If the principle of interest rightly understood had nothing but the present world in view, it would be very insufficient1; for there are many sacrifices which can only find their recompense in another; and whatever ingenuity2 may be put forth3 to demonstrate the utility of virtue4, it will never be an easy task to make that man live aright who has no thoughts of dying. It is therefore necessary to ascertain5 whether the principle of interest rightly understood is easily compatible with religious belief. The philosophers who inculcate this system of morals tell men, that to be happy in this life they must watch their own passions and steadily6 control their excess; that lasting7 happiness can only be secured by renouncing8 a thousand transient gratifications; and that a man must perpetually triumph over himself, in order to secure his own advantage. The founders9 of almost all religions have held the same language. The track they point out to man is the same, only that the goal is more remote; instead of placing in this world the reward of the sacrifices they impose, they transport it to another. Nevertheless I cannot believe that all those who practise virtue from religious motives11 are only actuated by the hope of a recompense. I have known zealous13 Christians14 who constantly forgot themselves, to work with greater ardor16 for the happiness of their fellow-men; and I have heard them declare that all they did was only to earn the blessings17 of a future state. I cannot but think that they deceive themselves; I respect them too much to believe them.
Christianity indeed teaches that a man must prefer his neighbor to himself, in order to gain eternal life; but Christianity also teaches that men ought to benefit their fellow-creatures for the love of God. A sublime18 expression! Man, searching by his intellect into the divine conception, and seeing that order is the purpose of God, freely combines to prosecute19 the great design; and whilst he sacrifices his personal interests to this consummate20 order of all created things, expects no other recompense than the pleasure of contemplating21 it. I do not believe that interest is the sole motive10 of religious men: but I believe that interest is the principal means which religions themselves employ to govern men, and I do not question that this way they strike into the multitude and become popular. It is not easy clearly to perceive why the principle of interest rightly understood should keep aloof22 from religious opinions; and it seems to me more easy to show why it should draw men to them. Let it be supposed that, in order to obtain happiness in this world, a man combats his instinct on all occasions and deliberately23 calculates every action of his life; that, instead of yielding blindly to the impetuosity of first desires, he has learned the art of resisting them, and that he has accustomed himself to sacrifice without an effort the pleasure of a moment to the lasting interest of his whole life. If such a man believes in the religion which he professes25, it will cost him but little to submit to the restrictions26 it may impose. Reason herself counsels him to obey, and habit has prepared him to endure them. If he should have conceived any doubts as to the object of his hopes, still he will not easily allow himself to be stopped by them; and he will decide that it is wise to risk some of the advantages of this world, in order to preserve his rights to the great inheritance promised him in another. "To be mistaken in believing that the Christian15 religion is true," says Pascal, "is no great loss to anyone; but how dreadful to be mistaken in believing it to be false!"
The Americans do not affect a brutal27 indifference28 to a future state; they affect no puerile29 pride in despising perils30 which they hope to escape from. They therefore profess24 their religion without shame and without weakness; but there generally is, even in their zeal12, something so indescribably tranquil31, methodical, and deliberate, that it would seem as if the head, far more than the heart, brought them to the foot of the altar. The Americans not only follow their religion from interest, but they often place in this world the interest which makes them follow it. In the Middle Ages the clergy32 spoke33 of nothing but a future state; they hardly cared to prove that a sincere Christian may be a happy man here below. But the American preachers are constantly referring to the earth; and it is only with great difficulty that they can divert their attention from it. To touch their congregations, they always show them how favorable religious opinions are to freedom and public tranquillity34; and it is often difficult to ascertain from their discourses35 whether the principal object of religion is to procure36 eternal felicity in the other world, or prosperity in this.
点击收听单词发音
1 insufficient | |
adj.(for,of)不足的,不够的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2 ingenuity | |
n.别出心裁;善于发明创造 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4 virtue | |
n.德行,美德;贞操;优点;功效,效力 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5 ascertain | |
vt.发现,确定,查明,弄清 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6 steadily | |
adv.稳定地;不变地;持续地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7 lasting | |
adj.永久的,永恒的;vbl.持续,维持 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8 renouncing | |
v.声明放弃( renounce的现在分词 );宣布放弃;宣布与…决裂;宣布摒弃 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9 founders | |
n.创始人( founder的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10 motive | |
n.动机,目的;adv.发动的,运动的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11 motives | |
n.动机,目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12 zeal | |
n.热心,热情,热忱 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13 zealous | |
adj.狂热的,热心的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
14 Christians | |
n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
15 Christian | |
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
16 ardor | |
n.热情,狂热 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
17 blessings | |
n.(上帝的)祝福( blessing的名词复数 );好事;福分;因祸得福 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
18 sublime | |
adj.崇高的,伟大的;极度的,不顾后果的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
19 prosecute | |
vt.告发;进行;vi.告发,起诉,作检察官 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
20 consummate | |
adj.完美的;v.成婚;使完美 [反]baffle | |
参考例句: |
|
|
21 contemplating | |
深思,细想,仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 ); 注视,凝视; 考虑接受(发生某事的可能性); 深思熟虑,沉思,苦思冥想 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
22 aloof | |
adj.远离的;冷淡的,漠不关心的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
23 deliberately | |
adv.审慎地;蓄意地;故意地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
24 profess | |
v.声称,冒称,以...为业,正式接受入教,表明信仰 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
25 professes | |
声称( profess的第三人称单数 ); 宣称; 公开表明; 信奉 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
26 restrictions | |
约束( restriction的名词复数 ); 管制; 制约因素; 带限制性的条件(或规则) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
27 brutal | |
adj.残忍的,野蛮的,不讲理的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
28 indifference | |
n.不感兴趣,不关心,冷淡,不在乎 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
29 puerile | |
adj.幼稚的,儿童的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
30 perils | |
极大危险( peril的名词复数 ); 危险的事(或环境) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
31 tranquil | |
adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
32 clergy | |
n.[总称]牧师,神职人员 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
33 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
34 tranquillity | |
n. 平静, 安静 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
35 discourses | |
论文( discourse的名词复数 ); 演说; 讲道; 话语 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
36 procure | |
vt.获得,取得,促成;vi.拉皮条 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
欢迎访问英文小说网 |