APPENDIX PAGK CONTENTS 1. Documents extracted from 'Some Remains (hitherto unpublished) of Joseph Butler, LL.D., sometime Lord Bishop of Durham,' with a Prefatory Note II. Two Letters from Bishop Butler to the Duke of Newcastle. III. A Conversation between Bishop Butler and the Rev. John IV. A Letter to a Lady concerning Church Property V. A Sermon which has been ascribed to Bishop Butler, with a Prefatory Note 434 438 440 APPENDIX I. [IN 1853, Bishop (then Mr.) Steere published in London (Rivingtons), chiefly from MSS. in the British Museum, some remains of Bishop Butler never before given to the world. From this brief pamphlet (now extremely rare), kindly lent to me by the Bishop of Oxford, I have extracted all such papers as, apart from any biographical interest, seemed likely to throw any light upon his Works. I have, however, printed in this Appendix two Letters from Bishop Butler to the Duke of Newcastle, which the authorities of the Museum were good enough to tender to me. They have not been hitherto published. They exhibit, in a marked manner, more than one of the ethical qualities which are so transparently manifested in his Works.] (A.) [British Museum, Additional MS. 9815, f. 31; Pamphlet, pp. 7, 8.] God cannot approve of any thing but what is in itself Right, Fit, Just. We should worship and endeavour to obey him with this Consciousness and Recollection. To endeavour to please a man merely, is a different thing, from endeavouring to please him as a wise and good man, i. e. endeavouring to please him in the particular way of behaving towards him, as we think the Relations we stand in to him, and the Intercourse we have with him require. Almighty God is to be sure infinitely removed from all those human weaknesses which we express by the words captious, apt to take offence, &c. But an unthinking world does not consider what may be absolutely due to Him from all Creatures capable of considering themselves as His Creatures. Recollect the Idea, inadequate as it is, which we have of God, and the Idea of ourselves, and Carelessness with Regard to Him, whether we are to worship him at all; whether we worship Him in a right manner or conceited Confidence that we do so, will seem to imply unspeakable Presumption: neither do we know what necessary, unalterable Connection there may be, between moral Right and Happiness, moral Wrong and Misery. Sincerity is doubtless the thing, and not whether we hit the right manner, &c. But a sense of the Imperfection of our Worship, Apprehension that it may, and a Degree of Fear that it is, in some Respects erroneous, may perhaps be a Temper of mind not unbecoming such poor creatures as we are, in our addresses to God. In proportion as we are assured that we are honest and sincere, we may not [?] be satisfied that God cannot be offended with us. But Indifference whether what we do be materially or in the nature of the thing abstracted from our way of considering it, Good and Right,-such Indifference is utterly inconsistent with sincerity. No Person who has just notions of God can be afraid of his Displeasure any further than as he is afraid of his own character, whether it be what it ought. But so far as a man has Reason to fear his own Character so far there must be reason to fear God's Displeasure, or Disapprobation, not from any Doubt of his Perfection and Goodness, but merely from the Belief [in] it. Is it possible that People can be Scepticks in opinion, and yet without any Doubtfulness or Sollicitude about their Actions and Behaviour? (B.) [British Museum, Additional MS. 9815, f. 26; Pamphlet, pp. 9, 10.] What a wonderful Incongruity it is for a man to see the Doubtfulness in which things are involved, and yet be impatient out of Action or vehement in it. Say a man is a Sceptick, and add, what was said of Brutus quicquid vult valde vult, and you say, there is the greatest Contrariety between his understanding and his Temper that can be express'd in words. In general a man ought not to do other Peoples Duty for them : for their Duty was appointed them for their Exercise, and besides, And some men [sic] Nor has a man any Right who will do it in case of his Death. to raise in others such a Dependance upon him as that they must be miserable in case of his Death, tho' whilst he lives he answers that Dependance. Hobbes's Definition of Benevolence, that 'tis the Love of Power is base and false. But there is more of Truth in it than appears at first sight: the real Benevolence of men being, I think for the most Part, not indeed the single Love of Power, but the Love of Power to be exercised in the way of doing good, which is a different thing from Love to the Good or Happiness of others by whomsoever effected, which last I would call single or simple Benevolence. How little there is of this in the world may appear by observing how many Persons can bear with great Tranquillity that a Friend or Child should live in misery, who yet cannot bear the Thought of their Death. Good men surely are not treated in this world as they deserve, yet 'tis seldom, very seldom their Goodness which makes them disliked, even in cases where it may seem to be so. But 'tis some Behaviour or other, which however excusable, perhaps infinitely overbalanced by their virtues, yet is offensive, possibly wrong: however such, it may be, as would pass very well in a man of the world. (C.) [British Museum, Additional MS. 9815, f. 29; Pamphlet, pp. 10, 11.] Shall I not be faithful to God? If He puts a Part upon me to do, shall I neglect or refuse it? A Part to suffer, and shall I say I would not if I could help it? Can words more illsorted, more shocking be put together? And is not the thing express'd by them more so, tho' not express'd. in words? What then shall I prefer to the sovereign Good, supream Excellence, absolute Directions Perfection? To whom shall I apply for advice in opposition to infinite wisdom? to whom for Protection against Almighty Power? Sunday Evening, June 13, 1742. Hunger and thirst after Righteousness till filled with it by being made partaker of the Divine nature. Ad te levo oculos meos, qui habitas in coelis. Sicut oculi servorum intenti sunt ad manum dominorum suorum, sicut oculi ancillae ad manum dominae suae, ita oculi nostri ad Deum nostrum, donec misereatur nostri. As I would subject' all my Passions and affections to my Reason Two other words written over, but erased and now illegible. |