Friday, March 25, 2011

"The Distinct Claims of Government and Religion, Considered in a Sermon Preached Before the Honourable House of Burgesses, at Williamsburg,..."

Many thanks to a friend who was able to locate it at the library at Princeton University where it is located.

I haven't had a chance to look at it in detail yet. But I'll let any readers who so desire get a jump on it for future discussion.

Henley Sermon

2 comments:

Angie Van De Merwe said...

Obviously, one that had strong convictions, but did not impose them on others. Such as these believe in a supernatural realm where judgment will be met out.

Thankfully, one doesn't have to care what another thinks of them about such matters. Such matters are so contested that believers themselves can't agree. So, why would one attempt to please any of these?

Faith can't be manufactured, that is for sure.

Tom Van Dyke said...

Thx, Jon. The sermon is pretty much a restatement of the "incomparable" Locke's strongest point in "Letter Concerning Toleration," that government can't save your soul.

If you don't believe what they're selling, it's just the words of men to you, not God.

Faith can't be manufactured, that is for sure

Angie gets this one right here. I hope it wasn't by accident.

;-)

That said, notice that Rev. Henley still notes that God's will ["divine will"] is to be done, a point James Wilson makes too, years later. Henley is selling non-sectarianism on dogma and ritual, not a godless secularism.