An historical and geographical description of Formosa: an island subject to the Emperor of Japan. ... To which is prefix'd, a preface in vindication of himself from the reflections of a Jesuit ... By George Psalmanaazaar, ... Illustrated with several cuts.
Psalmanazar, George, 1679?-1763.
Page  97

SECT. VIII. Of the Object of Christian Religion.

THE Evidences for the Christian Re|ligion being thus produc'd and exa|min'd, we come next to the Object of it. We have already asserted, that the true Religion must have for its Object, 1. A|bove all things the Honour and Glory of God. 2. The universal Happiness of Man|kind. 3. The Good of every Man in particular. For the clearer understanding of this, we shall divide the Christian Re|ligion, 1. Into the Credenda, or what a Christian ought to believe. 2. The Agen|da, or the Precepts he should practice; and if we find both these Parts of Christian Religion have the aforesaid Object, we may safely conclude it is the true Religion. My Design (as I have intimated elsewhere) is not to run over and repeat the Princi|ples of all Religions, but only to demon|strate the Excellency of the Christian by its Object, well knowing that all other Religions fall infinitely short of it.

1. As to its Credenda. It is true there are but few Nations which do not believe one Supreme Being; but how grosly are Page  98 they mistaken in their Notions of him? Some rob him of his chiefest Attributes: Some represent him subject to almost all the Passions of Human Nature, and this leads them into such weak and pernicious Principles and Practices, that Men [of com|mon Sence] of contrary Opinions, are a|sham'd to hear of; but the Christian Re|ligion teacheth not only God's Existence, but his Attributes also in the highest per|fection that our Understanding is capable to bear. Whereas other Religions adore a plurality of Gods, this teacheth to wor|ship one God in Unity: Some make him material, this an incomprehensible Spirit. Some again deny his Providence, or so as|sert his Sublimity that he neglects sublu|nary Things, as Matters much beneath his Government: But the Christian Religion teacheth us, that his Providence is Omni|present, and assures us of his great Love and tender Care over all his Creatures. In short, his Goodness, Mercy, Long-suffer|ing, Justice, his infinite Power, Wisdom, Holiness, &c. are plainly preach'd and de|monstrated by Jesus the Author of Chri|stian Religion. What a miserable State then are those in who deny the Provi|dence of God? They are Men without Faith, without Hope; are they groaning under Afflictions, they dare not call upon Page  99 him for Deliverance! Are they in their last Agonies, where can be their Trust and Confidence? But we are taught that this God is the Creator, Preserver, and Governour of all Things; we know he observeth all our Actions, and this makes us mindful of our Duty; we are sure that he giveth us the Fruits of the Earth, Suc|cess, Honour, Life, Health, Children, and all other Blessings; and this obligeth us to be thankful to that infinite Goodness which bestow'd them upon us: We be|lieve he orders all Events, as Diseases, Death of Friends, Crosses and Afflictions; this shews us the great Mercy of God, who scourgeth and punisheth us, that we may repent, and return to our Obedience. Other Religions indeed oblige Men to con|fess the Frailty of their Nature, to acknow|ledge the Crimes they daily commit, and the Evils to which they are inclin'd; yet it gives them no other Remedies for the appeasing the Justice of an angry God, but the Sacrifices of Beasts and of Men. But blessed be God, it is not so with us, we know we are Sinners, but we are con|fident that the God of infinite Mercy will, upon Repentance, forgive us all our Tres|passes for the sake of Jesus Christ his be|loved Son, who died for our Sins, rose again for our Justification, and ascended Page  100 into Heaven, to be our Advocate, Me|diator, and Intercessor with the Father: This is the greatest Consolation Man can wish; for whilst others are concern'd to appease their God by an infinite multitude of Sacrifices, and these attended with so great a number of Ceremonies, Christians enjoy a perfect Ttranquility and Freedom, relying entirely upon God's infinite Mercy, praying, extolling, and magnifying it without end. Yet this is not all that God hath done for us; he hath not only sent his Son to be an Expiation for our Sins, but also to be our Prophet and Teacher, to instruct us in the Will of his Father, by preaching publickly in the Synagogues of the Jews, and especially to those whom he had chosen to be Witnesses of his Life and Doctrine; and after the time of his Mis|sion was expired, and he ascended into Heaven, he sent the Holy Ghost the Com|forter to assist them, in planting the Reli|gion he left with them; bestow'd the Gift of Miracles upon them to confirm it; and for the better propagation of it he esta|blish'd a Communion and Congregation of Saints, into which all Men may be intro|duced who repent and have Faith. Lastly, He has left two Covenants, viz. the Sa|craments, in his Church, by which he con|veys his Graces and Blessings to us. These, Page  101 and more, are the wonderful Works of the infinite Goodness and Mercy of God; which when we reflect upon, we cannot but say with the Psalmist, What is Man, O Lord! that thou art mindful of him, &c. This I think sufficient, to shew how much the Credenda of the Christian Religion are for the Honour and Glory of God, the uni|versal Happiness of Mankind, and the Good of every Man in particular.

2. The Agenda, or Precepts which a Christian ought to practice, are no less for the Honour and Glory of God, &c. That they far excel the Rules of all other Reli|gions there can be no dispute. The Jews indeed have the Decalogue, or Ten Com|mandments, as well as we; But how strict|ly do they interpret them? And how far has Christ extended them? The Jews think if they are not Idolaters, or Blasphemers, if they observe the Sabbath by not doing any manner of Work, if they honour Fa|ther and Mother, if they do not Murther, Steal, commit Adultery, bear False Wit|ness, or are not Covetous; if they observe the Ceremonies and Festivals which the Law prescribeth, and abstain from the se|veral Meats it forbiddeth, then they think they have done their Duty, and that God is obliged to give them the promised Re|ward. But the Precepts of the Christian Page  102 Religion extend yet farther, as we shall presently shew.

God forbid the Pagan Religion should any ways be compared to the Christian, which is so far from glorifying God, that the Honour which is only due to the Crea|tor it giveth to the Creature, and teacheth Men to worship Idols, the Sun, Moon, and Stars, nay [for fear] the very Devils, and to sacrifice their very Children to them; it obligeth its Devotees to the utmost Cruel|ty to their own Bodies, under the Notion of Holiness, Merit; it allows, even pre|scribes the Impurity of Polygamy, and o|ther Uncleanness: In a word, instead of bringing Men to that degree of Holiness, without which no Man shall see the Lord, it makes them Reprobates, and throws them into the last degree of Imperfection, condemning all Graces and Vertues where|by we over-rule our Passions as foolish and idle Notions, &c. But least, contrary to my purpose, I should make too great a di|gression in comparing the Christian Reli|gion to all others, I shall return, and em|ploy the rest of this Section in shewing, that the Christian Religion is not only a|bove all others, but also that it brings a Man to Regeneration and that perfect Holi|ness, which is the end of his Creation.

Page  103If we consider the Precepts of Christia|nity as the Rules of Human Life, we shall find them the most accurately adapted to our Nature, as ever were made known to the World, no ways contradictory to our Reason, but tend to make mortal Man per|fect, even as God is perfect: The greatest Libertines who do not live up to them, yet approve of them. By these Precepts we are taught, First, Our Duty to our Maker, to believe in him, to fear him, to love him above all things; to trust and depend entirely upon him, to do his Will with all submission; to worship him with pure Hearts, not with Sacrifices, for he eats not the Flesh of Bulls, or drinks the Blood of Goats; they instruct us how to call upon him, and with fervent Zeal and Understanding, and unwearied Constancy, to offer up our Petitions to him; to praise and glorifie his Holy Name for all the Be|nefits we and all Mankind have receiv'd from him since the Creation of the World. These Duties are founded upon the highest and most solid Reason; and all that be|lieve there is a God must perform them: For whom shall we fear, but him that is Almighty? Whom shall we love, but in|finite Goodness and Loving-kindness it self? Whom shall we confide in, but him who is able and willing to help us? To Page  104 whom shall we submit, and upon whom shall we depend, but upon him who is in|finitely wise? Whose Will shall we do, but his who is just and right? Shall we worship him with Sacrifices of Beasts, who is an eternal Spirit? Briefly, since on Earth we petition our Superiours, if we will ob|tain any Favours from them, and we pay our grateful Acknowledgments for them when received; infinitely more are we obliged upon all occasions to pray to that God, upon whom our being and well-being depends; and to offer up our Praise and Thanks|givings to him who hath bestow'd so ma|ny Benefits upon us. Thus our Duty to God has not only his Glory for its Ob|ject, but our own Good and Welfare also.

Our Duty to our Neighbour gives us the most incomparable Rules for Government, Society, and Friendship; for it aims at the good of all Men in general, and of every Man in particular; it requires from us O|bedience to our Governours and Superiors, even when they unjustly use us, and per|secute us; it teacheth us the greatest Mer|cy, Love, and Humanity, one to another, obliging us to forgive our bitterest Ene|mies, and to pray for our Slanderers and Tormenters; it will not permit us to ren|der evil for evil, but on the contrary com|mands Page  105 us to do good to those who treat us injuriously. There is no Friendship so sa|cred, no Justice so impartial, no Charity so great, no Meekness so exemplary, as that which our blessed Saviour has recom|mended to us; wicked Thoughts, much more wicked Deeds, are abhorr'd by his true and genuine Followers, who live in perfect peace and tranquility one with ano|ther.

Our Duty to our selves has the same Ob|ject as the two former: It commands us the lowest and most profound Humility, the greatest Meekness and Patience under our Sufferings and Reproaches; to be content in whatsoever State of Life it shall please God to call us; to have an unshaken Faith, unspotted Chastity, and to presevere to the last Moment of our Lives; to be tempe|rate in Meats and Drinks, and all Recrea|tions; to follow our Callings with dili|gence; it gives us a singular Modesty, Sim|plicity, Gravity, and Sincerity of Heart; it teacheth us to deny our selves, to de|spise worldly things, and hunger and thirst after Righteousness; to husband well the Talent God hath given us; to follow the things that are pure, honest, of good re|port, and praise-worthy; it commands nothing that is unaccountable, nothing Page  106 that is base and unbecoming reasonable Creatures; all our Actions are moderated by it, we ought to be as innocent as Doves, but as wise as Serpents; we ought to be modest and humble, but not afraid to appear in the defence of Truth; we ought to do Justice, but not to be unmer|ciful; we ought to bear Injuries, but not to be sensless of them; we must be kind to all Men, but without any Pride or Af|fectation; and thus are all Christian Ver|tues moderated. If what has been said be well consider'd and digested, it will be evident, that the Christian Religion does bring us to the highest degree of Perfection that its possible Human Na|ture can attain to, and that it tends [in|finitely beyond all others] to the Glory and Honour of God, the universal Hap|piness of Mankind, and the Good of eve|ry Man in particular, and consequently is the true Religion.