Astonotorious Fools, even deftitute of common fence, ozy and abandon'd to a calloufnefs and numbness of αναίπηζον γένος. Soul? Max. Tyr. 2 Cor. 4. What then, is Heaven it felf with its pleasures for Jam.1.12. evermore to be parted with fo unconcernedly? Is a Crown of Righteousness, a Crown of Life, to be furrendred with laughter? Is an exceeding and eternal weight of Glory too light in the balance against the hopelefs death of the Atheist, and utter extinction? 'Twas a noble saying of the Emperor Marcus, That he would not endure to live one day in the world, if he did not believe it to be under the government of Providence. Let us but imagin that excellent Perfon confuted and fatisfied by fome Epicurean of his time; that all was but Atoms, and Vacuum, and Neceffity, and Chance. Would he have been so pleased and delighted with the conviction would He have fo triumph'd in being overcome? or rather, as he hath told us, would he not have gone down with forrow and despair to the grave? Did I but once fee an Atheist lament and bewail himself; That upon a strict and impartial examination he had found to his coft, that all was a mistake; that the Prerogative of Human Nature was vanifhed and gone; those glorious hopes of Immortality and Bliss, nothing but cheating Joys and pleasant Delusions; that he had undone himself by lofing the comfortable A Error, this Pfalm Error, and would give all the World to have better arguments for Religion: there would be great hopes of prevailing upon fuch an Atheist as this. But, alas! there are none of them of this temper of mind; there are none that understand and feek after God; v.2. of they have no knowledge, nor any defire of inftruction; ver. 4 they thrust the Word of God from them, and judge them. A.13.46. felves unworthy of everlasting life; they willingly preferr Darkness before Light; and obftinately choose to perish for ever in the Grave, rather than be Heirs of Salvation in the Refurrection of the Juft. These certainly are the Fools in the Text, indocil, intractable Fools, whofe ftolidity can baffle all arguments, and is proof againft Demonftration it felf; whofe Phil.3.19. end (as the words of St. Paul do truly describe them) whose end is destruction, an eternal Deprivation of Being; whose God is their belly, the gratification of senfual Lufts; whofe Glory is in their fhame, in the debafing and villainizing of Mankind to the condition of Beasts; who mind earthly things, who if (like that great Apoftle) they were caught up to the third Hea- 2Cor.12.2. ven, would (as the Spies did of Canaan) bring down Num. 13. an evil report of those Regions of Bliss. And I fear, unless it please God by extraordinary methods to help Mar.9.24their unbelief, and enlighten the eyes of their understanding; they will carry their Atheism with them to the Pit, and the flames of Hell only must convince them of their Error. C This 32. Eph.1.19. This fupine and inconfiderate behaviour of the Atheists is so extremely abfurd, that it would be deem'd incredible, if it did not occurr to our daily Obfervation; it proclaims aloud, that they are not led aftray by their Reasoning, but led captive by their Lufts to the denial of God. When the very pleasures of Paradife are contemn'd and trampled on, like Pearls caft before Swine; there's small hope of reclaiming them by arguments of Reason. But however as Solomon adviseth, we will answer these Fools not according to their Folly, left we also be like un Prov. 6.4. to them. It is expedient that we put to filence the ig norance of these foolish men, that Believers may be the more confirmed and more refolute in the Faith. Did Religion beftow Heaven without any terms or conditions indifferently upon all; if the Crown of Life was hereditary, and free to Good and Bad; and not fettled by Covenant upon the Elect of God only, fuch as live foberly and righteously and godly in this prefent World, I believe there would be no fuch thing as an Infidel among us. And without controverfie, 'tis the Way and Means of attaining to Heaven, that makes profane Scorners fo willingly let go the Expectation of it. 'Tis not the Articles of the Creed, but the Duty to God and their Neighbour, that is fuch an inconfiftent incredible Legend. They will not practise the Rules of Religion, and therefore Tit. 2. 12. they they cannot believe the Promises and Rewards of it. But however let us fuppofe them to have acted like rational and ferious Men: and perhaps upon a diligent inquifition they have found, that the Hope of Immortality deserves to be joyfully quitted, and that either out of Intereft or Neceffity which is both. I. And firft, One may conceive indeed, how there might poffibly be a neceffity of quitting it. It might be tied to fuch Terms, as would render it impoffi ble ever to be obtain'd. For example, if it fhould be required of all the Candidates of Glory and Immortality, to give a full and knowing Affent to fuch things as are repugnant to Common Senfe, as contradict the now, the univerfal Notions and indubitable maxims of Reafon; if they were to believe,that One and the fame Thing may be and not be at the fame time and in the fame refpect; If allowing the received Idea's and Denominations of Numbers and Figures and Body, they must seriously affirm, that Two and two do make a Dozen, or that the Diameter of a Circle is as long as the Circumfe rence, or that the fame Body may be all of it in diftant places at once. I must confefs that the offers of Happinefs upon fuch Articles of Belief as thefe, would be mere tantalizing of Rational Creatures; and the Kingdom of Heaven would become the Inheritance of only Idiots and Fools. For whilft a man of ComC 2 mon mon Capacity doth think and reflect upon fuch Propofitions; he cannot poffibly bribe his Understanding to give a Verdict for their Truth. So that he would be quite fruftrated of the Hope of Reward, upon fuch unpracticable Conditions as thefe: nei-> ther could he have any evidence of the Reality of the Promise, fuperior to what he is confcious to of the Falfity of the Means. Now if any Atheist can fhew me in the Syftem of Chriftian Religion any fuch abfurdities and repugnancies to our natural Faculties; I will either evince them to be Interpo-: lations and Corruptions of the Faith, or yield my felf a Captive and a Profelyte to his Infidelity. II. Or, 2dly, they may think 'tis the Intereft of Mankind, that there fhould be no Heaven at all; because the Labour to acquire it is more worth than the Purchase: God Almighty (if there be one) having much overvalued the Bleffings of his Presence. So that upon a fair eftimation, 'tis a greater advantage to take one's fwing in Senfuality, and have a glut of Voluptuousness in this life, freely refigning all pretences to future Happiness, (which, when a man is once extinguish'd by Death, he cannot be fuppofed either to want or defire) than to be tied up by Commandments and Rules fo thwart and Mark 8. contrary to Flesh and Blood; to take up one's Cross, to deny himself, and refuse the Satisfaction of Natu 34. ral |