XXII. YET, notwithstanding the possibility for man to attain happiness
by only following the voice of reason, experience has shown, in the most
unmistakable manner, that natural religion is insufficient alone to
guide mankind in the right path, to preserve him from error, and to
regulate his life with constant conformity to his destination, under all
circumstances and in all conjunctures. Such insufficiency is caused by
various obstacles, presented by the self-same nature of man, and the
objects that surround him, and which prevent reason from exercising an
absolute dominion over the heart, and naturally weaken its influence on
human actions.
XXIII. First among these obstacles, is the circumstance, that the
intellectual faculties do not exhibit so much vigour in early youth as
the animal or appetitive faculties. Long before the force of reason has
developed itself in the mind, the sensual tendencies have already grown
giants in the heart, impelling man to desire ardently all that has the
semblance of pleasure, however fugitive and deceitful. The will, which
is in its full vigour even in a child, has already carried into effect
most of these desires, and has thus produced such a habit of grasping
impulsively, and without reflection, at everything that presents itself
in the aspect of an enjoyment, that reason often arrives too late to
destroy the ascendancy gained by the lust of the heart, and to claim its
dominion over all man's actions.
XXIV. Besides, reason is sometimes in danger of losing its supremacy,
even after having asserted it. Instinct, which, in brutes, holds the
place of free-will, confines their physical cravings within certain
limits, and we never see an animal wallow in intemperance; but man, just
because enjoying absolute freedom of will, may extend his desires beyond
every limit, and so much strain and invigorate them as to succumb under
their influence. Therefore reason, whether from its tardy development,
or from the unlimited ascendancy of sensuality, holds the reins of its
power always with uncertainty, and is not ever certain of being obeyed.
XXV. Another obstacle is to be traced in the want of opportunity and
time, or, in other words, in the little time that man can spare to
devote to reflection, in the presence of the multifarious cravings of
his body. These cravings, increased, no doubt, by luxury and an
inclination, to superfluities, demand daily and hourly to be satisfied.
He is, then, obliged to work unceasingly to earn or procure the means of
satisfying his own physical wants, as well as, not unfrequently, those
of a whole family. Aliment, clothing, habitation, comfort, recreation,
and other innumerable cares, real or artificial, require so much labour
and exertion, that little or no time remains for the great majority of
mankind to devote to the assiduous reflections and researches necessary
to determine what duties reason imposes upon them to fulfil, and what
actions to perform.
XXVI. A third obstacle to the development of the moral force in man is
the very social life which, by his own nature, he is called to enter.
The safety of the social fabric demands that the property of each
individual be distinct and acknowledged, and establishes a diversity of
ranks, offices, honours, and positions, which ill agree with human
cupidity. Hence a conflict of desires, a collision of ambitions, a
contest of interests, which at all times generate among men discords,
machinations, frauds, usurpations, treachery, violence, and rapine. Add
the consequences of the pride and ambition, which each more or less
entertains, to reach or surpass some others in power, wealth, or fame,
whence many causes of disappointments and heartburnings, of hatreds and
jealousies, of persecutions and calumnies, of acts of vengeance and
injustice of every form, and it will be easily conceived how little,
under the influence of _so_ many evil passions occasioned by social
life, could populations, in the course of time, be disposed to submit
willingly to the severe and exclusive regimen of reason.
XXVII. Independently of these external impediments, there exists a kind
of internal anarchy in man, arising from the want of a force exercising
the functions of an arbitrator between the mind and the heart, and
inclining the latter to shape its decisions on the motives of the
former. The truths, which he is frequently able to discover, satisfy his
intellect without affecting his will, minister food to the mind, but
operate not on the heart; in short, they establish a theory, but command
not practice. Hence it often happens that man sees right, approves it,
and yet adheres to wrong. Even after having gathered an abundant harvest
from long studies and profound meditations, he still feels the need of a
guide to direct his steps--of a means, available at all times, and
competent to enable him to subordinate the appetitive to the
intellectual faculties, and to cause the will to follow the judgments of
the mind rather than those of the heart.
XXVIII. The inadequacy of natural religion alone becomes still more
manifest, when we consider the weakness and limited extent of the human
understanding. To meditate assiduously on an abstract object, which does
not fall under the perception of the senses, is given only to a few
individuals endowed with uncommon penetration. But by far the greater
part of men, disinclined to submit to long and arduous researches,
concerning what they ought or ought not to believe and to do, prefer
living thoughtlessly; and when they even try to enter upon spiritual
meditations, they soon feel discouraged, and, often distrusting their
own powers, throw up the difficult task half way, to resume the course
of a reckless mode of life.
XXIX. But even the few privileged beings, who believe themselves equal
to the task, and plunge earnestly into spiritual researches, must
confess to the insufficiency of the intellectual powers, and admit, that
beside some few principles which they have succeeded in establishing,
many doubts remain to be cleared, many questions to be solved, many
objections to be overcome; and they must ultimately conclude, that
reason by itself is unable to answer on all that interests man to admit
or to deny, to seek or to avoid, to believe and to do, to hope and to
fear. There is not, in this wide range of spiritual subjects, a
proposition held by one as true, which has not been discarded by another
as an error; and there is not a paradox or an absurdity that has not
found some supporters, who maintained it as a truth. Doubt and error, in
abstract and metaphysical questions, are natural and inherent in
mankind, so long as reason is their only luminary in the research.
XXX. The experience of all ages teaches us that the obstacles above
stated have always exercised their influence upon the development of the
moral sense among men, by retarding, and sometimes even rendering
impossible to them, a clear and sound conception of their destination,
and a firm resolve to conform to it.
All the nations of antiquity, which, left to themselves, never received
from without any spiritual and religious instruction, could never rise
from the slough of sensuality and superstition; they sank deep in
idolatry, and ultimately adopted creeds and practices abominable and
repugnant alike to the excellence of reason and the dignity of man. On
the other hand, all the nations that totally or partly succeeded in
extricating themselves from a state of brutality and barbarism, must
acknowledge that not to the development of their intelligence alone they
owe their regeneration, but to certain sublime doctrines--originated in
causes quite extrinsical from human nature--which, having found their
way to them through a concourse of favourable and apparently fortuitous
circumstances, were more or less readily admitted, as notions gained
from without, and by degrees ingrafted, under various modifications, on
their own primitive ideas.
XXXI. It being, then, almost impossible, or, at least, extremely
difficult, for man to arrive, through the sole action of the faculties
inherent in his nature, at his intended goal, to shape his course
accordingly, and thus to lay the foundations of his future happiness, it
was necessary that an intelligence far superior to his own should come
to his assistance, communicate to him some fundamental truths concerning
his present and future life, enlighten his intellect, guide his reason,
invigorate his will in the paths of truth, justice, and righteousness,
and thus facilitate to him the attainment of his sublime destination. It
was necessary that God himself should instruct him in what was most
important to know, manifest His will to him, and explicitly point out to
him the way he was to follow, the obstructions he was to avoid, and the
goal he had to reach. Man, then, was in need of a _revelation_.