An Enquiry into an Origin of Honour; and the Usefulness of Christianity in WarMandeville, Bernard
Religion
An Enquiry into an Origin of Honour; and the Usefulness of Christianity in War
Mandeville, Bernard
Honor
the Care, that was taken of Religion, and a Pains-taking Ministry,
that preach'd not themselves but _Christ_, and, by their Example as well
as Precept, taught the Purity of the Gospel, and the strict Morality
that is contain'd in it, without Superstition or Allowances to please
Sinners: At others, they represented to their Hearers the exemplary
Lives of the Generals, the Sobriety of the Soldiers, and the Goodness
and Piety, as well as Zeal and Heroism of the whole Army.
Hor. But what is all this to what you was to prove? I want to know the
vast Service an outward Shew of Religion can be of to wicked Men, for
the obtaining of Victory: When shall I see that?
Cleo. Presently; but you must give me Leave to prove it my own Way. In
what I have said hitherto, I have only laid before you the Artifice,
which Every body knows was made Use of by the _Roundheads_ haranguing
their own Troops, to render the _Cavaliers_ and the King's Cause odious
and detestable to them on the one Hand, and to make them, on the
other, have an high Opinion of their own, and firmly believe, that God
could not but favour it. Now let us call to Mind the Situation of
Affairs in the Times I speak of, and the Politicks of those, who
opposed the King, and then consider, what a crafty designing General
ought to have done to make the most of the Conjuncture he lived in,
and the Zeal and Spirit that were then reigning among the Party he was
engaged in; if he had Nothing at Heart, but to advance, _per fas aut
nefas_, his own worldly Interest and his own Glory: In the First Place,
it would never have been believed that the _Presbyters_ were in Earnest,
who found Fault with and rail'd at the Luxury and loose Morals, as
well as Laziness of the National Clergy, if they had not been more
diligent in their Calling, and led stricter Lives themselves. This
therefore was complied with, and the dissenting Clergy took vast Pains
in Praying and Preaching without Book for Hours together, and
practis'd much greater Self-denial, at least to outward Appearance,
than their Adversaries. The Laity of the same Side, to compass their
End, were obliged to follow the Example of their Teachers in Severity
of Manners, and Pretences to Religion: Accordingly they did, at least
well enough, you see, to acquire the Name of the Sober Party.
Hor. Then you must think, that they had none but Hypocrites among
them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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