Page:History of Modern Philosophy (Falckenberg).djvu/174

 TS2 DEVELOPMENT OF CARTESIANISM. being a,guarantee of practice in conformity with her pre- cepts. Jt is neither true that faith alone leads to morality nor that unbelief is the cause of immorality7 A state composed of atheists would be not at all impossible, if only strict punishments and strict notions of honor were insisted upon. The judgments of the natural reason in moral questions are ascertain and free from error as its capacity is shown to be weak and limited in theoretical science. The idea of morality never deceives anyone ; the moral law is innate in every man. Although Christianity has given the best development of our duties, yet th^mora l^law can be un der- stood and followed by all men, even by heathen and atlie- isfs. We do nor~need to~be Christians~in order to act virtuously; the knowledg;e given by conscience is not dependent upon revelation. From the knowledge of the good to the practice of it is, it is true, a long step ; we may be convinced of moral truth without loving it, and God's grace alone is able to strengthen us against the power of the passions, by adding to the illumination of the mind an inclination of the heart toward the good. pTemperament, custom, self-love move the^soul _mpre y strotTgly^ than ^gngfgt~trnt frs: As in life pleasure is far outbalanced by pain and vexation, so far more evil acts are done than good ones : history is a collection of misdeeds, with scarcely one virtuous act for a thousand crimes. It is not the external action that constitutes the ethical character of a deed, but the motive or dis- position ; almsgiving from motives of pride is a vice, and only when practiced out of love to one's neighbors, a virtue. God looks only at the act of the will ; our highest duty, and one which admits of no exceptions, is never to act contrary to conscience.