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INTRODUCTION 3 Sanctions — Their comparative efficacy — Religious.
The Bishop of Gloucester, supposing him to have
made out his proposition, that the rulers
in every nation have propagated the doctrine
of a future state of rewards & punishments not the existence of Punishments & Rewards but their application
has gone but half way towards the proving
such a doctrine to be necessary to the [subsistence being
(however it may be with respect to
it's subservience] to the well-being) "Well-being" is his expression. v. 1. p. 57. of Society.
He should have shewn, at least he should be
ready to shew in case of it's being disputed
that in all these notions, the application distribution that
was supposed to be made of those future rewards
and punishments, was of the rewards
to actions beneficial, & of the punishments
to actions prejudicial to it.
Otherwise the examples If in the instance of any one nation, the case
was in any degree the reverse, I mean, if the force of the spiritual sanction was understood to be directed more in any degree to ye promotion of actions [or abstinences] derogatory from to the happiness of Society, more it proves that
so far from the two human temporal sanctions being
insufficient without the aid of the spiritual
to the maintenance of courts, without the assistance
of the spiritual one, that they are sufficient
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against their it's opposition. than that of such as are conducive to it
It is the misfortune of this argument of the
necessity of the practise this persuasion from the universality
of it, that if that the universality The recent example of comes on very vexatiously If 10,000, then 10,000,000. [be compleat
it is no great matter] have no exception
it is not much, & if it admitt but of a
single exception, one it is nothing. The only cause of here is to take hearts of grace, and boldly the of the well-being of such a society
If there be any religion nation in which there the
is a state doctrine of rewards and punishments
is inculcated but those rewards and punishments affected
exclusively appropriated to actions indifferent to the happiness of Society,
it is as to all but the unhappiness it produces by the unncessary useless restraints as if there were no such doctrine
If there be any nation, in which the doctrine of rewards and punishments is inculcated, but the application of them of this earth that of 4 classes distinguishable classes; the 1st compared performances & abstinances conducive to the good of Society The 2d. of performances & abstinances derogatory to the good of Society. The 3d of mere believing, & a 4th of mere ceremonials.
If there be a religion, the duties of which cannot
of a merged mass, of duties to be acts beneficial performed
moral duties to be performed, of propositions to be
believed, & of ceremonies to be observed, in which
any man at the same time that he procures
all the rewards of it, can get all the punishments
appertaining to the breach of any of
these classes, absolution should be more readily granted easily obtained and that more reality with
regard to that of the 1st than with regard to
any some one of the 3 others, especially if with
regard to the majority of them — especially
if it be a doctrine inculcated by that religion
that the punishments provided by of the 2 temporal
sanctions for any the breach of any of these duties, is nothing
in comparison of those rewards That as far as the spiritual sanction is concerned, there is lodged in man a power of absolution
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But the disadvantages which the Religious Sanction
is liable to by derives from its own nature, are small on
comparison of those which it contracts from the
became subject to in hands through which it passes.
The effect if it results not from what it is, but
what it is made appear to be.
while The application of the political Sanction is in
the management of the wisest heads in the nation,
that of the religion is too often in those of
the weakest.
Nay by a constitution of things it will often happens
that it is in the hands of the weakest, that
efficacy it's efforts effects tho' the worst-directed, is the strongest.
It's utility as a political engine (I say a political
engine, for why should an expression which
serves to indicate it's use, that is, it's value, merit be regarded
as a reproach) depends not on what it is
in itself, but on the what is inside of it.
Now the use that is made of it, is varies according
to the variety of persons who take it in hand, is, especially
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in the hands of those who turn it to most
account, seldom enough in proportion, seldom deserving of what one can commend[ation] what the
statesman, zealous to turn that as well as every other
instrument in his hands to the production of temporal and which is [the same operation] done by the same means, of eternal Happiness depends upon the same measures.
would wish it to be. It is, perhaps more particularly
by them, oftener employ'd in rearing building castles
in the air, than in strengthening the foundations of
society.
The moral duties upon the due strict discharge
of which all intelligible felicity depends,
meet with but a slight & transient notice.
Upon later and more careful enquiries, As enquiries become closer & better conducted a great
part of what used to be deemed the influence of the religious sanction,
is found to belong really to the moral. The
proof of this is, that habits which while the influence
of both moral & polit religious sanction were seen
to bear on them in conjunction, were apt to be attributed to
the latter, as carrying the appearance "of the greatest
force, have been found to be upholden were of by the single force of the moral only [sanction alone] with that of the religious even in opposition.
PUNISHMENT. INTRODUCT. ... 3 Sanctions - Religious - Dis-[ -advantages of —
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