Pope, in his Essay on Man, thus asserts the connection between Virtue and Happiness: Know then this truth, (enough for man to know,) The only point where human bliss stands still, Never elated, while one man's oppress'd; CHAP. XLII. RELIGION AND VIRTUE-continued. Let us with truth God's counsel comprehend, But what our follies cause, or mutual wrongs; Where in each stage we shall more perfect grow, Oh! would mankind but make these truths their guide, How soon must reason o'er the world prevail, SOAME JENYNS. WHAT mean unworthy conceptions must we form of God, the Supremely-perfect, if we believe that he is to be bribed, won, softened, and moved by certain rites and ceremonies, or by the frequent repetition of particular consecrated formularies, to depart from the eternal laws of truth and justice; if we imagine that he, the gracious and benign Father of men, takes a pleasure in seeing his children unnecessarily afflicted and tormented, and denying themselves the blithe enjoyments of his gifts and graces; or if, in short, we persuaded ourselves that we could really afford proper services to him, the all-sufficient, the unbounded Lord of all dominion, or contribute any thing to the increase of his supreme perfection. No! far be such superstitious conceptions, so dishonourable to the Divinity. Christians should worship God in spirit and in truth, with understanding and sentiment. Rites and ceremonies are signs and indications, but not essential parts, of holiness; religious exercises are means of confirming us in our good devout dispositions, and of communicating to us energy to good actions, but they are not those dispositions and actions themselves; and voluntary abstinence, with otherwise lawful pleasures and accommodations, may, perhaps, at times do some good, but never can supply the place of a virtuous life. Be we, therefore, ever so diligent in attending on all the ceremonies and rites of religion; frequent the worshipping assemblies of Christians ever so punctually, and with ever so much apparent devotion; employ ever so much time and attention in reading the holy scriptures, in private and public prayer; sing ever so many psalms and hymns in honour of the Deity; solemnize the memory of our Lord in the holy supper with ever so much transient emotion; all this gives us no just title to real sanctity; all this, the hypocrite, the libertine, can observe and do, equally with the good. What ideas are formed of God by him who unhappily has a propensity, whether arising from natural or accidental causes, to melancholy and dejection, or in whom envy and discontent reside! He generally views him no otherwise than as an almighty despot, an austere inexorable judge and avenger. He beholds him constantly armed with thunder and lightning, surrounded by an host of plagues and judgments, always prompt arbitrarily to punish the transgressor of his laws, and make him feel the whole weight of his ireful indignation. Every misfortune that befalls himself or others, every natural calamity happening to mankind in the course and order of things, is, in his eyes, a mark of the terrible displeasure of God, and of his avenging arm stretched out for destruction. Whenever the skies are blackened over with tempestuous clouds, whenever the chilling blast, or hail-storms, or blighting insects, do some damage to the fruits of the field; whenever sicknesses or contagious distempers prevail among mankind, or among the cattle; be directly adverts to the wrath of the Almighty, and trembles at his fury. As harshly as he censures, as severely as he judges, so harshly and severely he pretends God also judges and censures. If he, from ill humour, can endure no contradiction, if he condemns those who in opinions and ceremonies dissent from him; so must. God also act, and exclude from his felicity all those who depart from the received dogmas, of his sect or church. If he, from his unforgiving temper, spares no fault, excuses no weakness, has no compassion for the criminal, but takes pleasure in summary grievous penalties; so he imagines, that God will likewise deal with mankind. Hence the gloomy, horrible doctrine, of the arbitrary destination of some men to bliss, and of others to everlasting misery. Such doctrines certainly derive their origin from Where in each stage we shall more perfect grow, How soon must reason o'er the world prevail, SOAME JENYNS. WHAT mean unworthy conceptions must we form of God, the Supremely-perfect, if we believe that he is to be bribed, won, softened, and moved by certain rites and ceremonies, or by the frequent repetition of particular consecrated formularies, to depart from the eternal laws of truth and justice; if we imagine that he, the gracious and benign Father of men, takes a pleasure in seeing his children unnecessarily afflicted and tormented, and denying themselves the blithe enjoyments of his gifts and graces; or if, in short, we persuaded ourselves that we could really afford proper services to him, the all-sufficient, the unbounded Lord of all dominion, or contribute any thing to the increase of his supreme perfection. No! far be such superstitious conceptions, so dishonourable to the Divinity. Christians should worship God in spirit and in truth, with understanding and sentiment. Rites and ceremonies are signs and indications, but not essential parts, of holiness; religious exercises are means of confirming us in our good devout dispositions, and of communicating to us energy to good actions, but they are not those dispositions and actions themselves; and voluntary abstinence, with otherwise lawful pleasures and accommodations, may, perhaps, at times do some good, but never can supply the place of a virtuous life. Be we, therefore, ever so diligent in attending on all the ceremonies and rites of religion; frequent the worshipping assemblies of Christians ever so punctually, and with ever so much apparent devotion; employ ever so much time and attention in reading the holy scriptures, in private and public prayer; sing ever so many psalms and hymns in honour of the Deity; solemnize the memory |