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action admit affections Analogy Anthony Collins appears appetites argues argument Aristotle assertion Author of nature balance of happiness benevolence bishop Bishop Butler bishop of Bristol bishop of Durham Bristol Butler chap chapter character CHARLES DU CANE Christianity Clarke compassion conclusion conscience consciousness considered constitution course of nature Crown 8vo Cudworth Descartes Divine doctrine doubt Durham Edition English ethics evidence existence faculty future gratified happiness Hobbes human nature idea ignorance inquiry interest JOSEPH BUTLER judge kind mankind matter Matthew Tindal means ment mind misery moral government moralists natural religion notion objections obligation ourselves passions perfect perhaps persons philosophy practice precepts present presumption principle probably proof question Quintilian readers reason recognised regard reply revelation Rolls Chapel rule says scheme Scripture Secker seems self-love sense sermons supposed theory things thought tion truth vice virtue whole writers
Popular passages
Page 102 - It is come, I know not how, to be taken for granted, by many persons, that Christianity is not so much as a subject of inquiry ; but that it is, now at length, discovered to be fictitious. And, accordingly, they treat it as if, in the present age, this were an agreed point among all people of discernment; and nothing remained but to set it up as a principal subject of mirth and ridicule, as it were by way of reprisals for its having so long interrupted the pleasures of the world.
Page 79 - The Wise Man observes, that there is a time to speak, and a time to keep silence. One meets with people in the world, who seem never to have made the last of these observations. And yet these great talkers do not at all speak from their having any thing to say, as every sentence shows, but only from their inclination to be talking.
Page 172 - Things and actions are what they are, and the consequences of them will be what they will be : Why then should we desire to be deceived?
Page 139 - Indeed, if in revelation there be found any passages, the seeming meaning of which is contrary to natural religion, we may most certainly conclude such seeming meaning not to be the real one.
Page 122 - But going over the theory of virtue in one's thoughts, talking well, and drawing fine pictures, of it; this is so far from necessarily or certainly conducing to form a habit of it, in him who thus employs himself, that it may harden the mind in a contrary course, and render it gradually more insensible ; «. e. form a habit of insensibility to all moral considerations.
Page 102 - On the contrary, thus much, at least, will be here found, not taken for granted, but proved, that any reasonable man, who will thoroughly consider the matter, may be as much assured, as he is of his own being, that it is not, however, so clear a case, that there is nothing in it.
Page 147 - Men are impatient, and for precipitating things : but the Author of Nature appears deliberate throughout his operations; accomplishing his natural ends, by slow successive steps. And there is a plan of things beforehand laid out, which, from the nature of it, requires various systems of means, as well as length of time, in order to the carrying on its several parts into execution.
Page 59 - ... appeareth more probability that the same may happen to us ; for the evil that happeneth to an innocent man may happen to every man.
Page 57 - ... benevolence and the want of it, singly considered, are in no sort the whole of virtue and vice. For if this were the case, in the review of one's own character or that of others, our moral understanding and moral sense would be indifferent to every thing, but the degrees in which benevolence prevailed, and the degrees in which it was wanting. That is, we should...