It is certain,
that a Man of vast Parts and superlative Ambition might, by the Divine
Permission, perform, take Care of, and compass all this, tho' he was
an _Atheist_; and that he might live and die with the Reputation of a
Saint, if he was but circumspect and wise enough to conceal himself so
entirely well, that no Penetration or Watchfulness of Mortals could
ever discover his real Sentiments. There is no Atchievement to be
expected from Soldiers, which they would not perform for such a
General; and his Name would be sufficient to fill the greatest
Profligate in an Army with a Religious Enthusiasm, if he disbelieved
not an invisible Cause.
Hor. There lies the Difficulty; it is that which I cannot comprehend.
Cleo. Wickedness, I have hinted to you before, is no Bar to
Superstition; and a great Profligate may at the same Time be a silly
Fellow, believe Absurdities, and rely on Trifles, which a Man of Sense
and Virtue could not be influenc'd or affected by. It is easily
imagin'd, that in such an Army, under such a General as I have been
speaking of, the Men would be kept under strict Discipline; and that
they would not only be compell'd, whether they would or not, to assist
at all their Exercises of outward Devotion and Publick Worship; but
likewise that the loosest Livers among them should be obliged to be
more cautious and circumspect in their Behaviour, than Soldiers
generally are. Now suppose a Man so wicked, that, tho' he has no Doubt
of Future State, the Belief of Rewards and Punishments in another
World made no impression upon him; but that he indulged every vicious
Inclination as far as he dared, lay with every Woman that would let
him, and got drunk as often as he could get an Opportunity to do it;
one that would stick at Nothing, rob or steal, kill a Man that should
anger him, if he was not with-held by the Law, and the Fear of
Temporal Punishment: Suppose likewise, that this was one of the lowest
Mob, who being in Want, and too lazy to work, should lift himself in
some Regiment or other of this Army.
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