LECTURE XVIII. Of the CHRISTIAN RELIGION, and that it is the true way to Happiness. I CONFESS, young gentlemen, that whenever I think on the subject, I cannot help wondering at the indolence and madness of mankind. For though we boast, that, to order our affairs with prudence and discretion, and conduct our lives according to the principles of reason, is the great privilege and ornament of our nature, that distinguishes us from the brute creatures; how few are there, that, in this respect, act like men, that propose to themselves an end, and direct all their actions to the attainment of it? It is very certain, that the greatest part of mankind, with a folly something more than childish, go in quest of painted butterflies, or commonly pursue the birds with stones and clods; and even those, who spin out their lives to the utmost extent of old age, for the most part gain little by it, but only this, that they may be called very aged children *, being as ignorant as infants why they came into the world, and what will become of them when they leave it. Of all questions, therefore, none can be more properly proposed to you, who are just upon the verge of manhood, I mean entering upon a rational life, than this, Whither are you going? What good have you in view? To what end do you propose to live? For hence, possibly, your minds may be excited within you, to an earnest desire after that perfect and supreme good, and you may not content yourselves with cool speculations upon this subject, as if it were a logical or philosophical problem, that falls in your Πάιδες πολυχρόνιον. way of course; but with that application, that is proper in a question concerning a matter of the greatest moment, where it highly concerns us to be well informed, and where the highest rewards and greatest dangers are proposed to our view. And in this hope, I have often addressed myself to you upon the subject of happiness, or the supreme good, at different periods of time, entertaining you in the intervals with essays and suitable exhortations upon other subjects; yet so as to observe a kind of method, and keep up a connection throughout the whole. I have taken notice of the name, and general notion of happiness, the universal desires and wishes whereby men are excited to the pursuit of it, the no less universal, because natural ignorance of mankind, and their errors and mistakes in the search of it. Whence it happens, that, as they all run in the wrong road, the faster they advance, the further they depart from it; and like those who ply the oars in a boat, they look one way, and move another. And though it seemed almost unnecessary, as facts sufficiently demonstrate the truth of our assertion, yet by a brief recapitulation, wherein we took notice only of the principal heads and classes of things, we proved that happiness is, by no means, to be found in this earth, nor in any earthly enjoyments whatsoever. And this is no more than all, even fools as well as wise men, are willing to own: they not only pronounce one another unhappy, but, with regard to this life, all of them in general, and every one for himself in particular, acknowledge, that they are so; and, in this respect, experience fully justifies their belief: so that, if there were no further prospect, I am apt to believe all mankind would agree in that common saying, "That if mankind were apprised beforehand of the nature of this life, and it were left to their own option, none would accept of it.” As * Vitam hanc, si scientibus daretur, neminem accepturum. SENECA. the immortality of the soul has a near connection with this subject, and is a natural consequence from it, we, therefore, in the next place, bestowed some time in illustrating that doctrine. In the last place, we advanced some thoughts upon future happiness and misery, so far as is consistent with the weakness of our capacities to comprehend things so little known, and to express such as are, in a great measure, ineffable. Having treated of these things according to our measure, it remains that we now enquire about the way, which directly leads into that happy city, or to that happiness which is reserved in the heavens. This is a great and important article, comprehending the end and design of our life, as well as the hopes and comforts of it; and is very proper to be first treated of in a catechetical, or, indeed, any methodical system of theology, as appears from reason and precedents: for by this discussion we are immediately introduced into the whole doctrine of true religion. Accordingly, the first question in the generally received Catechism, which you have in your hands, is, "What is your only consolation in life and in death?" And the first question of another Catechism, which not long ago was used, particularly in this University, is, "What is the only way to true felicity?" For the salvation and happiness of mankind, in subordination to the glory of God, which is, to be sure, the supreme end of all, is the peculiar and genuine scope of theology; and, from it, the definition of this science seems to be most properly drawn nor do I imagine that any one is so weak, as from hence to conclude, that it ought to be called anthropology, rather than theology: for though it not only treats of the happiness of mankind, but also has this happiness, as has been observed, for its chief end and design; yet, with good reason, and on * Quæ est unica tua consolatio in vita & in morte. + Quæ est unica ad veram felicitatem via ? many accounts, it has obtained this more sublime title. It has God for its author, whom the wisest of men would in vain attempt to find out, but from the revelation he has made of himself; every such attempt being as vain as it would be to look for the sun in the night-time, by the light of a candle; for the former, like the latter, can only be seen by his own light. God cannot be known but so far as he reveals himself: which Sophocles has also admirably well expressed: "You will never," says he, "understand those divine things, which the gods have thought proper to conceal, even though you should ransack all nature.” Nor has this sacred science God for its author only, but also for its subject and its ultimate end, because the knowledge of him, and his worship, comprehends the whole of religion; the beatific vision of him includes in it the whole of our happiness, and that happiness is at last resolved into the divine grace and bounty. I should therefore chuse to give this brief and clear definition of theology, viz. "That it is a divine doctrine, directing man to real felicity, as his chief end, and conducting him to it by the way of true religion." I call it a doctrine, because it is not considered here as a habit in the mind, but as a summary of celestial truth. I call it a divine doctrine, for all the reasons already mentioned; because, for instance, it is from God, he is the subject of it, and it all terminates in him at last. I call it a doctrine directing man, for I confine my notion of it to that doctrine only, which was sent down from heaven for that purpose. What signify then those distinctions, which are indeed sounding, but quite tedious and foreign to the purpose, that divide theology into archetypal and ectypal, and again into the theology of the church militant, and that of the church * Αλλ' ν γάρ αν τὰ Θεια κρύπλοντα. Θεῖ, Μάθοις, ἂν ἐδ ̓ ἔι πάλι ̓ ὑπεξέλθοις σκοπῶν. triumphant? What they call archetypal theology is very improperly so named; for it is that perfect knowledge which God has of himself*: and the theology of the church triumphant, ought rather to be called the beatific vision of God +. The theology in question, "is that day springing from on high, which hath visited us, to give light to them which sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet in the way of peace'." That peace is true happiness, and the way of peace is true religion : concerning which I shall offer a few thoughts, and very briefly. First of all, you are to observe, that man is not a lawless creature, but capable of a law, and actually subject to one. This expression conveys no harsh, no dishonourable idea; nay, this subjection is so far from being a burden, that it is the greatest honour. To be capable of a law, is the mark and ornament of an intelligent rational soul, and that which distinguishes it from the brutes; it evidently supposes a resemblance to God, and an intercourse with heaven; and to live actually under the direction of religion and the law, is the great honour and ornament of human life, and what distinguishes it from the irregular conduct of the brute creation. For as the poet expresses it, "One beast devours another, fishes prey upon fishes, and birds upon birds, because they are subject to no law; but mankind lives under a just law, which makes their condition far preferable. The brute creatures devour one another without blame, because they have no law; but, as Juvenal observes, "Men alone, of all other earthly creatures, as they derive their reason from the highest heaven, are venerable for their understanding, which renders them capable of enquiring into divine things, * αυτοσοφία Η θεοψία. Η Ιχθύσι μεν καὶ θηρσὶ, καὶ διωνοῖς πετεηνοῖς 1 Luke i. 78, 79. |