Some thoughts concerning the several causes and occasions of atheism, especially in the present age with some brief reflections on Socinianism, and on a late book entitled, The reasonableness of Christianity as delivered in the Scriptures / by John Edwards ...
         Edwards, John, 1637-1716.
      
       
         
           1695
        
      
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             Some thoughts concerning the several causes and occasions of atheism, especially in the present age with some brief reflections on Socinianism, and on a late book entitled, The reasonableness of Christianity as delivered in the Scriptures / by John Edwards ...
             Edwards, John, 1637-1716.
          
           [9], 126 [i.e. 142] p.
           
             Printed for J. Robinson ... and J. Wyat ...,
             London :
             1695.
          
           
             The reasonableness of Christianity (1695) is by John Locke.
             Errata: p. 126 [i.e. 142].
             Reproduction of original in British Library.
          
        
      
    
     
       
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           Locke, John, 1632-1704. -- Reasonableness of Christianity.
           Apologetics -- Early works to 1800.
           Apologetics -- History -- 17th century.
           Atheism -- Controversial literature.
           Socinianism -- Controversial literature.
        
      
    
     
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           SOME
           THOUGHTS
           Concerning
           the
           Several
           Causes
           and
           Occasions
           OF
           ATHEISM
           ,
           Especially
           in
           the
           
             Present
             Age.
          
           With
           some
           Brief
           Reflections
           on
           SOCINIANISM
           :
           And
           on
           a
           Late
           BOOK
           Entituled
           
             The
             Reasonableness
             of
             Christianity
             as
             deliver'd
             in
             the
             Scriptures
             .
          
           
             BY
             IOHN
             EDWARDS
          
           ,
           B.
           D.
           and
           sometime
           Fellow
           of
           S.
           
           Iohn's
           College
           in
           Cambridge
           .
        
         
           LONDON
           :
           Printed
           for
           
             I.
             Robinson
          
           at
           the
           
             Golden
             Lyon
          
           ,
           and
           
             I.
             Wyat
          
           at
           the
           Role
           in
           
             S.
             Paul's
          
           Churchyard
           ▪
           MDCXCV
           .
        
      
       
         
         
         
           TO
           THE
           Most
           Reverend
           Father
           in
           GOD
           ,
           His
           GRACE
           THOMAS
           ,
           By
           Divine
           Providence
           Lord
           Archbishop
           of
           Canterbury
           ,
           Primate
           and
           Metropolitan
           of
           all
           England
           ,
           &c.
           
        
         
           
             
               
                 MY
                 LORD
                 ,
              
            
             
               YOUR
               Grace
               being
               not
               only
               by
               Your
               Place
               and
               Station
               ,
               but
               by
               Your
               own
               Choice
               and
               voluntary
               Act
               ,
               the
               
                 Grand
                 Patron
                 of
                 our
                 Religion
              
               ,
               it
               cannot
               be
               improper
               to
               present
               You
               with
               these
               brief
               Papers
               ,
               which
               ,
               though
               
               in
               themselves
               very
               mean
               and
               inconsiderable
               ,
               and
               unworthy
               of
               Your
               Grace's
               View
               ,
               are
               a
               Vindication
               of
               that
               
                 Holy
                 Cause
              
               against
               the
               repeated
               Cavils
               and
               bold
               Insults
               of
               Atheistical
               Spirits
               ,
               who
               (
               as
               Your
               Grace
               with
               a
               very
               deep
               Resentment
               and
               Regret
               *
               observes
               )
               are
               of
               late
               grown
               very
               numerous
               .
               How
               vigorously
               Your
               Lordship
               hath
               attacked
               this
               sort
               of
               Men
               ,
               is
               well
               known
               to
               the
               World
               ;
               and
               that
               hitherto
               they
               have
               not
               been
               able
               to
               bring
               about
               their
               impious
               Designs
               ,
               is
               in
               great
               part
               owing
               to
               Your
               Lordship's
               
               successful
               Attempts
               .
               I
               presume
               ,
               from
               the
               Encouragement
               which
               so
               Illustrious
               an
               Example
               hath
               given
               me
               ,
               to
               engage
               in
               the
               same
               Cause
               ,
               that
               is
               ,
               to
               lay
               open
               the
               Folly
               and
               Absurdity
               of
               their
               Pretences
               ,
               and
               withall
               to
               discover
               some
               of
               those
               Heads
               and
               Springs
               whence
               the
               Atheistick
               Apprehensions
               of
               these
               present
               Times
               arise
               ,
               and
               whereby
               they
               are
               fed
               and
               nourished
               .
               Which
               I
               hope
               will
               be
               of
               good
               use
               to
               those
               who
               desire
               to
               be
               caution'd
               against
               the
               Venom
               of
               this
               Raging
               Evil
               ,
               and
               will
               in
               some
               measure
               operate
               even
               on
               those
               who
               are
               infected
               and
               
               corrupted
               with
               it
               already
               .
            
             
               I
               am
               sensible
               how
               Precious
               Your
               
               Grace's
               Minutes
               are
               in
               this
               time
               of
               extraordinary
               Business
               and
               Emergency
               ;
               and
               therefore
               I
               will
               not
               be
               injurious
               to
               the
               Publick
               by
               any
               farther
               Applications
               to
               Your
               Grace
               .
               Only
               I
               superadd
               my
               hearty
               Prayers
               for
               Your
               Health
               and
               long
               Life
               ,
               wherein
               the
               Common
               Welfare
               and
               Happiness
               both
               of
               Church
               and
               State
               are
               so
               much
               involved
               :
               And
               so
               I
               subscribe
               my self
               ,
            
             
               
                 Your
                 Grace's
                 Most
                 Dutiful
                 Son
                 ,
                 and
                 Devoted
                 Servant
                 ,
                 
                   Iohn
                   Edwards
                
                 .
              
            
          
        
      
       
         
         
           THE
           PREFACE
           .
        
         
           I
           Designing
           ,
           by
           the
           Divine
           Help
           and
           Conduct
           ,
           to
           defend
           the
           Existence
           and
           
             Providence
             of
             God
          
           by
           Arguments
           drawn
           both
           from
           the
           Greater
           and
           the
           
             Lesser
             World
          
           ;
           it
           is
           my
           Request
           to
           the
           Reader
           ,
           that
           he
           would
           accept
           of
           this
           
             Brief
             Essay
          
           in
           the
           mean
           time
           ,
           which
           I
           conceive
           will
           be
           a
           suitable
           Introduction
           and
           Preparative
           to
           that
           other
           Vndertaking
           .
           For
           as
           in
           that
           intended
           Discourse
           I
           shall
           carefully
           trace
           and
           discover
           the
           Footsteps
           of
           the
           Divinity
           every
           where
           ;
           so
           here
           I
           make
           it
           my
           Business
           to
           shew
           how
           frequent
           an
           obvious
           the
           Occasions
           of
           Disbelieving
           it
           are
           .
           By
           which
           means
           we
           shall
           effectually
           learn
           how
           to
           purge
           our
           Minds
           of
           those
           ill
           Qualities
           which
           naturally
           are
           subservient
           to
           Atheism
           ;
           we
           shall
           know
           how
           to
           remove
           those
           Stumbling-blocks
           ,
           to
           answer
           those
           Objections
           ,
           and
           to
           clear
           up
           those
           Mistakes
           which
           usually
           betray
           Men
           to
           this
           Infidelity
           .
           And
           thus
           there
           will
           be
           a
           
           Way
           made
           for
           what
           I
           design
           .
           Persons
           will
           be
           fitted
           to
           receive
           and
           retain
           the
           Impressions
           which
           those
           Topicks
           that
           I
           shall
           afterwards
           make
           choice
           of
           will
           enstamp
           upon
           their
           Minds
           :
           And
           I
           hope
           the
           Age
           ,
           which
           hath
           lately
           been
           stigmatized
           with
           Marks
           of
           Atheism
           ,
           will
           for
           the
           future
           be
           renowned
           for
           these
           truly
           illustrious
           and
           glorious
           Characters
           .
        
         
           I
           will
           only
           farther
           acquaint
           the
           Reader
           ,
           that
           some
           part
           of
           what
           I
           here
           offer
           (
           viz.
           such
           Particulars
           as
           I
           thought
           were
           convenient
           for
           an
           usual
           and
           mix'd
           Auditory
           )
           was
           deliver'd
           lately
           in
           one
           of
           the
           City-Pulpits
           ;
           and
           the
           other
           Heads
           ,
           with
           their
           Enlargement
           (
           which
           are
           of
           somewhat
           a
           different
           strain
           ,
           and
           are
           chiefly
           adapted
           to
           the
           Curious
           and
           Inquisitive
           )
           are
           an
           Addition
           since
           .
           But
           as
           I
           have
           added
           several
           things
           ,
           so
           I
           have
           omitted
           some
           ,
           at
           the
           Desire
           of
           those
           who
           are
           concern'd
           in
           both
           .
           This
           is
           all
           that
           I
           had
           to
           advertise
           the
           Reader
           of
           ;
           and
           so
           I
           bid
           him
        
         
           Farewel
           .
        
      
    
     
       
         
         
           SOME
           THOUGHTS
           Concerning
           the
           Causes
           and
           Occasions
           OF
           ATHEISM
           .
        
         
           THAT
           the
           World
           was
           not
           void
           of
           Atheists
           in
           King
           
           David's
           time
           ,
           may
           be
           gathered
           from
           his
           Words
           in
           Psalm
           xiv
           .
           1.
           
           
             The
             Fool
             hath
             said
             in
             his
             heart
             ,
             There
             is
             no
             God.
          
           But
           it
           is
           exceedingly
           to
           be
           lamented
           ,
           that
           the
           number
           of
           them
           is
           much
           increased
           since
           ,
           yea
           ,
           that
           it
           is
           the
           Unhappiness
           of
           this
           Present
           Age
           ,
           to
           be
           pester'd
           
           with
           not
           a
           few
           of
           them
           .
           Notwithstanding
           those
           cogent
           and
           incontestable
           Arguments
           for
           a
           Deity
           which
           are
           suggested
           from
           the
           Holy
           Scriptures
           ,
           and
           the
           Natural
           Reasonings
           of
           sober
           Minds
           ,
           there
           is
           still
           an
           Atheistical
           Spirit
           prevailing
           in
           the
           World.
           There
           is
           a
           sort
           of
           Men
           (
           if
           I
           may
           call
           them
           so
           whole
           bold
           Infidelity
           is
           so
           Irrational
           and
           Brutish
           )
           that
           reckon
           the
           Notion
           of
           a
           God
           to
           be
           a
           Melancholick
           Conceit
           ,
           and
           the
           mere
           Effect
           of
           Credulity
           and
           Ignorance
           .
           Yea
           ,
           there
           are
           some
           that
           pass
           for
           Wits
           ,
           who
           strive
           for
           the
           honour
           of
           being
           accounted
           the
           most
           
             Able
             Atheists
          
           of
           the
           Age.
           
        
         
           Wherefore
           ,
           instead
           of
           rehearsing
           or
           urging
           those
           Topicks
           which
           are
           wont
           to
           be
           produced
           for
           the
           Proof
           of
           the
           Divinity
           ;
           my
           Business
           at
           present
           shall
           be
           ,
           to
           enquire
           into
           the
           
             Causes
             of
             Atheism
          
           ,
           which
           now
           vaunts
           it self
           with
           an
           impudent
           Fore-head
           ,
           
           and
           begins
           to
           boast
           that
           it
           hath
           got
           Footing
           in
           a
           great
           part
           of
           the
           World.
           
        
         
           I
           will
           search
           into
           the
           Occasions
           ,
           either
           real
           or
           pretended
           (
           for
           I
           will
           mention
           both
           )
           of
           this
           Reigning
           Mischief
           .
           I
           will
           shew
           you
           on
           what
           Grounds
           the
           Impious
           do
           at
           this
           Day
           not
           only
           ,
           with
           the
           Psalmist's
           
             Atheistical
             Fool
             ,
             say
             in
             their
             Hearts
             ,
          
           but
           openly
           and
           avowedly
           proclaim
           to
           the
           World
           ,
           that
           
             there
             is
             no
             God
          
           ,
           that
           is
           ,
           no
           Supreme
           Over-ruling
           Being
           of
           Infinite
           Perfection
           ,
           no
           eternally
           Wise
           ,
           Intelligent
           ,
           and
           Omniscient
           Substance
           that
           at
           first
           gave
           Existence
           to
           all
           things
           ,
           and
           ever
           since
           upholds
           them
           ,
           and
           takes
           care
           of
           them
           .
        
         
           I.
           I
           assign
           Ignorance
           to
           be
           one
           great
           Spring
           of
           this
           gross
           Unbelief
           .
           As
           knowing
           as
           the
           World
           is
           at
           this
           day
           ,
           there
           are
           too
           many
           People
           of
           inferiour
           Rank
           whose
           Education
           hath
           been
           so
           unhappy
           ,
           that
           they
           
           have
           not
           been
           instructed
           in
           the
           Common
           Principles
           of
           Religion
           ;
           and
           they
           are
           more
           unhappy
           in
           that
           they
           will
           not
           allow
           themselves
           time
           and
           leisure
           to
           look
           into
           their
           own
           Minds
           ,
           and
           to
           rouze
           those
           inbred
           Notions
           which
           are
           implanted
           there
           by
           God
           ,
           and
           which
           would
           (
           if
           they
           would
           give
           way
           )
           lead
           them
           to
           him
           .
           Wherefore
           it
           is
           the
           Concern
           of
           all
           Persons
           ,
           to
           know
           how
           to
           converse
           with
           Themselves
           ,
           and
           to
           rifle
           their
           own
           Breasts
           ,
           that
           they
           may
           find
           a
           Deity
           written
           there
           :
           and
           besides
           ,
           they
           should
           be
           careful
           to
           acquire
           such
           a
           stock
           of
           Knowledge
           from
           without
           ,
           that
           they
           may
           understand
           their
           Religion
           ,
           and
           not
           be
           seduc'd
           by
           Atheistical
           Notions
           that
           fly
           up
           and
           down
           every
           where
           .
        
         
           But
           this
           first
           Cause
           which
           I
           assign
           of
           Atheism
           ,
           is
           not
           only
           to
           be
           found
           in
           some
           meaner
           sort
           of
           People
           who
           have
           not
           time
           (
           as
           they
           order
           
           their
           Affairs
           )
           to
           think
           of
           a
           God
           ,
           but
           in
           others
           of
           a
           higher
           Rank
           and
           Quality
           :
           for
           by
           Ignorance
           I
           mean
           a
           wilful
           and
           sottish
           stifling
           of
           natural
           Notions
           and
           Impressions
           :
           And
           this
           sometimes
           prevails
           in
           Men
           of
           great
           Parts
           and
           Knowledge
           .
        
         
           Think
           it
           not
           strange
           that
           I
           reckon
           such
           Persons
           in
           the
           number
           of
           the
           Ignorant
           ;
           for
           (
           to
           speak
           impartially
           )
           they
           are
           so
           :
           and
           this
           was
           the
           Sense
           of
           the
           *
           wisest
           Pagans
           long
           since
           .
           For
           to
           have
           no
           Knowledge
           ,
           and
           to
           stifle
           it
           ,
           is
           the
           same
           thing
           ;
           which
           is
           the
           Case
           of
           these
           Men
           :
           they
           make
           it
           their
           business
           to
           choak
           the
           innate
           Principles
           of
           their
           Minds
           ,
           and
           to
           disregard
           those
           Notices
           which
           their
           Natures
           suggest
           to
           them
           .
           Thus
           these
           Persons
           are
           stubbornly
           and
           obstinately
           Ignorant
           .
           Whatever
           their
           Pretences
           and
           Boastings
           
           be
           ,
           their
           Atheism
           proceeds
           from
           want
           of
           Learning
           and
           Wit.
           For
           't
           is
           not
           the
           part
           of
           a
           Learned
           and
           Ingenious
           Man
           to
           destroy
           the
           Notions
           of
           Mankind
           ,
           and
           pull
           down
           what
           hath
           been
           built
           by
           the
           universal
           Suffrage
           of
           the
           World
           ,
           and
           in
           its
           place
           to
           erect
           a
           Conceit
           of
           his
           own
           .
           Some
           may
           take
           such
           for
           Brainish
           and
           Scholar-like
           sort
           of
           Men
           ,
           but
           then
           these
           are
           so
           without
           Thinking
           ;
           for
           it
           is
           the
           want
           of
           this
           that
           makes
           them
           what
           they
           are
           .
           Or
           ,
           to
           say
           the
           best
           of
           this
           kind
           of
           Men
           ,
           and
           Atheist
           is
           but
           a
           half-witted
           Person
           :
           He
           hath
           perhaps
           made
           some
           Attempts
           in
           Science
           ,
           but
           to
           little
           purpose
           :
           He
           hath
           attain'd
           to
           some
           slight
           and
           trivial
           Notions
           ;
           but
           hath
           not
           penetrated
           into
           the
           heart
           of
           Things
           ;
           and
           thence
           it
           comes
           to
           pass
           ,
           that
           he
           is
           full
           of
           Doubts
           and
           Cavils
           ,
           which
           he
           is
           able
           to
           raise
           ,
           but
           he
           hath
           not
           Skill
           
           and
           Ability
           enough
           to
           answer
           them
           .
           Wherefore
           it
           was
           excellently
           said
           of
           my
           Lord
           Bacon
           ,
           *
           
             A
             little
             Philosophy
             inclines
             mens
             minds
             to
             Atheism
          
           ;
           but
           depth
           in
           Philosophy
           brings
           mens
           minds
           about
           to
           Religion
           and
           a
           Deity
           .
           Thus
           though
           this
           mis-shapen
           Monster
           would
           be
           thought
           to
           be
           the
           genuine
           issue
           of
           True
           Wisdom
           and
           Sound
           Knowledge
           ,
           yet
           it
           is
           really
           the
           daughter
           of
           an
           Affected
           Ignorance
           .
           Wherefore
           to
           secure
           your selves
           against
           Atheism
           ,
           be
           careful
           that
           you
           blind
           not
           your
           minds
           ;
           willingly
           receive
           the
           rays
           of
           light
           into
           your
           souls
           ,
           cherish
           all
           sound
           notions
           and
           conceptions
           ,
           and
           by
           all
           proper
           methods
           bring
           your selves
           to
           a
           right
           understanding
           ,
           and
           steady
           embracing
           of
           all
           the
           Fundamental
           Principles
           of
           your
           Religion
           .
        
         
           II.
           There
           is
           great
           Disingenuity
           and
           
             unhandsome
             Dealing
          
           in
           the
           case
           ,
           
           else
           we
           should
           not
           have
           so
           much
           Atheism
           .
           Here
           I
           will
           prove
           ,
           that
           they
           do
           not
           act
           fairly
           ,
           but
           that
           they
           are
           Ungenteel
           ,
           which
           perhaps
           will
           affect
           these
           Persons
           more
           than
           any
           thing
           that
           I
           can
           say
           .
           What
           they
           are
           willing
           and
           forward
           to
           grant
           in
           other
           matters
           ,
           and
           on
           other
           occasions
           ,
           they
           refuse
           to
           grant
           here
           ,
           yea
           they
           utterly
           deny
           it
           ,
           though
           there
           be
           the
           same
           reason
           for
           one
           as
           the
           other
           .
           This
           plainly
           appears
           by
           their
           Objections
           .
        
         
           As
           first
           ,
           they
           tell
           us
           they
           have
           no
           Sensible
           Notices
           of
           a
           God
           ,
           and
           therefore
           they
           can't
           admit
           of
           it
           ;
           for
           all
           the
           knowledge
           (
           say
           they
           )
           which
           we
           have
           of
           things
           ,
           is
           deriv'd
           to
           us
           from
           Sense
           .
           But
           here
           we
           see
           that
           these
           Men
           are
           Partial
           and
           Disingenuous
           ,
           for
           they
           will
           not
           deny
           that
           there
           are
           many
           things
           which
           they
           judge
           not
           of
           by
           Sense
           ;
           they
           grant
           that
           the
           swiftness
           of
           Motion
           
           oftentimes
           out-runs
           the
           nimblest
           Sense
           ,
           and
           the
           Observation
           of
           the
           quickest
           eye
           ;
           yet
           they
           do
           not
           deny
           the
           Motion
           it self
           :
           The
           Element
           of
           Air
           ,
           in
           which
           the
           daily
           converse
           ,
           is
           not
           seen
           ,
           nor
           is
           it
           heard
           or
           felt
           (
           unless
           when
           't
           is
           extraordinarily
           moved
           and
           disturbed
           ,
           which
           is
           but
           seldom
           :
           )
           nor
           will
           they
           say
           they
           taste
           it
           ;
           and
           't
           is
           as
           certain
           that
           they
           cannot
           smell
           it
           ,
           (
           for
           this
           is
           only
           the
           Vehicle
           of
           Smells
           ,
           but
           is
           not
           it self
           the
           object
           of
           that
           sense
           )
           and
           yet
           these
           nice
           Gentlemen
           do
           not
           deny
           the
           Existence
           of
           the
           Air.
           They
           can
           by
           none
           of
           their
           Senses
           discern
           the
           Motion
           of
           the
           
             Sun
             ,
             Moon
          
           ,
           and
           Stars
           (
           or
           ,
           as
           perhaps
           they
           think
           it
           most
           proper
           to
           say
           ,
           the
           Earth
           )
           ,
           and
           yet
           there
           is
           not
           a
           man
           of
           them
           that
           denies
           that
           they
           move
           .
           It
           can't
           be
           determin'd
           by
           Sense
           ,
           whether
           the
           Sun
           be
           bigger
           than
           it
           appears
           to
           be
           ,
           and
           therefore
           
           Epicurus
           (
           who
           was
           a
           great
           Man
           for
           Sense
           )
           held
           it
           was
           of
           no
           greater
           dimension
           than
           it
           seems
           to
           the
           Eye
           to
           be
           ;
           yea
           ,
           of
           no
           greater
           heat
           in
           it self
           than
           it
           seems
           to
           the
           Feeling
           to
           be
           here
           on
           Earth
           .
           And
           the
           Atheistical
           Poet
           ,
           who
           borrow'd
           his
           Notions
           from
           him
           ,
           was
           of
           the
           same
           mind
           ,
           
             
               Nec
               nimio
               solis
               major
               rota
               ,
               nec
               minor
               ardor
            
             
               Esse
               potest
               nostris
               quàm
               sensibus
               esse
               videtur
               .
            
          
           
             Lucret.
             lib.
             5.
             
          
        
         
           This
           is
           certain
           ,
           that
           the
           things
           that
           are
           least
           discernible
           act
           most
           .
           The
           Animal
           Spirits
           ,
           which
           do
           all
           the
           great
           things
           in
           our
           bodies
           ,
           are
           themselves
           Imperceptible
           .
           They
           are
           the
           Insensible
           and
           Invisible
           Parts
           ,
           as
           Spirits
           ,
           Wind
           ,
           Subtile
           matter
           ,
           Exhalations
           ,
           which
           (
           being
           agitated
           )
           do
           the
           chiefest
           Exploits
           in
           Nature
           .
           There
           are
           Fine
           Particles
           and
           Atoms
           diffused
           through
           all
           bodies
           whatsoever
           ;
           and
           these
           are
           the
           cause
           of
           
           Sense
           and
           Motion
           in
           Animals
           :
           by
           help
           of
           these
           ,
           Minerals
           ,
           Plants
           ,
           and
           all
           Vegetables
           ,
           are
           brought
           to
           perfection
           .
           These
           Invisible
           Agents
           effect
           strange
           things
           ,
           and
           act
           most
           wonderfully
           in
           the
           World.
           The
           
             Nutritious
             Iuyce
          
           in
           the
           Nerves
           ,
           if
           we
           may
           credit
           the
           famous
           Glisson
           ,
           is
           of
           mighty
           use
           and
           influence
           :
           yet
           (
           as
           he
           confesses
           himself
           )
           there
           are
           no
           Cavities
           to
           be
           seen
           to
           convey
           it
           ,
           and
           none
           of
           this
           Succus
           is
           ever
           discern'd
           in
           the
           dissecting
           of
           Animals
           .
           Notwithstanding
           this
           ,
           some
           Physicians
           of
           the
           most
           piercing
           Judgment
           ,
           have
           granted
           (
           whatever
           they
           do
           now
           )
           the
           real
           being
           of
           it
           .
           And
           in
           other
           Instances
           it
           might
           be
           shewed
           ,
           that
           Sense
           is
           not
           always
           made
           a
           Judge
           even
           in
           sensible
           Objects
           ,
           but
           we
           gather
           the
           being
           and
           operation
           of
           them
           from
           Reason
           and
           Discourse
           .
           This
           the
           persons
           whom
           we
           are
           now
           dealing
           with
           do
           not
           deny
           ,
           but
           even
           
           practise
           it
           themselves
           ,
           and
           are
           willing
           to
           allow
           of
           it
           .
           Why
           therefore
           are
           they
           so
           void
           of
           Ingenuity
           and
           fair-dealing
           ,
           as
           not
           to
           admit
           of
           the
           same
           in
           the
           case
           that
           is
           before
           us
           ?
           Why
           do
           they
           most
           irrationally
           deny
           a
           God
           because
           they
           do
           not
           apprehend
           him
           by
           Bodily
           sense
           ,
           whenas
           they
           judge
           not
           of
           some
           other
           things
           by
           Sense
           ,
           nay
           though
           they
           be
           proper
           objects
           of
           it
           ?
           This
           is
           a
           plain
           proof
           of
           these
           mens
           wilful
           Prejudice
           and
           Partiality
           ,
           especially
           if
           I
           add
           ,
           that
           God
           is
           infinitely
           farther
           removed
           from
           our
           most
           exalted
           Apprehensions
           ,
           than
           the
           Sun
           (
           of
           which
           we
           spoke
           before
           )
           is
           from
           this
           Earth
           .
           This
           Glorious
           Sun
           *
           
             dwelleth
             in
             that
             light
             which
             no
             man
             can
             approach
             unto
             ,
             whom
             no
             man
             hath
             see
             ,
             or
             can
             see
             .
          
        
         
           Secondly
           ,
           they
           tell
           us
           that
           there
           are
           
             Great
             Difficulties
          
           in
           conceiving
           a
           
           God
           ,
           and
           they
           are
           loth
           to
           swallow
           these
           down
           :
           and
           more
           especially
           the
           notion
           of
           a
           
             Spirit
             ▪
          
           i.
           e.
           a
           Being
           that
           is
           void
           of
           Matter
           and
           Body
           is
           too
           hard
           to
           be
           conceiv'd
           by
           them
           ,
           and
           therefore
           seeing
           we
           hold
           God
           to
           be
           a
           Spirit
           ,
           they
           can
           form
           no
           conception
           of
           him
           .
           I
           will
           reply
           to
           both
           the
           parts
           of
           this
           Objection
           distinctly
           :
           and
           first
           as
           to
           the
           General
           Cavil
           ,
           That
           this
           notion
           is
           accompanied
           with
           Difficulties
           ,
           I
           answer
           ,
           there
           are
           great
           Difficulties
           in
           other
           matters
           ,
           which
           yet
           they
           leap
           over
           with
           ease
           ,
           and
           do
           not
           disbelieve
           the
           things
           themselves
           because
           of
           the
           Difficulties
           that
           attend
           them
           .
           It
           is
           very
           hard
           to
           explain
           how
           a
           little
           Wheel
           of
           two
           inches
           diameter
           ,
           fixed
           on
           the
           same
           Axil
           with
           two
           greater
           Wheels
           of
           ten
           inches
           a-piece
           ,
           moving
           together
           (
           the
           greater
           ones
           on
           the
           ground
           ,
           the
           lesser
           on
           a
           table
           )
           should
           move
           over
           the
           very
           same
           
           space
           in
           equal
           time
           ,
           with
           equal
           rotation
           with
           the
           greater
           ones
           :
           and
           yet
           the
           thing
           it self
           is
           not
           denied
           by
           any
           one
           .
           And
           many
           other
           puzzling
           Problems
           might
           be
           mentioned
           ,
           where
           the
           Hardship
           doth
           not
           discourage
           them
           from
           embracing
           them
           .
           But
           I
           will
           instance
           in
           one
           of
           their
           own
           Hypotheses
           ,
           viz.
           that
           of
           Atoms
           ,
           which
           they
           chuse
           to
           solve
           the
           Original
           of
           the
           World
           by
           ,
           that
           they
           may
           evade
           the
           
             insuperable
             Difficulties
          
           (
           as
           they
           think
           them
           )
           of
           the
           Acknowledgment
           of
           a
           God.
           If
           they
           say
           that
           these
           Atoms
           had
           their
           Existence
           from
           Themselves
           ,
           then
           instead
           of
           denying
           one
           God
           ,
           they
           assert
           many
           ,
           for
           Self-existence
           is
           of
           the
           very
           nature
           and
           essence
           of
           a
           Deity
           ;
           wherefore
           if
           they
           were
           all
           from
           themselves
           ,
           they
           are
           all
           Gods.
           If
           they
           say
           that
           other
           Matter
           or
           Atoms
           were
           the
           first
           Cause
           of
           these
           ,
           then
           they
           run
           to
           Infinity
           ,
           and
           no
           body
           
           is
           able
           to
           trace
           them
           .
           If
           they
           say
           they
           are
           of
           Nothing
           ,
           then
           they
           had
           as
           good
           have
           begun
           with
           that
           ,
           and
           have
           confessed
           in
           plain
           terms
           ,
           that
           the
           World
           was
           made
           out
           of
           Nothing
           ,
           and
           then
           they
           come
           to
           us
           ,
           but
           they
           are
           resolved
           they
           will
           not
           do
           that
           .
           Thus
           they
           are
           confounded
           as
           to
           the
           Rise
           and
           Origine
           of
           their
           Atoms
           .
        
         
           Then
           ,
           as
           to
           their
           Motion
           ,
           whence
           had
           they
           that
           ?
           either
           of
           themselves
           or
           of
           an
           other
           ?
           They
           could
           not
           have
           it
           of
           Themselves
           ,
           for
           we
           see
           it
           is
           not
           of
           the
           nature
           of
           Matter
           to
           move
           :
           it
           is
           in
           it self
           a
           dull
           and
           inert
           ,
           a
           lumpish
           and
           unactive
           thing
           .
           If
           this
           Motion
           was
           impress'd
           on
           it
           by
           an
           Other
           ,
           then
           that
           was
           either
           some
           
             other
             Matter
          
           ,
           or
           
             Something
             else
          
           .
           If
           they
           hold
           the
           former
           ,
           they
           run
           again
           
             in
             infinitum
          
           ,
           and
           he
           is
           a
           distracted
           man
           that
           will
           run
           after
           them
           .
           If
           they
           maintain
           the
           latter
           ,
           
           they
           betray
           their
           Cause
           ,
           and
           acknowledge
           a
           Spirit
           ,
           for
           there
           is
           no
           real
           and
           substantial
           thing
           besides
           Matter
           and
           Spirit
           .
           In
           brief
           ,
           whether
           the
           former
           or
           the
           latter
           Assertion
           be
           held
           by
           them
           ,
           they
           do
           in
           a
           manner
           own
           what
           they
           deny
           :
           for
           we
           will
           not
           disagree
           about
           the
           Name
           ,
           if
           we
           can
           agree
           on
           the
           Thing
           it self
           .
           That
           Being
           or
           Agent
           which
           gave
           the
           first
           Motion
           to
           things
           ,
           is
           God.
           
        
         
           If
           after
           all
           they
           say
           ,
           that
           Matter
           had
           this
           Motion
           by
           Chance
           ,
           and
           so
           was
           neither
           from
           it self
           or
           any
           other
           ,
           they
           talk
           more
           absurdly
           and
           wildly
           than
           before
           ;
           for
           Chance
           is
           a
           Word
           made
           to
           signifie
           only
           the
           
             unexpected
             happening
             of
             a
             thing
          
           ,
           but
           doth
           not
           import
           that
           there
           was
           no
           Cause
           or
           Author
           at
           all
           of
           it
           .
           But
           however
           ,
           if
           they
           will
           stand
           to
           this
           (
           as
           generally
           they
           do
           )
           that
           Matter
           at
           first
           had
           a
           strong
           power
           by
           Chance
           to
           jump
           into
           an
           Orderly
           System
           
           of
           
             Heavens
             ,
             Earth
             ,
             Sea
          
           ,
           &c.
           then
           I
           ask
           them
           ,
           What
           is
           the
           reason
           that
           there
           hath
           been
           nothing
           of
           this
           nature
           since
           ?
           What
           reason
           can
           be
           given
           why
           all
           the
           Atoms
           and
           Effluviums
           in
           the
           several
           Ages
           and
           Successions
           of
           Time
           ,
           ever
           since
           this
           visible
           World
           had
           its
           being
           ,
           have
           not
           produced
           some
           excellent
           Frame
           either
           like
           this
           World
           ,
           or
           of
           an
           other
           nature
           ?
           What!
           is
           this
           
             Lucky
             Chance
          
           quite
           ceas'd
           ?
           Is
           this
           
             Fortunate
             Lottery
          
           at
           an
           end
           ?
           Is
           there
           no
           probability
           of
           a
           brave
           fortuitous
           hit
           once
           again
           ?
           Is
           there
           no
           such
           fine
           piece
           of
           work
           as
           that
           of
           
             Sun
             ,
             Moon
          
           ,
           and
           Stars
           ,
           to
           be
           expected
           once
           more
           ?
           No
           :
           there
           is
           an
           utter
           despair
           of
           it
           ;
           for
           from
           Eternity
           (
           according
           to
           them
           )
           to
           this
           moment
           ,
           we
           have
           had
           no
           such
           good
           Luck
           ,
           and
           therefore
           what
           reason
           have
           we
           to
           expect
           any
           such
           afterwards
           ?
           yea
           indeed
           ,
           what
           ground
           have
           these
           
           Chance-Philosophers
           to
           think
           that
           there
           ever
           was
           any
           such
           thing
           ?
           What
           reason
           have
           they
           to
           declare
           it
           to
           be
           their
           firm
           perswasion
           that
           Matter
           was
           set
           into
           motion
           from
           Eternity
           ,
           and
           that
           by
           the
           frisking
           of
           its
           Particles
           ,
           it
           at
           last
           danced
           into
           a
           World
           ?
           yet
           this
           and
           all
           the
           rest
           they
           believe
           and
           vouch
           rather
           than
           they
           will
           hold
           that
           the
           beginning
           of
           things
           was
           from
           an
           Intelligent
           and
           
             Wise
             Being
          
           .
        
         
           It
           appears
           hence
           ,
           that
           they
           will
           say
           any
           thing
           rather
           than
           acknowledge
           themselves
           to
           be
           in
           the
           wrong
           :
           they
           make
           nothing
           of
           talking
           idly
           and
           impertinently
           ,
           of
           running
           into
           Banter
           and
           Nonsense
           ,
           as
           we
           have
           heard
           .
           They
           can
           give
           credit
           to
           this
           extravagant
           Fancy
           ,
           that
           an
           everlasting
           Juncto
           of
           Atoms
           did
           without
           Counsel
           and
           Knowledge
           club
           together
           to
           make
           the
           World.
           They
           can
           tamely
           submit
           
           to
           this
           unaccountable
           Maxim
           ,
           that
           these
           infinite
           Bodies
           ,
           after
           eternal
           Brushings
           ,
           Agitations
           ,
           Encounters
           ,
           Knocking
           's
           ,
           Tiltings
           ,
           Justlings
           ,
           Jumblings
           ,
           fell
           by
           mere
           Chance
           into
           this
           excellent
           Frame
           that
           we
           now
           behold
           .
           Thus
           the
           Atheist
           ,
           to
           avoid
           some
           seeming
           Difficulties
           ,
           runs
           into
           those
           which
           are
           really
           so
           ,
           yea
           into
           the
           greatest
           Absurdities
           imaginable
           .
           If
           it
           be
           difficult
           to
           conceive
           the
           Self-existence
           and
           Eternity
           of
           one
           God
           ,
           surely
           it
           is
           insuperably
           so
           ,
           to
           conceive
           infinite
           Matter
           moving
           it self
           ,
           and
           giving
           Being
           to
           it self
           from
           all
           Eternity
           .
           It
           is
           plain
           then
           ,
           that
           these
           men
           deal
           not
           fairly
           and
           uprightly
           ,
           but
           wilfully
           deceive
           themselves
           and
           others
           .
           They
           cry
           up
           Reason
           ,
           and
           yet
           maintain
           things
           which
           are
           repugnant
           to
           ordinary
           Discourse
           and
           the
           Common
           Dictates
           of
           Reason
           ;
           and
           therefore
           are
           rather
           to
           be
           exploded
           than
           with
           
           much
           industry
           to
           be
           confuted
           .
           They
           cannot
           only
           swallow
           down
           ,
           but
           digest
           Absurdities
           when
           they
           think
           fit
           ,
           and
           at
           other
           times
           they
           can
           fancy
           them
           where
           there
           are
           none
           ,
           nor
           any
           shadow
           of
           any
           .
        
         
           Then
           as
           to
           that
           particular
           Difficulty
           ,
           viz.
           That
           the
           Notion
           of
           a
           Spirit
           is
           inconceivable
           ,
           and
           therefore
           they
           have
           no
           conception
           of
           a
           God
           ;
           I
           return
           this
           brief
           Answer
           ,
           That
           if
           this
           which
           they
           say
           be
           true
           ,
           if
           it
           be
           impossible
           to
           apprehend
           the
           Idea
           of
           a
           Spirit
           ,
           then
           there
           is
           no
           such
           thing
           :
           and
           if
           so
           ,
           then
           
             Matter
             alone
          
           must
           do
           all
           things
           in
           the
           World
           ,
           but
           particularly
           ,
           it
           must
           have
           Understanding
           and
           Knowledge
           ,
           is
           must
           think
           and
           reason
           ,
           for
           (
           whatever
           the
           precarious
           Hypothesis
           of
           Atoms
           suggests
           )
           the
           Curious
           frame
           of
           this
           World
           could
           not
           be
           erected
           without
           Knowledge
           and
           Wisdom
           ,
           and
           it
           cannot
           be
           kept
           up
           and
           managed
           
           without
           these
           .
           Now
           ,
           I
           appeal
           to
           any
           considerate
           man
           ,
           whether
           the
           flat
           denying
           of
           this
           ,
           and
           the
           asserting
           that
           the
           
             Dimensions
             of
             a
             Body
          
           are
           Intellectual
           ,
           that
           to
           be
           Long
           and
           to
           be
           Broad
           ,
           and
           to
           be
           Deep
           ,
           are
           Acts
           and
           Exertments
           of
           Reason
           or
           Will
           ,
           and
           (
           in
           short
           )
           that
           Extension
           is
           Thinking
           ,
           be
           not
           far
           greater
           Absurdities
           than
           any
           thing
           they
           imagine
           to
           be
           in
           the
           notion
           of
           a
           God.
           It
           is
           a
           sign
           therefore
           that
           these
           men
           make
           Difficulties
           where
           there
           are
           none
           ,
           and
           do
           not
           take
           notice
           of
           them
           where
           they
           are
           .
           I
           could
           here
           prove
           that
           our
           Faculties
           may
           form
           as
           clear
           ,
           explicit
           ,
           and
           distinct
           an
           Idea
           of
           a
           Spirit
           (
           which
           they
           so
           much
           boggle
           and
           startle
           at
           )
           as
           they
           do
           of
           their
           own
           Existence
           ,
           or
           any
           other
           Principle
           in
           Nature
           ;
           but
           this
           I
           have
           made
           my
           task
           in
           an
           other
           place
           .
        
         
         
           Thirdly
           ,
           they
           tell
           us
           they
           cannot
           believe
           a
           Deity
           ,
           because
           there
           are
           no
           Proper
           Demonstrations
           to
           prove
           it
           .
           For
           you
           must
           know
           ,
           that
           there
           Persons
           whom
           we
           have
           to
           do
           with
           at
           present
           ,
           are
           great
           men
           for
           Demonstrations
           .
           But
           I
           answer
           ,
           The
           Existence
           of
           many
           things
           in
           the
           World
           cannot
           be
           made
           out
           by
           Demonstration
           ,
           strictly
           so
           called
           ,
           and
           yet
           no
           man
           questions
           the
           reality
           of
           them
           .
           The
           skilfullest
           Mathematician
           under
           Heaven
           can't
           demonstrate
           that
           the
           Sun
           Shines
           ,
           and
           yet
           there
           is
           no
           doubt
           at
           all
           of
           it
           ,
           and
           he
           would
           be
           counted
           a
           Mad-man
           that
           denies
           it
           .
           We
           are
           morally
           certain
           of
           many
           things
           which
           we
           cannot
           possibly
           demonstrate
           ;
           but
           this
           doth
           not
           hinder
           us
           from
           yielding
           a
           firm
           assent
           to
           them
           .
           And
           't
           is
           certain
           ,
           that
           an
           Assent
           is
           an
           firm
           on
           Moral
           grounds
           as
           on
           rigid
           Demonstrations
           ,
           when
           the
           matter
           is
           capable
           
           of
           no
           other
           grounds
           ;
           for
           the
           Evidence
           is
           proportionable
           to
           the
           Matter
           to
           be
           proved
           ,
           and
           that
           is
           as
           much
           as
           can
           be
           desired
           by
           any
           intelligent
           man.
           There
           can
           be
           no
           greater
           than
           a
           Moral
           Certainty
           of
           a
           Deity
           :
           for
           there
           are
           no
           grounds
           of
           it
           Mathematically
           Demonstrative
           .
           But
           by
           being
           Morally
           Certain
           we
           are
           certain
           enough
           ,
           and
           as
           certain
           as
           the
           nature
           of
           the
           thing
           will
           bear
           .
           This
           should
           content
           any
           Rational
           man
           ,
           and
           it
           is
           unreasonable
           to
           demand
           any
           more
           .
        
         
           Then
           ,
           as
           for
           those
           Demonstrations
           which
           they
           talk
           so
           much
           of
           ,
           they
           cannot
           but
           acknowledge
           ,
           that
           as
           they
           are
           sometimes
           managed
           they
           yield
           but
           little
           Certainty
           .
           For
           ,
           not
           to
           speak
           now
           of
           the
           old
           Academicks
           and
           Scepticks
           ,
           who
           denied
           
             Geometrical
             Principles
          
           ;
           or
           of
           
             Demetrius
             ,
             Sextus
             Empiricus
             ,
             Epicurus
             ,
             Zeno
             ,
          
           and
           others
           of
           the
           Ancient
           Philosophers
           
           who
           reason'd
           against
           them
           ,
           I
           will
           mention
           some
           of
           our
           Moderns
           (
           and
           those
           of
           great
           Skill
           and
           Learning
           )
           who
           have
           disagreed
           about
           Mathematical
           Proofs
           ,
           and
           thereby
           proclaim
           to
           the
           World
           their
           Uncertainty
           .
           The
           greatest
           Astrologers
           hugely
           differ
           as
           to
           the
           distance
           of
           the
           Sun
           from
           the
           Earth
           .
           It
           is
           nearer
           to
           it
           ten
           thousand
           miles
           than
           it
           was
           ,
           saith
           Copernicus
           .
           But
           
             I.
             Scaliger
          
           would
           have
           the
           Writings
           of
           those
           Authors
           who
           hold
           the
           Sun
           is
           nearer
           to
           the
           Earth
           than
           't
           was
           in
           former
           days
           ,
           *
           
             to
             be
             razed
             out
             with
             sponges
             ,
             or
             the
             Writers
             themselves
             to
             be
             corrected
             with
             stripes
             .
          
           And
           other
           very
           good
           Astronomers
           are
           so
           far
           from
           consenting
           to
           this
           ,
           that
           they
           maintain
           the
           Sun
           is
           farther
           off
           from
           the
           Earth
           than
           it
           was
           at
           first
           .
           And
           yet
           on
           both
           sides
           they
           proceed
           on
           Mathematical
           grounds
           .
           There
           is
           no
           
           Mathematical
           Demonstration
           for
           Comets
           being
           above
           or
           below
           the
           Moon
           ,
           saith
           *
           Ricciolus
           ,
           a
           very
           skilful
           Mathematician
           :
           but
           others
           of
           that
           Faculty
           have
           pretended
           much
           to
           the
           contrary
           .
           The
           Paralax
           is
           well
           known
           to
           be
           a
           Mathematical
           business
           ,
           that
           by
           which
           the
           Planets
           are
           judged
           to
           be
           higher
           or
           lower
           :
           but
           the
           greatest
           Astronomers
           have
           quarrell'd
           with
           one
           another
           about
           this
           Doctrine
           .
           Tycho
           is
           for
           it
           ;
           but
           Claramontius
           is
           against
           it
           ;
           and
           Galilaeus
           even
           explodes
           the
           Proof
           brought
           from
           the
           Paralax
           .
           Dr.
           Wallis
           and
           Mr.
           
           Hobbes's
           Contrasts
           in
           Print
           ,
           shew
           that
           Mathematicks
           are
           dubious
           :
           and
           this
           latter
           (
           who
           was
           so
           stiff
           an
           Opposer
           of
           the
           Notion
           of
           a
           Spirit
           ,
           and
           consequently
           of
           a
           Deity
           )
           finds
           fault
           with
           all
           Geometricians
           ,
           old
           and
           new
           ,
           in
           his
           Book
           entituled
           
             The
             Principles
             and
             
             Ratiocination
             of
             Geometricians
             .
             Cartes's
             Dioptricks
          
           and
           Geometry
           are
           pretended
           to
           be
           baffled
           by
           other
           Learned
           Mathematicians
           ,
           as
           
             Bourdin
             ,
             Hobbes
             ,
             Fermat
             .
             Franciscus
             du
             Laurens
             ,
          
           and
           Dr.
           Wallis
           ,
           scuffle
           about
           a
           Mathematical
           Problem
           .
           So
           that
           it
           seems
           it
           is
           not
           an
           Infallible
           Science
           .
           
             I
             am
             certain
          
           ,
           saith
           *
           Dr.
           
             Henry
             More
             ,
             that
             Mathematical
             Certitude
             it self
             is
             not
             absolute
             .
          
           There
           is
           an
           Essay
           of
           Dr.
           Pell
           to
           shew
           the
           Errors
           and
           Mistakes
           of
           the
           best
           and
           most
           celebrated
           Astronomers
           for
           want
           of
           better
           Knowledge
           in
           Geometry
           .
           Even
           †
           Monsieur
           Malebranch
           ,
           a
           profound
           Admirer
           and
           Follower
           of
           Descarts
           ,
           acknowledges
           that
           in
           his
           
             Geometry
             there
             are
             some
             footsteps
             of
             the
             weakness
             of
             the
             humane
             mind
             .
          
           And
           I
           will
           conclude
           with
           the
           Words
           of
           One
           that
           was
           known
           to
           be
           eminent
           
           in
           Mathematical
           Studies
           ,
           *
           
             Even
             in
             Geometry
             and
             Arithmetick
          
           (
           saith
           he
           )
           
             how
             many
             things
             are
             forcibly
             concluded
             to
             be
             true
             which
             are
             inexplicable
             ,
             unimaginable
             ,
             incomprehensible
             ?
          
        
         
           Thus
           you
           see
           the
           Mathematical
           Certainty
           which
           some
           men
           talk
           of
           ,
           is
           not
           so
           easily
           to
           be
           attain'd
           as
           they
           fancy
           .
           Disputes
           have
           place
           in
           
             Geometry
             ;
             Demonstrations
          
           sometimes
           prove
           to
           be
           Paralogisms
           .
           But
           as
           for
           a
           Mathematical
           Demonstration
           for
           the
           proof
           of
           a
           GOD
           ,
           it
           is
           vainly
           and
           unreasonably
           required
           ,
           because
           there
           can
           be
           no
           such
           thing
           ,
           for
           the
           matter
           will
           not
           bear
           it
           .
           Wherefore
           though
           †
           Some
           Divines
           have
           been
           great
           Philosophers
           and
           Mathematicians
           ,
           yet
           they
           never
           attempted
           any
           such
           thing
           .
           A
           man
           
           must
           not
           expect
           to
           have
           every
           thing
           proved
           the
           same
           way
           .
           If
           we
           have
           things
           evidenced
           by
           the
           Arguments
           which
           they
           are
           capable
           of
           ,
           it
           is
           satisfactory
           ,
           and
           every
           wise
           man
           rests
           in
           it
           .
           And
           these
           men
           themselves
           do
           so
           in
           other
           things
           :
           they
           acquiesce
           in
           that
           Evidence
           which
           the
           things
           admit
           of
           ,
           and
           they
           seek
           no
           farther
           .
           Which
           shews
           ,
           that
           in
           the
           present
           Case
           they
           are
           Disingenuous
           ,
           and
           Cross-grain'd
           ,
           and
           act
           merely
           out
           of
           Prejudice
           ;
           which
           was
           the
           thing
           I
           undertook
           to
           make
           good
           .
           Their
           Insincerity
           nourishes
           their
           Atheism
           .
           Therefore
           let
           us
           have
           a
           care
           that
           we
           give
           way
           to
           no
           such
           thing
           .
        
         
           III.
           Another
           Cause
           of
           this
           Pernicious
           Opinion
           ,
           is
           ,
           
             Ostentation
             of
             Wit.
          
           For
           you
           may
           take
           notice
           ,
           that
           this
           Mischievous
           Plant
           springs
           from
           Contrary
           Seeds
           .
           As
           before
           this
           kind
           of
           men
           put
           on
           a
           very
           grave
           and
           solid
           Countenance
           ,
           so
           now
           
           they
           shew
           themselves
           to
           be
           very
           Pleasant
           and
           Airy
           ,
           and
           set
           up
           for
           the
           Art
           of
           Drolling
           .
           Before
           they
           appear'd
           like
           Philosophers
           ,
           now
           they
           come
           upon
           the
           Stage
           like
           Buffoons
           .
           Then
           with
           a
           Magisterial
           Grimace
           they
           affected
           Demonstrations
           ;
           now
           nothing
           will
           please
           them
           but
           the
           Comical
           part
           .
           It
           is
           observable
           ,
           that
           they
           are
           a
           sort
           of
           Jesting
           ,
           Scoffing
           People
           ,
           giving
           themselves
           to
           Railery
           and
           Burlesque
           .
           And
           it
           is
           this
           Jocular
           Humour
           that
           in
           part
           betrays
           them
           to
           Atheism
           ,
           for
           they
           take
           liberty
           to
           jest
           with
           their
           Maker
           .
           These
           witty
           and
           facetious
           Folks
           must
           needs
           play
           with
           Heaven
           ,
           and
           laugh
           God
           out
           of
           his
           being
           .
           They
           are
           defective
           in
           sound
           Learning
           and
           Judgment
           ,
           and
           in
           the
           place
           of
           these
           have
           a
           fanciful
           way
           of
           Jeering
           ,
           which
           they
           addict
           themselves
           immoderately
           to
           .
           Democritus
           was
           the
           
           great
           Asserter
           of
           Eternal
           Matter
           ,
           and
           thought
           that
           the
           Casual
           Motion
           of
           it
           was
           the
           Cause
           of
           all
           things
           :
           the
           influence
           of
           which
           Principle
           in
           his
           Cogitations
           ,
           made
           him
           at
           last
           laugh
           at
           every
           thing
           he
           saw
           ,
           and
           mock
           at
           all
           Actions
           and
           Occurrences
           of
           humane
           life
           ;
           for
           't
           is
           certain
           that
           if
           they
           are
           all
           by
           Chance
           ,
           they
           are
           to
           be
           denied
           .
           The
           Followers
           of
           this
           Great
           Man
           have
           learnt
           from
           him
           to
           be
           
             Laughing
             Philosophers
          
           ;
           and
           there
           are
           abundance
           of
           this
           Sect
           now-a-days
           .
           This
           I
           look
           upon
           as
           one
           Cause
           of
           the
           great
           Atheism
           of
           this
           Age.
           They
           think
           
             their
             Tongues
             are
             their
             own
          
           ,
           and
           they
           may
           say
           what
           they
           please
           ;
           and
           they
           perswade
           themselves
           ,
           that
           what
           is
           wittily
           said
           is
           well
           said
           .
           Hence
           these
           Sparks
           venture
           to
           ridicule
           Religion
           ,
           to
           scoff
           at
           Virtue
           and
           Piety
           ,
           and
           to
           mock
           God
           himself
           .
           Then
           at
           last
           they
           really
           believe
           what
           they
           
           fancy'd
           ,
           and
           jestingly
           utter'd
           ;
           and
           they
           assert
           in
           good
           earnest
           what
           at
           first
           perhaps
           was
           said
           only
           in
           Merriment
           .
           Wherefore
           ,
           to
           guard
           your selves
           from
           Atheism
           ,
           be
           always
           very
           Serious
           ,
           and
           abhor
           the
           sportful
           vein
           ,
           the
           flashy
           fancy
           of
           these
           men
           ,
           who
           think
           they
           can't
           be
           men
           of
           Parts
           unless
           they
           make
           a
           mock
           of
           God
           and
           Religion
           .
           Whereas
           the
           Brightest
           and
           most
           Accomplish'd
           Heads
           ever
           exploded
           this
           :
           and
           in
           our
           own
           Nation
           we
           have
           abundant
           Instances
           of
           this
           ,
           that
           even
           the
           *
           Wisest
           and
           the
           Wittiest
           Men
           (
           tho
           no
           Church-men
           or
           Divines
           )
           have
           express'd
           their
           deep
           sense
           of
           God
           and
           serving
           him
           ,
           and
           defied
           the
           contrary
           Profane
           Atheistical
           humour
           .
        
         
           IV.
           Pride
           and
           Self-conceit
           may
           justly
           be
           reckon'd
           another
           Spring
           
           of
           Atheism
           .
           Men
           in
           this
           and
           former
           Ages
           have
           thought
           it
           below
           them
           to
           go
           tamely
           along
           with
           the
           generality
           of
           Mankind
           in
           asserting
           a
           Deity
           .
           They
           would
           be
           thought
           wiser
           than
           others
           :
           and
           consequently
           they
           affect
           to
           go
           against
           a
           commonly
           receiv'd
           Notion
           .
           But
           more
           particularly
           these
           High-Flyers
           account
           it
           base
           and
           sneaking
           to
           listen
           to
           an
           Old
           Story
           of
           Religion
           ,
           and
           to
           submit
           their
           Belief
           to
           
             the
             Harangues
             of
             the
             Parsons
          
           ,
           as
           they
           are
           pleas'd
           to
           word
           it
           .
           Especially
           
             Great
             Men
          
           are
           apt
           to
           be
           possessed
           with
           this
           Pride
           ,
           and
           consequently
           to
           be
           Atheistical
           .
           They
           strongly
           incline
           to
           King
           
           Alphonsus's
           impious
           Bravado
           ,
           
             That
             if
             he
             had
             been
             present
             at
             the
             Creation
             ,
             he
             would
             have
             framed
             the
             World
             better
             than
             't
             is
             now
             .
          
           There
           is
           in
           many
           an
           excessive
           Desire
           of
           a
           Name
           and
           Vogue
           :
           and
           they
           think
           to
           obtain
           them
           by
           scorning
           the
           Common
           
           way
           ,
           and
           going
           out
           of
           the
           beaten
           road
           ,
           by
           giving
           the
           Lye
           to
           all
           Mankind
           .
           And
           though
           one
           would
           think
           that
           they
           might
           shew
           the
           subtilty
           of
           their
           Wit
           by
           diving
           farther
           into
           things
           than
           the
           Vulgar
           ,
           and
           not
           by
           casting
           off
           the
           agreed
           Sentiments
           of
           Mankind
           ;
           by
           refining
           and
           improving
           the
           Principles
           of
           Nature
           ,
           and
           not
           by
           nulling
           and
           evacuating
           them
           ;
           yet
           they
           choose
           the
           latter
           ,
           that
           they
           may
           (
           as
           they
           think
           )
           give
           the
           greater
           proof
           of
           their
           Wit
           and
           Parts
           ,
           and
           that
           it
           may
           be
           seen
           that
           they
           are
           able
           to
           weather
           a
           Cause
           be
           it
           never
           so
           bad
           .
           To
           maintain
           this
           all
           sober
           Considerations
           are
           postpon'd
           :
           they
           superciliously
           renounce
           (
           when
           they
           are
           in
           the
           Humour
           )
           all
           Reason
           and
           Arguments
           ;
           they
           arrogantly
           resolve
           to
           hold
           the
           Conclusion
           ,
           whatever
           becomes
           of
           the
           poor
           Premises
           .
           Atheism
           owes
           its
           Being
           much
           to
           
           this
           ,
           as
           I
           apprehend
           ;
           as
           I
           think
           it
           it
           is
           sufficiently
           evident
           from
           what
           I
           have
           said
           before
           ,
           when
           I
           shew'd
           that
           they
           chuse
           rather
           to
           maintain
           the
           greatest
           Absurdities
           ,
           than
           to
           adhere
           to
           a
           Received
           Truth
           .
           Wherefore
           that
           we
           may
           effectually
           prevent
           this
           Folly
           in
           our selves
           ,
           let
           us
           banish
           Presumption
           ,
           Confidence
           ,
           and
           Self
           Conceit
           ;
           let
           us
           extirpate
           all
           Pride
           and
           Arrogance
           ;
           let
           us
           not
           list
           our selves
           in
           the
           number
           of
           Capricious
           Opiniatours
           .
        
         
           V.
           
             Undue
             Apprehensions
          
           of
           a
           Deity
           joyn'd
           with
           Superstition
           are
           the
           high
           road
           to
           Atheism
           .
           Those
           that
           think
           amiss
           of
           God
           will
           easily
           be
           enclined
           to
           question
           his
           Existence
           .
           It
           is
           too
           true
           that
           men
           model
           the
           Divinity
           according
           to
           their
           own
           fancies
           :
           the
           Creature
           fashions
           his
           Creator
           .
           Or
           ,
           like
           him
           that
           engraved
           his
           own
           Image
           in
           that
           of
           the
           Goddess
           ,
           they
           shape
           themselves
           and
           
           figure
           out
           their
           own
           absurd
           notions
           and
           conceits
           ,
           whilest
           they
           pretend
           to
           give
           the
           Pourtraiture
           of
           God.
           Therefore
           imposing
           of
           false
           Doctrines
           concerning
           the
           Attributes
           of
           God
           is
           very
           pernicious
           ,
           for
           they
           are
           destructive
           of
           his
           very
           being
           and
           nature
           .
           It
           is
           no
           wonder
           that
           when
           these
           come
           to
           be
           scann'd
           and
           examined
           ,
           men
           doubt
           of
           the
           very
           existence
           of
           God
           ,
           because
           so
           irrational
           and
           absured
           things
           are
           attributed
           to
           him
           .
           They
           are
           loth
           to
           think
           there
           is
           such
           a
           One
           ,
           or
           they
           wish
           there
           were
           not
           .
           So
           that
           they
           endeavour
           to
           destroy
           that
           which
           they
           can't
           endure
           .
           Thus
           mistakes
           and
           misprisions
           concerning
           God
           lead
           to
           Atheism
           .
           False
           Conceptions
           of
           a
           Deity
           expunge
           at
           last
           the
           belief
           of
           one
           .
        
         
           And
           so
           't
           was
           of
           old
           in
           Paganism
           ,
           Idolatry
           was
           the
           great
           mother
           of
           Atheism
           :
           gross
           Superstition
           undermined
           
           the
           Godhead
           .
           It
           hath
           been
           falsly
           and
           blasphemously
           said
           that
           *
           Fear
           was
           it
           which
           first
           introduced
           a
           God
           into
           the
           world
           :
           but
           yet
           it
           is
           certainly
           true
           that
           This
           with
           some
           persons
           hath
           expelled
           the
           notion
           of
           him
           out
           of
           the
           world
           :
           for
           they
           being
           Timerous
           and
           Melancholick
           create
           to
           themselves
           strange
           fancies
           concerning
           Him
           whom
           they
           are
           to
           worship
           ,
           and
           represent
           him
           to
           their
           thoughts
           as
           Severe
           and
           Tyrannical
           .
           And
           the
           Gentile
           Priests
           and
           Rulers
           laid
           hold
           on
           this
           passion
           of
           Fear
           ,
           and
           did
           what
           they
           could
           to
           promote
           and
           heighten
           it
           ,
           that
           thereby
           they
           might
           keep
           the
           people
           in
           awe
           .
           To
           which
           purpose
           they
           invented
           Innumerable
           Rites
           and
           Ceremonies
           ,
           many
           of
           which
           were
           harsh
           ,
           troublesom
           and
           afflictive
           .
           So
           that
           Bigotry
           and
           Excess
           in
           Religion
           made
           way
           for
           none
           at
           all
           :
           and
           when
           they
           were
           
           wearied
           with
           the
           intolerable
           burden
           of
           it
           they
           cried
           out
           ,
           with
           that
           Nonsensical
           Atheist
           ,
           
             Tantum
             Religio
             potuit
             suadere
             malorum
             .
          
        
         
           Then
           Religion
           it self
           and
           the
           Author
           of
           it
           were
           discarded
           .
           This
           was
           caused
           by
           the
           
             Undue
             Representations
          
           which
           were
           made
           of
           God
           :
           the
           Priests
           would
           have
           the
           Superstitious
           Bigots
           believe
           that
           the
           
             Divine
             Numen
          
           could
           not
           be
           appeased
           without
           those
           wild
           Observances
           .
           This
           is
           that
           which
           Plutarch
           took
           notice
           of
           ,
           telling
           us
           that
           *
           from
           such
           gross
           ,
           absurd
           and
           extravagant
           Devotion
           men
           came
           to
           disregard
           a
           Diety
           ,
           and
           to
           conclude
           there
           is
           None
           rather
           than
           to
           believe
           there
           can
           be
           Such
           a
           one
           ,
           one
           that
           is
           delighted
           with
           so
           unaccountable
           Ceremonies
           and
           Usages
           .
           Therefore
           ,
           to
           shut
           out
           Atheism
           ,
           let
           us
           have
           right
           conceptions
           
           of
           the
           Supreme
           Being
           whom
           we
           worship
           and
           serve
           .
           It
           concerns
           us
           to
           assert
           rightly
           the
           notion
           of
           God
           ,
           lest
           otherwise
           we
           slide
           into
           a
           disbelief
           of
           any
           .
           Who
           misrepresenteth
           the
           Divine
           Being
           is
           in
           a
           ready
           way
           to
           deny
           him
           .
        
         
           VI.
           
             Corrupt
             Affections
          
           and
           Lives
           (
           for
           I
           will
           joyn
           both
           these
           together
           ,
           because
           they
           are
           never
           asunder
           )
           make
           men
           Atheists
           .
           Men
           of
           depraved
           minds
           and
           manners
           doubt
           of
           all
           Religions
           because
           they
           Like
           none
           ,
           and
           at
           last
           they
           flatly
           deny
           what
           they
           Love
           not
           .
           An
           Atheist
           first
           desires
           and
           wishes
           no
           God
           ,
           and
           his
           desires
           and
           wishes
           work
           on
           his
           Understanding
           .
           His
           Willingness
           to
           have
           it
           so
           enclines
           him
           to
           believe
           it
           .
           He
           easily
           credits
           what
           he
           longs
           for
           :
           his
           Affection
           corrupts
           his
           Judgment
           .
           Thus
           the
           indulging
           of
           Lust
           and
           Vice
           dispose
           a
           man
           to
           Atheism
           .
           To
           which
           purpose
           observe
           the
           Soil
           where
           this
           
           Poisonous
           Weed
           springs
           up
           ,
           grows
           ,
           and
           thrives
           most
           ,
           viz.
           in
           the
           Courts
           of
           Debauch'd
           Princes
           ,
           among
           such
           Nobility
           and
           Gentry
           ,
           and
           in
           Great
           Cities
           where
           vicious
           and
           prophane
           living
           is
           most
           in
           fashion
           .
           They
           are
           lewd
           and
           dissolute
           in
           their
           manners
           ,
           and
           give
           themselves
           up
           wholly
           to
           the
           satisfying
           of
           their
           Lusts
           :
           and
           this
           naturally
           prejudices
           them
           against
           the
           belief
           of
           a
           God
           and
           a
           life
           to
           come
           .
           Nothing
           doth
           so
           much
           extinguish
           all
           apprehensions
           of
           these
           as
           Carnal
           Pleasures
           .
           He
           that
           lives
           dissolutely
           and
           wickedly
           can't
           easily
           entertain
           the
           notion
           of
           a
           God
           ,
           for
           't
           is
           counter
           to
           his
           course
           of
           Living
           .
           Therefore
           he
           goes
           on
           in
           his
           Debauchery
           ,
           and
           huffs
           and
           swaggers
           ,
           and
           perhaps
           swears
           by
           the
           Divinity
           that
           there
           is
           none
           .
           It
           is
           plain
           that
           this
           sort
           of
           men
           decry
           a
           God
           ,
           because
           they
           would
           not
           be
           obliged
           by
           his
           Laws
           .
           Sensuality
           
           makes
           them
           desirous
           to
           remove
           all
           stops
           of
           a
           wicked
           life
           ,
           and
           therefore
           they
           whet
           their
           wits
           (
           such
           as
           they
           are
           )
           to
           annihilate
           Religion
           ,
           and
           to
           extirpate
           a
           Deity
           .
           An
           abhorrence
           of
           the
           Practical
           part
           of
           Piety
           engages
           them
           against
           the
           Theory
           .
           Their
           Lives
           influence
           on
           their
           Belief
           .
           They
           are
           addicted
           to
           Atheism
           by
           their
           Lewd
           and
           Prophane
           Courses
           .
        
         
           For
           we
           must
           observe
           this
           ,
           that
           these
           two
           mutually
           advance
           one
           an
           other
           .
           As
           Atheism
           is
           the
           highway
           of
           Wickedness
           (
           which
           the
           Psalmist
           takes
           notice
           of
           when
           he
           saith
           ,
           
             The
             fool
             hath
             said
             in
             his
             heart
             ,
             There
             is
             no
             God
             :
             Corrupt
             are
             they
             ,
             and
             have
             done
             abominable
             iniquity
             ,
          
           Psal.
           53.
           1.
           
           )
           so
           't
           is
           as
           true
           that
           Wickedness
           is
           the
           original
           of
           Atheism
           and
           Infidelity
           .
           For
           't
           was
           rightly
           said
           by
           a
           Great
           Man
           ,
           *
           
             None
             deny
             there
             is
             a
             God
             but
             
             those
             for
             whom
             it
             maketh
             that
             there
             were
             no
             God.
          
           For
           they
           know
           that
           if
           there
           be
           one
           ,
           he
           will
           certainly
           judg
           them
           for
           their
           evil
           doings
           .
           They
           cannot
           therefore
           be
           secure
           in
           their
           sins
           unless
           the
           notion
           and
           remembrance
           of
           a
           Deity
           be
           blotted
           out
           .
           It
           is
           their
           supposed
           Interest
           then
           ,
           not
           their
           Reason
           ,
           that
           makes
           them
           deny
           a
           God
           ;
           for
           it
           is
           their
           Concern
           to
           be
           perswaded
           ,
           that
           there
           is
           none
           to
           punish
           them
           .
           Briefly
           ,
           they
           are
           unwilling
           to
           believe
           any
           thing
           but
           what
           their
           Lust
           shall
           put
           into
           their
           Creed
           .
           Thus
           you
           see
           the
           true
           Reason
           of
           the
           Atheism
           of
           these
           times
           .
           It
           is
           fed
           and
           pamper'd
           by
           Luxury
           ;
           the
           constant
           Fumes
           and
           Steams
           of
           this
           affect
           the
           Brain
           ,
           and
           discompose
           the
           Intellect
           .
           Practical
           Atheism
           leads
           to
           that
           which
           is
           Dogmatical
           ,
           
             i.
             e.
          
           holding
           and
           believing
           that
           there
           is
           no
           God.
           Evil
           and
           perverse
           minds
           ,
           profane
           and
           debauch'd
           lives
           ,
           strangely
           
           byass
           and
           incline
           men
           to
           this
           .
           Wherefore
           if
           you
           would
           effectually
           shut
           out
           this
           Vile
           Perswasion
           ,
           take
           care
           to
           suppress
           your
           Evil
           Affections
           and
           Practices
           ,
           for
           these
           are
           wont
           to
           court
           mens
           understandings
           to
           turn
           Atheists
           .
        
         
           VII
           .
           Atheists
           take
           occasion
           from
           our
           
             Divisions
             ,
             Broils
          
           ,
           and
           Animosities
           ,
           from
           the
           many
           Parties
           and
           Squadrons
           of
           Sects
           that
           are
           in
           the
           World
           ,
           to
           bid
           defiance
           to
           all
           Religion
           ;
           and
           they
           resolve
           to
           profess
           none
           till
           they
           can
           see
           them
           all
           Agreed
           .
           Thus
           *
           Tully
           observed
           of
           old
           ,
           that
           the
           Dissentions
           of
           Philosophers
           ,
           the
           various
           Sentiments
           and
           Opinions
           that
           prevail'd
           among
           them
           were
           a
           cause
           of
           some
           mens
           denying
           a
           Deity
           ,
           at
           least
           of
           their
           staggering
           about
           it
           .
           And
           truly
           this
           Observator
           himself
           ,
           in
           his
           Books
           
             De
             Natura
             Deorum
          
           ,
           is
           so
           given
           to
           the
           Academical
           
           vein
           of
           Disputing
           ,
           that
           he
           seems
           sometimes
           to
           be
           irresolv'd
           whether
           there
           is
           any
           God
           or
           no.
           So
           it
           hath
           been
           among
           some
           of
           those
           who
           have
           taken
           upon
           them
           the
           external
           Denomination
           of
           Christians
           .
           The
           Differences
           in
           Opinion
           ,
           the
           Errors
           and
           Heresies
           which
           they
           take
           notice
           of
           ,
           cause
           them
           to
           suspect
           yea
           to
           renounce
           all
           Truth
           .
           A
           great
           deal
           of
           the
           Atheism
           of
           this
           present
           Age
           may
           be
           ascrib'd
           to
           this
           .
           Some
           behold
           the
           great
           Scufflings
           that
           are
           about
           Religion
           ,
           not
           only
           the
           Single
           Combates
           ,
           but
           the
           Pitch'd
           Batelts
           that
           are
           about
           it
           ,
           and
           thereupon
           they
           discard
           all
           thoughts
           of
           any
           such
           thing
           ,
           and
           become
           perfect
           Libertines
           .
           And
           herein
           they
           are
           promoted
           and
           push'd
           on
           by
           such
           persons
           as
           the
           Author
           of
           
             Fiat
             Lux
          
           and
           the
           
             Treatise
             of
             Humane
             Reason
          
           ,
           who
           both
           design
           Scepticism
           ,
           and
           so
           Atheism
           .
        
         
         
           But
           though
           it
           is
           thus
           ,
           though
           the
           Different
           Perswasions
           about
           Religious
           Matters
           have
           this
           ill
           effect
           ,
           yet
           this
           can
           be
           no
           true
           Reason
           why
           any
           man
           should
           renounce
           the
           Belief
           of
           a
           God.
           For
           he
           that
           is
           truly
           rational
           and
           considerate
           ,
           will
           rather
           make
           this
           an
           Argument
           of
           the
           contrary
           :
           for
           it
           was
           foretold
           by
           *
           Christ
           and
           his
           †
           Apostles
           ,
           that
           Errors
           and
           Delusions
           should
           be
           in
           the
           World
           ,
           and
           therefore
           the
           Fulfilling
           of
           these
           Prophecies
           be
           as
           witness
           not
           only
           to
           the
           Truth
           of
           the
           Writings
           of
           the
           New
           Testament
           ,
           and
           consequently
           of
           Christianity
           ,
           but
           of
           the
           Divinity
           it self
           .
           For
           things
           of
           this
           nature
           ,
           which
           depend
           wholly
           on
           free
           and
           arbitrary
           Causes
           ,
           cannot
           be
           foretold
           without
           Divine
           and
           Supernatural
           help
           .
           None
           but
           an
           All-seeing
           eye
           could
           have
           a
           prospect
           of
           
           these
           future
           Occurrences
           .
           The
           Predicting
           of
           such
           things
           to
           come
           is
           an
           Evidence
           of
           an
           Omniscient
           Deity
           .
        
         
           And
           then
           as
           to
           the
           thing
           it self
           ,
           why
           should
           any
           man
           think
           it
           Strange
           and
           Unaccountable
           that
           there
           are
           Dissentions
           in
           Christendom
           ?
           He
           may
           as
           well
           wonder
           that
           there
           are
           Men
           in
           the
           World
           ;
           for
           as
           long
           as
           these
           retain
           their
           nature
           ,
           
             i.
             e.
          
           are
           subject
           to
           Prejudice
           ,
           Love
           of
           Interest
           ,
           Passion
           ,
           Pride
           ,
           and
           the
           like
           ,
           there
           will
           be
           Errors
           and
           Heresies
           ,
           for
           these
           proceed
           from
           some
           of
           those
           ill
           Principles
           :
           and
           unless
           God
           should
           change
           the
           frame
           of
           the
           World
           ,
           and
           destroy
           the
           freedom
           of
           Man's
           will
           ,
           
             i.
             e.
          
           make
           him
           another
           Creature
           ,
           it
           cannot
           be
           otherwise
           .
           How
           unreasonably
           then
           do
           men
           question
           a
           God
           ,
           and
           cry
           out
           against
           Religion
           it self
           because
           they
           see
           so
           many
           of
           this
           sort
           of
           Disorders
           
           in
           the
           world
           ?
           Whereas
           it
           is
           certain
           ,
           that
           it
           is
           not
           the
           fault
           of
           Religion
           that
           things
           are
           thus
           ,
           but
           they
           are
           thus
           because
           men
           have
           so
           little
           Religion
           .
        
         
           Again
           ,
           the
           Cheats
           and
           Delusions
           that
           are
           in
           the
           world
           are
           useful
           for
           the
           Trial
           of
           Mankind
           ,
           that
           (
           as
           the
           Apostle
           saith
           )
           
             they
             who
             are
             approved
             may
             be
             made
             manifest
             ,
          
           1
           Cor.
           11.
           19.
           
           I
           do
           not
           say
           they
           were
           design'd
           for
           this
           (
           for
           no
           Evil
           is
           design'd
           by
           God
           )
           yet
           it
           is
           certain
           they
           are
           expedient
           for
           this
           purpose
           ;
           and
           there
           is
           no
           better
           way
           to
           have
           an
           experiment
           of
           the
           Upright
           Judgment
           ,
           Sincerity
           ,
           Faithfulness
           ,
           and
           Constancy
           of
           Persons
           ,
           than
           by
           their
           being
           expos'd
           to
           these
           Impostures
           .
           Lastly
           ,
           God
           deservedly
           Punishes
           men
           with
           erroneous
           and
           false
           Doctrines
           .
           2
           
             Thess.
             2.
             10
             ,
             11.
             
             Because
             they
             receive
             not
             the
             love
             of
             the
             truth
          
           (
           yea
           because
           they
           hate
           it
           ,
           and
           oppose
           themselves
           
           to
           it
           )
           
             and
             have
             pleasure
             in
             unrighteousness
             ,
             for
             this
             cause
             he
             sends
             them
             strong
             delusion
             ,
             that
             they
             shall
             believe
             a
             Lye
             ,
          
           and
           that
           they
           shall
           defend
           and
           maintain
           it
           .
           It
           is
           just
           with
           God
           to
           leave
           men
           to
           the
           Error
           and
           Blindness
           of
           their
           Minds
           ,
           and
           judicially
           to
           give
           them
           over
           the
           Atheistical
           Perswasions
           when
           they
           have
           wilfully
           debauch'd
           and
           abused
           their
           Faculties
           .
           This
           is
           the
           dreadful
           ,
           but
           just
           Judgment
           of
           God
           ;
           and
           I
           doubt
           not
           but
           the
           present
           Atheism
           of
           this
           Age
           is
           such
           .
        
         
           Thus
           it
           is
           evident
           that
           Errors
           and
           Dissentions
           about
           Religion
           are
           so
           far
           from
           being
           Arguments
           of
           the
           Non-Existence
           of
           a
           Deity
           ,
           that
           they
           are
           undeniable
           Proofs
           of
           it
           .
           Let
           not
           then
           the
           diversity
           of
           Sects
           and
           the
           Disputes
           of
           wrangling
           Heads
           (
           as
           particularly
           the
           late
           upstart
           Contrast
           between
           the
           Unitarians
           and
           Trinitarians
           )
           prejudice
           us
           
           against
           our
           Christian
           Faith.
           But
           let
           us
           rather
           be
           stirr'd
           up
           hence
           to
           hold
           fast
           the
           Principles
           of
           our
           Belief
           ,
           and
           to
           own
           a
           Deity
           when
           there
           are
           so
           many
           in
           this
           degenerate
           Age
           that
           deny
           it
           .
           And
           withal
           ,
           let
           us
           endeavour
           to
           banish
           Atheism
           by
           doing
           so
           to
           our
           Divisions
           :
           let
           us
           lay
           aside
           our
           Religious
           Squabbles
           ,
           and
           arrive
           at
           last
           to
           a
           happy
           Agreement
           in
           Doctrine
           ,
           that
           we
           may
           hereby
           cut
           off
           occasion
           of
           Atheistick
           Unbelief
           on
           this
           Account
           .
           However
           ,
           though
           in
           some
           Points
           we
           can't
           fully
           accord
           ,
           let
           us
           not
           be
           hot
           and
           firy
           against
           one
           another
           ,
           as
           if
           Charity
           were
           no
           Virtue
           with
           us
           .
        
         
           VIII
           .
           There
           is
           something
           more
           heinous
           than
           Divisions
           ,
           which
           frequently
           occasions
           Atheism
           ,
           and
           confirms
           men
           in
           it
           ;
           and
           that
           is
           ,
           the
           Hypocrisie
           and
           
             Evil
             Practices
             of
             too
             many
             that
             make
             a
             very
             fair
             profession
             of
             Christianity
             .
          
           Whilst
           it
           is
           observ'd
           
           that
           they
           talk
           Religiously
           ,
           and
           pretend
           to
           Holiness
           ,
           but
           do
           nothing
           of
           what
           they
           talk
           of
           or
           pretend
           to
           ;
           whilst
           it
           is
           seen
           that
           they
           have
           
             a
             form
             of
             godliness
             ,
             but
             deny
             the
             power
             thereof
          
           ;
           whilst
           it
           is
           evident
           that
           they
           cry
           
             the
             Temple
             of
             the
             Lord
             ,
             the
             Temple
             of
             the
             Lord
             ,
          
           and
           yet
           are
           unhallowed
           in
           their
           Lives
           ;
           whilst
           it
           is
           known
           that
           they
           lay
           claim
           to
           the
           Spirit
           ,
           but
           are
           Carnal
           and
           Sensual
           in
           their
           Manners
           ,
           and
           enterprize
           very
           vile
           things
           for
           their
           worldly
           Profit
           and
           Advantage
           ;
           in
           short
           ,
           whilst
           it
           is
           observ'd
           that
           the
           Behaviour
           of
           sundry
           of
           the
           avowed
           Professors
           of
           Christianity
           is
           unanswerable
           to
           their
           Principles
           ,
           there
           is
           a
           sort
           of
           men
           that
           for
           the
           sake
           of
           these
           ,
           presently
           conclude
           all
           to
           be
           Hypocrites
           ,
           and
           Christianity
           it self
           to
           be
           an
           Imposture
           .
           This
           then
           I
           grant
           ,
           that
           the
           Unbecoming
           Lives
           of
           Christians
           are
           an
           
             unhappy
             occasion
          
           
           of
           Atheism
           sometimes
           ,
           but
           they
           can
           never
           be
           alledged
           as
           a
           
             sufficient
             one
          
           .
           For
           what
           though
           there
           be
           mere
           Pretenders
           to
           Godliness
           ?
           doth
           it
           thence
           follow
           that
           there
           is
           none
           at
           all
           ?
           What
           though
           there
           are
           great
           numbers
           of
           Religious
           Impostors
           ?
           Must
           I
           therefore
           thence
           conclude
           that
           all
           Professors
           of
           Religion
           are
           an
           errant
           Cheat
           ?
           Then
           by
           the
           same
           Logick
           I
           may
           peremptorily
           infer
           ,
           that
           there
           is
           no
           such
           Metal
           as
           Silver
           ,
           because
           by
           too
           noted
           experience
           we
           find
           at
           this
           day
           that
           it
           is
           generally
           counterfeited
           ;
           and
           there
           is
           no
           such
           thing
           as
           True
           Coin
           ,
           because
           so
           much
           is
           adulterated
           amongst
           us
           .
           No
           man
           of
           sense
           will
           make
           these
           Conclusions
           :
           and
           't
           is
           as
           certain
           ,
           that
           he
           can
           with
           as
           little
           reason
           make
           the
           others
           .
           Let
           us
           not
           then
           be
           abused
           by
           unsound
           and
           fallacious
           Inferences
           :
           let
           us
           not
           think
           there
           is
           no
           Religion
           because
           
           there
           are
           so
           many
           Unworthy
           Retainers
           to
           it
           .
           Yea
           ,
           let
           us
           be
           fully
           convinced
           of
           this
           ,
           that
           though
           Christianity
           hath
           been
           ,
           and
           is
           to
           this
           day
           abused
           and
           sophisticated
           ,
           and
           thereby
           dishonoured
           ;
           yet
           it
           is
           a
           Reality
           ,
           and
           we
           may
           venture
           our
           Lives
           upon
           it
           .
           And
           seeing
           the
           Evil
           Deportment
           of
           some
           that
           profess
           Christianity
           is
           the
           greatest
           encouragement
           to
           Atheism
           and
           Vice
           ,
           let
           us
           all
           make
           it
           our
           great
           business
           to
           adorn
           our
           Profession
           with
           a
           holy
           ,
           strict
           ,
           and
           exemplary
           Conversation
           .
           Let
           our
           
             light
             so
             shine
             before
             men
             ,
             that
             others
             seeing
             our
             good
             works
          
           may
           be
           so
           far
           from
           denying
           ,
           that
           
             they
             may
             glorifie
             God.
          
           And
           let
           us
           pray
           for
           the
           arrival
           of
           that
           Happy
           Day
           (
           and
           I
           hope
           it
           is
           not
           very
           far
           off
           )
           when
           Religion
           shall
           universally
           bear
           sway
           upon
           Earth
           ,
           and
           when
           men
           shall
           be
           throughly
           convinced
           of
           the
           real
           Worth
           of
           Christianity
           
           from
           the
           Practices
           of
           those
           that
           profess
           it
           .
        
         
           IX
           .
           In
           the
           next
           place
           ,
           more
           particularly
           ,
           the
           Ill
           Examples
           of
           some
           who
           by
           their
           Office
           are
           
             Spiritual
             Guides
             and
             Instructors
          
           ,
           are
           mention'd
           as
           another
           great
           occasion
           of
           Irreligion
           and
           Atheism
           .
           It
           is
           necessary
           to
           take
           notice
           of
           this
           ,
           because
           it
           is
           alledged
           (
           but
           very
           frequently
           without
           ground
           )
           by
           the
           sworn
           Patrons
           of
           that
           Cause
           which
           I
           am
           now
           pleading
           against
           .
           They
           observe
           of
           some
           of
           this
           Order
           of
           men
           ,
           that
           they
           urge
           Virtue
           and
           Holiness
           with
           great
           Warmth
           and
           pathetick
           Zeal
           ,
           and
           yet
           are
           very
           cold
           ,
           yea
           wholly
           neglectful
           in
           the
           Practice
           of
           them
           ,
           and
           visibly
           favour
           those
           Vices
           and
           Enormities
           which
           they
           disswade
           others
           from
           :
           whence
           it
           is
           no
           wonder
           (
           say
           they
           )
           that
           these
           Persons
           are
           not
           believed
           to
           be
           in
           good
           earnest
           ,
           yea
           that
           they
           
           are
           thought
           not
           to
           believe
           themselves
           ,
           
             i.
             e.
          
           to
           be
           really
           perswaded
           that
           those
           things
           are
           true
           which
           they
           discourse
           of
           ;
           for
           it
           is
           seen
           ,
           that
           their
           Lives
           wholly
           contradict
           their
           Doctrine
           .
           Whence
           this
           rash
           Conclusion
           is
           made
           ,
           that
           Preaching
           is
           a
           meer
           Trade
           ,
           that
           the
           Ministerial
           Function
           is
           a
           Cheat
           ,
           and
           that
           Religion
           it self
           is
           so
           too
           ,
           and
           that
           a
           Deity
           is
           no
           other
           .
           Thus
           where
           is
           there
           more
           of
           Atheism
           than
           in
           Italy
           ,
           the
           Pope's
           own
           Soil
           ,
           part
           of
           which
           is
           call'd
           
             Holy
             Land
          
           ?
           Which
           the
           Observing
           *
           Author
           of
           
             Europae
             Speculum
          
           (
           who
           had
           convers'd
           in
           his
           Travels
           with
           the
           Italians
           ,
           and
           knew
           them
           very
           well
           )
           attributes
           to
           the
           gross
           Wickedness
           of
           the
           
             Roman
             Clergy
          
           ,
           and
           particularly
           of
           the
           Popes
           and
           Cardinals
           ,
           of
           whose
           scandalous
           Speeches
           and
           Actions
           the
           people
           of
           that
           Country
           have
           a
           greater
           
           knowledge
           than
           others
           .
           They
           are
           not
           ignorant
           that
           several
           Popes
           were
           inclined
           to
           be
           Atheists
           ;
           as
           Paul
           3.
           when
           he
           was
           dying
           told
           the
           Standers
           by
           ,
           that
           he
           should
           now
           know
           three
           things
           ,
           viz.
           whether
           the
           Soul
           be
           immortal
           ,
           whether
           there
           be
           a
           Hell
           ,
           and
           whether
           there
           be
           a
           God.
           And
           Iohn
           23.
           (
           as
           is
           plain
           from
           that
           Council
           of
           Constance
           by
           whom
           he
           was
           deposed
           )
           profess'd
           that
           he
           look'd
           upon
           Religion
           as
           a
           Fable
           ,
           and
           God
           and
           the
           Soul's
           Immortality
           as
           such
           .
           And
           they
           dayly
           behold
           the
           lewd
           and
           dissolute
           Practices
           of
           some
           of
           the
           Cardinals
           and
           Prelates
           ,
           Abbots
           ,
           Monks
           ,
           and
           of
           their
           Parish-Priests
           ,
           which
           very
           thing
           (
           as
           the
           foresaid
           Author
           observes
           )
           makes
           them
           the
           most
           Irreligious
           People
           in
           the
           World
           ,
           yea
           causes
           them
           to
           defie
           
             all
             Religion
          
           for
           their
           sakes
           .
           Especially
           they
           conclude
           ,
           that
           there
           is
           nothing
           true
           and
           real
           in
           Christianity
           ,
           
           because
           so
           many
           of
           the
           eminent
           Pretenders
           to
           it
           and
           Assertors
           of
           it
           ,
           live
           continually
           in
           opposition
           to
           all
           Religious
           Principles
           and
           Practices
           ,
           and
           are
           seen
           to
           be
           guilty
           of
           the
           most
           horrid
           Impieties
           ,
           of
           the
           most
           execrable
           Villanies
           that
           are
           to
           be
           imagined
           .
           Their
           being
           so
           near
           to
           the
           
             Head
             of
             that
             Religion
          
           (
           as
           he
           is
           stiled
           )
           makes
           them
           averse
           to
           the
           whole
           kind
           .
           And
           this
           is
           
             in
             some
             measure
          
           the
           case
           of
           People
           in
           other
           Countreys
           ,
           where
           even
           the
           Protestant
           Faith
           is
           professed
           ,
           but
           is
           accompanied
           with
           the
           Scandalous
           Lives
           and
           Lewd
           Practices
           of
           some
           that
           are
           immediately
           concern'd
           in
           Holy
           things
           ,
           and
           whose
           Employment
           it
           is
           to
           direct
           others
           in
           Religion
           .
        
         
           But
           to
           speak
           impartially
           to
           any
           considerate
           Person
           ,
           this
           cannot
           yield
           an
           occasion
           of
           being
           Atheistical
           :
           for
           though
           the
           manners
           of
           some
           of
           the
           
           Sacred
           Function
           be
           offensive
           ,
           yet
           't
           is
           irrational
           and
           absurd
           to
           blast
           all
           Religion
           for
           their
           Misdemeanours
           .
           We
           do
           not
           read
           that
           our
           Saviour
           condemned
           the
           
             Iewish
             Church
          
           and
           
             Mosaick
             Law
          
           because
           of
           the
           Hypocrisie
           and
           Wickedness
           of
           the
           Chief
           Priests
           ,
           Scribes
           ,
           and
           Doctors
           of
           the
           Law.
           Nay
           ,
           he
           tells
           the
           People
           ,
           
             All
             that
             they
             bid
             you
             observe
             ,
             that
             observe
             and
             do
             ;
             but
             do
             not
             ye
             after
             their
             works
             ,
          
           Matth.
           23.
           3.
           
           As
           much
           as
           if
           he
           had
           said
           ,
           The
           Moral
           Law
           ,
           and
           all
           the
           Offices
           of
           Religion
           ,
           are
           not
           in
           the
           least
           discredited
           by
           the
           vicious
           Manners
           of
           some
           of
           your
           Teachers
           .
           Be
           careful
           that
           you
           imitate
           them
           not
           in
           their
           Practices
           ;
           but
           be
           very
           observant
           of
           the
           Holy
           Doctrine
           which
           they
           deliver
           ;
           entertain
           no
           ill
           Thoughts
           of
           it
           ,
           because
           of
           the
           corrupt
           Lives
           of
           your
           Guides
           .
           The
           like
           may
           be
           said
           now
           ;
           the
           Faults
           and
           Miscarriages
           
           of
           any
           Ecclesiastical
           Persons
           must
           not
           be
           charged
           on
           the
           Sacred
           Institution
           of
           Christ
           ;
           we
           ought
           not
           to
           think
           ill
           of
           Christianity
           for
           the
           disorderly
           Behaviour
           of
           any
           spiritual
           Officers
           in
           the
           Church
           .
           We
           see
           that
           there
           is
           no
           man
           refuses
           to
           follow
           a
           Learned
           Physician
           's
           Prescriptions
           and
           Rules
           concerning
           Health
           ,
           because
           he
           doth
           not
           observe
           them
           himself
           .
           Nor
           can
           the
           Spiritual
           Patient
           with
           any
           reason
           reject
           the
           Rules
           of
           Saving
           Health
           and
           Happiness
           ,
           though
           they
           are
           not
           observ'd
           by
           the
           Prescriber
           himself
           .
        
         
           But
           to
           be
           yet
           more
           plain
           with
           the
           Persons
           I
           am
           now
           dealing
           with
           ,
           they
           (
           of
           all
           men
           )
           cannot
           with
           any
           tolerable
           pretence
           make
           use
           of
           this
           Plea
           :
           they
           cannot
           complain
           of
           the
           Lives
           of
           the
           Clergy
           as
           administring
           to
           their
           disregard
           of
           Religion
           ,
           for
           the
           more
           strict
           and
           religious
           any
           Church-man
           is
           ,
           the
           more
           is
           he
           despised
           
           and
           hated
           by
           them
           .
           A
           Pious
           Clergy-man
           is
           reckon'd
           by
           them
           a
           weak
           shallow
           Creature
           ,
           a
           fantastick
           Bigot
           ,
           and
           is
           laugh'd
           at
           as
           such
           .
           So
           that
           it
           is
           evident
           ,
           that
           what
           they
           alledge
           concerning
           the
           undue
           Behaviour
           of
           some
           that
           serve
           at
           the
           Altar
           ,
           is
           a
           more
           groundless
           Cavil
           ;
           for
           they
           would
           have
           all
           men
           as
           Wicked
           and
           Debauch'd
           as
           themselves
           .
        
         
           It
           must
           indeed
           be
           acknowledged
           ,
           that
           this
           is
           a
           great
           Scandal
           ,
           and
           of
           very
           pernicious
           consequence
           ,
           and
           such
           as
           is
           not
           to
           be
           permitted
           with
           impunity
           in
           the
           Church
           :
           but
           it
           is
           no
           excusable
           ground
           of
           Impiety
           and
           Atheism
           .
           However
           ,
           since
           it
           is
           so
           heinous
           in
           it self
           ,
           and
           is
           made
           by
           the
           perverse
           minds
           of
           many
           an
           Excuse
           for
           their
           Atheism
           ,
           it
           is
           the
           concern
           of
           all
           Christian
           Guides
           of
           Souls
           to
           be
           Examples
           to
           the
           Flock
           ,
           to
           conform
           their
           Lives
           with
           great
           Circumspection
           
           and
           Exactness
           to
           the
           Laws
           of
           Christ
           Jesus
           their
           Master
           ,
           and
           to
           take
           care
           to
           perform
           themselves
           whatever
           they
           require
           others
           to
           do
           .
        
         
           X.
           Unbelief
           of
           a
           God
           is
           occasion'd
           sometimes
           by
           the
           
             Strange
             Revolutions
          
           and
           Changes
           ,
           the
           
             Odd
             Events
          
           ,
           and
           
             Unaccountable
             Administrations
          
           that
           are
           in
           the
           World.
           Especially
           men
           are
           inclined
           to
           question
           God's
           Existence
           as
           well
           as
           his
           Providence
           when
           they
           behold
           the
           prosperous
           state
           of
           the
           most
           vicious
           Persons
           ,
           and
           on
           the
           contrary
           ,
           observe
           how
           miserably
           sometimes
           the
           Best
           men
           are
           treated
           in
           this
           Life
           ,
           and
           at
           Death
           are
           not
           at
           all
           differenc'd
           from
           the
           Worst
           ,
           but
           perish
           alike
           .
           Then
           you
           shall
           hear
           one
           cry
           out
           ,
           
             Quis
             putet
             esse
             Deos
          
           ?
           And
           another
           uses
           the
           like
           Language
           of
           the
           Poet
           ,
           
             
               Dum
               rapiant
               mala
               fata
               bonos
               ,
               —
            
             
               Sollicitor
               nullos
               esse
               putare
               Deos.
               
            
          
        
         
         
           But
           any
           understanding
           man
           ,
           who
           will
           take
           time
           to
           consider
           and
           deliberate
           ,
           will
           see
           that
           nothing
           of
           this
           nature
           can
           justly
           administer
           matter
           of
           Atheism
           .
           For
           is
           must
           be
           remembred
           ,
           that
           we
           are
           finite
           shallow
           Creatures
           ,
           and
           are
           not
           able
           to
           comprehend
           the
           Wise
           Designs
           and
           Purposes
           of
           Heaven
           in
           every
           Event
           that
           we
           see
           :
           and
           therefore
           when
           we
           meet
           with
           obscure
           and
           rugged
           Dispensations
           ,
           and
           such
           as
           seem
           to
           be
           very
           disorder'd
           and
           irregular
           ,
           we
           have
           no
           reason
           to
           find
           fault
           with
           them
           ,
           and
           to
           think
           them
           unworthy
           of
           God
           ,
           and
           of
           Divine
           Providence
           ,
           because
           we
           are
           not
           able
           to
           make
           a
           judgment
           of
           them
           .
           Those
           Events
           which
           seem
           to
           be
           excentrick
           and
           at
           random
           ,
           are
           guided
           by
           a
           steady
           unerring
           hand
           :
           but
           we
           have
           not
           depth
           of
           Apprehension
           to
           conceive
           it
           at
           present
           .
           But
           it
           may
           be
           afterwards
           ,
           when
           our
           minds
           are
           more
           enlightned
           ,
           
           we
           shall
           know
           how
           to
           solve
           these
           difficult
           Phoenomena
           .
           However
           ,
           at
           the
           last
           Day
           all
           these
           Intrigues
           ,
           these
           Knots
           ,
           these
           Labyrinths
           ,
           these
           Riddles
           ,
           shall
           be
           fully
           resolved
           ;
           and
           it
           shall
           be
           part
           of
           our
           employment
           in
           the
           other
           world
           ,
           to
           admire
           and
           adore
           the
           Infinite
           Wisdom
           of
           God
           in
           the
           disposal
           of
           the
           Affairs
           here
           on
           Earth
           .
           And
           particularly
           we
           shall
           then
           be
           satisfied
           ,
           yea
           we
           may
           be
           now
           ,
           concerning
           the
           foresaid
           Problem
           ,
           viz.
           the
           Prosperity
           of
           the
           Wicked
           ,
           and
           the
           contrary
           Circumstances
           of
           the
           Good
           ;
           for
           't
           is
           evident
           ,
           that
           these
           are
           according
           to
           exact
           Justice
           and
           Wisdom
           .
           God
           intended
           the
           former
           should
           
             have
             their
             portion
             in
             this
             life
             only
          
           ;
           and
           he
           designed
           the
           latter
           to
           be
           prepared
           for
           Heaven
           by
           those
           rougher
           dealings
           here
           below
           .
        
         
           Lastly
           ,
           
             Learned
             Times
          
           ,
           especially
           if
           accompanied
           with
           Peace
           or
           Prosperity
           ,
           
           are
           reckon'd
           by
           a
           *
           Judicious
           Person
           as
           another
           Cause
           of
           Atheism
           .
           Nor
           is
           this
           inconsistent
           with
           what
           I
           said
           before
           ,
           that
           Ignorance
           is
           the
           Mother
           of
           Atheism
           .
           For
           Learned
           or
           Peaceable
           times
           are
           only
           thus
           far
           conducible
           to
           this
           Great
           Evil
           ,
           that
           men
           are
           then
           generally
           too
           Inquisitive
           and
           Curious
           ,
           too
           Nice
           and
           Wanton
           ,
           and
           over-busily
           pry
           into
           Secrets
           ;
           which
           when
           they
           cannot
           satisfie
           themselves
           about
           ,
           they
           are
           inclined
           to
           be
           Atheistical
           ,
           and
           to
           doubt
           even
           concerning
           the
           chief
           things
           of
           Religion
           .
           Wherefore
           I
           question
           not
           but
           the
           starting
           and
           keeping
           up
           at
           this
           day
           the
           Debates
           about
           the
           Doctrine
           of
           the
           
             Holy
             Trinity
          
           are
           a
           great
           advancement
           to
           this
           evil
           disposition
           of
           mind
           .
           There
           are
           those
           who
           push
           on
           both
           Parties
           to
           wrangle
           and
           quarrel
           about
           this
           Grand
           Point
           ,
           and
           in
           the
           
           mean
           time
           laugh
           at
           the
           Combatants
           on
           both
           sides
           .
           Whilst
           they
           encourage
           some
           Writers
           to
           baffle
           the
           
             Trinity
             of
             Divine
             Persons
          
           ,
           their
           Project
           is
           to
           destroy
           the
           
             Essence
             it self
          
           .
           Whilst
           they
           put
           them
           upon
           maintaining
           the
           Unity
           of
           the
           Godhead
           ,
           they
           hope
           in
           the
           close
           of
           the
           Dispute
           to
           introduce
           a
           Nullity
           not
           only
           of
           the
           Deity
           ,
           but
           of
           all
           Religion
           .
           For
           by
           these
           Bandyings
           backward
           and
           forward
           ,
           they
           know
           that
           mens
           minds
           will
           be
           unsettled
           and
           that
           they
           will
           be
           apt
           to
           waver
           about
           the
           truth
           and
           certainty
           of
           the
           main
           Articles
           of
           our
           Religion
           .
           When
           Persons
           observe
           ,
           that
           the
           very
           Divinity
           of
           our
           Blessed
           Lord
           and
           Saviour
           is
           toss'd
           and
           torn
           by
           rude
           Pens
           ;
           when
           they
           see
           so
           Catholick
           a
           Doctrine
           attack'd
           with
           such
           Violence
           ;
           what
           can
           they
           think
           of
           the
           other
           great
           Verities
           of
           Christianity
           ?
           And
           withall
           ,
           the
           Anti-Trinitarians
           
           hereby
           provoke
           some
           of
           their
           Adversaries
           to
           an
           indecent
           sort
           of
           Language
           concerning
           these
           Holy
           Mysteries
           :
           so
           that
           some
           of
           these
           latter
           have
           hurt
           the
           Cause
           it
           may
           be
           almost
           as
           much
           by
           their
           Defending
           it
           ,
           as
           the
           others
           have
           by
           their
           Opposing
           it
           .
           Thus
           it
           must
           needs
           be
           when
           Persons
           immoderately
           indulge
           Curiosity
           in
           these
           Abstruse
           and
           Sublime
           Matters
           ,
           and
           will
           not
           be
           content
           with
           what
           the
           Bible
           and
           
             immediate
             Inferences
          
           drawn
           thence
           suggest
           to
           us
           .
           By
           this
           means
           they
           lose
           their
           hold
           ,
           and
           give
           their
           Antagonists
           a
           clear
           Advantage
           against
           them
           ,
           and
           manifestly
           promote
           the
           Design
           of
           those
           who
           make
           it
           their
           work
           to
           make
           void
           the
           Notion
           of
           a
           Deity
           .
        
         
           Nay
           ,
           in
           the
           very
           Socinian
           Doctrine
           it self
           there
           seems
           to
           be
           an
           Atheistick
           Tang.
           Would
           not
           a
           man
           guess
           that
           there
           is
           in
           approach
           to
           
           Atheism
           in
           those
           Reflections
           which
           are
           made
           on
           a
           Sermon
           preach'd
           by
           the
           Right
           Reverend
           Bishop
           of
           Worcester
           ,
           *
           where
           one
           of
           the
           most
           receiv'd
           Notions
           concerning
           the
           Nature
           of
           the
           Deity
           it self
           is
           cashier'd
           .
           The
           Self-Existence
           of
           God
           ,
           which
           is
           the
           Primary
           ,
           Fundamental
           ,
           and
           Essential
           Property
           ,
           and
           is
           the
           very
           Life
           and
           Soul
           of
           the
           explicatory
           part
           of
           the
           Doctrine
           of
           the
           Deity
           ,
           is
           peremptorily
           pronounced
           by
           them
           to
           be
           a
           Contradiction
           .
           It
           is
           well
           known
           ,
           Socinus
           ,
           and
           Crellius
           ,
           and
           others
           of
           this
           Party
           ,
           deny
           God's
           Immensity
           ,
           i.
           e.
           his
           being
           present
           every
           where
           as
           to
           his
           Essence
           and
           Nature
           .
           All
           of
           them
           agree
           ,
           that
           he
           hath
           not
           a
           Knowledge
           and
           Foresight
           of
           every
           thing
           that
           happens
           in
           the
           World
           ,
           for
           future
           Contingencies
           are
           hid
           from
           him
           .
           Particularly
           *
           Socinus
           largely
           argues
           against
           this
           Praescience
           ,
           and
           tells
           us
           ,
           that
           he
           is
           to
           be
           laugh'd
           at
           that
           asserts
           the
           contrary
           .
           Nay
           ,
           it
           is
           farther
           observable
           ,
           that
           this
           great
           Patriarch
           of
           the
           present
           Cause
           disowns
           the
           Immaterial
           or
           
             Spiritual
             Nature
          
           of
           God
           ,
           as
           may
           be
           undeniably
           gather'd
           from
           his
           †
           Exposition
           of
           Iohn
           .
           4.
           24.
           and
           other
           Passages
           in
           his
           Writings
           .
           And
           he
           is
           followed
           by
           Crellius
           ,
           as
           is
           manifest
           from
           that
           Account
           which
           this
           latter
           gives
           of
           a
           Spirit
           ,
           when
           ‖
           he
           speaks
           of
           the
           Nature
           of
           God.
           He
           doth
           not
           make
           it
           to
           be
           any
           thing
           above
           a
           
             refined
             body
          
           ,
           a
           
             substance
             void
             of
             all
             gross
             matter
             ,
          
           such
           as
           the
           Air
           or
           Aether
           is
           .
           So
           that
           when
           these
           men
           call
           God
           a
           Spirit
           ,
           their
           meaning
           is
           ,
           that
           he
           is
           a
           Fine
           and
           Tenuious
           
           sort
           of
           Matter
           ,
           not
           that
           he
           is
           wholly
           Incorporeal
           ,
           and
           altogether
           free
           from
           Matter
           .
           This
           is
           the
           same
           with
           Mr.
           Hobbs's
           Corporeal
           God.
           Thus
           four
           of
           the
           Chief
           Attributes
           of
           the
           Deity
           ,
           viz.
           
             Self-Existence
             ,
             Omnipresence
             ,
             Omniscience
          
           ,
           and
           Spirituality
           ,
           are
           either
           in
           whole
           or
           in
           part
           rejected
           .
           Whereupon
           ,
           I
           ask
           this
           Question
           ,
           Whether
           these
           things
           do
           not
           discover
           a
           Tendency
           (
           to
           say
           no
           more
           )
           in
           the
           Anti-Trinitarians
           to
           that
           which
           I
           am
           charging
           them
           with
           ?
           For
           to
           assert
           a
           God
           ▪
           and
           yet
           to
           deny
           some
           of
           his
           Choicest
           Properties
           (
           whereby
           we
           know
           him
           to
           be
           God
           )
           is
           in
           effect
           the
           same
           with
           denying
           a
           Deity
           .
        
         
           If
           they
           distinguish
           between
           the
           English
           and
           
             Foreign
             Socinians
          
           (
           as
           I
           perceive
           they
           do
           )
           and
           tell
           us
           that
           the
           former
           do
           not
           assert
           the
           things
           before
           mention'd
           ,
           I
           answer
           ,
           the
           very
           
             English
             Prints
          
           avouch
           the
           first
           
           of
           those
           Particulars
           :
           and
           as
           for
           the
           rest
           ,
           they
           being
           the
           Doctrine
           of
           the
           
             Chief
             Patrons
          
           of
           the
           Socinian
           Cause
           ,
           yea
           and
           of
           the
           Most
           of
           them
           ,
           the
           English
           Unitarians
           are
           involved
           in
           them
           ,
           because
           those
           Foreigners
           are
           the
           greatest
           and
           most
           substantial
           part
           of
           that
           Body
           of
           men
           call'd
           Socinians
           .
           Thus
           the
           
             Trinitarian
             Scheme
             of
             Religion
          
           ,
           drawn
           up
           by
           some
           English
           Socinians
           of
           late
           is
           thought
           by
           them
           to
           touch
           all
           the
           Trinitarians
           (
           else
           it
           could
           not
           be
           stiled
           the
           
             Trinitarian
             Scheme
          
           )
           though
           every
           individual
           Trinitarian
           doth
           not
           hold
           all
           those
           things
           mentioned
           there
           .
           Let
           them
           apply
           this
           ,
           and
           they
           will
           have
           nothing
           to
           object
           .
        
         
           And
           further
           ,
           I
           would
           argue
           from
           their
           own
           avowed
           Principle
           ,
           which
           is
           that
           
             they
             are
             to
             admit
             of
             nothing
             but
             what
             is
             exactly
             adjusted
             to
             Nature's
             and
             Reason's
             Light
             ,
             nothing
             but
             what
             is
             entirely
             clear
             and
             evident
             :
          
           
           for
           though
           it
           is
           true
           some
           Socinian
           Writers
           of
           late
           have
           laid
           aside
           this
           Notion
           (
           and
           truly
           we
           may
           observe
           that
           they
           are
           shifting
           every
           day
           their
           Arguments
           ,
           and
           so
           we
           know
           not
           where
           to
           have
           them
           )
           yet
           he
           that
           is
           acquainted
           with
           the
           Writings
           that
           make
           up
           the
           main
           Body
           of
           Socinianism
           knows
           full
           well
           that
           this
           is
           a
           Principle
           constantly
           asserted
           and
           maintain'd
           by
           the
           generality
           of
           them
           ,
           and
           upon
           all
           occasions
           insisted
           upon
           .
           This
           hath
           been
           the
           Stanch
           Notion
           of
           the
           Great
           Dons
           of
           the
           Party
           ,
           and
           of
           the
           famous
           Socinus
           himself
           .
           And
           Slicktingius
           ,
           though
           he
           seems
           indeed
           sometimes
           to
           be
           otherwise
           perswaded
           ,
           yet
           comes
           to
           this
           at
           last
           ,
           that
           the
           Trinity
           is
           a
           Doctrine
           that
           
             can't
             be
             borne
          
           ,
           because
           
             it
             can't
             be
             understood
          
           .
           And
           why
           do
           *
           *
           Crellius
           and
           others
           argue
           from
           Reason
           
           and
           Logical
           Arguments
           against
           the
           Trinity
           ,
           if
           they
           do
           not
           refuse
           the
           Doctrine
           upon
           the
           account
           of
           Reason
           ?
           And
           it
           is
           certain
           they
           would
           not
           do
           this
           if
           they
           were
           not
           perswaded
           that
           these
           things
           in
           Religion
           must
           be
           adjusted
           to
           Natural
           Reason
           ,
           and
           that
           they
           are
           displeased
           with
           the
           Doctrine
           of
           the
           Trinity
           and
           Incarnation
           ,
           &c.
           because
           these
           are
           not
           exactly
           squared
           to
           their
           Natural
           Notions
           .
           You
           see
           then
           what
           is
           the
           sentiment
           of
           the
           Greatest
           Rabbies
           of
           this
           way
           ,
           and
           therefore
           we
           must
           make
           our
           estimate
           of
           the
           Socinian
           or
           Antitrinitarian
           Doctrine
           from
           these
           ,
           and
           not
           from
           one
           or
           two
           Modern
           Writers
           .
           This
           I
           think
           will
           be
           granted
           by
           all
           men
           of
           reason
           .
        
         
           But
           what
           if
           it
           doth
           appear
           that
           even
           the
           very
           English
           and
           
             Modern
             Socinians
          
           ,
           though
           they
           seem
           to
           wave
           this
           Principle
           ,
           do
           yet
           retain
           it
           ,
           and
           
           govern
           themselves
           by
           it
           ?
           Else
           why
           do
           they
           complain
           that
           *
           
             they
             have
             no
             conception
             of
             the
             Trinity
          
           as
           the
           Trinitarians
           represent
           it
           to
           them
           ,
           
             they
             cannot
             form
             an
             idea
             of
             it
             ;
             it
             is
             a
             notion
             that
             excites
             no
             idea's
             in
             their
             minds
             ;
             it
             is
             against
             Reason
             and
             Natural
             Light
             ?
          
           We
           are
           advised
           by
           the
           Modern
           Pen-men
           †
           
             to
             consult
             our
             Reason
             about
             the
             thing
             in
             question
             ;
             and
             if
             we
             do
             so
             ,
             we
             shall
             find
             an
             absolute
             impossibility
             in
             the
             Trinitarian
             Doctrine
             :
             our
             Reason
             will
             assure
             us
             that
             an
             Almighty
             Father
             and
             an
             Almighty
             Son
             are
             most
             certainly
             two
             Gods
             ,
             and
             that
             two
             Creators
             can
             be
             no
             other
             than
             two
             Gods
             :
             Therefore
             we
             may
             ,
             and
             we
             must
             infer
             that
             the
             explication
             of
             the
             first
             Verses
             of
             St.
          
           John
           
             's
             Gospel
             ,
             which
             advance
             such
             a
             Doctrine
             ,
             is
             certainly
             false
             .
          
           Again
           ,
           the
           
             English
             Socinians
          
           tell
           us
           that
           ‖
           
             the
             
             Doctrine
             of
             the
             Trinity
             clashing
             altogether
             with
             our
             natural
             idea's
             can
             be
             no
             matter
             of
             Revelation
             ,
             and
             therefore
             ought
             not
             to
             be
             believ'd
             .
          
           And
           hear
           their
           Final
           and
           Resolute
           Determination
           ,
           which
           fully
           speaks
           their
           absolute
           adherence
           to
           this
           Principle
           ,
           †
           
             We
             abide
             by
             this
             Argument
             ,
             here
             we
             fix
             our
             foot
             ,
             never
             to
             be
             removed
             ,
             that
             the
             inconsistence
             of
             the
             Trinity
             (
             as
             well
             as
             the
             Incarnation
             )
             with
             Reason
             and
             Natural
             Knowledge
             being
             undeniably
             evident
             ,
             therefore
             this
             Doctrine
             can
             have
             no
             real
             foundation
             in
             Divine
             Revelation
             ,
             that
             is
             to
             say
             ,
             in
             Holy
             Scripture
             .
          
           And
           we
           find
           that
           our
           
             English
             Unitarians
          
           *
           argue
           from
           Reason
           in
           this
           Point
           ,
           and
           they
           declare
           that
           they
           cannot
           believe
           it
           because
           Reason
           doth
           not
           teach
           it
           .
           Thus
           we
           find
           that
           the
           bottom
           of
           all
           is
           ,
           the
           Trinity
           and
           such
           like
           Doctrines
           are
           
           above
           their
           Reason
           ,
           and
           Natural
           Idea's
           ,
           and
           therefore
           they
           are
           no
           matter
           of
           their
           Faith.
           This
           is
           it
           which
           the
           Reverend
           Person
           before
           named
           charges
           these
           men
           with
           in
           a
           great
           part
           of
           his
           *
           Sermon
           :
           and
           certainly
           he
           would
           not
           have
           done
           it
           if
           there
           were
           no
           such
           persons
           in
           being
           .
           It
           is
           too
           plain
           that
           there
           are
           such
           ,
           and
           I
           think
           I
           have
           proved
           it
           from
           their
           own
           mouths
           .
           The
           sum
           of
           their
           Opinion
           and
           resolution
           if
           this
           ,
           that
           there
           is
           nothing
           difficult
           and
           abstruse
           in
           Religion
           ,
           and
           that
           they
           will
           not
           believe
           any
           thing
           in
           Christianity
           but
           what
           they
           can
           make
           out
           by
           Reason
           :
           otherwise
           it
           must
           be
           discarded
           presently
           .
        
         
           Now
           ,
           to
           apply
           this
           Principle
           of
           the
           Antitrinitarians
           ;
           we
           are
           assured
           that
           
             we
             cannot
             by
             searching
             find
             out
             God
             ,
          
           Job
           11.
           7.
           his
           
             Infinite
             Nature
          
           
           and
           
             Immense
             Essence
          
           are
           not
           commensurate
           to
           our
           Conceptions
           ,
           are
           not
           adjusted
           to
           our
           Idea's
           ,
           but
           are
           far
           above
           them
           :
           it
           is
           impossible
           that
           the
           Apprehensions
           of
           finite
           Creatures
           should
           reach
           these
           things
           :
           therefore
           according
           to
           the
           foresaid
           Principle
           ,
           the
           Unitarians
           are
           not
           obliged
           to
           believe
           any
           such
           things
           ;
           they
           must
           not
           admit
           of
           the
           Infinite
           Nature
           of
           God
           ,
           concerning
           which
           our
           Conceptions
           will
           always
           be
           obscure
           and
           unproportionate
           ;
           yea
           ,
           they
           cannot
           but
           infer
           from
           their
           own
           Maxim
           ,
           that
           God
           is
           an
           impossible
           Being
           ,
           at
           least
           that
           His
           
             Immense
             Nature
          
           is
           such
           .
           They
           cannot
           comprehend
           and
           conceive
           the
           Manner
           of
           the
           Immense
           and
           Infinite
           Presence
           or
           Knowledge
           of
           God
           ;
           therefore
           they
           must
           disown
           the
           things
           themselves
           .
           Thus
           by
           vertue
           of
           their
           own
           profess'd
           Principle
           ,
           the
           Godhead
           it self
           as
           well
           as
           the
           
           Trinity
           is
           shock'd
           by
           them
           :
           and
           consequently
           one
           would
           be
           apt
           to
           gather
           that
           a
           Socinian
           ,
           so
           far
           as
           he
           is
           led
           by
           this
           Principle
           ,
           is
           an
           Atheist
           ,
           or
           (
           lest
           that
           should
           seem
           harsh
           )
           one
           that
           favours
           the
           Cause
           of
           Atheism
           .
           For
           he
           may
           as
           well
           quit
           the
           belief
           of
           a
           God
           because
           of
           these
           Difficulties
           and
           Abstrusities
           in
           the
           Nature
           of
           God
           ,
           as
           renounce
           the
           Doctrine
           of
           the
           Trinity
           ,
           because
           there
           are
           some
           inexplicable
           and
           unintelligible
           things
           that
           accompany
           it
           .
           But
           because
           all
           men
           do
           not
           follow
           the
           natural
           Conduct
           of
           their
           Principles
           (
           the
           Divine
           Providence
           over-ruling
           in
           these
           cases
           )
           I
           do
           not
           here
           pass
           an
           Universal
           Censure
           ,
           I
           do
           not
           speak
           of
           every
           individual
           man
           ,
           nay
           I
           hope
           charitably
           concerning
           most
           of
           them
           .
           However
           ,
           it
           is
           to
           be
           fear'd
           ,
           that
           some
           are
           unhappily
           under
           the
           force
           and
           sway
           of
           the
           foregoing
           Principle
           ;
           and
           
           these
           are
           the
           Persons
           I
           speak
           of
           ,
           and
           no
           other
           .
        
         
           These
           things
           I
           freely
           and
           openly
           suggest
           .
           Which
           the
           Learned
           and
           Ingenious
           Gentlemen
           of
           the
           Racovian
           Perswasion
           cannot
           dislike
           ,
           unless
           they
           disapprove
           of
           themselves
           ,
           unless
           they
           disclaim
           their
           own
           Writings
           ;
           for
           they
           cry
           up
           in
           almost
           all
           of
           them
           (
           and
           in
           *
           one
           very
           lately
           )
           a
           Freedom
           of
           Discourse
           ,
           a
           Liberty
           of
           speaking
           their
           Thoughts
           ,
           which
           they
           applaud
           as
           a
           very
           Generous
           and
           Noble
           thing
           ,
           and
           much
           value
           themselves
           upon
           it
           .
           They
           cannot
           deny
           that
           to
           me
           which
           they
           allow
           of
           and
           magnifie
           in
           themselves
           ,
           especially
           when
           I
           most
           sacredly
           profess
           to
           them
           that
           I
           have
           sincerely
           delivered
           my
           Thoughts
           ,
           and
           spoken
           what
           I
           conceive
           to
           be
           the
           words
           of
           Truth
           and
           Soberness
           .
           Wherefore
           I
           expect
           to
           be
           approved
           of
           by
           Persons
           
           of
           their
           Ingenuity
           and
           Free
           Temper
           ,
           who
           (
           as
           I
           find
           )
           blame
           others
           (
           even
           some
           of
           the
           Clergy
           )
           for
           palliating
           and
           dissembling
           ,
           and
           not
           speaking
           out
           .
           I
           think
           they
           will
           not
           charge
           me
           with
           this
           Fault
           ,
           for
           I
           have
           acted
           according
           to
           their
           own
           Generous
           Principles
           :
           and
           I
           must
           tell
           them
           there
           is
           not
           a
           Friend
           of
           theirs
           in
           all
           their
           dear
           Eleutheropolis
           that
           is
           more
           disingaged
           and
           unbyass'd
           than
           I
           am
           .
        
         
           But
           though
           I
           have
           used
           a
           becoming
           Freedom
           ,
           yet
           there
           are
           some
           things
           that
           I
           omit
           ,
           because
           I
           would
           let
           the
           World
           see
           that
           I
           am
           not
           eager
           and
           lavish
           in
           blaming
           and
           censuring
           any
           Party
           of
           Men
           ,
           especially
           since
           it
           is
           suggested
           to
           me
           by
           some
           that
           are
           Learned
           and
           Sober
           of
           that
           Perswasion
           ,
           that
           it
           is
           hard
           that
           their
           Opinion
           should
           suffer
           for
           the
           
             Ill
             Consequences
          
           of
           it
           ,
           or
           for
           the
           Insincerity
           of
           any
           that
           profess
           it
           ,
           or
           
           by
           reason
           of
           the
           
             Rash
             indiscreet
             Passages
          
           which
           occurr
           in
           some
           of
           their
           late
           Writers
           .
           I
           do
           it
           likewise
           because
           I
           would
           give
           the
           World
           an
           Example
           of
           Moderation
           and
           Temper
           in
           this
           Disputing
           and
           Wrangling
           Age
           ;
           that
           it
           may
           be
           seen
           ,
           that
           whilst
           I
           remonstrate
           against
           the
           Errors
           and
           Mistakes
           (
           as
           I
           suppose
           them
           to
           be
           )
           of
           any
           Side
           ,
           I
           can
           forbear
           to
           publish
           the
           Aggravations
           of
           them
           ,
           and
           that
           I
           had
           rather
           the
           Truth
           should
           prevail
           than
           the
           Contrary
           Opinion
           ,
           or
           the
           Maintainers
           of
           it
           should
           be
           exposed
           .
           Finally
           ,
           I
           consider
           that
           it
           is
           improper
           and
           unseasonable
           to
           contend
           among
           our selves
           at
           home
           whilst
           our
           Armies
           are
           engaging
           the
           Enemy
           abroad
           .
        
         
           The
           Proper
           Antidote
           belonging
           to
           this
           Head
           of
           my
           Discourse
           is
           this
           ;
           Let
           us
           make
           a
           Difference
           between
           Finite
           Beings
           and
           that
           which
           
           is
           Infinite
           :
           for
           seeing
           there
           is
           such
           a
           Vast
           Difference
           between
           them
           ,
           we
           ought
           to
           observe
           it
           .
           We
           cannot
           form
           the
           same
           Conceptions
           of
           one
           and
           the
           other
           ;
           yea
           the
           latter
           is
           exalted
           above
           our
           reach
           and
           comprehension
           ;
           wherefore
           let
           us
           be
           satisfied
           ,
           that
           the
           Properties
           of
           an
           Infinite
           Being
           (
           such
           as
           God
           is
           )
           are
           incomprehensible
           ,
           and
           therefore
           that
           may
           be
           possible
           in
           the
           Infinite
           Nature
           of
           God
           (
           as
           namely
           that
           it
           is
           communicable
           to
           Three
           Distinct
           Persons
           )
           which
           is
           impossible
           in
           the
           Finite
           Nature
           of
           Man
           or
           other
           Creatures
           .
           Let
           us
           attend
           to
           that
           which
           may
           be
           known
           ,
           and
           that
           clearly
           and
           distinctly
           ,
           and
           not
           trouble
           our
           thoughts
           and
           wrack
           our
           brains
           about
           Unsearchable
           Mysteries
           .
           A
           Lover
           of
           Peace
           as
           well
           as
           Truth
           should
           not
           be
           so
           much
           sollicitous
           about
           the
           
             Manner
             of
             the
             Three
             Personalities
             or
             Subsistencies
          
           as
           about
           
           the
           
             Trinity
             it self
          
           .
           We
           are
           sure
           of
           the
           latter
           ,
           as
           sure
           as
           the
           Scripture
           can
           make
           us
           ;
           therefore
           it
           doth
           not
           become
           us
           to
           wrangle
           about
           the
           former
           ;
           especially
           when
           we
           find
           that
           ill-minded
           men
           make
           use
           of
           this
           Quarrel
           to
           promote
           the
           Cause
           of
           Atheism
           ;
           and
           truly
           they
           make
           advances
           towards
           it
           every
           day
           .
        
         
           I
           proceed
           to
           Other
           Doctrines
           which
           administer
           to
           this
           Great
           Evil
           which
           I
           have
           been
           speaking
           of
           ,
           and
           which
           may
           justly
           be
           reckoned
           among
           the
           Blemishes
           of
           these
           Inquisitive
           Times
           .
           Such
           is
           that
           of
           a
           *
           late
           Writer
           ,
           that
           the
           Books
           of
           the
           Old
           Testament
           were
           not
           written
           by
           those
           Persons
           whose
           Names
           they
           bear
           ,
           that
           the
           Historical
           parts
           of
           the
           Bible
           are
           lame
           and
           imperfect
           ,
           and
           repugnant
           to
           themselves
           ;
           that
           the
           Writings
           were
           not
           carefully
           and
           faithfully
           transmitted
           to
           us
           ,
           but
           
           abound
           with
           many
           faults
           and
           mistakes
           ,
           that
           the
           Books
           of
           the
           Prophets
           are
           mere
           scraps
           and
           fragments
           ,
           and
           taken
           without
           order
           and
           method
           from
           other
           Writings
           .
           All
           which
           put
           together
           ,
           destroys
           the
           Authority
           of
           Divine
           Revelation
           ,
           and
           consequently
           of
           all
           Reveal'd
           Religion
           ,
           from
           whence
           we
           have
           the
           strongest
           and
           most
           pregnant
           Arguments
           for
           a
           Deity
           .
        
         
           Again
           ,
           The
           same
           Design
           is
           advanced
           in
           these
           
             Learned
             Times
          
           by
           thrusting
           of
           Opinions
           and
           Theories
           on
           the
           world
           in
           defiance
           of
           the
           plain
           Letter
           and
           
             Historical
             Part
          
           of
           the
           Bible
           :
           as
           if
           the
           Sacred
           History
           ,
           which
           was
           written
           by
           Inspired
           Men
           ,
           were
           not
           as
           credible
           and
           authentick
           as
           that
           of
           Prophane
           Authors
           .
           The
           frame
           of
           the
           
             Primitive
             Earth
          
           is
           represented
           opposite
           to
           what
           Moses
           tells
           us
           it
           was
           :
           the
           account
           which
           he
           gives
           of
           Paradise
           
           (
           as
           it
           is
           a
           Particular
           Place
           )
           is
           contradicted
           ,
           yea
           it
           is
           strongly
           averr'd
           ,
           that
           there
           never
           was
           any
           such
           thing
           .
           What
           Moses
           relates
           concerning
           our
           
             First
             Parents
          
           is
           laugh'd
           at
           as
           a
           Romantick
           Story
           .
           The
           Universal
           Deluge
           in
           
           Noah's
           time
           is
           attributed
           to
           an
           accidental
           diruption
           of
           the
           Earth
           ;
           which
           when
           scann'd
           ,
           is
           found
           to
           be
           fictitious
           and
           imaginary
           ,
           and
           thence
           the
           Deluge
           it self
           is
           concluded
           by
           many
           to
           be
           so
           ;
           and
           Moses
           is
           reckon'd
           by
           them
           as
           an
           Impostor
           .
           Which
           is
           taken
           notice
           of
           ,
           and
           thus
           animadverted
           upon
           by
           a
           Curious
           Observer
           ,
           and
           One
           who
           (
           as
           becometh
           so
           Learned
           an
           Head
           )
           joyns
           Religion
           with
           his
           Philosophical
           Researches
           ,
           *
           
             The
             Atheistical
             Party
             had
             hereby
             an
             occasion
          
           (
           saith
           he
           )
           
             boldly
             to
             give
             out
             that
             such
             a
             Deluge
             as
             that
             described
             by
          
           Moses
           
             was
             altogether
             incredible
             ,
             
             and
             that
             there
             never
             was
             ,
             nor
             could
             be
             any
             such
             thing
             .
             Nothing
             was
             talk'd
             of
             among
             them
             under
             Mathematical
             Demonstrations
             of
             the
             falshood
             of
             it
             ,
             which
             they
             vented
             with
             all
             imaginable
             Triumph
             ,
             and
             would
             needs
             have
             it
             that
             they
             had
             here
             sprung
             a
             fresh
             and
             unanswerable
             Argument
             against
             the
             Authentickness
             of
             the
             Mosaick
             Writings
             ;
             which
             is
             indeed
             what
             they
             drive
             at
             ,
             and
             a
             Point
             they
             very
             fain
             would
             gain
             .
          
           For
           if
           the
           Pen-man
           of
           the
           first
           book
           in
           the
           Bible
           be
           found
           tripping
           ,
           then
           the
           Credit
           of
           all
           the
           rest
           falls
           to
           the
           ground
           ;
           we
           may
           justly
           question
           their
           Fidelity
           ,
           yea
           deny
           whatever
           they
           say
           .
           And
           so
           the
           Bible
           falls
           ,
           and
           with
           it
           all
           our
           Religion
           ,
           and
           with
           that
           necessarily
           a
           Deity
           ,
           which
           is
           the
           thing
           ultimately
           aimed
           at
           ,
           I
           do
           not
           say
           by
           the
           first
           Hand
           from
           whence
           these
           Notions
           came
           (
           for
           I
           charitably
           hope
           better
           things
           of
           so
           Learned
           a
           Person
           ,
           especially
           since
           
           he
           hath
           shew'd
           himself
           not
           unwilling
           to
           retract
           them
           )
           but
           by
           those
           ill-minded
           men
           who
           make
           their
           Markets
           of
           these
           Opinions
           .
           All
           that
           I
           will
           add
           here
           is
           this
           ,
           that
           if
           (
           according
           to
           a
           Learned
           *
           Doctor
           of
           the
           Sorbon
           )
           
             it
             be
             a
             very
             dangerous
             Paradox
             to
             presume
             to
             deny
             that
             the
             Pentateuch
             was
             composed
             by
             Moses
             ,
          
           and
           accordingly
           Hobbes
           and
           Spinosa
           are
           condemn'd
           by
           him
           for
           using
           Arguments
           to
           that
           purpose
           ,
           then
           surely
           it
           must
           be
           much
           more
           dangerous
           and
           pernicious
           to
           hold
           that
           any
           part
           of
           
           Moses's
           Writings
           is
           mere
           Forgery
           and
           Fiction
           ,
           
             i.
             e.
          
           was
           designed
           only
           to
           comply
           with
           the
           Ignorant
           Iews
           at
           that
           time
           ,
           and
           doth
           not
           contain
           matter
           of
           fact
           .
           I
           have
           said
           something
           of
           this
           nature
           in
           another
           place
           ,
           and
           on
           another
           account
           ,
           but
           I
           never
           had
           occasion
           before
           to
           represent
           it
           as
           an
           unhappy
           Handle
           
           which
           Atheistically
           disposed
           Persons
           may
           lay
           hold
           upon
           .
           Wherefore
           let
           those
           who
           are
           Philosophically
           disposed
           take
           warning
           hence
           ,
           and
           forbear
           to
           prefer
           their
           own
           precarious
           Hypotheses
           before
           the
           plain
           Account
           which
           this
           Inspired
           Historian
           gives
           of
           those
           first
           things
           in
           the
           World.
           Let
           none
           presume
           to
           represent
           the
           Writings
           of
           this
           First
           Author
           as
           false
           ,
           in
           order
           to
           make
           their
           own
           true
           ,
           and
           thereby
           to
           gratifie
           the
           worst
           sort
           of
           men
           .
           I
           need
           not
           say
           more
           here
           ,
           because
           I
           have
           already
           antidoted
           against
           the
           Infection
           of
           these
           two
           last
           Heads
           ,
           viz.
           in
           those
           Discourses
           wherein
           I
           have
           treated
           of
           the
           
             Authority
             and
             Perfection
             of
             the
             Scriptures
             .
          
        
         
           In
           the
           next
           place
           ,
           Learned
           Enquirers
           are
           apt
           to
           give
           Encouragement
           to
           Atheism
           by
           
             an
             obstinate
             endeavouring
             to
             solve
             all
             the
          
           Phoenomena
           
             in
             the
             world
             by
             mere
             Natural
             and
             
             Corporeal
             Causes
             ,
          
           and
           by
           their
           averseness
           to
           admit
           of
           the
           aid
           and
           concurrence
           of
           a
           Supernatural
           or
           Immaterial
           Principle
           for
           the
           production
           of
           them
           .
           The
           
             Mechanick
             Philosophy
          
           hath
           done
           a
           great
           deal
           of
           mischief
           on
           this
           account
           :
           not
           but
           that
           (
           so
           far
           as
           it
           ought
           to
           be
           made
           use
           of
           )
           it
           is
           generally
           the
           most
           excellent
           (
           because
           the
           most
           plain
           and
           sensible
           )
           way
           of
           displaying
           the
           Operations
           of
           Natural
           Bodies
           :
           and
           it
           cannot
           be
           denied
           ,
           that
           since
           This
           hath
           been
           revived
           and
           entertain'd
           ,
           there
           hath
           been
           that
           Improvement
           in
           Natural
           Philosophy
           which
           never
           was
           thought
           of
           before
           ,
           and
           which
           could
           never
           have
           been
           attain'd
           by
           the
           Aristotelian
           way
           :
           yet
           this
           is
           to
           be
           said
           with
           truth
           and
           reason
           ,
           that
           the
           Great
           Reviver
           and
           Manager
           of
           it
           hath
           carried
           it
           on
           too
           far
           by
           undertaking
           to
           give
           an
           account
           of
           All
           Effects
           and
           Events
           in
           the
           production
           
           of
           Vegetables
           and
           Animals
           ,
           and
           in
           the
           very
           Formation
           and
           Organization
           of
           the
           Body
           of
           Man
           himself
           by
           mere
           Mechanick
           Principles
           ,
           thereby
           in
           a
           manner
           ascribing
           Divinity
           to
           Matter
           and
           Motion
           .
           This
           Great
           Philosophick
           Wit
           over-shot
           himself
           here
           :
           and
           though
           it
           is
           true
           he
           hath
           otherways
           (
           viz.
           by
           asserting
           the
           Notion
           of
           Souls
           or
           Spirits
           ,
           and
           by
           demonstrating
           the
           essential
           and
           real
           Difference
           from
           Bodies
           )
           made
           some
           part
           of
           amends
           for
           this
           ,
           yet
           there
           are
           many
           at
           this
           day
           who
           make
           very
           ill
           use
           of
           this
           Doctrine
           .
           Some
           take
           occasion
           thence
           to
           believe
           ,
           that
           Men
           as
           well
           as
           Brutes
           are
           no
           other
           than
           Engines
           and
           Machines
           ,
           mere
           Neurospasts
           and
           Senseless
           Puppets
           .
           Others
           build
           upon
           this
           Notion
           the
           Conceit
           of
           
             Thinking
             Matter
          
           ,
           for
           if
           Pores
           and
           Particles
           do
           all
           things
           in
           the
           
           Bodies
           of
           Brutes
           ,
           it
           is
           probable
           they
           serve
           instead
           of
           Souls
           to
           those
           of
           Humane
           Race
           :
           and
           so
           a
           Spiritual
           and
           Immaterial
           Principle
           is
           excluded
           .
           This
           Philosophy
           is
           
             Vain
             Deceit
          
           ,
           and
           too
           many
           are
           
             spoil'd
             by
             it
          
           .
        
         
           But
           they
           should
           consider
           that
           the
           Noble
           French
           Philosopher
           himself
           did
           not
           believe
           all
           that
           he
           wrote
           .
           Malebranch
           ,
           who
           was
           a
           great
           Admirer
           and
           Defender
           of
           him
           ,
           tells
           us
           ,
           that
           
             he
             never
             pretended
             that
             things
             were
             made
             in
             that
             manner
             that
             he
             describes
             them
          
           *
           .
           Yea
           ,
           we
           have
           Des
           Cartes's
           own
           word
           for
           it
           ,
           †
           
             I
             require
             not
             any
             one
          
           ,
           saith
           he
           ,
           
             to
             believe
             that
             Bodies
             which
             compose
             this
             visible
             World
             were
             ever
             produced
             in
             that
             way
             which
             I
             have
             represented
             them
             .
          
           It
           seems
           by
           his
           own
           Confession
           ,
           
           that
           he
           was
           not
           in
           good
           earnest
           in
           all
           the
           parts
           of
           his
           Philosophy
           ,
           and
           therefore
           we
           may
           gather
           that
           in
           some
           of
           the
           Particulars
           aforemention'd
           he
           only
           propounded
           his
           Conjectures
           .
        
         
           We
           might
           carry
           this
           Thought
           yet
           farther
           ,
           and
           observe
           that
           the
           generality
           of
           the
           Modern
           Philosophers
           (
           not
           only
           Cartesians
           ,
           but
           others
           )
           have
           contributed
           much
           to
           Atheism
           ,
           by
           referring
           All
           things
           ,
           not
           only
           in
           Organiz'd
           Bodies
           but
           in
           every
           part
           of
           the
           World
           ,
           and
           all
           the
           Phoenomena
           that
           we
           take
           notice
           of
           in
           it
           to
           a
           
             Corporeal
             Principle
          
           ,
           and
           to
           the
           Efficiency
           and
           Power
           of
           this
           alone
           .
           Whereas
           ,
           it
           is
           certain
           that
           there
           are
           many
           things
           which
           happen
           in
           the
           World
           that
           cannot
           be
           solv'd
           any
           other
           way
           than
           by
           the
           Superintendence
           of
           a
           
             Spiritual
             Being
          
           .
           There
           are
           several
           wonderful
           
           Occurrences
           which
           no
           man
           can
           give
           an
           account
           of
           ,
           but
           by
           supposing
           an
           Almighty
           Immaterial
           Agent
           ,
           which
           is
           no
           other
           than
           God.
           Thus
           we
           must
           be
           constrained
           to
           repair
           to
           an
           Incorporeal
           Principle
           to
           solve
           the
           Cause
           of
           the
           
             Seas
             constant
             Ebbing
          
           and
           Flowing
           ,
           and
           the
           
             Attraction
             of
             the
             Loadstone
          
           ,
           and
           the
           
             Hanging
             of
             the
             Clouds
          
           ,
           and
           many
           other
           Phoenomena
           in
           Nature
           :
           for
           the
           Accounts
           that
           are
           given
           are
           imperfect
           and
           inconsistent
           ,
           and
           do
           no
           ways
           satisfie
           any
           Serious
           Enquirer
           .
           A
           man
           that
           is
           not
           willing
           to
           be
           put
           off
           with
           slight
           and
           insufficient
           Suggestions
           ,
           cannot
           rest
           in
           them
           as
           true
           Causes
           of
           those
           things
           .
           Only
           Philosophical
           men
           will
           be
           assigning
           some
           Reasons
           of
           things
           ,
           whether
           they
           can
           or
           no
           :
           and
           this
           is
           an
           Inclination
           which
           is
           incident
           to
           the
           best
           and
           wisest
           Naturalists
           in
           all
           Ages
           .
           
           But
           they
           may
           as
           reasonably
           undertake
           to
           shew
           whence
           it
           is
           that
           the
           Sun
           hath
           its
           continual
           Motion
           from
           East
           to
           West
           ,
           or
           (
           as
           they
           would
           rather
           express
           it
           )
           why
           the
           Earth
           wheels
           about
           upon
           its
           Axis
           from
           West
           to
           East
           :
           which
           yet
           I
           do
           not
           see
           attempted
           by
           any
           Philosopher
           whatsoever
           ;
           and
           yet
           there
           is
           as
           much
           reason
           for
           the
           one
           as
           the
           other
           .
        
         
           So
           for
           Gravity
           ,
           that
           known
           affection
           of
           Bodies
           whereby
           they
           are
           inclined
           towards
           the
           same
           Common
           Center
           ,
           it
           seems
           not
           to
           be
           solved
           by
           any
           Principles
           of
           Mechanism
           that
           have
           hitherto
           been
           propounded
           ,
           whether
           it
           be
           from
           a
           kind
           of
           Magnetism
           in
           some
           parts
           of
           the
           Earth
           (
           as
           hath
           been
           imagin'd
           by
           some
           )
           or
           from
           the
           reflected
           Particles
           of
           the
           
             Celestial
             Matter
          
           driving
           down
           into
           their
           places
           the
           earthy
           
           bodies
           they
           find
           above
           them
           ,
           or
           (
           as
           they
           at
           other
           times
           are
           pleased
           to
           speak
           )
           from
           the
           
             pressure
             of
             the
             Atmosphere
          
           ,
           which
           moves
           all
           Bodies
           continually
           downwards
           ,
           because
           it
           doth
           it self
           press
           always
           towards
           the
           Earth
           :
           or
           whether
           it
           be
           (
           as
           the
           Learned
           
             Isaac
             Vossius
          
           holds
           )
           from
           the
           
             Diurnal
             Motion
             of
             the
             Earth
          
           ,
           whereby
           all
           heavy
           Bodies
           (
           which
           move
           with
           greater
           difficulty
           than
           light
           ones
           )
           tend
           to
           the
           middle
           or
           Center
           ,
           and
           light
           Bodies
           are
           expelled
           towards
           the
           Superficies
           or
           from
           the
           Center
           .
           But
           a
           man
           that
           would
           be
           very
           serious
           in
           Philosophizing
           ,
           can
           hardly
           acquiesce
           in
           any
           of
           these
           Solutions
           .
           He
           is
           not
           hereby
           satisfied
           how
           Non-gravitation
           can
           be
           and
           not
           be
           in
           a
           thing
           at
           the
           same
           time
           ,
           as
           in
           Water
           in
           the
           Sea
           or
           in
           a
           River
           :
           for
           it
           is
           heavy
           and
           presses
           down
           ,
           and
           yet
           the
           parts
           do
           not
           gravitate
           ;
           
           for
           't
           is
           known
           that
           those
           that
           dive
           ,
           and
           are
           under
           so
           great
           a
           heap
           of
           Waters
           ,
           yet
           feel
           it
           not
           upon
           them
           .
           Here
           must
           be
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           ,
           there
           must
           be
           acknowledged
           an
           other
           Cause
           besides
           those
           before
           mention'd
           (
           if
           they
           may
           be
           said
           to
           be
           Causes
           at
           all
           )
           .
        
         
           And
           accordingly
           I
           find
           that
           some
           of
           the
           most
           Judicious
           Philosophers
           of
           our
           own
           Nation
           have
           averr'd
           that
           a
           God
           ,
           a
           Divine
           Incorporeal
           Substance
           may
           be
           evinced
           from
           the
           Phoenomena
           of
           Gravity
           .
           This
           is
           made
           good
           by
           strong
           and
           nervous
           Arguments
           in
           an
           *
           Undertaking
           of
           the
           Learned
           Dr.
           More
           .
           †
           Another
           Ripe-witted
           Naturalist
           positively
           determines
           ,
           that
           
             the
             common
          
           Phoenomenon
           
             of
             Gravity
             is
             impossible
             to
             be
             explain'd
             by
             any
             natural
             operation
             of
             
             Matter
             ,
             or
             any
             other
             law
             of
             Motion
             but
             the
             positive
             Will
             of
             a
             Superiour
             Being
             ,
             so
             ordering
             it
             .
          
           And
           there
           is
           lately
           risen
           in
           our
           Horizon
           another
           Bright
           Philosophick
           Luminary
           ,
           from
           whom
           we
           may
           expect
           Great
           Discoveries
           :
           it
           is
           his
           frank
           Acknowledgment
           that
           this
           wonderful
           Property
           of
           Bodies
           ,
           whereby
           the
           World
           is
           tied
           and
           link'd
           together
           ,
           and
           all
           things
           in
           it
           are
           kept
           from
           running
           back
           into
           their
           First
           Chaos
           and
           Confusion
           ,
           and
           which
           consequently
           is
           necessary
           for
           the
           welfare
           ,
           yea
           the
           very
           subsistence
           of
           the
           Universe
           ,
           is
           supernatural
           .
           *
           
             No
             power
          
           ,
           saith
           he
           ,
           
             of
             mere
             Nature
             can
             produce
             it
             :
             it
             surpasses
             all
             the
             Mechanism
             of
             Matter
             .
          
           And
           in
           several
           other
           Instances
           which
           might
           be
           offer'd
           ,
           there
           may
           be
           seen
           a
           despair
           of
           resolving
           the
           nature
           of
           them
           by
           material
           Causes
           wholly
           .
           
           No
           meaner
           a
           Person
           than
           *
           Doctor
           Lower
           (
           who
           was
           voted
           by
           all
           the
           Faculty
           to
           be
           one
           of
           the
           most
           Accomplish'd
           Anatomists
           of
           this
           Age
           )
           imputes
           the
           wonderful
           
             Motion
             of
             the
             Heart
          
           ,
           and
           the
           
             Circulation
             of
             the
             Blood
          
           ,
           to
           a
           Divine
           and
           Supernatural
           Cause
           .
           He
           who
           was
           as
           well
           skill'd
           as
           any
           man
           in
           the
           Fabrick
           of
           the
           Parts
           and
           Vessels
           of
           the
           Body
           ,
           and
           knew
           all
           the
           Springs
           of
           their
           Actions
           and
           Operations
           ,
           was
           of
           opinion
           ,
           that
           these
           could
           not
           be
           solv'd
           by
           any
           ordinary
           Principle
           .
           I
           mention
           this
           only
           to
           let
           the
           Reader
           see
           that
           some
           of
           the
           Bravest
           and
           Wisest
           Philosophers
           are
           forward
           to
           own
           a
           Divine
           Hand
           even
           in
           the
           Common
           Works
           of
           Nature
           .
           They
           do
           not
           think
           it
           below
           a
           Man
           of
           Philosophy
           to
           resolve
           some
           things
           into
           an
           Immaterial
           Principle
           .
           For
           
           a
           Pious
           and
           Christian
           Philosopher
           may
           plainly
           discern
           that
           there
           are
           some
           things
           above
           the
           Efforts
           of
           Matter
           and
           Motion
           .
        
         
           It
           cannot
           be
           denied
           (
           whatever
           some
           are
           pleas'd
           to
           say
           to
           the
           contrary
           )
           that
           we
           live
           in
           as
           
             Learned
             Times
          
           as
           ever
           have
           been
           extant
           .
           All
           Arts
           and
           Sciences
           are
           improved
           even
           to
           a
           Prodigy
           ;
           and
           particularly
           the
           Accessions
           which
           are
           made
           to
           Philosophy
           are
           very
           great
           and
           astonishing
           .
           But
           yet
           I
           must
           needs
           concur
           with
           that
           very
           Thoughtful
           and
           Ingenious
           Gentleman
           before
           cited
           ,
           who
           hath
           most
           truly
           told
           the
           World
           ,
           that
           *
           
             without
             the
             notion
             and
             allowance
             of
             Spirits
             our
             Philosophy
             will
             be
             lame
             and
             defective
             in
             one
             main
             part
             of
             it
             ,
             when
             it
             leaves
             out
             the
             Contemplation
             of
             the
             most
             Excellent
             and
             Powerful
             part
             of
             the
             Creation
             ,
          
           
           viz.
           those
           Immaterial
           Beings
           .
           And
           herein
           he
           follows
           all
           the
           Great
           and
           Renowned
           Philosophers
           of
           our
           Age
           ,
           especially
           those
           of
           our
           own
           Country
           ,
           as
           Dr.
           More
           ,
           Sir
           
             Matthew
             Hale
          
           ,
           Dr.
           Willis
           ,
           Mr.
           Boyle
           ,
           Mr.
           Ray
           ,
           &c.
           who
           pretend
           not
           to
           solve
           all
           things
           in
           Philosophy
           by
           mere
           Natural
           Causes
           ,
           who
           look
           not
           upon
           Man
           as
           a
           piece
           of
           Clockwork
           ,
           but
           have
           frequent
           recourse
           to
           those
           Springs
           and
           Causes
           which
           are
           Spiritual
           and
           Incorporeal
           ,
           and
           sometimes
           to
           the
           immediate
           hand
           of
           the
           Almighty
           Himself
           .
           To
           conclude
           then
           ,
           let
           not
           the
           inestimable
           Blessing
           of
           Knowledge
           and
           Learning
           which
           is
           so
           peculiar
           to
           this
           Age
           ,
           make
           us
           forgetful
           of
           the
           Grand
           Source
           and
           Spring
           of
           all
           operations
           and
           effects
           in
           Nature
           .
           Let
           us
           beware
           of
           those
           men
           who
           ascribe
           all
           the
           Phaenomena
           in
           
           the
           world
           to
           the
           power
           of
           the
           modified
           matter
           ,
           and
           will
           leave
           nothing
           for
           God
           to
           do
           himself
           .
           Neither
           let
           us
           think
           that
           to
           Philosophize
           is
           to
           jar
           with
           the
           Sacred
           Writings
           ,
           and
           to
           deny
           the
           very
           Natural
           History
           of
           it
           .
           The
           Scoffers
           at
           a
           Deity
           never
           had
           a
           more
           hopeful
           Harvest
           then
           since
           these
           Notions
           have
           prevail'd
           .
           By
           this
           means
           it
           comes
           to
           pass
           that
           Philosophy
           ,
           which
           is
           the
           Study
           of
           Wisdom
           ,
           affronts
           the
           Truest
           and
           Highest
           Wisdom
           ;
           and
           even
           
             Natural
             Philosophy
          
           ,
           which
           is
           one
           of
           the
           Choicest
           Accomplishments
           of
           humane
           minds
           ,
           leads
           men
           even
           to
           the
           denial
           of
           the
           Author
           of
           Nature
           .
        
         
           No
           wise
           man
           will
           disapprove
           of
           a
           Latitude
           either
           in
           Philosophy
           ,
           or
           in
           the
           dubious
           and
           controverted
           Points
           of
           Theology
           :
           but
           then
           here
           he
           must
           be
           upon
           his
           guard
           ,
           for
           
           there
           are
           those
           that
           under
           the
           pretence
           of
           throwing
           off
           some
           precarious
           things
           in
           the
           Old
           Philosophy
           ,
           and
           discarding
           the
           empty
           Speculations
           of
           the
           Schools
           cast
           off
           those
           Principles
           which
           are
           useful
           and
           sound
           :
           under
           the
           notion
           of
           the
           Advancements
           of
           Arts
           and
           Sciences
           ,
           and
           the
           Improvement
           of
           the
           
             belles
             lettres
          
           ,
           and
           carrying
           Learning
           up
           to
           a
           greater
           heighth
           ,
           they
           in
           the
           mean
           time
           help
           to
           pull
           these
           down
           .
           Especially
           in
           Religion
           ,
           under
           the
           colour
           of
           searching
           further
           than
           others
           have
           done
           into
           Divine
           matters
           they
           abandon
           some
           of
           the
           choicest
           Principles
           :
           under
           the
           pretext
           of
           Reason
           and
           Good
           Sense
           they
           obtrude
           any
           New
           Conceit
           upon
           the
           world
           ,
           and
           regard
           not
           the
           suffrage
           of
           the
           Holy
           Scriptures
           or
           of
           the
           Primitive
           Church
           .
           This
           they
           call
           a
           
             Rational
             Religion
          
           ,
           and
           if
           
           you
           offer
           any
           thing
           against
           it
           ,
           they
           cry
           it
           down
           as
           a
           
             Dream
             ,
             a
             Romance
          
           ,
           a
           Fable
           ,
           a
           Phantom
           ,
           an
           Hobgoblin
           ,
           and
           (
           which
           is
           a
           word
           which
           they
           think
           comprehends
           all
           the
           rest
           )
           Priest-craft
           .
        
         
           And
           here
           I
           might
           observe
           that
           among
           the
           Opinions
           which
           lead
           to
           Atheism
           ,
           the
           denial
           of
           Daemons
           and
           Witches
           ,
           which
           *
           of
           late
           hath
           so
           much
           prevail'd
           ,
           is
           none
           of
           the
           least
           .
           For
           besides
           that
           this
           is
           an
           open
           defiance
           to
           unquestionable
           History
           ,
           Experience
           and
           matter
           of
           Fact
           ,
           and
           so
           introduces
           the
           worst
           sort
           of
           Scepticism
           (
           which
           is
           the
           high-way
           to
           Atheism
           )
           it
           is
           evident
           that
           this
           supplants
           the
           belief
           of
           
             Spiritual
             Beings
          
           or
           Substances
           :
           for
           Witchcraft
           and
           all
           Diabolick
           Transactions
           are
           disbeliev'd
           on
           the
           account
           
           of
           the
           improbability
           ,
           if
           not
           impossibility
           of
           Spirits
           .
           So
           that
           it
           is
           plain
           the
           rejecting
           of
           the
           being
           and
           commerce
           of
           Daemons
           or
           Infernal
           Spirits
           opens
           a
           door
           to
           the
           denial
           of
           the
           Deity
           ,
           of
           which
           we
           can
           no
           otherwise
           conceive
           than
           that
           it
           is
           an
           
             Eternal
             Spirit
          
           .
        
         
           There
           are
           
             Other
             Doctrines
          
           which
           advance
           Atheism
           ,
           and
           may
           be
           reckon'd
           among
           the
           Dangerous
           Luxuriances
           of
           these
           Inquisitive
           Times
           .
           Such
           is
           the
           vilifying
           of
           the
           
             Hebrew
             Text
          
           of
           the
           Old
           Testament
           ,
           the
           proclaiming
           it
           to
           be
           faulty
           and
           erroneous
           ,
           in
           order
           to
           establishing
           the
           
             Seventy's
             Version
          
           as
           only
           Authentick
           .
           Such
           is
           the
           building
           the
           Authority
           of
           the
           Books
           of
           the
           Old
           Testament
           on
           the
           pretended
           inspiration
           of
           certain
           
             Publick
             Scribes
          
           or
           Notaries
           among
           the
           Iews
           ,
           in
           imitation
           of
           such
           among
           the
           Egyptians
           ;
           
           the
           avouching
           that
           the
           Leaves
           or
           Volumes
           on
           which
           those
           Books
           were
           wrote
           are
           misplaced
           and
           put
           out
           of
           order
           ;
           the
           professed
           declaring
           that
           the
           
             Canonical
             Books
          
           are
           not
           the
           same
           that
           they
           were
           at
           first
           ,
           but
           that
           several
           words
           and
           passages
           are
           left
           out
           .
           All
           mere
           Fiction
           and
           Conceit
           ,
           unworthy
           of
           so
           Excellent
           a
           Genius
           as
           F.
           S's
           .
           Such
           also
           is
           the
           maintaining
           that
           the
           greatest
           part
           of
           the
           
             Religious
             Rites
          
           and
           Constitutions
           which
           God
           himself
           settled
           among
           the
           Iews
           were
           a
           Transcript
           of
           those
           that
           were
           in
           use
           among
           the
           
             Idolatrous
             Pagan
             Nations
          
           ,
           and
           that
           the
           All-Wise
           Lawgiver
           borrow'd
           those
           immediately
           from
           these
           .
           The
           two
           former
           of
           these
           Attempts
           null
           the
           Authority
           of
           the
           Sacred
           Writings
           ,
           and
           the
           last
           of
           them
           disparages
           not
           only
           them
           but
           the
           Blessed
           Founder
           of
           the
           Jewish
           
           Oeconomy
           .
           I
           speak
           not
           this
           as
           if
           any
           of
           these
           Opinions
           can
           be
           thought
           to
           be
           True
           Reasons
           on
           which
           a
           man
           may
           ground
           his
           disesteem
           of
           the
           Scriptures
           ,
           or
           of
           the
           Holy
           Doctrines
           contain'd
           in
           them
           ,
           or
           of
           the
           Sacred
           Inditer
           of
           them
           ;
           for
           they
           are
           the
           Sentiments
           but
           of
           a
           very
           few
           ,
           and
           of
           those
           whose
           Learning
           ,
           though
           it
           was
           exceeding
           great
           ,
           had
           not
           wholly
           conquer'd
           their
           Prejudice
           ,
           or
           freed
           them
           from
           Misapprehensions
           in
           some
           things
           .
           I
           cannot
           charge
           them
           with
           any
           direct
           design
           of
           favouring
           the
           Cause
           of
           Atheism
           ,
           but
           ill-disposed
           men
           have
           made
           use
           of
           their
           Notions
           to
           that
           purpose
           .
           Wherefore
           ,
           as
           we
           value
           the
           Reputation
           of
           our
           Religion
           ,
           and
           the
           Honour
           of
           the
           Divine
           Author
           of
           it
           ,
           let
           us
           be
           careful
           that
           we
           split
           not
           upon
           any
           of
           these
           Rocks
           ,
           nor
           endanger
           our selves
           on
           any
           of
           the
           
           Shallows
           before
           mention'd
           ,
           and
           thereby
           make
           Shipwrack
           of
           our
           Faith
           and
           Holy
           Profession
           ,
           or
           so
           endanger
           our selves
           that
           we
           can
           hardly
           be
           brought
           off
           again
           .
        
         
           I
           might
           in
           the
           last
           place
           take
           notice
           of
           a
           Plausible
           Conceit
           which
           hath
           been
           growing
           up
           to
           a
           considerable
           time
           ,
           and
           now
           hath
           the
           fortune
           to
           come
           to
           some
           maturity
           .
           Not
           to
           speak
           of
           its
           reception
           ,
           (
           if
           not
           its
           birth
           )
           among
           some
           Foreign
           Authors
           ,
           chiefly
           Socinians
           ,
           it
           seemed
           among
           our selves
           to
           be
           favour'd
           by
           that
           Learned
           ,
           but
           Wavering
           ,
           Prelate
           who
           writ
           the
           
             Liberty
             of
             Prophesying
          
           ,
           and
           afterwards
           by
           another
           of
           his
           Order
           who
           compos'd
           *
           
             The
             Naked
             Truth
          
           .
           Lately
           it
           hath
           been
           revived
           by
           the
           Author
           of
           
             the
             Naked
             Gospel
          
           :
           and
           since
           more
           particularly
           fully
           and
           distinctly
           it
           hath
           been
           
           maintain'd
           by
           the
           late
           Publisher
           of
           
             the
             Reasonableness
             of
             Christianity
             ,
             as
             deliver'd
             in
             the
             Scriptures
             .
          
           He
           gives
           it
           us
           over
           and
           over
           again
           in
           these
           formal
           words
           ,
           viz.
           that
           
             nothing
             is
             required
             to
             be
             believed
             by
             any
             Christian
             man
             but
             this
             ,
             that
             Iesus
             is
             the
             Messiah
             .
          
           He
           contends
           that
           there
           is
           no
           other
           Article
           of
           Faith
           necessary
           to
           Salvation
           ;
           this
           is
           a
           Full
           and
           Perfect
           Creed
           ,
           and
           no
           person
           need
           concern
           himself
           in
           any
           other
           .
           This
           takes
           up
           about
           three
           quarters
           of
           his
           book
           ,
           for
           he
           goes
           through
           the
           History
           of
           the
           Evangelists
           and
           the
           
             Acts
             of
             the
             Apostles
          
           ,
           according
           to
           the
           order
           of
           Time
           (
           as
           he
           thinks
           )
           to
           give
           an
           account
           of
           this
           Proposition
           .
           But
           yet
           this
           Gentleman
           forgot
           ,
           or
           rather
           wilfully
           omitted
           a
           plain
           and
           obvious
           passage
           in
           one
           of
           the
           Evangelists
           ,
           
             Go
             teach
             all
             nations
             ,
             baptizing
             them
             in
             the
             name
             of
             the
             Father
             ,
             
             and
             of
             the
             Son
             ,
             and
             of
             the
             Holy
             Ghost
             ,
             Mat.
          
           28.
           19.
           
           From
           which
           it
           is
           plain
           ,
           that
           all
           Proselites
           to
           Christianity
           ,
           all
           that
           are
           adult
           Members
           of
           the
           Christian
           Church
           ,
           must
           be
           taught
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           baptized
           ,
           into
           the
           Faith
           of
           the
           
             Holy
             Trinity
          
           ,
           Father
           ,
           Son
           ,
           and
           Holy
           Ghost
           .
           And
           if
           they
           must
           be
           taught
           this
           Doctrine
           (
           which
           is
           the
           peremptory
           Charge
           and
           Commission
           here
           given
           to
           the
           Apostles
           ,
           
             Go
             teach
          
           ,
           &c.
           )
           then
           it
           is
           certain
           that
           they
           must
           believe
           it
           ,
           for
           this
           Teaching
           is
           in
           order
           to
           Belief
           .
           This
           will
           be
           denied
           by
           none
           ,
           I
           suppose
           ,
           and
           consequently
           more
           is
           required
           to
           be
           believed
           by
           Christian
           men
           ,
           and
           Members
           of
           Christ's
           Church
           ,
           than
           that
           
             Iesus
             is
             the
             Messiah
          
           .
           You
           see
           it
           is
           part
           of
           the
           
             Evangelical
             Faith
          
           ,
           and
           such
           as
           is
           necessary
           ,
           absolutely
           necessary
           ,
           to
           make
           one
           a
           Member
           of
           the
           Christian
           Church
           ,
           
           to
           believe
           a
           Trinity
           in
           Unity
           in
           the
           Godhead
           ;
           or
           ,
           in
           plainer
           terms
           ,
           that
           though
           God
           is
           One
           as
           to
           his
           Essence
           and
           Nature
           ,
           yet
           there
           are
           Three
           Persons
           in
           that
           Divine
           Essence
           ,
           and
           that
           these
           Three
           Persons
           are
           really
           the
           One
           God
           :
           for
           we
           can't
           imagine
           that
           Men
           and
           Women
           should
           be
           required
           to
           be
           baptized
           into
           the
           Faith
           and
           Worship
           of
           any
           but
           the
           Only
           True
           God.
           This
           Epitomizer
           of
           the
           Evangelical
           Writings
           left
           out
           also
           that
           famous
           Testimony
           in
           
             Iohn
             1.
             1.
             
             In
             the
             beginning
             was
             the
             Word
          
           (
           Christ
           Jesus
           )
           
             and
             the
             Word
             was
             with
             God
             ,
             and
             the
             Word
             was
             God.
          
           Whence
           we
           are
           obliged
           to
           yield
           assent
           to
           this
           Article
           ,
           that
           
             Christ
             is
             the
             word
             of
             God.
          
           And
           there
           is
           added
           in
           Verse
           14.
           another
           indispensable
           Point
           of
           Faith
           ,
           viz.
           that
           the
           
             word
             was
             made
             Flesh
          
           ,
           i.
           e.
           that
           God
           was
           Incarnate
           ,
           the
           same
           with
           1
           
             Tim.
             
             3.
             16.
             
             God
             manifest
             in
             the
             Flesh.
          
           And
           it
           follows
           in
           the
           same
           Verse
           of
           this
           first
           Chapter
           of
           St.
           Iohn
           ,
           that
           this
           VVord
           is
           
             the
             only
             begotten
             of
             the
             Father
             :
          
           whence
           we
           are
           bound
           to
           believe
           the
           Eternal
           ,
           though
           ineffable
           ,
           
             Generation
             of
             the
             Son
             of
             God.
          
           Our
           Author
           likewise
           takes
           no
           notice
           that
           we
           are
           commanded
           
             to
             believe
             the
             Father
             and
             the
             Son
             ,
          
           Joh.
           14.
           10
           ,
           11.
           and
           that
           
             the
             Son
             is
             in
             the
             Father
             ,
             and
             the
             Father
             in
             the
             Son
             ,
          
           which
           expresses
           their
           Unity
           .
           This
           is
           made
           an
           Article
           of
           Faith
           by
           our
           Saviour's
           particular
           and
           express
           Command
           .
           And
           other
           eminent
           parts
           of
           Christian
           Belief
           this
           Writer
           passes
           by
           ,
           without
           having
           any
           regard
           to
           them
           ,
           and
           yet
           pretends
           to
           present
           the
           World
           with
           a
           Compleat
           and
           Entire
           Account
           of
           all
           that
           is
           the
           matter
           of
           our
           Faith
           under
           the
           Gospel
           .
           This
           cannot
           but
           seem
           very
           
           strange
           and
           unaccountable
           to
           any
           man
           of
           deliberate
           Thoughts
           ,
           and
           who
           expects
           Sincerity
           from
           a
           Writer
           who
           makes
           some
           shew
           of
           it
           ?
        
         
           But
           this
           is
           not
           all
           ;
           this
           Learned
           Gentleman
           ,
           who
           with
           so
           much
           industry
           amasses
           together
           Quotations
           out
           of
           the
           Gospels
           and
           the
           
             Acts
             of
             the
             Apostles
          
           ,
           yet
           is
           not
           pleas'd
           to
           proceed
           to
           the
           Epistles
           ,
           and
           to
           give
           an
           Account
           of
           them
           as
           he
           did
           of
           the
           others
           ;
           though
           the
           Epistles
           are
           as
           considerable
           a
           part
           of
           the
           
             New
             Testament
          
           as
           the
           Gospels
           and
           the
           Acts
           ,
           and
           the
           Pen-men
           of
           them
           were
           equally
           inspired
           by
           the
           Holy
           Ghost
           .
           Can
           there
           be
           any
           Reason
           given
           of
           this
           partial
           dealing
           ?
           Yes
           ,
           it
           is
           most
           evident
           to
           any
           thinking
           and
           considerate
           person
           that
           he
           purposely
           omits
           the
           
             Epistolary
             VVritings
          
           of
           the
           Apostles
           because
           they
           are
           fraught
           
           with
           
             Other
             Fundamental
             Doctrines
          
           besides
           that
           One
           which
           he
           mentions
           .
           There
           we
           are
           instructed
           concerning
           these
           Grand
           Heads
           of
           Christian
           Divinity
           ,
           viz.
           the
           Corruption
           and
           Degeneracy
           of
           Humane
           Nature
           ,
           with
           the
           True
           Original
           of
           it
           (
           the
           Defection
           of
           our
           First
           Parents
           )
           the
           Propagation
           of
           Sin
           and
           Mortality
           ,
           our
           Restoration
           and
           Reconciliation
           by
           Christ's
           Blood
           ,
           the
           Eminency
           and
           Excellency
           of
           his
           Priesthood
           ,
           the
           Efficacy
           of
           his
           Death
           ,
           the
           full
           Satisfaction
           thereby
           made
           to
           the
           Divine
           Justice
           ,
           and
           his
           being
           made
           an
           All-sufficient
           Sacrifice
           for
           Sin.
           Here
           are
           peculiar
           Discoveries
           concerning
           Christ's
           Righteousness
           ,
           and
           our
           Justification
           by
           it
           ,
           concerning
           Election
           ,
           Adoption
           ,
           Sanctification
           ,
           or
           the
           New
           Birth
           ,
           and
           particularly
           Saving
           Faith
           ,
           which
           is
           so
           signal
           
           a
           part
           of
           it
           .
           Here
           the
           Nature
           of
           the
           Gospel
           ,
           and
           the
           New
           Covenant
           ,
           the
           Riches
           of
           God's
           Mercy
           in
           the
           way
           of
           Salvation
           by
           Jesus
           Christ
           ,
           the
           Certainty
           of
           the
           Resurrection
           of
           Humane
           Bodies
           ,
           and
           of
           the
           Future
           Glory
           ,
           are
           fully
           displayed
           .
           These
           are
           the
           Matters
           of
           Faith
           contain'd
           in
           the
           Epistles
           ,
           and
           they
           are
           essential
           and
           integral
           parts
           of
           the
           Gospel
           it self
           :
           and
           therefore
           it
           is
           no
           wonder
           that
           our
           Author
           ,
           being
           sensible
           of
           this
           ,
           would
           not
           vouchsafe
           to
           give
           us
           an
           Abstract
           of
           these
           Inspired
           Writings
           ,
           but
           passes
           them
           by
           with
           some
           Contempt
           .
           And
           more
           especially
           (
           if
           I
           may
           conjecture
           )
           he
           doth
           this
           because
           he
           knew
           that
           there
           are
           so
           many
           and
           Frequent
           ,
           and
           those
           so
           illustrious
           and
           eminent
           Attestations
           to
           the
           Doctrine
           of
           the
           ever
           to
           be
           Adored
           Trinity
           in
           these
           Epistles
           .
        
         
         
           Nor
           is
           this
           any
           uncharitable
           conjecture
           ,
           as
           the
           Reader
           may
           easily
           satisfie
           himself
           if
           he
           takes
           notice
           that
           this
           Writer
           interprets
           
             the
             Son
             of
             God
          
           to
           be
           no
           more
           than
           the
           Messiah
           :
           he
           expounds
           Iohn
           14.
           9.
           
           &c.
           after
           the
           Antitrinitarian
           mode
           ,
           whereas
           generally
           Divines
           understand
           some
           part
           of
           those
           words
           concerning
           the
           Divinity
           of
           our
           Saviour
           .
           He
           makes
           Christ
           and
           Adam
           to
           be
           
             the
             Sons
             of
             God
          
           in
           the
           same
           senses
           ,
           viz.
           by
           their
           Birth
           ,
           as
           the
           Racovians
           generally
           do
           ,
           and
           so
           he
           interprets
           
             Luke
             1.
             35.
             
             Iohn
          
           5.
           26.
           according
           to
           their
           Standard
           .
           When
           he
           proceeds
           to
           mention
           the
           Advantages
           and
           Benefits
           of
           Christ's
           Coming
           into
           the
           world
           ,
           and
           appearing
           in
           the
           flesh
           ,
           he
           hath
           not
           one
           syllable
           of
           his
           Satisfying
           for
           us
           ,
           or
           by
           his
           Death
           purchasing
           Life
           and
           Salvation
           ,
           or
           any
           thing
           that
           sounds
           like
           
           it
           .
           This
           and
           several
           other
           things
           which
           might
           be
           offered
           to
           the
           Reader
           ,
           shew
           that
           he
           is
           all
           over
           Socinianized
           ;
           and
           moreover
           that
           his
           design
           was
           to
           exclude
           the
           belief
           of
           the
           Blessed
           Trinity
           in
           this
           Undertaking
           of
           his
           ,
           viz.
           to
           prove
           that
           the
           believing
           of
           Christ
           to
           be
           the
           Messiah
           is
           the
           only
           Point
           of
           Faith
           that
           is
           necessary
           and
           saying
           .
           All
           the
           other
           Articles
           and
           Doctrines
           must
           fall
           a
           sacrifice
           to
           the
           Darling
           Notion
           of
           the
           Antitrinitarians
           ,
           namely
           that
           Christ
           is
           not
           the
           True
           God
           ,
           and
           coessential
           with
           his
           Father
           .
           For
           the
           sake
           of
           this
           one
           Point
           they
           are
           all
           dispatch'd
           out
           of
           the
           world
           ,
           and
           are
           made
           by
           him
           Martyrs
           to
           this
           Cause
           .
           One
           could
           scarcely
           imagine
           that
           a
           person
           of
           Ingenuity
           and
           Good
           Sense
           should
           go
           this
           way
           to
           work
           .
           Which
           enclines
           me
           to
           think
           that
           the
           Ingenious
           
           Gentleman
           who
           is
           suppos'd
           by
           some
           to
           be
           the
           Author
           of
           this
           Treatise
           is
           not
           really
           so
           .
           I
           am
           apt
           to
           believe
           that
           the
           world
           is
           impos'd
           upon
           in
           this
           matter
           ,
           for
           in
           this
           present
           Attempt
           there
           are
           none
           of
           those
           Noble
           Strokes
           which
           are
           visible
           in
           that
           Person
           's
           Writings
           ,
           and
           which
           have
           justly
           gain'd
           him
           a
           fair
           repute
           .
           That
           Vivacity
           of
           thought
           ,
           that
           Elevation
           of
           mind
           ,
           that
           Vein
           of
           Sense
           and
           Reason
           ,
           yea
           and
           of
           Elocution
           too
           which
           runs
           through
           his
           Works
           are
           all
           extinct
           here
           :
           only
           he
           begins
           as
           't
           were
           to
           recover
           himself
           about
           the
           Close
           when
           he
           comes
           to
           speak
           of
           the
           Laws
           of
           Christian
           Morality
           .
           Some
           may
           attribute
           this
           Flatness
           to
           the
           Ill
           Cause
           he
           manages
           ;
           but
           for
           my
           part
           ,
           I
           question
           whether
           we
           have
           the
           right
           Author
           ,
           I
           can't
           perswade
           my self
           but
           that
           there
           is
           an
           
             Error
             
             of
             the
             Person
          
           :
           at
           least
           I
           will
           charitably
           presume
           so
           ,
           because
           I
           have
           so
           good
           an
           opinion
           of
           the
           Gentleman
           who
           writ
           of
           
             Humane
             Understanding
          
           and
           Education
           .
        
         
           But
           what
           is
           the
           ground
           of
           the
           foresaid
           Assertion
           ?
           What
           makes
           him
           contend
           for
           One
           Single
           Article
           ,
           with
           the
           Exclusion
           of
           all
           the
           rest
           ?
           He
           pretends
           it
           is
           this
           ,
           that
           all
           men
           ought
           to
           understand
           their
           Religion
           .
           And
           I
           agree
           with
           him
           in
           this
           ;
           but
           I
           ask
           him
           ,
           may
           not
           a
           man
           understand
           those
           Articles
           of
           Faith
           which
           I
           mention'd
           out
           of
           the
           Gospel
           and
           Epistles
           ,
           if
           they
           be
           explain'd
           to
           him
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           that
           One
           which
           he
           speaks
           of
           ?
           Why
           then
           must
           there
           be
           but
           One
           Article
           ,
           and
           no
           more
           ?
           But
           he
           ,
           notwithstanding
           this
           ,
           goes
           on
           ,
           and
           urges
           that
           there
           must
           be
           nothing
           in
           Christianity
           that
           is
           not
           plain
           ,
           and
           exactly
           
           level
           to
           all
           mens
           Mother-wit
           and
           common
           apprehension
           .
           For
           *
           
             God
             considered
             the
             poor
             of
             the
             world
             ,
             and
             the
             bulk
             of
             mankind
             :
             the
             Christian
             Religion
             is
             suited
             to
             vulgar
             capacities
             ,
          
           and
           hath
           only
           *
           
             such
             Articles
             as
             the
             labouring
             and
             illiterate
             man
             may
             comprehend
             .
             The
             Writers
             and
             Wranglers
             in
             Religion
             fill
             it
             with
             Niceties
             ,
             and
             dress
             it
             up
             with
             Notions
             ,
          
           (
           viz.
           the
           Trinity
           ,
           Christ's
           Satisfaction
           ,
           &c.
           )
           
             which
             they
             make
             necessary
             and
             fundamental
             parts
             of
             it
             .
             But
             the
             bulk
             of
             mankind
             have
             not
             leisure
             for
             Learning
             and
             Logick
             :
          
           and
           therefore
           there
           must
           be
           no
           such
           doctrine
           as
           that
           concerning
           the
           
             Trinity
             ,
             the
             Incarnation
             of
             the
             Son
             of
             God
             ,
          
           and
           the
           like
           ,
           which
           are
           above
           the
           capacity
           and
           comprehension
           of
           the
           Vulgar
           .
           And
           in
           the
           Entrance
           of
           his
           book
           he
           hath
           the
           same
           notion
           ,
           for
           he
           tells
           us
           that
           
           the
           Scriptures
           are
           
             a
             collection
             of
             writings
             designed
             by
             God
             for
             the
             instraction
             of
             the
             illiterate
             bulk
             of
             mankind
             ,
          
           (
           for
           he
           is
           much
           taken
           with
           this
           phrase
           ,
           you
           see
           ,
           
             the
             bulk
             of
             mankind
          
           )
           whereby
           he
           understands
           the
           Ignorant
           and
           Unlearned
           Multitude
           ,
           the
           Mob
           ,
           as
           he
           calls
           it
           in
           another
           place
           .
           Surely
           this
           Gentleman
           is
           afraid
           of
           
             Captain
             Tom
          
           ,
           and
           is
           going
           to
           make
           a
           Religion
           for
           his
           Myrmidons
           :
           and
           to
           please
           them
           he
           gives
           them
           as
           little
           of
           this
           kind
           as
           he
           possibly
           can
           ,
           he
           contracts
           all
           into
           One
           Article
           ,
           and
           will
           trouble
           them
           with
           no
           more
           .
           Now
           then
           the
           sum
           of
           all
           that
           he
           aims
           at
           is
           this
           ,
           that
           we
           must
           not
           have
           any
           Point
           of
           Doctrine
           whatsoever
           in
           our
           Religion
           that
           the
           Mob
           doth
           not
           at
           the
           very
           first
           naming
           of
           it
           perfectly
           understand
           and
           agree
           to
           .
           We
           are
           come
           to
           a
           fine
           pass
           indeed
           :
           the
           Venerable
           
           Mob
           must
           be
           ask'd
           what
           we
           must
           believe
           :
           and
           nothing
           must
           be
           receiv'd
           as
           an
           Article
           of
           Faith
           but
           what
           those
           Illiterate
           Clubmen
           vote
           to
           be
           such
           .
           The
           Rabble
           are
           no
           System-makers
           ,
           no
           Creed-makers
           ;
           and
           therefore
           away
           with
           Systems
           and
           Creeds
           ,
           and
           let
           us
           have
           but
           One
           Article
           ,
           though
           it
           be
           with
           the
           defiance
           of
           all
           the
           rest
           ,
           which
           are
           of
           equal
           necessity
           with
           that
           One.
           
        
         
           Towards
           the
           close
           of
           his
           Enterprise
           he
           hath
           a
           fling
           (
           and
           that
           a
           Shrewd
           one
           )
           at
           the
           Dissenters
           ,
           telling
           them
           that
           *
           
             their
             Congregations
             and
             their
             Teachers
             understand
             not
             the
             Controversies
             at
             this
             time
             so
             warmly
             manag'd
             among
             them
             .
          
           Nay
           the
           Teachers
           themselves
           have
           been
           pleas'd
           to
           make
           him
           their
           Confessor
           ,
           and
           to
           acknowledge
           to
           him
           that
           
           
             they
             understand
             not
             the
             difference
             in
             debate
             between
             them
             .
          
           Why
           ?
           because
           they
           (
           as
           well
           as
           the
           Conformists
           )
           have
           Obscure
           Notions
           and
           Speculations
           ,
           such
           as
           Iustification
           ,
           the
           
             Trinity
             ,
             Satisfaction
          
           ,
           &c.
           terms
           that
           all
           the
           
             bulk
             of
             mankind
          
           are
           unacquainted
           with
           :
           whereas
           Religion
           should
           have
           no
           Difficulties
           and
           Mysteries
           in
           it
           .
           The
           very
           Manner
           of
           every
           thing
           in
           Christianity
           must
           be
           clear
           and
           intelligible
           ,
           every
           thing
           must
           be
           presently
           comprehended
           by
           the
           weakest
           noddle
           ,
           or
           else
           it
           is
           no
           part
           of
           Religion
           ,
           especially
           of
           Christianity
           ,
           which
           yet
           is
           call'd
           the
           *
           
             Mystery
             of
             Godliness
          
           :
           but
           this
           being
           in
           the
           Epistles
           ,
           it
           is
           no
           great
           matter
           ;
           we
           are
           not
           to
           mind
           what
           they
           say
           .
        
         
           Thus
           we
           see
           what
           is
           the
           Reason
           why
           he
           reduces
           all
           Belief
           to
           
           that
           one
           Article
           before
           rehearsed
           :
           as
           if
           the
           other
           Main
           Points
           which
           I
           produced
           were
           not
           as
           
             easily
             learnt
          
           and
           understood
           as
           This
           ;
           as
           if
           there
           were
           any
           thing
           more
           difficult
           in
           this
           Proposition
           [
           The
           Father
           ,
           Son
           and
           Holy
           Ghost
           are
           One
           God
           ,
           or
           Divine
           Nature
           ]
           than
           in
           that
           other
           [
           Jesus
           is
           the
           Messiah
           ]
           .
           Truly
           if
           there
           be
           any
           Difficulty
           ,
           it
           is
           in
           this
           latter
           ,
           for
           here
           is
           an
           Hebrew
           word
           first
           to
           be
           explain'd
           before
           the
           Mob
           (
           as
           he
           stiles
           it
           )
           can
           understand
           the
           Proposition
           .
           Why
           therefore
           doth
           this
           Author
           ,
           who
           thinks
           it
           absurd
           *
           
             to
             talk
             Arabick
          
           to
           the
           Vulgar
           ,
           talk
           Hebrew
           to
           them
           ,
           unless
           he
           be
           of
           opinion
           (
           which
           no
           body
           else
           is
           of
           )
           that
           they
           understand
           this
           Language
           better
           than
           that
           ?
           Or
           ,
           suppose
           he
           tells
           the
           Rabble
           that
           Messiah
           signifies
           
           Anointed
           ,
           what
           then
           ?
           Unless
           he
           explains
           that
           word
           to
           them
           ,
           it
           is
           still
           unintelligible
           .
           So
           that
           it
           appears
           hence
           that
           this
           Article
           which
           he
           hath
           spent
           so
           much
           time
           about
           ,
           is
           no
           more
           level
           to
           the
           understanding
           of
           the
           Vulgar
           then
           that
           of
           the
           
             Holy
             Trinity
          
           ,
           yea
           it
           is
           not
           so
           much
           .
        
         
           To
           conclude
           ,
           this
           Gentleman
           and
           his
           fellows
           are
           resolved
           to
           be
           Unitarians
           ;
           they
           are
           for
           One
           Article
           of
           Faith
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           One
           Person
           in
           the
           Godhead
           ;
           and
           there
           is
           as
           much
           reason
           for
           one
           as
           the
           other
           ,
           that
           is
           ,
           none
           at
           all
           .
           But
           it
           doth
           not
           become
           me
           perhaps
           to
           pronounce
           this
           so
           peremptorily
           ,
           and
           therefore
           I
           appeal
           to
           the
           Judicious
           and
           Impartial
           Reader
           ;
           desiring
           him
           to
           judge
           of
           what
           I
           have
           suggested
           .
           But
           this
           I
           will
           say
           ,
           if
           these
           Learned
           men
           were
           not
           highly
           
           prejudiced
           and
           prepossessed
           ,
           they
           would
           discern
           the
           Evil
           and
           Mischief
           of
           their
           Assertion
           :
           they
           would
           perceive
           that
           when
           the
           Catholick
           Faith
           is
           thus
           brought
           down
           to
           One
           Single
           Article
           ,
           it
           will
           soon
           be
           reduced
           to
           none
           :
           the
           Unit
           will
           dwindle
           into
           a
           Cypher
           .
        
         
           The
           Proper
           Remedy
           here
           is
           to
           consider
           that
           it
           is
           unlawful
           *
           
             to
             add
             unto
             ,
             or
             diminish
             ought
             from
          
           the
           Written
           Word
           :
           yea
           ,
           a
           Curse
           is
           threatned
           against
           those
           that
           †
           
             add
             to
             or
             take
             away
          
           from
           the
           Scriptures
           ;
           for
           if
           it
           be
           criminal
           ,
           and
           deserves
           a
           Curse
           to
           deal
           thus
           with
           the
           book
           of
           Deuteronomy
           or
           of
           the
           Revelation
           ,
           then
           by
           the
           same
           reason
           those
           that
           
             add
             to
          
           or
           detract
           from
           any
           other
           part
           of
           the
           Holy
           Scriptures
           are
           undeniably
           guilty
           ,
           and
           are
           obnoxious
           to
           the
           Divine
           Plagues
           .
           I
           
           hope
           such
           as
           practise
           the
           latter
           will
           seriously
           think
           of
           it
           ,
           and
           for
           the
           future
           believe
           themselves
           concern'd
           to
           embrace
           All
           the
           necessary
           and
           fundamental
           Articles
           of
           Faith
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           One
           of
           them
           .
        
         
           Thus
           I
           have
           briefly
           discover'd
           the
           Springs
           and
           Sources
           of
           Atheism
           ,
           and
           I
           have
           endeavour'd
           all
           along
           (
           more
           or
           less
           )
           to
           stop
           them
           up
           ,
           and
           hinder
           the
           current
           of
           them
           .
           Now
           ,
           for
           the
           close
           of
           all
           ,
           let
           me
           add
           these
           Inferences
           from
           the
           whole
           ,
        
         
           I.
           We
           ought
           to
           bewail
           the
           spreading
           Atheism
           of
           this
           Age
           wherein
           we
           live
           .
           Of
           old
           there
           were
           but
           few
           that
           openly
           profess'd
           it
           .
           There
           are
           reckon'd
           up
           four
           several
           sorts
           or
           forms
           of
           Atheism
           by
           a
           late
           *
           Learned
           Writer
           ,
           viz.
           
             Anaximandrian
             ,
             Democritick
             ,
             Stoical
             ,
             Stratonical
             ,
          
           and
           yet
           
           there
           was
           scarcely
           one
           of
           these
           that
           was
           a
           downright
           denying
           of
           a
           God.
           Some
           have
           given
           
             Diagoras
             ,
             Theodorus
             ,
             Protagoras
          
           ,
           the
           title
           of
           Atheists
           ,
           and
           have
           thought
           them
           to
           be
           absolutely
           such
           :
           but
           others
           ,
           upon
           a
           strict
           search
           ,
           are
           of
           opinion
           ,
           that
           they
           deserv'd
           not
           that
           infamous
           Name
           ;
           yea
           ,
           they
           find
           that
           they
           were
           great
           Asserters
           of
           a
           Deity
           .
           The
           first
           of
           these
           was
           accused
           of
           Atheism
           ,
           and
           banish'd
           for
           it
           by
           the
           Athenians
           ;
           not
           that
           he
           denied
           a
           God
           ,
           but
           because
           he
           derided
           the
           Feigned
           Gods
           of
           his
           time
           ,
           whom
           the
           Athenians
           had
           such
           a
           reverence
           for
           .
           The
           second
           passes
           for
           an
           Atheist
           ;
           but
           those
           who
           have
           narrowly
           enquired
           into
           things
           tell
           us
           ,
           that
           he
           got
           that
           Name
           because
           he
           spoke
           against
           the
           Idolatrous
           Worship
           of
           the
           Grecians
           ,
           and
           had
           a
           kindness
           (
           it
           is
           probable
           )
           for
           another
           Religion
           :
           for
           
           being
           a
           Cyrenian
           ,
           and
           acquainted
           with
           King
           Ptolomee
           ,
           he
           came
           to
           have
           some
           Intercourse
           with
           the
           
             Iews
             of
             Alexandria
          
           ,
           and
           had
           some
           notice
           of
           the
           True
           God.
           The
           third
           was
           reputed
           and
           call'd
           by
           some
           an
           Atheist
           because
           he
           doubted
           of
           the
           Truth
           and
           Reality
           of
           the
           
             Gentile
             Gods.
          
           So
           Anaxagoras
           (
           another
           Greek
           Philosopher
           )
           was
           arraign'd
           for
           Atheism
           by
           the
           Athenians
           because
           he
           denied
           the
           Sun
           to
           be
           God
           ,
           and
           freely
           discours'd
           against
           the
           other
           Pagan
           Deities
           .
           Thus
           the
           malicious
           Accusers
           of
           Socrates
           represented
           him
           as
           an
           Enemy
           to
           the
           Gods
           :
           part
           of
           the
           Crime
           charged
           on
           him
           ,
           and
           for
           which
           he
           was
           condemn'd
           ,
           was
           his
           speaking
           against
           the
           Traditions
           and
           Fables
           of
           the
           Poets
           concerning
           the
           Gods
           ,
           and
           his
           declaring
           them
           to
           be
           lewd
           and
           wicked
           .
           To
           give
           this
           Great
           Man
           
           his
           due
           ,
           he
           was
           so
           far
           from
           being
           an
           Atheist
           ,
           that
           he
           died
           a
           Martyr
           for
           a
           Deity
           .
           Only
           to
           gratifie
           the
           Vulgar
           ,
           and
           that
           he
           might
           not
           go
           off
           unlamented
           ,
           after
           he
           had
           drank
           his
           Poison
           he
           requested
           his
           Friends
           to
           offer
           a
           Cock
           for
           him
           to
           Aesculapius
           .
           Some
           put
           Democritus
           into
           the
           Catalogue
           of
           the
           Ancient
           Atheists
           ,
           but
           if
           we
           read
           his
           Life
           in
           Laertius
           ,
           we
           shall
           find
           that
           they
           have
           little
           reason
           to
           do
           so
           .
           Lucretius
           is
           the
           most
           suspicious
           man
           of
           all
           ,
           and
           Lucian
           may
           be
           join'd
           with
           him
           ,
           the
           former
           a
           serious
           ,
           the
           latter
           a
           jocular
           Atheist
           .
        
         
           But
           it
           is
           sad
           to
           consider
           that
           the
           number
           of
           this
           sort
           of
           men
           hath
           been
           exceedingly
           augmented
           since
           .
           *
           
             David
             Perron
          
           undertook
           in
           the
           presence
           of
           King
           Henry
           the
           Third
           of
           France
           ,
           to
           prove
           that
           there
           is
           
           no
           God.
           Mersennus
           ,
           in
           his
           Commentary
           on
           Genesis
           ,
           tells
           us
           ,
           that
           in
           the
           Year
           when
           he
           wrote
           it
           ,
           viz.
           1623.
           there
           was
           a
           vast
           multitude
           of
           them
           in
           France
           :
           there
           were
           at
           least
           fifty
           thousand
           Atheists
           in
           the
           City
           of
           Paris
           at
           that
           time
           ,
           and
           in
           one
           house
           sometimes
           a
           dozen
           were
           to
           be
           found
           .
           A
           worthy
           *
           Author
           ,
           whom
           I
           had
           occasion
           to
           mention
           before
           ,
           acquaints
           us
           on
           his
           own
           Knowledge
           ,
           that
           Atheism
           was
           very
           common
           and
           rampant
           in
           most
           parts
           of
           Italy
           .
           Not
           to
           mention
           
             Machiavel
             ,
             Aretine
          
           ,
           &c.
           it
           cannot
           be
           denied
           that
           Vanenus
           openly
           declared
           and
           profess'd
           himself
           an
           Atheist
           ,
           and
           died
           so
           at
           the
           Stake
           .
           Indeed
           I
           am
           apt
           to
           suspect
           those
           who
           tell
           us
           there
           are
           scarcely
           any
           of
           this
           Perswasion
           in
           the
           World.
           Thus
           †
           one
           declares
           that
           
             he
             hath
             
             travelled
             many
             Countries
             ,
             yet
             could
             never
             meet
             with
             any
             Atheists
             ,
             which
             are
             few
             if
             any
             :
             all
             the
             noise
             and
             clamour
             is
             against
             Castles
             in
             the
             Air
             ,
          
           i.
           e.
           such
           and
           no
           other
           he
           fancies
           them
           to
           be
           .
           But
           to
           come
           nearer
           ,
           our
           Own
           Nation
           hath
           produced
           too
           many
           of
           this
           kind
           .
           Even
           in
           this
           Civilized
           Christian
           Protestant
           Country
           there
           are
           those
           that
           are
           infected
           with
           this
           Cursed
           Infidelity
           ,
           and
           defie
           all
           Religion
           and
           a
           God.
           It
           is
           an
           unquestionable
           Truth
           ,
           that
           there
           are
           in
           this
           great
           City
           of
           the
           Kingdom
           constant
           Cabals
           and
           Assemblies
           of
           Profess'd
           Atheists
           ,
           where
           they
           debate
           the
           Great
           Point
           of
           the
           Existence
           of
           an
           Infinite
           Spirit
           that
           governs
           the
           World
           ,
           and
           in
           the
           close
           determine
           in
           the
           Negative
           .
           I
           have
           sometime
           accidentally
           happen'd
           into
           the
           Company
           of
           ,
           and
           held
           Discourse
           with
           some
           that
           acknowledge
           they
           belong
           to
           that
           Society
           ;
           and
           
           they
           have
           not
           been
           ashamed
           to
           own
           whatever
           is
           done
           in
           it
           .
           Mr.
           Hobbes
           is
           their
           Great
           Master
           and
           Lawgiver
           .
           I
           find
           that
           they
           pay
           a
           huge
           reverence
           to
           him
           .
           If
           they
           acknowledge
           any
           
             Divine
             Thing
          
           ,
           it
           is
           He.
           If
           they
           own
           any
           Scriptures
           ,
           they
           are
           his
           Writings
           .
           The
           Language
           that
           I
           lately
           met
           with
           from
           the
           mouth
           of
           one
           that
           was
           ,
           I
           suppose
           ,
           a
           Well-wisher
           (
           according
           to
           his
           poor
           ability
           )
           to
           Mr.
           
             Hobbes's
             Mathematicks
          
           ,
           was
           this
           ,
           
             His
             Leviathan
             is
             the
             best
             Book
             in
             the
             world
             next
             to
             the
             Bible
             :
             He
             himself
             was
             a
             Man
             of
             great
             Piety
             ,
             and
             is
             spoken
             against
             by
             none
             but
             the
             Priests
             .
          
           And
           whom
           do
           they
           (
           for
           this
           man
           speaks
           the
           sense
           of
           the
           rest
           )
           mean
           by
           Priests
           but
           the
           
             Ministers
             of
             Religion
          
           ?
           So
           they
           would
           have
           a
           Bible
           and
           Piety
           without
           these
           ;
           which
           is
           as
           much
           as
           to
           say
           ,
           they
           would
           have
           neither
           of
           them
           .
           But
           indeed
           this
           man
           had
           a
           way
           of
           being
           something
           
           more
           plausible
           than
           his
           Fellows
           ,
           and
           would
           vouchsafe
           to
           mention
           the
           Bible
           and
           Piety
           ,
           and
           thereby
           seem
           as
           it
           were
           to
           allow
           of
           such
           things
           ;
           whereas
           Others
           are
           wont
           to
           laugh
           at
           them
           as
           well
           as
           at
           the
           Persons
           they
           call
           Priests
           ,
           for
           they
           go
           together
           .
           I
           may
           say
           truly
           ,
           it
           is
           grown
           Fashionable
           to
           deride
           whatever
           is
           Sacred
           ,
           and
           to
           talk
           like
           an
           Atheist
           .
           In
           some
           Companies
           it
           shall
           be
           question'd
           whether
           a
           Person
           be
           a
           Gentleman
           if
           he
           does
           not
           give
           Proofs
           of
           his
           being
           Prophane
           .
           To
           defend
           the
           wildest
           Principles
           ,
           and
           to
           ridicule
           Religion
           ,
           is
           counted
           one
           certain
           mark
           of
           a
           Wit.
           He
           that
           doth
           not
           shew
           his
           Raillery
           against
           Virtue
           and
           Goodness
           ,
           and
           speaks
           not
           contemptibly
           of
           God
           and
           Religion
           ,
           is
           not
           
             a
             Man
             of
             Parts
          
           .
           This
           is
           the
           Sentiment
           and
           Perswasion
           of
           a
           great
           part
           of
           this
           Nation
           .
           I
           would
           not
           libel
           the
           Land
           of
           our
           Nativity
           ;
           
           yea
           ,
           I
           rather
           heartily
           wish
           that
           what
           I
           have
           said
           on
           this
           occasion
           might
           receive
           a
           Confutation
           .
           But
           it
           is
           too
           evident
           that
           I
           speak
           truth
           ;
           it
           is
           too
           manifest
           to
           be
           denied
           that
           there
           are
           every
           where
           confiderable
           numbers
           of
           men
           who
           openly
           renounce
           the
           Existence
           of
           God.
           
           David's
           Atheist
           was
           modest
           ,
           and
           only
           
             said
             in
             his
             Heart
             ,
             There
             is
             no
             God
          
           ;
           on
           which
           account
           some
           Atheistical
           Spirits
           now-a-days
           may
           think
           perhaps
           he
           deserved
           the
           Title
           of
           Fool
           which
           the
           Psalmist
           gives
           him
           .
           But
           these
           count
           themselves
           a
           Wiser
           rank
           of
           Atheists
           ,
           because
           they
           
             say
             this
             with
             their
             mouths
          
           ,
           and
           speak
           it
           aloud
           ,
           audibly
           proclaiming
           their
           Opinion
           ,
           and
           being
           very
           zealous
           to
           gain
           Proselytes
           to
           it
           .
        
         
           2.
           
           Let
           us
           abhor
           the
           Converse
           and
           Society
           of
           those
           Persons
           whom
           we
           know
           to
           be
           of
           this
           Character
           .
           And
           truly
           they
           are
           very
           common
           every
           
           where
           .
           It
           is
           prodigious
           to
           see
           how
           they
           daily
           encrease
           .
           There
           is
           scarcely
           a
           Town
           where
           there
           are
           not
           some
           that
           may
           justly
           be
           reckon'd
           in
           this
           number
           .
           Do
           not
           mistake
           me
           .
           There
           are
           some
           deluded
           People
           who
           are
           apt
           to
           censure
           all
           as
           Atheists
           that
           are
           not
           of
           their
           way
           .
           The
           *
           Primitive
           Christians
           were
           thus
           stigmatized
           ,
           and
           usually
           called
           by
           that
           name
           because
           they
           did
           not
           comply
           with
           the
           Pagan
           Worship
           and
           Usages
           .
           If
           a
           man
           discourses
           not
           according
           to
           some
           mens
           fond
           Notions
           and
           Bigotisms
           ;
           if
           he
           speaks
           against
           their
           superstitious
           Practices
           ,
           he
           presently
           hath
           this
           Brand
           set
           upon
           him
           .
           There
           are
           those
           that
           call
           all
           Persons
           Atheists
           and
           Hypocrites
           that
           hold
           not
           the
           same
           Principles
           with
           themselves
           .
           Yea
           ,
           if
           a
           man
           be
           a
           great
           Student
           in
           Philosophy
           ,
           some
           weaker
           People
           may
           be
           apt
           to
           fix
           this
           Character
           on
           
           him
           .
           As
           heretofore
           all
           that
           had
           skill
           in
           Mathematicks
           were
           said
           and
           thought
           to
           deal
           in
           Art
           Magick
           ;
           so
           in
           the
           opinion
           of
           some
           at
           this
           day
           men
           of
           great
           Art
           and
           Learning
           are
           voted
           Atheists
           by
           them
           ,
           and
           almost
           every
           Physician
           hath
           this
           Censure
           past
           on
           him
           by
           men
           of
           weak
           minds
           .
           But
           I
           hope
           none
           of
           those
           I
           now
           speak
           to
           are
           so
           unwise
           and
           weak
           ,
           or
           at
           least
           not
           so
           uncharitable
           and
           censorious
           as
           to
           bestow
           this
           Ignominious
           Epither
           on
           those
           to
           whom
           it
           doth
           not
           belong
           .
           By
           an
           Atheist
           or
           a
           person
           very
           much
           disposed
           to
           be
           so
           ,
           I
           mean
           one
           that
           hath
           an
           Enmity
           to
           the
           very
           notion
           of
           a
           Divine
           Infinite
           Being
           ,
           a
           Supreme
           Immaterial
           Substance
           ,
           that
           is
           the
           Soveraign
           Author
           of
           Nature
           ,
           and
           the
           First
           Cause
           of
           all
           things
           ,
           from
           whom
           all
           things
           were
           ,
           and
           on
           whom
           they
           depend
           .
           I
           mean
           such
           a
           one
           as
           owns
           no
           Allegiance
           to
           this
           Divine
           Ruler
           
           and
           Soveraign
           ,
           and
           in
           his
           Words
           and
           Actions
           discovers
           this
           to
           the
           World.
           And
           accordingly
           he
           is
           one
           that
           acknowledges
           not
           the
           Infinite
           Power
           ,
           Wisdom
           ,
           Goodness
           ,
           and
           Justice
           of
           God
           in
           the
           Government
           of
           all
           things
           :
           he
           speaks
           irreverently
           of
           all
           that
           appertains
           to
           Religion
           and
           Godliness
           :
           he
           laughs
           at
           the
           profound
           Mysteries
           and
           sublime
           Doctrines
           of
           Christianity
           :
           he
           endeavours
           always
           to
           diminish
           the
           esteem
           of
           Sacred
           things
           :
           yea
           ,
           he
           will
           be
           jesting
           and
           drolling
           on
           them
           if
           he
           hath
           any
           Talent
           that
           way
           .
           If
           he
           be
           open-hearted
           ,
           and
           not
           upon
           the
           Reserve
           ,
           he
           will
           tell
           them
           that
           Religion
           is
           a
           mere
           Invention
           of
           Politick
           Heads
           to
           awe
           the
           Multitude
           ,
           and
           to
           keep
           the
           World
           in
           good
           order
           .
           He
           is
           one
           that
           blasts
           Religion
           with
           the
           ignominious
           Title
           of
           a
           Popular
           Cheat
           ,
           and
           labours
           to
           perswade
           others
           to
           do
           the
           like
           .
           Where
           
           you
           find
           these
           Characters
           in
           any
           person
           ,
           you
           may
           conclude
           without
           breach
           of
           Charity
           ,
           that
           he
           is
           an
           Atheist
           .
        
         
           And
           it
           is
           the
           Company
           of
           such
           that
           I
           exhort
           you
           to
           beware
           of
           ,
           and
           wholly
           to
           avoid
           .
           It
           is
           almost
           incredible
           that
           such
           great
           numbers
           should
           be
           every
           day
           led
           away
           with
           this
           
             Ignis
             Fatuus
          
           ,
           and
           plung'd
           into
           Bogs
           and
           Mire
           ,
           never
           to
           be
           pluck'd
           out
           thence
           .
           Therefore
           take
           heed
           what
           Society
           you
           mingle
           your selves
           with
           in
           this
           Dangerous
           Age.
           Sit
           not
           with
           the
           known
           Despisers
           of
           God
           and
           Religion
           ,
           for
           they
           will
           insensibly
           instill
           their
           poison
           into
           you
           .
           By
           frequent
           associating
           with
           them
           you
           will
           learn
           to
           resemble
           them
           .
           Wherefore
           fly
           from
           them
           as
           from
           a
           Serpent
           ,
           and
           be
           not
           prevail'd
           with
           by
           any
           Entreaties
           or
           Threats
           to
           hold
           Correspondence
           with
           them
           .
           Assure
           your selves
           of
           this
           ,
           that
           the
           Title
           of
           
           Atheist
           is
           the
           most
           Reproachful
           and
           Detestable
           one
           imaginable
           ,
           though
           some
           of
           late
           who
           glory
           in
           their
           shame
           entertain
           other
           thoughts
           .
           Nay
           ,
           some
           of
           these
           Persons
           seem
           to
           be
           partly
           sensible
           of
           it
           ,
           and
           change
           the
           name
           into
           that
           of
           Deist
           .
           At
           this
           day
           Atheism
           it self
           is
           slily
           call'd
           Deism
           by
           those
           that
           indeed
           are
           Atheists
           .
           Though
           they
           retain
           the
           things
           ,
           yet
           they
           would
           disguise
           it
           by
           a
           false
           Name
           ,
           and
           thereby
           hide
           the
           Heinousness
           of
           it
           .
           But
           let
           us
           not
           be
           deceived
           and
           blinded
           by
           pretended
           Shews
           ,
           but
           throughly
           apprehend
           the
           Vileness
           of
           this
           Opinion
           which
           some
           endeavour
           to
           palliate
           .
           It
           is
           a
           very
           denying
           the
           Creed
           of
           Nature
           ,
           it
           is
           a
           Renuntiation
           of
           that
           which
           the
           very
           Devils
           believe
           ,
           and
           tremble
           at
           .
           It
           is
           briefly
           but
           fully
           represented
           in
           St.
           
           Cyprian's
           words
           ,
           *
           This
           
           (
           saith
           he
           )
           
             is
             the
             sum
             of
             this
             most
             beinous
             Crime
             ,
             that
             those
             who
             are
             guilty
             of
             it
             wilfully
             refuse
             to
             acknowledge
             Him
             whom
             they
             cannot
             be
             ignorant
             of
             .
          
           For
           their
           own
           Beings
           and
           Natures
           furnish
           them
           with
           Arguments
           for
           a
           God
           :
           and
           if
           they
           did
           not
           obstinately
           shut
           their
           eyes
           ,
           they
           must
           needs
           behold
           a
           Deity
           .
           Therefore
           to
           be
           Atheists
           ,
           or
           
             without
             God
             in
             the
             world
          
           (
           as
           the
           *
           Apostle
           speaks
           )
           cannot
           but
           be
           a
           Great
           Prodigy
           ;
           it
           is
           Unaccountable
           almost
           (
           if
           the
           Degeneracy
           of
           Manking
           were
           not
           so
           great
           as
           it
           is
           )
           that
           the
           World
           it self
           should
           not
           administer
           to
           mens
           Thoughts
           Convictive
           Arguments
           of
           a
           Divinity
           .
           Whence
           it
           hath
           been
           observ'd
           by
           a
           very
           Wise
           Man
           ,
           that
           there
           never
           was
           any
           Miracle
           wrought
           by
           God
           to
           convert
           an
           Atheist
           ,
           because
           the
           Light
           of
           Nature
           might
           have
           led
           him
           to
           confess
           
           a
           God.
           This
           shews
           how
           detestable
           and
           pernicious
           Atheism
           is
           ;
           and
           much
           more
           might
           be
           said
           to
           this
           purpose
           .
           Wherefore
           I
           hope
           I
           need
           not
           multiply
           words
           when
           I
           call
           upon
           you
           to
           keep
           out
           of
           the
           Company
           of
           those
           men
           who
           you
           know
           are
           infected
           with
           this
           hellish
           Poison
           .
        
         
           3.
           
           Let
           us
           labour
           to
           work
           in
           our selves
           and
           others
           a
           profound
           Sense
           of
           that
           
             Great
             God
          
           with
           whom
           we
           have
           to
           do
           .
           Generally
           the
           Belief
           of
           a
           Deity
           is
           from
           Custom
           and
           Education
           ,
           because
           it
           is
           the
           Perswasion
           of
           the
           Place
           and
           the
           Persons
           we
           converse
           with
           :
           but
           we
           should
           not
           content
           our selves
           with
           this
           ,
           but
           arrive
           to
           the
           Knowledge
           of
           the
           true
           Grounds
           and
           Reasons
           of
           this
           Belief
           .
           Seeing
           this
           is
           the
           First
           thing
           in
           Religion
           ,
           and
           no
           Man
           can
           be
           Religious
           and
           Vertuous
           unless
           he
           believes
           there
           is
           a
           God
           ,
           let
           us
           fortifie
           our
           Minds
           against
           Atheism
           by
           those
           
           several
           Arguments
           and
           Considerations
           which
           are
           wont
           to
           be
           propounded
           by
           Learned
           and
           Religious
           *
           Writers
           :
           that
           we
           may
           as
           throughly
           be
           perswaded
           of
           this
           Great
           Truth
           as
           of
           our
           own
           Being
           ,
           which
           a
           Great
           Philosopher
           makes
           one
           of
           his
           First
           and
           Indubitable
           Principles
           .
        
         
           But
           especially
           view
           the
           Works
           of
           the
           Creation
           ,
           and
           perswade
           your selves
           of
           this
           ,
           that
           a
           Material
           World
           without
           an
           Immaterial
           Cause
           of
           it
           ,
           is
           mere
           Nonsnse
           .
           Look
           abroad
           ,
           and
           behold
           the
           Heavens
           and
           the
           Earth
           ,
           and
           all
           the
           Furniture
           of
           them
           ;
           there
           you
           may
           believe
           a
           Deity
           ,
           because
           you
           do
           as
           't
           were
           see
           it
           .
           The
           Creator
           is
           made
           visible
           by
           his
           Works
           .
           Every
           thing
           in
           the
           Sensible
           World
           is
           an
           †
           Image
           ,
           a
           Picture
           ,
           a
           
           Footstep
           of
           the
           Deity
           .
           From
           this
           Exquisite
           Fabrick
           we
           infallibly
           gather
           the
           Existence
           of
           its
           All-wise
           Architect
           and
           Moderator
           .
           Of
           which
           I
           shall
           give
           the
           Reader
           a
           particular
           Demonstration
           in
           a
           short
           time
           And
           that
           you
           may
           effectually
           extirpate
           Atheism
           out
           of
           your
           minds
           ,
           frequently
           peruse
           the
           H.
           Scriptures
           .
           Read
           God
           in
           his
           own
           Book
           .
           There
           you
           will
           certainly
           inform
           your selves
           concerning
           the
           Superintendence
           of
           Spiritual
           or
           Immaterial
           Agents
           ,
           
             viz.
             Angels
          
           ,
           which
           makes
           way
           for
           the
           Belief
           of
           a
           God
           ,
           who
           is
           a
           Spirit
           .
           There
           you
           will
           meet
           with
           those
           Wonderful
           Operations
           and
           Events
           which
           can
           no
           ways
           be
           solv'd
           without
           granting
           an
           Omnipotent
           and
           All-wise
           Disposer
           of
           things
           .
           And
           there
           you
           will
           find
           this
           Supreme
           Governour
           of
           the
           World
           communicating
           his
           Will
           and
           Pleasure
           to
           Mankind
           .
           I
           question
           not
           but
           one
           
           great
           Reason
           (
           and
           I
           might
           have
           mention'd
           it
           among
           the
           rest
           )
           why
           men
           are
           so
           disposed
           to
           be
           Atheists
           ,
           is
           because
           they
           never
           ,
           or
           very
           seldom
           ,
           consult
           this
           Holy
           Volume
           :
           they
           refuse
           to
           hear
           God
           Himself
           speaking
           to
           them
           in
           these
           Writings
           .
           Wherefore
           I
           recommend
           to
           you
           the
           serious
           and
           frequent
           reading
           of
           the
           Bible
           as
           the
           most
           effectual
           means
           to
           confirm
           you
           in
           the
           Belief
           of
           a
           Deity
           .
           Assure
           your selves
           that
           this
           Book
           is
           the
           best
           Antidote
           against
           Atheism
           .
        
         
           4.
           and
           lastly
           ,
           Labour
           to
           be
           truly
           Religious
           and
           Holy
           ;
           beg
           the
           Divine
           Assistance
           to
           sanctifie
           you
           in
           your
           Hearts
           and
           Lives
           ;
           and
           thereby
           you
           will
           be
           let
           into
           the
           intimate
           knowledge
           of
           this
           Grand
           Verity
           which
           I
           have
           been
           discoursing
           of
           .
           You
           will
           then
           more
           sensibly
           understand
           and
           be
           convinced
           of
           it
           than
           by
           all
           the
           Arguments
           that
           
           can
           be
           offer'd
           :
           or
           rather
           ,
           this
           one
           will
           make
           all
           the
           rest
           effectual
           .
           Whereas
           on
           the
           contrary
           ,
           Men
           of
           Unsanctified
           Minds
           and
           Profane
           Lives
           despise
           and
           scoff
           at
           that
           of
           which
           they
           have
           no
           experience
           ,
           and
           will
           not
           believe
           the
           Existence
           and
           Power
           of
           God
           which
           they
           never
           felt
           :
           Strive
           then
           by
           an
           Inward
           Experiment
           to
           confute
           Atheism
           :
           so
           that
           you
           may
           not
           have
           any
           Inclination
           to
           
             say
             in
             your
             hearts
          
           (
           though
           you
           do
           not
           utter
           it
           with
           your
           tongues
           )
           
             There
             is
             no
             God
          
           ,
           but
           that
           you
           may
           be
           so
           strongly
           convinced
           of
           the
           contrary
           Truth
           that
           you
           may
           be
           able
           to
           assert
           it
           with
           a
           firm
           and
           unshaken
           Belief
           ,
           and
           from
           an
           internal
           sense
           of
           it
           on
           your
           hearts
           ,
           to
           attest
           the
           reality
           of
           it
           to
           the
           whole
           World.
           
        
         
           FINIS
           .
        
      
    
     
       
         
           ERRAT
           .
        
         
           Pag.
           104.
           lin
           .
           8.
           dele
           to
           .
        
      
       
         Notes, typically marginal, from the original text
         
           Notes for div A38046-e160
           
             *
             Sermon
             of
             the
             Folly
             of
             Atheism
             .
             Sermon
             at
             the
             Queen's
             Funeral
             .
          
        
         
           Notes for div A38046-e530
           
             *
             
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
            
             .
             Hierocl
             .
          
           
             *
             His
             Essays
             .
          
           
             *
             1
             Tim.
             6.
             16.
             
          
           
             *
             Exercitat
             .
             99.
             
          
           
             *
             De
             Cometis
             .
          
           
             *
             Preface
             before
             his
             Philosoph
             .
             Writings
             .
          
           
             †
             Search
             after
             Truth
             ,
             Book
             3.
             
             Chap.
             4.
             
          
           
             *
             Bishop
             
             Ward
             's
             Serm.
             
          
           
             †
             Copernicus
             ,
             Lansbergius
             ,
             Clavius
             ,
             Petavius
             ,
             Tacquet
             ,
             Scheiner
             ,
             Gassendus
             ,
             Fromondus
             ,
             Kircher
             ,
             Ricciolus
             ,
             Oughtred
             ,
             Ward
             ,
             Wallis
             ,
             More
             ,
             Glanvil
             .
          
           
             *
             Sir
             Tho.
             More
             ▪
             ,
             Sir
             Phil.
             Sidney
             ,
             Sir
             W.
             Raleigh
             ,
             Sir
             Hen.
             Wotton
             ,
             Lord
             Bacon
             ,
             Mr.
             Selden
             ,
             Mr.
             Cowley
             ,
             &c.
             
          
           
             *
             Primus
             in
             orbe
             Deos
             fecit
             timor
             .
             —
             
               Pap.
               Stat.
            
             
          
           
             *
             
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
            
             .
          
           
             *
             Lord
             
             Bacon's
             Essay
             of
             Atheism
             .
          
           
             *
             De
             Nat.
             Deorum
             ,
             Lib.
             1.
             
          
           
             *
             Mat.
             7.
             
               16
            
             .
             Luke
             17.
             1.
             
          
           
             †
             1
             Tim.
             4.
             1.
             2
             
             Tim.
             3.
             
             ●
             ,
             6.
             2
             
             Pet.
             33.
             
             Jude
             18.
             
          
           
             *
             Sir
             Edwyn
             Sandys
             .
          
           
             *
             Lord
             
             Bacon's
             Essays
             .
          
           
             *
             Considerations
             on
             the
             Explications
             of
             the
             Doctrine
             of
             the
             Trinity
             ,
             Page
             5
             ,
             6
             ,
             7.
             
          
           
             *
             
             Praelect
             .
             cap.
             8
             ,
             9
             ,
             10
             ,
             11.
             
          
           
             †
             Fragment
             .
             Disp.
             de
             Adorat
             .
             Christi
             .
          
           
             ‖
             Deus
             est
             Spiritus
             aeternus
             :
             spiritum
             autem
             cum
             nominamus
             ,
             substantiam
             intelligimus
             ab
             omni
             erassitie
             ,
             qualem
             in
             corporibus
             oculorum
             arbitrio
             subjectis
             cernimus
             ,
             alienam
             .
             Hoc
             sensu
             Angelos
             dicimus
             Spiritus
             ,
             &
             Aerem
             ,
             
               &c.
               De
               Deo
               &
               Attrib
               .
               cap.
            
             15.
             
          
           
             *
             Comment
             .
             Vol.
             1.
             page
             118.
             
          
           
             *
             De
             Uno
             Deo
             P.
             lib.
             2.
             sect
             .
             1
             ,
             2.
             
          
           
             *
             Letter
             of
             Resolution
             concerning
             the
             Doctrine
             of
             the
             Trinity
             .
             The
             Unreasonableness
             of
             the
             Doctrine
             of
             the
             Trinity
             .
          
           
             †
             An
             Accurate
             Examination
             of
             the
             Principal
             Texts
             ,
             &c.
             chap.
             5.
             
          
           
             ‖
             Observations
             on
             the
             Answer
             to
             the
             brief
             History
             of
             the
             Unitarians
             ,
             chap.
             2.
             
          
           
             †
             Letter
             of
             Resolution
             concerning
             the
             Doctrine
             of
             the
             Trinity
             .
          
           
             *
             Observations
             on
             the
             Answer
             to
             the
             brief
             History
             of
             the
             Unitarians
             ,
             chap.
             1.
             
          
           
             *
             Of
             the
             Mysteries
             of
             the
             Christian
             Faith.
             
          
           
             *
             An
             Exhortation
             to
             a
             Free
             and
             Impartial
             Enquiry
             ,
             &c.
             
          
           
             *
             Spinosa
             .
             Tract
             .
             Theol
             polit
             .
             cap.
             8
             ,
             9
             ,
             10.
             
          
           
             *
             Dr.
             
             Woodward's
             Hist.
             of
             the
             Earth
             ,
             Part
             3.
             161.
             
          
           
             *
             Du-Pin
             Hist.
             of
             Eccles.
             Writers
             .
             
               Prelim.
               Dissertat
            
             .
          
           
             *
             Search
             after
             Truth
             ,
             Book
             1.
             
          
           
             †
             Princip
             .
             Philos.
             Pars
             4.
             
          
           
             *
             Enchirid.
             Metaphys
             .
             Cap.
             11.
             
          
           
             †
             Mr.
             L●ck
             concerning
             Education
             .
          
           
             *
             Dr.
             
             Woodward's
             Nat.
             Hist.
             of
             the
             Earth
             .
             Part
             1.
             
          
           
             *
             De
             Corde
             .
          
           
             *
             Concerning
             Education
             .
          
           
             *
             Mr.
             Hobbs
             Leviath
             .
             chap.
             34.
             
             Mr.
             Websters
             Display
             of
             supposed
             Witchcraft
             .
             Dr.
             
             Becker's
             Enchanted
             World.
             
          
           
             *
             Chap.
             1.
             
             Concerning
             the
             Articles
             of
             Faith.
             
          
           
             *
             P.
             302.
             
          
           
             *
             P.
             302.
             
          
           
             *
             Page
             .
             303.
             
          
           
             *
             1
             Tim.
             3.
             16.
             
          
           
             *
             Page
             302.
             
          
           
             *
             Deut.
             4.
             2.
             
          
           
             †
             Rev.
             22.
             18
             ,
             19.
             
          
           
             *
             Dr.
             
             Cudworth's
             Intellectual
             System
             .
          
           
             *
             L'Histoire
             d'
             Henr.
             3.
             
          
           
             *
             
               In
               his
            
             Europae
             Speculum
             .
          
           
             †
             An
             Essay
             in
             a
             Letter
             from
             Oxford
             .
          
           
             *
             Just.
             Mart.
             Apol.
             2.
             
          
           
             *
             Haec
             est
             summa
             delicti
             nolle
             agnoscere
             quem
             ignorare
             non
             possis
             .
             
               De
               Vanit
               .
               Idol
            
             .
          
           
             *
             Ephes.
             2.
             12.
             
          
           
             *
             Fab.
             Faventini
             Disp.
             4.
             adv
             .
             Atheos
             .
             Tho.
             Campanella
             Spizel
             Scrutin
             .
             Atheismi
             .
             Muller
             .
             Atheismus
             devictus
             .
             Ian.
             &
             Ioach.
             Ian.
             Disputat
             .
             contr
             .
             Atheos
             .
             Dr.
             More
             ,
             Mr.
             Smith
             ,
             Sir
             Charles
             .
             Woosley
             ,
             Dr.
             Tenison
             ,
             
               (
               now
               Archbishop
               of
            
             Cant.
             )
             Dr.
             Cudworth
             ,
             Dr.
             Barrow
             .
          
           
             †
             
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
            
             .
             Plato
             .