From the autographs of Bp. Butler now in the library at the British Museum. [Add. MS. 9815.]

I.

God cannot approve of any thing but what is in itself Right, Fit, Just. We should worship and endeavour to obey Him with this Consciousness and Recollection. To endeavour to please a man merely, is a different thing from endeavouring to please him as a wise and good man, i.e. endeavouring to please him in the particular way, of behaving towards him as we think the relations we stand in to him, and the intercourse we have with him, require.

Almighty God is to be sure infinitely removed from all those human weaknesses which we express by the words, captious, apt to take offence, &c. But an unthinking world does not consider what may be absolutely due to Him from all Creatures capable of considering themselves as His Creatures. Recollect the idea, inadequate as it is, which we have of God, and the idea of ourselves, and carelessness with regard to Him, whether we are to worship Him at all, whether we worship Him in a right manner, or conceited confidence that we do so, will seem to imply unspeakable Presumption. Neither do we know what necessary, unalterable connexion there may be, between moral right and happiness, moral wrong and misery.

Sincerity is doubtless the thing, and not whether we hit the right manner, &c. But a sense of the imperfection of our worship, apprehension that it may be, and a degree of fear that it is, in some respects erroneous, may perhaps be a temper of mind not unbecoming such poor creatures as we are, in our addresses to God. In proportion as we are assured that we are honest and sincere, we may rest satisfied that God cannot be offended with us, but indifference whether what we do be materially, or in the nature of the thing abstracted from our way of considering it, Good and Right,—such indifference is utterly inconsistent with Sincerity.

No person who has just notions of God can be afraid of His displeasure any further than as he is afraid of his own Character, whether it be what it ought: but so far as a man has reason to fear his own character, so far there must be reason to fear God’s displeasure, or disapprobation; not from any doubt of His Perfection and Goodness, but merely from the belief of it.

Is it possible that people can be Scepticks in Opinion, and yet without any doubtfulness, or solicitude about their Actions and Behaviour?

II.

What a wonderful incongruity it is for a man to see the doubtfulness in which things are involved, and yet be impatient out of action, or vehement in it! Say a man is a Sceptick, and add what was said of Brutus, quicquid vult valde vult, and you say, there is the greatest Contrariety between his Understanding and his Temper that can be expressed in words.

* * * * *

In general a man ought not to do other people’s duty for them; for their duty was appointed them for their exercise; and besides, who will do it in case of his death? Nor has a man any right to raise in others such a dependance upon him as that they must be miserable in case of his death, tho’ whilst he lives he answers that dependance.

* * * * *

Hobbs’ definition of Benevolence, that ’tis the love of power is base and false, but there is more of truth in it than appears at first sight; the real Benevolence of men being, I think, for the most part, not indeed the single love of power, but the love of power to be exercised in the way of doing good; that is a different thing from the love of the good or happiness of others by whomsoever effected, which last I call single or simple Benevolence. How little there is of this in the world may appear by observing, how many persons can bear with great tranquillity that a friend or child should live in misery, who yet cannot bear the thought of their death.

Good men surely are not treated in this world as they deserve, yet ’tis seldom, very seldom their goodness which makes them disliked, even in cases where it may seem to be so: but ’tis some behaviour or other, which however excusable, perhaps infinitely overbalanced by their virtues, yet is offensive, possibly wrong; however such, it may be, as would pass off very well in a man of the world.

III.

Shall I not be faithful to God? If He puts a part upon me to do, shall I neglect or refuse it? A part to suffer, and shall I say I would not if I could help it? Can words more ill-sorted, more shocking be put together? And is not the thing expressed by them more so, tho’ not expressed in words? What then shall I prefer to the sovereign Good, supreme Excellence, absolute Perfection? To whom shall I apply for direction in opposition to Infinite Wisdom? To whom for protection against Almighty Power?

Sunday Evening, June 13, 1742.

Hunger and thirst after Righteousness till filled with it by being made partaker of the Divine nature.

Ad te levo oculos meos, qui habitas in coelis. Sicut oculi servorum intenti sunt ad manum dominorum suorum, sicut oculi ancillae ad manum dominae suae; ita oculi nostri ad Deum nostrum, donec misereatur nostri.

As all my passions and affections to my Reason such as it is, so in consideration of the fallibility and infinite deficiencies of this my Reason, I would subject it to God, that He may guide and succour it.

Our wants as Creatures: our Demerits as Sinners.

That I may have a due sense of the hand of God in every thing, and then put myself into His hand to lead me through whatever ways He shall think fit; either to add to my burden, or lighten it, or wholly discharge me of it.

Be more afraid of myself than of the world.

To discern the hand of God in every thing and have a due sense of it.

Instead of deluding oneself in imagining one should behave well in times and circumstances other than those in which one is placed, to take care and be faithful and behave well in those one is placed in.

That God would please to make my way plain before my face, and deliver me from offending the scrupulousness of any [11], or if not, O assist me to act the right part under it!