_Of the Religion of the_ Potuan _Nation_.
The _Potuan_ System of Religion lies in a narrow Compass, and contains
a Confession of Faith, something longer than our Apostles Creed. It
is prohibited here, under Pain of Banishment to the Firmament, to
comment upon the sacred Books. And if any presume to dispute about
the Essence and Atrributes of God, or about the Nature of Spirits and
Souls, he is condemn’d to the _Venæ-section_, and then confin’d in the
publick _Bedlam_. For they think it the height of Folly to offer to
describe or define those Things, to which the human Mind is as blind
as the Eyes of an Owl to the Light of the Sun. They are all unanimous
in adoring one Supreme Being, by whose Almighty Power all Things were
created, and by whose Providence they subsist. Let but this Principle
be uncontroverted, and they never molest any one for entertaining
different Sentiments concerning a Method of Worship. Those alone who
openly attack this Religion, as by Law established, are regarded as
Disturbers of the publick Tranquillity. Hence I had the free Exercise
of my own Religion, nor suffer’d the least Affront upon that Account.
The _Potuans_ pray but seldom, but then it is with great Ardency,
insomuch that they seem to be in an Extasy. And when I related that we
pray and sing Psalms very often while employ’d about the common Affairs
of Life, the _Potuans_ thought it a vicious Custom, replying, that an
earthly Sovereign would take it extremely ill, to see any one humbly
approaching him with a Petition, and at the same Time brushing his
Cloaths, or buckling his Hair. Nor had they a much greater Relish for
our Hymns, and Anthems, as holding it ridiculous to express Grief and
Penitence in musical Measures, since the Displeasure of the Deity is
to be appeas’d by Sighs and Tears of real Sorrow, not by the Artifice
of Tunes and Instruments. This and more I heard, but not without some
Indignation, especially as my own Father of blessed Memory, who was
once Chanter of a Cathedral, had compos’d several Anthems in Vogue to
this Day, and as I myself intended once to have stood for a vacant
Chantership. But I stifled my Resentment; for the Subterraneans so
strenuously defend their Opinions, and so speciously set every Thing
out to View, that it is no easy Matter to refute even the plainest of
their Errors. There were also several other Opinions upon religious
Subjects, which they maintained with the same Art, and Appearance of
Truth. Thus, when I had often observ’d to some Acquaintance, that they
could hope for no Salvation after Death, as living in utter Darkness,
they reply’d, That those who were so free of dealing Damnation to
others, run the greatest Risque of it themselves; that the Source of
all that, is Arrogance, which God must hate and disallow; and that to
condemn the Judgment of others, and to use Force to convince them,
was the same Thing as to assume the whole Light of Reason; which
is just the Conduct of Fools, who think that they alone are wise.
Moreover, when I was proving a certain Opinion, and had oppos’d to my
Adversary’s Reasonings the Dictates of my own Conscience, he extol’d my
Argument, and desir’d me still to persist in following those Dictates
of Conscience, as he himself would always do; for that then, every one
following the Testimony of his Conscience, all Contention would cease,
and much Matter of Controversy be cut off.
Among other religious Mistakes maintained by the People of this Globe,
were these: They did not deny that good Actions were rewarded, and bad
ones punish’d by God; but then they thought that Branch of Justice,
consisting in the Distribution of Rewards and Punishments took Place
only in a future State. I brought various Examples of such as for
their Impieties had been punish’d in this Life; but they alledg’d as
many opposite Examples of very wicked Trees, who yet were as fortunate
as they were wicked to the End of their Lives. In a Dispute, said
they, we are too apt to borrow only those Weapons, and attend to only
those Instances, which make for our Purpose and strengthen our Cause,
overlooking and disregarding such as might injure it. With that I
instanc’d in myself, by shewing that many who had injur’d me came to
a miserable End. In Answer they urg’d, that all this proceeded from
Self-Love, from my over-weening Opinion, that in the Eyes of the
Supreme Being I was of more Consequence, than many others, who, like
me, had suffered the severest Injuries undeservedly, and yet had beheld
their Persecutors bless’d and prosperous to the last Day of their
Lives. Again, when accidentally I was commending the Practice of daily
Prayer, they reply’d, That indeed they did not deny the Necessity of
Prayer, but that they were thoroughly persuaded that the truest Piety
consisted in a practical Observance of the divine Law. To prove this,
they borrow’d an Argument from a Prince, or Lawgiver: This Prince has
two Sorts of Subjects; some are continually offending and transgressing
his Laws thro’ Infirmity or Contumacy; and yet these shall be found
continually haunting the Court to procure Pardon for Faults, to be
repeated as soon as pardon’d. Others approach the Court very rarely,
but remaining peaceable at Home, are habitual Observers of their
Sovereign’s Laws. Who can doubt but that he must think this latter Sort
more worthy of his Favour, and regard the first as bad Subjects and
troublesome Creatures?
In these and the like Controversies was I often engag’d, tho’ without
Success; for I was able to bring nobody over to my Way of thinking.
And therefore omitting all other religious Disputes, I shall only give
you their general and most observable Doctrines, leaving it to the
intelligent Reader to applaud or censure them as he shall judge best.
The _Potuans_ believe in one God, Omnipotent, Creator and Preserver
of all Things, whose Omnipotence and Unity they demonstrate from this
ample and harmonious Creation. And since they are admirably skill’d in
the Study of Nature, they have such magnificent and exalted Sentiments
of the Nature and Attributes of the Deity, that they look upon it as a
Defect in the Understanding to attempt to define what transcends their
Capacities. The Year is distinguish’d by five Festival Days; the first
of which is celebrated with the utmost Devotion in such obscure Places
as that no Rays of Light can pierce them, indicating by this, that the
Being they adore is incomprehensible. There the Worshipers remain
almost immoveable, from the Rising to the Setting of the Sun, as tho’
they were in an Extasy. This high Day is called, _the Day of the
incomprehensible God_, and it falls on the first Day of the Month of
_Oaks_. The other Festivals are celebrated at four other Seasons of the
Year, and were instituted to return Thanks to God for the Blessings of
his Providence. The Absentees, unless they are able to give very just
Reasons for their Absence, are deem’d bad Subjects, and live totally
disregarded. The Publick Forms of Prayer are so devis’d, as not to
regard the People who pray, but the Welfare of the Prince or the State.
None prays in Publick for himself. The Design of which Institution
is, that the _Potuans_ may believe that the Happiness of Individuals
is so closely connected with that of the Publick, that they cannot
be separated. None are compell’d by Force or by Fines to attend the
Publick Worship, for as they are of Opinion that Piety consists chiefly
in Love, and as Experience teaches them that Love is dampt and not
inflam’d by Force, therefore it must be an unprofitable and a wicked
Thing, to use Compulsion in the Case of Religion. This Point they thus
illustrate. Should a Husband desire a reciprocal Affection from his
Consort, and should he hope to conquer her Coldness and Indifference
by Blows, he would be so far from kindling up her Love by this Method,
that her Indifference would increase, and end in Abhorence and
Detestation.
These are some of the principal Doctrines of the _Potuan_ Divinity,
which to some must appear like mere natural Religion; and so indeed
it did at first to me. But they assert that all was divinely reveal’d
to them, and that some Ages ago they receiv’d a Book which contain’d
their System of Faith and Practice. Formerly, say they, our Ancestors
liv’d contented with the Religion of Nature only; but Experience taught
them, that the sole Light of Nature was insufficient, since all those
noble Principles thro’ the Sloth and Carelesness of some were forgot,
and thro’ an airy Philosophy of others, (nothing being able to check
their licentious Career) were utterly deprav’d and corrupted. Hereupon
God gave them a written Law. Hence it appears how great is their Error,
who obstinately deny the Necessity of a Revelation. For my Part, I
freely own, that many Points of this Theology seem’d to me, if not
Praise-worthy, yet by no Means to be despised. To some I could not
assent. But one Thing there is deserving all our Admiration, namely,
that in Times of War the Conquerors, returning from the Field, instead
of that Joy and Triumph with which we celebrate Victories, and sing
_Te Deum_, pass some Days in deep Silence, as if they were ashamed
of having been obliged to shed Blood. Therefore there is very little
Mention of military Affairs in the Subterranean Annals, which are
chiefly Records of Civil Matters, such as their Laws, Institutions, and
Foundations.