Cri. — Though it be remarked by fome of your fe£r, that the clergy are not ufed to preach againft duelling, yet I neither think the remark itfelf juft, nor the reafon affigned for it. In effect, one half of their fermons, all that is faid of charity, brotherly love, forbearance, meek- nefs, and forgiving injuries, is directly againft this wick- ed cuftom; by which the clergy themfelves are fo far from never fuffering, that perhaps they will be found, all things confidered, to fuffer oftner than other men.
Lys. — How do you make this appear? ' Cri. — An obferver of mankind may remark two kinds of bully, the fighting and the tame, both public nufances: the former (who is the more dangerous animal, but by much the lefs common of the two) employs himfelf whol- ly and folely againft the laity, while the tame fpecies exert their talents upon the clergy. The qualities conftituent of this tame bully, are natural rudenefs, joined with a de- licate fenfe of danger. For, you muft know, the force of inbred infolence, and ill manners, is not diminished, though it acquire a new determination, from the fafhion- abie cuftom of calling men to account for their behavior.
*io MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. V.]
Hence you may often fee one of thefe tame bullies ready to burft with pride and ill humour, which he dares not vent, till a parfon has come in the way to his relief. And the man of raillery, who would as foon bite off his tongue, as break a jeft on the profeflion of arms, in the prefence of a military man, (hall inftantly brighten up, and af- fume a familiar air with religion and the church before eccleliaftics. Dor con y who paffeth for a poltron and ftu- pid in all other company, and really is fo, when he is got among clergymen, effecls a quite oppofite character. And many Dor cons there are, which owe their wit and courage to this paffive order.
XIV. Alc. — But to return to the point in hand, can you deny, the old Romans were as famous for juftice and integrity, as men in thefe days for the contrary qualities?
Cri. — The character of the Romans is not to be taken from the fentiments of Tully or Gate's actions, or a fhin- ing paflage, here and there, in their hiftory, but from the prevailing tenor of their lives and notions. Now if they and our modern Britons are weighed in this fame equal balance, you will, if I miftake not, appear to have been prejudiced in favor of the old Romans againft your own country: Probably becaufe it profeffeth chriftianity. Whatever inftances of fraud or injuftice may be feen in chriftians, carry their own cenfure with them, in the care that is taken to conceal them, and the fliame that attends their difcovery. There is, even at this day, a fort of modefty in all our public councils and deliberations. And I believe, the boldefl of our Minute Philofophers would hardly undertake in a popular afTembly, to propofe any thing parallel to the rape of the Sabines, the moft un- juft ufage of Lucius Tarquinius Cot/atinus, or the ungrate- ful treatment of Camillus, which, as a learned father ob- ferves, were inftances of iniquity agreed to by the public [Dial. V.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 211 body of the Romans. And if Rome, in her early days, were capable of fuch flagrant injuftice, it is molt certain {he did not mend her manners, as me grew great in wealth and empire, having produced monfters in every kind of wickednefs, as far exceeding other men, as they furpaf- fed them in power. I freely acknowledge, the chriftian religion hath not had the fame influence upon the nation, that it would, in cafe it had been always profefTed in its pu- rity, and cordially believed by all men. But I will ven- ture to fay, that if you take the Roman hiftory from one end to the other, and impartially compare it with our own, you will neither find them fo good, nor your countrymen fo bad as you imagine. On the contrary, an indifferent eye may, I verily think, perceive a vein of charity and juftice, the effecT: of christian principles, run through the latter -, which, though not equally difcernible in all parts, yet difclofeth itfelf fufficiently to make a wide difference upon the whole, in fpite of the general appetites and paflions of human nature, as well as of the particular hardnefs and roughnefs of the block, out of which we were hewn. And it is obfervable (what the Roman authors themfelves often fuggeft) that, even their virtues and magnanimous actions rofe and fell with a fenfe of Providence and a fu- ture ftate, and a philofophy the nearefl to the chriflian religion.
XV. Crito having fpoke thus, paufed. But Alciphron addrefling himfelf ' to Euphranor and me, faid, it is natural for men, according to their feveral educations and preju- dices, to form contrary judgments upon the fame things, which they view in very different lights. Crito9 for in- fiance, imagines that none but falutary efFe£b proceed from religion: On the other hand, if you appeal to the general experience and obfervation of other men, you 212 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. V.]
fhall find it grown into a proverb, that religion is the root of evil.
Tantum Religio potuit fuadere malorum.
And this, not only among Epicureans > or other ancient heathens, but among moderns fpeaking of the chriftian religion. Now methinks it is unreafonable to oppofe againft the general concurring opinion of the world, the obfervation of a particular perfon, or particular fet of zealots, whofe prejudice flicks clofe to them, and ever mixeth with their judgment; and who read, colleft, and obferve with an eye not to difcover the truth, but to de- fend their prejudice.
Cri. — Though I cannot think with Alciphron, yet. I muft own I admire his addrefs and dexterity in argument. Popular and general opinion is by him reprefented, on certain occafions, to be a fure mark of error. But when it ferves his ends that it fhould feem otherwife, he can as eafily make it a character of truth. But it will by no means follow, that a profane proverb, ufed by the friends and admired authors of a Minute Philofopher, muft there- fore be a received opinion, much lefs a truth grounded on the experience and obfervation of mankind. Sadnefs may fpring from guilt or fuperftition, and rage from big- otry: But darknefs might as well be fuppofed the natural efFe£r, of funfhine, as fullen and furious paffions to pro- ceed from the glad tidings and divine precepts of the gof- pel. What is the fum and fubftance, fcope and end, of Chrift's religion, but the love of God and man? To which all other points and duties (whether pofitive or moral) are relative and fubordinate, as parts or means, as figns, principles, motives, or effects. Now I would fain know, how it is poffible for evil or wickednefs, c£ any kind, to fpring from fuch a fcurce. I will not pretend, there are [Dial. V.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 213 no evil qualities in chriftians, nor good in Minute Pliilo- phers. But this I affirm, that whatever evil is in us, our principles certainly lead to good: And whatever good there may be in you, it is moil certain your principles lead to evil.
XVI. Alc. — It muft be owned, there is a fair outfide, and many plaufible things may be faid, for the chriftian religion, taken fimply as it lies in the gofpel. But it is the obfervation of one of our great writers, that the firft chriftian preachers very cunningly began with the faireft face and the beft moral doctrines in the world. It was all love, charity, meeknefs, patience and fo forth. But when by this means they had drawn over the world and got power, they foon changed their appearance, and (hewed cruelty, ambition, avarice, and every bad quality.
Cri.— That is to fay, fome men very cunningly preach- ed and underwent a world of hardlhips, and laid down their lives to propagate the beft principles, and the beft morals, to the end that others, fome centuries after, might reap the benefit of bad ones. Whoever may be cunning, there is not much cunning in the maker of this obferv- ation.
Alc— And yet ever fince this religion hath appeared in the world, we have had eternal feuds, factions, mafTa- cres, and wars, the very reverfe of that hymn with which it is introduced in the gofpel: Glory be to God en highy on Earthy Peace, Good-iuill towards Men.
Cri. — This I will not deny. I will even own, that the gofpel, and the chriftian religion, have been often the pretexts for thefe evils: but it will not thence follow they were the caufe. On the contrary, it is plain, they could not be the real proper caufe of thefe evils; becaufe a re- bellious, proud, revengeful, quarrelfome fpirit is diredUy oppofite to the whole tenor, and moft exprefs precepts of 2i4 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. V.]
chriftianity: A point fo clear, that I (hall not prove it. And fecondly, becaufe all thofe evils you mention were as frequent, nay, much more frequent, before the chriftian religion was known in the world. They are the common product of the paflions and vices of mankind, which are fometimes covered with the malk of religion by wicked men, having the form of godlinefs, without the power of it. This truth feems fo plain, that I am furprifed how any man of fenfe, knowledge, and candour can make a doubt of it.
XVII. Take but a view of heathen Rome; what a fcene is there of faction, and fury, and civil rage? Let any man confider the perpetual feuds, between the Pa- tricians and Plebeians, the bloody and inhuman factions of Marius and Sylla, Cinna and Oclavius, and the vaft hav- ock of mankind, during the two famous triumvirates. — To be fhort, let any man of common candor, and com- mon fenfe, but caft an eye, from one end to the other of the Roman ftory, and behold that long fcene of feditions, murders, maflacres, proscriptions, and defolations, of every kind, enhanced by every cruel circumftance of rage, rapine, and revenge •, and then fay, whether thofe evils were introduced into the world with the chriftian reli- gion, or whether they are not lefs frequent now than be- fore?
Alc— The ancient Romans, it muft be owned, had a high and fierce fpirit, which produced eager contentions, and very bloody cataftrophes. The Greeks, on the other hand, were a polite and gentle fort of men, foftened by arts and philofophy. It is impoffible to think of the little Hates and cities of Greece, without wifhing to have lived in thofe times, without admiring their policy, and envy- ing their happinefs.
Cri.— Men are apt to confider the dark fides of what they poffefs, and the bright ones of things out of their [Dial. V.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. *i; reach. A fine climate, elegant tafte, polite amufements, love of liberty, and a mod ingenious inventive fpirit for arts and fciences, were indifputable prerogatives of an- cient Greece. But, as for peace and quietnefs, gentle- nefs and humanity, I think we have plainly the advant- age: For thofe envied cities, compofed of gentle Greeks, were not without their factions, which perfecuted each other with fuch treachery, rage, and malice, that, in re* fpect of them, our factious folk are mere lambs. To be convinced of this truth, you need only look into Thucy- dides \ * where you will find thofe cities, in general, in- volved in fuch bitter factions, as for fellow citizens, with- out the formalities of war, to murder one another, even in their fenate houfes and their temples; no regard being had to merit, rank, obligation, or nearnefs of blood. And if human nature boiled up to fo vehement a pitch in the politeft people, what wonder that favage na- tions mould fcalp, roft, torture, and deftroy each other, as they are known to do? It is therefore plain, that, without religion, there would not be wanting pretexts for quarrels and debates; all which can very eafily be ac- counted for by the natural infirmities and corruption of men. It would not perhaps be fo eafy to account for the blindnefs of thofe, who impute the moft hellifh effects to the moft divine principle, if they could be fuppofed in earneft, and to have confidered the point. One may daily fee ignorant and prejudiced men, make the moft abfurd blunders: But that free-thinkers, divers to the bottom of things, fair inquirers, and openers of eyes, mould be capable of fuch a grofs miftake, is what one would not expect.
XVIII. Alc — The reft of mankind we could more eafily give up: but as for the Greeks, men of the moft refined genius exprefs an high efteem of them: not only ii6 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. V.]
on account of thofe qualities which you think fit to al- low them, but alfo for their virtues.
Cri. — I (hall not take upon me to fay how far fome men may be prejudiced againft their country, or whether others may not be prejudiced in favor of it. But, upon the fulleft and mo ft equal obfervation that I am able to make, it is my opinion, that, if by virtue is meant truth, juftice, gratitude, there is incomparably more virtue, at this day, in England, than at any time could be found in ancient Greece. Thus much will be allowed, that we know few countries, if any, where men of eminent worth, and famous for deferving well of the public, met with harder fate, and were more ungratefully treated, than in the mod polite and learned of the Grecian Hates. Though Socrates, it mult be owned, would not allow, that thofe ftatefmen, by adorning the city, augmenting the fleet, or extending the commerce of Athens, deferved well of their country •, or could with juftice complain of the ungrate- ful returns made by their fellow citizens, whom, while they were in power, they had taken no care to make bet- ter men, by improving and cultivating their minds with the principles of virtue, which, if they had done, they needed not to have feared their ingratitude. If I were to declare my opinion, what gave the chief advantage to Greeks and Romans, and other nations, which have made the greateft figure in the world, I mould be apt to think it was a peculiar reverence for their refpe£Uve laws and inftitutions, which infpired them with fteadinefs and courage, and that hearty generous love of their country; by which they did not merely underftand, a certain lan- guage or tribe of men, much lefs a particular fpot of earth, but included a certain fyftem of manners, cuftoms, notions, rites, and laws, civil and religious.
Alc — Oh! I perceive your drift, you would have us reverence the laws and relieious inftitutions of our coun- [Dial. V.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 217 try. But herein we beg to be excufed, if we do not think fit to imitate the Greeks, or to be governed by any autho- rity whatfoever.
Cri. — So far from it. If mahomctanifm were aftab- liftied by authority, I make no doubt, thofe very free- thinkers, who at prefent applaud Turkifli maxims and manners, to that degree, you would think them ready to turn Turks, would then be the firft to exclaim againft them.
Alc. — But to return: As for wars and factions, I grant they ever were, and ever will be, in the world, upon fome pretext or other, as long as men are men.
XIX. But there is a fort of war and warriors peculiar to chriftendom, which the heathens had no notion of: I mean difputes in theology and polemical divines, which the world hath been wonderfully peftered with: Thefe teachers cf peace, meeknefs, concord, and what not! If you take their word for it; but if you call an eye upon their practice, »you 'find them to have been in all ages the moil contentious, quarrelfome, difagreeing crew' that ever appeared upon earth. To obferve the fkill and fophiftry, the zeal and eagernefs, with which thofe barbarians, the fchool-divines, fplit hairs, and con- teft about chimeras, gives me more indignation, as being more abfurd, and a greater fcandal to human reafon, than all the ambitious intrigues, cabals, and politics of the court of Rome.
Cri. — If divines are quarrelfome, that is not fo far forth as divine, but as undivine and unchriftian. Juftice is a good thing; and the art of healing is excellent •, ne- verthetefs, in the adminiftring of juftice, or phyfic, men may be wronged or poifoned. But as wrong cannot be juftice, or the effecl: of juftice, fo poifon cannot be med- icine, or the effecl: of medicine; fo neither can pride or ftrife be religion, or the effecl: of religion. Having pre- mifed this, I acknowledge, you may often lee hot-headed D d 5u8 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. V.]
bigots engage themfelves in religious as well as civil par- ties, without being of credit or fervice to either. And as for the fchoolmen in particular, I do not in the leaft, think the chriftian religion concerned in the defence of them, their genets, or their method of handling them: But, whatever futility there may be in their notions, or inelegancy in their language, in pure juftice to truth one muft own, they neither banter, nor rail, nor declaim in their writings, and are fo far from (hewing fury or paf- fion, that perhaps an impartial judge will think, the Minute Philofophers are by no means to be compared with them, for keeping clofe to the point, or for temper and good manners. But after all, if men are puzzled, wran- gle, talk nonfenfe, and quarrel about religion; fo they do about law, phyfic, politics, and every thing elfe of moment. I afk, whether in thefe profeffions, or in any other, where men have refined and abftra£ted, they do not run into difputes, chicane, nonfenfe, and contradic- tions, as well as in divinity? And yet this doth not hinder but there may be many excellent rules, and jufl notions, and ufeful truths, in all thofe profeffions. In all difputes human paflions too often mix themfelves, in proportion as the fubjecl: is conceived to be more or lefs important. But we ought not to confound the caufe of man with the caufe of God, or make human follies an objection to divine truths. It is eafy to diftinguifh what looks like wifdom from above, and what proceeds from the paflion and weaknefs of men. This is. fo clear a point, that one would be tempted to think, the not doing it was an effect, not of ignorance, but of fomething worfe.
XX. The conduct we obje&to Minute Philofophers, is a natural confequence of their principles. Whatsoever they can reproach us with, is an effecl:, not of our princi- ples, but of human paflion and frailty.
[Dial. V.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 219 Alc. — This is admirable. So we muft no longer ob- ject to chriftians the abfurd contentions of councils, the cruelty of inquifitions, the ambition and ufurpations of churchmen.
Cri. — You may object them to chriftians, but not to chriftianity. If the Divine Author of our religion, and his difciples, have fowed a good feed; and together with this good feed, the enemies of his gofpel (among whom are to be reckoned the Minute Philofophers of all ages) have fowed bad feeds, whence fpring tares and thiftles 5 is it not evident, thefe bad weeds cannot be imputed to the good feed, or to thofe who fowed it? Whatever you do or can object againft ecclefiaflical tyranny, ufurpation, or fophiftry, may, without any blemifh or difadvantage to religion, be acknowledged by all true chriftians: Provi- ded ftill, that you impute thofe wicked effects to their true caufe, not blaming any principles or perfons for them, but thofe that really produce or juftify them. Certainly, as the interefts of chriftianity are not to be fupported by unchriftian methods, whenever thefe are made ufe of, it muft be fuppofed there is fome other latent principle which fets them at work. If the very court of Rome hath been known, from motives of policy, to oppofe fettling the inquifition in a kingdom, where the fecular power hath endeavored to introduce it in fpite of that court: # We may well fuppofe, that elfewhere factions of ftate, and political views of princes, hath given birth to tranfactions feemingly religious, wherein, atbottom, neither religion, nor church, nor churchmen, were at all considered. As no man of common fenfe an#honefty will engage in a general defence of ecclefiaftics, fo I think no man of common candour can condemn them in general. Would you think it reafon- able to blame all ftatefmen, or lawyers, or foldiers, for the Paolo iftoria dell* Inquifizionc. p. 4V 22© MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. V.]
faults committed by thofe of their profeflion, though in other times, or in other countries, and influenced by oth- er maxims and other difcipline? And if not, why do you rneafure with one rule to the clergy, and another to the laity? Surely the beft reafon that can be given for this is prejudice. Should any man rake together all the mifchiefs that have been committed in all ages and nations, by fol- diers and lawyers, you would, I fuppofe, conclude from thence, not that the ft ate mould be deprived of thofe ufe- ful profeffions, but only that their exorbitances mould be guarded againft and puniftied. If you took the fame equi- table courfe with the clergy, there would indeed be lefs to be faid againft you: But then you would have much lefs to fay. This* plain obvious confideration, if every one who read confidered, would lerTen the credit of your declaimers.
Alc. — But when all is faid that can be faid, it muft move a man's indignation to fee reafonable creatures, un- der the notion of ftudy and learning, employed in read- ing and writing fo many voluminous traces de land caprind.
Cri.-— I (hall not undertake the vindication of theolog- ical writings, a general defence being as needlefs as a general charge is groundlefs. Only let them fpeak for themfelves: And let no man condemn them upon the word of a Minute Philofopher. But we will imagine the very worft, and fuppofe that a wrangling pedant in di- vinity difputes, and ruminates, and writes, upon a refined point, as ufelefs and unintelligible as you pleafe. Sup- pofe this fame perfon bred a layman, might he not have employed himfelf in tricking bargains, vexatious law-fuits, factions, feditions, and fuch like amufements, with much more prejudice to the public? Suffer then curious wits to fpin cobwebs: Where is the hurt?
Alc. — The mifchief is, what men want in light they commonly make up in heat: Zeal, and ill-nature, being [Dial. V.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 221 weapons coiiftantly exerted by the partifans, as well as champions, on either fide: And thofe perhaps not mean pedants or book-worms. You fhall often fee even the learned and eminent divine, lay himfelf out in explaining things inexplicable, or contend for a barren point of the- ory, as if his life, liberty or fortune were at flake.
Cri. — No doubt all points in 'divinity are not of equal moment. Some may be too fine fpun, and others have more ftrefs laid on them than they deferve. Be the fub- je£t what it will, you fhall often obferve that a point by being controverted, fingled out, examined, and nearly infpe£ted, groweth confiderable to the fame eye, that, perhaps, would have overlooked it in a large and compre- henfive view. Nor is it an uncommon thing, to behold ignorance and zeal, united in men, who are born with a fpirit of party, though the church, or religion, have in truth but fmall fhare in it. Nothing is eafier than to make a Caricatura fas the painters call it) of any profef- flon upon earth: But, at bottom, there will be found no- thing fo ftrange in all this charge upon the clergy, as the partiality of thofe who cenfure them, in fuppofing the common defects of mankind peculiar to their order, or the effecl: of religious principles.
Alc— Other folks may difpute or fquabble as they pleafe, and nobody mind them; but it feems thefe ven- erable fquabbles of the clergy pafs for learning, and inter- eft mankind. To ufe the words of the moft ingenious chara&erizer of our times, " A ring is made, and read- ers gather in abundance. Every one takes party, and en- courages his own fide. This fhall be my champion! This man for my money! Well hit on our fide! Again a good flroke! There he was even with him! Have at him the next bout! Excellent fport!".* 222 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. V.]
Cri. — Methinks I trace the man of quality and breed- ing in this delicate fatise, which fo politely ridicules thofe arguments, anfwers, defences, and replications, which the prefs groans under.
■ Alc- — -To the infinite wafte of time and paper, and all the while nobody is one whit the wifer. And who indeed can be the wifer for reading books upon fubje&s quite out of the way, incomprehenfible, and molt wretch- edly written? What man of fenfe or breeding would not abhor the infection of prolix pulpit eloquence, or of that dry, formal, pedantic, (tiff, and clumfy ftile, which fmells of the lamp and college?
XXI. They who have the weaknefs to reverence the univerfities as feats of learning, rauft needs think this a ftrange reproach; but it is a veryjuft one. For the mod ingenious men are now agreed, that they are only nurfe- ries of prejudice, corruption, barbarifm, and pedantry.
Lys. — For my part, I find no fault with univerfities. — All I know is, that I had the fpending three hundred pounds a year in one of them, and think it the chearful- efl time of my life. As for their books and ftile, I had not leifure to mind them.
Cri.' — Whoever hath a mind to weed, will never want work; and he that fhall pick out bad books on every fub- jecl:, will foon fill his library. I do not know what theo- logical writings Alciphron and his friends may be conver- fant in; but I will venture to fay, one may find among our Englijh divines, many writers, who, for compafs of learning, weight of matter, flrength of argument, and purity of ftile, are not inferior to any in our language. — It is not my defign to apologize for the univerfities: what- ever is amifs in them (and what is there perfect among men?) I heartily wifh amended. But I dare affirm, be- caufe I know it to be true, that any impartial obferver, [Dial. V.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 223