Part I
Index to
References to the Editor’s Notes Are in Brackets
Abstract reasonings may mislead, 162
fitness of things, note 166
Actions
distinguished from their qualities, 111
manifest character, 156
rewarded and punished, 98
this world a theater of, 156
what sort exercise virtue, 152
Active and passive impressions, 140
Advantages of virtue, 113
may never recur, 101
Affections, excited by objects, 145
need control, 166
part of our constitution, 147
Affliction, a discipline, 150
chiefly of our own making, 100
Agent, the living, not compounded, 81
Alienation of parts of our body, 84
All things made double, 137
Allurements, use of, 151
Analogy
answers objections as to a present state of trial, 135
as to modes of existence, 78
carrying the force of positive argument, [105
deals only with facts, 171
indicates future punishment, 101
may amount to proof, 168
objections which it cannot answer, 171
the only proof of some things, 79
Antiquity of religion, 167
Atheists not argued with, in this treatise, 181
Beginnings of a righteous government seen on earth, 107
Bible, teaches the existence of general laws, [99
Bodies
not necessary to us, 82
not ourselves, 83
only instruments, 85, 86
their solid elements, 88
Bodily and mental habits, 134
Brain, does not think, [89
Brahminical notion of death, 92
Brutes,
are they immortal?, [88
may have greater strength than man, 119
under man’s control, 119
Capacities,
state of in infancy, 88
not destroyed by death, 89
not dependent on the body, 79
Causes and ends incomprehensible, 172
Changes compatible with identity, 78, 83
Character
manifested by probation, 156
not given but acquired, 155
what it means, note 163
Conscience,
how it acts, 164
implies government, 115
a rule, 164
authority, 164
future retribution, 165
may be impaired, 168
perverted, 168
Consciousness an indiscerptible entity, 82
presupposes identity, [77
Consequences
may sometimes be avoided, 102
may be foreseen, 98
show a moral government, 98
Course of nature constant, 97
Creatures finitely perfect, 147
may fall, 148
have each a way of life, 137
Danger of wrong doing, how increased, 132
and birth similar, 91
enlarges our sphere, 92
has no power over matter, [91
is not a suspension of our powers, 91
is not our destruction, 80
what it is, 80
Decay of vegetables, inference from, 92
Definitions of identity, 77
Delivering up of the Lord Jesus Christ, [111
Destruction of seeds, 153
Different states of human existence, 89
Difficulties belong to all subjects, [96
exercise the virtuous principle, 152
Disadvantages of virtue temporary, 126
Discipline, its true nature and use, [148
Disease not destructive to the soul, 90
sometimes remedial, 177
Disorder produced by sin, 148
Distress excites passive pity and active relief, 140
Distributive justice a natural rule, 110
Divine government a scheme, CHAP. VII.
Domestic government, 114
Dreams, what they prove, 86
Earthly satisfactions attainable, 183
Effects of actions on the actor, [143
Ends often produced by unlikely means, 180
Enjoyments in our own power to a great degree, 95
Error, how spread, [96
Evidence of natural religion, 166
Evil, may possibly be useful, 177
its possible origin, 147
not a necessary part of probation, [128
Exceptions to the happiness of virtue, 108
Experience indispensable, 141
Faculties, human, not perfect at first, 141
Fall of man, 133, [148
Fallacy in fatalism, 169
Fallen creatures require discipline, 150
Fatalism,—see Necessity.
Fear a proper motive to obedience, 154
Folly, destructive, as well as crime, 132
Formal notion of government, 99
Foundation of moral improvement, [108
Future advantages, how proportioned, 93
Future existence probable, CHAP. I.
of brutes, [79
Future interest dependent on conduct, 95
Future life,
a solemn subject, 95
not an inactive condition, 144
reconcilable with atheism, 94
this life preparatory to it, CHAP. V.
Future punishment credible, 103
Future retribution, how proved, 125
Future state
different from the present, 78
brings us into new scenes, 93
may have temptations, [145
social, 144
will not require such virtues as does the present life, 154
General laws
govern the world, 177, [99
produce punishment, 103
wisdom of them, 178
General method of God’s government, 97
General system of religion, 124
Gradual improvement, a wise arrangement, 141, 142
GOD
an intelligent governor, 106
determined by what is fit, [166
governs by human instruments, 111
governs justly, [108
has a will and a character, 163
his aims incomprehensible, 97
his attributes inferred from our own, [115
his general government, 97
his government just and good, 176
his indirect commands, 165
moral government of, CHAP. III.
natural”,” II.
necessarily existent, 159
not indifferent to human actions, 125
not simply benevolent, 106
rewards and punishes, 169
the only necessary being, 159
Good actions, how punished, 111
Good habits necessary even to the virtuous, 149
Good men befriended as such, 112
cannot now all unite, 121
Good not forced upon us, [134
civil, an ordinance of God, 111
considered as a scheme, CHAP. VII.
of God, CHAP. II.
not perfected in this world, 107
the formal notion of it, 98
the perfection of, 106
Habits,
how formed, &c., 139
necessary to us hereafter, [145
of resignation, 155
often ruinous, 101
of virtue an improvement in virtue, 147
passive, 138
shape the character, 141
Happiness
not always the immediate reward of virtue, 108
not given promiscuously, 138
requisites for, 137
the result of virtue, 118
Helplessness of man, [138
Higher degrees of retribution probable, 127
Hinderances to virtue, 121
History of religion, 169
Honest men befriend the honest, 112
Hope and fear appeal to self-love, 153
are just principles of action, 154
Human life preparatory, 144
Hume’s wonderful discovery, [162
Human powers may be overtasked, 152
Identity
does not depend on the sameness of the body, 83
of living agents, 77, 78
not explicable, [77
Ignorance
acknowledged on all subjects but religion, 174
answers objections, 175
the argument from, 180
total, destroys proof, 178
Imagination a source of discontent, 154
produces much error, 81
Immortality of brutes, 88
Improvement
by discipline, 144
by habit, 147
of our faculties gradual, 141
wisdom of this, 142
Incomprehensibility of God’s plans, 97
Inconsiderateness destructive, 102
Inferiority of brute force, 119
Infidelity unjustifiable, 105
Insignificance of our knowledge, [174
Interest coincident with virtue, 154
not a sufficient restraint, note 146
Interpositions to prevent irregularities, 177
would produce evil, 178
Intentional good rewarded, 114
Irregularities perhaps unavoidable, 177
seeming may not be such, 176
Inward peace attends virtue, 112
Kingdom, idea of a perfect, 123
Knowledge of man insignificant, [174
Liberty does not account for the fall, 147
implied in our present condition, 162
Life a probation, 128
one part of it preparatory to another, [142
what is it intended for, 137
Living agent not subject to death, 79
Living powers, see Death.
Locke on human identity, [77
Maimonides, his similitude, [173
Man
an inferior part of creation, 133
a system of parts, [98
by nature social, [93
capable of improvement, 145
connected with present, past, and future, 181
dealt with as if free, 162
has a moral nature, 115
his fall not accounted for by his free agency, 147
his helplessness, [138
knows nothing fully, 173
may become qualified for new states, 137
not a competent judge of God’s schemes, 174
requires moral culture, 145
Mania often produced by moral causes, [85
Materialism, its philosophical absurdity, [81
Matter and mind not the same, [83
affect each other, 85
Means
learned by experience, 176
man not a competent judge of the fitness of them, 178
not always agreeable, 176
Men often miss possible temporal good, 129
Men’s temporal interests greatly depend on themselves, 131
Might of unarmed virtue, [121
Mind
influenced by the passions, 131
is the man, [87
its effects on the body, [85
may survive the body, [89
the only real percipient, 85
uses the body as an instrument, [87
Miracles, properly speaking, not unnatural, 94
Miseries as contingent as conduct, 135
generally are avoidable, 100
Mixture of suffering and enjoyment in this world, [128
Moral and natural government of God similar to each other, 184
Moral attributes of God may be inferred from our own, [115
Moral discipline, CHAP. V.
Moral government of God, CHAP. III.
Moral improvement, basis of, [108
Moral world, its apparent irregularities, 176
Mystery of God, finished, note 102
Natural, the true meaning of the word, 94
Natural government of God, CHAP. II.
Natural religion,
its evidences not affected by the doctrine of necessity, 166
proof of, 166
teaches the doctrine of punishment, 102
Necessary agents may be punished, 169
Necessary bulk of one’s self, 84
Necessary existence of God, 159
Necessary tendencies of virtue, 118
Negligence and folly disastrous, 132
consigns us to a fallacy, 169
contradicts the constitution of nature, 170
destroys no proof of religion, 170
different kinds of, [157
does not exclude design, 160
doctrine of, CHAP. VI.
not an agent, 159
not applicable to practice, 163
not in conflict with religion, 160
our condition indicates freedom, 162
reconcilable with religion, 168
the doctrine absurd, 157
what it means, 158
writers for and against, [170
New scenes in the next world, 93
Obedience, reluctant, useful, [152
Objections,
against a proof and against a thing to be proved, 179
against the scheme of Providence, 174
analogy of plants, 92
Christianity not universal, 169
course of nature, 97
destruction of seeds, 153
difference between temporal and eternal things, [135
discipline might have been avoided, 156
God simply benevolent, 106
good and evil may be mixed in the next world, 124
gratification of appetites natural and proper, 98
ignorance, the argument from invalidates the proof of religion, 178
immortality of brutes, 87
incredible that necessary agents should be punished, 169
irregularities of the moral world, 176
necessity destroys the proof of religion, 165
our powers may be overtasked, 152
probabilities may be overbalanced by probabilities, 169
punishments are only natural events, 99
rectitude arising from hope and fear, sordid, 153
rewards and punishments, 95
sin need not have entered the world, 177
society punishes good actions, 111
special interpositions might prevent evil, 177, 178
to the doctrine of necessity, CHAP. VI.
to the doctrine of future punishments, 100-103
virtue sometimes punished, 111
virtues of the present life not wanted hereafter, 154
world disciplines some to vice, 153
Obligation certain, when proofs are not, 179
Occasional disadvantages of virtue, 117
Occasional indulgences in wrong-doing awfully dangerous, [143
One period of life preparatory to another, [142
Opportunities once lost irrecoverable, 143
Organs of sense mere instruments, 89
Our moral nature proves a moral government, 115
Pain, no contrivance for it in man, [110
Partial ignorance does not destroy proof, 178
Passions
carry away the judgment, 131
make our condition one of trial, 130
may account for the fall of man, 147
may be excited where gratification is impossible or unlawful, 146
may remain in a future state, 147
should be subject to the moral principle, 145
the bare excitement of, not criminal, 145
but dangerous, 146
Passive habits, 138
Passive impressions weakened by repetition, 139
Passive submission essential, 155
Peace of the virtuous, 112
Perception, instruments of, 85
possible without instruments, 86
Perfection of moral government, 106, 107
of an earthly kingdom, 123
Persecution unnatural, 111
Philosophy never arrogant, [174
what it cannot teach, [87
Pleasure
not a sufficient reason for action, 98
and pain mostly depend on ourselves, 95
the distribution indicates moral government, 105
Powers
may be improved by exercise, 138
may be overtasked, 152
may exist and not be exercised, 80
no reason for supposing that death will destroy them, 81
Practical proof, what, 168
Present existence unaccounted for by atheism, 94
Presumptions that death will destroy us, 81
that it will suspend our existence, 91
Presumptuousness unjustifiable, 105
Private vices not public benefits, [111
Probabilities in favor of religion may be overbalanced by probabilities against it, 169
Probation, CHAP. IV.
applies to the present life as well as the future, 130
does not necessarily imply suffering, [128
implies allurements, 129
is more than moral government, 128
requires severe discipline, 150
Proofs of natural religion, 166
of religion not affected by the doctrine of necessity, 160
Propensions necessarily create temptations, 146
are excited by their appropriate objects, 147
Proper gratification of the appetites, 98
Prosperity of a virtuous community, 123
may beget discontent, 154
Providence, objections to God’s, 140, 174
Public spirit a fruit of virtue, 120
Punishment
an alarming subject, 105
especially considered, 100
greater hereafter than now, 127
in a future state credible, 103, 125
is God’s voice of instruction, [108
is sometimes capital, 102
not unjust, 163
often long delayed, 101
often overtakes suddenly, 101
of virtuous actions, 111
religious and natural similar, 100
results from folly as well as crime, 132
the result of general laws, 103
Quotations.
Aristotle, [152
Chalmers, [131, 138, 148
Cicero, [82, 86
Clarke, [97
Fitzgerald, [145
Robert Hall, [118
Hume, [162
Maimonides, [173
Mandeville, [111
Plato, [87, 113
Son of Sirac, [137
Strabo, [92
Rashness, consequences of, 96
Reason
an incompetent judge of means, 178
gives power over brute force, 119
needs experience, 141
not dependent on bodily powers, 89
requires a fair opportunity, 119-121
Recapitulation of the whole argument, 180
Rectitude, is self-interest a proper motive to it?, 153
References to other authors.
Bates, [128
Baxter, [88
Bayle, [88
Beattie, [170
Belsham, [170
Berkeley, [111
Bonnett, [89
Bramhall, [171
Brown, [111
Bryant, [171
Butterworth, [107
Calcott, [128
Capp, [109
Chalmers, [77, 79, 148
Charnock, [158
Cheyne, [88
Clarke, 82, [81, 97, 171
Colliber, [88
Collings, [158, 170
Compte, [170
Crombie, [170
Crouse, [170
Davies, [109
D’Holbach, [170
Descartes, [88
Ditton, [88
Doddridge, [109
Dodwell, [81
Dwight, [109
Edwards, [88, 170
Fabricius, [128
Fichte, [170
Gibbs, [171
Grove, [171
Haller, [89
Harris, [171
Hartley, [170
Hegel, [170
Henly, [128
Hobbes, [170
Holtzfusius, [128
Holyoake, [170
Horseley, [109
Hume, [88
Hunt, [109
Jackson, [171
Konnicott, [128
King, [98, 171
Law, [98
Lawson, [171
Le Clerc, [128
Leland, [109
Leroux, [170
Liefchild, [109
Locke, [88
Manton, [128
Martineau, [170
Martinius, [119
Milman, [142
Morgagni, [89
Morton, [109
Musæus, [128
Palmer, [171
Pearson, [128
Polignac, [88
Porteus, [109
Price, [158
Priestley, [142, 170
Reid, [170
Rutherford, [109, 158
Search, [88
Seed, [109
Selden, [128
Shaftesbury, 108
Sherlock, [109
Shuckford, [128
Son of Sirac, [137
South, [109, 128
Stapfer, [128
Strabo, 92
Toplady, [128
Topping, [109
Twisse, [109
Wagstaff, [88
Warburton, [111
Watts, [77, 88, 171
Whately, [142, 158
Willis, [88
Wisheart, [109
Witsius, [128
Wittichius, [109
Reflection not dependent on sensation, 91
Reformation is attended with discomfort, 108
may not prevent penalties, 102
Relation between us and our bodies, 85
Relations of things, limitless, 173
Religion
a question of fact, 165
historical evidence of, 168
professed in all ages, 167
its proofs not affected by the doctrine of necessity, 170
nor by our ignorance, 178
Reluctant obedience profitable, [152
Remedies often very disagreeable, 176
Repentance may be too late, 104
Requisites to the superiority of reason, 119
of virtue, 120, 121
Resentment of injuries, 114
Resignation
a temper consonant with God’s sovereignty, 155
essential to virtue, 154
the fruit of affliction, 155
the habit necessary hereafter, 155
Retributions are divine teachings, [108
Revelation,
antiquity of, 167
not improbable, 167
not universal, note 107
Rewards and punishments, how distributed, 126
Satisfactions of virtue, 108
Scheme of God incomprehensible, 172
Self-denial, its relations to present happiness, 134
not essential to piety, 152
Self-discipline, what, [148
Self-love
a just principle of action, 154
appealed to, 153
how moderated and disciplined, 155
not a sufficient restraint, note 146
reasonable and safe, 130
Sensation not necessary to reflection, 91
Senses not percipients, 85
Severe discipline necessary, 150
Similitude of a historical painting, [174
Simplicity of the living agent, 83
Sin, why not kept out of the world, 177
Skepticism does not justify irreligion, 105
Social, our nature essentially such, [93
Society
must punish vice, 110
natural and necessary, [93
sometimes punishes the good, 111
Soul
a simple substance, 82
not destroyed with the body, 79
not naturally immortal, [81
Souls of brutes, 88
Special interpositions of Providence, 177, 178
Stages of existence, 78
State of probation, CHAP. IV.
State of discipline and improvement, CHAP. V.
Submissive temper necessary, 155
Subordinations exceedingly beneficial, 142
Subserviencies in nature, 173
Sufferings may be avoided, 95
not necessary to the cultivation of virtue, [128
Temporal and religious probation similar, 132
Temptations
increased by bad examples, 132
and by former errors, 132
intended for our improvement, 136
involve probation, 129
may improve or injure us, 153
security against their evils, 146
sources of, to upright beings, 147
the necessary result of propensions, 146
Tendencies of virtue, 118
hindered, 121
essential, not accidental, 126
Terms “nature” and “course of nature”, [97
Theorizing no aid to virtue, 139
Thoughtlessness often fatal, 101
Transmigration of souls, [87
Trials
manifest character, 156
may exist in a future state, 147
qualify for a better state, 144
unreasonable ones are not inflicted, 133
why we are subjected to them, 136
Ultimate design of man, [98
Understanding may be perverted, 168
Uneasiness produced by former sins, 109
Union of good beings, 122
Unjustifiableness of religious indifference, 105
Upright creatures may fall, 147
need good habits, 149
Universe and its government immense, 123
Vice
actually punished by society 110, 111
must produce uneasiness, 112
never rewarded as such, 116
not only criminal but depraving, 149
often increased by trials, 153
punished as such, 114
Vicious men lose their influence, [121
Virtue
a bond of union, 122
as such, rewarded on earth, 111
“brings its own reward”, [118
has occasional disadvantages, [117
hinderances accidental, 121
how and why rewarded, 111
improved by trials, 151
its benefits to a community, 123
natural, not vice, 116
not always rewarded in this life, 108
on the whole happier than vice, 113
secures peace, 112
tendencies essential, 126
tends to give power, 118, [121
Virtuous beings need virtuous habits, 149
Virtuous habits a security, 147
how formed, 139
improve virtue, 147
necessary in a future state, [145
Voice of nature is for virtue, 117
Waste of seeds, 153
Wickedness may produce some benefits, 177
voluntary, 136
Will and character of God, how determined, note 166
what they mean, note 163
Wonderful discovery of Hume, [162
World
a system of subordinations, 173
a theater for the manifestation of character, 156
disciplines some to vice, 153
fitted for man’s discipline, 150
governed by fixed laws, 110
Youth
a determining period, 101
if lost, not to be recovered, 143
its beneficial subordinations, 142