Elements of Moral Philosophy

ANALYSIS OF THE CONTENTS.

PRELIMINARY PRINCIPLES AND DISCUSSIONS.

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Moral Philosophy is founded on the moral constitution of man,

Moral Philosophy partly theoretical and partly practical,

There has been great diversity of sentiment on the theoretical part,

Illustration of this observation by examples taken from philosophers, ancient

and modern,

There has been a remarkable coincidence of sentiment among mankind on

the practical department of morals,

This position sustained by argument, and by numerous authorities,

This general concurrence of sentiment among mankind lays a firm founda-

tion, on which to build a system of practical morals,

Two objects are specially contemplated in practical morals. 1. The forma-

tion and cultivation of a permanent, strong, and delicate sense of duty.

2. A knowledge of the principles and rules which determine our duty in

the various situations and relations of life,

Analysis of the sense of duty, and its beneficial influence,

Conscience is an element of our mental constitution,

Its office is to judge and prescribe in morals, and to pronounce a definite

sentence on our conduct,

Its decisions are to each individual his supreme moral guide,

The last three positions confirmed by argument, by a brief historical review,

and by numerous authorities, ancient and modern,

To insure safe decisions, however, the conscience must be guided and en-
lightened, and the mind must be kept free from passion and prejudice,

The conscience is to be guided and enlightened from several sources,

1. By the law of the land; but this is an imperfect guide,

By looking to the consequences of our conduct; but this, too, is an im-

perfect and a subordinate guide,

3. By the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament; and these supply the

defects of the two preceding guides,

To confirm this last position, the Scriptures are reviewed, under the divisions

of the Patriarchal, Mosaic, and Christian dispensations,

The patriarchal dispensation is chiefly distinguished for facts and institutions

having a moral bearing and influence,

Review of the moral character of the Mosaic dispensation,

Review of the moral character of the Ten Commandments,

Review of the morality of the Psalms, the Proverbs, and the Apocrypha,
Review of the morality of the Christian dispensation. The morality of the
Gospel is superior to that of the patriarchal and Mosaic dispensations,

Its design was, so far as morals are concerned, to furnish motives to moral

conduct, rather than rules; sanctions, rather than precepts,

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Christianity is the only religion which has ever contemplated extending

itself and its blessings through the earth by peaceable means,

This characteristic of Christianity is more extraordinary than we are accus-

tomed to suppose,

Confirmation of this, by reference to the sentiments, designs, and actions of
the ancient founders of cities, lawgivers, philosophers, &c.,
Other chief characteristics of the morals of Christianity,
Our Saviour's character a part of the morality of the Gospel,
Tests by which to try the moral sublimity of his character. 1. The design
of his coming. 2. The nature of the means which he employed to ac-
complish his sublime and beneficent design. 3. The personal qualities
displayed by him. 4. The effects actually produced by Christianity thus
far, and those which we may anticipate,

An objection to the science of Moral Philosophy anticipated,

PART I.

OUR RELATION TO GOD, AND THE MORAL DUTIES THENCE

ARISING.

CHAPTER I. ELUCIDATION OF THIS HIGHEST OF OUR RELATIONS, AND

OF THE MORAL INFLUENCE OF A BELIEF IN A SUPREME BEING.

Our conception of the Deity unites in itself the richest moral elements,
all that is fair, great, and good, whatever bears the impress of beauty,
grandeur, sublimity, order, harmony, dignity, and happiness,

Hence, the character of the Deity is to us a fixed and ultimate standard of

moral excellence, by the contemplation of which, the tendencies of man

to wickedness are counteracted, and human nature rises above its natural

condition,

This argument respecting the special moral influence arising from a belief

in God, and his superintending providence, confirmed, .

1. By an appeal to the recorded sentiments and convictions of all nations

which have left any writings,

2. By citing the sentiments of the American revolutionary Congress,

Belief in God, then, and his superintending providence, is alike the founda-

tion of morals and religion,

Case of the heathen who knew God, but glorified him not as God,

To preserve that strong conviction and deep sense of God, which is the root

and branch of practical morals, we must perform the duties which spring

from the relation in which we stand to him,

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CHAPTER II. THE GENERAL DUTY OF REVERENCING GOD.

Analysis of the reverence which we owe to God,

Tendency and effect of levity, ridicule, sneering, and scoffing at religion,

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CHAPTER III. THE DUTY OF WORSHIPPING GOD.

There is a distinction between reverencing and worshipping God,

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The special object of Divine worship, is to keep up in the mind a habit of

devotion and reverence,

Divine worship, private and public, is both natural and reasonable,

This position illustrated by examples, and confirmed by argument,

The chief objection against prayer answered,

The subject matter of which prayer and thanksgiving ought to consist,

Remarks on the part of Divine service which consists of preaching and cate-

chetical instruction, .

Importance of catechetical instruction,

The benefits, public and private, of Divine worship,

1. It does not seem possible, in any other way, to keep up any practical

knowledge of God, and the ascendency of Christian principles,

2. A large part of mankind have but small opportunities of receiving moral

and religious instruction elsewhere than at church,

3. Habitual joining in a common religious service has a tendency to unite

mankind in the bonds of a common fellowship, and to cherish and enlarge

the generous affections,

4. The various classes of mankind meet each other, in the church, on some-

thing like equal terms, and this tends to check the exclusive spirit nour-

ished by the artificial distinctions of human pride and power,

CHAPTER IV. THE OBSERVANCE OF SUNDAY.

The moral influence of the private and public worship of God, makes the

observance of Sunday a matter of great moment in the view of the moral

philosopher,

Review of the early history of the Hebrew Sabbath,

The question, whether the institution known originally by the name of the

Sabbath, and in later times by the name of Sunday, was designed, save

the mere change of the day, to be the same, and to be of perpetual obliga-

tion, argued and answered in the affirmative,

The duties which constitute a suitable observance of Sunday,

1. A cessation from labor; except the labor of attending and performing

Divine service, and works of necessity and mercy,

2. Attendance on public worship, private prayer, reading, meditation, and

the instruction of children and servants,

3. The appropriation of a part of the day to the moral and religious instruc-

tion of children in Sunday schools, is one of the greatest moral improve-

ments of modern times, .

PART II.

OUR RELATION TO OUR COUNTRY, AND THE MORAL DUTIES

THENCE ARISING; THAT IS, THE DUTIES OF PATRIOTISM.

Christianity has made obedience to civil government imperatively binding

on the conscience,

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But Christianity does not teach unlimited obedience to civil government,

much less does it inculcate a servile spirit, .

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No obedience, too, is owed by any one, where the consequence must be a

violation of his duty to God,

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The duty of civil obedience is prescribed in the New Testament in strong

terms, because of the overwhelming evils of anarchy and revolution, 101

The right of revolution begins, at the point where civil obedience ceases to

be a virtue,

What this point is, those who undertake a revolution must judge for them-
selves,

Mr. Burke quoted in illustration of this subject,

Our Declaration of Independence has marked the right and duty of resistance

with as much definiteness as seems practicable,

CHAPTER I. MORAL DUTIES OF RULERS OF EVERY GRADE.

Rulers of every grade occupy a common ground, and sustain a common re-
lation to their country, from which spring important moral duties,

It is their duty to guard themselves against faction and party spirit, which

have been the bane of all free governments,

The peculiar facilities for usefulness, which they enjoy, are a great moral

trust, and it is their duty to use them to advance the interests of educa-

tion, good morals, humanity, religion, &c.,

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The dignity of office, by an easy transition, passes over to him who fills it;

and, therefore, rulers are especially bound, in conscience, to see that their

example in private be salutary in its tendency and influence, .

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CHAPTER II. DUTIES OF THE CITIZENS TOWARDS THE CIVIL MAGIS-

TRATE.

The New Testament ranks these among the most important moral duties, 110

Civil governors are entitled to a fair, candid, and even favorable representa-
tion of their sentiments, conduct, and official measures,
They are entitled, too, to a fair and reasonable active support, until their
conduct has been such as to forfeit a liberal confidence,

Even when an administration comes into office against our wishes and en-

deavours, they are still entitled to be judged by their measures,

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A line of distinction reasonably definite, drawn between a factious and a prin-
cipled opposition,

The sentiments of Mr. John Quincy Adams on this subject, cited,

CHAPTER III. THE DUTY OF THE CITIZEN IN REGARD TO THE EX-

ERCISE OF THE ELECTIVE FRANCHISE.

It is the duty of the citizen to exercise the elective franchise with integrity

and discretion,

The elective franchise is rightly regarded as a public trust,

In this country, this trust is one of much dignity and importance,

It is an abuse of this trust to exercise it in furtherance of any private and

Two questions of practical difficulty discussed. 1. How far a man may

rightfully act with a party in times of public excitement. 2. How far,

and in what ways, he may attempt to influence the votes of other electors, 116

Several practices common at elections animadverted on,

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CHAPTER IV. THE DUTY OF THE CITIZENS TO CULTIVATE A PATRI-

OTIC SPIRIT AND THE PATRIOTIC VIRTUES.

In the first stages of society, the great body of the people of every country

were soldiers,

Much of the martial spirit has descended to our times, and is regarded by

many as almost the exclusive test and evidence of patriotism,

Such a view of patriotism is unnatural, illiberal, and unreasonable,

Patriotism analyzed into its elements, and illustrated by citing Vattel,

The martial spirit and virtues were esteemed superior to the peaceful spirit

and civil virtues, in the time of Cicero, but this opinion was not received

Moral power is the chief tower of strength to a country,
Hence a man may become a distinguished patriot, and be entitled to the
highest honors of patriotism, without commanding an army,

CHAPTER V. THE DUTY OF CITIZENS TO KEEP THEMSELVES WELL IN-

FORMED RESPECTING PUBLIC MEN AND PUBLIC MEASURES.

Such information is necessary to exercise the elective franchise with integ-

rity and discretion,

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The founders of our political institutions relied for success on universal

education, correct information, and good moral habits among the people, 123

To this end, our constitutions and laws have made education a subject of

special recommendation and encouragement,

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This position confirmed and illustrated by references to the constitutions

and laws of the individual States and of the United States,

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CHAPTER VI. THE DUTY OF THE CITIZEN TO AID IN THE Defence

OF HIS COUNTRY, AND IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE, BY SERV-

ING ON JURIES, GIVING TESTIMONY ON OATH, &c.

It is easy to understand, that peace is the interest of all nations,

Still, the most even-handed justice has not always secured this invaluable

blessing to a nation,

We may trust, that hereafter an international tribunal may be established

for the adjustment of national controversies,

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In the mean time it is the duty of the citizen to aid in the defence of his coun-
try,.

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The trial by jury commended, and the duty of the citizen to serve on juries,
and to qualify himself for such service, explained and enforced,
The distinction between malum prohibitum and malum per se, when made for
the purpose of obeying one law and evading another, entirely unsound,

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CHAPTER VII. MORAL DUTIES OF THE UNITED STATES, REGARDED AS

COMMUNITIES, TO ONE ANOTHER.

States, kingdoms, commonwealths, all civil communities, are moral per-

sons, responsible for their acts, and charged with various duties,

The United States owe to one another all the duties prescribed by the Law

of Nature and Nations,

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The foundation of the Law of Nations stated and illustrated,

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