The Principles of Population and Production as They Are Affected by the Progress of Society; With a View to Moral and Politicial Consequences (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos or missing text. Not indexed. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1816. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... terms for atheism and deism, insensibly corrupted the sound and vigorous principles in which the Protestant laity of Europe were educated for more than a century subsequent to the reformation. The taint of the poison was transmitted to their posterity, and seemed habitually fixed in the constitution of many of the higher ranks of society. They could not bear with patience the humbling truths of the Gospel, and it is natural to conclude, from the causes just stated, that those truths were in consequence less frequently promulgated; and most certain it is, that scarcely any desire was exhibited, either by the state or by individuals, for affording the people augmented means of instruction in the tenets of the establishment in proportion to the evident necessity created by their increasing number. But as every departure from established principle necessarily leads in time to a reaction, especially where freedom of discussion is permitted, active and inquiring minds were led by the obvious symptoms of degeneracy to compare the doctrines, the sentiments, and the characters of modern times with those which are associated with our dearest recollections in the history of the Protestant Church. It was then that the benefit of Establishments shone forth in all its lustre. The reaction, it must be confessed, far exceeded the original impulse of the force impressed, and was not a little tinctured with enthusiasm and extravagance. But it served to rouse the energies and restore the elasticity of the body of the orthodox church; and her fixed and permanent principles afforded an unerring rule by which to judge of the extent to which a salutary re-action might fairly be carried. But as the uneducated part of mankind are prone to extremes, it is not surprising that many w...