Works: To which is Prefixed a Life of the Author, 1. köideArchibald Constable and Company, 1804 |
Common terms and phrases
actions admitted afford analogy of nature answer appear appointed arise atheism Author of Nature behaviour Bishop Butler BISHOP OF DURHAM Chap character Christ Christianity common concerning consequences considered constitution and course constitution of nature contrary course of nature course of things creatures credible death degree dence difficulties dispensation divine doubt DR BUTLER effect evidence of religion exercise experience external fact farther future God's habits happiness implies instances JOSEPH BUTLER judge justice kind laws ligion living agents mankind manner matter means ment mind miracles misery moral government natural government natural religion necessity neral notion objections observations Oriel college ourselves particular passions peculiar persons plainly practice present presumption principles proof prophecy proved racter reason regard relation render respect revelation rewarded and punished rience scheme Scripture sense shew shewn sort supposed supposition temporal tendency thoritative thought tical tion truth tural ture virtuous whole
Popular passages
Page 224 - Nor is it at all incredible, that a book which has been so long in the possession of mankind should contain many truths as yet undiscovered. For, all the same phenomena and the same faculties of investigation, from which such great discoveries in natural knowledge have been made in the present and last age, were equally in the possession of mankind several thousand years before- And possibly it might be intended, that events, as they come to pass, should open and ascertain the meaning of several...
Page 323 - And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
Page 258 - And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying ; Blessing and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
Page 335 - And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the Lord shall lead thee.
Page lxxi - It is come, I know not how, to be taken for granted, by many persons, that Christianity is not so much as a subject of inquiry ; but that it is, now at length, discovered to be fictitious. And accordingly they treat it, as if, in the present age, this were an agreed point, among all people of discernment; and nothing remained, but to set it up as a principal subject of mirth and ridicule, as it were by way of reprisals, for its having so long interrupted the pleasures of the world.
Page 256 - Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
Page 256 - For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
Page 194 - Moral precepts are precepts, the reasons of which we see: positive precepts are precepts, the reasons of which we do not see.* Moral duties arise out of the nature of the case itself, prior to external command. Positive duties do not arise out of the nature of the case, but from external command ; nor would they be duties at all, were it not for such command, received from him whose creatures and subjects we are.
Page 218 - And therefore, neither obscurity, nor seeming inaccuracy of style, nor various readings, nor early disputes about the authors of particular parts ; nor any other things of the like kind, though they had been much more considerable in degree than they are, could overthrow the authority of the scripture : unless the prophets, apostles, or our Lord, had promised, that the book containing the divine revelation should be secure from those things.
Page 41 - Or, perhaps, divine goodness, with which, if I mistake not, we make very free in our speculations, may not be a bare single disposition to produce happiness ; but a disposition to make the good, the faithful, the honest man, happy.