A Confutation of Atheilm From the Structure and Origin of Human Bodies. The Third and Last P AR T. A SERMON Preached at St. Martins in the Fields, SEPTEMBER the 5th. 1692. Being the Fifth of the Lecture founded by the Honourable ROBERT BOILE, Efquire. By RICHARD BENTLEY, M. A. Chaplain to the Right Reverend Father in God, EDWARD, Lord Bishop of Worcester. The Third Edition. LONDON, Printed for Henry Mortlock, at the Phenix in Imprimatur. Geo. Royfe, Rmo in Chrifto Patri ac Dno Dno Johanni Archiep. Cantuar, à Sacris. Domeft. Septemb. 7. 1692. ACTS XVII. 27. That they should feek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him: though he be not far from every one of us; for in him we Live, and Move, and have our Being. I 'N my former Discourses, to which I must refer you, I have endeavour'd to prove, that Human Race was neither (1) from Everla fting without beginning; nor (2) owes its beginning to the Influence of Heavenly Bodies; nor (3) to what they call Nature, or to the neceffary and mechanical motions of dead fenflefs Matter. I proceed now to examin the fourth and laft Plea of the Enemies to Religion and their own Souls, That Mankind came accidentally into the World, and hath its Life and Motion and Being by mere Chance and Fortune. We need not much wonder, that this last Opinion should obtain almost universally among the Atheists of these times. For whereas the Other do require fome small ftock of Philosophy to underftand or maintain them: This Account is fo eafie and compendious, that it needs none at all; and confequently is the more proper and agreeable to the great Industry and Capacity of the most numerous Party of them. For what more eafie to say, than that all the Bodies of the first Animals and Plants were fhuffled into their feveral Forms and Structures fortuitously, that is, these Atheists know not how, nor will trouble themselves to endeavour to know? For that is the meaning of Chance; and yet this is all, that they say, or can say to the great Matter in queftion. And indeed this little is enough in all reafon; and could they impose on the reft of Mankind, as easily as delude themselves with a notion, That Chance can effect a thing; it would be the most expedite and effectual means to make their Caufe victorious over Vertue and Religion. For if you once do allow them fuch an acceptation of Chance, you have precluded your felf (they think) from any more reasoning and obje &ting against them. The Mechanical Atheist, though you grant him his Laws of Mechanism, is nevertheless inextricably puzzled and baffled with the first Formation of Animals: for he muft undertake to determin all the various Motions and Figures and Pofitions and Combinations of his Atoms; and to demonftrate, that fuch a quantity of Motion imprefled upon Particles fo fhaped and fituated, will neceffarily range and dispose them into the Form and Frame of an Organical Body: an attempt as difficult difficult and unpromising of success, as if he himself should make the Effay, to produce fome new Kinds of Animals out of fuch fenflefs Materials, or to rebuild the moving and living Fabrick out of its duft in the grave. But the Atheift, that we are now to deal with, if you do but concede to him, that Fortune may be an Agent; doth presume himfelf fafe and unvulnerable, fecure above the reach of any further difputes. For if you proceed to ask queftions, and bid him affign the proper Caufes and determinate Manner of that fortuitous Formation: you thereby deny him what you granted before, and take away the very Hypothesis and the Nature of Chance; which fuppofeth that no certain Cause or Manner of it can poffibly be affigned. And as the ftupidity of fome Libertines, that demand a fight of a Spirit or Humane Soul to convince them of its Existence, hath been frequently and deservedly exposed; because whatfoever may be the object of our Sight, muft not be a Soul or Spirit, but an opake Body: fo this Atheist would tax us of the like Nonfenfe and Contradiction; if after he hath named to us Fortune or Chance, we should expect from him any particular and distinct account of the the Origin of Mankind. Because it is the Because it is the very ef fence and notion of his Chance, to be wholly unaccountable: and if an account could be given of it ; |