A General Treatise of Morality; Form'd Upon the Principles of Natural Reason Only. with a Preface in Answer to Two Essays Lately Published in the Fa (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1724 edition. Excerpt: ... capable of fuchPunifhments, fhould be reftored again to the fame Body, or be united to any other Body. Chap. IX. The Grounds of Error concerning moral Truth, with the ijMeans of removing them. I. A Difficulty moved. II. The Confequence drawn from it denied; and what may be juftly inferred. 3. Reafons of Ignorance in Men concerning moral Truths. IV, V. The two main Sources of Error, and the Tendency of them. VI, VII. Concerning Weaknefs of Method, whereby the Caufes of Error may be removed. IT F the Laws of moral Virtue have that Force to oblige Men to Obedience, and to oblige under thofe Sanctions we have afcribed to them, they ought, you will fay, to be written in fuch fair and legible Characters, that all Men, on every Occafion, may confult and apply them. For a Law, the Seme orDefign whereof is not clear and intelligible, is, in Effect no Law. Men cannot follow a Light, which they do not fee; or praclife an unknown Duty: And yet it may be faid, that Morality changes, in refpecl: to Times and Places; that is Morality, under the Notion, it is frequently underftood and explained, as a received Rule for the Conduct of human Life; From whence Ibme have concluded, there is no fixed or certain Standard of Morality; but that the Rules of it are different and mutable, according to the difFerent Tempers, Opinions, or Circumftances of Men. So that what is reputed decent, praifeworthy, and of good Report ( all Characters of moral Virtue) at one Time, or in one Place; at another Time, and in another Place, may be thought unbecoming, difhonourable and infamous; the proper Characters, on the other Hand, of moral Evil. II. The Truth of this Obfervation is not denied; but we deny the Confequence, that Men would draw from it. It might, witli equal..