possible likewise for a crafty Divine, in order to rouse a listless
and dejected Audience, first to awaken them with lively Images of the
Torments of Hell and the State of Damnation, and afterwards seem
happily to light on an Expedient, that shall create new Hopes, and
revive the drooping Spirits of a Multitude; and by this Means the
Courage of Soldiers may often be wrought up to a higher Pitch than it
could have been rais'd, if they had not been terrify'd at all. I have
heard of an Instance, where this was perform'd with great Success.
Provisions had been scarce for some Time; and the Enemy was just at
Hand; and Abundance of the Men seem'd to have little Mind to fight;
when a Preacher, much esteem'd among the Soldiers, took the following
Method: First, he set faithfully before them their Sins and
Wickedness, the many Warnings that they had received to repent, and
God's long Forbearance, as well as great Mercy, in not having totally
destroy'd them long ago. He represented their Wants, and Scarcity of
Provision, as a certain Token of the Divine Wrath, and shew'd them
plainly, that labouring already under the Weight of his Displeasure,
they had no Reason to think, that God would connive longer at their
manifold Neglects and Transgressions. Having convinced them, that
Heaven was angry with them, he enumerated many Calamities, which, he
said, would befal them; and several of them being such, as they had
actually to fear, he was hearken'd to as a Prophet. He then told them,
that what they could suffer in this World, was of no great Moment, if
they could but escape Eternal Punishment; but that of this (as they
had lived) he saw not the least Probablity, they should. Having shewn
an extraordinary Concern for their deplorable Condition, and seeing
many of them touch'd with Remorse, and overwhelm'd with Sorrow, he
chang'd his Note on a Sudden, and with an Air of Certainty told them,
that there was still one Way left, and but that one, to retrieve all,
and avert the Miseries they were threaten'd with; which, in short, was
to Fight well, and beat their Enemies; and that they had Nothing else
for it. Having thus disclosed his Mind to them, with all the
Appearances of Sincerity, he assumed chearful Countenance, shew'd them
the many Advantages, that would attend the Victory; assured them of
it, if they would but exert themselves; named the Times and Places in
which they had behaved well, not without Exaggeration, and work'd upon
their Pride so powerfully, that they took Courage, fought like Lions,
and got the Day.
Hor. A very good story; and whether this was preaching the Gospel or
not, it was of great Use to that Army.
Cleo. It was so, politically speaking. But to act such a Part well,
requires great Skill, and ought not to be attempted by an ordinary
Orator; nor is it to be tried but in desperate Cases.
Hor. You have sufficiently shewn, and I am satisfied, that as Fasting
is practiced, and Preaching and Praying may be managed by wary
Divines, Care may be taken, that neither the Strictness of Behaviour
observed, nor the Religious Exercises perform'd on those Days, shall
be the least Hindrance to military Affairs, or any ways mortify or
dispirit the Soldiers; but I cannot see, what Good they can do where
Religion is out of the Question. What Service would an _Atheist_, who
knew himself to be an Arch-Hypocrite and a Rebel (for such you allow
_Cromwell_ to have been) expect from them for his Purpose?
Cleo. I thought, that we had agreed, that to please the Party he was
engaged in, it was his Interest to make a great Shew of Piety among
his Troops, and seem to be religious himself.
Hor. I grant it; as I do likewise, that he throve by Hypocrisy, raised
Enthusiasm in others by Counterfeiting it himself, and that the Craft
of his Clergy was many ways instrumental to his Successes: But a
skilful Hypocrite, and able Politician, would have made no more Rout
about Religion, than there was Occasion for. They had Praying and
Singing of Psalms every Day; and the Sabbath was kept with great
Strictness. The Clergy of that Army had Opportunities enough to talk
their Fill to the Soldiers, and harangue them on what Subject they
pleased. They had such a Plenty of Religious Exercises, that it is
highly probable, the greatest Part of the Soldiers were glutted with
them: And if they were tired with what they had in Ordinary, what good
effect could be expected from still more Devotion Extraordinary?
Cleo. What you named last is a great Matter. What is done every Day is
soon turn'd into a Habit; and the more Men are accustomed to Things,
the less they mind them; but any Thing extraordinary rouses their
Spirits and raises their Attention. But to form a clear Idea of the
Use and Advantage, a mere Politician, tho' he is an Unbeliever, may
reasonably expect from Fast-Days, let us take into Consideration these
two Things: First, the Grand _Desideratum_ in armies, that is aim'd at
by Religion, and which all Generals labour to obtain by Means of their
Clergy: Secondly, the common Notions among Christians, both of
Religion and of War. The First is to persuade the Soldiers, and make
them firmly believe, that their Cause is Just, and that Heaven will
certainly be on their Side; unless by their Offences they themselves
should provoke it to be against them. All Prayers for Success,
Thanksgivings for Victories obtain'd, and Humiliations after Losses
received, are so many different Means to strengthen the Truth of that
Persuasion, and confirm Men in the Belief of it. As to the second,
Christians believe, that all Men are Sinners; that God is Just, and
will punish, here or hereafter, all Trespasses committed against him,
unless they are atton'd for before we die; but that he is likewise
very merciful, and ever willing to forgive those, who sincerely
repent. And as to War, that it is, as all human Affairs are, entirely
under his Direction, and that the side whom he is pleased to favour,
beats the other. This is the general Opinion, as well of those who
hold a Free-agency, as of those who are for Predestination. A cursory
View of these two Things, the Notions Men have of Providence and the
Grand Point to be obtain'd in Armies, will give us a clear Idea of a
Clergyman's Task among Military Men, and shew us both the Design of
Fast-Days, and the Effect they are like to produce.
Hor. The design of them is to gain the Divine Favour and Assistance;
that's plain enough; but how you are sure, they will have that Effect,
I can't see.
Cleo. You mistake the thing. The Politician may have no Thoughts of
Heaven: The Effect I speak of relates to the Soldiers; and is the
Influence, which, in all Probablility, Fast-Days will have upon
Believers, that assist in the keeping of them.
Hor. What Influence is that, pray, if it be not Religious?
Cleo. That they will inspire, and fill the Men with fresh Hopes, that
God will favour them and be of their Side. The Reputation of those
Days, that they avert the Divine Wrath, and are acceptable to Heaven,
is, in a great Measure, the Cause, that they have this Influence upon
the Men. The Heathens harbour'd the same Sentiments of their Publick
Supplications; and it has been the Opinion of all Ages, that the more
Solemn and Respectful the Addresses are, which Men put up to the
Deity, and the greater the Numbers are that join in them, the more
probable it is, that their Petitions shall be granted. It is possible
therefore, that a Politician may appoint Extraordinary Days of
Devotion, with no other View than to chear up the Soldier, revive his
Hopes, and make him confident of Success. Men are ready enough to
flatter themselves, and willing to believe, that Heaven is on their
Side, whenever it is told them, tho' they have little Reason to think
so. But then they are unsteady, and naturally prone to Superstition,
which often raises new Doubts and Fears in them. Therefore Common
Soldiers are continually to be buoy'd up in the good Opinion they have
of themselves; and the Hopes they were made to conceive, ought often
to be stirr'd up in them afresh. The Benefit that accrues from those
Extraordinary Days of Devotion, and the Advantages expected from them,
are of longer Duration, than just the Time they are kept in. With a
little Help of the Clergy, they are made to do Good when they are
over; and two or three Days or a Week after, the Usefulness of them is
more conspicuous than it was before. It is in the Power of the
General, or any Government whatever, to have those Days as strictly
kept, to outward Appearance, as they please. All Shops may be order'd
to be shut, and Exercises of Devotion to be continued from Morning
till Night; nothing suffer'd to be bought, or sold during the Time of
Divine Service; and all Labour as well as Diversion be strictly
prohibited. This having been well executed makes an admirable Topick
for a Preacher, when the Day is over, especially among Military Men;
and Nothing can furnish a Divine with a finer Opportunity of
commending, and highly praising his Audience, without Suspicion of
Flattery, than the Solemnity of such a Day. He may set forth the
outward Face of it in a lively Manner, expatiate on the various
Decorums, and Religious Beauties of it; and by faithfully representing
what Every body remembers of it, gain Credit to every Thing he says
besides. He may magnify and safely enlarge on the Self-denial, that
was practised on that Day; and, ascribing to the Goodness and Piety of
the Soldiers, what in his Heart he knows to have been altogether owing
to Discipline, and the strict Commands of the General, he may easily
make them believe, that greater Godliness and a more general
Humiliation never had been seen in an Army. If he has Wit, and is a
Man of Parts, he'll find out Quaint _Similes_, Happy Turns, and
Plausible Arguments, to illustrate his Assertions, and give an Air of
Truth to every Thing he advances. If it suits with the Times, he'll
work himself up into Rapture and Enthusiasm, congratulate his
Regiment, if not the whole Army, on the undeniable Proofs they have
given of being good Christians, and with Tears in his Eyes wish them
Joy of their Conversion, and the infallible Tokens they have received
of the Divine Mercy. If a grave Divine, of good Repute, acts this, as
he should do, with an artful Innocence and Chearfulness in his
Countenance, it is incredible what an Effect it may have upon the
greater part of a Multitude, amongst whom Christianity is not scoff'd
at, and Pretences to Purity are in Fashion. Those who were any ways
devout on that Day, which he points at, or can but remember that they
wish'd to be Godly, will swallow with Greediness whatever such a
Preacher delivers to them; and applauding every Sentence before it is
quite finish'd, imagine, that in their Hearts they feel the Truth of
every Word he utters. We are naturally so prone to think well of our
Selves, that an artful Man, who is thought to be serious, and
harangues a vulgar Audience, can hardly say any Thing in their Behalf,
which they will not believe. One would imagine, that Men, who gave but
little Heed to the Religious Exercises they assisted at, could receive
no great Comfort from their Reflection on that Day; such, I mean, as
were tired to Death with the Length of the Prayers, and almost slept
as they stood the greatest Part of the Sermon; yet many of these,
hearing the Behaviour of the Army in General well spoken of, would be
stupid enough to take Share in the Praise; and remembring the
Uneasiness they felt, make a Merit of the very Fatigue they then bore
with Impatience. Most of the Vulgar, that are not averse to Religion,
have a wild Notion of Debtor and Creditor betwen themselves and
Heaven. Natural gratitude teaches them, that some returns must be due
for the good Things they receive; and they look upon Divine Service as
the only Payment they are able to make. Thousands have made this
Acknowledgment in their Hearts, that never after cared to think on the
vast Debt they owed. But how careless and neglectful soever most of
them may be in the Discharge of their Duty, yet they never forget to
place to their Accounts, and magnify in their Minds, what little Time
they spend, and the least Trouble they are at in performing what can
but seem to have any Relation to Religious Worship; and, what is
astonishing, draw a Comfort from them by barely shutting their Eyes
against the frightful Balance. Many of these are very well pleased
with themselves after a sound Nap at Church, whole Consciences would
be less easy, if they had stay'd from it. Nay, so extensive is the
Usefulness of those Extraordinary Devotions, appointed by Authority,
in Politicks only, that the most inattentive Wretch, and the greatest
Reprobate, that can be in such an Army, may receive Benefit from them;
and the Reflection on a Fast-Day, may be an Advantage to him as a
Soldier. For tho' he cursed the Chaplain in his Heart, for preaching
such a tedious while as he did, and wish'd the General damn'd, by
whose Order he was kept from Strong Liquor such an unreasonable Time;
yet he recollects, the Nothing went forward but Acts of Devotion all
the Day long; that every Sutler's Tent was shut; and that it was Six a
Clock before he could get a Drop of Drink. Whilst these Things are
fresh in his Memory, it is hardly possible, that he should ever think
of the Enemy, of Battles, or of Sieges, without receiving real Comfort
from what he remembers of that Day. It is incredible what a strong
Impression the Face, the outward Appearance only of such a Day, may
make upon a loose wicked Fellow, who hardly ever had a Religious
Thought in his Life; and how powerfully the Remembrance of it may
inspire him with Courage and Confidence of Triumph, if he is not an
Unbeliever.
Hor. I have not forgot what you said Yesterday of the obdurate
Soldier; and I believe heartily, that the greatest Rogue may build
Hopes of Success on the Devotion of others, whom he thinks to be
Sincere,
Cleo. And if the bare outward Shew of such a Day, can any ways affect
the worst of an Army, there is no Doubt, but the better Sort of them
may get infinitely more Benefit by keeping it, and giving Attention to
the greatest Part of the Preaching and Praying that are perform'd upon
it. And tho' in Camps, there are not many Men of real Probity, any
more than in Courts; and Soldiers, who are sincere in their Religion,
and only misled in the Duties of it, are very scarce; yet in most
Multitudes, especially of the sober Party, there are ignorant
Well-wishers to Religion, that, by proper Means, may be raised to
Devotion for a Time and of whom I have said, that tho' they were bad
Livers, they often desired to repent; and would sometimes actually set
about it, if their Passions would let them. All these an artful
Preacher may persuade to any Thing, and do with them almost what he
pleases. A bold Assurance of Victory, emphatically pronounc'd by a
popular Preacher, has often been as little doubted of among such, as
if it had been a Voice from Heaven.
Hor. I now plainly see the vast Use that may be made of Fast-Days, as
well afterwards when they are over, as during the Time they are kept.
Cleo. The Days of Supplication among the Heathens, as I hinted before,
were celebrated for the same Purpose; but their Arts to make People
believe, that the Deity was on their side, and Heaven espoused their
Cause, were very trifling in Comparison to those of Christian Divines.
When the _Pagan_ Priests had told the People, that the Chickens had eat
their Meat very well, and the Entrails of the Victim were found, and
that the Rest of the Omens were lucky, they had done, and were forced
to leave the Belief of those Things to the Soldiers. But--
Hor. You need not to say any more, for I am convinced, and have now so
clear an Idea of the Usefulness of Extraordinary Devotions, and a
great Shew of Piety, among military Men; I mean the Political
Usefulness of them, abstract from all Thoughts of Religion; that I
begin to think them necessary, and wonder, how great and wise Generals
ever would or could do without them. For it is evident, that since the
Prince of _Conde's_ and _Cromwel's_ Armies, such a Shew of Godliness has
not been seen among any regular Troops, in any considerable Body of
Men. Why did not _Luxemburg_, King _William_, Prince _Eugene_, and the Duke
of _Marlborough_ follow those great Examples, in modelling their Armies
after a Manner that had bred such good Soldiers?
Cleo. We are to consider, that such a Shew of Piety and outward
Devotion, as we have been speaking of, is not to be created and
started up at once, nor indeed to be made practicable but among such
Troops as the _Huguenots_ in _France_, and the _Roundheads_ in _England_
were. Their Quarrels with their Adversaries were chiefly Religious; and
the greatest Complaints of the Malecontents in both Nations were made
against the Establish'd Church. They exclaim'd against the Ceremonies
and Superstition of it; the Lives of the Clergy, the Haughtiness of
the Prelates, and the little Care that was taken of Christianity it
self and good Morals. People, who advance these Things, must be
thought very inconsistent with themselves, unless they are more upon
their Guard, and lead stricter Lives than those, whom they find Fault
with. All Ministers likewise, who pretend to dissent from a Communion,
must make a sad Figure, unless they will reform, or at least seem to
reform every Thing they blame in their Adversaries. If you'll duely
weigh what I have said, you will find it impossible to have an Army,
in which outward Godliness shall be so conspicuous, as it was in the
Prince of _Conde's_ or _Oliver Cromwel's_, unless that Godliness suited
with the times.
Hor. What peculiar Conjuncture, pray, does that require.
Cleo. When a considerable Part of a Nation, for some End or other,
seem to mend, and set up for Reformation; when Virtue and Sobriety are
countenanced by many of the better Sort; and to appear Religious is
made Fashionable. Such was the Time in which _Cromwell_ enter'd himself
into the Parliament's Service. What he aim'd at first was Applause;
and skilfully suiting himself in every Respect to the Spirit of his
party, he studied Day and Night to gain the good Opinion of the Army.
He would have done the same, if he had been on the other Side. The
Chief Motive of all his Actions was Ambition, and what he wanted was
immortal Fame. This End he steadily pursued: All his Faculties were
made subservient to it; and no Genius was ever more supple to his
Interest. He could take Delight in being Just, Humane and Munificent,
and with equal Pleasure he could oppress, persecute and plunder, if it
served his Purpose. In the most Treacherous Contrivance to hasten the
Execution of his blackest Design, he could counterfeit Enthusiasm, and
seem to be a Saint. But the most enormous of his Crimes proceeded from
no worse Principle, than the best of his Atchievements. In the Midst
of his Villanies he was a Slave to Business; and the most
disinterested Patriot never watch'd over the Publick Welfare, both at
Home and Abroad, with greater Care and Assiduity, or retriev'd the
fallen Credit of a Nation in less Time than this Usurper: But all was
for himself; and he never had a Thought on the Glory of _England_,
before he had made it inseparable from his own.
Hor. I don't wonder you dwell so long upon Cromwell, for Nothing can
be more serviceable to your System, than his Life and Actions.
Cleo. You will pardon the Excursion, when I own, that you have hit
upon the Reason. What I intended to shew, when I ran away from my
Subject, was, that able Politicians consult the Humour of the Age, and
the Conjuncture they live in, and that _Cromwell_ made the most of his.
I don't question, but he would have done the same, if he had been born
three or four score Years later. And if he had been to command an
_English_ Army abroad, when the Duke of _Marlborough_ did, I am persuaded,
that he would sooner have endeavoured to make all his Soldiers dancing
Masters, than he would have attempted to make them Bigots. There are
more ways than one, to make People brave and obstinate in Fighting.
What in _Oliver'_s Days was intended by a Mask of Religion and a Shew of
Sanctity, is now aim'd at by the Height of Politeness, and a perpetual
Attachment to the Principle of modern Honour. There is a Spirit of
Gentility introduced among military Men, both Officers and Soldiers,
of which there was yet little to be seen in the last Century, in any
Part of _Europe,_ and which now shines through all their Vices and
Debaucheries.
Hor. This is a new Discovery; pray, what does it consist in?
Cleo. Officers are less rough and boisterous in their Manners, and not
only more careful of themselves, and their own Behaviour, but they
likewise oblige and force their Men under severe Penalties to be Neat,
and keep themselves Clean: And a much greater Stress is laid upon
this, than was Forty or Fifty Years ago.
Hor. I believe there is, and approve of it very much; white Gaiters
are a vast Addition to a clever Fellow in Regimental Cloaths; but what
mighty Matters can you expect from a Soldier's being obliged to be
clean.
Cleo. I look upon it as a great Improvement in the Art of Flattery,
and a finer Stratagem to raise the Passion of Self-liking in Men, than
had been invented yet; for by this Means the Gratification of their
Vanity is made Part of the Discipline; and their Pride must encrease
in Proportion to the Strictness, with which they observe this Duty.
Hor. It may be of greater Weight than I can see at Present. But I have
another Question to ask. The main Things, that in raising Troops, and
making War, Politicians are solicitous about, and which they seem
altogether to rely upon, are Money, great Numbers, Art and Discipline.
I want to know, why Generals, who can have no Hopes, from the Age they
live in, of thriving by Bigotry, should yet put themselves to such an
Expence, on Account of Religion in their Armies, as they all do. Why
should they pay for Preaching for Praying at all, if they laid no
Stress upon them?
Cleo. I never said, that the great Generals, you nam'd, laid no Stress
on Preaching or Praying.
Hor. But Yesterday, speaking of the Gallantry of our Men in _Spain_ and
_Flanders_, you said, that you _would as soon believe, that it was
Witchcraft that made them Brave, as that it was their Religion_. You
could mean Nothing else by this, than that, whatever it was, you was
very sure, it was not their Religion that made them Brave. How come
you to be so very sure of that?
Cleo. I judge from undeniable Facts, the loose and wicked Lives, the
Generality of them led, and the Courage and Intrepidity they were on
many Occasions. For of Thousands of them it was as evident as the Sun,
that they were very Vicious, at the same Time that they were very
Brave.
Hor. But they had Divine Service among them; every Regiment had a
Chaplain; and Religion was certainly taken care of.
Cleo. It was, I know it; but not more than was absolutely necessary to
hinder the Vulgar from suspecting, that Religion was neglected by
their Superiours; which would be of dangerous Consequence to all
Governments. There are no great Numbers of Men without Superstition;
and if it was to be tried, and the most skilful Unbelievers were to
labour at it, with all imaginable Cunning and Industry, it would be
altogether as impossible to get an Army of all _Atheists_, as it would
be to have an Army of good Christians. Therefore no Multitudes can be
so universally wicked, that there should not be some among them, upon
whom the Suspicion, I hinted at, would have a bad Effect. It is
inconceiveable, how Wickedness, Ignorance, and Folly are often blended
together. There are, among all Mobs, vicious Fellows, that boggle at
no Sin; and whilst they know Nothing to the Contrary, but that Divine
Service is taken care of as it used to be, tho' they never come near
it, are perfectly easy in their Evil Courses, who yet would be
extremely shock'd, should Any body tell them seriously, that there was
no Devil.
Hor. I have known such my self; and I see plainly, that the Use, which
Politicians may make of Christianity in Armies, is the same as ever
was made of all other Religions on the same Occasion, _viz_. That the
Preists, who preside over them, should humour and make the most of the
Natural Superstition of all Multitudes, and take great Care, that on
all Emergencies, the Fear of an invisible Cause, which Every body is
born with, should never be turn'd against the Interest those, who
employ them.
Cleo. It is certain, that Christianity being once stript of the
Severity of its Discipline, and its most essential Precepts, the
Design of it may be so skilfully perverted from its real and original
Scope, as to be made subservient to any worldly End or Purpose, a
Politician can have Occasion for.