocieties and combinations wherein men are now link'd together under ſeveral Governments, ſhall be diſſolved. God will not then reward or puniſh Nations, as Nations; But every man ſhall then give an account of himſelf to God, and receive his own reward, and bear his own burthen. For although God account it no diſparagement to his juſtice to let particular good men ſuffer in this world and paſs through many tribulations into the kingdom of God, becauſe there is another day a coming which will be a more proper ſeaſon of reward; yet in the uſual courſe of his providence he recompenſeth religious and vertuous Nations with temporal bleſſings and proſperity. For which reaſon St. Auſtin tells us that the mighty ſucceſs and long proſperity of the Romans was a reward given them by God for their eminent juſtice and temperance, and other vertues. And on the other hand, God many times ſuffers the moſt grievous ſins of particular perſons to go unpuniſhed in this world, becauſe he knows that his juſtice will have another and better opportunity to meet and reckon with them. But the general and crying ſins of a Nation cannot hope to eſcape publick judgments, unleſs they be prevented by a general repentance. God may defer his judgments for a time and give a People a longer ſpace of repentance, he may ſtay till the iniquities of a Nation be full, but ſooner or later they have reaſon to expect his vengeance. And uſually the longer puniſhment is delay'd it is the heavier when it comes.
Now all this is very reaſonable, becauſes this world is the onelyonly ſeaſon for National puniſhments. And indeed they are in a great degree neceſſary for the preſent vindication of the honour and majeſty of the Divine Laws, and to give ſome check to the overflowing of wickedneſs. Publick judgments are the banks and ſhores upon which God breaks the inſolency of ſinners and ſtays their proud waves. And though among men the multitude of offenders be many times a cauſe of impunity, becauſe of the weakneſs of humane Governments which are glad to ſpare where they are not ſtrong enough to puniſh, yet in the government of God, things are quite otherwiſe. No combination of ſinners is too hard for him, and the greater and more numerous the offenders are, the more his juſtice is concern'd to vindicate the affront. However God may paſs by ſingle ſinners in this world, yet when a Nation combines againſt him, when hand joyns in hand the wicked ſhall not go unpuniſhed.
This the Scripture declares to be the ſettled courſe of God's providence; That a righteous Nation ſhall be happy; The work of righteouſneſs ſhall be peace; and the effects of righteouſneſs, quietneſs and aſſurance for ever. And on the other hand, that he uſeth to ſhower down his judgments upon a wicked people, he turneth a fruitfull land into barrenneſs for the wickedneſs of them that dwell therein.
And the experience of all ages hath made this good. All along the Hiſtory of the Old Teſtament, we find the interchangeable providences of God towards the People of Iſrael always ſuited to their manners. They were conſtantly proſperous or afflicted according as piety and vertue flouriſhed or declined amongſt them. And God did not onelyonly exerciſe this providence towards his own People, but he dealt thus alſo with other Nations. The Roman Empire whilſt the vertue of that people remained firm was ſtrong as iron, as 'tis repreſented in the Propheſie of Daniel: But upon the diſſolution of their manners the iron began to be mixt with miry clay, and the feet upon which that Empire ſtood, to be broken. And though God in the adminiſtration of his juſtice be not tied to precedents, and we cannot argue from Scripture examples that the providences of God towards other Nations ſhall in all circumſtances be conformable to his dealings with the People of Iſrael; yet thus much may with great probability be collected from them, that as God always bleſſed that People while they were obedient to him, and followed them with his judgments when they rebelled againſt him, ſo he will alſo deal with other Nations. Becauſe the reaſon of thoſe diſpenſations as to the main and ſubſtance of them ſeems to be perpetual; and founded in that which can never change, the juſtice of the Divine providence.
2dly. The truth of this farther appears, from the natural tendency of the thing. For Religion in general, and every particular vertue, doth in its own nature conduce to the publick Intereſt.
Religion, where-ever it is truly planted is certainly the greateſt obligation upon conſcience to all civil offices and moral duties. Chaſtity and temperance and induſtry do in their own nature tend to health and plenty. Truth and fidelity in all our dealings do create mutual love and good-will and confidence among men, which are the great bands of peace. And on the contrary, wickedneſs doth in its own nature produce many publick miſchiefs. For as ſins are link'd together and draw on one another, ſo almoſt every vice hath ſome temporal inconvenience annexed to it and naturally following it. Intemperance and luſt breed infirmities and diſeaſes, which being propagated ſpoil the ſtrain of a Nation. Idleneſs and luxury bring forth poverty and want; and this tempts men to injuſtice, and that cauſeth enmity and animoſities, and theſe bring on ſtrife and confuſion and every evil work. This Philoſophical account of publick troubles and confuſions St. James gives us,Jam. 4.1. whence come wars and fightings among you? are they not hence, even from your luſts that war in your members?
But I ſhall ſhew more particularly, that Religion and vertue do naturally tend to the good order and more eaſie government of humane Society, becauſe they have a good influence both upon Magiſtrates and Subjects.
1. Upon Magiſtrates. Religion teacheth them to rule over men in the fear of God, becauſe though they be Gods on earth yet they are ſubjects of Heaven, and accountable to Him who is higher than the higheſt in this world. Religion in a Magiſtrate ſtrengthens his authority, becauſe it procures veneration and gains a reputation to it. And in all the affairs of this world ſo much reputation is really ſo much power. We ſee that piety and Vertue, where they are found among men of lower degree, will command ſome reverence and reſpect: But in perſons of eminent place and dignity they are ſeated to a great advantage, ſo as to caſt a luſtre upon their very Place and by a ſtrong reflexion to double the beams of Majeſty. Whereas impiety and vice do ſtrangely leſſen greatneſs, and do ſecretly and unavoidably derive ſome weakneſs upon authority it ſelf. Of this the Scripture gives us a remarkable inſtance in David. For among other things which made the Sons of Zurviah too hard for him this probably was none of the leaſt, that they were particularly conſcious to his crimes.
2. Religion hath a good influence upon the People; to make them obedient to Government, and peaceable one towards another.
1. To make them obedient to Government, and conformable to Laws; and that not onelyonly for wrath and out of fear of the Magiſtrates power, which is but a weak and loofe principle of obedience, and will ceaſe when ever men can rebel with ſafety, and to advantage; but out of Conſcience, which is a firm, and conſtant and laſting principle, and will hold a man faſt when all other obligations will break. He that hath entertain'd the true principles of Chriſtianity is not to be tempted from his obedience and ſubjection by any worldly conſiderations, becauſe he believes that whatſoever reſiſteth authority reſiſteth the ordinance of God, and that they who reſiſt ſhall receive to themſelves damnation.
2. Religion tends to make men peaceable one towards another. For it endeavours to plant all thoſe qualities and diſpoſitions in men which tend to peace and unity, and to fill men with a ſpirit of univerſal love and good will. It endeavours likewiſe to ſecure every man's intereſt by commanding the obſervation of that great rule of equity, Whatſoever ye would that men ſhould do unto you, do ye even ſo to them; by enjoyning that truth and fidelity be inviolably obſerved in all our words, promiſes and contracts. And in order hereunto it requires the extirpation of all thoſe paſſions and vices which render men unſociable and troubleſome to one another, as pride, covetouſneſs and injuſtice, hatred and revenge and cruelty; and thoſe likewiſe which are not ſo commonly reputed vices, as ſelf-conceit and peremptorineſs in a man's own opinion, and all peeviſhneſs, and incompliance of humour in things lawful and indifferent.
And that theſe are the proper effects of true piety the doctrine of our Saviour and his Apoſtles every where teacheth us. Now if this be the deſign of Religion to bring us to this temper, thus to heal the natures of men and to ſweeten their ſpirits, to correct their paſſions and to mortifie all thoſe luſts which are the cauſes of enmity and diviſion, then it is evident that in its own nature it tends to the peace and happineſs of humane ſociety; and that if men would but live as Religion requires they ſhould do the world would be a quiet habitation, a moſt lovely and deſirable place in compariſon of what now it is. And indeed the true reaſon why the ſocieties of men are ſo full of tumult and diſorder, ſo troubleſome and tempeſtuous, is becauſe there is ſo little of true Religion among men; ſo that were it not for ſome ſmall remainders of piety and vertue which are yet left ſcatter'd among mankind, humane ſociety would in a ſhort ſpace disband and run into confuſion, the earth would grow wild and become a great foreſt, and mankind would become beaſts of prey one towards another. And if this diſcourſe hold true ſurely then one would think that vertue ſhould find it ſelf a ſeat whereever humane ſocieties are, and that Religion ſhould be owned and encouraged in the world until men ceaſe to be governed by reaſon.
II. I come to vindicate this truth from the inſinuations and pretences of atheiſtical perſons. I ſhall mention two.
1. That Government may ſubſiſt well enough without the belief of a God and a ſtate of rewards and puniſhments after this life.
2. That as for vertue and vice they are arbitrary things.
1. That Government may ſubſiſt well enough without the belief of a God or a ſtate of rewards and puniſhments after this life. And this the Atheiſt does and muſt aſſert, otherwiſe he is by his own confeſſion a declared enemy to Government and unfit to live in humane ſociety.
For anſwer to this, I will not deny but that though the generality of men did not believe any ſuperior Being nor any rewards and puniſhments after this life, yet notwithſtanding this there might be ſome kind of Government kept up in the world. For ſuppoſing men to have reaſon, the neceſſities of humane nature and the miſchiefs of confuſion would probably compel them into ſome kind of order. But then I ſay withall, that if theſe principles were baniſhed out of the world Government would be far more difficult than now it is, becauſe it would want its firmeſt Baſis and foundation; there would be infinitely more diſorders in the world if men were reſtrained from injuſtice and violence onelyonly by humane laws, and not by principles of conſcience and the dread of another world. Therefore Magiſtrates have always thought themſelves concerned to cheriſh Religion, and to maintain in the minds of men the belief of a God and another life. Nay that common ſuggeſtion of atheiſtical perſons, that Religion was at firſt a politick device and is ſtill kept up in the world as a Stateengine to awe men into obedience, is a clear acknowledgment of the uſefulneſs of it to the ends of Government, and does as fully contradict that pretence of theirs which I am now confuting as any thing that can be ſaid.
2. That vertue and vice are arbitrary things founded onelyonly in the imaginations of men and in the conſtitutions and cuſtoms of the world, but not in the nature of the things themſelves; and that that is vertue or vice, good or evil, which the Supream Authority of a Nation declares to be ſo. And this is frequently and confidently aſſerted by the ingenious Author of a very bad Book, I mean the Leviathan.
Now the proper way of anſwering any thing that is confidently aſſerted is to ſhew the contrary, namely, That there are ſome things that have a natural evil and deformity in them, as perjury, perfidiouſneſs, unrighteouſneſs and ingratitude, which are things not onelyonly condemned by the poſitive laws and conſtitutions of particular Nations and Governments but by the general verdict of humane nature: And that the vertues contrary to theſe have a natural goodneſs and comelineſs in them, and are ſuitable to the common priciples and ſentiments of humanity.
And this will moſt evidently appear by putting this ſuppoſition. Suppoſe the reverſe of all that which we now call vertue were ſolemnly enacted, and the practice of fraud, and rapine, and perjury, and falſeneſs to a man's word, and all manner of vice and wickedneſs were eſtabliſhed by a Law. I ask now, if the caſe between vertue and vice were thus alter'd, would that which we now call vice in proceſs of time gain the reputation of vertue, and that which we now call vertue grow odious and contemptible to humane nature? If it would not, then is there ſomething in the nature of good and evil, of vertue and vice, which does not depend upon the pleaſure of Authority, nor is ſubject to any arbitrary Conſtitution. But that it would not be thus I am very certain, becauſe no Government could ſubſiſt upon theſe terms. For the very enjoyning of fraud and rapine and perjury and breach of truſt doth apparently deſtroy the greateſt end of Government, which is to preſerve men in their rights againſt the encroachments of fraud and violence. And this end being deſtroyed humane ſocieties would preſently fly in pieces and men would neceſſarily fall into a ſtate of war. Which plainly ſhews that vertue and vice are not arbitrary things, but that there is a natural and immutable and eternal reaſon for that which we call goodneſs and vertue, and againſt that which we call vice and wickedneſs.
Thus I have endeavoured to evidence and vindicate this truth. I ſhall onelyonly draw an Inference or two from this diſcourſe, and ſo conclude.
1. If this diſcourſe be true, then thoſe who are in place of power and authority are peculiarly concerned to maintain the honour of Religion.
2. It concerns every one to live in the practice of it.
1. Magiſtrates are concerned to maintain the honour of Religion, which doth not onelyonly tend to every man's future happineſs, but is the beſt inſtrument of Civil Government and of the temporal proſperity of a Nation. For the whole deſign of it is to procure the private and publick happineſs of mankind, and to reſtrain men from all thoſe things which would make them miſerable and guilty to themſelves, unpeaceable and troubleſome to the world. Religion hath ſo great an influence upon the felicity of men that it ought to be upheld, and the veneration of it maintained, not onelyonly out of a juſt dread of the Divine vengeance in another world, but out of regard to the temporal peace and proſperity of men. It will requite all the kindneſs and honour we can do it by the advantages it will bring to Civil Government, and by the bleſſings it will draw down upon it. God hath promiſed that thoſe that honour him, he will honour, and in the common courſe of his providence he uſually makes this good, ſo that the civil Authority ought to be very tender of the honour of God and Religion, if for no other reaſon yet out of reaſon of State.
It were to be wiſht that all men were ſo piouſly diſpoſed, that Religion by its own authority and the reaſonable force of it might be ſufficient to eſtabliſh its Empire in the minds of men. But the corruptions of men will always make a ſtrong oppoſition againſt it. And therefore at the firſt planting of the Chriſtian Religion in the world God was pleaſed to accompany it with a miraculous power: But after it was planted this extraordinary power ceaſed, and God hath now left it to be maintained and ſupported by more ordinary and humane ways, by the countenance of Authority, and the aſſiſtance of Laws; which were never more neceſſary than in this degenerate age, which is prodigiouſly ſunk into Atheiſm and prophaneneſs, and is running head-long into an humour of ſcoffing at God and Religion and every thing that is ſacred. For ſome ages before the Reformation Atheiſm was conſined to Italy, and had its chief reſidence at Rome. All the mention that is of it in the Hiſtory of thoſe times that Papiſts themſelves give us in the lives of their own Popes and Cardinals, excepting two or three ſmall Philoſophers that were retainers to that Court. So that this Atheiſtical humour among Chriſtians was the ſpawn of the groſs ſuperſtitious and corrupt manners of the Romiſh Church and Court. And indeed nothing is more natural than for extreames in Religion to beget one another, like the vibrations of a pendulum which the more violently you ſwing it one way the farther it will return the other. But in the laſt age, Atheiſm travel'd over the Alpes and infected France, and now of late it hath croſſed the Seas and invaded our Nation and hath prevailed to amazement: For I do not think that there are any people in the World that are generally more indiſpoſed to it and can worſe brook it, ſeriouſneſs and zeal in Religion bing almoſt the natural temper of the Engliſh. So that nothing is to me matter of greater wonder, than that in a grave and ſober Nation prophaneneſs ſhould ever come to gain ſo much ground, and the beſt and the wiſeſt Religion in the world to be made the ſcorn of fools. For beſides the prophane and atheiſtical diſcourſes about God and Religion, and the bold and ſenſleſs abuſes of this ſacred Book the great inſtruments of our ſalvation, which are ſo frequent in the publick places of reſort; I ſay, beſides theſe (I ſpeak it knowingly) a man can hardly paſs the ſtreets without having his ears grated and pierced with ſuch horrid and blaſphemous oaths and curſes as are enough, if we were guilty of no other ſin, to ſink a Nation. And this not onelyonly from the Tribe that wear Liveries, but from thoſe that go before them and ſhould give better example. Is it not then high time that the Laws ſhould provide by the moſt prudent and effectual means to curb theſe bold and inſolent defiers of Heaven, who take a pride in being monſters, and boaſt themſelves in the follies and deformities of humane nature? The Heathens would never ſuffer their Gods to be reviled, which yet were no Gods. And ſhall it among the profeſſors of the true Religion be allowed to any man to make a mock of Him that made Heaven and Earth, and to breath out blaſphemies againſt Him who gives us life and breath and all things? I doubt not but hypocriſie is a great wickedneſs and very odious to God, but by no means of ſo pernicious example as open prophaneneſs. Hypocriſie is a more modeſt way of ſinning, it ſhews ſome reverence to Religion, and does ſo far own the worth and excellency of it as to acknowledge that it deſerves to be counterfeited: Whereas prophaneneſs declares openly againſt it, and endeavours to make a party to drive it out of the world.
2. It concerns every one to live in the practice of Religion and Vertue; Becauſe the publick happineſs and proſperity depends upon it. It is moſt apparent that of late years Religion is very ſenſibly declin'd among us. The manners of men have almoſt been univerſally corrupted by a Civil War. We ſhould therefore all jointly endeavour to retrieve the ancient vertue of the Nation, and to bring into faſhion again that ſolid and ſubſtantial, that plain and unaffected piety, (free from the extreams both of ſuperſtition and enthuſiaſm) which flouriſhed in the age of our immediate Forefathers. Which did not conſiſt in idle talk but in real effects, in a ſincere love of God and of our neighbour, in a pious devotion and reverence towards the Divine Majeſty, and in the vertuous actions of a good life; in the denial of ungodlineſs and worldly luſts, and in living ſoberly and righteouſly and godly in this preſent world. This were the true way to reconcile God to us, to ſtop the courſe of his judgments, and to bring down the bleſſings of Heaven upon us.
God hath now been pleaſed to ſettle us again in peace both at home and abroad, and he hath put us once more into the hands of our own counſel. Life and Death, bleſſing and curſing, proſperity and deſtruction are before us. We may chuſe our own fortune, and if we be not wanting to our ſelves we may under the influences of God's grace and aſſiſtance, which is never wanting to our ſincere endeavours, become a happy and a proſperous People.
The good God make us all wiſe to know and to do the things that belong to the temporal peace and proſperity of the Nation, and to the eternal happineſs and ſalvation of every one of our ſouls; which we humbly beg for the ſake of Jeſus Chriſt, to whom, &c.