The Principles of Moral and Christian Philosophy: In Two Volumes

Contents: Part II

39 the contents Digested into a Regular Summary. part ii Introduction. How it is proposed to answer all objections. Page 275 All objections which terminate in demanding an impossibility, are absurd. p. 276 What the ancients meant by the inhability or obliquity of a subject, or necessity of nature. p. 276 Such an inhability or necessity does not suppose any limitation upon the divine, creating power. p. 277 All objections which terminate in demanding a change to the worse, are absurd—They do ultimately terminate in demanding an impossibility. p. 278, 279 Chapter I. Some objections against man, are really objections against his perfection,— for all our powers, dispositions and affections are so many capacities of perfection and happiness. p. 280 So are all the laws relative to their improvement or degeneracy—The law of habits in particular, which is so extensive. p. 281 The objections againstman’simperfectionsarenolessabsurd,—theyknow no stop. p. 282, 283 They really demand a physical impossibility. p. 284 Hence we may see, that the only question concerning man must be, “Whether being naturally qualified for a very noble end, he does not deserve his place in the rising scale of life and perfection?” p. 285 40 original contents part ii Which he certainly does,—or plainly appears to do, in whatever light we consider his powers and affections. p. 286, 287, 288, 289 Chapter II. The objection taken from the prevalence of vice considered—Not so much vice in the world as is generally imagined. p. 290 In consequence of the excellent laws of our nature, some vices (morally speaking) are absolutely unavoidable,—because narrow views and wrong affections of ideas, are hardly avoidable. p. 291, 292 But if vice once enters it must spread. p. 292, 293, 294 No objection can be brought from hence which does not terminate in an absurdity. p. 294, 295 Illustration. p. 296, 297 Vices are really but the corruptions, degeneracies, or abuses of good and useful affections. p. 298 Some are misguidances of self-love, which is a very necessary principle in our frame. p. 299 This was the opinion of the best ancient moralists. p. 299 —Who set us an excellent example of the best manner of confutation, even in questions of the greatest importance. p. 300 As does Lord Shaftsbury in several instances well worthy our consideration and imitation. p. 301 But more vices are the misguidances or degeneracies of benevolent affections themselves—Instances from Shaftsbury to prove this. p. 302, 303, 304, 305 Nature could not possibly have done more to preserve us from degeneracy and corruption, or vice, than it has done,—for the original forces of affections stand right in us. p. 306, 307 Illustration. p. 308, 309, 310 And nature hath given us a guiding principle,—which acquires strength in the properest manner. p. 311, 312 Illustration. p. 313 If it be a perfection to have natural freedom and power, it must be a perfection to have moral freedom and power—But none call the first into question. p. 313, 314, 315 Reason, as such, must depend upon culture. p. 316, 317, 318 We may as well pretend to infer from vices, which prevail among mankind, that there is no such thing as a principle of self-love in our nature, as that original contents part ii 41 there is no such thing as a principle of benevolence in it—But none do the first. p. 319 This reasoning applied to ignorance—of the natural—and of the moral world. p. 320, 321 This reasoning applied to tyranny. p. 322 —and to superstition, which is found to go hand in hand with tyranny. p. 323, 324 Without a mixture of good and evil, there could be no place or room for prudence,—that is, for good and bad choice. p. 325, 326 Hence we see the necessity of evils,—or, at least, of pleasures far inferior to other pleasures, and so comparatively evils. p. 327, 328 Several virtues presuppose not only physical but moral evils. p. 329, 330, 331, 332 Every state of the body politic, as well as of the natural body, is incident to particular diseases or vices. p. 333 Some reflexions on the vices to which an opulent flourishing state is subject. p. 334, 335, 336, 337 Men may chuse their state, but every one hath its natural, necessary attendants and consequences. p. 338, 339, 340...