The banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1844-1847, 1846-10-28


tian and Catholic doctrines of our holv
church, as by law established" With
HOBBIES, he can make religion to consist
in the ipse di1as of Legislation; and thus
put christianity upon the same footing
with the poly,heism of Rome. Like
our modern infidels, with professions Of
great regard for religion, he can intimate
that "the gospel was only a scheme of
the clergy for aggrandizing their own
power. That the holy records them
selves were no other than the in
vention and artificial compliment of an
interested party, in behalf Of the riches,
corporation and most profta bic mono
poly which could be created in the
world,"is is he thinks, but natural sus-
picion of the sceptical. Expediency
would also be the practical doctrine
growing out of Lord SnArrEsEURy's sys-
tenn of morality. 1t is very true that
virtue is the good, and vice the evil of
every one. But when the good or i'll
is to be the criterion by which we are
to determine what is virtue or vice, we
at once adopt the doctrine of uti-
lity. Such must be the resort of every
one who, like his Lordship,rejects reve-
Iation, and virtually discards the doc
triae of future rewards and punishments
from his moral code. HoBBEs, carries
out the code of Infide!!ty .c its leg!.i-
mate extent, and inculcates the doc
trines practised in France during the
reign of TERROR. By his "Jessuit insti-
tution," or natural right, he places man
upon level with the brute, claiming
for every man a natural right to do
whatever he has power to do, and his
inclinationation prompts him u. BY
this natural right man is determined "to
exist and act in a certain manner" AS
the "large fishes are determined by ma
,ure to devour the smaller" they have a
natural right to do SO; and in like
manner every individual has the highest
right to do all things which he has
power to do. Here is the doctrine full
ly developed, that might maks right.
doctrine not long since advocated in the
Southern Review, and one to which
men are necessarily driven when they
discard the morality of the Bible. The
doctrine of expediency is inseparable
from this system. So Mr.. HOBBIES tells
US, that no man can be sure of another
mans fidelity, except he thinks it his in
terest to keep his promise since every
man has natural right to act by fraud
or deceit, nor is obliged to stand to his
engagements, but from the hope of grea-
ter good, or the fear Of greater ill.
WooLsToN, who attacked the evenge-
lists and the facts which they contain,
Sin strain Of low buffoonry, and an in
science and scurrillity," "equalled only by
Tom PAINE, could declare that he was
"the farthest of any man from being en-
gagged in the cause of infidels or deists J"
and that he wrote not for the service Of
infdelity, which has no place in his
heart, but for the honor of the holy Je-
sus, and in defence of christianityp
Did ever falsehood and hypocrisy sur
pass this? The same writer exhibited
the most barefaced dishonesty in his
quotations, and the grossest lalsifcations
of the farthers and ancient writers. The
same unblushing hypocrisy and false
hood characterizes the writings of
CHuBR, HUME, and VoLrAlR. Vol
TAR, held the doctrine that men may
tell lies when it was ezpedisnt, alleging,