The Analogy of Religion to the Constitution and Course of Nature. Butler Joseph
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Joseph Butler
The Analogy of Religion to the Constitution and Course of Nature
To which are added two brief dissertations: I. On personal identity. II. On the nature of virtue
Published by Good Press, 2019
EAN 4057664590343
Table of Contents
Conspectus of the Author’s Introduction.
II. The use and application of probabilities .
III. The force of this use of Analogy.
IV. General scope of the book.
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CHAPTER I. A FUTURE LIFE. [27]
CHAPTER II. THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD BY REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS.
CHAPTER III. [59] THE MORAL GOVERNMENT OF GOD.
CHAPTER IV. PROBATION, AS IMPLYING TRIAL, DIFFICULTIES, AND DANGER. [84]
CHAPTER V. PROBATION, AS INTENDED FOR MORAL DISCIPLINE AND IMPROVEMENT.
CHAPTER VI. THE OPINION OF NECESSITY, CONSIDERED AS INFLUENCING PRACTICE.
CHAPTER I. THE IMPORTANCE OF CHRISTIANITY. [137]
CHAPTER II. SUPPOSED PRESUMPTION AGAINST A REVELATION CONSIDERED AS MIRACULOUS.
CHAPTER IV. CHRISTIANITY, CONSIDERED AS A SCHEME OR CONSTITUTION, IMPERFECTLY COMPREHENDED.
CHAPTER VI. THE WANT OF UNIVERSALITY IN REVELATION; AND THE SUPPOSED DEFICIENCY IN THE PROOF OF IT.
CHAPTER VII. THE PARTICULAR EVIDENCE FOR CHRISTIANITY.
CHAPTER VIII. OBJECTIONS AGAINST ARGUING FROM THE ANALOGY OF NATURE, TO RELIGION.
DISSERTATION I. Personal Identity.
DISSERTATION II. The Nature of Virtue.
Editor’s Introduction
Joseph Butler was born at Wantage, England, May 18th, 1692, the youngest of eight children. The biographies of that day were few and meagre; and in few cases is this so much to be regretted as in Butler’s. It would have been both interesting and profitable to trace the development and occupations of one of the mightiest of human minds. But no cotemporary gathered up the incidents of his life, and now all efforts to elicit them have been without success.
His father was a prosperous dry-goods merchant, who, at the time of his son’s birth, had retired from business with a competency, and resided in a suburban mansion called “The Priory,” still in existence.
Being a non-conformist, he educated Joseph at a “dissenting” academy at Gloucester, under Samuel Jones, a gentleman of great ability, and a skilful instructor, who raised up some of the greatest men of their day.[1]
It was while a member of this academy, and about the age of twenty-one, that Butler disclosed