The wisdom of being religious a sermon preached at St. Pauls / by John Tillotson ...
         Tillotson, John, 1630-1694.
      
       
         
           1664
        
      
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             The wisdom of being religious a sermon preached at St. Pauls / by John Tillotson ...
             Tillotson, John, 1630-1694.
          
           [4], 52 p.
           
             Printed for Sa. Gellibrand,
             London :
             1664.
          
           
             Reproduction of original in Union Theological Seminary Library, New York.
          
        
      
    
     
       
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           Bible. -- O.T. -- Job XXVIII, 28 -- Sermons.
           Sermons, English -- 17th century.
        
      
    
     
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           The
           Wisdom
           of
           being
           Religious
           .
           
             A
             SERMON
             Preached
             at
             St.
             PAULS
             .
          
        
         
           
             By
             JOHN
             TILLOTSON
             ,
             Preacher
             to
             the
             Honourable
             Society
             of
          
           Lincolns-Inn
           .
        
         
           
             BATEMAN
             Maior
          
           Martis
           quinto
           decimo
           die
           Martii
           1663.
           
           Annoque
           Caroli
           secundi
           Angliae
           ,
           &c.
           sexto
           decimo
           .
        
         
           
             IT
             is
             Ordered
             ,
             That
             Mr.
          
           Tillotson
           
             be
             desired
             to
             Print
             his
             Sermon
             lately
             Preached
             at
             St.
          
           Pauls
           
             Church
             before
             the
             Lord
             Maior
             and
             Aldermen
             of
             this
             City
             .
          
        
         
           WELD
           .
        
         
           PErlegi
           hanc
           Concionem
           ,
           in
           Ecclesiâ
           Sancti
           Pauli
           habitam
           ,
           cui
           Titulus
           
             (
             The
             Wisdom
             of
             being
             Religious
             )
          
           in
           quâ
           nihil
           reperio
           Doctrinae
           ,
           Disciplinaeve
           Ecclesiae
           Anglicanae
           ,
           aut
           bonis
           moribus
           contrarium
           :
           Plurima
           tamen
           ,
           quae
           ad
           praecipuum
           religionis
           fundamentum
           tutandum
           ;
           Et
           ad
           Prodigiosam
           Atheorum
           hujus
           seculi
           vanitatem
           redar
           guendam
           egregiè
           sunt
           accommodata
           .
           Quapropter
           dignissimam
           Censeo
           quae
           in
           Utilitatem
           publicam
        
         
           
             Typis
             mandetur
          
           .
        
         
           
             Joh.
             Hall
          
           ,
           Rev.
           in
           Christo
           Pat.
           Humfredo
           Episc
           .
           Lond.
           â
           sac
           .
           Domest
           .
           
             Maij.
             13.
             1664.
          
           
        
         
           LONDON
           ,
           
             Printed
             for
             SA
             .
             GELLIBRAND
             .
             1664.
             
          
        
      
       
         
         
         
           
             To
             the
             Right
             Honourable
             Sir
          
           ANTHONY
           BATEMAN
           ,
           
             Lord
             Mayor
             of
             the
             City
             of
          
           London
           ,
           
             and
             the
             Honourable
             Court
             of
             Aldermen
             there
             .
          
        
         
           
             Right
             Honourable
             ,
          
        
         
           IN
           obedience
           to
           your
           Order
           I
           here
           present
           you
           with
           a
           Sermon
           which
           you
           formerly
           heard
           .
           I
           know
           not
           how
           acceptable
           Discourses
           of
           this
           nature
           may
           be
           ,
           I
           am
           sure
           they
           are
           very
           seasonable
           in
           this
           
             degenerate
             Age
          
           ,
           in
           which
           Atheism
           and
           Profaneness
           are
           grown
           so
           impudent
           ,
           and
           notwithstanding
           the
           restraints
           of
           Shame
           and
           Laws
           ,
           do
           appear
           with
           so
           bold
           a
           face
           in
           the
           world
           .
           When
           men
           arrive
           to
           that
           degree
           of
           confidence
           ,
           as
           to
           tell
           the
           world
           that
           *
           
             the
             Notion
             of
             a
             Spirit
             implies
             a
             contradiction
             ,
          
           that
           Fear
           and
           Fancy
           are
           the
           Parents
           of
           a
           Deity
           ,
           and
           Ignorance
           and
           Melancholy
           the
           true
           Causes
           of
           Devotion
           ,
           and
           that
           Religion
           is
           nothing
           else
           but
           *
           
             the
             fear
             of
             an
             invisible
             power
             feigned
             by
             the
             mind
             ,
             or
             imagined
             
             from
             Tales
             publickly
             allowed
          
           ;
           when
           it
           shall
           be
           countted
           brave
           to
           defie
           God
           ,
           and
           every
           dabbler
           in
           Natural
           Philosophy
           ,
           or
           Mathematicks
           ,
           or
           Politicks
           ,
           shall
           set
           up
           for
           an
           Atheist
           ;
           sure
           then
           it
           is
           high
           time
           to
           resist
           this
           growing
           evil
           .
           For
           this
           purpose
           I
           have
           enlarged
           that
           part
           of
           the
           Discourse
           ,
           which
           is
           more
           immediately
           levelled
           against
           Atheism
           ,
           beyond
           what
           the
           limits
           of
           time
           would
           allow
           me
           in
           the
           Preaching
           of
           it
           ;
           and
           in
           hope
           that
           it
           may
           do
           some
           service
           to
           that
           end
           ,
           it
           is
           now
           humbly
           offered
           to
           you
           by
        
         
           
             Your
             Honours
             most
             humble
             servant
             
               John
               Tillotson
            
             .
          
        
      
    
     
       
         
         
           The
           Wisdom
           of
           being
           Religious
           .
        
         
           
             JOB
             .
             28.
             28.
             
          
           
             And
             unto
             man
             he
             said
             ,
             Behold
             the
             fear
             of
             the
             Lord
             that
             is
             Wisdom
             ,
             and
             to
             depart
             from
             evil
             that
             is
             understanding
             .
          
        
         
           IN
           the
           beginning
           of
           this
           Chapter
           Job
           discourseth
           of
           the
           knowledg
           of
           Nature
           ,
           and
           the
           secret
           and
           unaccountable
           operations
           of
           Natural
           Causes
           ,
           and
           of
           the
           unsearchable
           perfections
           of
           the
           Works
           of
           God.
           And
           enquiring
           at
           the
           12th
           Verse
           ,
           
             where
             this
             Wisdom
             is
             to
             be
             found
             ,
          
           he
           tells
           us
           ,
           that
           it
           is
           not
           to
           be
           met
           with
           in
           any
           of
           the
           Creatures
           ;
           
             It
             is
             not
             found
             in
             the
             land
             of
             the
             living
             ;
             The
             depth
             saith
             ,
             It
             is
             not
             in
             me
             ,
             and
             the
             Sea
             saith
             ,
             It
             is
             not
             in
             me
             ,
          
           &c.
           
           Therefore
           he
           puts
           the
           question
           again
           ,
           ver
           .
           20.
           
           
             Whence
             then
             cometh
             Wisdom
             ,
             and
             where
             is
             the
             place
             of
             understanding
             ,
             seeing
             it
             is
             hid
             from
             the
             eyes
             of
             all
             living
             ?
          
           To
           which
           he
           returns
           an
           answer
           ,
           ver
           .
           23.
           
           
             God
             understandeth
             the
             way
             thereof
             ,
             and
             he
             knoweth
             the
             place
             thereof
             ,
             for
             he
             looketh
             to
             the
             ends
             of
             the
             earth
             ,
             and
             seeth
             under
             the
             whole
             heaven
             to
             make
             the
             weight
             for
             the
             wind
             ,
          
           &c.
           
           The
           result
           of
           which
           discourse
           is
           ,
           That
           a
           perfect
           
           knowledg
           of
           nature
           is
           no
           where
           to
           be
           found
           but
           in
           the
           Authour
           of
           it
           ;
           no
           less
           wisdom
           and
           understanding
           then
           that
           which
           made
           the
           World
           ,
           and
           contrived
           this
           vast
           and
           regular
           frame
           of
           Nature
           ,
           can
           throughly
           understand
           the
           Philosophy
           of
           it
           ,
           and
           give
           a
           perfect
           account
           of
           all
           its
           motions
           and
           operations
           .
           But
           there
           is
           a
           wisdom
           and
           knowledg
           which
           is
           very
           proper
           to
           man
           ,
           and
           lies
           level
           to
           a
           humane
           understanding
           ,
           which
           is
           suited
           and
           accommodated
           to
           the
           end
           ,
           and
           uses
           ,
           and
           necessities
           of
           man
           :
           and
           that
           is
           ,
           the
           knowledg
           of
           God
           ,
           and
           of
           that
           duty
           which
           we
           owe
           to
           him
           ;
           the
           wisdom
           of
           pleasing
           God
           ,
           by
           doing
           what
           he
           commands
           ,
           and
           avoiding
           what
           he
           forbids
           :
           This
           Knowledg
           and
           Wisdom
           may
           be
           attained
           by
           man
           ,
           and
           is
           sufficient
           to
           make
           him
           happy
           .
           
             And
             unto
             man
             he
             said
             ,
             Behold
             the
             fear
             of
             the
             Lord
             ,
             that
             is
             Wisdom
             ,
             and
             to
             depart
             from
             evil
             is
             understanding
             .
          
        
         
           Which
           words
           consist
           of
           two
           propositions
           ,
           which
           are
           not
           distinct
           in
           sense
           ,
           but
           one
           and
           the
           same
           thing
           variously
           expressed
           ;
           For
           wisdom
           and
           understanding
           are
           Synonymous
           words
           here
           ,
           and
           though
           sometimes
           they
           have
           different
           notions
           ,
           yet
           in
           the
           
             Poetical
             books
             of
             Scripture
          
           they
           are
           most
           frequently
           used
           as
           words
           equivalent
           ,
           and
           do
           both
           of
           them
           indifferently
           signifie
           either
           a
           
             speculative
             knowledg
          
           of
           things
           ,
           or
           a
           
             practical
             skill
          
           about
           them
           ,
           according
           to
           the
           exigency
           of
           the
           matter
           or
           thing
           spoken
           of
           .
           And
           so
           likewise
           
             the
             fear
             of
             the
             Lord
          
           ,
           and
           
             departure
             from
             evil
          
           ,
           are
           phrases
           of
           a
           very
           near
           sense
           ,
           and
           like
           importance
           ,
           and
           therefore
           we
           find
           them
           several
           times
           put
           together
           in
           Scripture
           .
           Prov.
           3.
           7.
           
           
             Fear
             the
             Lord
             and
             depart
             from
             evil
             .
             Prov.
          
           16.
           6.
           
           
             By
             the
             fear
             of
             the
             Lord
             men
             depart
             from
             evil
             .
          
           So
           that
           they
           differ
           onely
           as
           cause
           and
           effect
           ,
           which
           by
           a
           Metonymy
           usual
           in
           all
           sorts
           of
           Authours
           ,
           are
           frequently
           put
           for
           one
           another
           .
        
         
           Now
           ,
           
             To
             fear
             the
             Lord
          
           ,
           and
           
             to
             depart
             from
             evil
          
           ,
           are
           phrases
           which
           the
           Scripture
           useth
           in
           a
           very
           great
           latitude
           ,
           to
           express
           to
           us
           
             the
             sum
             of
             Religion
             ,
             and
             the
             whole
             of
             our
             duty
             .
          
           And
           because
           
           the
           large
           acceptation
           of
           these
           phrases
           is
           to
           be
           the
           foundation
           of
           my
           subsequent
           discourse
           ,
           I
           shall
           for
           the
           further
           clearing
           of
           this
           matter
           endeavour
           to
           shew
           these
           two
           things
           .
        
         
           1.
           
           That
           it
           is
           very
           usual
           in
           the
           language
           of
           Scripture
           ,
           to
           express
           the
           
             whole
             of
             Religion
          
           by
           these
           ,
           and
           such
           like
           phrases
           .
        
         
           2.
           
           The
           particular
           fitness
           of
           these
           two
           phrases
           to
           describe
           Religion
           by
           .
        
         
           I.
           It
           is
           very
           usual
           in
           the
           language
           of
           Scripture
           ,
           to
           express
           the
           
             Whole
             of
             Religion
          
           by
           some
           eminent
           Principle
           or
           part
           of
           Religion
           .
           The
           great
           Principles
           of
           Religion
           are
           
             Knowledg
             ,
             Faith
             ,
             Remembrance
             ,
             Love
          
           and
           Fear
           ;
           by
           all
           which
           ,
           the
           Scripture
           useth
           to
           express
           the
           
             Whole
             duty
          
           of
           man.
           In
           the
           
             Old
             Testament
          
           ,
           by
           the
           
             Knowledg
             ,
             Remembrance
          
           ,
           and
           Fear
           of
           God.
           Religion
           is
           called
           
             The
             knowledg
             of
             the
             holy
             ,
             Prov.
          
           30.
           3.
           
           And
           wicked
           men
           are
           described
           to
           be
           such
           as
           
             know
             not
             God.
          
           So
           likewise
           ,
           by
           the
           
             fear
             of
             the
             Lord
          
           ,
           frequently
           in
           this
           book
           of
           Job
           ,
           and
           in
           the
           Psalms
           ,
           and
           Proverbs
           .
           And
           Mal.
           3.
           16.
           
           
             Then
             they
             that
             feared
             the
             Lord
             spake
             often
             one
             to
             another
             .
          
           And
           Eccles
           .
           12.
           13.
           the
           
             fear
             of
             God
          
           is
           expresly
           said
           to
           be
           the
           sum
           of
           Religion
           ;
           
             Fear
             God
             and
             keep
             his
             commandments
             ,
             for
             this
             is
             the
             whole
             of
             man.
          
           And
           on
           the
           contrary
           ,
           the
           wicked
           are
           described
           to
           be
           such
           as
           
             have
             not
             the
             fear
             of
             God
             before
             their
             eyes
             ,
             Psal
             .
          
           36.
           1.
           
           And
           so
           likewise
           by
           the
           remembrance
           of
           God
           ,
           Eccles
           .
           12.
           1.
           
           
             Remember
             thy
             Creator
             in
             the
             days
             of
             thy
             youth
             :
          
           that
           is
           ,
           enter
           upon
           a
           Religious
           course
           betimes
           .
           And
           on
           the
           contrary
           ,
           the
           Character
           of
           the
           Wicked
           is
           ,
           that
           
             they
             forget
             God
          
           ,
           Psal
           .
           9.
           17.
           
           
             The
             wicked
             shall
             be
             turned
             into
             Hell
             ,
             and
             all
             the
             Nations
             that
             forget
             God.
          
           In
           the
           
             New
             Testament
             ,
             Religion
          
           is
           usually
           expressed
           by
           faith
           in
           God
           and
           Christ
           ,
           and
           the
           love
           of
           them
           ,
           Hence
           it
           is
           that
           true
           Christians
           are
           so
           frequently
           called
           believers
           ,
           and
           wicked
           and
           ungodly
           men
           ,
           unbelievers
           .
           And
           Rom.
           8.
           28.
           
           Good
           men
           are
           described
           to
           be
           such
           as
           
             love
             God
             ,
             All
             things
             shall
             work
             together
             for
             good
             to
             them
             that
             love
             God
             ,
          
           and
           
           such
           as
           
             love
             the
             Lord
             Jesus
             Christ
             ,
             Ephes
             .
          
           6.
           24.
           
           Now
           the
           reason
           why
           these
           are
           put
           for
           the
           
             Whole
             of
             Religion
          
           ,
           is
           ,
           because
           the
           belief
           ,
           and
           knowledg
           ,
           and
           remembrance
           ,
           and
           love
           ,
           and
           fear
           of
           God
           ,
           are
           such
           powerful
           principles
           ,
           and
           have
           so
           great
           an
           influence
           upon
           men
           to
           make
           them
           Religious
           ,
           that
           where
           any
           one
           of
           these
           really
           is
           ,
           all
           the
           rest
           ,
           together
           with
           the
           true
           and
           genuine
           effects
           of
           them
           ,
           are
           supposed
           to
           be
           .
           And
           so
           likewise
           the
           sum
           of
           all
           Religion
           is
           often
           expressed
           by
           some
           
             eminent
             part
          
           of
           it
           ;
           which
           will
           explain
           the
           second
           phrase
           here
           in
           the
           Text
           ,
           
             Departing
             from
             evil
          
           .
           The
           
             Worship
             of
             God
          
           is
           an
           eminent
           part
           of
           Religion
           ;
           and
           Prayer
           ,
           which
           is
           often
           in
           Scripture
           expressed
           by
           
             seeking
             God
          
           ,
           and
           
             calling
             upon
             his
             Name
          
           ,
           is
           a
           chief
           part
           of
           Religious
           Worship
           .
           Hence
           Religion
           is
           described
           by
           
             seeking
             God
          
           ,
           Heb.
           11.
           6.
           
           
             He
             is
             a
             rewarder
             of
             them
             that
             diligently
             seek
             him
          
           ;
           and
           by
           
             calling
             upon
             his
             Name
          
           ,
           Act.
           2.
           21.
           
           
             Whosoever
             calleth
             upon
             the
             name
             of
             the
             Lord
             ,
             shall
             be
             saved
             .
          
           And
           so
           by
           
             coming
             to
             God
          
           ,
           and
           by
           
             departing
             from
             evil
          
           .
           In
           this
           fallen
           state
           of
           man
           ,
           Religion
           begins
           with
           Repentance
           and
           Conversion
           ,
           the
           two
           opposite
           terms
           of
           which
           are
           God
           and
           sin
           ;
           hence
           it
           is
           that
           Religion
           is
           described
           sometimes
           by
           
             coming
             to
             God
          
           ,
           Heb.
           11.
           6.
           
           
             He
             that
             cometh
             to
             God
             must
             believe
             that
             he
             is
          
           ;
           that
           is
           ,
           No
           man
           can
           be
           religious
           ,
           unless
           he
           believe
           there
           is
           a
           God.
           Sometimes
           by
           
             departing
             from
             sin
          
           ,
           Isa
           .
           59.
           15.
           
           
             And
             he
             that
             departeth
             from
             evil
             maketh
             himself
             a
             Prey
             :
          
           that
           is
           ,
           such
           was
           the
           bad
           state
           of
           those
           times
           the
           Prophet
           complains
           of
           ,
           that
           no
           man
           could
           be
           religious
           ,
           but
           he
           was
           in
           danger
           of
           being
           persecuted
           .
        
         
           II.
           For
           the
           fitness
           of
           these
           two
           phrases
           to
           describe
           Religion
           by
           .
           1.
           
           For
           the
           first
           ,
           
             The
             fear
             of
             the
             Lord
          
           ;
           the
           fitness
           of
           this
           phrase
           will
           appear
           ,
           if
           we
           consider
           that
           very
           great
           influence
           which
           the
           fear
           of
           God
           hath
           upon
           men
           to
           make
           them
           religious
           .
           Fear
           is
           a
           passion
           that
           is
           most
           deeply
           rooted
           in
           our
           natures
           ,
           and
           flows
           immediately
           from
           that
           principle
           of
           self-preservation
           which
           God
           
           hath
           planted
           in
           every
           man.
           Every
           man
           desires
           his
           own
           preservation
           and
           happiness
           ,
           and
           therefore
           hath
           a
           natural
           dread
           and
           horrour
           of
           every
           thing
           that
           can
           destroy
           his
           being
           ,
           and
           endanger
           his
           happiness
           ;
           Now
           the
           greatest
           danger
           is
           from
           the
           greatest
           power
           ,
           and
           that
           is
           Omnipotency
           .
           So
           that
           
             the
             fear
             of
             God
          
           is
           an
           inward
           acknowledgment
           of
           a
           Holy
           and
           just
           Being
           ,
           which
           is
           armed
           with
           an
           almighty
           and
           irresistible
           power
           ;
           God
           having
           hidin
           every
           mans
           conscience
           a
           secret
           awe
           and
           dread
           of
           his
           infinite
           Power
           ,
           and
           eternal
           Justice
           .
           Now
           Fear
           ,
           being
           so
           intimate
           to
           our
           natures
           ,
           it
           is
           the
           strongest
           bond
           of
           Laws
           ,
           and
           the
           great
           security
           of
           our
           duty
           .
           There
           are
           two
           Bridles
           or
           restraints
           which
           God
           hath
           put
           upon
           humane
           nature
           ,
           Shame
           ,
           and
           
             Fear
             .
             Shame
          
           is
           the
           weaker
           ,
           and
           hath
           place
           onely
           in
           those
           in
           whom
           there
           are
           some
           remainders
           of
           Virtue
           ;
           Fear
           is
           the
           stronger
           ,
           and
           works
           upon
           all
           who
           love
           themselves
           ,
           and
           desire
           their
           own
           preservation
           .
           Therefore
           ,
           in
           this
           degenerate
           state
           of
           man-kind
           ,
           Fear
           is
           that
           passion
           which
           hath
           the
           greatest
           power
           over
           us
           ,
           and
           by
           which
           ,
           God
           and
           his
           Laws
           take
           the
           surest
           hold
           of
           us
           :
           Our
           Desire
           ,
           and
           Love
           ,
           and
           Hope
           ,
           are
           not
           so
           apt
           to
           be
           wrought
           upon
           by
           the
           representation
           of
           Virtue
           ,
           and
           the
           promises
           of
           Reward
           and
           Happiness
           as
           our
           Fear
           is
           from
           the
           apprehensions
           of
           Divine
           displeasure
           ;
           For
           though
           we
           have
           lost
           ,
           in
           a
           great
           measure
           ,
           the
           gust
           and
           relish
           of
           true
           happiness
           ,
           yet
           we
           still
           retain
           a
           quick
           sense
           of
           pain
           and
           misery
           .
           So
           that
           Fear
           relies
           upon
           a
           natural
           love
           of
           our selves
           ,
           and
           is
           complicated
           with
           a
           necessary
           desire
           of
           our
           own
           preservation
           ;
           therefore
           Religion
           usually
           makes
           it's
           first
           entrance
           into
           us
           by
           this
           passion
           ;
           and
           hence
           it
           is
           that
           Solomon
           ,
           more
           then
           once
           ,
           calls
           
             the
             Fear
             of
             the
             Lord
          
           the
           beginning
           of
           Wisdom
           .
           2.
           
           As
           for
           the
           second
           phrase
           ,
           
             departing
             from
             evil
          
           ;
           the
           fitness
           of
           it
           to
           express
           the
           
             whole
             duty
             of
             Man
          
           will
           appear
           ,
           if
           we
           consider
           the
           necessary
           connexion
           that
           is
           between
           the
           negative
           and
           positive
           part
           of
           our
           duty
           .
           He
           that
           is
           careful
           to
           avoid
           all
           sin
           ,
           will
           sincerely
           endeavour
           
           to
           perform
           his
           duty
           ;
           for
           ,
           the
           soul
           of
           man
           is
           an
           active
           principle
           ,
           and
           busie
           ,
           and
           will
           be
           employed
           one
           way
           or
           other
           ,
           it
           will
           be
           doing
           something
           ;
           if
           a
           man
           abstain
           from
           evil
           ,
           he
           will
           do
           good
           .
           Now
           there
           being
           such
           a
           strait
           connexion
           between
           these
           ,
           the
           
             whole
             of
             our
             duty
          
           may
           be
           expressed
           by
           either
           of
           them
           ,
           but
           most
           fitly
           by
           
             departing
             from
             evil
          
           ,
           because
           that
           is
           the
           first
           part
           of
           our
           duty
           :
           Religion
           begins
           in
           the
           forsaking
           of
           sin
           ;
           
             Virtus
             est
             Vitium
             fugere
             ,
             &
             Sapientia
             prima
             Stultitiâ
             caruisse
             ;
             Virtue
             begins
             in
             the
             forsaking
             of
             Vice
             ,
             and
             the
             first
             part
             of
             Wisdom
             is
             ,
             not
             to
             be
             a
             Fool.
          
           And
           therefore
           the
           Scripture
           ,
           which
           mentions
           these
           parts
           of
           our
           duty
           ,
           doth
           constantly
           put
           
             departing
             from
             evil
          
           first
           ;
           Psal
           .
           34.
           14.
           and
           Psal
           .
           37.
           27.
           
           
             Depart
             from
             evil
             ,
             and
             do
             good
             .
             Isa
             .
          
           1.
           16
           ,
           17.
           
           
             Cease
             to
             do
             evil
             ,
             learn
             to
             do
             well
             .
          
           Isa
           .
           55.
           7.
           
           
             Let
             the
             wicked
             forsake
             his
             way
             ,
             and
             the
             unrighteous
             man
             his
             thoughts
             ,
             and
             let
             him
             return
             unto
             the
             Lord.
          
           Ephes
           ,
           4.
           23
           ,
           24.
           
           We
           are
           first
           to
           
             put
             off
             the
             old
             man
             which
             is
             corrupt
             according
             to
             deceitful
             lusts
             ,
          
           and
           then
           to
           
             be
             renewed
             in
             the
             spirit
             of
             our
             minds
             ,
             and
             to
             put
             on
             the
             new
             man
             ,
          
           &c.
           
           1
           Pet.
           3.
           11.
           
           
             Let
             him
             eschew
             evil
             ,
             and
             do
             do
             good
             .
          
           To
           all
           which
           I
           may
           add
           this
           further
           Consideration
           ,
           That
           the
           Law
           of
           God
           ,
           contained
           in
           the
           Ten
           Commandments
           ,
           consisting
           mostly
           of
           prohibitions
           ,
           
             Thou
             shalt
             not
          
           do
           such
           or
           such
           a
           thing
           ,
           our
           observance
           of
           them
           is
           most
           fitly
           expressed
           by
           
             departing
             from
             evil
          
           ,
           which
           yet
           includes
           obedience
           likewise
           to
           the
           positive
           Precepts
           implied
           in
           those
           prohibitions
           .
        
         
           From
           the
           words
           thus
           explained
           ,
           the
           Proposition
           that
           I
           shall
           speak
           to
           is
           this
           ,
           viz.
           
           
             
               Doctr.
               
                 That
                 Religion
                 is
                 the
                 best
                 Knowledge
                 and
                 Wisdom
                 .
              
            
          
        
         
           Or
           thus
           ,
           
             
               He
               that
               is
               truly
               Religious
               is
               the
               most
               wise
               and
               knowing
               person
               .
            
          
        
         
           I
           shall
           first
           endeavour
           to
           confirm
           the
           truth
           of
           this
           Proposition
           ,
           and
           then
           make
           some
           Use
           and
           improvement
           of
           it
           .
        
         
         
           The
           Confirmation
           of
           it
           I
           shall
           attempt
           these
           three
           ways
           .
        
         
           1.
           
           
             By
             a
             direct
             Proof
             of
             it
             .
          
        
         
           2.
           
           
             By
             shewing
             on
             the
             contrary
             ,
             the
             folly
             and
             ignorance
             of
             irreligion
             and
             wickedness
             .
          
        
         
           3.
           
           
             By
             vindicating
             Religion
             from
             those
             common
             Imputations
             which
             seem
             to
             charge
             it
             with
             Ignorance
             or
             Imprudence
             .
          
        
         
           I.
           I
           begin
           with
           the
           direct
           proof
           of
           this
           ;
           And
           because
           Religion
           comprehends
           two
           things
           ,
           the
           knowledg
           of
           the
           Principles
           of
           it
           ,
           and
           
             a
             suitable
             life
             and
             practice
          
           ;
           (
           the
           first
           of
           which
           being
           speculative
           may
           more
           properly
           be
           called
           knowledg
           ,
           and
           the
           latter
           ,
           because
           't
           is
           practical
           ,
           may
           be
           called
           wisdom
           or
           prudence
           )
           therefore
           I
           shall
           endeavour
           distinctly
           to
           prove
           these
           two
           things
           .
        
         
           
             1.
             
             
               That
               Religion
               is
               the
               best
               Knowledg
               .
            
          
           
             2.
             
             
               That
               it
               is
               the
               truest
               Wisdom
               .
            
          
        
         
           1.
           
           
             First
             ,
             That
             it
             is
             the
             best
             knowledg
             .
          
           The
           knowledg
           of
           Religion
           commends
           its
           self
           to
           us
           upon
           these
           two
           accounts
           .
        
         
           1.
           
           'T
           is
           the
           knowledg
           of
           those
           things
           which
           are
           in
           themselves
           most
           excellent
           .
        
         
           2.
           
           Of
           those
           things
           which
           are
           most
           useful
           and
           necessary
           for
           us
           to
           know
           .
        
         
           First
           ,
           It
           is
           the
           best
           knowledg
           ,
           because
           it
           is
           the
           knowledg
           of
           those
           things
           which
           are
           in
           themselves
           most
           excellent
           ,
           and
           
             desireable
             to
             be
             known
          
           ,
           and
           those
           are
           God
           ,
           and
           our
           
             duty
             .
             God
          
           is
           the
           sum
           and
           comprehension
           of
           all
           perfection
           .
           It
           is
           delightful
           to
           know
           the
           Creatures
           ,
           because
           they
           are
           some
           shadows
           of
           the
           divine
           perfections
           ;
           There
           are
           particular
           excellencies
           scattered
           and
           disperst
           among
           the
           Creatures
           ,
           which
           't
           is
           very
           pleasant
           to
           contemplate
           ;
           But
           in
           God
           all
           perfections
           in
           their
           highest
           degree
           and
           exaltation
           meet
           together
           and
           are
           united
           ;
           how
           much
           more
           delightful
           then
           must
           it
           needs
           be
           ,
           to
           fix
           our
           minds
           upon
           such
           an
           object
           in
           which
           there
           is
           nothing
           but
           beauty
           and
           brightness
           ,
           what
           is
           amiable
           and
           what
           is
           excellent
           ;
           what
           will
           
             ravish
             our
             affections
             and
             
             raise
             our
             wonder
             ,
             please
          
           us
           and
           astonish
           us
           at
           once
           ?
           And
           that
           the
           finite
           measure
           and
           capacity
           of
           our
           understandings
           is
           not
           able
           to
           take
           in
           and
           comprehend
           the
           infinite
           excellencies
           and
           perfections
           of
           God
           ,
           this
           indeed
           shews
           the
           excellency
           of
           the
           object
           ,
           but
           doth
           not
           at
           all
           detract
           from
           the
           delightfulness
           of
           the
           knowledg
           ;
           for
           it
           is
           a
           greater
           pleasure
           for
           a
           finite
           understanding
           to
           be
           lost
           in
           the
           contemplation
           of
           its
           object
           ,
           and
           to
           view
           unlimited
           excellencies
           ,
           which
           have
           no
           shore
           nor
           bounds
           ,
           then
           to
           look
           upon
           those
           perfections
           of
           which
           we
           can
           see
           the
           end
           and
           utmost
           ;
           as
           't
           is
           more
           pleasant
           to
           the
           eye
           to
           have
           an
           endless
           prospect
           ,
           then
           to
           be
           terminated
           ;
           for
           this
           is
           that
           which
           properly
           causeth
           admiration
           ,
           when
           we
           discover
           a
           great
           deal
           in
           an
           object
           which
           we
           understand
           to
           be
           excellent
           ,
           and
           yet
           we
           see
           we
           know
           not
           how
           much
           more
           beyond
           that
           ,
           which
           our
           understandings
           cannot
           fully
           reach
           and
           comprehend
           .
        
         
           And
           as
           the
           
             knowledg
             of
             God
          
           in
           his
           nature
           and
           perfections
           is
           excellent
           and
           desireable
           ;
           so
           likewise
           to
           know
           him
           in
           those
           glorious
           manifestations
           of
           himself
           
             in
             the
             works
             of
             Creation
             and
             Providence
          
           ;
           and
           above
           all
           (
           though
           it
           be
           little
           spoken
           of
           by
           the
           Saints
           of
           the
           Old
           Testament
           ,
           by
           reason
           of
           the
           obscure
           degree
           of
           its
           discovery
           in
           those
           times
           )
           
             the
             knowledg
             of
             God
             in
             his
             Son
             Jesus
             Christ
             ,
          
           in
           that
           stupendious
           manifestation
           of
           his
           wisdom
           and
           mercy
           in
           the
           contrivance
           of
           our
           Recovery
           ,
           which
           is
           such
           a
           mystery
           ,
           and
           so
           excellent
           a
           piece
           of
           knowledg
           ,
           that
           
             the
             Angels
             desire
             to
             pry
             into
             it
             ,
          
           1
           Pet.
           1.
           12.
           
        
         
           And
           as
           
             the
             knowledg
             of
             God
          
           is
           excellent
           ,
           so
           likewise
           
             of
             our
             Duty
          
           ,
           which
           is
           nothing
           else
           but
           vertue
           and
           goodness
           and
           holiness
           ,
           which
           are
           the
           Image
           of
           God
           ,
           a
           conformity
           to
           the
           nature
           and
           will
           of
           God
           ,
           and
           an
           imitation
           of
           the
           Divine
           excellencies
           and
           perfections
           so
           far
           as
           we
           are
           capable
           :
           For
           to
           know
           our
           duty
           ,
           is
           to
           know
           what
           it
           is
           to
           be
           like
           God
           in
           Goodness
           ,
           and
           Pity
           ,
           and
           Patience
           ,
           and
           Clemency
           ,
           in
           
             pardoning
             injuries
          
           ,
           and
           
             passing
             by
             provocations
          
           ,
           
           in
           justice
           and
           righteousness
           ,
           in
           truth
           and
           faithfulness
           ,
           and
           in
           a
           hatred
           and
           detestation
           of
           the
           contrary
           of
           these
           .
           In
           a
           word
           ,
           it
           is
           to
           know
           what
           is
           the
           good
           and
           acceptable
           will
           of
           God
           ,
           what
           it
           is
           that
           he
           loves
           and
           delights
           in
           ,
           and
           is
           pleased
           withal
           ,
           and
           would
           have
           us
           to
           do
           in
           order
           to
           our
           perfection
           ,
           and
           our
           happiness
           .
           It
           is
           deservedly
           accounted
           a
           piece
           of
           excellent
           knowledg
           ,
           to
           know
           the
           
             Laws
             of
             the
             Land
          
           ,
           and
           the
           
             Customs
             of
             the
             Country
          
           we
           live
           in
           ,
           and
           the
           
             Will
             of
             the
             Prince
          
           we
           live
           under
           ;
           How
           much
           more
           ,
           to
           know
           the
           
             Statutes
             of
             Heaven
          
           ,
           and
           the
           
             Laws
             of
             Eternity
          
           ,
           those
           immutable
           and
           eternal
           Laws
           of
           Justice
           and
           Righteousness
           ?
           to
           know
           the
           will
           and
           pleasure
           of
           the
           great
           Monarch
           ,
           and
           Universal
           King
           of
           the
           World
           ,
           and
           the
           Customs
           of
           that
           Country
           where
           we
           must
           live
           for
           ever
           ?
           This
           made
           David
           to
           admire
           the
           Law
           of
           God
           at
           that
           strange
           rate
           he
           doth
           in
           the
           119th
           Psalm
           ,
           and
           to
           advance
           the
           knowledg
           of
           it
           above
           all
           other
           knowledg
           ,
           
             I
             have
             seen
             an
             end
             of
             all
             perfection
             ,
             but
             thy
             Commandment
             is
             exceeding
             broad
             .
          
        
         
           Secondly
           ,
           'T
           is
           the
           knowledg
           of
           those
           things
           which
           are
           most
           useful
           and
           necessary
           for
           us
           to
           know
           .
           The
           goodness
           of
           every
           thing
           is
           measured
           by
           its
           end
           and
           use
           ,
           and
           that
           's
           the
           best
           thing
           which
           serves
           the
           best
           end
           and
           purpose
           ;
           and
           the
           more
           necessary
           any
           thing
           is
           to
           an
           end
           ,
           the
           better
           it
           is
           :
           So
           that
           the
           best
           knowledg
           is
           that
           which
           is
           of
           greatest
           use
           and
           necessity
           to
           us
           in
           order
           to
           our
           
             great
             end
          
           ,
           which
           is
           
             Eternal
             happiness
          
           ,
           and
           the
           
             Salvation
             of
             our
             Souls
          
           .
           Curious
           speculations
           ,
           and
           the
           contemplation
           of
           things
           that
           are
           impertinent
           to
           us
           ,
           and
           do
           not
           concern
           us
           ,
           nor
           serve
           to
           promote
           our
           happiness
           ,
           are
           but
           a
           more
           specious
           and
           ingenious
           sort
           of
           idleness
           ,
           a
           more
           pardonable
           and
           creditable
           kind
           of
           Ignorance
           .
           That
           man
           that
           doth
           not
           know
           those
           things
           which
           are
           of
           use
           and
           necessity
           for
           him
           to
           know
           ,
           is
           but
           an
           ignorant
           man
           ,
           whatever
           he
           may
           know
           besides
           ;
           Now
           the
           knowledg
           of
           God
           ,
           and
           of
           Christ
           ,
           and
           of
           our
           duty
           ,
           is
           of
           the
           greatest
           usefulness
           and
           necessity
           
           to
           us
           in
           order
           to
           our
           happiness
           :
           It
           's
           of
           absolute
           necessity
           that
           we
           should
           know
           God
           and
           Christ
           ,
           in
           order
           to
           our
           being
           happy
           :
           Joh.
           17.
           3.
           
           
             This
             is
             life
             eternal
          
           (
           that
           is
           ,
           the
           onely
           way
           to
           it
           )
           
             to
             know
             thee
             the
             only
             true
             God
             ,
             and
             him
             whom
             thou
             hast
             sent
             ,
             Jesus
             Christ
             .
          
           It
           is
           necessary
           also
           in
           order
           to
           our
           happiness
           ,
           to
           know
           our
           Duty
           ,
           because
           't
           is
           necessary
           for
           us
           to
           do
           it
           ,
           and
           it
           is
           impossible
           to
           do
           it
           except
           we
           know
           it
           :
           So
           that
           whatever
           other
           knowledg
           a
           man
           may
           be
           endued
           withal
           ,
           he
           is
           but
           an
           ignorant
           person
           who
           doth
           not
           know
           God
           ,
           the
           Authour
           of
           his
           being
           ,
           the
           Preserver
           and
           Protector
           of
           his
           life
           ,
           his
           Soveraign
           ,
           and
           his
           Judg
           ,
           the
           giver
           of
           every
           good
           and
           perfect
           gift
           ,
           his
           surest
           refuge
           in
           trouble
           ,
           his
           best
           friend
           or
           worst
           enemy
           ,
           the
           present
           support
           of
           his
           life
           ,
           his
           hopes
           in
           death
           ,
           his
           future
           happiness
           ,
           and
           his
           portion
           for
           ever
           ;
           Who
           does
           not
           know
           his
           relation
           to
           God
           ,
           the
           duty
           that
           he
           owes
           him
           ,
           and
           the
           way
           to
           please
           him
           who
           can
           make
           him
           happy
           or
           miserable
           for
           ever
           ;
           Who
           does
           not
           know
           
             the
             things
             of
             his
             peace
          
           ,
           and
           the
           way
           how
           to
           get
           his
           sins
           pardoned
           ,
           and
           himself
           reconciled
           to
           an
           offended
           God
           ;
           Who
           doth
           not
           know
           the
           Lord
           Jesus
           Christ
           ,
           who
           is
           
             the
             way
             ,
             the
             truth
             ,
             and
             the
             life
             .
          
           So
           that
           if
           a
           man
           by
           a
           vast
           and
           imperious
           mind
           ,
           and
           
             a
             heart
             large
             as
             the
             sand
             upon
             the
             Sea
             shore
             ,
          
           (
           as
           it
           is
           said
           of
           Solomon
           )
           could
           command
           all
           the
           knowledg
           of
           Nature
           and
           Art
           ,
           of
           words
           and
           things
           ;
           could
           attain
           to
           a
           Mastery
           in
           all
           Languages
           ,
           and
           sound
           the
           depth
           of
           all
           Arts
           and
           Sciences
           ,
           measure
           the
           Earth
           and
           the
           Heavens
           ,
           and
           tell
           the
           Stars
           ,
           and
           give
           an
           account
           of
           their
           order
           and
           motions
           ;
           could
           discourse
           of
           the
           Interests
           of
           all
           States
           ,
           the
           Intrigues
           of
           all
           Courts
           ,
           the
           reason
           of
           all
           Civil
           Laws
           and
           Constitutions
           ,
           and
           give
           an
           account
           of
           the
           History
           of
           all
           ages
           ;
           could
           speak
           of
           Trees
           ,
           
             from
             the
             Cedar
             tree
             that
             is
             in
             Lebanon
             ,
             even
             unto
             the
             Hysop
             that
             springeth
             out
             of
             the
             wall
             ,
             and
             of
             beasts
             also
             ,
             and
             of
             fowls
             ,
             and
             of
             creeping
             things
             ,
             and
             of
             fishes
          
           ;
           and
           yet
           should
           ,
           in
           the
           mean
           time
           ,
           be
           destitute
           of
           the
           knowledg
           of
           God
           ,
           and
           Christ
           ,
           and
           his
           duty
           ;
           all
           this
           would
           
           be
           but
           an
           impertinent
           vanity
           ,
           and
           a
           more
           glittering
           kind
           of
           Ignorance
           ;
           and
           such
           a
           man
           (
           like
           the
           Philosopher
           ,
           who
           whilest
           he
           was
           gazing
           upon
           the
           Stars
           ,
           fell
           into
           the
           ditch
           )
           would
           but
           
             Sapienter
             descendere
             in
             infernum
          
           ,
           be
           undone
           with
           all
           this
           knowledge
           ,
           and
           with
           a
           great
           deal
           of
           wisdom
           go
           down
           to
           Hell.
           
        
         
           2.
           
           Secondly
           ,
           
             That
             to
             be
             Religious
             is
             the
             truest
             Wisdom
          
           ;
           and
           that
           likewise
           upon
           two
           accounts
           .
        
         
           
             1.
             
             Because
             it
             is
             to
             be
             wise
             for
             our selves
             .
          
           
             2.
             
             It
             is
             to
             be
             wise
             as
             to
             our
             main
             interest
             and
             concernment
             .
          
        
         
           First
           ,
           
             'T
             is
             to
             be
             wise
             for
             our selves
             .
          
           There
           's
           an
           expression
           ,
           Job
           22.
           21.
           
           
             He
             that
             is
             wise
             is
             profitable
             to
             himself
          
           ;
           and
           Prov.
           9.
           12.
           
           
             If
             thou
             be
             wise
             ,
             thou
             shalt
             be
             wise
             for
             thy self
          
           ;
           intimating
           ,
           that
           Wisdom
           regards
           a
           mans
           own
           interest
           and
           advantage
           ,
           and
           he
           is
           not
           a
           wise
           man
           that
           doth
           not
           take
           care
           of
           himself
           and
           his
           own
           concernments
           ,
           according
           to
           that
           of
           old
           
             Ennius
             ,
             Nequicquam
             sapere
             sapientem
             ,
             qui
             sibi
             ipsi
             prodesse
             non
             quiret
          
           ;
           that
           man
           hath
           but
           an
           empty
           title
           of
           Wisdom
           ,
           and
           is
           not
           really
           wise
           ,
           who
           is
           not
           wise
           for
           himself
           .
           As
           
             Self
             preservation
          
           is
           the
           first
           principle
           of
           Nature
           ,
           so
           care
           of
           our selves
           and
           our
           own
           interest
           is
           the
           first
           part
           of
           Wisdom
           :
           He
           that
           is
           wise
           in
           the
           affairs
           and
           concernments
           of
           other
           men
           ,
           but
           careless
           and
           negligent
           of
           his
           own
           ,
           that
           man
           may
           be
           said
           to
           be
           busie
           ,
           but
           he
           is
           not
           wise
           ;
           he
           is
           employed
           indeed
           ,
           but
           not
           so
           as
           a
           wise
           man
           should
           be
           :
           Now
           this
           is
           the
           
             wisdom
             of
             Religion
          
           ,
           that
           it
           directs
           a
           man
           to
           a
           care
           of
           his
           own
           proper
           interest
           and
           concernment
           .
        
         
           2.
           
           
             It
             is
             to
             be
             wise
             as
             to
             our
             main
             interest
             .
          
           Our
           chief
           end
           and
           highest
           interest
           is
           happiness
           ;
           Now
           this
           is
           happiness
           ,
           To
           be
           freed
           from
           all
           (
           if
           it
           may
           be
           ,
           )
           however
           ,
           from
           the
           greatest
           evils
           ;
           and
           to
           enjoy
           (
           if
           it
           may
           be
           )
           all
           good
           ,
           however
           ,
           the
           chiefest
           .
           
             To
             be
             happy
          
           ,
           is
           not
           onely
           to
           be
           freed
           from
           the
           pains
           and
           diseases
           of
           the
           body
           ,
           but
           from
           anxiety
           and
           vexation
           of
           Spirit
           ;
           not
           onely
           to
           enjoy
           the
           pleasures
           of
           sence
           ,
           but
           peace
           of
           Conscience
           and
           tranquill●ty
           
           of
           
             mind
             .
             To
             be
             happy
          
           ,
           is
           not
           onely
           to
           be
           so
           for
           a
           little
           while
           ,
           but
           as
           long
           as
           may
           be
           ,
           and
           if
           it
           be
           possible
           ,
           for
           ever
           .
           Now
           Religion
           designs
           our
           greatest
           and
           
             longest
             happiness
          
           ;
           it
           aims
           at
           a
           freedom
           from
           the
           greatest
           evils
           ,
           and
           to
           bring
           us
           to
           the
           possession
           and
           enjoyment
           of
           the
           greatest
           good
           .
           For
           Religion
           wisely
           considers
           ,
           that
           men
           have
           
             Immortal
             Spirits
          
           ,
           which
           as
           they
           are
           Spirits
           ,
           are
           capable
           of
           a
           pleasure
           and
           happiness
           distinct
           from
           that
           of
           our
           bodies
           and
           our
           senses
           ;
           and
           because
           they
           are
           Immortal
           ,
           are
           capable
           of
           an
           everlasting
           happiness
           .
           Now
           our
           Souls
           being
           the
           best
           part
           of
           our selves
           ,
           and
           Eternity
           being
           infinitely
           the
           most
           considerable
           duration
           ;
           the
           greatest
           wisdom
           is
           to
           secure
           the
           interest
           of
           our
           Souls
           ,
           and
           the
           interest
           of
           Eternity
           ,
           though
           it
           be
           with
           the
           loss
           ,
           and
           to
           the
           prejudice
           of
           our
           temporal
           and
           inferiour
           Interests
           :
           Therefore
           Religion
           directs
           us
           rather
           to
           secure
           
             inward
             peace
          
           ,
           then
           
             outward
             ease
          
           ;
           to
           be
           more
           careful
           to
           avoid
           everlasting
           and
           
             intolerable
             torments
          
           ,
           then
           short
           and
           
             light
             afflictions
             which
             are
             but
             for
             a
             moment
          
           ;
           to
           court
           the
           favour
           of
           God
           more
           then
           the
           friendship
           of
           the
           World
           ;
           and
           not
           so
           much
           
             to
             fear
             them
             that
             can
             kill
             the
             body
             ,
             and
             after
             that
             have
             no
             more
             that
             they
             can
             do
             ,
          
           as
           
             him
             who
             after
             he
             hath
             kill'd
             can
             destroy
             both
             body
             and
             soul
             in
             hell
             .
          
           In
           a
           word
           ,
           our
           
             main
             Interest
          
           is
           to
           be
           
             as
             happy
             as
             we
             can
          
           ,
           and
           
             as
             long
             as
             is
             possible
          
           ;
           and
           if
           we
           be
           cast
           into
           such
           circumstances
           ,
           that
           we
           must
           be
           either
           in
           part
           and
           for
           a
           time
           ,
           or
           else
           wholly
           and
           always
           miserable
           ;
           the
           
             best
             wisdom
          
           is
           to
           choose
           the
           greatest
           and
           most
           
             lasting
             happiness
          
           ,
           but
           the
           least
           and
           
             shortest
             misery
          
           :
           Upon
           this
           account
           Religion
           preferrs
           those
           
             pleasures
             which
             flow
             from
             the
             presence
             of
             God
             for
             evermore
             ,
          
           infinitely
           before
           the
           
             transitory
             pleasures
          
           of
           this
           world
           ;
           and
           is
           much
           more
           careful
           to
           avoid
           
             eternal
             misery
          
           ,
           then
           
             present
             sufferings
          
           .
           This
           is
           the
           
             Wisdom
             of
             Religion
          
           ,
           that
           upon
           consideration
           of
           the
           whole
           ,
           and
           casting
           up
           all
           things
           together
           ,
           
             it
             does
             advise
             and
             lead
             us
             to
             our
             best
             Interest
             .
          
        
         
           II.
           The
           second
           way
           of
           Confirmation
           shall
           be
           by
           shewing
           the
           Ignorance
           and
           Folly
           of
           Irreligion
           and
           Wickedness
           :
           And
           this
           I
           
           might
           do
           by
           the
           Rule
           of
           Contraries
           ;
           for
           ,
           if
           he
           that
           is
           truly
           Religious
           be
           the
           wisest
           and
           most
           knowing
           person
           ,
           then
           those
           that
           are
           irreligious
           and
           wicked
           are
           neither
           knowing
           nor
           wise
           .
           But
           because
           this
           may
           sufficiently
           appear
           by
           applying
           what
           I
           have
           said
           in
           the
           
             direct
             proof
          
           of
           the
           Proposition
           the
           just
           contrary
           way
           ,
           therefore
           I
           shall
           not
           enlarge
           upon
           this
           in
           the
           same
           method
           ,
           but
           proceed
           upon
           other
           Heads
           to
           shew
           the
           Ignorance
           and
           Folly
           of
           such
           persons
           .
           Now
           all
           that
           are
           irreligious
           are
           so
           upon
           one
           of
           these
           two
           accounts
           ;
           Either
           ,
           First
           ,
           Because
           they
           do
           not
           believe
           the
           Foundations
           and
           Principles
           of
           Religion
           ,
           as
           ,
           
             The
             Existence
             of
             God
             ,
             The
             Immortality
             of
             the
             Soul
             ,
          
           and
           
             Future
             and
             Eternal
             Rewards
          
           ;
           and
           of
           this
           kind
           there
           are
           but
           few
           ,
           in
           comparison
           ,
           who
           do
           not
           in
           some
           sort
           believe
           these
           things
           :
           Or
           else
           ,
           Secondly
           ,
           Men
           are
           irreligious
           ,
           because
           though
           they
           do
           in
           some
           sort
           believe
           these
           things
           ,
           yet
           they
           act
           contrary
           to
           their
           belief
           ;
           and
           of
           this
           kind
           are
           the
           far
           greatest
           part
           of
           wicked
           men
           :
           The
           first
           sort
           are
           guilty
           of
           that
           which
           we
           call
           Speculative
           ,
           the
           latter
           of
           
             Practical
             Atheism
             I
          
           shall
           endeavour
           to
           discover
           the
           Ignorance
           and
           Folly
           of
           both
           these
           .
        
         
           1.
           
           
             Speculative
             Atheism
          
           ,
           is
           First
           ,
           absurd
           in
           the
           Theory
           and
           speculation
           ,
           which
           argues
           Ignorance
           ;
           and
           Secondly
           ,
           it
           is
           an
           
             imprudent
             Opinion
          
           ,
           both
           because
           it
           is
           against
           our
           present
           interest
           ,
           and
           is
           also
           unsafe
           in
           the
           ultimate
           issue
           of
           it
           ;
           which
           argues
           Folly.
           
        
         
           I.
           It
           is
           absurd
           in
           the
           Theory
           and
           Speculation
           ;
           and
           that
           upon
           these
           five
           accounts
           .
        
         
           1.
           
           Because
           it
           gives
           no
           probable
           account
           of
           the
           Existence
           of
           things
           .
           We
           see
           a
           World
           of
           Creatures
           ,
           and
           a
           vast
           Frame
           of
           things
           ,
           which
           we
           who
           believe
           a
           God
           attribute
           to
           God
           as
           the
           
             Authour
             ,
             (
             i
             e.
          
           )
           to
           a
           Being
           endued
           with
           infinite
           Goodness
           and
           Wisdom
           and
           Power
           ,
           which
           is
           a
           very
           likely
           Cause
           to
           produce
           a
           World
           :
           For
           ,
           what
           more
           likely
           to
           communicate
           Being
           to
           so
           numerous
           a
           progeny
           of
           goodly
           Creatures
           ,
           then
           
             infinite
             Goodness
          
           ?
           What
           more
           likely
           to
           create
           so
           vast
           a
           World
           ,
           that
           is
           ,
           to
           stretch
           
           forth
           the
           Heavens
           and
           lay
           the
           foundations
           of
           the
           Earth
           ,
           to
           form
           these
           and
           all
           the
           Creatures
           in
           them
           
             out
             of
             Nothing
          
           ,
           then
           
             infinite
             Power
          
           ?
           What
           so
           likely
           to
           contrive
           all
           these
           Creatures
           each
           of
           them
           so
           perfect
           in
           their
           kind
           ,
           and
           all
           of
           them
           so
           fitly
           and
           harmoniously
           suited
           to
           each
           other
           and
           to
           the
           whole
           ,
           as
           
             infinite
             Counsel
          
           and
           Wisdom
           ?
           This
           seems
           to
           be
           a
           reasonable
           account
           .
           But
           what
           account
           doth
           the
           Atheist
           give
           of
           this
           ?
           Either
           he
           must
           say
           ,
           that
           the
           World
           was
           Eternal
           ,
           and
           that
           things
           alwayes
           were
           as
           they
           are
           ,
           without
           any
           first
           Cause
           of
           their
           Being
           ,
           which
           is
           the
           way
           of
           the
           Aristotelian
           Atheists
           ;
           or
           else
           he
           must
           ascribe
           the
           Original
           of
           the
           World
           to
           Chance
           ,
           and
           the
           casual
           concourse
           of
           Matter
           ,
           which
           is
           the
           way
           of
           the
           Epicurean
           Atheists
           .
           But
           neither
           of
           these
           ways
           gives
           a
           probable
           account
           of
           the
           Existence
           of
           things
           .
        
         
           First
           ,
           Not
           the
           Aristotelian
           way
           ;
           For
           ,
           though
           we
           may
           conceive
           the
           same
           thing
           always
           to
           have
           been
           ,
           yet
           it
           is
           utterly
           unimaginable
           how
           there
           should
           have
           been
           
             an
             infinite
             orderly
             succession
          
           of
           things
           ,
           that
           is
           ,
           a
           
             third
             ,
             fourth
             ,
             fifth
          
           ,
           &c.
           without
           a
           first
           .
           I
           say
           ,
           this
           is
           utterly
           unimaginable
           ;
           But
           yet
           I
           will
           suppose
           that
           this
           matter
           doth
           admit
           of
           seeming
           and
           unanswerable
           Demonstrations
           both
           ways
           ,
           viz.
           both
           
             That
             an
             eternal
             succession
             of
             things
             is
             possible
             ,
             and
             that
             it
             is
             impossible
          
           ;
           as
           the
           Question
           about
           the
           infinite
           divisibility
           of
           Quantity
           doth
           ,
           and
           indeed
           all
           Questions
           about
           any
           thing
           that
           is
           infinite
           ,
           it
           being
           but
           reasonable
           to
           expect
           that
           our
           finite
           Understandings
           should
           be
           puzzled
           and
           lost
           about
           any
           thing
           that
           is
           infinite
           .
           Now
           granting
           this
           ,
           which
           is
           the
           utmost
           any
           man
           can
           challenge
           in
           this
           Question
           ,
           this
           Account
           of
           things
           from
           an
           
             Eternal
             order
             and
             succession
             of
             Causes
          
           comes
           to
           just
           nothing
           ;
           For
           ,
           though
           it
           be
           granted
           ,
           that
           there
           are
           plausible
           Arguments
           for
           the
           possibility
           of
           this
           ,
           yet
           so
           long
           as
           they
           are
           countepoised
           by
           other
           Arguments
           every
           whit
           as
           strong
           and
           unanswerable
           ,
           they
           can
           signifie
           nothing
           
           in
           the
           ballance
           of
           Reason
           ,
           because
           the
           strength
           of
           them
           is
           wholly
           enervated
           and
           taken
           off
           by
           equal
           Demonstrations
           on
           the
           other
           side
           ;
           and
           so
           long
           as
           their
           hands
           are
           thus
           tied
           ,
           such
           a
           supposition
           is
           altogether
           useless
           ,
           and
           nothing
           can
           be
           built
           upon
           it
           ;
           For
           what
           man
           will
           allow
           it
           probable
           that
           there
           hath
           been
           an
           Eternal
           succession
           of
           things
           ,
           without
           any
           Original
           ,
           or
           
             first
             Cause
          
           ,
           whilest
           it
           is
           an
           even
           Question
           ,
           whether
           an
           Eternal
           succession
           of
           things
           be
           so
           much
           as
           possible
           ?
           And
           besides
           all
           this
           ,
           Aristotle
           himself
           (
           who
           is
           supposed
           to
           be
           the
           great
           Patron
           of
           this
           Opinion
           of
           the
           
             Eternity
             of
             the
             World
          
           )
           doth
           elsewhere
           in
           several
           places
           of
           his
           works
           ,
           own
           it
           as
           one
           of
           the
           greatest
           absurdities
           that
           can
           be
           ,
           to
           assert
           an
           
             infinite
             progress
             of
             Causes
          
           ,
           and
           says
           ,
           that
           it
           is
           
             unworthy
             of
             a
             Philosopher
          
           to
           resolve
           any
           thing
           this
           way
           ,
           and
           that
           the
           mind
           of
           man
           can
           have
           no
           rest
           ,
           nor
           any
           reasonable
           and
           satisfactory
           account
           of
           things
           be
           given
           ,
           but
           by
           staying
           in
           some
           
             first
             Cause
          
           .
           But
           I
           needed
           not
           have
           said
           so
           much
           to
           this
           ,
           because
           the
           
             Modern
             Atheists
          
           do
           generally
           desert
           this
           way
           .
        
         
           Secondly
           ,
           Nor
           the
           Epicurean
           way
           ,
           which
           imputes
           this
           vast
           pile
           of
           the
           World
           ,
           this
           regular
           and
           orderly
           Frame
           of
           things
           (
           which
           it
           acknowledges
           to
           have
           had
           a
           beginning
           )
           not
           to
           goodness
           ,
           and
           power
           ,
           and
           counsel
           ,
           and
           wisdom
           ;
           but
           to
           a
           
             fortunate
             chance
          
           ,
           and
           
             happy
             casualty
          
           .
           Now
           there
           is
           nothing
           can
           be
           more
           unreasonable
           then
           obstinately
           to
           impute
           that
           to
           Chance
           ,
           which
           doth
           plainly
           and
           apparently
           contain
           in
           it
           all
           the
           Arguments
           and
           Characters
           of
           
             a
             wise
             design
          
           and
           contrivance
           .
           Was
           ever
           any
           considerable
           work
           ,
           in
           which
           there
           was
           required
           great
           variety
           of
           parts
           ,
           and
           a
           regular
           and
           orderly
           disposition
           of
           those
           parts
           ,
           done
           by
           Chance
           ?
           Will
           Chance
           fit
           means
           to
           ends
           ,
           and
           that
           in
           ten
           thousand
           instances
           ,
           and
           not
           fail
           in
           any
           one
           ?
           How
           often
           might
           a
           man
           ,
           after
           he
           had
           jumbled
           a
           set
           of
           Letters
           in
           a
           Bag
           ,
           fling
           them
           out
           upon
           the
           ground
           before
           they
           would
           fall
           into
           an
           exact
           Poem
           ,
           yea
           ,
           or
           make
           a
           good
           Discourse
           in
           Prose
           ?
           And
           may
           not
           a
           little
           
           Book
           be
           as
           easily
           made
           by
           Chance
           ,
           as
           this
           great
           Volume
           of
           the
           World
           ?
           How
           long
           might
           a
           man
           be
           in
           sprinkling
           colours
           upon
           Canvas
           with
           a
           careless
           hand
           ,
           before
           they
           would
           happen
           to
           make
           the
           exact
           picture
           of
           a
           Man
           ?
           And
           is
           a
           Man
           easilier
           made
           by
           chance
           then
           his
           Picture
           ?
           How
           long
           might
           twenty
           thousand
           
             blind
             Men.
          
           which
           should
           be
           sent
           out
           from
           the
           several
           remote
           parts
           of
           England
           ,
           wander
           up
           and
           down
           before
           they
           would
           all
           meet
           upon
           
             Salisbury
             Plains
          
           ,
           and
           fall
           into
           Rank
           and
           File
           in
           the
           exact
           order
           of
           an
           Army
           ?
           And
           yet
           this
           is
           much
           more
           easie
           to
           be
           imagined
           ,
           then
           how
           the
           innumerabe
           
             blind
             parts
          
           of
           Matter
           should
           Rendezvous
           themselves
           into
           a
           World.
           A
           man
           that
           sees
           Henry
           the
           
             Seventh's
             Chappel
          
           at
           Westminster
           ,
           might
           with
           as
           good
           reason
           maintain
           (
           yea
           ,
           with
           much
           better
           ,
           considering
           the
           vast
           difference
           betwixt
           that
           little
           Structure
           ,
           and
           the
           huge
           Fabrick
           of
           the
           World
           )
           that
           it
           was
           never
           contrived
           or
           built
           by
           any
           Man
           ,
           but
           that
           the
           stones
           did
           by
           Chance
           grow
           into
           those
           curious
           Figures
           into
           which
           they
           seem
           to
           have
           been
           cut
           and
           graven
           ;
           And
           that
           
             upon
             a
             time
          
           ,
           (
           as
           Tales
           usually
           begin
           )
           the
           Materials
           of
           that
           building
           ,
           the
           
             Stone
             ,
             Morter
             ,
             Timber
             ,
             Iron
             ,
             Lead
          
           and
           Glass
           ,
           happily
           met
           together
           ,
           and
           very
           fortunately
           rang'd
           themselves
           into
           that
           delicate
           order
           in
           which
           we
           see
           them
           now
           so
           close
           compacted
           ,
           that
           it
           must
           be
           a
           very
           great
           Chance
           that
           parts
           them
           again
           .
           What
           would
           the
           world
           think
           of
           a
           man
           that
           should
           advance
           such
           an
           opinion
           as
           this
           ,
           and
           write
           a
           Book
           for
           it
           ?
           If
           they
           would
           do
           him
           right
           ,
           they
           ought
           to
           look
           upon
           him
           as
           mad
           ,
           with
           a
           little
           more
           reason
           then
           any
           man
           can
           have
           to
           say
           that
           the
           World
           was
           made
           by
           Chance
           ,
           or
           that
           the
           
             first
             Men
          
           grew
           up
           out
           of
           the
           Earth
           as
           Plants
           do
           now
           .
           And
           yet
           they
           who
           give
           this
           account
           of
           the
           Original
           things
           ,
           assume
           to
           themselves
           to
           be
           the
           
             Men
             of
             Reason
          
           ,
           the
           
             great
             Wits
          
           of
           the
           World
           ,
           the
           onely
           cautious
           and
           wary
           persons
           ,
           that
           hate
           to
           be
           imposed
           upon
           ,
           that
           must
           have
           convincing
           evidence
           for
           every
           thing
           ,
           and
           can
           assent
           to
           nothing
           without
           a
           clear
           Demonstration
           for
           it
           .
        
         
         
           2.
           
           Because
           it
           gives
           no
           reasonable
           account
           of
           the
           
             Universal
             Consent
          
           of
           Mankind
           in
           this
           apprehension
           ,
           
             that
             there
             is
             a
             God.
          
           That
           men
           do
           generally
           believe
           a
           God
           ,
           and
           have
           done
           in
           all
           Ages
           ,
           the
           present
           experience
           of
           the
           World
           ,
           and
           the
           Records
           of
           former
           times
           do
           abundantly
           testifie
           .
           Now
           how
           comes
           this
           perswasion
           to
           have
           gained
           so
           universal
           a
           possession
           of
           the
           mind
           of
           Man
           ,
           and
           to
           have
           found
           such
           general
           entertainment
           in
           all
           Nations
           ,
           even
           those
           that
           are
           most
           barbarous
           ?
           If
           there
           be
           no
           such
           thing
           as
           God
           in
           the
           world
           ,
           how
           comes
           it
           to
           pass
           that
           this
           object
           doth
           continually
           encounter
           our
           understandings
           ?
           whence
           is
           it
           that
           we
           are
           so
           perpetually
           haunted
           with
           the
           Apparition
           of
           a
           Deity
           ,
           and
           followed
           with
           it
           where-ever
           we
           go
           ?
           If
           it
           be
           not
           natural
           to
           the
           mind
           of
           Man
           ,
           but
           proceeds
           from
           some
           accidental
           distemper
           of
           our
           understandings
           ,
           how
           comes
           it
           to
           be
           so
           Universal
           ,
           that
           no
           differences
           of
           age
           ,
           or
           temper
           ,
           or
           education
           ,
           can
           wear
           it
           out
           ,
           and
           set
           any
           considerable
           number
           of
           men
           free
           from
           it
           ?
           Into
           what
           can
           we
           resolve
           this
           strong
           inclination
           of
           mankind
           to
           this
           error
           and
           mistake
           ?
           how
           come
           all
           Nations
           to
           be
           thus
           seduced
           ?
           It
           is
           altogether
           unimaginable
           ,
           but
           that
           the
           Reason
           of
           so
           Universal
           a
           consent
           in
           all
           places
           and
           ages
           of
           the
           world
           ,
           and
           among
           all
           differences
           of
           persons
           ,
           should
           be
           one
           and
           constant
           ;
           But
           no
           one
           and
           constant
           reason
           of
           this
           can
           be
           given
           ,
           but
           from
           the
           nature
           of
           Mans
           mind
           and
           understanding
           ,
           which
           hath
           this
           Notion
           of
           a
           Deity
           born
           with
           it
           ,
           and
           stamped
           upon
           it
           ;
           or
           ,
           which
           is
           all
           one
           ,
           is
           of
           such
           a
           frame
           ,
           that
           in
           the
           free
           use
           and
           exercise
           of
           it self
           ,
           it
           will
           find
           out
           God
           ;
           And
           what
           more
           reasonable
           then
           to
           think
           ,
           that
           if
           we
           be
           Gods
           Workmanship
           ,
           he
           should
           set
           this
           mark
           of
           himself
           upon
           all
           
             reasonable
             Creatures
          
           ,
           that
           they
           may
           know
           to
           whom
           they
           belong
           ,
           and
           may
           acknowledg
           the
           Author
           of
           their
           Beings
           ?
           This
           seems
           to
           be
           a
           credible
           and
           satisfactory
           account
           of
           so
           Universal
           a
           consent
           in
           this
           matter
           .
           But
           now
           what
           doth
           the
           Atheist
           resolve
           this
           into
           ?
           He
           is
           not
           at
           one
           with
           himself
           what
           account
           to
           give
           of
           it
           ;
           nor
           can
           it
           
           be
           expected
           he
           should
           ;
           For
           he
           that
           will
           over-look
           the
           true
           reason
           of
           a
           thing
           ,
           which
           is
           but
           one
           ,
           may
           easily
           find
           
             many
             false
          
           ones
           ,
           Error
           being
           infinite
           .
           But
           there
           are
           three
           which
           he
           principally
           rellyes
           upon
           ,
           
             Fear
             ,
             Tradition
          
           ,
           and
           
             Policy
             of
             State.
          
           I
           shall
           briefly
           consider
           these
           .
        
         
           First
           ,
           He
           would
           fain
           make
           us
           believe
           that
           this
           apprehension
           of
           a
           God
           ,
           doth
           spring
           from
           an
           
             infinite
             jealousie
          
           in
           the
           mind
           of
           Man
           ,
           and
           an
           
             endless
             fear
          
           of
           the
           worst
           that
           may
           happen
           ,
           according
           to
           that
           
             Divine
             saying
          
           of
           the
           Poet
           ,
           (
           which
           he
           can
           never
           sufficiently
           admire
           )
           
             Primus
             in
             orbe
             Deos
             fecit
             Timor
             ,
             Fear
             first
             made
             Gods.
          
           So
           that
           it
           is
           granted
           on
           both
           sides
           ,
           that
           the
           fear
           of
           a
           Deity
           doth
           universally
           possess
           the
           minds
           of
           Men
           :
           Now
           the
           question
           is
           ,
           whether
           it
           be
           more
           likely
           that
           the
           existence
           of
           a
           God
           should
           be
           the
           cause
           of
           this
           fear
           ,
           or
           that
           this
           fear
           should
           be
           the
           cause
           why
           men
           imagine
           there
           is
           a
           God
           ?
           If
           there
           be
           a
           God
           who
           hath
           impressed
           this
           image
           of
           himself
           upon
           the
           mind
           of
           Man
           ,
           there
           's
           great
           reason
           why
           all
           men
           should
           stand
           in
           awe
           of
           him
           ;
           But
           if
           there
           be
           no
           God
           ,
           it
           is
           not
           easie
           to
           conceive
           how
           fear
           should
           create
           an
           universal
           confidence
           and
           assurance
           in
           men
           that
           there
           is
           one
           .
           For
           ,
           whence
           should
           this
           Fear
           come
           ?
           it
           must
           be
           either
           from
           without
           ,
           from
           the
           suggestion
           of
           others
           ,
           who
           first
           tell
           us
           there
           is
           such
           a
           being
           ,
           and
           then
           our
           fear
           believes
           it
           ;
           or
           else
           it
           must
           arise
           from
           
             within
             ,
             viz.
          
           from
           the
           Nature
           of
           Man
           ,
           which
           is
           apt
           to
           fancy
           dreadful
           and
           terrible
           things
           .
           If
           from
           the
           suggestion
           of
           others
           who
           tell
           us
           so
           ,
           the
           question
           returns
           ,
           who
           told
           them
           so
           ?
           and
           will
           never
           be
           satisfied
           till
           the
           first
           Author
           of
           this
           report
           be
           found
           out
           ;
           so
           that
           this
           account
           of
           fear
           resolves
           it self
           into
           Tradition
           ,
           which
           shall
           be
           spoken
           to
           in
           its
           proper
           place
           .
           But
           if
           it
           be
           said
           ,
           that
           this
           fear
           ariseth
           from
           within
           ,
           from
           the
           Nature
           of
           man
           which
           is
           apt
           to
           imagine
           dreadful
           things
           ,
           this
           likewise
           is
           liable
           to
           inexplicable
           difficulties
           .
           For
           ,
           First
           ,
           the
           proper
           object
           of
           fear
           is
           something
           that
           is
           dreadful
           ,
           that
           is
           ,
           something
           that
           threatens
           
           Men
           with
           harm
           ,
           or
           danger
           ,
           and
           that
           in
           God
           must
           either
           be
           Power
           ,
           or
           Justice
           ;
           and
           such
           an
           object
           as
           this
           ,
           fear
           indeed
           may
           create
           :
           But
           Goodness
           and
           Mercy
           are
           essential
           to
           the
           Notion
           of
           a
           God
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           Power
           and
           Justice
           ;
           Now
           how
           should
           fear
           put
           men
           upon
           fancying
           a
           Being
           that
           is
           infinitely
           good
           and
           merciful
           ?
           No
           man
           hath
           reason
           to
           be
           afraid
           of
           such
           a
           Being
           as
           such
           .
           So
           that
           the
           Atheist
           must
           joyn
           another
           cause
           to
           
             Fear
             ,
             viz.
             Hope
          
           ,
           to
           enable
           men
           to
           create
           this
           imagination
           of
           a
           God.
           And
           what
           would
           the
           Product
           of
           these
           two
           
             contrary
             Passions
          
           be
           ?
           The
           imagination
           of
           a
           Being
           ,
           which
           we
           should
           fear
           would
           do
           us
           as
           much
           harm
           ,
           as
           we
           could
           hope
           it
           would
           do
           us
           good
           ;
           which
           would
           be
           
             Quid
             pro
             Quo
          
           ,
           and
           which
           our
           Reason
           would
           oblige
           us
           to
           lay
           aside
           so
           soon
           as
           we
           had
           fancied
           it
           ,
           because
           it
           would
           signifie
           just
           nothing
           .
           But
           Secondly
           ,
           Suppose
           fear
           alone
           could
           do
           it
           ;
           how
           comes
           the
           mind
           of
           Man
           to
           be
           subject
           to
           such
           groundless
           and
           unreasonable
           fears
           ?
           The
           Aristotelian
           Atheist
           will
           say
           ,
           it
           always
           was
           so
           ;
           But
           this
           is
           to
           affirm
           ,
           and
           not
           to
           give
           any
           account
           of
           a
           thing
           :
           The
           Epicurean
           Atheist
           ,
           if
           he
           will
           speak
           consonantly
           to
           himself
           ,
           must
           say
           ,
           that
           there
           happened
           in
           the
           original
           constitution
           of
           the
           first
           men
           such
           a
           contexture
           of
           Atomes
           ,
           as
           doth
           naturally
           dispose
           men
           to
           these
           panick
           fears
           ;
           unless
           he
           will
           say
           ,
           that
           when
           the
           first
           men
           grew
           out
           of
           the
           earth
           ,
           and
           afterwards
           broke
           loose
           from
           their
           root
           ,
           finding
           themselves
           weak
           ,
           and
           naked
           ,
           and
           unarmed
           ,
           and
           meeting
           with
           several
           fierce
           creatures
           stronger
           then
           themselves
           ,
           they
           were
           put
           to
           such
           a
           fright
           as
           did
           a
           little
           distemper
           their
           understandings
           ,
           and
           let
           loose
           their
           imaginatians
           to
           endless
           suspicious
           ,
           and
           unbounded
           jealousies
           ,
           which
           did
           at
           last
           settle
           in
           the
           conceit
           of
           an
           invisible
           Being
           ,
           infinitely
           powerful
           ,
           and
           able
           to
           do
           them
           harm
           ;
           and
           being
           fully
           possest
           with
           this
           apprehension
           ,
           (
           nothing
           being
           mo●e
           ordinary
           then
           for
           crazed
           persons
           to
           believe
           their
           own
           fancies
           )
           they
           became
           Religious
           ,
           and
           afterwards
           when
           mankind
           began
           
           to
           be
           propagated
           in
           the
           way
           of
           generation
           ,
           then
           Religion
           obliged
           them
           to
           instill
           these
           principles
           into
           their
           Children
           in
           their
           tender
           years
           ,
           that
           so
           they
           might
           make
           the
           greater
           impression
           upon
           them
           ;
           and
           this
           course
           having
           been
           continued
           ever
           since
           ,
           the
           Notion
           of
           a
           God
           hath
           been
           kept
           up
           in
           the
           world
           .
           This
           is
           very
           suitable
           to
           Epicurus
           his
           Hypothesis
           of
           the
           Original
           of
           Men
           ;
           but
           if
           any
           man
           think
           fit
           to
           say
           thus
           ,
           I
           cannot
           think
           it
           fit
           to
           confute
           him
           .
           Thirdly
           ,
           Whether
           Men
           were
           from
           all
           Eternity
           such
           timorous
           and
           fanciful
           Creatures
           ,
           or
           happened
           to
           be
           made
           so
           in
           the
           first
           constitution
           of
           things
           ;
           it
           seems
           however
           ,
           that
           this
           fear
           of
           a
           Deity
           hath
           a
           foundation
           in
           Nature
           ;
           And
           if
           it
           be
           natural
           ,
           ought
           we
           not
           rather
           to
           conclude
           ,
           That
           there
           is
           some
           ground
           and
           reason
           for
           these
           Fears
           ,
           and
           that
           Nature
           hath
           not
           planted
           them
           in
           us
           to
           no
           purpose
           ,
           then
           that
           they
           are
           vain
           and
           groundless
           ?
           There
           is
           no
           Principle
           that
           Aristotle
           (
           the
           grand
           Assertor
           of
           the
           Eternity
           of
           the
           World
           )
           doth
           more
           frequently
           inculcate
           then
           this
           ,
           That
           
             Nature
             doth
             nothing
             in
             vain
          
           ;
           and
           Epicurus
           is
           forced
           to
           acknowledge
           ,
           (
           and
           so
           will
           every
           man
           ,
           who
           attentively
           considers
           the
           frame
           of
           the
           World
           )
           That
           although
           things
           were
           made
           by
           Chance
           ,
           yet
           they
           have
           happened
           as
           well
           as
           if
           the
           greatest
           Wisdom
           had
           had
           the
           ordering
           and
           contriving
           of
           them
           ;
           And
           surely
           Wisdom
           would
           never
           have
           planted
           such
           a
           vain
           principle
           as
           the
           fear
           of
           a
           Deity
           in
           the
           Nature
           of
           Man
           ,
           if
           there
           had
           not
           been
           a
           God
           in
           the
           World.
           
        
         
           Secondly
           ,
           If
           Fear
           be
           not
           a
           sufficient
           account
           of
           this
           Universal
           Consent
           ,
           the
           Atheist
           thinks
           it
           may
           very
           probably
           be
           resolved
           into
           
             Universal
             Tradition
          
           .
           But
           this
           likewise
           is
           liable
           to
           great
           exception
           ;
           For
           ,
           whence
           came
           this
           Tradition
           ?
           It
           must
           begin
           some
           time
           ,
           it
           must
           have
           its
           original
           from
           some
           body
           ;
           and
           it
           were
           very
           well
           worth
           our
           knowing
           ,
           who
           that
           Man
           was
           that
           first
           raised
           this
           Spirit
           which
           all
           the
           Reason
           of
           mankind
           could
           never
           conjure
           down
           since
           ;
           Where
           did
           he
           live
           ,
           and
           when
           ?
           In
           what
           Countrey
           ,
           and
           
           in
           what
           Age
           of
           the
           World
           ?
           
             What
             was
             his
             Name
             ,
             or
             his
             Sons
             Name
             ,
             that
             we
             may
             know
             him
             ?
          
           This
           the
           Atheist
           can
           give
           no
           punctual
           account
           of
           ;
           onely
           he
           imagines
           it
           not
           improbable
           ,
           that
           some
           body
           long
           ago
           (
           no
           body
           knows
           when
           )
           beyond
           the
           memory
           of
           all
           Ages
           ,
           did
           start
           such
           a
           notion
           in
           the
           world
           ,
           and
           that
           it
           hath
           past
           for
           currant
           ever
           since
           .
           But
           whatever
           he
           imagine
           ,
           that
           is
           very
           improbable
           which
           relies
           upon
           no
           stronger
           arguments
           then
           his
           own
           conceit
           :
           But
           besides
           ,
           If
           this
           Tradition
           be
           granted
           so
           very
           ancient
           as
           to
           have
           been
           before
           all
           Books
           ,
           and
           to
           be
           elder
           then
           any
           History
           ,
           it
           may
           ,
           for
           any
           thing
           any
           body
           can
           tell
           ,
           have
           been
           from
           the
           beginning
           ;
           and
           then
           it
           is
           much
           more
           likely
           to
           be
           a
           Notion
           which
           was
           bred
           in
           the
           mind
           of
           Man
           ,
           and
           born
           with
           him
           ,
           then
           a
           Tradition
           transmitted
           from
           hand
           to
           hand
           through
           all
           generations
           ;
           especially
           if
           we
           consider
           how
           many
           rude
           and
           
             barbarous
             Nations
          
           there
           are
           in
           the
           World
           which
           consent
           in
           the
           Opinion
           of
           a
           God
           ,
           and
           yet
           have
           no
           certain
           Tradition
           of
           any
           thing
           that
           was
           done
           among
           them
           but
           two
           or
           three
           Ages
           before
           .
        
         
           Thirdly
           ,
           But
           if
           neither
           of
           these
           be
           satisfactory
           ,
           he
           hath
           one
           way
           more
           ;
           which
           although
           it
           signifie
           little
           to
           Men
           of
           sober
           and
           severe
           Reason
           ,
           yet
           it
           very
           unhappily
           hits
           the
           jealous
           and
           suspicious
           humour
           of
           the
           generality
           of
           men
           ,
           who
           from
           the
           experience
           they
           have
           had
           of
           themselves
           and
           others
           ,
           are
           very
           apt
           to
           suspect
           that
           every
           body
           ,
           but
           especially
           their
           Superiours
           and
           Governours
           ,
           have
           a
           design
           to
           impose
           upon
           them
           for
           their
           own
           ends
           .
           In
           short
           ,
           it
           is
           this
           ;
           That
           this
           noise
           about
           a
           God
           is
           a
           meer
           
             State
             Engine
          
           ,
           and
           a
           
             Politick
             device
          
           ,
           invented
           at
           first
           by
           some
           
             great
             Prince
          
           ,
           or
           
             Minister
             of
             State
          
           ,
           to
           keep
           people
           in
           awe
           and
           order
           .
           And
           if
           so
           ,
           from
           hence
           (
           saith
           the
           Atheist
           )
           we
           may
           easily
           apprehend
           ,
           how
           from
           such
           an
           original
           it
           might
           be
           generally
           propagated
           ,
           and
           become
           universally
           currant
           ,
           having
           the
           stamp
           of
           publick
           Authority
           upon
           it
           ;
           besides
           ,
           that
           People
           have
           always
           been
           found
           easie
           
           to
           comply
           with
           the
           inclinations
           of
           their
           Prince
           .
           And
           from
           hence
           likewise
           we
           may
           see
           the
           Reason
           why
           this
           Notion
           hath
           continued
           so
           long
           ;
           for
           being
           found
           by
           experience
           to
           be
           so
           excellent
           an
           Instrument
           of
           Government
           ,
           we
           may
           be
           sure
           it
           would
           always
           be
           cherished
           and
           kept
           up
           .
           And
           now
           he
           triumphs
           ,
           and
           thinks
           the
           business
           is
           very
           clear
           :
           Thus
           it
           was
           ;
           some
           time
           or
           other
           ,
           (
           most
           probably
           towards
           the
           beginning
           of
           the
           world
           ,
           (
           if
           it
           had
           a
           beginning
           )
           when
           all
           Mankind
           was
           under
           one
           Universal
           Monarch
           ;
           )
           some
           great
           Nebuchadnezzar
           set
           up
           this
           Image
           of
           a
           Deity
           ,
           and
           commanded
           
             all
             People
             and
             Nations
             to
             fall
             down
             and
             worship
             it
             :
          
           And
           this
           being
           found
           a
           successfull
           device
           ,
           to
           awe
           people
           into
           obedience
           to
           Government
           ,
           it
           hath
           been
           continued
           to
           this
           day
           ,
           and
           is
           like
           to
           last
           to
           the
           end
           of
           the
           world
           .
           To
           this
           
             fine
             conjecture
          
           I
           have
           these
           
             four
             things
          
           to
           say
           :
           1.
           
           That
           all
           this
           is
           meer
           conjecture
           and
           supposition
           ;
           he
           cannot
           bring
           the
           least
           shadow
           of
           proof
           or
           evidence
           for
           any
           one
           tittle
           of
           it
           .
           2.
           
           This
           supposition
           grants
           the
           opinion
           of
           a
           God
           to
           conduce
           very
           much
           to
           the
           support
           of
           Government
           and
           order
           in
           the
           World
           ,
           and
           consequently
           to
           be
           very
           beneficial
           to
           Mankind
           ;
           so
           that
           the
           Atheist
           cannot
           but
           acknowledge
           that
           it
           is
           great
           pity
           that
           it
           should
           not
           be
           true
           ,
           and
           that
           it
           is
           the
           common
           interest
           of
           Mankind
           ,
           if
           there
           were
           but
           probable
           Arguments
           for
           it
           ,
           not
           to
           admit
           of
           any
           slight
           Reasons
           against
           it
           ;
           and
           to
           prosecute
           all
           those
           who
           would
           seduce
           men
           to
           Atheism
           ,
           as
           the
           great
           disturbers
           of
           the
           world
           ,
           and
           pests
           of
           humane
           society
           .
           3.
           
           This
           supposition
           can
           have
           nothing
           of
           certainty
           in
           it
           ,
           unless
           this
           be
           true
           ,
           That
           whoever
           makes
           a
           politick
           advantage
           of
           other
           mens
           Principles
           ,
           is
           presumed
           to
           contrive
           those
           Principles
           into
           them
           ;
           whereas
           it
           is
           much
           more
           common
           (
           because
           more
           easie
           )
           for
           men
           to
           serve
           their
           own
           ends
           of
           those
           Principles
           or
           Opinions
           ,
           which
           they
           do
           not
           put
           into
           men
           ,
           but
           find
           there
           ;
           so
           that
           if
           the
           question
           of
           a
           God
           were
           to
           be
           decided
           by
           the
           probability
           of
           this
           Conjecture
           ,
           (
           which
           
           the
           Atheist
           applauds
           himself
           most
           in
           )
           it
           would
           be
           concluded
           in
           the
           affirmative
           ;
           It
           being
           much
           more
           likely
           ,
           that
           because
           Politicians
           reap
           the
           advantages
           of
           obedience
           and
           a
           more
           ready
           submission
           to
           Government
           from
           mens
           believing
           that
           there
           is
           a
           God
           ,
           that
           they
           found
           the
           minds
           of
           men
           prepossest
           to
           their
           hands
           with
           the
           notion
           of
           a
           God
           ,
           then
           that
           they
           planted
           it
           there
           ;
           and
           we
           need
           not
           doubt
           but
           that
           they
           would
           be
           very
           well
           contented
           
             to
             reap
             where
             they
             did
             not
             sow
             ,
             and
             to
             gather
             where
             they
             did
             not
             strew
             .
          
           4.
           
           We
           have
           as
           much
           evidence
           of
           the
           contrary
           to
           this
           supposition
           as
           such
           a
           thing
           is
           capable
           of
           ,
           viz.
           that
           it
           was
           not
           an
           
             Arcanum
             Imperii
          
           ,
           a
           
             Secret
             of
             Government
          
           ,
           to
           propagate
           the
           belief
           of
           a
           God
           among
           the
           people
           ,
           when
           the
           Governours
           themselves
           knew
           it
           to
           be
           a
           cheat
           .
           For
           we
           find
           in
           the
           Histories
           of
           all
           Ages
           of
           which
           we
           have
           any
           Records
           ,
           (
           and
           of
           other
           Ages
           we
           cannot
           possibly
           judge
           )
           that
           Princes
           have
           not
           been
           more
           secure
           from
           troubles
           of
           Conscience
           ,
           and
           the
           fears
           of
           Religion
           ,
           and
           the
           terrours
           of
           another
           World
           ,
           (
           nay
           ,
           many
           of
           them
           more
           subject
           to
           these
           )
           then
           other
           men
           ,
           as
           I
           could
           give
           many
           instances
           ,
           and
           those
           no
           mean
           ones
           :
           What
           made
           Caligula
           creep
           under
           the
           Bed
           when
           it
           thunder'd
           ?
           What
           made
           Tiberius
           (
           that
           great
           Master
           of
           the
           
             Crafts
             of
             Government
          
           )
           complain
           so
           much
           of
           the
           grievous
           stings
           and
           lashes
           he
           felt
           in
           his
           Conscience
           ?
           What
           mov'd
           that
           
             Great
             Emperour
             ,
             Charls
             the
             Fifth
             ,
          
           to
           quit
           his
           Kingdom
           ,
           and
           retire
           into
           a
           Monastery
           to
           prepare
           for
           another
           World
           ?
           What
           made
           
             Cardinal
             Wolsey
          
           (
           one
           of
           the
           greatest
           
             Ministers
             of
             State
          
           that
           ever
           was
           )
           to
           pour
           forth
           his
           soul
           in
           those
           sad
           words
           ?
           
             Had
             I
             been
             as
             diligent
             to
             please
             my
             God
             as
             I
             have
             been
             to
             please
             my
             King
             ,
             he
             would
             not
             have
             forsaken
             me
             now
             in
             my
             gray
             hairs
             .
          
           What
           reason
           for
           such
           Actions
           and
           Speeches
           ,
           if
           these
           
             Great
             Men
          
           had
           known
           that
           Religion
           was
           but
           a
           cheat
           ?
           Now
           if
           such
           great
           and
           politick
           persons
           (
           as
           the
           three
           last
           of
           these
           were
           )
           knew
           nothing
           of
           this
           Secret
           ,
           I
           think
           we
           may
           safely
           conclude
           ,
           that
           the
           
           Notion
           of
           a
           God
           did
           not
           come
           from
           the
           Court
           ,
           that
           it
           is
           not
           the
           invention
           of
           Politicians
           ,
           and
           a
           juggle
           of
           State
           ,
           to
           cozen
           the
           people
           into
           obedience
           .
           And
           now
           from
           all
           this
           that
           hath
           been
           said
           it
           seems
           to
           be
           very
           evident
           ,
           that
           the
           general
           consent
           of
           Man-kind
           in
           this
           apprehension
           
             That
             there
             is
             a
             God
          
           ,
           must
           in
           all
           Reason
           be
           ascribed
           to
           some
           more
           certain
           and
           universal
           Cause
           then
           Fear
           ,
           or
           Tradition
           ,
           or
           
             State
             Policy
             ,
             viz.
          
           to
           this
           ,
           That
           God
           himself
           hath
           stamped
           this
           Image
           of
           himself
           upon
           the
           Mind
           of
           Man
           ,
           and
           so
           woven
           it
           into
           the
           very
           frame
           of
           his
           Being
           ,
           that
           (
           like
           Phidias
           his
           Picture
           in
           Minerva's
           Shield
           )
           it
           can
           never
           totally
           be
           defaced
           without
           the
           ruine
           of
           humane
           nature
           .
        
         
           Object
           .
           I
           do
           but
           know
           one
           Objection
           that
           this
           Discourse
           is
           liable
           to
           ;
           it
           is
           this
           :
           The
           Universal
           Consent
           of
           Man-kind
           in
           the
           apprehension
           of
           a
           God
           is
           no
           more
           an
           Argument
           of
           the
           Being
           of
           a
           God
           ,
           then
           the
           general
           agreement
           of
           so
           many
           Nations
           for
           so
           many
           Ages
           in
           Polytheisme
           and
           Idolatry
           is
           an
           Argument
           for
           these
           .
           Answ
           .
           To
           this
           I
           answer
           ,
           1.
           
           That
           the
           generality
           of
           the
           Philosophers
           and
           wise
           men
           of
           all
           Nations
           and
           Ages
           did
           dissent
           from
           the
           multitude
           in
           these
           things
           ;
           they
           believed
           but
           one
           Supreme
           Deity
           ,
           which
           ,
           with
           respect
           to
           the
           various
           benefits
           men
           received
           from
           him
           ,
           had
           several
           Titles
           bestowed
           upon
           him
           ;
           and
           although
           they
           did
           servilely
           comply
           with
           the
           People
           in
           worshipping
           God
           by
           sensible
           Images
           and
           Representations
           ,
           yet
           it
           appears
           by
           their
           Writings
           that
           they
           despised
           this
           way
           of
           Worship
           as
           superstitious
           ,
           and
           unsuitable
           to
           the
           Nature
           of
           God.
           So
           that
           Polytheisme
           and
           Idolatry
           are
           far
           from
           being
           able
           to
           pretend
           to
           Universal
           Consent
           from
           their
           having
           had
           the
           Vote
           of
           the
           multitude
           in
           most
           Nations
           for
           several
           Ages
           together
           ;
           because
           the
           opinion
           of
           the
           vulgar
           separated
           from
           the
           Consent
           and
           Approbation
           of
           the
           Wise
           ,
           signifies
           no
           more
           then
           a
           great
           many
           Cyphers
           would
           do
           without
           Figures
           .
           2.
           
           The
           gross
           Ignorance
           and
           Mistakes
           of
           the
           Heathen
           about
           God
           and
           his
           Worship
           are
           a
           good
           Argument
           
           that
           there
           is
           a
           God
           ,
           because
           they
           shew
           ,
           That
           men
           sunk
           into
           the
           most
           degenerate
           condition
           ,
           into
           the
           greatest
           blindness
           and
           darkness
           imaginable
           ,
           do
           yet
           retain
           some
           sense
           and
           awe
           of
           a
           Deity
           ;
           that
           Religion
           is
           a
           property
           of
           our
           Natures
           ,
           and
           that
           the
           Notion
           of
           a
           Deity
           is
           intimate
           to
           our
           Understandings
           ,
           and
           sticks
           close
           to
           them
           ,
           seeing
           Men
           will
           rather
           have
           any
           God
           then
           none
           ,
           and
           rather
           then
           want
           a
           Deity
           ,
           they
           will
           worship
           any
           thing
           .
           3.
           
           That
           there
           have
           been
           so
           many
           false
           Gods
           invented
           ,
           is
           rather
           an
           Argument
           that
           there
           is
           a
           
             true
             One
          
           ,
           then
           that
           there
           is
           none
           :
           There
           would
           be
           no
           Counterfeits
           ,
           but
           for
           the
           sake
           of
           something
           that
           is
           real
           ;
           for
           ,
           though
           all
           Pretenders
           seem
           to
           be
           what
           they
           really
           are
           not
           ,
           yet
           they
           pretend
           to
           be
           something
           that
           
             really
             is
          
           :
           For
           ,
           to
           counterfeit
           is
           to
           put
           on
           the
           likeness
           and
           appearance
           of
           some
           real
           Excellency
           ;
           There
           would
           be
           no
           Brass-money
           ,
           if
           there
           were
           not
           
             good
             and
             lawful
             Money
             ;
             Bristol-stones
          
           would
           not
           pretend
           to
           be
           Diamonds
           ,
           if
           there
           never
           had
           been
           any
           Diamonds
           ;
           Those
           Idols
           in
           Henry
           the
           Seventh's
           time
           (
           as
           Sir
           
             Francis
             Bacon
          
           calls
           them
           )
           
             Lambert
             Simnell
          
           ,
           and
           
             Perkin
             Warbeck
          
           ,
           had
           never
           been
           set
           up
           ,
           if
           there
           had
           not
           once
           been
           a
           real
           Plantagenet
           and
           Duke
           of
           York
           ;
           so
           the
           Idols
           of
           the
           Heathen
           ,
           though
           they
           be
           set
           up
           in
           affront
           to
           the
           true
           God
           ,
           yet
           they
           are
           a
           probable
           Argument
           that
           there
           is
           one
           .
        
         
           3.
           
           Speculative
           Atheisme
           is
           absurd
           in
           the
           Theory
           ,
           because
           it
           requires
           more
           evidence
           for
           things
           then
           they
           are
           capable
           of
           .
           Aristotle
           hath
           long
           since
           well
           observed
           ,
           how
           unreasonable
           it
           is
           to
           expect
           the
           same
           kind
           of
           proof
           and
           evidence
           for
           every
           thing
           ,
           which
           we
           have
           for
           some
           things
           .
           Mathematical
           things
           ,
           being
           of
           an
           abstracted
           nature
           ,
           are
           onely
           capable
           of
           clear
           Demonstration
           ;
           But
           Conclusions
           in
           
             Natural
             Philosophy
          
           are
           to
           be
           proved
           by
           a
           sufficient
           Induction
           of
           experiments
           ;
           things
           of
           a
           moral
           nature
           ,
           by
           moral
           Arguments
           ;
           and
           
             matters
             of
             Fact
          
           ,
           by
           
             credible
             Testimony
          
           :
           And
           though
           none
           of
           these
           be
           capable
           of
           
             strict
             Demonstration
          
           ,
           
           yet
           we
           have
           an
           undoubted
           assurance
           of
           them
           ,
           when
           they
           are
           proved
           by
           the
           best
           Arguments
           that
           the
           nature
           and
           quality
           of
           the
           thing
           will
           bear
           .
           No
           man
           can
           demonstrate
           to
           me
           ,
           that
           there
           is
           such
           an
           Island
           in
           America
           as
           Jamaica
           ;
           yet
           upon
           the
           Testimony
           of
           credible
           persons
           who
           have
           seen
           it
           ,
           and
           Authors
           who
           haue
           written
           of
           it
           ,
           I
           am
           as
           free
           from
           all
           doubt
           concerning
           it
           ,
           as
           I
           am
           from
           doubting
           of
           the
           cleerest
           Mathematical
           Demonstration
           .
           So
           that
           this
           is
           to
           be
           entertained
           as
           a
           firm
           principle
           by
           all
           those
           who
           pretend
           to
           be
           certain
           of
           any
           thing
           at
           all
           ;
           
             That
             when
             any
             thing
             is
             proved
             by
             as
             good
             arguments
             as
             that
             thing
             is
             capable
             of
             ,
             and
             we
             have
             as
             great
             assurance
             that
             it
             is
             ,
             as
             we
             could
             possibly
             have
             supposing
             it
             were
             ,
             we
             ought
             not
             in
             reason
             to
             make
             any
             doubt
             of
             the
             existence
             of
             that
             thing
             ?
          
           Now
           to
           apply
           this
           to
           the
           present
           Case
           :
           The
           being
           of
           a
           God
           is
           not
           Mathematically
           demonstrable
           ,
           nor
           can
           it
           be
           expected
           it
           should
           ,
           because
           onely
           Mathematical
           matters
           admit
           of
           this
           kind
           of
           evidence
           ;
           Nor
           can
           it
           be
           proved
           immediately
           by
           sense
           ,
           because
           God
           being
           supposed
           to
           be
           a
           
             pure
             Spirit
          
           ,
           cannot
           be
           the
           Object
           of
           any
           
             corporeal
             sense
          
           .
           But
           yet
           we
           have
           as
           great
           assurance
           that
           there
           is
           a
           God
           as
           the
           nature
           of
           the
           thing
           to
           be
           proved
           is
           capable
           of
           ,
           and
           as
           we
           could
           in
           reason
           expect
           to
           have
           ,
           supposing
           that
           he
           were
           .
           For
           let
           us
           suppose
           there
           were
           such
           a
           Being
           as
           an
           
             Infinite
             Spirit
             cloathed
             with
             all
             possible
             perfection
             ,
             that
             is
             ,
          
           as
           Good
           and
           Wise
           and
           
             Powerful
             ,
             &c.
          
           as
           can
           be
           imagined
           ,
           what
           conceiveable
           ways
           are
           there
           whereby
           we
           should
           come
           to
           be
           assured
           that
           there
           is
           such
           a
           Being
           ,
           but
           either
           by
           an
           
             internal
             impression
          
           of
           the
           Notion
           of
           a
           God
           upon
           our
           Minds
           ,
           or
           else
           by
           such
           external
           and
           visible
           Effects
           as
           our
           Reason
           tells
           us
           must
           be
           attributed
           to
           some
           Cause
           ,
           and
           which
           we
           cannot
           without
           great
           violence
           to
           our
           Understandings
           attribute
           to
           any
           other
           Cause
           but
           such
           a
           Being
           as
           we
           conceive
           God
           to
           be
           ,
           
             that
             is
             ,
             One
          
           that
           is
           infinitely
           Good
           ,
           and
           Wise
           ,
           and
           Powerful
           ?
           Now
           we
           have
           this
           double
           assurance
           that
           there
           is
           a
           God
           ,
           and
           greater
           or
           other
           then
           this
           the
           thing
           
           is
           not
           capable
           of
           .
           If
           God
           should
           assume
           a
           Body
           ,
           and
           present
           himself
           before
           our
           eyes
           ,
           this
           might
           amaze
           us
           ,
           but
           could
           not
           give
           us
           any
           rational
           assurance
           that
           there
           is
           an
           
             Infinite
             Spirit
          
           ;
           If
           he
           should
           work
           a
           Miracle
           ,
           that
           could
           not
           in
           reason
           convince
           an
           Atheist
           more
           then
           the
           Arguments
           he
           already
           hath
           for
           it
           ;
           If
           he
           were
           to
           
             ask
             a
             sign
             in
             heaven
             above
             ,
             or
             in
             the
             earth
             beneath
             ,
          
           what
           could
           he
           desire
           God
           to
           do
           for
           his
           conviction
           more
           then
           he
           hath
           already
           done
           ?
           Could
           he
           desire
           him
           to
           work
           a
           greater
           Miracle
           then
           to
           make
           a
           World
           ?
           Why
           if
           God
           should
           carry
           this
           
             perverse
             man
          
           out
           of
           the
           limits
           of
           this
           World
           ,
           and
           shew
           him
           a
           
             new
             Heaven
          
           and
           a
           
             new
             Earth
          
           ,
           springing
           out
           of
           nothing
           ,
           he
           might
           say
           ,
           that
           innumerable
           parts
           of
           Matter
           chanc'd
           just
           then
           to
           rally
           together
           ,
           and
           to
           form
           themselves
           into
           this
           new
           World
           ,
           and
           that
           God
           did
           not
           make
           it
           .
           Thus
           you
           see
           that
           we
           have
           all
           the
           rational
           assurance
           of
           a
           God
           that
           the
           thing
           is
           capable
           of
           ,
           and
           that
           Atheism
           is
           absurd
           and
           unreasonable
           in
           requiring
           more
           .
        
         
           4.
           
           The
           Atheist
           is
           absurd
           ,
           because
           he
           pretends
           to
           know
           that
           which
           no
           man
           can
           know
           ,
           and
           to
           be
           certain
           of
           that
           which
           no
           body
           can
           be
           certain
           of
           ;
           that
           is
           
             That
             there
             is
             no
             God
          
           ,
           and
           (
           which
           is
           consequent
           upon
           this
           ,
           as
           I
           shall
           shew
           afterwards
           )
           
             That
             it
             is
             not
             possible
             there
             should
             be
             one
             .
          
           And
           the
           Atheist
           must
           pretend
           to
           know
           this
           certainly
           ;
           for
           it
           were
           the
           greatest
           folly
           in
           the
           world
           for
           a
           man
           to
           deny
           and
           despise
           God
           ,
           if
           he
           be
           not
           certain
           that
           he
           is
           not
           .
           Now
           whoever
           pretends
           to
           be
           certain
           that
           there
           is
           no
           God
           ,
           hath
           this
           great
           disadvantage
           ;
           He
           pretends
           to
           be
           certain
           of
           a
           
             pure
             Negative
          
           :
           But
           of
           Negatives
           we
           have
           far
           the
           least
           certainty
           ,
           and
           they
           are
           always
           hardest
           ,
           and
           many
           times
           impossible
           to
           be
           proved
           :
           Indeed
           such
           Negatives
           as
           only
           deny
           some
           particular
           mode
           or
           manner
           of
           a
           things
           existence
           ,
           a
           man
           may
           have
           a
           certainty
           of
           them
           ,
           because
           ,
           when
           we
           see
           things
           to
           be
           ,
           we
           may
           see
           what
           they
           are
           ,
           and
           in
           what
           manner
           they
           do
           ,
           or
           do
           not
           exist
           ;
           
             For
             instance
          
           ,
           we
           may
           be
           certain
           that
           Man
           is
           not
           a
           creature
           that
           hath
           Wings
           ,
           because
           this
           
           onely
           concerns
           the
           manner
           of
           his
           existence
           ;
           and
           we
           seeing
           what
           he
           is
           ,
           may
           certainly
           know
           that
           he
           is
           not
           so
           ,
           or
           so
           .
           But
           
             pure
             Negatives
          
           ,
           that
           is
           ,
           such
           as
           absolutely
           deny
           the
           existence
           of
           things
           ,
           or
           the
           possibility
           of
           their
           existence
           ,
           can
           never
           be
           proved
           ;
           for
           after
           all
           that
           can
           be
           said
           against
           a
           thing
           ,
           this
           will
           still
           be
           true
           ,
           That
           many
           things
           possibly
           are
           which
           we
           know
           not
           of
           ,
           and
           that
           many
           more
           things
           may
           be
           then
           are
           ;
           and
           if
           so
           ,
           after
           all
           our
           arguments
           against
           a
           thing
           ,
           it
           will
           be
           uncertain
           whether
           it
           be
           or
           not
           ;
           and
           this
           is
           universally
           true
           ,
           unless
           the
           thing
           denied
           to
           be
           ,
           do
           plainly
           imply
           a
           contradiction
           ,
           from
           which
           I
           shall
           afterwards
           shew
           the
           Notion
           of
           a
           God
           to
           be
           free
           .
           Now
           the
           Atheist
           pretends
           to
           be
           certain
           of
           a
           
             pure
             Negative
             ,
             viz.
          
           That
           there
           is
           no
           such
           Being
           as
           God
           ,
           and
           that
           it
           is
           not
           possible
           there
           should
           be
           ;
           But
           no
           man
           can
           reasonably
           pretend
           to
           know
           thus
           much
           ,
           but
           he
           must
           pretend
           to
           know
           all
           things
           that
           are
           ,
           or
           can
           be
           ;
           which
           if
           any
           man
           should
           be
           so
           vain
           as
           to
           pretend
           to
           ,
           yet
           it
           is
           to
           be
           hoped
           ,
           that
           no
           body
           would
           be
           so
           weak
           as
           to
           believe
           him
           .
        
         
           5.
           
           
             Speculative
             Atheism
          
           is
           absurd
           ,
           because
           it
           is
           self-contradictions
           .
           There
           are
           these
           two
           great
           contradictions
           in
           the
           denial
           of
           a
           God.
           1.
           
           He
           that
           denies
           a
           God
           ,
           says
           that
           that
           is
           impossible
           which
           he
           must
           grant
           to
           be
           possible
           .
           He
           says
           it
           is
           impossible
           that
           there
           should
           be
           such
           a
           Being
           as
           God
           ,
           in
           saying
           that
           
             de
             facto
          
           there
           is
           no
           such
           Being
           ;
           for
           Eternity
           being
           essential
           to
           the
           Notion
           of
           a
           God
           ,
           if
           there
           be
           not
           a
           God
           already
           ,
           it
           is
           impossible
           now
           that
           there
           should
           be
           one
           ;
           because
           such
           a
           Being
           as
           is
           supposed
           to
           be
           essentially
           Eternal
           and
           
             without
             beginning
          
           ,
           cannot
           
             now
             begin
             to
             be
          
           .
           And
           yet
           he
           must
           grant
           it
           possible
           that
           there
           should
           be
           such
           a
           Being
           ,
           because
           it
           is
           possible
           there
           should
           be
           such
           a
           
             Being
             as
             hath
             all
             possible
             perfection
          
           ;
           and
           such
           a
           Being
           as
           this
           is
           that
           which
           we
           call
           God
           ,
           and
           is
           that
           very
           thing
           which
           the
           Atheist
           denies
           ,
           and
           others
           affirm
           to
           be
           ;
           for
           he
           that
           denies
           a
           God
           ,
           must
           deny
           such
           a
           Being
           as
           all
           the
           world
           describe
           God
           to
           be
           ,
           and
           this
           is
           the
           general
           Notion
           which
           all
           men
           
           have
           of
           God
           ,
           
             That
             he
             is
             a
             Being
             as
             perfect
             as
             is
             possible
          
           ;
           that
           is
           ,
           endued
           with
           all
           such
           perfections
           as
           do
           not
           imply
           a
           contradiction
           ,
           as
           none
           of
           those
           perfections
           which
           we
           attribute
           to
           God
           do
           ;
           Not
           
             necessity
             of
             being
          
           ,
           and
           self-existence
           ,
           and
           eternity
           ,
           and
           immensity
           or
           
             unlimitedness
             ;
             these
          
           the
           Atheist
           must
           grant
           possible
           and
           
             free
             from
             contradiction
          
           ,
           because
           he
           ascribes
           them
           to
           the
           World
           ,
           or
           at
           least
           to
           Matter
           ;
           Not
           Goodness
           ,
           or
           Wisdom
           ,
           or
           Power
           ,
           or
           Truth
           ,
           or
           Justice
           ,
           because
           he
           ascribes
           these
           to
           Men
           ,
           nor
           consequently
           the
           utmost
           degrees
           of
           these
           that
           are
           possible
           ;
           nor
           ,
           lastly
           ,
           doth
           immateriality
           or
           the
           Notion
           of
           a
           Spirit
           imply
           a
           contradiction
           ,
           because
           the
           Atheist
           must
           either
           grant
           that
           there
           is
           a
           Spirit
           in
           Man
           ,
           
             that
             is
          
           ,
           something
           that
           is
           not
           Matter
           ,
           (
           and
           consequently
           ,
           that
           an
           
             immaterial
             principle
          
           is
           
             not
             impossible
          
           )
           or
           else
           give
           a
           fair
           and
           satisfactory
           account
           how
           
             meer
             Matter
          
           can
           think
           and
           understand
           ,
           and
           how
           that
           which
           moves
           by
           certain
           and
           
             necessary
             Laws
          
           ,
           that
           is
           ,
           cannot
           move
           unless
           it
           be
           moved
           by
           another
           ,
           and
           cannot
           but
           move
           if
           it
           be
           impell'd
           by
           another
           ,
           is
           capable
           of
           Liberty
           and
           Freedom
           ;
           which
           I
           think
           is
           impossible
           to
           be
           done
           .
           2.
           
           Another
           contradiction
           which
           attends
           the
           denial
           of
           a
           God
           ,
           is
           this
           ;
           Atheism
           denies
           such
           a
           Being
           to
           be
           ,
           as
           doth
           in
           the
           
             essential
             Notion
          
           of
           it
           include
           
             necessary
             existence
          
           ,
           that
           is
           ,
           an
           impossibility
           of
           not
           being
           ;
           And
           this
           in
           plain
           English
           ,
           is
           to
           deny
           that
           thing
           to
           be
           ,
           which
           cannot
           but
           be
           .
           Now
           that
           the
           Notion
           of
           a
           God
           doth
           essentially
           include
           in
           it
           
             necessary
             existence
          
           ,
           appears
           from
           the
           general
           Notion
           that
           all
           men
           have
           of
           
             God
             ,
             viz.
          
           that
           he
           is
           a
           Being
           that
           hath
           all
           possible
           perfection
           ;
           But
           that
           
             necessary
             existence
          
           is
           a
           perfection
           ,
           is
           evident
           ,
           because
           if
           Being
           be
           good
           ,
           it
           is
           better
           to
           have
           it
           necessarily
           ,
           then
           contingently
           ;
           to
           have
           it
           secur'd
           ,
           then
           to
           be
           in
           danger
           of
           losing
           it
           :
           And
           that
           it
           is
           a
           
             possible
             perfection
          
           ,
           the
           Atheist
           cannot
           deny
           ,
           because
           he
           ascribes
           it
           to
           Matter
           ,
           as
           I
           shewed
           before
           .
           So
           that
           Atheism
           doth
           finally
           resolve
           it self
           into
           these
           two
           gross
           Contradictions
           ,
           
             viz.
             That
             it
             is
             impossible
             that
             there
             should
             be
             such
             a
             Being
             
             as
             hath
             all
             possible
             perfections
          
           ;
           that
           is
           ,
           That
           that
           which
           may
           be
           ,
           cannot
           be
           :
           And
           ,
           
             That
             such
             a
             Being
             as
             necessarily
             exists
             ,
             doth
             not
             ,
             nor
             can
             possibly
             exist
          
           ;
           that
           is
           to
           say
           ,
           That
           a
           thing
           which
           cannot
           but
           be
           ,
           is
           not
           ,
           nor
           can
           be
           .
        
         
           II.
           Atheism
           ,
           as
           it
           is
           an
           absurd
           ,
           so
           it
           is
           an
           imprudent
           Opinion
           ;
           and
           that
           upon
           these
           two
           accounts
           .
        
         
           First
           ,
           It
           is
           against
           mens
           present
           Interest
           .
           Did
           but
           Men
           consider
           what
           God
           is
           ,
           they
           would
           see
           him
           to
           be
           so
           lovely
           a
           Being
           ,
           and
           so
           full
           of
           goodness
           and
           all
           desireable
           perfections
           ,
           that
           even
           those
           very
           persons
           ,
           who
           are
           of
           such
           irregular
           Understandings
           as
           not
           to
           believe
           that
           there
           is
           a
           God
           ,
           yet
           could
           not
           (
           if
           they
           understood
           themselves
           )
           refrain
           from
           wishing
           with
           all
           their
           hearts
           that
           there
           were
           one
           .
           For
           ,
           is
           it
           not
           every
           mans
           interest
           that
           there
           should
           be
           such
           a
           Being
           in
           the
           World
           as
           takes
           particular
           care
           of
           him
           ,
           and
           loves
           him
           ,
           and
           is
           able
           and
           willing
           to
           do
           him
           good
           ,
           and
           to
           make
           him
           happy
           ;
           to
           supply
           all
           his
           wants
           ,
           and
           to
           relieve
           him
           in
           all
           his
           straits
           ,
           when
           no
           body
           else
           can
           ;
           to
           preserve
           him
           in
           the
           greatest
           dangers
           ,
           and
           assist
           him
           against
           his
           greatest
           enemies
           ,
           and
           secure
           him
           from
           misery
           and
           destruction
           ?
           Is
           is
           not
           every
           mans
           interest
           that
           there
           should
           be
           such
           a
           Being
           in
           the
           World
           ,
           as
           would
           govern
           us
           for
           our
           advantage
           ,
           and
           require
           nothing
           of
           us
           ,
           but
           what
           is
           highly
           for
           our
           interest
           ,
           and
           what
           (
           if
           we
           rightly
           understood
           our
           own
           concernment
           )
           we
           our selves
           would
           choose
           to
           do
           ?
           And
           God
           is
           such
           a
           Being
           ,
           if
           he
           be
           at
           all
           .
           Now
           why
           should
           any
           man
           be
           aggrieved
           that
           there
           is
           such
           a
           Being
           as
           this
           ,
           or
           count
           it
           his
           interest
           to
           shut
           Him
           out
           of
           the
           World
           ?
           Why
           should
           any
           man
           be
           concern'd
           or
           troubled
           that
           there
           is
           a
           Being
           as
           good
           as
           we
           can
           possibly
           desire
           or
           imagine
           ?
           I
           dare
           say
           ,
           if
           a
           wise
           and
           considerate
           man
           were
           left
           to
           himself
           and
           his
           own
           choice
           ,
           to
           wish
           the
           greatest
           good
           to
           himself
           he
           could
           devise
           ;
           the
           sum
           of
           all
           his
           wishes
           would
           be
           ,
           that
           there
           were
           
             just
             such
             a
             Being
             as
             God
             is
          
           ;
           nor
           would
           he
           choose
           any
           other
           Benefactor
           or
           Friend
           or
           Protector
           for
           himself
           ,
           or
           Governor
           for
           the
           whole
           
           World
           ,
           then
           
             infinite
             Power
          
           conducted
           &
           managed
           by
           
             infinite
             Wisdom
          
           ,
           and
           Goodness
           ,
           and
           Justice
           ,
           which
           is
           the
           true
           Notion
           of
           a
           God.
           I
           confess
           ,
           it
           is
           not
           a
           wicked
           Mans
           interest
           ,
           if
           he
           resolve
           to
           continue
           such
           ,
           that
           there
           should
           be
           a
           God
           ;
           But
           then
           it
           is
           not
           mens
           interest
           to
           be
           wicked
           :
           It
           is
           for
           the
           general
           good
           of
           humane
           society
           ,
           and
           consequently
           ,
           of
           particular
           persons
           ,
           to
           be
           
             true
             &
             just
          
           ;
           it
           is
           for
           mens
           health
           to
           be
           temperate
           ;
           and
           so
           I
           could
           instance
           in
           all
           other
           vertues
           .
           But
           this
           is
           the
           mystery
           of
           Atheism
           ,
           men
           are
           wedded
           to
           their
           lusts
           ,
           and
           resolv'd
           upon
           a
           wicked
           course
           ,
           &
           so
           it
           becomes
           their
           interest
           to
           wish
           there
           were
           no
           God
           ,
           and
           to
           believe
           so
           if
           they
           can
           ;
           whereas
           if
           men
           were
           minded
           to
           live
           righteously
           and
           soberly
           and
           vertuously
           in
           the
           world
           ,
           
             to
             believe
             a
             God
          
           would
           be
           no
           hinderance
           or
           prejudice
           to
           any
           such
           design
           ,
           but
           very
           much
           for
           the
           advancement
           and
           furtherance
           of
           it
           .
           Men
           that
           are
           good
           and
           vertuous
           do
           easily
           believe
           a
           God
           ;
           so
           that
           it
           is
           vehemently
           to
           be
           suspected
           ,
           that
           nothing
           but
           the
           strength
           of
           mens
           lusts
           ,
           and
           the
           power
           of
           vicious
           inclinations
           ,
           do
           sway
           their
           minds
           ,
           and
           set
           a
           byass
           upon
           their
           Understandings
           towards
           Atheism
           .
        
         
           Secondly
           ,
           Atheism
           is
           imprudent
           ,
           because
           it
           is
           unsafe
           in
           the
           issue
           .
           The
           Atheist
           doth
           ,
           
             as
             it
             were
          
           ,
           lay
           a
           Wager
           against
           the
           Religious
           man
           that
           there
           is
           no
           God
           ;
           but
           upon
           strange
           inequality
           and
           odds
           ;
           for
           he
           ventures
           his
           Eternal
           Interest
           :
           whereas
           the
           other
           ventures
           onely
           the
           loss
           of
           his
           Lusts
           ,
           (
           which
           it
           is
           much
           better
           for
           him
           to
           be
           without
           )
           or
           at
           the
           utmost
           ,
           of
           some
           temporal
           convenience
           ;
           and
           all
           this
           while
           is
           inwardly
           more
           contented
           and
           happy
           ,
           and
           usually
           more
           healthful
           ,
           and
           perhaps
           meets
           with
           more
           respect
           ,
           and
           faithfuller
           friends
           ,
           and
           lives
           in
           a
           more
           secure
           and
           flourishing
           condition
           ,
           and
           freer
           from
           the
           evils
           and
           punishments
           of
           this
           world
           ,
           then
           the
           Atheistical
           person
           does
           ,
           (
           however
           ,
           it
           is
           not
           much
           that
           he
           ventures
           ;
           )
           And
           after
           this
           life
           ,
           if
           there
           be
           no
           God
           ,
           is
           as
           well
           as
           he
           ;
           but
           if
           there
           be
           a
           God
           ,
           is
           infinitely
           better
           ,
           even
           as
           much
           as
           unspeakable
           and
           eternal
           happiness
           is
           better
           then
           extream
           and
           endless
           misery
           .
        
         
         
           So
           that
           if
           the
           Arguments
           for
           and
           against
           a
           God
           were
           equal
           ,
           and
           it
           were
           an
           
             even
             Question
          
           Whether
           there
           were
           one
           or
           nor
           ,
           yet
           the
           hazard
           and
           danger
           is
           so
           infinitely
           unequal
           ,
           that
           in
           point
           of
           prudence
           and
           interest
           every
           man
           were
           obliged
           to
           incline
           to
           the
           Affirmative
           ;
           and
           what-ever
           doubts
           he
           might
           have
           about
           it
           ,
           to
           choose
           the
           safest
           side
           of
           the
           Question
           ,
           and
           to
           make
           that
           the
           Hypothesis
           to
           live
           by
           .
           For
           ,
           he
           that
           acts
           wisely
           ,
           and
           is
           a
           throughly
           prudent
           man
           ,
           will
           be
           provided
           
             in
             emnem
             eventum
          
           ,
           will
           take
           care
           to
           secure
           the
           
             main
             chance
          
           ,
           what-ever
           happens
           :
           but
           the
           Atheist
           ,
           in
           case
           things
           should
           fall
           out
           contrary
           to
           his
           belief
           and
           expectation
           ,
           he
           hath
           made
           no
           provision
           for
           this
           case
           ;
           if
           ,
           contrary
           to
           his
           confidence
           ,
           it
           should
           prove
           in
           the
           Issue
           that
           there
           is
           a
           God
           ,
           the
           man
           is
           lost
           and
           undone
           for
           ever
           ;
           If
           the
           Atheist
           when
           he
           dies
           shall
           find
           that
           his
           soul
           remains
           after
           his
           body
           ,
           and
           has
           onely
           quitted
           it's
           lodging
           ,
           how
           will
           this
           man
           be
           amazed
           and
           blank'd
           ,
           when
           ,
           contrary
           to
           his
           expectation
           ,
           he
           shall
           find
           himself
           in
           a
           new
           and
           strange
           place
           ,
           amidst
           a
           world
           of
           Spirits
           ,
           entred
           upon
           an
           everlasting
           and
           unchangeable
           state
           ?
           How
           sadly
           will
           the
           man
           be
           disappointed
           when
           he
           finds
           all
           things
           otherwise
           then
           he
           had
           stated
           and
           determined
           them
           in
           this
           world
           ?
           When
           he
           comes
           to
           appear
           before
           that
           God
           whom
           he
           hath
           denied
           ,
           and
           against
           whom
           he
           hath
           spoken
           as
           despightful
           things
           as
           he
           could
           ?
           Who
           can
           imagine
           the
           pale
           and
           guilty
           looks
           of
           this
           man
           ,
           and
           how
           he
           will
           shiver
           and
           tremble
           
             for
             the
             fear
             of
             the
             Lord
             ,
             and
             for
             the
             glory
             of
             his
             Majesty
             ?
          
           How
           will
           he
           be
           surprized
           with
           terrors
           on
           every
           side
           ,
           to
           find
           himself
           thus
           unexpectedly
           and
           irrecoverably
           plunged
           into
           a
           state
           of
           ruine
           and
           desperation
           ?
           And
           thus
           things
           may
           happen
           for
           all
           this
           mans
           confidence
           now
           :
           For
           our
           belief
           or
           dis-belief
           of
           a
           thing
           does
           not
           alter
           the
           nature
           of
           the
           thing
           ;
           we
           cannot
           fancy
           things
           into
           being
           ,
           or
           make
           them
           vanish
           into
           nothing
           by
           the
           stubborn
           confidence
           of
           our
           imaginations
           ;
           things
           are
           as
           fullen
           as
           we
           are
           ,
           and
           will
           be
           what
           they
           are
           ,
           what-ever
           we
           think
           of
           them
           ;
           and
           if
           there
           be
           a
           God
           ,
           a
           
           man
           cannot
           by
           an
           obstinate
           dis-belief
           of
           him
           make
           him
           cease
           to
           be
           ,
           any
           more
           then
           a
           man
           can
           put
           out
           the
           Sun
           by
           winking
           .
        
         
           And
           thus
           I
           have
           as
           briefly
           and
           clearly
           as
           I
           could
           endeavour'd
           to
           shew
           the
           ignorance
           and
           folly
           of
           
             Speculative
             Atheism
          
           in
           denying
           the
           
             existence
             of
             God.
          
           And
           now
           it
           will
           be
           less
           needful
           to
           speak
           of
           the
           other
           
             two
             Principles
          
           of
           Religion
           ,
           the
           
             Immortality
             of
             the
             Soul
          
           ,
           and
           
             future
             Rewards
          
           ;
           For
           no
           man
           can
           have
           any
           reasonable
           scruple
           about
           these
           ,
           who
           believes
           that
           there
           is
           a
           God
           ;
           because
           no
           man
           that
           owns
           the
           existence
           of
           an
           
             infinite
             Spirit
          
           ,
           can
           doubt
           of
           the
           possibility
           of
           a
           
             finite
             Spirit
          
           ,
           that
           is
           ,
           such
           a
           thing
           as
           is
           immaterial
           ,
           and
           does
           not
           contain
           any
           principle
           of
           self-corruption
           in
           it self
           ;
           And
           no
           man
           that
           believes
           the
           goodness
           of
           God
           ,
           can
           doubt
           but
           that
           he
           hath
           made
           some
           things
           as
           good
           as
           may
           be
           ,
           and
           for
           as
           long
           continuance
           as
           they
           are
           capable
           of
           .
           Nor
           can
           any
           man
           that
           acknowledgeth
           the
           holiness
           and
           justice
           of
           God
           ,
           and
           that
           he
           loves
           righteousness
           ,
           and
           hates
           iniquity
           ,
           and
           that
           he
           is
           Magistrate
           and
           Governour
           of
           the
           World
           ,
           and
           consequently
           concerned
           to
           countenance
           obedience
           to
           ,
           and
           punish
           the
           violation
           of
           his
           Laws
           ;
           and
           withal
           considers
           the
           promiscuous
           dispensations
           many
           times
           of
           Gods
           Providence
           in
           this
           World
           ,
           think
           it
           unreasonable
           to
           conclude
           ,
           that
           after
           this
           life
           good
           men
           shall
           be
           rewarded
           ,
           and
           sinners
           punished
           .
        
         
           And
           now
           I
           think
           I
           may
           with
           reason
           intreat
           such
           as
           are
           Atheistically
           enclined
           ,
           to
           consider
           these
           things
           seriously
           and
           impartially
           ;
           And
           if
           there
           be
           weight
           in
           these
           Considerations
           which
           I
           have
           offered
           to
           them
           to
           sway
           with
           reasonable
           men
           ,
           I
           would
           beg
           of
           such
           ,
           that
           they
           would
           not
           suffer
           themselves
           to
           be
           by
           assed
           by
           prejudice
           ,
           or
           passion
           ,
           or
           the
           interest
           of
           any
           lust
           or
           
             worldly
             advantage
          
           ,
           to
           a
           contrary
           perswasion
           .
        
         
           First
           ,
           I
           would
           intteat
           them
           seriously
           and
           diligently
           to
           consider
           these
           things
           ,
           because
           they
           are
           of
           so
           great
           moment
           and
           concernment
           to
           every
           man
           ;
           If
           any
           thing
           in
           the
           world
           deserve
           our
           serious
           study
           and
           consideration
           ,
           these
           Principles
           of
           Religion
           do
           ;
           
           For
           what
           can
           import
           us
           more
           to
           be
           satisfied
           in
           ,
           then
           
             whether
             there
             be
             a
             God
             ,
             or
             not
             ?
             whether
             our
             Souls
             shall
             perish
             with
             our
             Bodies
             ,
             or
             be
             immortal
             ,
             and
             shall
             continue
             for
             ever
             ?
          
           And
           if
           so
           ,
           
             Whether
             in
             that
             eternal
             state
             which
             remains
             for
             men
             after
             this
             Life
             ,
             they
             shall
             not
             be
             happy
             or
             miserable
             for
             ever
             ,
             according
             as
             they
             have
             demeaned
             themselves
             in
             this
             world
             ?
          
           If
           these
           things
           be
           so
           ,
           they
           are
           of
           infinite
           consequence
           to
           us
           ;
           and
           therefore
           it
           highly
           concerns
           us
           to
           enquire
           diligently
           about
           them
           ,
           and
           to
           satisfie
           our
           minds
           concerning
           them
           one
           way
           or
           other
           .
           For
           these
           are
           not
           matters
           to
           be
           slightly
           and
           superficially
           thought
           upon
           ,
           much
           less
           (
           as
           the
           way
           of
           Atheistical
           men
           is
           )
           to
           be
           played
           and
           jested
           withal
           .
           There
           is
           no
           greater
           argument
           of
           a
           light
           and
           inconsiderate
           person
           ,
           then
           
             profanely
             to
             scoff
             at
             Religion
          
           ;
           It
           is
           a
           sign
           that
           
             that
             man
          
           hath
           no
           regard
           to
           himself
           ,
           and
           that
           he
           is
           not
           touched
           with
           a
           sense
           of
           his
           own
           interest
           ;
           For
           ,
           
             He
             jests
             with
             edg'd
             tools
          
           ,
           and
           plays
           with
           Life
           and
           Death
           ,
           and
           makes
           nothing
           of
           his
           Soul.
           He
           is
           the
           very
           mad-man
           that
           Solomon
           speaks
           of
           ,
           Prov.
           26.
           18.
           
           
             Who
             casteth
             firebrands
             ,
             arrows
             and
             death
             ,
             and
             saith
             ,
             Am
             I
             not
             in
             sport
             ?
          
           To
           examine
           severely
           ,
           and
           debate
           seriously
           the
           Principles
           of
           Religion
           ,
           is
           a
           thing
           worthy
           of
           a
           Wise
           man
           ;
           but
           if
           any
           man
           shall
           turn
           Religion
           into
           Raillery
           ,
           and
           confute
           it
           by
           two
           or
           three
           
             bold
             jests
          
           ,
           this
           man
           doth
           not
           render
           Religion
           ,
           but
           himself
           ridiculous
           in
           the
           opinion
           of
           all
           considerate
           men
           ,
           because
           
             he
             sports
             with
             his
             own
             Life
             .
          
           If
           the
           Principles
           of
           Religion
           were
           
             doubtful
             and
             uncertain
          
           ,
           yet
           they
           concern
           us
           so
           neerly
           ,
           that
           we
           ought
           to
           be
           serious
           in
           the
           examination
           of
           them
           ;
           and
           though
           they
           were
           never
           so
           clear
           and
           evident
           ,
           yet
           they
           may
           be
           made
           ridiculous
           by
           vain
           and
           frothy
           men
           ,
           as
           the
           gravest
           and
           wisest
           Personage
           in
           the
           World
           may
           be
           abused
           by
           being
           put
           into
           a
           
             Fools
             Coat
          
           ,
           and
           the
           most
           noble
           and
           
             excellent
             Poem
          
           may
           be
           debased
           and
           made
           vile
           by
           being
           turned
           into
           Burlesque
           .
           So
           that
           it
           concerns
           every
           man
           that
           would
           not
           trifle
           away
           his
           Soul
           ,
           and
           fool
           himself
           into
           irrecoverable
           misery
           ,
           with
           
           the
           greatest
           seriousness
           to
           enquire
           into
           
             these
             matters
          
           whether
           they
           be
           so
           or
           not
           ,
           and
           patiently
           to
           consider
           the
           arguments
           which
           are
           brought
           for
           them
           ;
           Many
           have
           miscarried
           about
           these
           things
           ,
           not
           because
           there
           is
           not
           reason
           and
           evidence
           enough
           for
           them
           ,
           but
           because
           they
           have
           not
           had
           patience
           enough
           to
           consider
           them
           .
        
         
           Secondly
           ,
           Consider
           these
           things
           impartially
           .
           All
           
             wicked
             men
          
           are
           of
           a
           Party
           against
           Religion
           ;
           Some
           Lust
           or
           Interest
           engageth
           them
           against
           it
           .
           Hence
           it
           comes
           to
           pass
           that
           they
           are
           apt
           to
           slight
           the
           strongest
           Arguments
           that
           can
           be
           brought
           for
           it
           ,
           and
           to
           
             cry
             up
          
           very
           weak
           ones
           against
           it
           .
           Men
           do
           generally
           and
           without
           difficulty
           assent
           to
           Mathematical
           Truths
           ,
           because
           it
           is
           no
           bodies
           interest
           to
           deny
           them
           ;
           but
           men
           are
           slow
           to
           believe
           Moral
           and
           Divine
           Truths
           ,
           because
           the
           Lusts
           and
           Interests
           of
           men
           do
           prejudice
           them
           against
           them
           .
           And
           therefore
           you
           may
           observe
           ,
           That
           the
           more
           vertuously
           any
           man
           lives
           ,
           and
           the
           less
           he
           is
           enslaved
           to
           any
           Lust
           ,
           the
           more
           ready
           he
           is
           to
           entertain
           the
           Principles
           of
           Religion
           .
        
         
           Therefore
           ,
           when
           you
           are
           examining
           these
           matters
           ,
           do
           not
           take
           into
           consideration
           any
           sensual
           or
           worldly
           Interest
           ,
           but
           deal
           clearly
           and
           impartially
           with
           your selves
           ;
           Let
           not
           temporal
           and
           
             little
             advantages
          
           sway
           you
           against
           a
           greater
           and
           more
           
             durable
             interest
          
           .
           Think
           thus
           with
           your selves
           ;
           That
           you
           have
           not
           the
           making
           of
           things
           true
           or
           false
           ,
           but
           that
           the
           truth
           and
           existence
           of
           things
           is
           already
           fix'd
           and
           setled
           ,
           and
           that
           the
           Principles
           of
           Religion
           are
           already
           either
           determinately
           true
           or
           false
           ,
           before
           you
           think
           of
           them
           :
           Either
           there
           is
           a
           God
           ,
           or
           there
           is
           not
           ;
           either
           your
           Souls
           are
           Immortal
           ,
           or
           they
           are
           not
           ;
           one
           of
           these
           is
           certain
           and
           necessary
           ;
           and
           they
           are
           not
           now
           to
           be
           altered
           ;
           The
           truth
           of
           things
           will
           not
           comply
           with
           your
           conceits
           ,
           and
           bend
           it self
           to
           your
           interests
           .
           Therefore
           do
           not
           think
           what
           you
           would
           have
           to
           be
           ,
           but
           consider
           impartially
           what
           is
           ,
           and
           (
           if
           it
           be
           )
           will
           be
           whether
           you
           will
           or
           no.
           Do
           not
           reason
           thus
           ;
           I
           would
           fain
           be
           wicked
           ,
           and
           therefore
           is
           is
           my
           interest
           that
           there
           
           should
           be
           no
           God
           ,
           nor
           no
           life
           after
           this
           ,
           and
           therefore
           I
           will
           endeavour
           to
           prove
           that
           there
           is
           no
           such
           thing
           ,
           and
           will
           shew
           all
           the
           favour
           I
           can
           to
           that
           side
           of
           the
           Question
           ;
           I
           will
           bend
           my
           understanding
           and
           wit
           to
           strengthen
           the
           Negative
           ,
           and
           will
           study
           to
           make
           it
           as
           true
           as
           I
           can
           .
           This
           is
           fond
           ,
           because
           it
           is
           the
           way
           to
           cheat
           thy self
           ;
           and
           that
           thou
           mayest
           do
           ,
           if
           thou
           likest
           it
           :
           We
           may
           cozen
           our selves
           as
           often
           as
           we
           please
           ,
           but
           
             Res
             nolunt
             decipi
             ,
             The
             nature
             of
             things
             will
             not
             be
             imposed
             upon
             .
          
           If
           then
           thou
           be
           as
           wise
           as
           thou
           oughtest
           to
           be
           ,
           thou
           wilt
           reason
           thus
           with
           thy self
           ;
           My
           highest
           interest
           is
           
             not
             to
             be
             deceived
          
           about
           these
           matters
           ,
           therefore
           setting
           aside
           all
           other
           considerations
           ,
           I
           will
           endeavour
           to
           know
           the
           truth
           ,
           and
           yield
           to
           that
           .
        
         
           2.
           
           Secondly
           ,
           The
           
             Practical
             Atheist
          
           ,
           who
           is
           wicked
           and
           irreligious
           notwithstanding
           he
           does
           in
           some
           sort
           believe
           that
           there
           is
           a
           God
           ,
           and
           a
           future
           state
           ;
           he
           is
           likewise
           guilty
           of
           prodigious
           Folly
           :
           The
           Principle
           of
           the
           Speculative
           Atheist
           argues
           more
           Ignorance
           ,
           but
           the
           Practice
           of
           the
           other
           argues
           greater
           Folly.
           Not
           to
           believe
           a
           God
           and
           another
           Life
           ,
           for
           which
           there
           is
           so
           much
           evidence
           of
           Reason
           ,
           is
           great
           ignorance
           and
           folly
           ;
           but
           't
           is
           the
           highest
           madness
           ,
           when
           a
           man
           does
           believe
           these
           things
           ,
           to
           live
           as
           if
           he
           did
           not
           believe
           them
           :
           When
           a
           man
           does
           not
           doubt
           but
           that
           there
           is
           a
           God
           ,
           and
           according
           as
           he
           demeans
           himself
           towards
           him
           ,
           he
           will
           make
           him
           happy
           or
           miserable
           for
           ever
           ;
           yet
           to
           live
           so
           as
           if
           he
           were
           certain
           of
           the
           contrary
           ,
           and
           as
           no
           man
           in
           Reason
           can
           live
           ,
           but
           he
           that
           is
           well
           assured
           that
           there
           is
           no
           God.
           It
           was
           a
           shrewd
           saying
           of
           the
           old
           Monk
           ,
           That
           two
           kind
           of
           Prisons
           would
           serve
           for
           all
           offenders
           in
           the
           World
           ,
           an
           Inquisition
           ,
           and
           a
           Bedlam
           ;
           If
           any
           man
           should
           deny
           the
           Being
           of
           a
           God
           ,
           and
           the
           Immortallity
           of
           the
           Soul
           ,
           such
           a
           one
           should
           be
           put
           into
           the
           first
           of
           these
           ,
           the
           Inquisition
           ,
           as
           being
           a
           desperate
           Heretick
           ;
           if
           any
           man
           should
           profess
           to
           believe
           these
           ,
           and
           allow
           himself
           in
           any
           known
           wickedness
           ,
           such
           a
           one
           should
           be
           put
           into
           Bedlam
           ;
           
           because
           there
           cannot
           be
           a
           greater
           folly
           and
           madness
           ,
           then
           for
           a
           man
           in
           matters
           of
           greatest
           moment
           and
           concernment
           to
           act
           against
           his
           best
           Reason
           and
           Understanding
           ,
           and
           by
           his
           Life
           to
           contradict
           his
           Belief
           ;
           such
           a
           man
           does
           
             Vivus
             vidensque
             perire
          
           ,
           perish
           with
           his
           eyes
           open
           ,
           and
           knowingly
           undoes
           himself
           ;
           he
           runs
           upon
           the
           greatest
           dangers
           which
           he
           clearly
           sees
           to
           be
           before
           him
           ,
           and
           precipitates
           himself
           into
           those
           evils
           which
           he
           professes
           to
           believe
           are
           real
           and
           intolerable
           ;
           and
           wilfully
           neglects
           the
           obtaining
           of
           that
           unspeakable
           good
           and
           happiness
           which
           he
           is
           perswaded
           is
           certain
           and
           attainable
           .
           But
           of
           this
           more
           in
           the
           Application
           of
           this
           Doctrine
           .
        
         
           III.
           The
           Third
           way
           of
           Confirmation
           shall
           be
           by
           endeavouring
           to
           vindicate
           Religion
           from
           those
           common
           Imputations
           which
           seem
           to
           charge
           it
           with
           Ignorance
           or
           Imprudence
           .
           The
           
             profane
             Wits
          
           of
           the
           world
           cast
           upon
           Religion
           these
           three
           Imputations
           .
        
         
           
             1.
             
             Of
             Credulity
             .
          
           
             2.
             
             Of
             Singularity
             .
          
           
             3.
             
             Of
             
               Making
               a
               foolish
               Bargain
            
             .
          
        
         
           
             First
             ,
             Credulity
          
           :
           Say
           they
           ,
           The
           Foundation
           of
           Religion
           is
           the
           belief
           of
           those
           things
           for
           which
           we
           have
           no
           sufficient
           Reason
           ,
           and
           consequently
           ,
           of
           which
           we
           can
           have
           no
           good
           assurance
           ;
           as
           the
           belief
           of
           a
           God
           ,
           and
           of
           a
           future
           state
           after
           this
           life
           ;
           things
           which
           we
           never
           saw
           ,
           nor
           did
           experience
           ,
           nor
           ever
           spoke
           with
           any
           body
           that
           did
           ;
           now
           it
           seems
           to
           argue
           too
           great
           a
           facility
           and
           easiness
           of
           belief
           ,
           to
           assent
           to
           any
           thing
           upon
           insufficient
           grounds
           .
        
         
           To
           this
           I
           answer
           ,
        
         
           1.
           
           That
           if
           there
           be
           such
           a
           Being
           as
           a
           God
           ,
           and
           such
           a
           thing
           as
           a
           future
           state
           ,
           it
           cannot
           (
           as
           I
           said
           before
           )
           in
           reason
           be
           expected
           that
           we
           should
           have
           the
           evidence
           of
           sense
           for
           such
           things
           :
           For
           ,
           he
           that
           believes
           a
           God
           ,
           believes
           such
           a
           Being
           as
           hath
           all
           
           perfections
           ,
           among
           which
           this
           is
           one
           ,
           that
           he
           is
           a
           Spirit
           ,
           and
           consequently
           ,
           invisible
           ,
           and
           cannot
           be
           seen
           :
           He
           that
           believes
           another
           Life
           after
           this
           ,
           professeth
           to
           believe
           a
           state
           of
           which
           in
           this
           life
           we
           can
           have
           no
           trial
           and
           experience
           .
        
         
           2.
           
           We
           have
           the
           best
           Evidence
           for
           these
           things
           which
           they
           are
           capable
           of
           at
           present
           ,
           supposing
           they
           were
           .
        
         
           3.
           
           Those
           who
           deny
           these
           Principles
           must
           be
           much
           more
           credulous
           ,
           (
           that
           is
           )
           believe
           things
           upon
           incomparably
           less
           evidence
           of
           Reason
           .
           The
           Atheist
           looks
           upon
           all
           that
           are
           Religious
           as
           a
           
             Company
             of
             credulous
             Fools
             well
             met
          
           ;
           But
           he
           ,
           for
           his
           part
           ,
           pretends
           to
           be
           wiser
           then
           to
           believe
           any
           thing
           for
           Company
           ;
           he
           cannot
           entertain
           things
           upon
           those
           slight
           grounds
           which
           move
           other
           men
           ;
           if
           you
           would
           win
           his
           assent
           to
           any
           thing
           ,
           you
           must
           give
           him
           a
           clear
           Demonstration
           for
           it
           .
           Now
           there
           's
           no
           way
           to
           deal
           with
           this
           
             Man
             of
             Reason
          
           ,
           this
           rigid
           exactor
           of
           Demonstration
           for
           things
           which
           are
           not
           capable
           of
           it
           ,
           but
           by
           shewing
           him
           that
           he
           is
           an
           hundred
           times
           more
           credulous
           ;
           that
           he
           begs
           more
           Principles
           ,
           takes
           more
           things
           for
           granted
           without
           offering
           to
           prove
           them
           ,
           and
           assents
           to
           more
           strange
           Conclusions
           upon
           weaker
           grounds
           ,
           then
           those
           whom
           he
           so
           much
           accuseth
           of
           Credulity
           .
           And
           to
           evidence
           this
           ,
           I
           shall
           briefly
           give
           you
           an
           account
           of
           the
           Atheists
           Creed
           ,
           and
           present
           you
           with
           a
           Catalogue
           of
           the
           
             Fundamental
             Articles
          
           of
           his
           Faith
           ,
           or
           rather
           
             Unbelief
             .
             He
             believes
          
           ,
           That
           there
           is
           no
           God
           ,
           nor
           possibly
           can
           be
           ,
           and
           consequently
           that
           the
           wise
           as
           well
           as
           unwise
           of
           all
           ages
           have
           been
           mistaken
           ,
           except
           himself
           and
           a
           few
           more
           .
           He
           believes
           ,
           that
           either
           all
           the
           world
           have
           been
           frighted
           with
           an
           apparition
           of
           their
           own
           Fancy
           ,
           or
           that
           they
           have
           most
           unnaturally
           conspired
           together
           to
           cozen
           themselves
           ;
           Or
           that
           this
           Notion
           of
           a
           God
           is
           a
           Trick
           of
           Policy
           ,
           though
           the
           greatest
           Princes
           and
           Politicians
           do
           not
           at
           this
           day
           know
           so
           much
           ,
           nor
           have
           done
           time
           out
           of
           mind
           :
           He
           believes
           ,
           either
           ,
           that
           the
           Heavens
           and
           the
           Earth
           and
           all
           
           things
           in
           them
           had
           no
           original
           Cause
           of
           their
           Being
           ,
           or
           else
           that
           they
           were
           made
           by
           Chance
           ,
           and
           happened
           he
           knows
           not
           how
           to
           be
           as
           they
           are
           ;
           and
           that
           in
           this
           last
           shuffling
           of
           Matter
           ,
           all
           things
           have
           by
           great
           good
           Fortune
           fallen
           out
           as
           happily
           ,
           and
           as
           regularly
           ,
           as
           if
           the
           greatest
           Wisdom
           had
           contrived
           them
           ;
           but
           yet
           he
           believes
           that
           there
           was
           no
           Wisdom
           in
           the
           contrivance
           of
           them
           .
           He
           Believes
           ,
           That
           that
           which
           is
           possible
           is
           impossible
           ,
           and
           that
           that
           is
           not
           ,
           which
           cannot
           but
           be
           .
           He
           believes
           ,
           That
           
             meer
             Matter
          
           can
           Understand
           and
           Will
           ,
           and
           most
           dextrously
           perform
           all
           those
           fine
           and
           
             free
             operations
          
           which
           the
           Ignorant
           attribute
           to
           Spirits
           ,
           and
           consequently
           ,
           that
           there
           are
           no
           such
           things
           as
           
             immortal
             Spirits
          
           ,
           or
           a
           
             Resurrection
             of
             the
             Body
          
           ,
           or
           
             everlasting
             Life
          
           .
           This
           is
           his
           Creed
           .
           And
           seriously
           it
           is
           a
           wonder
           that
           there
           should
           be
           found
           any
           person
           pretending
           to
           Reason
           or
           Wit
           ,
           that
           can
           say
           Amen
           to
           such
           a
           heap
           of
           absurdities
           ,
           which
           are
           so
           gross
           and
           palpable
           that
           they
           may
           be
           felt
           ,
           So
           that
           I
           think
           it
           will
           fall
           to
           the
           Atheists
           share
           to
           be
           the
           most
           credulous
           person
           ;
           that
           is
           ,
           to
           believe
           things
           upon
           the
           sleightest
           Reasons
           .
        
         
           II.
           The
           
             Second
             Imputation
          
           is
           Singularity
           ;
           the
           affectation
           whereof
           is
           unbecoming
           a
           Wise
           man
           :
           To
           this
           charge
           I
           answer
           .
        
         
           1.
           
           If
           by
           Religion
           be
           meant
           the
           belief
           of
           the
           Principles
           of
           Religion
           ,
           that
           there
           is
           a
           God
           ,
           and
           a
           Providence
           ,
           that
           our
           Souls
           are
           Immortal
           ,
           and
           that
           there
           are
           Rewards
           to
           be
           expected
           after
           this
           life
           ;
           these
           are
           so
           far
           from
           being
           singular
           Opinions
           ,
           that
           they
           are
           the
           general
           Opinion
           of
           Mankind
           ,
           even
           of
           the
           most
           Barbarous
           Nations
           ;
           as
           
             Tully
             ,
             Seneca
          
           ,
           and
           others
           testifie
           ;
           insomuch
           ,
           that
           the
           Histories
           of
           ancient
           times
           do
           not
           furnish
           us
           with
           the
           names
           of
           above
           
             three
             or
             four
          
           at
           most
           who
           denied
           a
           God
           ;
           And
           Lucretius
           acknowledgeth
           ,
           that
           Epicurus
           was
           the
           first
           who
           did
           oppose
           those
           great
           Foundations
           of
           Religion
           ,
           the
           Providence
           of
           God
           ,
           and
           the
           Immortality
           of
           the
           Soul.
           
             Primùm
             Grajus
             homo
          
           ,
           &c.
           meaning
           Epicurus
           .
        
         
         
           2.
           
           If
           by
           Religion
           be
           meant
           a
           
             living
             up
          
           to
           those
           Principles
           ,
           (
           that
           is
           )
           to
           act
           conformably
           to
           our
           best
           Reason
           and
           understanding
           ,
           and
           to
           live
           as
           it
           does
           become
           those
           who
           do
           believe
           a
           God
           ,
           and
           a
           future
           State
           ;
           this
           is
           acknowledged
           even
           by
           those
           who
           live
           otherwise
           ,
           to
           be
           the
           part
           of
           every
           wise
           man
           ,
           and
           the
           contrary
           to
           be
           the
           very
           
             madness
             of
             folly
          
           ,
           and
           height
           of
           distraction
           :
           Nothing
           being
           more
           ordinary
           then
           for
           men
           who
           live
           wickedly
           ,
           to
           acknowledg
           that
           they
           ought
           to
           do
           otherwise
           .
        
         
           3.
           
           Though
           according
           to
           the
           common
           course
           and
           practice
           of
           the
           World
           it
           be
           somewhat
           singular
           for
           men
           truly
           and
           throughly
           to
           
             live
             up
          
           to
           the
           Principles
           of
           their
           Religion
           ;
           yet
           singularity
           in
           this
           matter
           is
           so
           far
           from
           being
           a
           Reflection
           upon
           any
           mans
           prudence
           ,
           that
           it
           is
           a
           
             singular
             commendation
          
           of
           it
           .
           In
           two
           Cases
           singularity
           is
           very
           commendable
           .
        
         
           1.
           
           When
           there
           is
           a
           necessity
           of
           it
           in
           order
           to
           a
           mans
           greatest
           Interest
           and
           happiness
           .
           I
           think
           it
           to
           be
           a
           reasonable
           account
           for
           any
           man
           to
           give
           ,
           why
           he
           does
           not
           live
           as
           the
           greatest
           part
           of
           the
           world
           do
           ,
           that
           he
           has
           no
           mind
           to
           die
           as
           they
           do
           ,
           and
           to
           perish
           with
           them
           ;
           he
           is
           not
           disposed
           to
           be
           a
           fool
           ,
           and
           to
           be
           miserable
           for
           company
           ;
           he
           has
           no
           inclination
           to
           have
           his
           last
           end
           like
           theirs
           
             who
             know
             not
             God
             ,
             and
             obey
             not
             the
             Gospel
             of
             his
             Son
             ,
             and
             shall
             be
             punished
             with
             everlasting
             destruction
             from
             the
             presence
             of
             the
             Lord
             ,
             and
             from
             the
             glory
             of
             his
             power
             .
          
        
         
           2.
           
           It
           is
           very
           commendable
           to
           be
           singular
           in
           any
           Excellency
           ,
           and
           I
           have
           shewn
           that
           Religion
           is
           the
           greatest
           Excellency
           :
           to
           be
           singular
           in
           any
           thing
           that
           is
           wise
           ,
           and
           worthy
           ,
           and
           excellent
           ,
           is
           not
           a
           disparagement
           ,
           but
           a
           praise
           :
           every
           man
           would
           choose
           to
           be
           thus
           singular
           .
        
         
           III.
           The
           
             Third
             Imputation
          
           is
           ,
           that
           Religion
           is
           
             a
             foolish
             bargain
          
           ;
           because
           they
           who
           are
           Religious
           hazard
           the
           parting
           with
           a
           present
           and
           
             certain
             happiness
          
           for
           that
           which
           is
           future
           and
           uncertain
           .
           To
           this
           I
           answer
           ,
        
         
         
           1.
           
           Let
           it
           be
           granted
           ,
           that
           the
           Assurance
           which
           we
           have
           of
           future
           Rewards
           falls
           short
           of
           the
           Evidence
           of
           sense
           ;
           for
           I
           doubt
           not
           but
           that
           that
           saying
           of
           our
           
             Saviour
             ,
             Blessed
             is
             he
             who
             hath
             believed
             and
             not
             seen
          
           ;
           and
           those
           expressions
           of
           the
           
             Apostle
             ,
             We
             walk
             by
             faith
             and
             not
             by
             sight
             ;
             and
             faith
             is
             the
             evidence
             of
             things
             not
             seen
          
           ;
           are
           intended
           by
           way
           of
           abatement
           and
           diminution
           to
           the
           Evidence
           of
           Faith
           ,
           and
           do
           signifie
           ,
           that
           the
           report
           and
           testimony
           of
           others
           ,
           is
           not
           so
           great
           evidence
           as
           that
           of
           
             our
             own
             senses
          
           :
           And
           though
           we
           have
           sufficient
           assurance
           of
           another
           state
           ,
           yet
           not
           so
           great
           evidence
           as
           if
           we
           our selves
           had
           been
           in
           the
           other
           World
           ,
           and
           seen
           how
           all
           things
           are
           there
           .
        
         
           2.
           
           We
           have
           
             sufficient
             assurance
          
           of
           these
           things
           ,
           and
           such
           as
           may
           beget
           in
           us
           a
           well
           grounded
           confidence
           ,
           and
           free
           us
           from
           all
           doubts
           of
           the
           contrary
           ,
           and
           perswade
           a
           reasonable
           man
           to
           venture
           his
           greatest
           Interests
           in
           
             this
             World
          
           upon
           the
           security
           that
           we
           have
           of
           
             another
             World
          
           :
           for
        
         
           1.
           
           We
           have
           as
           much
           assurance
           of
           these
           things
           as
           things
           future
           and
           at
           a
           distance
           are
           capable
           of
           ;
           and
           he
           is
           a
           very
           unreasonable
           man
           that
           would
           desire
           more
           :
           Future
           and
           invisible
           things
           are
           not
           capable
           of
           the
           Evidence
           of
           sense
           ;
           but
           we
           have
           the
           greatest
           
             rational
             Evidence
          
           for
           them
           ;
           and
           in
           this
           every
           reasonable
           man
           ought
           to
           acquiesce
           .
        
         
           2.
           
           We
           have
           as
           much
           as
           is
           
             abundantly
             sufficient
          
           to
           justifie
           every
           mans
           discretion
           ,
           who
           for
           the
           great
           and
           eternal
           things
           of
           
             another
             World
          
           ,
           hazards
           or
           parts
           with
           the
           poor
           and
           transitory
           things
           of
           
             this
             Life
          
           .
           And
           for
           the
           clearing
           of
           this
           ,
           it
           will
           be
           worth
           our
           considering
           ,
           that
           the
           greatest
           affairs
           of
           this
           world
           ,
           and
           the
           most
           important
           concernments
           of
           this
           life
           ,
           are
           all
           conducted
           onely
           by
           
             Moral
             Demonstrations
          
           :
           Men
           every
           day
           venture
           their
           lives
           and
           
             estates
             onely
          
           upon
           Moral
           assurance
           .
           
             For
             instance
          
           ,
           Men
           who
           never
           were
           at
           the
           East
           or
           
             West
             Indies
          
           ,
           or
           in
           Turky
           ,
           or
           Spain
           ;
           yet
           do
           venture
           their
           whole
           Estates
           in
           Traffick
           thither
           ,
           though
           
           they
           have
           no
           
             Mathematical
             demonstration
          
           ,
           onely
           
             Moral
             assurance
          
           that
           there
           are
           such
           Places
           .
           Nay
           which
           is
           more
           ,
           Men
           every
           day
           eat
           and
           drink
           ,
           though
           I
           think
           no
           man
           can
           demonstrate
           out
           of
           Euclide
           or
           Apollonius
           ,
           that
           his
           Baker
           ,
           or
           Brewer
           ,
           or
           Cook
           ,
           have
           not
           conveyed
           Poyson
           into
           his
           meat
           or
           drink
           ;
           And
           that
           Man
           that
           would
           be
           so
           wise
           and
           cautious
           as
           not
           to
           eat
           or
           drink
           till
           he
           could
           demonstrate
           this
           to
           himself
           ,
           I
           know
           no
           other
           remedy
           for
           him
           ,
           but
           that
           in
           great
           gravity
           and
           wisdom
           he
           must
           die
           for
           fear
           of
           death
           .
           And
           for
           any
           man
           to
           urge
           ,
           that
           though
           men
           in
           temporal
           affairs
           proceed
           upon
           moral
           assurance
           ,
           yet
           there
           is
           greater
           assurance
           required
           to
           make
           men
           seek
           Heaven
           and
           avoid
           Hell
           ,
           seems
           to
           me
           to
           be
           highly
           unreasonable
           ;
           for
           such
           an
           assurance
           of
           things
           as
           will
           make
           men
           circumspect
           and
           carefull
           to
           avoid
           a
           lesser
           danger
           ,
           ought
           in
           all
           reason
           to
           awaken
           men
           much
           more
           to
           the
           avoiding
           of
           a
           greater
           :
           such
           an
           assurance
           as
           will
           sharpen
           mens
           desires
           ,
           and
           quicken
           their
           endeavours
           for
           the
           obtaining
           of
           a
           lesser
           good
           ,
           ought
           in
           all
           reason
           to
           animate
           men
           more
           powerfully
           ,
           and
           to
           inspire
           them
           with
           a
           greater
           vigour
           and
           industry
           in
           the
           pursuit
           of
           that
           which
           is
           infinitely
           greater
           :
           For
           why
           the
           same
           assurance
           should
           not
           operate
           as
           well
           in
           a
           great
           danger
           as
           in
           a
           less
           ,
           in
           a
           great
           good
           as
           in
           a
           small
           and
           inconsiderable
           one
           ,
           I
           can
           see
           no
           reason
           ,
           unless
           men
           will
           say
           ,
           that
           the
           greatness
           of
           an
           evil
           and
           danger
           is
           an
           incouragement
           to
           men
           to
           run
           upon
           it
           ,
           and
           that
           the
           greatness
           of
           any
           good
           and
           happiness
           ought
           in
           reason
           to
           dishearten
           men
           from
           the
           pursuit
           of
           it
           .
        
         
           Use
           I.
           The
           Use
           that
           I
           shall
           make
           of
           this
           ,
           shall
           be
        
         
           
             1.
             
             To
             put
             men
             out
             of
             conceit
             with
             Sin.
             
          
           
             2.
             
             To
             perswade
             men
             to
             be
             
               truly
               Religious
            
             .
          
        
         
           First
           ,
           If
           Religion
           be
           the
           best
           Knowledg
           and
           Wisdom
           ,
           this
           challenges
           wicked
           men
           for
           their
           folly
           and
           ignorance
           ;
           this
           conviction
           of
           the
           great
           imprudence
           and
           unreasonableness
           of
           a
           wicked
           
           course
           should
           shame
           men
           out
           of
           Irreligion
           .
           Wicked
           men
           are
           in
           Scripture
           described
           by
           this
           Character
           ,
           they
           are
           those
           that
           
             know
             not
             God
          
           ;
           which
           argues
           monstrous
           ignorance
           and
           stupidity
           ;
           for
           to
           have
           an
           understanding
           ,
           and
           not
           to
           know
           God
           ,
           is
           in
           intellectual
           things
           just
           such
           an
           absurdity
           ,
           as
           it
           is
           in
           natural
           things
           to
           have
           eyes
           ,
           and
           not
           to
           discern
           the
           light
           ;
           for
           as
           light
           is
           
             primum
             visibile
          
           ,
           the
           first
           object
           of
           our
           sight
           ,
           so
           God
           is
           
             primum
             intelligibile
          
           ,
           the
           plainest
           and
           most
           obvious
           object
           of
           our
           understandings
           ;
           He
           fills
           Heaven
           and
           Earth
           ,
           every
           thing
           represents
           him
           to
           us
           ;
           which
           way
           soever
           we
           turn
           our selves
           ,
           we
           are
           encountred
           with
           clear
           evidences
           and
           demonstrations
           of
           a
           Deity
           ;
           
             For
             the
             invisible
             things
             of
             him
             from
             the
             Creation
             of
             the
             world
             are
             clearly
             seen
             ,
             being
             understood
             by
             the
             things
             made
             ,
             even
             his
             eternal
             Power
             and
             God-head
             .
             So
             that
             men
             are
             without
             excuse
             ,
          
           as
           the
           Apostle
           speaks
           ,
           Rom.
           1.
           20.
           
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           ,
           such
           men
           as
           know
           not
           God
           can
           have
           no
           Apology
           to
           make
           for
           themselves
           ,
           their
           ignorance
           is
           utterly
           inexcusable
           :
           Or
           if
           men
           do
           understand
           ,
           or
           believe
           there
           is
           such
           a
           Being
           as
           God
           ;
           not
           to
           consider
           this
           ,
           not
           to
           attend
           to
           the
           proper
           consequences
           of
           such
           a
           principle
           ;
           not
           to
           know
           our
           Relation
           to
           him
           ,
           and
           dependance
           upon
           him
           ,
           and
           obnoxiousness
           to
           his
           Power
           and
           Justice
           in
           case
           we
           neglect
           ,
           contemn
           ,
           and
           disobey
           him
           :
           not
           to
           know
           the
           duty
           that
           we
           owe
           to
           him
           who
           hath
           made
           us
           ,
           and
           hath
           an
           unquestionable
           right
           in
           us
           ,
           and
           title
           to
           us
           ,
           and
           authority
           over
           us
           ;
           and
           is
           therefore
           our
           supream
           Law-giver
           ,
           because
           he
           hath
           power
           to
           make
           us
           happy
           or
           miserable
           for
           ever
           ,
           
             to
             save
             or
             to
             destroy
             us
          
           ;
           and
           consequently
           that
           it
           is
           our
           highest
           interest
           to
           please
           him
           ,
           to
           know
           his
           Will
           and
           to
           do
           it
           ;
           This
           is
           gross
           ignorance
           ,
           and
           inconsiderateness
           ,
           and
           stupidity
           as
           can
           be
           imagined
           .
        
         
           He
           that
           observes
           the
           lives
           and
           actions
           of
           the
           greatest
           part
           of
           men
           ,
           would
           verily
           think
           that
           they
           understood
           nothing
           of
           all
           this
           ;
           therefore
           we
           find
           in
           Scripture
           that
           when
           God
           looks
           
           down
           upon
           the
           wickedness
           of
           men
           ,
           he
           pronounces
           them
           to
           be
           without
           understanding
           ,
           Deut.
           32.
           28.
           when
           God
           had
           reckoned
           up
           the
           rebellions
           and
           perversnesses
           of
           the
           Children
           of
           Israel
           ,
           he
           concludes
           ,
           
             It
             is
             a
             nation
             void
             of
             counsel
             ,
             neither
             is
             there
             any
             understanding
             in
             them
             .
          
           In
           the
           14
           Psalm
           at
           the
           beginning
           ,
           the
           Psalmist
           represents
           God
           as
           looking
           down
           from
           heaven
           upon
           the
           children
           of
           men
           ;
           and
           when
           he
           saw
           how
           they
           had
           corrupted
           themselves
           ,
           and
           what
           abominable
           works
           they
           did
           ,
           crying
           out
           ,
           
             Have
             all
             the
             workers
             of
             iniquity
             no
             knowledge
             ?
          
           Not
           that
           wicked
           men
           are
           destitute
           of
           the
           
             natural
             faculty
          
           of
           Understanding
           ,
           but
           they
           have
           it
           as
           if
           they
           had
           it
           not
           ;
           they
           have
           Understandings
           ,
           but
           they
           do
           not
           use
           them
           ,
           which
           in
           effect
           and
           by
           interpretation
           ,
           is
           all
           one
           as
           if
           they
           had
           none
           ;
           Nay
           ,
           happy
           were
           it
           for
           them
           if
           they
           had
           them
           not
           ,
           for
           then
           they
           would
           not
           be
           liable
           to
           the
           Judgment
           of
           God
           ,
           nor
           accountable
           to
           Him
           as
           reasonable
           creatures
           ;
           but
           this
           ignorance
           is
           wilfull
           and
           affected
           ;
           men
           are
           not
           blind
           ,
           but
           they
           wink
           ,
           and
           shut
           their
           eyes
           ;
           they
           can
           understand
           ,
           and
           
             will
             not
          
           ;
           or
           if
           they
           do
           understand
           any
           thing
           ,
           they
           imprison
           the
           
             Truths
             of
             God
          
           ,
           and
           
             detain
             them
             in
             unrighteousness
          
           ;
           they
           thrust
           light
           into
           a
           dungeon
           ,
           and
           hide
           
             the
             candle
             of
             the
             Lord
          
           that
           is
           in
           them
           
             under
             a
             bushel
          
           ,
           they
           do
           not
           suffer
           those
           things
           that
           they
           know
           to
           have
           a
           due
           power
           and
           influence
           upon
           their
           hearts
           and
           lives
           :
           And
           this
           is
           an
           Ignorance
           that
           will
           be
           so
           far
           from
           excusing
           men
           ,
           that
           it
           will
           aggravate
           their
           condemnation
           ;
           and
           therefore
           Irreligion
           is
           not
           onely
           an
           argument
           of
           the
           greatest
           Ignorance
           ,
           but
           of
           the
           greatest
           Folly.
           I
           know
           there
           are
           great
           pretensions
           in
           the
           world
           to
           Knowledge
           and
           Wisdom
           ,
           but
           upon
           a
           true
           and
           just
           account
           of
           things
           ,
           there
           's
           nothing
           more
           familiar
           and
           ordinary
           then
           Ignorance
           and
           Folly
           ;
           these
           ill
           weeds
           are
           of
           a
           forward
           and
           plentifull
           growth
           in
           the
           nature
           of
           man
           ;
           
             Nihil
             tam
             valde
             vulgare
             quam
             nihil
             sapere
             ,
          
           Nothing
           is
           more
           common
           then
           for
           men
           not
           to
           be
           wise
           .
           We
           talk
           much
           of
           Prodigies
           ,
           
           but
           ,
           as
           Tully
           sayes
           well
           ,
           
             Maximum
             portentum
             est
             vir
             sapiens
          
           ,
           One
           of
           the
           greatest
           Wonders
           in
           the
           World
           is
           a
           truly
           wise
           and
           knowing
           person
           ;
           so
           that
           it
           is
           not
           very
           easie
           to
           answer
           Job's
           Question
           at
           the
           
             12th
             .
             Verse
          
           of
           this
           
             Chapter
             ,
             Where
             shall
             Wisdom
             be
             found
             ?
             and
             where
             is
             the
             place
             of
             Understanding
             ?
          
           So
           many
           wicked
           men
           as
           there
           are
           in
           the
           world
           ,
           so
           many
           Fools
           ,
           and
           that
           I
           am
           afraid
           amounts
           to
           a
           great
           number
           .
           Men
           generally
           stand
           upon
           the
           credit
           and
           reputation
           of
           their
           Understandings
           ,
           and
           of
           all
           things
           hate
           to
           be
           accounted
           Fools
           ,
           because
           Folly
           is
           so
           great
           a
           reproach
           to
           the
           Understanding
           of
           a
           man
           ,
           and
           so
           high
           a
           reflection
           upon
           his
           discretion
           :
           But
           I
           know
           no
           way
           for
           men
           to
           avoid
           this
           imputation
           ,
           and
           to
           bring
           off
           the
           credit
           of
           their
           Understandings
           ,
           but
           by
           being
           truly
           Religious
           ,
           by
           fearing
           God
           ,
           and
           departing
           from
           evil
           :
           For
           certainly
           ,
           there
           is
           no
           such
           imprudent
           person
           as
           he
           that
           neglects
           God
           and
           his
           Soul
           ,
           and
           is
           careless
           and
           slothful
           about
           his
           everlasting
           concernments
           ,
           because
           this
           man
           acts
           contrary
           to
           his
           truest
           Reason
           and
           best
           Interest
           ;
           he
           neglects
           his
           own
           safety
           ,
           and
           is
           active
           to
           procure
           his
           own
           ruine
           :
           He
           flies
           from
           happiness
           ;
           and
           runs
           away
           from
           it
           as
           fast
           as
           he
           can
           ;
           but
           pursues
           misery
           ,
           and
           makes
           haste
           to
           be
           undone
           .
           Hence
           it
           is
           that
           Solomon
           does
           all
           along
           in
           the
           Proverbs
           give
           the
           title
           of
           Fool
           to
           a
           wicked
           man
           ,
           as
           if
           it
           were
           his
           proper
           name
           ,
           and
           the
           fittest
           character
           for
           him
           ,
           because
           he
           is
           eminently
           such
           ;
           There
           is
           no
           such
           fool
           as
           the
           sinning
           fool
           ,
           who
           every
           time
           he
           sins
           ventures
           his
           Soul
           ,
           and
           layes
           his
           everlasting
           Interest
           at
           the
           stake
           ;
           every
           time
           a
           man
           provokes
           God
           ,
           he
           does
           the
           greatest
           mischief
           to
           himself
           that
           can
           be
           imagined
           .
           A
           mad
           man
           that
           cuts
           himself
           ,
           and
           tears
           his
           own
           flesh
           ,
           and
           dashes
           his
           head
           against
           the
           stones
           does
           not
           act
           so
           unreasonably
           as
           a
           sinner
           ,
           because
           he
           is
           not
           so
           sensible
           of
           what
           he
           does
           ;
           wickedness
           is
           a
           kind
           of
           voluntary
           frenzy
           ,
           and
           a
           chosen
           distraction
           ,
           and
           every
           sinner
           does
           wilder
           and
           more
           extravagant
           things
           ,
           then
           any
           man
           can
           do
           that
           is
           craz'd
           and
           beside
           
           himself
           ,
           and
           out
           of
           his
           wits
           ;
           onely
           with
           this
           sad
           difference
           ,
           that
           he
           knows
           better
           what
           he
           does
           .
           And
           that
           wicked
           men
           are
           many
           of
           them
           wise
           as
           to
           the
           things
           of
           this
           world
           ,
           is
           no
           vindication
           of
           them
           any
           more
           then
           the
           more
           innocent
           actions
           of
           mad
           men
           ,
           (
           as
           catching
           at
           shadows
           ,
           and
           pursuing
           butter-flyes
           )
           about
           which
           possibly
           they
           may
           use
           as
           great
           an
           activity
           and
           diligence
           ,
           as
           any
           man
           can
           do
           about
           the
           most
           weighty
           affairs
           ;
           but
           this
           does
           not
           vindicate
           them
           from
           being
           mad
           ,
           for
           because
           such
           actions
           are
           trifling
           and
           impertinent
           to
           the
           great
           concernments
           of
           life
           ,
           we
           account
           such
           men
           distracted
           for
           all
           that
           .
           I
           know
           the
           world
           applaud
           themselves
           much
           in
           this
           wisdom
           ,
           and
           cry
           it
           up
           as
           the
           onely
           prudence
           ;
           but
           infinite
           Wisdom
           ,
           which
           is
           the
           best
           Judge
           of
           wisdom
           ,
           calls
           it
           folly
           .
           David
           ,
           in
           Psal
           .
           2.
           when
           he
           brings
           in
           the
           Sages
           and
           Politicians
           of
           the
           world
           consulting
           about
           a
           wicked
           design
           against
           Christ
           ,
           he
           tells
           us
           ,
           that
           as
           wise
           as
           they
           took
           themselves
           to
           be
           ,
           
             He
             that
             sits
             in
             heaven
             laughs
             at
             them
             ,
             and
             the
             Lord
             hath
             them
             in
             derision
          
           ;
           and
           shall
           we
           account
           them
           wise
           at
           whom
           
             God
             laughs
          
           ?
           Can
           we
           reckon
           that
           to
           be
           prudence
           which
           
             the
             Lord
             hath
             in
             derision
          
           ?
           The
           Rich
           man
           ,
           Luk.
           12.
           who
           had
           
             enlarged
             his
             barns
             ,
             and
             laid
             up
             goods
             for
             many
             years
             ,
          
           no
           doubt
           took
           himself
           for
           a
           very
           prudent
           man
           ;
           but
           God
           who
           calls
           things
           as
           they
           are
           ,
           and
           does
           not
           call
           any
           body
           out
           of
           his
           name
           ,
           calls
           this
           man
           fool
           ,
           because
           in
           the
           midst
           of
           all
           this
           care
           ,
           he
           had
           neglected
           his
           soul
           ;
           
             Thou
             fool
          
           ,
           &c.
           
           To
           them
           who
           believe
           another
           life
           after
           this
           ,
           an
           eternal
           state
           of
           happiness
           or
           misery
           in
           another
           world
           ,
           (
           which
           is
           but
           a
           reasonable
           Postulatum
           ,
           or
           demand
           among
           Christians
           )
           there
           is
           nothing
           in
           Mathematicks
           more
           demonstrable
           then
           the
           folly
           of
           wicked
           men
           ;
           for
           it
           is
           not
           a
           clearer
           and
           more
           evident
           principle
           that
           the
           whole
           world
           is
           greater
           then
           a
           part
           ,
           then
           that
           Eternity
           and
           the
           concernments
           of
           it
           are
           to
           be
           preferred
           before
           Time.
           
        
         
           But
           it
           is
           not
           my
           work
           to
           revile
           sinners
           ,
           and
           to
           call
           them
           
           names
           ,
           but
           to
           convince
           them
           if
           it
           be
           possible
           ,
           and
           to
           reclaim
           them
           .
           I
           will
           therefore
           put
           the
           matter
           into
           a
           
             temporal
             Case
          
           ,
           that
           wicked
           men
           who
           understand
           any
           thing
           of
           the
           Rules
           and
           Principles
           of
           worldly
           wisdom
           ,
           may
           see
           the
           imprudence
           of
           a
           sinfull
           course
           ,
           and
           be
           convinced
           
             that
             this
             their
             way
             is
             their
             folly
             ,
          
           even
           themselves
           being
           judges
           .
        
         
           Let
           me
           then
           propound
           some
           Cases
           to
           sinners
           ,
           and
           ask
           them
           a
           few
           Questions
           .
           Is
           that
           man
           wise
           ,
           as
           to
           his
           body
           and
           his
           health
           ,
           who
           onely
           cloaths
           his
           hands
           ,
           but
           leaves
           his
           whole
           body
           naked
           ?
           who
           provides
           onely
           against
           the
           Tooth-ach
           ,
           and
           neglects
           whole
           troops
           of
           mortal
           diseases
           that
           are
           ready
           to
           rush
           in
           upon
           him
           ?
           Just
           thus
           does
           he
           who
           takes
           care
           only
           for
           this
           vile
           body
           ,
           but
           neglects
           his
           precious
           and
           immortal
           Soul
           ;
           who
           is
           very
           solicitous
           to
           prevent
           small
           and
           temporal
           inconveniencies
           ,
           but
           takes
           no
           care
           
             to
             escape
             the
             damnation
             of
             Hell.
             
          
        
         
           Is
           he
           a
           wise
           man
           ,
           as
           to
           his
           temporal
           Estate
           ,
           that
           lays
           designs
           onely
           for
           a
           day
           ,
           without
           any
           prospect
           to
           ,
           or
           provision
           for
           the
           remaining
           part
           of
           his
           life
           ?
           Just
           thus
           does
           he
           that
           provides
           for
           the
           
             short
             time
          
           of
           this
           life
           ,
           but
           takes
           no
           care
           for
           all
           Eternity
           ;
           which
           is
           
             to
             be
             wise
             for
             a
             moment
             ,
             but
             a
             fool
             for
             ever
             ,
          
           and
           to
           act
           as
           untowardly
           and
           as
           crosly
           to
           the
           reason
           of
           things
           as
           can
           be
           imagined
           ;
           to
           regard
           Time
           as
           if
           it
           were
           Eternity
           ,
           and
           to
           neglect
           Eternity
           as
           if
           it
           were
           but
           a
           
             short
             time
          
           .
        
         
           Do
           you
           think
           him
           a
           wise
           man
           ,
           who
           is
           serious
           about
           trifles
           ,
           but
           trifles
           about
           the
           most
           serious
           matters
           ?
           Just
           so
           is
           he
           who
           pursues
           the
           World
           and
           the
           petty
           interests
           of
           it
           with
           all
           his
           might
           ,
           but
           minds
           Religion
           and
           the
           weighty
           concernments
           of
           Eternity
           ,
           as
           if
           he
           minded
           them
           not
           .
        
         
           Do
           you
           count
           him
           prudent
           ,
           who
           throws
           himself
           over-board
           to
           save
           his
           goods
           ?
           Just
           so
           doth
           he
           who
           to
           secure
           any
           thing
           in
           this
           world
           makes
           ship-wrack
           of
           his
           Conscience
           ,
           and
           casts
           away
           his
           Soul.
           
        
         
         
           Is
           he
           wise
           ,
           who
           is
           wise
           in
           any
           thing
           but
           in
           his
           proper
           profession
           and
           imployment
           ?
           wise
           for
           every
           body
           but
           himself
           ?
           who
           is
           ingenious
           to
           contrive
           his
           own
           misery
           ,
           and
           to
           do
           himself
           a
           mischief
           ;
           but
           is
           dull
           and
           stupid
           as
           to
           the
           designing
           of
           any
           real
           benefit
           and
           advantage
           to
           himself
           ?
           Just
           such
           a
           one
           is
           he
           who
           is
           a
           good
           Trades-man
           ,
           but
           a
           bad
           Christian
           ;
           for
           Christianity
           is
           more
           our
           proper
           Calling
           and
           profession
           then
           the
           very
           Trades
           we
           live
           upon
           ;
           and
           just
           such
           is
           every
           Sinner
           ,
           who
           is
           
             wise
             to
             do
             evil
             ,
             but
             to
             do
             good
             hath
             no
             understanding
             .
          
        
         
           Is
           he
           wise
           ,
           who
           neglects
           and
           disobliges
           him
           who
           is
           his
           best
           friend
           ,
           and
           can
           be
           his
           shrewdest
           Enemy
           ?
           who
           with
           one
           weak
           Troop
           goes
           out
           to
           meet
           him
           that
           comes
           against
           him
           with
           
             thousands
             of
             thousands
          
           ?
           who
           she
           s
           a
           small
           danger
           ,
           and
           runs
           upon
           a
           greater
           ?
           Just
           so
           does
           every
           wicked
           man
           who
           neglects
           and
           contemns
           God
           ,
           
             who
             can
             save
             or
             destroy
             him
          
           ;
           who
           strives
           with
           his
           Maker
           ,
           and
           
             provoketh
             the
             Lord
             to
             jealousie
          
           ;
           and
           with
           the
           small
           and
           inconsiderable
           
             Forces
             of
             a
             Man
          
           takes
           the
           Field
           against
           the
           
             mighty
             God
             the
             Lord
             of
             Hosts
          
           ;
           who
           
             fears
             them
             that
             can
             kill
             the
             body
             ,
             but
             after
             that
             have
             no
             more
             that
             they
             can
             do
             ;
             but
             fears
             not
             him
             who
             after
             he
             hath
             kill'd
             can
             destroy
             both
             body
             and
             soul
             in
             Hell
          
           ;
           and
           just
           such
           is
           he
           who
           for
           fear
           of
           any
           thing
           in
           this
           world
           ventures
           to
           grieve
           God
           ;
           for
           in
           so
           doing
           he
           runs
           away
           from
           men
           ,
           and
           
             falls
             into
             the
             hands
             of
             the
             living
             God
          
           ;
           he
           flies
           from
           a
           
             temporal
             danger
          
           ,
           and
           leaps
           into
           Hell.
           
        
         
           Is
           he
           wise
           ,
           who
           in
           matters
           of
           greatest
           moment
           and
           concernment
           neglects
           opportunities
           never
           to
           be
           retriv'd
           ?
           who
           standing
           upon
           the
           Shore
           ,
           and
           seeing
           the
           Tide
           making
           haste
           towards
           him
           apace
           ,
           and
           that
           he
           hath
           but
           a
           few
           minutes
           to
           save
           himself
           ,
           yet
           will
           lay
           himself
           to
           sleep
           there
           ,
           till
           the
           
             cruel
             Sea
          
           rush
           in
           upon
           him
           ,
           and
           overwhelm
           him
           ?
           Just
           so
           does
           he
           who
           trifles
           away
           this
           day
           of
           Gods
           grace
           and
           patience
           ,
           and
           foolishly
           adjourns
           the
           work
           of
           Repentance
           &
           the
           business
           of
           Religion
           to
           a
           dying
           hour
           .
        
         
         
           And
           ,
           to
           put
           an
           end
           to
           these
           Questions
           ,
           Is
           he
           wise
           ,
           who
           hopes
           to
           attain
           the
           end
           without
           the
           means
           ?
           nay
           ,
           by
           means
           that
           are
           quite
           contrary
           to
           the
           end
           ?
           Just
           such
           is
           every
           wicked
           man
           who
           hopes
           for
           Blessedness
           hereafter
           without
           Holiness
           here
           ;
           to
           gain
           the
           favour
           of
           God
           by
           offending
           him
           ,
           and
           to
           come
           to
           the
           sight
           of
           him
           by
           sinning
           against
           him
           ;
           and
           to
           be
           happy
           (
           that
           is
           )
           to
           find
           a
           pleasure
           in
           the
           enjoyment
           of
           God
           ,
           and
           in
           the
           company
           of
           holy
           Spirits
           ,
           by
           rendring
           himself
           as
           unsuitable
           and
           unlike
           to
           them
           as
           he
           can
           .
        
         
           Use
           II.
           The
           second
           Use
           is
           to
           perswade
           men
           to
           be
           throughly
           and
           seriously
           Religious
           ,
           as
           ever
           they
           would
           acquit
           themselves
           to
           be
           truly
           knowing
           and
           wise
           .
           Knowledg
           and
           Wisdom
           are
           confessed
           Excellencies
           among
           men
           ,
           Eccl.
           2.
           13.
           
           
             Wisdom
             excels
             Folly
             as
             much
             as
             light
             doth
             darkness
             .
          
           There
           are
           some
           Vertues
           and
           perfections
           that
           gain
           affection
           from
           men
           ,
           as
           Truth
           ,
           and
           Meekness
           ,
           and
           Kindness
           ;
           but
           there
           are
           others
           that
           cause
           admiration
           and
           raise
           wonder
           ,
           among
           these
           are
           Knowledg
           and
           Wisdom
           ,
           which
           if
           they
           be
           in
           any
           eminent
           degree
           ,
           will
           cast
           a
           great
           lustre
           and
           glory
           upon
           a
           man
           ,
           Eccl.
           8.
           1.
           
           
             The
             Wisdom
             of
             a
             man
             maketh
             his
             face
             to
             shine
             .
          
           Now
           even
           the
           shadows
           of
           these
           latter
           sort
           of
           Excellencies
           hit
           the
           vain-glorious
           nature
           of
           man
           more
           then
           the
           realities
           of
           the
           former
           ,
           because
           
             proud
             Man
             had
             rather
             be
             admir'd
             then
             lov'd
             .
          
           And
           that
           Knowledg
           and
           Wisdom
           are
           generally
           acknowledged
           to
           be
           great
           Excellencies
           appears
           ,
           in
           that
           men
           do
           so
           generally
           affect
           the
           reputation
           of
           Knowledg
           ,
           and
           are
           so
           ambitious
           to
           be
           accounted
           Wise
           .
           There
           is
           not
           any
           thing
           that
           men
           value
           themselves
           more
           upon
           then
           their
           Knowledg
           and
           Discretion
           :
           and
           on
           the
           contrary
           ,
           Ignorance
           and
           Folly
           are
           reckoned
           among
           the
           greatest
           defects
           of
           humane
           nature
           ,
           so
           that
           they
           are
           accounted
           generally
           a
           greater
           reproach
           and
           disgrace
           to
           a
           man
           then
           Vice
           and
           Wickedness
           ;
           and
           they
           have
           got
           so
           ill
           a
           report
           in
           the
           world
           ,
           that
           there
           are
           not
           many
           but
           had
           rather
           be
           accounted
           Knaves
           then
           Fools
           ;
           hence
           
           it
           is
           that
           men
           generally
           pretend
           to
           these
           Excellencies
           of
           Knowledg
           and
           Wisdom
           ,
           even
           such
           as
           are
           most
           destitute
           of
           them
           ,
           and
           rather
           then
           want
           these
           Perfections
           ,
           they
           will
           call
           even
           their
           Vices
           and
           Imperfections
           by
           this
           name
           :
           Craft
           ,
           and
           Silence
           ,
           and
           Secrecy
           ,
           and
           Reservedness
           ,
           and
           Formality
           ,
           and
           
             affected
             Gravity
          
           ,
           all
           these
           put
           in
           for
           the
           Title
           of
           Wisdom
           ;
           so
           ambitious
           is
           the
           nature
           of
           man
           of
           the
           reputation
           of
           this
           Excellency
           .
           Job
           11.
           12.
           
           
             Vain
             man
             would
             be
             wise
             ,
             though
             he
             be
             born
             like
             a
             wild
             asses
             colt
             .
          
           Now
           this
           very
           thing
           that
           men
           are
           so
           forward
           to
           counterfeit
           these
           perfections
           is
           an
           Argument
           of
           the
           Excellency
           of
           real
           Knowledg
           and
           Wisdom
           ;
           for
           (
           as
           I
           said
           before
           )
           to
           counterfeit
           is
           nothing
           else
           but
           to
           put
           on
           the
           appearance
           of
           some
           real
           Excellency
           ;
           common
           and
           ordinary
           things
           are
           not
           counterfeited
           ,
           but
           onely
           things
           of
           price
           and
           value
           ,
           as
           Gold
           ,
           and
           Silver
           ,
           and
           
             precious
             Stones
          
           ;
           And
           that
           men
           are
           so
           tenacious
           of
           these
           Excellencies
           ,
           so
           loth
           to
           be
           stripp'd
           even
           of
           the
           shadow
           and
           appearance
           of
           them
           ,
           is
           an
           argument
           that
           men
           highly
           esteem
           them
           .
           So
           that
           it
           seems
           that
           these
           Excellencies
           are
           in
           great
           dearness
           among
           men
           ,
           because
           we
           hold
           them
           so
           fast
           ,
           that
           when
           we
           cannot
           possess
           the
           reality
           of
           them
           ,
           yet
           we
           love
           to
           enjoy
           the
           opinion
           of
           them
           ,
           and
           rather
           then
           be
           wholly
           disseised
           of
           them
           ,
           will
           hold
           them
           by
           that
           sleight
           and
           fantastick
           tenure
           of
           Imagination
           .
        
         
           Now
           if
           we
           account
           them
           such
           excellencies
           ,
           we
           should
           labour
           to
           be
           possest
           of
           them
           in
           truth
           and
           reality
           ,
           and
           not
           take
           up
           with
           any
           counterfeits
           of
           them
           ,
           but
           use
           such
           a
           care
           and
           niceness
           about
           them
           as
           men
           do
           about
           Jewels
           ,
           and
           
             precious
             stones
          
           ,
           which
           because
           they
           are
           of
           great
           value
           ,
           all
           mistakes
           about
           them
           are
           shameful
           and
           intollerable
           .
           I
           have
           shewed
           that
           Religion
           is
           the
           truest
           knowledg
           ,
           and
           most
           real
           wisdom
           ,
           therefore
           every
           man
           that
           values
           his
           understanding
           ,
           and
           stands
           upon
           the
           reputation
           of
           his
           prudence
           and
           discretion
           ,
           ought
           to
           be
           Religious
           ,
           Deut.
           4.
           6.
           
           
             Keep
             therefore
             my
             Statutes
             ,
             for
             this
             is
             your
             wisdom
             and
             understanding
             in
             
             the
             sight
             of
             the
             nations
             .
          
           Those
           who
           understand
           and
           know
           how
           to
           manage
           the
           petty
           interests
           of
           this
           world
           ,
           we
           account
           them
           shrewd
           ,
           and
           cunning
           ,
           and
           designing
           men
           ;
           but
           if
           we
           would
           speak
           truly
           and
           wisely
           of
           things
           ,
           the
           Religious
           man
           is
           the
           notable
           man
           ;
           he
           that
           contrives
           to
           be
           everlastingly
           happy
           ,
           and
           lays
           designs
           for
           all
           Eternity
           ,
           he
           is
           a
           man
           of
           the
           deepest
           reach
           ;
           he
           that
           takes
           care
           of
           his
           Soul
           ,
           and
           secures
           his
           Eternal
           interest
           ,
           he
           is
           a
           shrewd
           man.
           That
           man
           who
           by
           the
           assistance
           of
           Gods
           grace
           can
           over-reach
           his
           own
           deceitful
           heart
           ,
           and
           defeat
           all
           the
           arts
           and
           wiles
           of
           the
           Devil
           ,
           and
           escape
           those
           pollutions
           that
           are
           in
           the
           world
           ,
           and
           save
           himself
           from
           the
           sins
           ,
           and
           snares
           ,
           and
           temptations
           of
           an
           untoward
           Generation
           ;
           he
           is
           a
           cunning
           man
           indeed
           .
           Wouldst
           thou
           then
           be
           truly
           knowing
           ?
           labour
           to
           know
           God
           ,
           and
           thy self
           ,
           thy
           interest
           ,
           and
           
             thy
             end
          
           ,
           and
           
             thy
             happiness
          
           ,
           and
           
             the
             way
             of
             attaining
             it
          
           .
           Wouldst
           thou
           be
           truly
           wise
           ?
           be
           wise
           for
           thy
           self
           ,
           wise
           for
           thy
           Soul
           ,
           wise
           for
           Eternity
           ;
           Resolve
           upon
           a
           Religious
           course
           of
           life
           ;
           
             Fear
             God
             and
             depart
             from
             evil
          
           ;
           look
           beyond
           things
           present
           and
           sensible
           ,
           unto
           things
           which
           are
           not
           seen
           ,
           and
           are
           eternal
           ;
           labour
           to
           secure
           the
           great
           interests
           of
           another
           world
           ,
           and
           refer
           all
           the
           actions
           of
           this
           short
           and
           dying
           life
           ,
           to
           that
           state
           which
           will
           shortly
           begin
           ,
           but
           never
           have
           an
           end
           ;
           and
           this
           will
           approve
           it self
           to
           be
           Wisdom
           at
           the
           last
           ,
           what-ever
           the
           world
           judge
           of
           it
           now
           ;
           for
           ,
           not
           that
           which
           is
           approved
           of
           men
           now
           ,
           but
           what
           shall
           finally
           be
           approved
           by
           God
           ,
           is
           true
           wisdom
           ;
           that
           which
           is
           esteemed
           so
           by
           him
           who
           is
           the
           fountain
           and
           original
           of
           all
           wisdom
           ,
           the
           first
           rule
           and
           measure
           of
           it
           ,
           the
           best
           and
           most
           competent
           Judge
           of
           it
           .
        
         
           I
           deny
           not
           but
           many
           that
           are
           wicked
           ,
           and
           neglect
           Religion
           ,
           may
           think
           themselves
           wise
           ,
           and
           may
           enjoy
           this
           their
           delusion
           for
           a
           while
           ,
           but
           there
           is
           a
           time
           a
           coming
           ,
           when
           the
           most
           profane
           and
           Atheistical
           ,
           who
           now
           account
           it
           
             a
             piece
             of
             gallantry
          
           ,
           and
           an
           argument
           of
           
             a
             great
             spirit
          
           ,
           and
           of
           a
           more
           then
           common
           wit
           and
           
           understanding
           ,
           to
           slight
           God
           ,
           and
           baffle
           Religion
           ,
           and
           to
           level
           all
           the
           discourses
           of
           another
           world
           ,
           with
           the
           
             Poetical
             descriptions
          
           of
           the
           
             Fairy
             Land
          
           :
           I
           say
           ,
           there
           is
           a
           day
           a
           coming
           ,
           when
           all
           these
           
             witty
             fools
          
           shall
           be
           unhappily
           undeceived
           ,
           and
           not
           being
           able
           to
           enjoy
           their
           delusion
           any
           longer
           ,
           shall
           call
           themselves
           fools
           for
           ever
           .
        
         
           But
           why
           do
           I
           use
           arguments
           to
           perswade
           men
           to
           that
           which
           is
           so
           excellent
           ,
           so
           useful
           ,
           and
           so
           necessary
           ?
           The
           thing
           it self
           I
           am
           pressing
           you
           to
           ,
           hath
           allurements
           in
           it
           beyond
           all
           arguments
           :
           For
           ,
           if
           Religion
           be
           the
           best
           knowledg
           and
           wisdom
           ,
           I
           cannot
           offer
           any
           thing
           beyond
           this
           to
           your
           understandings
           to
           raise
           your
           esteem
           of
           it
           ;
           I
           can
           present
           nothing
           beyond
           this
           to
           your
           Affections
           that
           may
           be
           attractive
           of
           your
           love
           and
           desire
           .
           All
           that
           can
           be
           done
           ,
           is
           to
           set
           the
           thing
           before
           men
           ,
           and
           to
           offer
           it
           to
           their
           choice
           ;
           and
           if
           mens
           natural
           desire
           of
           wisdom
           and
           knowledg
           and
           happiness
           will
           not
           perswade
           them
           to
           be
           Religious
           ,
           't
           is
           in
           vain
           to
           use
           Arguments
           :
           if
           the
           sight
           of
           these
           Beauties
           will
           not
           charm
           mens
           Affections
           ,
           't
           is
           to
           no
           purpose
           to
           go
           about
           to
           compel
           a
           liking
           ,
           and
           to
           urge
           and
           push
           forward
           a
           a
           match
           to
           the
           making
           whereof
           consent
           is
           necessary
           .
           Religion
           is
           matter
           of
           our
           freest
           choise
           ;
           and
           if
           men
           will
           obstinately
           and
           wilfully
           set
           themselves
           against
           it
           ,
           there
           is
           no
           remedy
           ,
           
             Pertinatiae
             nullum
             remedium
             posuit
             Deus
          
           ;
           If
           men
           will
           choose
           to
           befools
           ,
           and
           to
           be
           miserable
           ,
           all
           that
           can
           be
           said
           is
           this
           ,
           God
           will
           leave
           such
           persons
           
             to
             in
             herit
             their
             own
             choice
             ,
             to
             enjoy
             the
             portion
             of
             sinners
             .
          
        
         
           FINIS
           .
        
         
      
    
     
       
         Notes, typically marginal, from the original text
         
           Notes for div A62648-e250
           
             *
             Leviathan
             .
             part
             .
             3.
             c.
             34.
             
          
           
             *
             Leviathan
             .
             part
             .
             1.
             c.
             6.