The Constitution of Man Considered in Relation to External Objects (Classic Reprint) - Tapa dura

Sinopsis

Excerpt from The Constitution of Man Considered in Relation to External Objects

Similar views have long been taught by philosophers and divines. Bishop butler, in particular, says: 'an Author of Nature being supposed, it is not so much a deduction of reason as a matter of experience, that we are thus under his government, in the same sense as we are under the government of civil magis trates. Because the annexing pleasure to some ao tions, and pain to others, in our power to do or forbear, and giving notice of this appointment beforehand to those whom it concerns, is the proper formal notion of government. Whether the pleasure or pain which thus follows upon our behaviour, be owing to the Author of Nature's acting upon us every moment which we feel it, or to his having at once contrived and executed his own part in the plan of the world, makes no alteration as to the matter before us. For, if civil magistrates could make the sanctions of their laws take place, without inter'posing at all, after they had passed them, without a trial, and the formalities of an execution; if they were able to make their laws execute themselves, or every offender to execute them upon himself, we should be just in the same sense un der their government then as we are now; but in a much higher degree and more perfect manner. Vain is the ridicule with which one sees some persons will divert themselves, upon finding lesser pains consid ered As instances OF divine punishment. There Is No possibility OF answering OR evading the ge neral thing here intended, without denying all final causes. For, final causes being admitted, the plea sures and pains now mentioned must be admitted too, as instances of them. And if they are, if god annexes delight to some actions, with an apparent design to in duce us to act SO and so, then he not only dispenses happiness and misery, but also rewards and punishes actions. If, for example, the pain which we feel upon doing what tends to the destruction of our bodies, sup pose upon too near approaches to fire, or upon wound ing ourselves, be appointed by the Author of Nature to prevent our doing what thus tends to our destruction; this is altogether As much AN instance or his punishing our actions, and consequently of our being under his government, as declaring, by a voice from Heaven, that, if we acted so, he would inflict such pain upon us, and inflict it whether it be greater or less.'

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