The Essays of Francis Bacon/XVI Of Atheism

by Francis Bacon

XVI. Of Atheism.

I had rather believe all the fables in the Legend^[1] and the Talmud,^[2] and the Alcoran,^[3] than that this universal frame is without a mind. And therefore God never wrought miracle to convince^[4] atheism because his ordinary works convince it. It is true, that a little philosophy inclineth man's mind to atheism; but depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion. For while the mind of man looketh upon second causes scattered, it may some times rest in them, and go no further; but when it beholdeth the chain of them, confederate and linked together, it must needs fly to Providence and Deity. Nay, even that school which is most accused of atheism doth most demonstrate religion; that is, the school of Leucippus^[5] and Democritus and Epicurus.^[6] For it is a thousand times more credible, that four mutable elements,^[7] and one immutable fifth essence, duly and eternally placed, need no God, than that an army of infinite small portions or seeds unplaced, should have produced this order and beauty without a divine marshal. The scripture saith, The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God;^[8] it is not said, The fool hath thought in his heart; so as^[9] he rather saith it by rote to himself, as that^[10] he would have, than that he can thoroughly believe it, or be persuaded of it.^[11] For none deny there is a God, but those for whom it maketh^[12] that there were no God. It appeareth in nothing more, that atheism is rather in the lip than in the heart of man, than by this; that atheists will ever be talking of that their opinion, as if they fainted in it within themselves, and would be glad to be strengthened by the consent^[13] of others. Nay more, you shall have atheists strive to get disciples, as it fareth with other sects. And, which is most of all,^[14] you shall have of them that will suffer for atheism, and not recant; whereas if they did truly think that there were no such thing as God, why should they trouble themselves? Epicurus is charged that he did but dissemble for his credit's sake, when he affirmed there were blessed natures, but such as enjoyed themselves without having respect to the government of the world. Wherein they say he did temporize; though in secret he thought there was no God. But certainly he is traduced; for his words are noble and divine: Non Deos vulgi negare profanum; sed vulgi opiniones Diis applicare profanum.^[15] Plato could have said no more. And although he had the confidence^[16] to deny the administration, he had not the power to deny the nature. The Indians of the west have names for their particular gods, though they have no name for God: as if the heathens should have had the names Jupiter, Apollo, Mars, &c., but not the word Deus; which shews that even those barbarous people have the notion, though they have not the latitude and extent of it. So that against atheists the very savages take part with the very subtlest philosophers. The contemplative atheist is rare: a Diagoras,^[17] a Bion,^[18] a Lucian^[19] perhaps, and some others; and yet they seem to be more than they are; for that all that impugn a received religion or superstition are by the adverse part branded with the name of atheists. But the great atheists indeed are hypocrites; which are ever handling holy things, but without feeling; so as they must needs be cauterized in the end. The causes of atheism are; divisions in religion, if they be many; for any one main division addeth zeal to both sides; but many divisions introduce atheism. Another is, scandal of priests; when it is come to that which St. Bernard saith,^[20] Non est jam dicere, ut populus sic sacerdos; quia nec sic populus ut sacerdos.^[21] A third is, custom of profane scoffing in holy matters; which doth by little and little deface the reverence of religion. And lastly, learned times, specially with peace and prosperity; for troubles and adversities do more bow men's minds to religion. They that deny a God destroy man's nobility; for certainly man is of kin to the beasts by his body; and, if he be not of kin to God by his spirit, he is a base and ignoble creature. It destroy likewise magnanimity, and the raising of human nature; for take an example of a dog, and mark what a generosity and courage he will put on when he finds himself maintained by a man; who to him is instead of a God, or melior natura;^[22] which courage is manifestly such as that creature, without that confidence of a better nature than his own, could never attain. So man, when he resteth and assureth himself upon divine protection and favour, gathereth a force and faith which human nature in itself could not obtain. Therefore, as atheism is in all respects hateful, so in this, that it depriveth human nature of the means to exalt itself above human frailty.^[23] As it is in particular persons, so it is in nations. Never was there such a state for magnanimity as Rome. Of this state hear what Cicero^[24] saith: Quam volumus licet patres conscripti, nos amemus, tamen nec numero Hispanos, nec robore Gallos, nec calliditate Pœnos, nec artibus Græcos, nec denique hoc ipso hujus gentis et terræ domestico nativoque sensu Italos ipsos et Latinos; sed pietate ac religione, atque hac una sapientia, quod Deorum immortalium numine omnia regi gubernarique perspeximus, omnes gentes nationesque superavimus.

^[25]

1. The Legend. A book of miraculous stories, so called because it was appointed to be read in churches on certain days.
2. The Talmud. The book of Jewish traditional or oral laws and regulations of life explanatory of the written law of the Pentateuch, together with the commentaries of the rabbins thereon. The two recensions of the Talmud, the Palestinian and the Babylonian, were composed between the ends of the 2d and 6th centuries A.D.
3. Alcoran (Arabic, the book), or Koran, the Mohammedan book of faith and worship.
4. Convince. To disprove; to refute. "There was never miracle wrought by God to convert an atheist, because the light of nature might have led him to confess a God." Advancement of Learning. II. vi. 1.
5. Leucippus, Greek philosopher, flourished about 500 B.C. He founded the atomic school of philosophy.
6. Epicurus, Greek philosopher, 342–270 B.C. Epicurus taught that pleasure is the only possible end of rational action, and that the ultimate pleasure is freedom. With Democritus, he accepted and helped to develop the theory of atoms of Leucippus.
7. Four mutable elements. The four elements are earth, air, fire, and water, of which all things were thought to be made. Aristotle suggested a 'fifth being,' or 'form of existence,' for that which makes a thing what it is, its 'soul.' The Latin language translated 'fifth being' as quinta essentia, 'fifth essence'; that is, 'quintessence,' in English.
   

   "The cumbrous elements, earth, flood, air, fire;
   And this ethereal quintessence of heav'n
   Flew upward, spirited with various forms,
   That roll'd orbicular, and turn'd to stars
   Numberless."
   

   Milton. Paradise Lost. III. 715–719.
8. This is the first sentence of the first verse of both the Fourteenth and the Fifty-third Psalms.
9. As. That.
10. That means what, that which.
11. "For myself, I would not give up the poetry of religion for all the wisest results that philosophy will ever arrive at." Thomas Moore to Lord Byron, Feb. 9, 1822. Letters and Journals of Lord Byron, with Notices of his Life. Thomas Moore.
12. Maketh. Make means profit.
13. Consent. Agreement or unity of opinion; unanimity, consensus.
14. The Latin text shows that the phrase most of all means most extraordinary of all.
15. It is not profane to deny the gods of the common people; but it is profane to apply the opinions of the common people to the gods. Diogenes Laertius. X. 123.
16. Confidence. Assurance, boldness, fearlessness, arising from reliance (on one's self, on circumstances, on divine support, etc.).

    ⁠"Alas, my lord,
    Your wisdom is consumed in confidence."
    

    Shakspere. Julius Caesar. ii. 2.
17. Diagoras of Melos, surnamed 'the Atheist,' lived in the last half of the 5th century, B.C.
18. Bion, a witty philosopher of the Cyrenaic school, born at Borysthenes; he lived for some time at the court of Antigonus (Gonatas), who was king of Macedon from 277 to 239 B.C.
19. Lucian 120(?)–200(?) A.D., Greek satirist and wit. Among other works, he wrote Dialogues of the Gods, Dialogues of the Dead, and the Veracious History, a mock narrative of travel, which is the original of such books as Gulliver's Travels. Lucian's Timon, a very amusing and witty dialogue, was, probably through the Timone of Matteo Maria Boiardo, one of the sources of Shakspere's Timon of Athens.
20. St. Bernard, 1091–1153, Abbot of Clairvaux, one of the most eloquent and influential men in Europe of his time.
21. It cannot now be said, Like priest, like people, because the people are not like the priests, i.e., they are better. Ad Pastores in Synodo Congregatos sermo. S. The sermon of St. Bernard here quoted, entitled, Cujuscunque sit, nec inelegans est, nec lectu indignus, will be found in Jacques Paul Migne's Patrologiae Cursus Completus. S. Bernardus. Volume 3. Columns 1091–1092.
22. Better, or higher, nature. P. Ovidii Nasonis Metamorphoseon Liber I. Fabula I. 21.
23. "If it is a dream ["the prospect of a future state"], let me enjoy it, since it makes me the happier and better man." Joseph Addison. The Spectator. No. 186.
24. Marcus Tullius Cicero, 106–43 B.C., Roman orator, philosopher, and statesman.
25. We may have as good an opinion of ourselves as we will, conscript fathers, yet we do not surpass the Spaniards in number, nor the Gauls in strength, nor the Carthaginians in cunning, nor the Greeks in arts, nor finally the Italians and Latins themselves in the homely and native intelligence of this nation and land; but we do surpass all nations and peoples in piety and in religion, and in this one wisdom of recognizing that all things are ruled and governed by the power of the immortal gods. M. Tullii Ciceronis Oratio De Haruspicum Responso in P. Clodium in Senatu Habita. Caput ix. 19.