led captive by their lusts to the denial of God. When the very pleasures of paradise are contemned and trampled on, like pearls cast before swine, there's small hope of reclaiming them by arguments of reason. But however, as Solomon adviseth, we will answer these fools not according to their folly, lest we also be like unto them." It is expedient that we put to silence the ignorance of these foolish men, that believers may be the more confirmed and more resolute in

the faith.

Did religion bestow heaven without any terms or conditions indifferently upon all; if the crown of life was hereditary, and free to good and bad; and not settled by covenant upon the elect of God only, such as live soberly, and righteously, and godly, in this present world; I believe there would be no such thing as an infidel among us. And, without controversy, 'tis the way and means of attaining to heaven, that makes profane scorners so willingly let go the expectation of it. "Tis not the articles of the creed, but the duty to God and their neighbour, that is such an inconsistent incredible legend. They will not practise the rules of religion, and therefore they cannot believe the promises and rewards of it.

But, however, let us suppose them to have acted like rational and serious men; and, perhaps, upon a diligent inquisition, they have found, that the hope of immortality deserves to be joyfully quitted, and that either out of interest or necessity.*

I. And first, one may conceive, indeed, how there might possibly be a necessity of quitting it. It might be tied to such terms as would render it impossible ever to be obtained. For example; if it should be required of all the candidates of glory and immortality, to give a full and knowing assent to such things as are repugnant to common sense, as contradict the Kowal évvoiai, the universal notions and indubitable maxims of reason; if they were to believe, that one and the

" Prov. xxvi. 4.

▾ Tit. ii. 12.

[* necessity; 1st ed. "necessity, which is both.”—D.]

same thing may be and not be at the same time and in the same respect; if, allowing the received ideas and denominations of numbers, and figures, and body, they must seriously affirm, that two and two do make a dozen, or that the diameter of a circle is as long as the circumference, or that the same body may be all of it in distant places at once: I must confess, that the offers of happiness, upon such articles of belief as these, would be mere tantalising of rational creatures; and the kingdom of heaven would become the inheritance of only idiots and fools. For, whilst a man of common capacity doth think and reflect upon such propositions, he cannot possibly bribe his understanding to give a verdict for their truth. So that he would be quite frustrated of the hope of reward, upon such unpracticable conditions as these; neither could he have any evidence of the reality of the promise, superior to what he is conscious to of the falsity of the means. Now, if any Atheist can shew me, in the system of Christian religion, any such absurdities and repugnancies to our natural faculties, I will either evince them to be interpolations and corruptions of the faith, or yield myself a captive and a proselyte to his infidelity.

II. Or, 2dly, they may think 'tis the interest of mankind that there should be no heaven at all, because the labour to acquire it is more worth than the purchase; God Almighty (if there be one) having much overvalued the blessings of his presence. So that, upon a fair estimation, 'tis a greater advantage to take one's swing in sensuality, and have a glut of voluptuousness in this life, freely resigning all pretences to future happiness; which, when a man is once extinguished by death, he cannot be supposed either to want or desire; than to be tied up by commandments and rules so contrary* to flesh and blood; to take up one's cross, to deny himself, and refuse the satisfaction of natural desires. This, indeed, is the true language of Atheism, and the cause of it too. Were not this at the bottom, no man in his wits could con

[* so contrary; 1st ed. "so thwart and contrary."—D.]

W

temn and ridicule the expectation of immortality. Now, what power or influence can religion have upon the minds of these men, while not only their affections and lusts, but their supposed interest shall plead against it? But, if we can once silence this powerful advocate, we shall without much difficulty carry the cause at the bar of impartial reason.

Now, here is a notorious instance of the folly of Atheists, that while they repudiate all title to the kingdom of heaven, merely for the present pleasure of body, and their boasted tranquillity of mind, besides the extreme madness in running such a desperate hazard after death (which I will not now treat of), they deprive themselves here of that very pleasure and tranquillity they seek for. For I shall now endeavour to shew, that religion itself gives us the greatest delights and advantages even in this life also, though there should prove in the event to be no resurrection to another. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.x

But, before I begin that, I must occur to one specious objection both against this proposition and the past part of my discourse; namely, that religion doth perpetually haunt and disquiet us with dismal apprehensions of everlasting burnings in hell; and that there is no shelter or refuge from those fears, but behind the principles of Atheism.

(1.) First, therefore, I will freely acknowledge to the Atheists, that some part of what hath been said is not directly conclusive against them, if they say that, before they revolted from the faith, they had sinned away all expectation of ever arriving at heaven; and, consequently, had good reason so joyfully to receive the news of annihilation by death, as an advantageous change for the everlasting torments of the damned. But, because I cannot expect that they will make such a shameless and senseless confession, and supply us with that invincible argument against themselves, I must say again, that to prefer final extinction before a happy immortality does declare the most deplorable stu[* they; 1st ed. "they unwittingly."—D.]

* Prov. iii. 17.

[tor; 1st ed. " nor.”—D.]

pidity of mind. Nay, although they should confess that they believed themselves to be reprobates before they disbelieved religion, and took Atheism as a sanctuary and refuge from the terrors of hell; yet still the imputation of folly will stick upon them, inasmuch as they chose Atheism as an opiate to still those frightening apprehensions, by inducing a dulness and lethargy of mind, rather than they would make use of that active and salutary medicine, a hearty repentance; that they did not know the richness of the goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering of God; and that a sincere amendment of life was never too late,† Jesus Christ being the Saviour of all men, and a propitiation for the sins of the whole world; who came into the world to save sinners, even the chief of them all; and died for the ungodly, and his bitterest enemies.z

(2.) And, secondly, as to the fears of damnation: those terrors are not to be charged upon religion itself, which proceed either from the want of religion, or superstitious mistakes about it. For as an honest and innocent man doth know the punishments which the laws of his country denounce against felons, and murderers, and traitors, without being terrified or concerned at them; so a Christian, in truth as well as in name, though he believe the consuming vengeance prepared for the disobedient and unbelievers, is not at all dismayed at the apprehensions of it. Indeed, it adds spurs and gives wings to his diligence; it excites him to work out his salvation with fear and trembling;a a religious and ingenuous fear, that is tempered with hope, and with love, and unspeakable joy. But he knows that, if he fears Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell, he needs not fear that his own soul or body shall ever go thither.

I allow, that some debauched and profligate wretches, or

[* they would; 1st ed. " to."-D.]

[t too late; 1st ed. "too late nor in vain."-D.]

Rom. ii. 4.

z 1 Tim. iv. 10. 1 John, v. 14 [ii. 2]. 1 Tim. i. 15. Rom. v. 6, 10.

a Phil. ii. 12.

b Matth. x. 28.

some designing perfidious hypocrites, that are religious in outward profession, but corrupt and abominable in their works, are most justly as well as usually liable to these horrors of mind. 'Tis not my business to defend or excuse such as these; I must leave them, as long as they keep their hardness and impenitent hearts, to those gnawing and excruciating fears, those whips of the divine Nemesis, that frequently scourge even Atheists themselves. For the Atheists* also can never wholly extinguish those† horrible forebodings of conscience. They endeavour, indeed, to compose and charm their fears, but‡ a thousand occasions daily awaken§ the sleeping tormentors. Any slight consideration either of themselves, or of any thing without; whatsoever they think on, or whatsoever they look on; all|| administer some reasons for suspicion and diffidence, lest possibly they may be in the wrong; and then 'tis a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. There are they in great fear, as 'tis in the fifth verse of this Psalm, under terrible presages of judgment and fiery indignation. Neither can they say, that these terrors, like tales about spectres, may disturb some small pretenders and puny novices, but dare not approach the vere adepti, the masters and rabbies of Atheism: for 'tis well known,e both from ancient and modern experience, that the very boldest of them, out of their debauches and company, when they chance to be surprised with solitude or sickness, are the most suspicious, and timorous, and despondent wretches in the world: and that the boasted happy Atheist in the indolence of body, and an undisturbed calm and serenity of mind, is altogether as rare a creature as the vir sapiens was among the Stoics; whom they often met with in idea and description, in harangues and in books,

[* the Atheists; 1st ed. "they."-D.]

[t those; 1st ed. "these."-D.]

[They endeavour, indeed, to compose and charm their fears, but; not in 1st ed.-D.]

[§ daily awaken; 1st ed. "do awake."-D.]

[ all; 1st ed. "all do."-D.]

d Heb. x. 27.

Heb. x. 31.